30 LEONARD WHEATCROFT, OF ASHOVER. 



Of the Wheatcroft family of Ashover but little is known, save 

 from Leonard's own memoranda. In the list of alehouse keepers 

 of 1577) given in the first volume of this journal, p. 68, William 

 Wheatcroft occurs as tenant or landlord of one of the two inns 

 then in Ashover. He might be the father of John Wheatcroft 

 (Leonard's grandfather), but we have no proof, for unfortunately 

 the registers of Ashover only commence with the appointment 

 of the parish registrar of the Cromwellian era. The earlier ones 

 were destroyed by the Puritanical fanatics who visited Ashover 

 during the civil war. Leonard, however, has been careful to note 

 in this Cromwellian register for his own satisfaction some records 

 of his " forebears," either taken from the earlier lost records or 

 from family memoranda. From these sources we deduce the 

 pedigree on opposite page. 



In a lease, now in the possession of Mrs. Nodder, of Ashover, 

 Leonard, the parish clerk, is termed a " Yeoman." " On the 8th 

 of October, 1658, Richard Marshall, of Dethic, in Ashover, 

 yeoman, and Edward Lowe, of Jofhole Lane, yeoman, leased 

 and to farm lett to Leonard Wheatcroft, of Ashover, yeoman, for 

 the term of 12 years, all that dwelling-house wherein the said 

 Leonard Wheatcroft dwelleth, with certain parcels of land called 

 Long Acre, Horse Meadow, Brook Pingle, and Broad Green 

 Pingle, at the yearly rent of ^4. Sealed in the presence of 

 Elizabeth William and Francis Allyn." 



Mr. Immanuel Bourne, late of Ayleston, in the county of 

 Leicester, clerk, by his last will, among other lands bequeathed 

 to his wife "Two Doles of land which he purchased of 

 Leonard Wheatcroft and Thomas Bower, lying in Elder Tree 

 Lane." 



For the ofifice of parish clerk Leonard was obviously well 

 qualified. He was a very creditable scholar, an accomplished 

 ringer, and, if the testimony of his son may be received, an 

 excellent singer. His compositions, if measured by the present 

 standard of poetical merit, would perhaps be considered beneath 

 notice, but in forming a just estimate of them we must recollect 

 that very few of the educational privileges now available were 



