Rector - Richard Leigh (1808-1884)
Richard Leigh (9NK5-K9Q) was one of ten children born to Elizabeth Gerard and her husband, John Leigh, a prominent Liverpool lawyer who leased the Sandhills estate and died there in 1823 (according to ‘Townships: Kirkdale’, A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, 1907, pp.35-40.)
Richard was born in Sandhills, Kirkdale, Lancashire circa 1808. He married Sarah Grayson Phibbs (MC37-482) on 26th July 1838 at St. Michael’s church, Toxteth, Liverpool. In the marriage register we can see his profession is given as ‘Clerk’ and his residence was in Halsall. Sarah’s name has been incorrectly written as ‘Ann’ (this was her mother’s name). She has signed the record as ‘Sarah Grayson Phibbs’ and was also baptised as such.
On 6th September 1843, Richard was appointed Rector of St. Cuthbert’s church, Halsall, under the patronage of his brother in law, Richard Benson Blundell Hollinshead Blundell (MC34-DZ6). The Blundell family had a new rectory built circa 1845-47 (now called Halsall House) and Richard and Sarah were living there in 1851 and 1861 with their children and various servants, according to the census of Halsall village.
In 1852, a turbulent storm struck Halsall, during which the church spire was destroyed. An article in the Southport Visiter newspaper on 18th June 1852, mentions the fact that the spire was ‘in the course of re-erection’ ‘having been left in an unsafe state’.Taylor and Radcliffe, in their ‘Notes on the Parish and Church of Halsall, 1896’ also make reference to the spire being rebuilt in 1852. The churchwardens mentioned are John Park (GKQ5-76S), a farm bailiff from Morris Lane, Halsall and James Pye (KH7R-RLG), a farmer from Halsall Hall. Reverend Richard Leigh was still the rector at that time. However, some twenty years after his appointment at Halsall, he resigned and moved to Walton where he became the rector there. His nephew, Reverend Thomas Blundell Hollinshead Blundell (MHP1-FLL) took over as rector of St. Cuthbert’s, Halsall on 11th August 1863.
Reverend Richard Leigh remained rector of Walton until his death in 1884 at Brighton, Sussex. He was buried in the vault at St. Cuthbert’s church, Halsall. His nephew, Reverend Thomas B.H. Blundell performed the funeral ceremony.
After his death, according to the probate records, Reverend Leigh’s personal estate was valued at £79, 816 2s 9d – which, according to the Bank of England inflation calculator is the equivalent of a staggering £8.6 million!
