St. Michael Le Belfrey, City of York
Staveleys have inhabited this parish since at least the late 1500's, when an Ann Staveley married Hector ROUTHLESSE (listed as a servant to Edward Rigge) on November 26, 1587.
No additional Staveley entries appear in the registers until December 17, 1623 when a Thomas Staveley, declared to be 'of Thormanby', married Petronell CHAMBERS. A few years later, on July 24, 1631 an Ellen Staveley married a William LEVENS. It is not known if Ellen is directly related to Thomas or not.
A couple of sparse Staveley entries occur over the course of the next 100 years, including the death of "Isabella Staveley, widowe" on October 30 1655, and a marriage of an Ann Staveley to a Richard HARRISON on March 2, 1716. No additional entries appear until the mid-eighteenth Century.
John Staveley, a Joyner by trade, had the following child in this parish:
| Robert Staveley | b. January 14, 1753 | St. Michael le Belfrey, York | d. April 17, 1753 |
Robert died as an infant, and it is unknown if his father had any addtional children. His father John, the Joyner, died on December 13, 1757.
The registers then show two entries for children born to a John Staveley, Carver, of this parish. The records show that John Staveley, the Carver, was married to Margaret. As such, this is thought to be John Staveley of Pocklington, that married Margaret SMEATON at St. Mary Bishophill Junior, York, on October 1, 1745.
| William Staveley | b. December 11, 1754 | St. Michael le Belfrey, York | |
| Maria Betsey Staveley | b. July 31, 1760 | St. Michael le Belfrey, York | d. March 10, 1765 |
John and Margaret's son William married Henrietta HENDERSON on August 18, 1778 in this parish. William and Henrietta had one child christened in this parish:
| William Staveley | b. August 18, 1779 | St. Michael le Belfrey, York |
Their subsequent children were all christened at St. Saviour's, York. However, John's wife Margaret was buried in this parish on April 6, 1776.
A William Staveley, a whitesmith by trade, married Ann TURNER at St. Michael le Belfry on January 26, 1774. It is unknown as yet exactly who this William is. William and Ann are known to have had the following children in this parish:
| William Staveley | b. February 4, 1775 | St. Michael le Belfrey, York | d. February 26, 1776 |
| Elizabeth Staveley | b. May 18, 1776 | St. Michael le Belfrey, York | d. November 19, 1778 |
Both children died before the age of two years, and it is unknown if William and Ann had any additional children. The lease registers for York show that William and Ann rented a house in Stonegate.
| Indenture - Date: 13 Feb 1768 Indenture - Date: 6 Apr 1782 Indenture - Date: 7 May 1796 |
William and Ann appear to have remained in this parish until their death, as a carved marble plaque can still be found inside the church of St. Michael le Belfrey commemorating them:
For this plaque to have been placed at the church, one might presume that William was a notable resident of this parish, but as William's family origins are unclear, who placed the plaque at St. Michael le Belfrey, and why, is as yet undetermined.