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Author: Leigh, Helen

Biography:

LEIGH, Helen (fl 1788)

“Helen Leigh of Middlewich” published only one volume of poetry but it was very well subscribed, with eight pages of double columns of names. She dedicated the volume to Thomas Willis of Swettenham (also in Cheshire), who had been High Sheriff of the county in 1784-5, and who subscribed for five copies; and she identified herself in a prefatory note as the wife of a country curate and the mother of seven children. She was Mrs. George Leigh, who had married at Great Budworth, Cheshire, where both parties were residents of the parish, on 22 May 1774. Her name in the marriage record is given as Ellen Baxter. She might have been born outside the county: the most likely candidate is Ellen, daughter of Richard Baxter, who was baptised on 14 Feb. 1753 at Bolton by Bowland, Yorkshire. At the time of the marriage George Leigh had not yet been ordained. He qualified for ordination as a deacon in 1776 as “literate,” but at his ordination as priest in 1777 he was “BA”—though not, apparently, from Oxford or Cambridge. He was curate first at Middlewich (1776-90) and then at Swettenham (from Oct. 1790). No reliable death records have been found for the couple. It is possible though not very likely that they moved to the village of Lymm in 1789 or 1790 and that he was the George Leigh who died there in 1790 and she the Ellen Leigh who died and was buried there on 21 Dec. 1795. (ancestry.com 2 Jan. 2023; findmypast.com 2 Jan. 2023; CCEd 2 Jan. 2023)

 

Books written (1):

Manchester: Clarkes, 1788