1. The earliest reference to Blakeley was in 1086 when Albert Grelle(y) obtained a grant of the Manor Of Mamecestre (Manchester), which included the township of Blackley. This then became part of the Barony of Grelly.

 2. In 1215 Robert Grelley, a knight of the King, had a warrant for six harts (stags) to be taken in the Royal Forest of Clive for restocking his park at Blackley or at Horwich Chase. At Blackley was the Lords Deer Park.

 3. Robert Grelley was one of the Northern Barons who were prominent in extorting the Charter of Liberties (Magna Carta) from King John, for which cause, towards the end of 1215 he underwent the sentence of excommunication by the Pope and his estates were seized, the King placing Adam de Yeoland in charge of the castle of Mamecestre and the Lords dependent upon it.

 4. The next reference to it indicates that the above sentence must have been repealed, as in 1282, after the death of Robert Grelley, the Park of Blackley, with its trees and eyries of sparrowhawks was again in Grelley hands.

 5. Thomas Grelley became Lord of Mamecestre until his death in 1313. This ended over two centuries of Grelley rule. Thomas never married, and had no brothers but had one sister who had married into the la Warre family. In accordance with the will of Thomas, the Manor of Mamecestre, including the Township of Blackley, was granted to Sir John and Lady Joan, la Warre.

 6. The Manor  was taken over in 1426 by Sir Reginald West, the fifth Baron West, and was transferred to Sir John Byron in 1433.

 7. A Francis Nuttall, who died in 1619, was described as "being of Blackley Hall, near Middleton, but in the parish of Manchester". He was a lawyer and was the successor of William Assheton of Clegg Hall, in the High local office of Stewart of the Court Leet, and Court Baron of Sir John Byron, the Manorial Lord of Rochdale. On his death he left his lands and messuages at Blackley to his son and heir, John Nuttall. On the 30th of December 1630, the brother of John Nuttall died and was buried in Middleton. This brother was referred to as Mr James Nuttall de Blackley.

 8. The unresolved question at this moment in time is - did this Nuttall own the Hall, or was it rented from John Byron?

 9. In the article "Blackley Hall" by Jim Blakeley, published in the BLAKELEY GAZETTE, volume 2 Issue 4, reference was made to William Grant of Ramsbottom, who purchased and then demolished the Hall in 1814. William Grant and his brother Charles (who were sterling millionaires), were responsible for the building of most of Ramsbottom, a market town near Bury, which is now best known for a restored station belonging to, and operated by, the East Lancashire Railway Preservation Society. I would recommend a day out at this station for any railway enthusiast.

10. The Grants were "cheery" brothers who were well known for their "benevolence and kindness" such that they were immortalised by Charles Dickens as the Cheeryble Brothers in his novel, Nicholas Nickleby.

Part two of "The Origins" will be published at a later date to allow for any further data which may surface, to be included.

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