The details of Ralph Sheldon’s will
Ralph Sheldon of Abberton was a wealthy man; by values that apply in today’s world he would undoubtedly have been a millionaire many times over. Much of his wealth was inherited from his older brother, William…
Ralph Sheldon (1468-1546) the first coal king
The Sheldons had already acquired great wealth through sheep farming and weaving when Ralph Sheldon, quite late in life, acquired land at Cole Orton in Leicestershire in around 1533, possibly at the behest…
William Sheldon at the Battle of Bosworth
DURING THE REIGN OF EDWARD IV (1461-1483), William Sheldon, the eldest son of Ralph and Joyce Sheldon (nee Rudding) of Abberton, purchased the Worcestershire manor of Beoley from Richard Neville, Lord Latimer…
The Sheldons move on to Abberton
JOHN SHELDON (1380-1428) left behind the hills of Rowley Regis to establish his family at Abberton, Worcestershire, due in no small part to his marriage to wealthy heiress Joan (Juana), daughter of John Cotton…
The Black Death and the first Ralph Sheldon
THE FIRST NAME in the earliest recorded Sheldon pedigree is that of Ralph Sheldon, believed to have been born in the village of Sheldon, Warwickshire, around 1320, a hundred years or so after…
The first Derbyshire Sheldons
EVIDENCE OF EARLY SHELDONS in Derbyshire is surprisingly difficult to find, with the appearance of a Roger de Scheladon in 1307/08 legal proceedings over a debt the first tangible record…
John Sheldon and his 95 great-grandchildren
THE STAFFORDSHIRE ADVERTISER newspaper dated 12th June 1802 recorded the passing of the remarkable John Sheldon, who had died in the town of West Bromwich at the grand old age of 102…
Where Sheldons were found in the 16th century
A SEARCH THROUGH the earliest-available parish records from 16th century England gives us a good indication of the geographical distribution of people with the Sheldon surname at the time…
The birth of the first great Sheldon dynasty
THE EARLIEST RECORDED SHELDON DYNASTY begins with Anselm de Scheldon, from whom will grow a hugely wealthy and powerful family that would spread its power and influence into every corner…