1500 Richard Tooley I born
c1520 Richard Tolye II born, son of Richard I
1520-30 Edmund Tolye, son of Richard I born
1520-30 Margaret Tolye, daughter of Richard I born
1520-30 Alice Tolye, daughter of Richard I born
1541 Robert Tolye, son of Richard II born
1552 Richard Tolye II witness to John Pye’s will (owner of Samson & Hercules)
1555 Richard Webster alias Toly made freeman, without apprenticeship, butcher
1558/9 Robert Toley made freeman, without apprenticeship, 1558/9, butcher
1558 Richard Tooley I and II buy a tenement occupied by Edward Wright, cutler, between St George Tombland and Tombland from John Pye (owner of Samson & Hercules)
1559 Richard Tolye III, son of Richard II and Johanna born, baptized in St John Timberhill
1568-1570 Landgable – Richard Tolye, butcher, has tenement in St Michael/Bere Street, used to belong to the college of Chapel in the Field, Richard Newman and John Marsham. Richard Tolye has 2 tenements in St Martin/Bere Street formerly belonging to Thomas Pictoo of the fee of Christ Church and of William Fynke. Richard Toly had tenements in St John Timberhill next to property late of John Sweyn.
Richard Tolye scrivener (deleted) had tenement now owned by Robert Narborough next to Robert Spirlyng in St Bartholemew.
Richard Tolye’s ferme (lease or tenancy) has a common lane going through it in St George Tombland, Cooke row and Tombland between the tenements of the dean and chapter of Christ Church and the tenement of Mr Steward on the south and the tenement of John Revell on the north
Edmond Toly has a void tenement which used to belong to Thomas Toly in St John at the Gates and another tenement to the south
1569 Alice Tolye, daughter of Richard Tolye II marries John Johnson in St George Tombland
1569 Richard Tooley (?) marries Mary Buttolfe in St George Tombland
1569 Richard Tooley II is given his freedom of the city, St George Tombland
1569 Alicia Toolye and John Johnson married at St Goe
1570 Richard Tolye II said to be largest rate payer in St John Timberhill
1570-1579 Mr Tolie, Rd Tooly the elder, Rd Toolie, Rd Tooly jn on poor rate records for St George Tombland
1571 Anna daughter of Richard (II?) baptized St George Tombland
1573 Mary daughter of Richard (II?) baptized St George Tombland
1577 Robert Tolye son of Richard (II?) is baptized St George Tombland
1578 Mary Tolye daughter of Richard (II?) is buried at St George Tombland
1580 Edmund Tolye of Norwich dies
1580 Mary daughter of Richard (II?) baptized St George Tombland
bef 1588 John Tooley son of Richard Tolye III is born
1588 Richard Tolye senior II dies – is a scrivener – buried at St George Tombland. Rycharde Tolye theldr. of Norwich, skrivennr, being of hoale and perfect memorye. First I comende and resign vpp my sowle into the m’cyfull hande of Almightie god my Creator and Lorde god, into the handes of Jhesus Christ my savior and redeem’, and into thande of the wholly ghost my helper and Comforter, of whome I beleave as in one god distinct in three persons. To be buried in the church of St. George in Tombleland in Norwich. 20s. towarde the repacon of the church ; 3^. 4^. to the poore men’s boxe there ; 6.f. Sd. to learned minister to preach a sermon at my burial daye ; four marks to the poor people in the wards of North Conisfford & berestreet and in the parish of St. George in Tombland; to poor people in lazar houses at gates of city, in Normans called Bridwell, and in St. Giles’ Hospital, Jd. each ; to poor prisoners in Guildhall and Castle, Norwich, 2d. each ; to poor of Kirby and Horsforth ; to Johan. my wife, annuity, silver salt with cover double gilt, silver goblet with cover, silver pot and cover, stone pot tipped with silver, half-dozen silver spoons marked with R. & N. at the ends, all my naperye & half my howshold stufife, as bedding, pewter, brasse, and other utensils now in my house at Norwich, except tables, stoles, hangings, pictures, cupboards, and sealings; and to have the use and occupation of half the messuage and garden in St. George Tombland and Precinct of the Cathedral, with her servant ; the other half to my son Richard Toly ; grandson Robert Tolye ; lands, tenements, &c., in Kyrbye and Wicklingham ; to Anne Tolye, daughter-in-law, goblet of silver which was Mrs. Johan. Codd’s; to Alice Johnson, daughter; son-in-law Mr. John Johnson and his children ; grandson John Tolye ; granddaughters Anne, Mary, and Elizabeth Tolye, daughters of Richard; sister Alice Hubbard and her children ; sister Margaret Browne ; Robert, son of brother Edmund Tolye, and Margaret Warmoll, sister to Robert ; Alice and Sara Tolye, brother’s daughters ; kinsman Thomas Fisher and his sister Rebecca’s child ; 500 ffaggot wood to poor of St. Peter’s of pmontergate, 100 each year for five years ; John and Thomas Pye and their two sisters, Sir Philip Pye’s kinsfolk ; godson Richard Monforth ; godson John Marshall ; god-daughter Cateryn Pye; Margaret Debney. Son Richard Tolye, sole executor ; friends Augustine Whall and Thomas Byrde, supervisors. Dated May 16th, 1582 ; proved (Cur. Ep. Norw.) July 15th, 1588. On the back of the will is written, in a later hand, ” This was grand ffather to Alderman John Tolye that dyed the last of the Toyles in 1653.”
1591 Johanna, widow of Richard Tolye II dies
1593 Anna Toley marries William Johnson
1594 Richard(us) Tolye son of Richi(ard) is buried at St George Tombland
1595 Prisca Tolye, daughter of Richard Tolye III is born, baptised at St George Tombland
1597 Cecilia Tolye is baptized at St George Tombland
1598 Elizabeth Tolye baptized at St George Tombland
1599 Herne and Barker assigned the mortgage of a property in parish of St Michael at Plea, Norwich, on Castle Ditch south, Lamberdes Close to alderman Richard Tolye and in 1606 Tolye conveyed it to John Tolye in consideration of his marriage with Katherine Elcocke.
1606 John Tooley, son of Richard Tolye/Tooley III, alderman and Anne, marries Katherine Elcock in Cheshunt
1609 John Tooley made freeman of Norwich, merchant
1614 Anna, wife of Richard Tooley, is buried in St George Tombland
1614 Francis daughter of Richard Tooley is buried in St George Tombland
1618 – William Mathew, cutler, of Tombland, and Christiana his wife, make known that whereas between them and William Lynn, grocer, and Robert Danyell of London, hosyer, of the one part, and Richard Tooly, citizen and alderman, William Browne, gent., John Anguishe, Lucian Lawse, Elias Sapp, and Margaret Galyard, parishioners and inhabitants of St. George Tombland, of the other part, on 23rd Sept., 1618, the latter transferred to the said William Mathew a tenement now occupied by him, situate between the cemetery W., Tombland E. and N., and tenement late of Sybill Pye, now Robert Kipping, and occupied by William Dowsinge, S.; also a messuage bought of William Stewardson, worsted weaver, and Thomas Sowles of Norwich, reeder, executors of John Castelow of Norwich, cordwainer: they now re-transfer it to the parishioners.
1620 Richard Tooley III, scrivener, is mayor of Norwich. Was said to have lived on Prince’s street, on the west side of Tombland Alley – probably lived on Tombland itself.
1622 Robert Tooley, son of Richard Tooley III, alderman, is made freeman of Norwich, as a scrivener
1625 Richard Tooley III, alderman, dies and is buried in St George Tombland. Son Robert to have properties that Richard lived in. John Tooley is supervisor of will.
“citizen and alderman of Norwich. To be buried in the parish church of St. George of Tombland. To repairs of said church and breaking up of the ground there, 5 marks; to some learned preacher at my buriall, 20^-.; to poor of Norwich, ^10; 20s. to St. Stephen’s ward ; 20^-. to Ber Street ward; 30J. each to North and South Conisford ward ; to poor of Kirby Bedon, 10s. ; to prisoners in the Castle and Shirehouse, 20s. ; to prisoners in Guildhall and prison, 20s ; to five lazar-houses, 5^. each ; to poor children’s hospital begun by Mr. Tho. Anguish, dec, 20 marks; to St. Giles’ Hospital, ^10; son Robert to have leases of house where he (testator) dwelt, and of his garden in the Close, whereon he had lately built houses ; dau. Ann Stephenson, and her two sons Richard and Matthew, when 21, and Ann Stephenson, her dau. ; my gentle dau., Prysca Reeve, and her son, John Seigh ; my good daughter, Mrs. Anne Craske ; son, John Tolye ; my three sons-in-law, Mr. Robert Craske, now Mayor of Norwich, Mr. Nicholas Reve, and Matthew Stevenson ; my two kind daughters-in-law, Katherine Tolye and Mary Tolye ; sister Pecke, and her husband ; cousin Thomas Atkins and Ann his wife ; Mr. William Johnson and Easter his wife, and their children ; John Skottowe, Timothy Skottowe, Joseph Skottowe, Augustine Skottowe, Richard Skottowe, William Skottowe, Mary Thacker, Cecily Harman, Ann Person, cousins ; Joan Belson, widow, and her child; my good neighbour, Mrs. Margaret Gallard; my late servant, Mr. Nicholas Emmes; Ann Gardner; Henry Hubbert and his neice Catherine Hobert; to the kinsfolk of Sir Philip Pye, clerk, deceased, dwelling about Ipswich, in Suffolk, as I have heard reported, or elsewhere, ^3. 6^. 8(/., which my father did bequeath by his will, and whom I could never as yet learne to know them by name, if any of them be living ; to the poor of North Conisford, one hundred of wood, called two-bonde faggot wood ; to ten poor men of Norwich, each a cloth gown at my burial. John, my son, sole executor. Mr. Robert Crask, Robert Tolye, Mathew Stevenson, supervisors of will. Grandson, John Stevenson, when 21, ^10; grandson, Henry Reve, ^10. No witnesses given. Dated 2 March, 1623; proved 6 April, 1625. (Register Clarke, fo. 37, P. C. C.)
1630 William Brown and his wife Judith sell to John Spendlove clerk and Francis Heyward gent, a messuage between the house occupied by Robert Tooley late of Richard Tooley alderman and citizen, in part, and a common lane called Prince Lane in part, N(orth).; the pike wall, next garden of Richard Brice and others, late of Lawrence Wright, Robert Breckles and others on S(outh).; house in tenure of said Robert Tooley, late of the said Richard Tooly in part, and high street of Tombland in part, E(ast).; and stable and wall of — Powell, widow, late Roger Gaywood W(est).
1633 – John Tooley is patron of St George Tombland at the time when William Bridge established lectureships in St George Tombland for a dozen county Puritan preachers. John Tooley and Augustine Skottow asked Bishop of Norwich, Richard Corbet, for restoration of Bridge to lectureship. Bridge was restored
1636 Matthew Wren, new Bishop of Norwich attacks Puritanism, suspending Bridge and others. Aldermen Tooley and Shipdham take a petition to the King asking for end to suspension.
1638 Robert Tooley dies – St Mary in the Marsh
1638 John Tooley, merchant, is mayor. Gave a house called Sawyers, in St Laurence, for the benefit of Anguish’s Boys’ Hospital (now on Pottergate).
May 24th, 1639. Certificate of John Tolye, Mayor of Norwich, and John Anguish, Justices of the Peace of the said city, that Thomas King of Norwich, and Rebecca his wife, did voluntarily take the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance before them this day. — Calendar of State Papers, Dom. Series, p. 221.
1639, Mr. Alderman Tolye paid to the mayor in court,
50l. given. by Mr. Augustine Scottowe, late alderman, to be
lent to five weavers for seven years, interest free, on proper
security. (Blomefield)
1639 Christian, daughter of William Tooley is baptized at St George Tombland
1640 John Tooly named as member of Parliament candidate along with Richard Catelyn. Catelyn was approved. Catelyn was not anti-Puritan but Norwich Assembly rejected his appointment on the grounds of him being a foreigner.
1642 John Tooley collects and distributes £600 proposition money for defence of Norwich.
1643 John Tooley elected as alderman for a second term
1644 John Tooley mayor again
1645 letter from Richard Harman to John Tooley (Puritan and mayor) making payment of £187 noting that “the citty of Norwich is yet in the sequestration business”
1647. John Linsey of Norwich, worsted weaver, and Anne his wife, one of the daughters of Anne Harman of Norwich, widow, dec, on l0th Oct., 1647, granted to John Tooly of Norwich, Armiger, and Thomas Balliston of Norwich, Gent., part of messuage in Tombland.
1647 – Prisca Cooke, nee Tooley, sister of John Tooley (executor), dies aged 53. Widow of Edward Cooke. Leaves estate to son Benjamin, and in the event of his death, son Richard.
1648 Norwich riots – John Tooley is a supporter of Norwich mayor John Utting, accused of allowing the appointment of a Royalist. John Tooley is accused of having openly encouraged the rioters. Declared a Grand Delinquent and fined £1000 and disabled from holding any office and committed to Fleet Prison for 3 months.
1653 John Tooley dies – “the last of the Tolyes” – buried at St Michael at Plea. Leaves Kirby Bedon property to wife Katherine and after her death to son of his sister Anne Stevenson, Richard Stevenson.
Source: 17th Century Norwich: Politics, Religion and Government 1620 – 1690, John T Evans, Oxford University Press 1979
Friends of Princes Street 