A Rare Early English Vellum document 3rd Year of Edward VI, (1549) and being the Grant of 6 acres of Land at Matlock in Derbyshire from John Kingsley of Kingsley to Thomas Helsby. The item came from the papers of Thomas Helsby, Barrister at Law and Antiquarian. see below.

Document size 11½" x 8" 

Thomas Helsby (1832-1903) was an antiquarian and local historian of Cheshire who practised as a barrister in Manchester. He was admitted to Lincoln's Inn in 1855 and was called to the bar in 1858. His legal work was often eclipsed by his historical interests, especially during the years 1874 to 1882 when he edited the second edition of George Ormerod's History of the county palatine and city of Chester (originally published in 1819).

Apart from local history he was also a keen genealogist and student of heraldry and researched extensively his own family history, of which he was descended from the Helsbys's of Helby Hall & the  Kingsleys, the  Rutters or Le Roters, an ancient Cheshire Family who's roots he had traced back to Cerdic 28th in decent from Thor and 9th from Odin, 1st King of Sweden, Antenob, King of the Cimmerians B.C. 443 and Egil, King of Sweden, 17th in decent from Odin, through to Richard Duke of Normandy.

He died in 1903 in Bath, Somerset.

George Ormerod (1785-1873), county historian, was born in Manchester on 20 October 1785. In 1798 he was sent to King's School, Chester; he was admitted to Brasenose College, Oxford, in 1803, graduated BA in 1806, received the degree of MA in 1807 and that of DCL in 1818. His most famous work The history of the county palatine and city of Chester... incorporated with a republication of King's Vale Royal and Leycester's Cheshire antiquities, appeared in ten parts, forming three volumes, between 1816 and 1819. Ormerod was a founder member of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire (1848) and of the Chester Archaeological Society (1849). He was a council member of the Chetham Society from its foundation in 1843 until 1846. He died on 9 October 1873 at Sedbury Park, Beachley, Gloucestershire.

Further notes on the Helsby Family.
HELSBY, Richard, Esq., of Bagnlay Lodge, Cheshire,Third son of the late Thomas Helsby, Esq., of Overton, co. Chester, and Gateacre, co. Lancaster, by Anne, dau. of Thomas Smith, of Liverpool; b. 1803; m. 1832 Hester, dau. of John Tallentyre, Esq., of Cumberland. This family is lineally descended from Sir Jocelyne de Hellesby, Sheriff of Cheshire, temp. King John, and they are widely connected by marriage with many of the most ancient Cheshire Houses.—Bagnlay Lodge, Northenden, Cheshire.

HELSBY, William, Esq., of Bebbington, Cheshire. Fifth son of the late Thomas Helsby, Esq., of Gateacre, co. Lancaster, by Anne, only dau. and heir of Thomas Smith, of Liverpool, Gent., and grandson of John Helsby, Esq., of Helsby and Kingsley Hall, co. Chester, and Mary Rutter, of the ancient family of Le Roter, of Kingsley, temp. Queen Anne; b. 1807; m. 1830 Mary, only dau. and heir of the late Richard Barnes, Esq., of London, and has issue, * Thomas (late of Brook House, Lancashire), a Barristerat-Law ; called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn 1858; b. 1831; m. 1853 Elizabeth, dau. of the late Mr. Thomas Ball, of Tideswell, co. Derby, and has, with other issue, * Randle William de Hellesby, b. 1855. This family was formerly settled at Helsby and Acton, co. Chester, when Randolph Helsby, of The Moat House in Helsby, Gent., temp. Car. I., removed to Kingsley. Mr. Helsby is the 20th in descent from Sir Jocelyne de Hellesby, Lord of Hellesby and Sheriff of Cheshire temp. King John, and 16th in descent from Adam de Hellesby, a younger brother of Sir William de Hellesby, Knt., temp. Edward I., whose son, Sir William de Hellesby (a crusader), left the Manor of Hellesbie, Actoune, Chorletone, and Bacford, to his five daus. and coheirs, Sirs Piers de Thorneton, Henry de Trafforde (co. Lancaster), David de Beeston, John Griffyn de Bartherston, and Piers de Hatton, ancestor of Sir Christopher Hatton, temp. Elizabeth.-Residence: Venice, Italy.