• Born: Between 1450 and 1460, Bray, Berkshire, England
• Married:
• Died:

  Research Notes:

From the tomb in the old chantry chapel, we know that William Billings wife was Elizabeth -------, who died in 1522. From Harley MSS 1556 f. 98b (p. 148), it is found that she was Elizabeth, daughter of Hugh Weldon of Horseydowne [i.e., Horsleydown] in Southwark. The name Horselydown Lane is still remembered in a street on the Surrey east end of Tower Bridge. Rotherhithe, which is hard by, was a shipping point for wool across the Channel to Calais. It is thought that Hugh Weldon was a wool man operating directly opposite Mark Lane on the Middlesex bank from where the well-documented Cely family had exported their wool. ¹

--------------------------

It is generally assumed that Hugh's father of the same name married Cecily Marowe who was living in 1527. However, as Elizabeth daughter of Hugh Weldon of Horsleydown was born about 1480, it is unlikely that her mother was born earlier than 1445/60. Since Hugh Weldon senior would have to have been born between about 1420 and 1430, even allowing for his wife being 10 years his junior, it's chronologically improbable that Cecily was the wife of Hugh Weldon Sr who some sources record as having died c. 1509, although they could be confusing the two Hughs, just as some confuse Edward son of Hugh Weldon of Horsleydown with his uncle of the same name. See further notes under Cecily Marowe.