Storeys of Old.

Here are extracts from interesting letters on the Story family of Bingfield, Hexham, and Bingfield, Ireland.

Writing from 2 Riches Court, Lime Street, London, on the 16th August, 1829, Captain Philip Story says:-

"According to the information you favoured me with as to our name, I visited the neighbourhood of Bingfield, rather the parish of which the Rev. C. Lee is Rector. He politely caused the Register to be searched, and gave me some information as far back as the latter part of 1600, but the names are all Storey. In Newcastle I saw a Story, of the old stock of Thomas Story: can trace themselves well into 1600. I could find none but this family here. They seem in easy circumstances and respectable. Have a vault in St. John's burying ground of old date, mounted by the three herons, motto defaced. There are several Storeys in Newcastle. Some months ago I was favoured with an answer from Mr. Story,* of St. Albans. It was somewhat too laconic and business-like to be sufficiently intelligent for my taste. I feel much inclined to give him a call, but dread it might be attributed to pecuniary motives or wanting a good dinner, in which, I believe, he excels. I should have great pleasure in making some relative-acquaintances if it is in your power to promote this in any manner. From what little I have given you it will be conferring an everlasting favour. A letter at any time addressed Captain Story, 37th Regt. Madras Infantry, Madras, or elsewhere, will be sure to find me. Should you wish for a copy of the registered Story which Mr. Lee sent, I shall be happy to send it to you. It is not at hand at present, for I am on a visit in the country for a few days."

"One reason for my being anxious to discover my origin is that I may bear any arms to which I may have some title. I have already been obliged to decline handing a copy to one of my brothers-in-law, a Horsley, nephew of the Bishop (late). If I can be of any service to you or yours in way, pray command me."

In a letter dated 7th February, 1883, Mrs. E. H. Lane, of Clifton Villlas, Dublin, writing to her nephew Lieut.-Colonel Story of Bingfield, Ireland, gives a few items worth reproducing regarding the physique and stature of the Stories. She remarks as follows:-

"All the Stories I remember were very thin, and my mother then was slight. Sitting in an arm chair by a round table on which never more than two things were laid, a saucer with 10d. pieces in it to throw out of [the] window to the old women who came up, and a plate of grapes, of which she would sometimes give us one, but a certain housekeeper, Hannah Lawrence, used to make amends by giving us jam and sugar and raisins, when we could get at her.

"I have always heard from uncle James that he founded Bingfield, and it was he who gave the name Errington, and induced uncle Robert to change the original name, which I now forget, in memory of his visit to Northumberland when he found[ed] it. As to Story and Storey, in my youth there were many ways of spelling names. There was one called Grime or Graham. The three Delap brothers were once Dunlop. The Slaters only recently spelt their name Sclater. The Creightons have changed the spelling of their name more than once. I do not know now whether Crom or Crum Castle is right. It was Crum when I was young, and no one had heard of any other.

"I understood from my father that the Story family emigrated, some to Ireland, some to America, and he used to fancy that Judge Story, father of the Sculptor, was a distant relative. Also those who came to Ireland were two, Joseph, the Bishop, and Jim, I think,