Here we have a list of famous & interesting Staveley members through history listed in no particular date or order. Are you related to any of them?. A full family tree of many of the relatives can be found on My Heritage and Geneanet.
Confidence Staveley is a Cyber security professional, inclusion advocate and a cyber talent developer with over a decade experience in technology.
The Staves began performing together at open-mic nights in Watford hosted by a local pub, The Horns. Originally performing as The Staveley-Taylors, the trio later changed their name to The Staves.
Robert Staveley born 1944
Robert Staveley founded the Lightwater Valley Park in North Stainley in Yorkshire. It is famous for once being home to Europe’s longest roller coaster. Robert Arther Miles Staveley was born in 1944, the son of William & Nancy Staveley and a line of very impressive military ancestry. To view his family tree click here.
Lightwater Valley Family Adventure Park is an adventure park in North Stainley which was founded by Robert Staveley in 1969. North Stainley Hall during this time and was starting to crumble. The farming business was in decline and the house maintenance costs were significant. Robert Staveley decided to save it and foundedFrom humble beginnings as a “pick your own” fruit farm the park expanded to include many top quality fairground rides and included a Shopping Village. Featuring go karts, BMX bikes, an adventure playground and water chutes and rides it became a popular destination.
With several successful rides including and underground roller coaster and in 1991 the world’s longest roller coaster which was a mile and a half in length. The park provided a number of successful water rides. With around 30 rides the park receives in excess of 300,000 visitors per annum.
During the mid 1990’s Robert Staveley gave the park to his children, *Amanda and James but in 1997 due to financial difficulaties and heavy investment on “The Ultimate” ride the park was sold to a private firm for £5.2 million. It would later become part of the Brighton Pier Group in 2021.
Born and bred in Yorkshire, landowner Robert Staveley and the North Stainley Estate near Ripon was a gift to his ancestors from Cardinal Wolsey in 1516. The local pub is called the Staveley Arms and the village signs show the family crest of a stag.
*Amanda Staveley, business woman and entrepreneur, famous for her business dealings with Manchester City Football Club.
Amanda Staveley born 1973
Amanda Louise Staveley was born on 11th April 1973. She is the daughter of Robert Staveley the Yorkshire landowner who founded the Lightwater Valley theme park. Amanda was educated at Queen Margaret’s School in York. She competed in show jumping and athletics. During her student years she worked as a model.
Amanda Staveley is known for her business acumen having amassed a very respectable personal fortune through her firm PCP Capital Partners. The company website tells us that her company was formed in 2005 and that the group is based in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
The company hit the international headlines when it was involved in a takeoever bid for the Manchester United Football Club. The firms guidance in the Abu Dhabi recapitalisation of Barclays Bank in 2008 is also well documented. This involved the sum of £3.25 billion. Whilst based in Abu Dhabi the firm still invests in London.
Amanda Staveley dated Prince Andrew for two years but turned down his proposal of marriage in 2003 because she did not want to become a Royal and valued her independence. She did however marry Iranian businessman Mehrad Ghodoussi in 2011. Having been diagnosed with Huntington’s disease in 2013 she now lives in Dubai but also spends time at her home in London. To view the family tree of Amanda Staveley click here.
Website: https://www.pcpcapitalpartners.com/about/
Brian Staveley – American Fantasy Writer
Brian Staveley lives in Vermont, USA, with his family. Before he began to write fiction he taught literature, philosophy, history and religion.
An accomplished fantasy writer his books include an epic fantasy trilogy – The Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne (2014–2016), is an epic adventure that follows the three children of an assinated Emperor. The first novel received the Gemmell Morningstar Award for best debut novel and was nominated for the Locus Award and Goodreads Choice Award.
Skullsworn is the first in a series of novels about characters from the trilogy and Ashes of the Unhewn Throne – The Empire’s Ruin being the first volume which was published in July 2021.
Sir John Malfroy Staveley ( 1914 – 2000 ) – New Zealand
It was with great pleasure that my wife Susan and I have accepted the invitation to the opening of the Sir John Staveley Library here at the New Zealand Blood Service in Auckland. The library is named in honour of a well known and respected Auckland doctor who died three years ago aged 91 and who more than 50 years ago founded the Auckland Blood Transfusion Service, which is the forerunner of the current national organisation. “Jock” Staveley (as he was known) championed transfusion medicine in New Zealand, and his work became known and admired internationally.
Obituary: Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
Henry Staveley Hill ( 1865 – 1946 )
Henry Staveley Hill ( 1865 – 1946 ) was the son of Alexander Staveley Hill. His father assumed the name of Staveley by Royal License in 1906. An accomplished British barrister he was also a Conservative Party politician.
Henry was educated at Westminster School and St John’s college Oxford and rowed for Oxford college. He was called to the bar at the Inner Temple in 1891 and practiced on the Oxford circuit.
During WWI he served as Lieutenant Colonel in the Staffordshire Yeomanry between 1916-1917. After the war he moved to Wickhamford. He married Eileen De Grey D’arcy in 1901 and entered Parliament as Conservative M.P. for Kingswinford on 4th July 1905. The couple lived at Oxley House but moved to Oxley manor when his father Alexander Staveley hill died in 1905.
Henry Staveley Hill became first Recorder of Banbury (1903–22) and Conservative Member of Parliament for Kingswinford (1905–1918), after winning the 1905 Kingswinford by-election. In 1918 he was appointed as a County Court judge but had to resign in 1928 due to an order of bankruptcy having been made against him. He had already left Oxley Manor in 1920 to live in London and the house was demolished in 1929. The newspapers would report that Henry Staveley Hill had liabilities of £18,115 and assets of just £1062.
In 1938 Henry and Eileen moved to Wickhamford and renamed a property called Longdon Hill House to that of Oxley. They had two sons and daughters. After his death on 25th March 1946 he was buried in the family grave in Bushbury, Staffordshire. The Evesham Journal obituary recorded his career, mentioning that he was a J.P. for Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire and for many years a member of Staffordshire County Council.
Eileen sold the house by auction which was held at the Rose & Crown Hotel in Evesham on 29th April 1946. Eileen passed away in 1968 and is also buried at Bushbury. To view the family tree of Henry Staveley Hill click here.
Alexander Staveley Hill ( 1825 – 1905 )
Alexander Staveley Hill KC, JP, DL, PC (21 May 1825 – 25 June 1905) was a British barrister and Conservative Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1868 to 1900, representing Coventry, Staffordshire West and Kingswinford.
Hill was born in Wolverhampton, the son of Henry Hill, a banker, and his wife Anne Staveley. He was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham and Exeter College, Oxford. He was called to the bar by the Inner Temple in 1851 and joined the Oxford circuit, of which he became the leader. He also acquired a large practice at the parliamentary bar, which he had to relinquish upon entering the House of Commons. He became a Queen’s Counsel in 1868.
Alexander Staveley Hill is also known for his founding of the Oxley Ranching Company near Oxley in Calgary, Canada. It was later changed to Stavely in honour of his name and became incorporated in 1912.
The story actually begins with John R Craig who was born in Ontario in 1837. Having sold his assets in Ontario he created a company – The Dominion Livestock Company of Canada. Cragi travelled to London hoping to get Alexander Staveley Hill to invest but he was wary of investing money in someone that he did not know but he did become the Company Director.
Craig set up the first headquarters of Oxley Ranch (named after Hill’s country home in England) in a cabin built by former whiskey trader just thirty miles north of Ft. Macleod. Staveley Hill and Craig would go on to purchase the rights to a ranch in Montana Craig and Hill would eventually part company on bad terms and Craig had to fight for slice of Oxley ranch which he achieved in 1890. Oxley ranch was sold to a William Roper Hull in 1903.
John R Craig would go on to write a book called ‘Ranching with Lords and Commons’, which was published in 1903 in which he describes his rocky relationship with the company’s investors.
Alexander Staveley Hill also wrote his own book called ‘From Home to Home – Autumn wanderings in the North West in years 1881, 1882, 1883, 1884’. Essentially a travelogue of his autumn wanderings in the American Northwest in the late nineteenth century. You can read it free online here: From Home to Home
Aside from his business connections, Alexander Staveley Hill won three elections and one unopposed election as a Conservatate MP for Kingswindford in the West Midlands. He also contributed towards the restoration of the tomb monument in the Hunmanby Church.
His son, Henry Staveley Hill would continue in his footsteps as a politician in his own right. To view the family tree of Alexander Staveley Hill click here.
William Doveton Minet Staveley ( 1928 – 1997 )
William is the son of Admiral Cecil Staveley. He was educated at West Downs School in Winchester and then at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. His career began with joining the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1942. He was promoted to midshipman in 1946 and posted to HMS Ajax and then the destroyer HMS Zephyr.
In 1948 he was promoted to sub lieutenant and served with HMS Nigeria and HMS Bermuda. In 1950 he was promoted again to the rank of lieutenant and then became Flag Lieutenant to Commander in Chief Home Fleet in 1952. He spent some time as an instructor at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth in 1954 and served with HM Yacht Britannia in 1957.
He went on to command the amphibious warfare ship HMS Intrepid as Flag Captain to the Second-in-Command of the Far East Fleet in November 1970 and was given command of the aircraft carrier HMS Albion in May 1972. He served as First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in the late 1980’s and was known for his efforts in trying to maintain a large enough fleet to meet NATO commitments.
When he retired he became Chairman of the British School of Osteopathy, the Royal London Hospital, The Chatham Historic Dockyard and President of the Kent Branch of the Royal British Legion. He was also the vice president of the Falkland Islands Association, a member of the court of the University of Kent and governor of Sutton Valance school as well as being a Freeman of the City of London.
In 1954 William Staveley married Bettina Kirstine Shuter and they had a son and a daughter.
He died of a heart attack at Sevenoaks in Kent on 13 October 1997.
The writer of this blog was fortunate to meet him at the British Embassy in Ankara during the early 80’s. A few words were exchanged about Yorkshire ties and family history but as a young man in his 20’s I had not even thought about tracing my family roots so I had no information to offer other than immediate family details. Some years later I was saddened to see a very extensive and personal photo album collection of his being sold on ebay. To view the family tree of William Doveton Minet Staveley click here.
Obituary: by the Independent Newspaper
Cecil Minet Staveley ( 1874 – 1934 )
Admiral Cecil Minet Staveley, CB, CMG ( 1874 – 1934) was a Royal Navy officer who became Commander of the 1st Battle Squadron. He was the son of General Sir Charles Staveley but instead of joining the army he chose to serve with the Royal Navy.
He served in World War I as a commanding officer of the cruiser HMS Endymion during 1916 and then as Chief of Staff at The Nore in April 1918. He would command the battleship HMS Conqueror in November 1920 and HMS Valiant in 1921. He was awarded a CB ( Companions of the Order of the Bath ) in 1924.
His last duty was as the commander of the 1st Battle Squadron in March 1926 where he was promoted to Vice Admiral in 1929. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 1902. Cecil married Margaret Adela Sturdee, daughter of the Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Doveton Sturdee in 1919. Their son, William would go on to become Admiral of the Fleet. To view the family tree of Cecil Minet Staveley click here.
Charles William Dunbar Staveley ( 1817 – 1896 )
Charles was born in France, the son of Lieutenant General William Staveley. Having been trained in Edinburgh at the military and naval academy he would progress through the ranks to become a General in the British Army. Commissioned as second lieutenant of the 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1835 he progressed to lieutenant in 1839 and captain in 1844.
From 1840 to 1843 he was a personal assistant to the Governor of Mauritius where his regiment was stationed and where his father was acting Governor. From 1848 to 1851 he would serve in Hong Kong as assistant military secretary. His father was in command in Hong Kong during this period.
In 1862 he saw service as Commander of British troops in China and Hong Kong where he helped the Chinese Imperial Troops to clear rebel strongholds. In 1863 he would resign his command and return to England due to poor health.
In March 1865 he was made KCB. Dame and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (DCB or KCB). Since 1815 this has been the second level of the Order of the Bath (ranking below Knights Grand Cross and above Companions). Military officers have been appointed to this rank since 1815, civilians from 1847.
Charles was appointed to the command of the first division of the Bombay Army and by 1867 he is a Major General. He took command of the first division and captured Magdala. Sir Robert Napier commended Staveley and noted that he had afforded him most valuable support and assistance through the campain. He received a medal and the thanks of Parliament. He would subsequently become Commander in Chief of the Bombay Army from 7th October 1874 to 7th October 1878. During this time he became a General.
Charles was married to Susan Millicent Minet. They had five sons and three daughters. Two of his sons, Cecil and William, would go on to achieve prominent military careers themselves. Charles died at Aban Court in Cheltenham on 23rd November 1896 and is buried at Brompton Cemetary in London. To view the family tree of Charles William Dunbar Staveley click here.
William Staveley ( 1784 – 1854 )
Lieutenant-General William Staveley CB ( 1784 – 1854) was a British Army officer who fought in the Peninsular War and later became Commander and Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong.
Born in York he was the son of William Staveley and Henrietta Henderson. He joined the army in 1798 and fought in the Peninsula War. During the battle of Waterloo in 1815 he was a Captain in the Royal Staff Corps and would receive the CB ( Companions of the Order of the Bath ). He was promoted to Lietenant Colonel.
Whilst at Waterloo he wrote several letter. Sent from Brussels in Belgium, this letter remarks that he has been on a short tour of the country, and informs his mother of the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte and his army of 12,000 men.
During the Waterloo campaign Staveley served with the Royal Staff Corps, arriving with a detachment of the latter in the Netherlands in April 1815. He was on the headquarters staff at the Battle Waterloo in June 1815.
Having served in Mauritius in 1821 he then moved to Hong Kong where he became Commander and Lieutentant Governor in 1847. Staveley Street in Hong Kong is named after him.
After leaving Hong Kong in 1851 he was given command of the Bombay Army. In 1853 he was Commander in Chief at Madras with the rank of Lieutenant General. He died unexpectedly and suddenly on 4th April 1854 on his way to the Nilgiri Hills and was buried in Utakamand.
William was married to Sarah Mather in 1817. He left one son and three daughters. His son, Charles William Dunbar would continue in family tradition with service in the military. To view the family tree of Lieutenant-General William Staveley CB click here.
Amanda Smith ( Frederick Wimbolt Staveley 1843 – 1915 )
Amanda Smith is not a famous Staveley but she did stay with Frederick Wimbolt Staveley and his wife on her visits to England. Her fascinating book which mentions the Staveleys in Chapter 30, details her life as a coloured envangelist who managed to travel the world.
Her book can be obtained on Forever.com
British Spiders by E F Staveley
Eliza Fanny Staveley (1831–1903) is the author of a book called British Spiders which was published in 1866. She was born in Kensington in 1831, the daughter of Thomas & Eliza Staveley. She died in 1903 in Tunbridge Wells. To view the family tree of Eliza Fanny Staveley click here.
The book is in the public domain and you can download it here: British Spiders
Lilian Louise Staveley
Lilian Louise Staveley ( 1811 – 1897 ) married General William Cathcart Staveley on 30th September 1899 at Kensington in London. Her family was affluent and her father James Bowdoin forbid her marriage to General William Cathcart Staveley because his family did not have sufficent means. It was only after his death that Lilian decided to go ahead with the marriage.
Lilian turned her back on Christianity and became an atheist before becoming more spiritually engaged with God. She wrote about her spiritual journey in a frank and humble way. Her books were published in London under an anonymous name and it was only after her death that her husband discovered her hidden spiritual life.
Her three books are in the Public Domain and can be downloaded free of charge.
The Prodigal Returns | The Romance of the Soul | The Golden Fountain
Thomas Staveley ( 1626 – 1684 )
Thomas Staveley (bapt. 26 November 1626 – 2 January 1684) was a Stuart antiquary, magistrate, anti-Papist, and Church historian. He spent most of his life researching the antiquities of his home county, Leicestershire.
Born in East Langton, Staveley attended Cambridge University from 1644 to 1654. Here he studied law, that being the profession he would later take on, serving as a Lancashire Justice of the peace. He was described by contemporaries as a just and even-tempered magistrate, but was most renowned for his manuscripts of Leicestershire history, which were instrumental in the later histories of John Nichols. Staveley published only one work in his lifetime, The Romish Horseleech (1674), a political tract protesting James II’s Catholicism, later held up as a “no-Popery classic”. Staveley died on 8 January 1684 in Friar Lane. Posthumously, two lesser-known historical treatises of Staveley were published, on the English monarchy and Church history, respectively.
In 1656, Thomas Staveley married Mary (d. 1669), the youngest daughter of John Onebye of Hinckley, in Belgrave, Leicester. Thomas and Mary had seven children, three sons: Thomas (d. 1676), William (1662–1723) and George (1665–1709); and four daughters: Mary (d. 1729), Anne (1663–1694), Christiana (b. 1667) and Jane (1669–1705).
Source: Wikipedia
The history of churches in England: wherein is shewn, the time, means, and manner of founding, building, and endowing of churches, both cathedral and rural, with their furniture and appendages. By Thomas Staveley, 1712. Download copy.
May Christophera Staveley ( 1863 – 1934 )
May Christophera Staveley (14 May 1863 – 20 December 1934) was a British university teacher who created the first university hall of residence that allowed women from outside Bristol to study at the university. She became the warden.
Staveley was born in Wisbech in 1863 to Eastland and Ann Stavely. She was the fourth daughter and despite being largely home educated she went to study modern history at Somerville College, Oxford at the age of 32.
From Somerville she went to Birmingham to become the first warden of its women’s university settlement. In 1905 she became head of the women’s hall of residence, at Liverpool University, and lecturer in history there. In 1907 she moved to Bristol University as lecturer in history and tutor to women students. She also became president of the Bristol branch of the International Federation of University Women.
Staveley persuaded Bristol University to purchase Clifton Hill House, assisted by her supporters from the Symonds family in 1909, in order to create the first hall of residence for women in south-west England. This house was had been home to the nineteenth century ‘man-of-letters’, John Addington Symonds, whose father had bought the house in 1851.
In 1911, the university took over the running of the house and they bought the adjacent Callandar House, which dates from the late 18th century and is itself grade II listed. During the war Staveley was honorary secretary of her university’s Women’s War Work Fund. She had worked in France during the summer in France for the Quakers before the war and now the Fund organised a hostel for refugees from Belgium.
Callandar House was extended in the 1920s thanks to the Wills family (regular benefactors to the university) and, along with Old Clifton, continued to house only female residents.
Staveley died at Clifton Hill House in 1934. Her popularity was such that the Quaker funeral was held on a Saturday to allow university staff and students to attend.
Source: Wikipedia
Annie Lou Staveley ( 1906 -1996 )
Mrs. Annie Lou Staveley (our founder) was born and raised in eastern Washington State. Attending Reed College in Portland, Oregon, she met a visiting professor from England who became her husband. They began married life in England in the 1930’s. It was there that she met and began to work with her teacher, Jane Heap, a student of G.I. Gurdjieff, who he had sent to London to begin teaching his ideas. After WW II, she periodically travelled to be with Mr. Gurdjieff in Paris until his death in 1949.
Through word of mouth, people from all walks of life began to gather around her. When her home could no longer accommodate the growing number of pupils, a hall in Portland was rented and, later, a farm was purchased in Aurora, Oregon which became known as Two Rivers Farm. This became her new residence, where under her caring and watchful eye, she passed on the teaching of Mr. Gurdjieff to many students until her death in 1996.
Source: Annie Lou Staveley – Two Rivers Farm
The Staveley Family 