The Soley Family
The first mention of the Soleys at Reaside was in 1669, when Thomas Soley paid 6 pence to the Vicar for Easter dues. His land tithe was £3 11 shillings but he also paid for ‘the grass of my horse’,making £4 in all. He also owed for a strike of wheat and corn ‘all but 3 shillings a year concerning Malpas land’. Reaside was clearly a considerable holding, and it is not surprising that Thomas Soley was described as ‘Mr.’
He paid his Easter dues of 6 pence again in 1670. There are no further references to Thomas Soley or, indeed, to any member of the Soley family, except for a note in the Vicar’s book for June 1st. 1689:
‘Received then of Mr.Joseph Soley by the hand of me Robert Goodwin the sum of fifity pounds I say received for the use of my Mr. Tho. Haughton per me Tho: Meyrick.’
This Joseph Soley’s burial is recorded at Cleobury on March 1st. 1728/9, but there is no other record of the Soleys living in the parish, except in 1669 and 1670. Reaside now passed into the control of the Gowers.