The fifth Lord Leigh left his estates to his sister, the Hon. Mary Leigh,
for her life, and at her decease without issue to "the first and nearest of
his kindred, being male, and of his name and blood," &c. On the death of
Mrs. Mary Leigh in 1806, the estates were taken possession of by her very
distant kinsman, the Rev. Thomas Leigh. The first person to dispute his
right to them was Mr. George Smith Leigh, who claimed them as being
descended from a _daughter_ of Sir Thomas Leigh, son of the first Baron
Leigh. His claim was not allowed, because he had the name of Leigh only _by
royal license, and not by inheritance_. Subsequently, the Barony of Leigh
was claimed by another Mr. George Leigh, of Lancashire, as descended from a
son of the Hon. Christopher Leigh (fourth son of the aforesaid Sir Thomas
Leigh), by his second wife. His claim was disallowed when heard by a
committee of the House of Lords in 1828, because he could not prove the
second marriage of Christopher Leigh, nor the birth of any son by such
marriage.
Being about to print a genealogy of the Leigh family, I should be under an
obligation to any one who will, without delay furnish me with--
1st. The descent, with dates, of the aforesaid Mr. George _Smith_ Leigh
from Sir Thomas Leigh.
2nd. The wife, and descendants to the present time, of the aforesaid Mr.
George Leigh.
In return for this information I shall be happy to send my informant a copy
of the genealogy when it is printed. I give you my name and address.