Happy New Year to everyone! Welcome to another year of snapshots into the life of Sir Henry Willoughby and those at Middleton Hall through his household accounts. The 1526 accounts that have survived are more extensive than those of 1525 because not only have parts of the general household book survived but also extracts from the books covering food purchases and other Estate activities too. This is the last complete year of accounts from the lifetime of Sir Henry Willoughby

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts of Sir Henry Willoughby in 1525 was dated the 3rd May. It was a payment to Lady Alice Willoughby in order for her to buy “gear” (clothes) for Mistress Jane. The amount was 20 shillings, which was the equivalent of about £441.28 today or, in terms of equivalence at that time, would have been the cost of about three stones of wool or 33 days wages for a skilled tradesman. Mistress Jane was one of Sir Henry’s daughters by his

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts of Sir Henry Willoughby in 1525 was undated except for being under the heading of July. It was described as a payment for gold for Mistress Alice to use to work in the stole. The cost was 2 shillings, which was the equivalent of about £44.13 today. “Mistress Alice” was the youngest child of Sir Henry Willoughby and her name appears many times in the Middleton accounts. Her mother was Sir Henry’s third wife Ellen Egerton. Alth

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts of Sir Henry Willoughby in 1525 was the sole entry in September and only dated as such. It was another payment to Lady Alice Willoughby in order for her to buy clothes for Mistress Jane. Mistress Jane was Sir Henry Willoughby’s widowed daughter. The amount was 6 shillings 8 pence, which was the equivalent of about £147.09 today or, in terms of equivalence at that time, would have been the cost of about one stone of wool or 11

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts of Sir Henry Willoughby in 1525 was dated as the 16 th  October. It was a payment for fur to use on Sir Henry's gown. The entry added that the fur was purchased at Birmingham and the costs also included John Lewissay’s expenses for undertaking this task on behalf of his master. The amount was 10 shillings and thruppence, which was the equivalent of about £226.15 today or, at that time, at least one stone of wool.   By the 152