Eeley Family and the Freemen of Oxford

Author: Stephen Eeley

I have always been led to believe that the Eeleys are direct descendants of Robert D’Oyly (also spelled D’Oyley, de Oilly). Oxford Castle was built under his orders in 1071. Robert held a number of estates in the Pyrton hundred, including Bicester, Kidlington and Water Eaton and these places are where some of the earliest records of the Eeley family are to be found.

Using baptismal records and the Freemen’s records it has been possible to trace the family tree with authenticity back to 1645 when a Henry Eeley was born. The local Deeley family share these connections and are also Freemen. Henry Eeley was born in Enstone and is described as a “maltster”. From him it is easy to trace his descendants up to the present day.

My Great, Great Grandfather was a William Eeley, a tenant farmer in Horspath as was his son, James Eeley who took over the farm. James married Mary Dover in 1865 and his youngest son, Francis, born in 1875, was my grandfather. All of them were Freemen. My father, Thomas (Tom) Eeley was the Chairman of the Freemen, a role he took very seriously and sought to expand the inclusivity by admitting the husbands of the daughters of Freemen. The inclusion of women was still some way off. My brother and I became Freemen on our 21st birthdays.

I am indebted to Katharine Dallas (nee Eeley) for the research into the family’s records.