Biography
Victor (Vic) Exley, mathematics teacher and family historian based in Yorkshire. Author of “The Exleys: A Genealogical Study” published in Old West Riding, Vol. 3, No. 2, Winter 1983. He retired from teaching mathematics at a Bradford grammar school in 1972 and began researching the Exley family. Over more than ten years he compiled an index of over 1,200 entries of baptisms, marriages, burials, deeds, wills etc. in chronological order dating back to 1245.
Victor was born in 1912, son of James Edward Exley Jr. and Florence J. Stowell (married 1911). His grandfather was James Edward Exley (b.1870), and his great-grandfather was John Exley (b.1840) (m. Hannah Maria Dobby 1861). Victor married Dorothy Isle in 1937.
The Victor Exley Article Full PDF (TABLE 1) shows his full descent from John Exley (b.1840). Victor descends from the Rawdon branch of the Exley family, via William (b.1727). In his Sept/Oct 1990 letter he states explicitly: “The Rawdon line from which Lionel & I are both descended.” Victor’s line and Lionel’s (the NZ branch) diverge at the generation of William (b.1727, Victor’s ancestor) and Thomas (b.1732, Lionel’s ancestor).
They lived at 7 Russ Crescent, Eccleshill, Bradford BD2 3HP (from his 1985 letter) and later at 7 Acre Crescent, Yorkshire.
He first made contact with the NZ family in August 1985, writing to “Mrs Exley” after Colin Exley of Hales forwarded the NZ pedigree papers to him. He later corresponded with “Angela” in 1990, helping her understand how the NZ pedigree sheets connected to his published research. He was a skilled draughtsman, producing a sketch of Exley Hall in 1990.
Victor’s key contribution was proving, through the will of John Exley (m. Eliz. Tonge, 1555), that the Rawdon line and the Liversedge line both descended from the same couple, thereby connecting the NZ family (via Rawdon) to the main Exley Hall pedigree.