Sir John Lister Kaye, 1st Baronet

The illegitimate son of Sir John Lister-Kay, 5th Baronet of Denby Grange, he was the sole heir to both the Lister and Kaye families, ancient Yorkshire pedigrees stretching back to the Middle Ages.

On 4 February 1641, Sir John of Woodsome rode out in support of King Charles I and was created a baronet for his services to the Royalist army.

He died unmarried in 1789, leaving his estates to his natural son, while the title devolved to his younger half-brother, Sir Richard Kaye, 6th Baronet who was Dean of Lincoln Cathedral.

[1] Sir John's acquisition of the landed estates devised on him was the cause for entitlement for a baronetcy, when George III created a new title by patent on 28 December 1812.

The Yorkshire squirearchy was designated responsibility for being officers of the local militia mobilised to keep law and order and police the coasts of England, as nightwatchmen.