Skipton Tree – Generation 03

 

 

 

 

home:  www.birtwhistle.info

 

 

 

William

1709-1739

Full name:

William Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1709

 

 

 

Married:

Sarah c.1734 - no record yet found;

Mary Boocock (1706-1791) on 2 Jan 1739 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

 

 

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Occupation:

Glazier

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

John 1677-1729

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 5 Dec 1709 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

Died Skipton June 1739. Buried 23 June 1739 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

First 2 children (Sarah & John) born to Sarah. Third child (William) born to Mary 4 months after William himself had died.

 

Note1: 1st wife Sarah buried 8 Jul 1737 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Note2: 2nd wife Mary buried 15 Feb 1791 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alice

1711-

Full name:

Alice Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1711

 

 

 

Married:

John Hartley (Butcher of Whalley, Lancashire) on 13 Oct 1734 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

 

 

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Occupation:

 

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

John 1677-1729

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 26 Nov 1711 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Only son, John, christened 14 Aug 1735 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robert

1715-1744

Full name:

Robert Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1715

 

 

 

Married:

Anne Atkinson (1715-1776) on 24 May 1738 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

 

 

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Occupation:

Barber

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

John 1677-1729

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 2 Aug 1715 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

In 1729 was apprenticed by the Petyt Charity  to Thomas Towson (Barber).

Died Skipton Dec 1744. Buried 20 Dec 1744 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Re: Anne Atkinson -  christened 2 May 1715  at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton. Died Skipton May 1776. Buried 31 May 1776 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard

Full name:

Richard Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

 

 

 

 

Married:

 

 

 

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Occupation:

 

 

 

 

Resident in:

 

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alexander

1712-1748

Full name:

Alexander Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

 

 

 

 

Married:

 

 

 

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Occupation:

 

 

 

 

Resident in:

 

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John

1714-1787

Full name:

John Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1714

 

 

 

Married:

Janet Shearer (1723-1761) on 26 Oct 1741 in Falkirk

 

 

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Occupation:

Farmer, Cattle Drover & Cotton Mill owner

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton, Craco Mire (Crake Moor), Dundeuch & Gatehouse of Fleet

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 23 Mar 1715 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

In 1727 was apprenticed by the Petyt Charity to Anthony Lauckland and then in 1729 to Peter Moorby (Butcher).

 

From approx 1735 onwards developed a Cattle Droving business, driving cattle from Northern Scotland (including the Hebrides) & Ireland, through South-West Scotland (Dundeuch) to the Great Close at Malham near Skipton where he would hold major cattle fairs with up to 5000 cattle on the Close at any one time and 20,000 over a summer. This equated to an estimated 20% of market share. From Skipton some of the cattle would also be driven by John and his sons, particularly William and Alexander, to markets in Lincolnshire and East Anglia (ref Norfolk Chronicle 9 March 1782).

 

In addition to Skipton (where Birtwhistle Yard still remains), extensive lands in the Craven district around Skipton and Dundeuch, John owned property in Falkirk and was also the patron of rectories and lands in Skirbeck & Fishtoft, Lincolnshire – the latter being being parishes where he installed his sons Thomas and Charles, and son-in-law John Vardill as incumbents. (ref also map of principal droving-related locations).

 

Using the profits generated through the cattle droving, John in his later years started to diversify his business interests and embrace developments of the Industrial Revolution. In 1774 he invested £4000 (out of a total £29,400) in the Leeds & Liverpool canal under development around Skipton and planned to run close to his pastures around Kirkby Malham and Long Preston.

 

In 1785 he also reached agreement with James Murray, the major landowner in Gatehouse of Fleet to build a cotton mill (which was opened in 1787) and a row of 40 weaver cottages. The mill itself was powered by water sourced from Loch Whinyeon, 3 miles away, via a specially built tunnel which was a major engineering feat in itself. The result achieved was waterwheels capable of producing 55 horsepower – compared with an output of 10 horsepower found in many other similar water-driven textile mills of this period. (re ‘Lower’ Cotton Mill, Gatehouse of Fleet)

 

Died Skipton 1 Dec 1787 - cause of death ‘natural decay’. Buried 3 Dec 1787 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton and remembered along with his wife Janet and sons Thomas, William, Alexander, Richard, Charles & Robert in a substantial memorial erected 50 years later by grandson John Birtwhistle (son of Alexander) high on the south wall inside Holy Trinity Church.

 

“To the memory of John Birtwhistle Esq. obit Dec 17, 1786 etat 75 and of Janet his wife obit Aug 28, 1761 etat 38 and of their sons Thomas, William, Alexander, Richard, Charles and Robert. Also to Elizabeth Swan Guy wife of Thomas and to Mary Purdie wife of Alexander. Erected by John son of Alexander.”

 

Re: Janet Shearer (also recorded as Jennet, Jane in Skipton records).

The eldest child of Alexander Shearer and Agnes (nee Gillespie) she was baptised on 24 Sept 1721in Falkirk, Scotland, where her father is recorded as a ‘Merchant’. The family remained in Falkirk and Janet presumably met John Birtwhistle as a result of his cattle droving activities in and around Falkirk. Following her marriage to John she moved to Skipton where their children were all subsequently born.

 

Died Skipton 28 Aug 1761 aged 39 (stated age 38 in Skipton record) shortly after giving birth to her youngest son James, who also failed to survive the birth. Buried 31 Aug 1761 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Re: Alexander Shearer and Agnes (nee Gillespie):

Married 07 May 1720 in Falkirk and had a total of seven children (two sons and five daughters). In order of Falkirk Baptism dates they were:

·         Janet (24 Sept 1721) – see details above;

·         Agnes (12 May 1723) – married Alexander Ramsay in Falkirk on 23 Apr 1744;

·         Helen (07 Feb 1725);

·         Alexander (09 Jan 1727) – later recorded as Dr Alexander Shearer of Limerick;

·         Margaret (16 Feb 1729);

·         Charles (23 Apr 1732);

·         Jean (07 July 1734) – married James Scot in Falkirk on 06 Aug 1772.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard

1716-1788

Full name:

Richard Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1716

 

 

 

Married:

Elizabeth Winterburn on 18 Dec1742 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

 

 

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Occupation:

Farmer

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 6 Nov 1716 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton Feb 1788 - cause of death ‘natural decay’. Buried 10 Feb 1788 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Re: Elizabeth Winterburn - Died Skipton May 1777 aged c.60. Buried 05 May 1777 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mary

1718-??

Full name:

Mary Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1718

 

 

 

Married:

William Metcalfe (1719-1772) on 23 July 1741 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

 

 

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Occupation:

(William Metcalfe – weaver)

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 3 Dec 1718 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

8 children – William, John, Jane, Stephen, Mary, Frances, Francis, William.

No record of where /when died.

 

Re: William Metcalfe - Christened 9 Dec 1719 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton. Died Skipton June 1772 aged 52. Buried 12 June 1772 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William

1720-1729

Full name:

William Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1720

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 10 Oct 1720 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton Oct 1720. Buried 10 Oct 1729 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martha

1724-??

Full name:

Martha Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1724

 

 

 

Married:

James (Jacob) Gill (1716-??) on 17 Mar 1744 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

 

 

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Occupation:

(James Gill – Farmer of Snaygill, Labourer, Husbandman, Limeburner)

 

 

 

Resident in:

Bradley, Kildwick; Silsden Moor, Kildwick; Snaygill, Skipton.

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 13 Jan 1724 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

9 children – Grace, Mary, Jonas, Anne, Thomas, Emanuel, Elizabeth, James, Martin-Luther.

No record of where /when died.

 

Re: James Gill – Born 1716 in Bradley, Kildwick. Christened 17 Dec 1716 at St. Andrews Church, Kildwick.

Various occupations including Farmer, Labourer, Husbandman and Limeburner.

No record of where /when died.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grace

1727-1739

Full name:

Grace Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1727

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 31 July 1727 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton Nov 1739 age 12. Buried 08 Nov 1739 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alice

1732-?1733

Full name:

Alice Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1732

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

Thomas 1686-1735

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 5 July 1732 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Believed to have died in infancy (age 1) in 1733.