Skipton Tree – generation 4

 

 

 

 

home:  www.birtwhistle.info

 

 

 

Sarah

1735-1736

Full name:

Sarah Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton, 1735

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

William 1709-1739

 

 

 

Additional:

Mother – Sarah (died Jul 1737; no record of marriage yet found)

Christened 14 Nov 1735 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton Feb 1736. Buried 2 Mar 1736 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John

1737-1737

Full name:

John Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

1737, Skipton

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

William 1709-1739

 

 

 

Additional:

Mother – Sarah (died Jul 1737; no record of marriage yet found).

Christened 8 Jun 1737 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton Nov1737. Buried 3 Dec 1737 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William

1739-1743

Full name:

William Birtwhistle        

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1739 (after own father had died)

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

William 1709-1739

 

 

 

Additional:

Mother – Mary (nee Boocock).

Christened 4 Nov 1739 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton May 1743. Buried 6 May 1743 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sarah

1739-1769

Full name:

Sarah Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1739

 

 

 

Married:

James Pettyt (1737-1789) on 10 May 1768 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton; Halton (East) Skipton.

 

 

 

Father:

Robert 1715-1744

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 2 May 1739 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Halton (East) Oct 1769. Buried 24 Oct 1769 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1740-1770

Full name:

Elizabeth Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1740

 

 

 

Married:

Francis Lister (Book keeper of Halifax) on 22 June 1766 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton & ??

 

 

 

Father:

Robert 1715-1744

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 22 Oct 1740 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Sept 1770 in Beamsley Hospital, Beamsley, Addingham. 

Buried 11 Sept 1770  in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anne

1743-1743

Full name:

Anne Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1743

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

-

 

 

 

Father:

Robert 1715-1744

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 29 Sept 1743 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton  1 Oct 1743. Buried 2 Oct 1743 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas

1743-1789

Full name:

Revd. Thomas Birtwhistle BA (Oxon)                           (miniature)      

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1743

 

 

 

Married:

Elizabeth Swann Guy on 23 March 1771 at St. Mary Abbot’s Church, Kensington (witness – Ann Caulet)

 

 

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Occupation:

Clergyman

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton, Skirbeck & Gatehouse of Fleet

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 11 Jan 1743 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Matriculated LINCOLN COLL , Oxford, 16 July 1763, aged 20; BA 1767;

Ordained Deacon Brodsworth Parish Church -1 Nov 1767;

Licensed Curate Rilston with Coniston (£30/year) – 2 Nov 1767;

Ordained Priest at Chapel Royal, Whitehall, Westminster – 24 Dec 1769;

Licensed as Preacher and Instituted Rector of Skirbeck, Lincs (Patron John Birtwhistle, Skipton) – 26 Dec 1769;

 

Died Aug 1789 in Gatehouse of Fleet; Buried 24 Aug 1789 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

Re: Elizabeth Swann Birtwhistle (1752-1803)                    (miniature)

 

Following the death of her husband Thomas in 1789 Elizabeth elected to remain living in Gatehouse of Fleet involving herself in both civil and business activities. (miniature - Presenting the Colours)

 

Her obituary published in the Gentleman’s Magazine of April 1803 recorded:

 

“At Gate-house, in Galloway, aged 51 Mrs Elizabeth Birtwhistle: whose concern in the extensive cotton-mills at Gate-house furnished her charitable mind with an opportunity of giving employment to many hundreds of the rising generation.”

 

Died Gatehouse of Fleet Mar 1803. Buried (status – wife of Thomas Birtwhistle) 30 Mar 1803 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

William

1744-1819

Full name:

William Birtwhistle                                            (miniature1)        (miniature2)

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1744

 

 

 

Married:

No record – but father to at least 5 children, with 3 different partners (Susan Smith, Margaret Dickson and Martha (Matty) Capsticks)

 

 

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Occupation:

Drover, Land owner, Mill owner / Industrialist.

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton; Balmae (Kirkudbrightshire)

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 15 Nov 1744 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Heavily involved with his father and brothers in both the Cattle Droving and Textiles businesses. Inherited a 1/3rd share of the cattle business (including 1/3rd share of Dundeuch (parish of Carsphairn)) along with brothers Alexander & Robert. Inherited a ¼ share of the Gatehouse of Fleet cotton mills along with brothers Alexander, Charles & Robert.

 

Purchased the Balmae (Balmay) estate  in 1783 – a 731 acre estate on the Solway coast, just to the south of Kirkcudbright. Balmae comprised several contiguous estates including balmae, Howell and Raeberry. The most detailed account of the property is from a newspaper (Dumfries Standard 21 July 1810) advertisement when William sold the property in 1810 – “elegant and commodious finished in a style far superior to any other house in the South of Scotland…a garden of four acres of very rich land  surrounded by a substantial wall and stored with a great variety of fruit trees…affords excellent accommodation for sea bathing in the purest waters….two commodious harbours….proprietor has right of Admiralty”.  (The estate is today an MoD firing range and the mansion  (website photos) no longer exists).

 

As ‘Major William Birtwhistle” he was a senior officer of the “Craven Legion”. Formed in approx 1802, the Craven Legion was a local voluntary force, part of the West Riding Yeomanry Cavalry and consisting of both cavalry and infantry. It was raised by Thomas Lister, Lord Ribblesdale of Gisburn Park, who at that time was owner of the Malham Tarn estate (and hence a landlord to a part of the Birtwhistle cattle droving business). (picture – consecration of the colours).

After 1810 (and the death of his brother Alexander) William was resident in Skipton and together with his bother Robert (d1815) appears to have run the remaining cattle droving business from there. The family owned significant amounts of property in both the Skipton and Long Preston areas (including Maypole Inn in Long Preston).

 

He died in Skipton in May 1819 and was buried on 17th May 1819 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

On his death The Leeds Mercury published the following obituary: … “William Birtwhistle Esq. of Skipton, bother of the late Robert and Alexander Birtwhistle. By their deaths the ancient Birtwhistles, the greatest dealers and graziers in the Kingdom, are all extinct”. Over the following 2 weeks this same obituary was published in Newspapers in a number of places across England viz:

·         21 May – Stamford Mercury

·         22 May – Yorkshire Gazzette

·         27 May – Worcester Journal

·         05 June – Oxford Journal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John

1746-1792

Full name:

John Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1746

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

Grazier and farmer.

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 20 Oct 1746 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton Nov 1792. Buried 27 Nov 1792 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alexander

1748-1748

Full name:

Alexander Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1748

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 30 Oct 1748 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Skipton Nov 1748. Buried 1 Dec 1748 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alexander

1750-1810

Full name:

Alexander Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1750

 

 

 

Married:

Mary Purdie on 6 May 1805 in Girthon (Gatehouse of Fleet), Kirkcudbright, Scotland

 

 

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Occupation:

Drover, Land owner, Mill owner / Industrialist.

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton; Gatehouse of Fleet; Kirkcudbright;

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 8 Apr 1750 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Heavily involved with his father and brothers in both the Cattle Droving and Textiles businesses. Inherited a 1/3rd share of the cattle business (including 1/3rd share of Dundeuch (parish of Carsphairn)) along with brothers William & Robert. Inherited a ¼ share of the Gatehouse of Fleet cotton mills along with bothers William, Charles & Robert.

 

Became permanently resident in Scotland from 1790 and took principal responsibility for the Textiles business based from the mills in Gatehouse of Fleet. He was also a merchant in Kirkcudbright and the town’s Provost – being ‘immortalised’ by Robbie Burns in two ballads when the poet visited Kirkcudbright in 1795:

 

Ballad Second Election Day – included the verse:

“And there will be maiden Kilkerran,
And also Barskimming's gude Knight,
And there will be roarin Birtwhistle,
Yet luckily roars i' the right.”

 

Ballad – Laddies by the Banks o’Nith:

“To end the work here’s Whistlebirck

Lang may his whistle blaw, Jamie”

 

Alexander also bought Barharrow, a 464 acre farm near Gatehouse, and then built a substantial property in the High Street, Gatehouse – now the Bank of Fleet Hotel.   (photo)

 

In addition to being a leading Merchant and Manufacturer in Gatehouse of Fleet, Alexander was Captain and Commanding Officer of the local militia ‘The Gatehouse Volunteers’ whose Colours were presented at a ceremony on 21 July 1798 (miniature - Presenting the Colours)

 

In 1802 Alexander was presented with a silver memorial cup from the Gatehouse Volunteers inscribed on the front as follows:

"The loyal Gatehouse Volunteers present this cup to Alexander Birtwhistle Esq, their Captain, in testimony of their attachment and esteem, assuring him that should their King and Country again require their services in a military capacity, they will be proud to march forth under his command.  May 1802."

The back of the cup is engraved with a version of the Birtwhistle ‘Coat of Arms’ including the Dolphin crest and motto "Serenus in Arduis" (Calm in Adversity).

 

Died Feb 1810 in Gatehouse of Fleet; Buried 14 Feb 1810 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

The Leeds Mercury in its obituary of Alexander on 10 March 1810 stated: “Died lately, Alexander Birtwhistle Esq. of Gatehouse of Fleet (North Britain) one of his majesty’s Justices of the Peace, brother to William Birtwhistle Esq. of Skipton and of Robert Birtwhistle Esq. of Crake Moor, near Settle-in-Craven, the most ancient and extensive cattle dealers in the Kingdom”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1752-1826

Full name:

Agnes Birtwhistle                                                      (miniature)

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1752

 

 

 

Married:

John Vardill (1749-1810) on 29 Aug 1778 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton; Fishtoft & Skirbeck, Lincs; Gatehouse of Fleet and London

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 18 April 1752 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton and married Rev John Vardill in 1778 (see above).

 

Following her marriage she moved to London to her husband’s house in Clipstone St., Portland Place, London. However at some time after the birth of her daughter Anna in 1781, the family spent much of their time living in Gatehouse of Fleet , eventually moving back to London in c.1798.

 

On the death of her brother William in 1819 took the view that she was the only legal inheritor, applied for and was granted administration of the family estates in England. She subsequently rebuffed Alexander’s son John, when he came of age and applied to his aunt for a share of the estates in England. As a result John took the matter to the Court of Chancery in 1823 and 1826. Initially the court found in favour of the defendant Agnes but when re-opened in the House of Lords in July 1830 this was reversed  and a landmark judgement was made in favour of the plaintiff John. The case of Birtwhistle vs Vardill had legal ramifications far beyond the confines of the Birtwhistle family, being built into the constitutions of a number of countries, including the USA.

 

Died Jan 27 1826 at her house in Clipstone St., Portland Place, London

 

 

Re: Rev Dr John Vardill (1749-1810)                         (miniature)

 

Brought up in the United States he was a graduate of  King's College, New York (the future Columbia University).

 

In 1773 he was elected Professor of Natural Law and was sent to England for training and ordination as Anglican minister and actively solicited King George III for a crown-funded Regius Professorship of Divinity and a new royal charter redesignating King's College as "The American University".

 

Whilst in England he was recruited into the Secret service by William Eden, Under Secretary of State and Head of the British Secret service – decoding secret messages for the British Government , providing code names and addresses of American sympathizers in England.

 

In 1776 moved into an office in 17, Downing St. to allow him to advise British minsters directly on affairs in the Colony (America). In 1777 he organised the stealing of correspondence between Benjamin Franklin’s American Commission in Paris and the French court , the correspondence being diverted to London for George III to read.

 

His reward from George III was the appointment of Regius Professorship of Divinity at Kings College New York  - a post he was subsequently unable to take up because American independence precluded him from returning to America.

 

At the time of marrying Agnes Birtwhistle in 1778 he was described as a “clerk of Skipton”.

 

On 14 Nov 1781 he was instituted as Rector of Fishtoft, Lincs (Patron John Birtwhistle – his father-in-law). A post which he subsequently resigned on 19 Jan 1790 in favour of his brother-in-law Charles Birtwhistle.

 

Following the death of Charles Birtwhistle in 1791, instituted Rector of Skirbeck (19 Apr 1791) & re-instituted Rector of Fishtoft (9 May 1791) – Patrons of both livings being William, Alexander & Robert Birtwhistle (resid office - Carlton, Nr Skipton).

 

Died Jan 16, 1810 leaving his daughter & widow in possession of bonds and other securities to the value £9520.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1754-1791

Full name:

Richard Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1754

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

Cattle Drover, Farmer

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton; Gatehouse of Fleet

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 5 May 1754 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

Died Nov 1791 in Gatehouse of Fleet; Buried 18 Nov 1791 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1756-1791

Full name:

Revd Charles Birtwhistle M.A.(Oxon), B.D.                    (miniature)

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1756

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

Clergyman

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton; Gatehouse of Fleet; Skirbeck, Lincs

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 11 July 1756 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Matriculated LINCOLN COLL , Oxford, 18 Dec 1775, aged 19; BA 1779; MA 1782; BD 1789

Ordained Deacon Christchurch Oxford – 30 May 1779;

Ordained Priest Christchurch Oxford – 26 May 1782;

 

Following his ordination he briefly officiated as Curate in the Parish of Gisburn, Yorkshire. But unfortunately became ill suffering from what was described in a letter by his brother-in-law John Vardill as “seized by a Vortigo, which occasioned him , one or twice to fall down during the service. This terminated in a diurnal headache which became so violent that he was ordered to London for advice”. (ref letter dated Feb 16, 1790 from Rev John Vardill to Archbishop of Canterbury.)

 

Inherited a ¼ share of the Gatehouse of Fleet cotton mills along with bothers William, Alexander & Robert (1787)

 

Instituted Rector of Skirbeck, Lincs (following death of his eldest brother Thomas) – 10 Dec 1789.  Note: Patron in own right – Patron previously being his father John Birtwhistle.

 

Instituted Rector of Fishtoft, Lincs – 26 Feb 1790 (in addition to Skirbeck), taking over the role from brother-in –law John Vardill who had resigned as of 19 Jan 1790.  Note: Multiple Patron with brother William Birtwhistle;

 

Died Jan 1791 in Gatehouse of Fleet; Buried 4 Jan 1791 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1758-1815

Full name:

Robert Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1758

 

 

 

Married:

Common-law wife Anne Burton (?b1783-18xx) with whom he had 4 children (John, Robert, William and Anne)

 

 

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Occupation:

Cattle Drover, farmer and land owner

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton & Gatehouse of Fleet

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 30 July 1758 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Heavily involved with his father and brothers in both the Cattle Droving and Textiles businesses. Inherited a 1/3rd share of the cattle business (including 1/3rd share of Dundeuch (parish of Carsphairn)) along with brothers Alexander & William. Inherited a ¼ share of the Gatehouse of Fleet cotton mills along with bothers William, Alexander & Charles.

 

Farmed at Barharrow (Kirkcudbright) and Crake Moor (Nr. Skipton) - ref also Long Preston Deeps. Together with brother William, leased two sheep farms in Ross-shire – Strathnashalg and Beinn-a-Chaisgan – together with a local Wester Ross farmer John McIntyre.

 

(ref map1 – Crake Moor)    (ref map2 – Droving locations)

 

Died Skipton 25 Dec1815. Buried 30 Dec 1815 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

An obituary in the European Magazine and London Review (dated January 1816) stated:

“Lately, in his 57th year, Robt Birtwhistle Esq of Craigmoor-hall, seventh son of the late John Birtwhistle Esq of Skipton in Craven, Yorkshire, whose hospitable, upright and beneficent spirit he inherited in the most esteemed degree”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1761-1761

Full name:

James Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1761

 

 

 

Married:

-

 

 

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Occupation:

-

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

John 1714-1787

 

 

 

Additional:

Died July 1761; Buried 27 July 1761 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1746-1819

Full name:

John Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1746

 

 

 

Married:

Common-law wife Sarah Lowcock (1773-1856) with whom he had 3 children (John, William and Richard)

 

 

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Occupation:

Royal Navy Surgeon

 

 

 

Resident in:

Skipton

 

 

 

Father:

Richard 1716-1788

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 6 Mar 1746 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

Appointed Surgeon’s mate to HMS Belleisle on 25 Jan 1771 and then was transferred to HMS Pearl as Surgeon’s mate on 19 April 1771. In the “Medical Register 1783” recorded as Navy Surgeon and included as an addition to the list of  “Members of the Corporation of Surgeons of London”.

 

Died Skipton Jul 1811. Buried 25 Jul 1811 in Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

In his will dated March 1809 and proved at York in January 1812 he left £900 to be divided between his three illegitimate sons by Sarah, daughter of John Lowcock of Skipton labourer. His residuary legatee was his brother William Birtwhistle (born 1750) - no further information.

 

The three Lowcock brothers later took the name Birtwhistle and were all medical men like their father – the youngest, Richard, also a Navy Surgeon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1750-??

Full name:

William Birtwhistle

 

 

Born:

Skipton 1750

 

 

 

Married:

?

 

 

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Occupation:

?

 

 

 

Resident in:

?

 

 

 

Father:

Richard 1716-1788

 

 

 

Additional:

Christened 10 June 1750 at Holy Trinity Church, Skipton.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Full name:

 

 

 

 

Born:

 

 

 

 

Married:

 

 

 

 

Occupation:

 

 

 

 

Resident in:

 

 

 

 

Father:

 

 

 

 

Additional: