RICKARDS

[KRick]

Hi, I am new to Roots chat today.
Looking for anything at all on ARTHUR RICKARDS, a minister at Hartshorne Derbyshire round about the early 1600's.  Am a descendent and have most of the direct family tree back to that time through the Wirksworth Parish Records.  He had 2 sons, Arthur and Benjamin (born about 1638, died 27th August 1675 and buried in St Peters Church Nottingham).
Kate

[erick]

Hi Kate,
I am also a descendant and tracing this line. I went to Hartshorne on Tuesday as luck would have it - no sign of any Rickards in the churchyard, though the graves have mostly been overgrown now. I couldn't get into the church but I did speak with the vicar who said that he did not recall the name (Samuel was Rector there following Arthur). I believe Arthur was son of a Shropshire commoner though have no proper proof. He married a Rebecca Porter. Which line do you descend from? Em

[KRick]

Wow, hello Em! 
I didn't think I would get any sort of reply on this, so it is great to hear from you.  I come down from Arthur Rickards's son Benjamin (married Elizabeth Parker), baptised 30/4/1638, died 27/8/1675 aged 37.  Although he died young, he managed to have 8 children and my ancestor is Benjamin's son Samuel.  There are quite a few Benjamins and Samuels after that, but it is wonderful to be able to trace the line back this far.  If you have any more info on the Shropshire connection, I would love to hear about it, and perhaps you can let me know who your ancestors were then.
Did you check out the Wirksworth website?  It is www.wirksworth.org.uk/inc-005.htm  You then follow this with a hash symbol (can't get my PC to do it on here) and 006d to get to the correct page.  This is the first site I found which definitely connected to me all the way back from the 17th century.
I am in Derbyshire.
Again, great to hear from you.
Kate

[erick]

Hi Kate, nice to 'meet' you. My great grandfather did a lot of family history research and I have his tree - I show most of your line and, like you have recently discovered the Wirksworth pages. I am descended from the other side of the line, via Arthur's son Arthur and then through two Georges. It's great you're still in Derbyshire - a real family area. The information on my tree on Arthur reads: Arthur R b.1593 d.1653 'Son of a Shropshire Commoner' (Dean's Book) mnatriculated at Ch.Ch. 16.6.1610 aged 17. BA 10.7.1612. BD 15.6.1634. Rector of Hartshorne, Co Derby 1621-53. Will d/d 27.3.1649 left property at Aston on Trent, Barrow upon Soar."  He married Rebecca Porter at Hartshorne on 29.10.1621, she was buried there 15.8.1657. They had 10 children: Samuel (Rector of Hartshorn 1653-58), Sarah, Arthur (my ancestor, Mayor of Nottingham 1694), Thomas, John, Joseph, Timothy (died aged 1), Daniel, Benjamin (your ancestor), and Katherine.

Of interest, down your line there was one difference between Wirksworth and my great grandfather's records and that was the children of Benjamin R and Grace Coates - Wirksworth shows a son called Benjamin Samuel R, my grandfather shows 2 separate people, one as Benjamin, one Samuel - are you able to clarify which is correct?

I hope this helps.
Em

[KRick]

This is fantastic information.  I had found the baptisms of Arthur's children but there were only 9 on that site - Samuel, Sarah, Thomas, Johannes (John), Joseph, Timothy, Benjamin, Daniel, Katherine.
Your info on the dates of Arthur senior and Rebecca are fascinating.  It is wonderful to think that they were alive when Elizabeth I was still on the throne.  Wonder if we can get it back any further.  I have drawn a blank so far.
I only have the Wirksworth records for Benjamin R and Grace Cotes but, did you know that Ben R was the oldest solicitor in the country when he died aged 96.  There is still a firm of solicitors in Alfreton - Rickards and Cleaver.  Did you know that there are some memorials for members of the Rickards clan in St Peters Church, Nottingham including your Mayoral ancestor.
Will keep in touch if I find anything else and hope you will too.
Kate

[erick]

Thanks Kate, I didn't know that - sounds like I need to make a visit to St Peters - is that in Derbyshire? I did find a memorial in Beeston Church, on the outskirts of Nottingham to a John R who died 2 Aug 1821 and his wife Ann, and children Margaret, Samuel and (I think) Maria. I haven't managed to figure out quite where they fit in yet, but suspect that it is further down on my branch a George R was supposed to buried there (I didn't find the grave but the stones have all been moved).

I haven't yet got back beyond Arthur, but there is a considerable Rickards clan in the Welsh borders and I suspect that he relates to this branch. Evenjobb, in Wales is one place where there were Rickards, though when a male Rickards married a (wealthy I believe) female Mynor, he took that family's name.

All the best, Em

[KRick]

Ooh, this gets more exciting, doesn't it.  The memorials can be found in St Peter's Church which is right in the centre of Nottingham.  If you Google Earth it, it is the one on St Peters Gate and is the first entry that pops up.  One of the memorials is high up on the wall inside the church on the right hand side of the knave.   It was put there by the widow of John Rickards who dies in 1703.  This must be one of your ancestors I think as he was Mayor of Nottingham.  You should try and get to see it as it is quite splendid.
I have also found some graves in Baslow church.  One stone has the inscription "HANNAH the wife of THOMAS PARES RICKARDS of this place, and daughter of Thomas & ann ASCOUGH of Leicester, died 30 Dec 1794 aged 64" (so born about 1730).
and another
"To the memory of GEORGE RICKARDS of Basslow, husband of Catherine Rickards. Died 27 Jan 1812 aged 70"  so he was born about 1742.
Wonder if this helps with your line.  Not sure if they are related to yours or mine but they must be related somehow.
There are probably other bits I have that may be a help to you, so I will get looking and come back to you.
Thanks again
Kate

[KRick]

I have found the website listing the St Peters' memorials if you want to have a look.  It is www.southwellchurches.nottingham.ac.uk/n01/hmonument.html.  Hope this helps too.  You will see that both John Rickards (number 35) and Benjamin Rickards (1639-75, and listed number 37) are given.
Kate

[erick]

Kate, this is very interesting. Ok so the John R who died 20.4.1703 (or 21st I have 2 dates) is on your side - he is grandson of Arthur of Hartshorne, son of your Benjamin. He was an Alderman of Nottingham and is buried at St Peters. He married Ann, daughter of Joseph Clay at St Peters on 2.10.1694 and had 6 children: Parker, John and Ann all died young (I think) hen Benjamin (of Sponden), Elizabeth (married Elton Levet) and Anne. I have no other info on this branch.

Hannah Ascough (Ascough or Ayscough is very much a name on my side of the line) and Thomas Pares are my many greats grandparents. George was Thomas Pares' brother and married Katherine More. They all lived at Baslow. The full dates are very useful, thank you, I only had years for George. Isn't it interesting that even at this stage, 4 generations down from Arthur and on different branches, they have memorials in the same church!

On your side I can go as far as Benjamin R who married Grace and had Henry, Benjamin Samuel, and Mary.

Em