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Some Special Interests => One Name Studies => One Name Studies: N to S => Topic started by: jds1949 on Friday 01 June 12 21:14 BST (UK)
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Just to flag up that I have been researching Swarbrick families for over twenty years and I have data on some 70+ separate Swarbrick families. I am always ready to share information - so if you have a Swarbrick connection please get in touch.
jds1949
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I am just getting in touch regarding Alice Swarbrick, born 1665 I think, she married a Richard Gillow. I can trace their descendants. There may be a brother James and a sister Mary. The father was John I think, from Great Singleton. These Swarbricks were strongly Catholic I believe. Any information on these Swarbrick's and their ancestors.
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Hi,
I have some, limited, information on Alice as there is a [very] tenuous link to my own family. As you are no doubt aware records of families - especially Catholics - in the 17th century are hard to find and not always as clear as we might like - so what I have is my best guess based on what I have found.
What follows is in two parts so as to fit in the character limit of this message system:
My distant relative was Ann Swarbrick who was a daughter of George and Margaret. She was baptised on Tuesday the 9th May 1786. Her Uncle, Henry Kitchen, stood as one of her Godparents; the other was an Elizabeth Swindlass. On Saturday the 10th May 1806, which can only have been two or three days after her twentieth birthday, Nancy married Joseph Swarbrick at the church of St Mary and St Michael, Garstang.
Joseph was one of the Swarbrick family of Nateby, not, as far as is known, related to my Swarbrick family. He had been born in 1779, the sixth child of Thomas Swarbrick and Mary Park. [They had eighteen children in all]. One of his younger brothers, Thomas, was baptised in 1791 in St Mary & St Michael’s Church, Garstang, as were the later brothers and sisters of Nancy. No doubt the two families would have been well acquainted with each other.
Joseph’s father, Thomas, had been born in 1747 the son of another Joseph Swarbrick [1698 - 1793] and Ann Threlfall. In 1806 this Thomas bought a property called Nateby House. According to the History of Garstang [Chetham Society] Thomas, together with his partner, a man called John Valentine, bought Nateby House from a local gentleman named Michael Ann. It would seem that this might well have been a speculative, moneymaking venture because very shortly afterwards they conveyed the same to John Birley of Kirkham Esq.
Nateby House was sold again in 1818 to Thomas Butler-Cole, who was George Swarbrick’s [Ann's father] landlord. However the Swarbrick family bought the house back again at some later point in the nineteenth century; this time they bought it to live in. Thomas Newsham Swarbrick, a grandson of the Thomas Swarbrick who had originally bought the house in 1806, was the owner of the property when he died there in 1878.
According to Joseph Gillow, the Catholic historian, this particular branch of the Swarbrick family, who lived at Nateby, derived their origin from Swarbreck House in Weeton-cum-Preese and were well-known recusants throughout the penal times. One of the earliest to figure in the rolls was Edward Swarbreck of Great Singleton, who died in 1622. [Almost certainly this was the Edward Swarbrecke who was buried at St Michael’s, Kirkham on Saturday 7th December 1622]. Edward’s son, John, who was the great-grandfather of the Thomas who first bought Nateby House, appeared in his turn in the roll compiled in the reign of Charles II.
Not only did members of this branch of the family appear regularly in the various recusant rolls and lists of Papists but they also provided the church with a number of priests. One of the first of these was James Swarbreck, a son of the aforementioned John. He was born, probably at Singleton, in 1654. He was sent to the junior seminary at St Omers in Belgium, where he began his studies leading to the priesthood. He was ordained in Rome in 1678 and worked under the alias of Singleton, at Singleton, where he was listed in the 1705 return of known recusants. He had spent some time resident at the home of the Gillow family, who had their own domestic chapel. In or about 1711 he was priest at St Thomas and St Elizabeth’s Church, Thurnham.
Father James was arrested early in 1716 following the abortive Jacobite rebellion of the previous year. According to Dom F O Blundell in Volume 3 of his book, Old Catholic Lancashire, Father James allowed himself to be captured so as to be able to minister to the many Catholics held by the authorities in Lancaster Castle. He was seized at the house of Richard Gillow and tried and condemned as a Catholic priest at the March Assizes. He was duly imprisoned in Lancaster Castle, where he took sick and died in March 1716. He had been condemned to death and would, no doubt, have suffered martyrdom had he not died a natural death.
[part two to follow]
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[part two]
In 1996 there was a curious footnote to the story of Father James. In May of 1996 a fine and rare 17th Century wooden doll known as The Swarbrick Nun came up for auction at Sotheby’s in London. The Doll Magazine takes up the story:
The English doll has a gesso-covered head finely painted with rouged cheeks and smiling mouth, a well-carved nose with defined nostrils.
She is in her original clothes consisting of a stiffened cotton wimple, black wool gauze veil and black hand woven woollen habit with two petticoats, one in coarse weave blue wool, the other of lighter weave cream wool...
...The Swarbricks were a Catholic family and lived in Singleton, Lancashire. Due to strong anti-Catholic feeling, James Swarbrick and his sister were smuggled out of England as children to be educated at Cardinal Allen’s Seminary in Douai, France and later in Rome.
James became a Jesuit, popularly known as “The Riding Priest”. His sister took the veil, reputedly dressing her doll in the identical habit of the Order and sending it back to England with James in 1680 to show her mother how she was dressed.
He was seized and thrown into prison in Lancaster Castle on suspicion of being a “Popish” priest, where he later died on the eve of his execution in 1717. He became one of the Lancashire martyrs.
It is possible, but only conjecture, that the younger sister, Alice, who had stayed in England had dressed a doll in the habit of her older sister, copied from drawings sent back with James in 1680.
The auction estimate on the Swarbrick Nun is between forty and sixty thousand pounds.
Unfortunately, “conjecture” would seem to be the right word when it comes to James’s supposed sister, Alice. When Father James went abroad for his training as a priest he had to answer questions concerning himself and his family and background. He stated that he had four brothers, but only one sister, whose name we do not know for certain, although it was possibly Jennet, and she became the nun. She would have had no sister, younger or otherwise, to receive the doll assuming that she had sent one. There was an Alice Swarbrick, a daughter of Edward Swarbrick, who was a first cousin, once removed to Father James and who later [possibly] became the wife of Richard Gillow. So, although the doll may well have had something to do with Father James and his sister, it is almost certain that the story of its ownership as outlined in the article quoted above is, at best, an approximation of the truth.
And that is pretty much all I know.
If you can add any additional information - or if you have evidence which tells a different story then I would be delighted to hear from you.
Hope that has been of some help,
jds1949
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Hello, My mother's maiden name is Swarbrick. Her father ran a big woollen mill in Bradford. Originally they came from Lancashire. His name was Henry Swarbrick. Do you think you might have any info on their ancestry. I can get more information from my eldest sister. We were always told that we had a Catholic martyr in the family..the riding priest I believe, James Swarbrick?
Thanks Paul Epsom
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Hi,
You might find this site interesting.
https://swarbrooke.co.uk (https://swarbrooke.co.uk) updated website 2021
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Hi Paul,
I'm away from my main database at the moment, so it will be about a week before I can answer your query. I will get back to you.
Regards,
jds1949
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Hi Paul,
Just looking through the [incomplete] notes which I have with me - was Henry's middle name Dunstan and was he born in 1931?
If so, then I have quite a bit on his Swarbrick ancestors.
Regards,
Dave
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Hello Dave,
Henry Swarbrick had 3 children Joan, Barbara (my mother) and Dunstan. It could be that Henry's middle name was Dunstan too. I will check with my sister.
Thanks for your help,
Paul
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Dave, that is probably my Uncle Dunstan. Here is my grand father's info:
Henry Swarbrick (son of Thomas Swarbrick and Mary Ann Bamford) was born 1888, and died 1966.He married Helen Baines.
Hope this helps
Thanks
Paul
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Hi Paul,
Thanks for the additional information - I have him now. As I wrote earlier I am away from my main database at the moment, so I only have outline information. Thomas was born in 1854, a son of Henry and Ann [Nottingham] Swarbrick. Henry was born 1816 a son of William and Rosamund [Brown] Swarbrick. William was born 1784 a son of James and Mary [Postlethwaite] Swarbrick. James was born 1754 a son of George and Mary Swarbrick.
I shall be able to send you a more detailed account at the end of the week.
Regards,
jds1949
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Thanks ,
I look forward to getting the details
Paul
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Hi Paul,
Back with my main database now - I have sent you a personal message.
I can tell you that Father James Swarbrick, the "Riding Priest" who died in Lancaster Castle in 1716, was not, as far as I can tell, a member of your extended family.
jds1949
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Dave,
Thanks for all that info. My sister has confirmed a lot of what you sent me. There is a lot of extra detail too. Excellent stuff. I would be interested in any info you can generate on closer ancestors/ cousins etc.
Thanks a million
Paul
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Just noticed this thread now; hope I'm not too late to join the conversation.
Philip Swarbrick married Georgina Linda Tarrant in 1939 in Cheshire. Philip might have been called Pip. My husband remembers them.
They were related to my husband through his grandmother Linda Christy. Linda's sister Elizabeth Christy married James Tarrant in 1909 in West Kirby.
Have you got these Tarrants in your files?
Regards,
Josephine
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Hi Josephine,
I do not have any Tarrant family connection to that particular Swarbrick family. Can you give me a little more on the Philip who married in 1939 - his age or parentage would help.
jds1949
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Hi, jds1949:
I don't have any more info on him. I know his name and who he married from my husband and I have the year of marriage from the index (probably the Cheshire BMD site) but I don't have any actual records for him (they're both deceased).
Regards,
Josephine
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OK - I've got him now - different Swarbrick family:
Philip Swarbrick born 13th November 1911 at Birkenhead, the son of Philip and Madeline [Dickson] Swarbrick. Philip senior ran a public house in Birkenhead. Philip junior worked as a steward in the Merchant Navy.
If you'd like to know any more then send me a pm and we'll take it from there.
jds1949
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Thanks, jds1949, will do.
Regards,
Josephine
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Hi
I have been researching a gentleman who lived locally to me (Lathom nr. Ormskirk) and became famously known as the hermit of Lathom. His name was Robert Swarbrick and I have the following key pieces of information but seem to be coming to a dead end regarding any living decedents, ancestors or place of birth.
Robert was born around 1736 (place unknown)
He died on the 25th Dec 1824 aged 88 years and is buried at Ormskirk parish church
Burial record state that he was a catholic
He became famous due to the Rev Thomas Garret (of Altar) publishing a poem about him called 'the Hermit of lathom' in about 1821. Roberts death was reported in newspapers of the time as far away as London.
He was a bachelor
He had a brother Edward, a gentleman of Parbold, who died before him in 1805
He had a brother William who outlived him and a nephew John
He was given land by the Bootle-Wilbrahams who were living at Lathom house in about 1780 and he built a hermitage/nursery where he lived for 44 years until his death.
I would love to find more information regarding the hermits ancestors (where he came from) or any relatives from his brothers' families.
Can you help?
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Hi,
I was aware of Robert the hermit, he has been on my "to do" list for some time. I can't place him in any of the Catholic Swarbrick families on my database at present. As you probably know tracing Catholic families can be difficult because of the lack of parish records. However the Returns of Papists 1767 has listed together for Latham in the parish of Ormskirk the following:
Mary Swarsbrick [sic] aged 59
Ann Dike aged 50
Edward Swarsbrick [sic] aged 31 - servant
Those two are the only Swarbrick entries for Ormskirk parish. This is just a list and no relationships are recorded, but the inference is that Mary and Edward are related. Do you have an age for the Edward Swarbrick who died in 1805?
I'm curious as to how you have linked him to Edward, William and John, was that from the newspapers?
Your email has now prompted me to do a little digging myself, so I shall see what I can find in the next day or two. In the meantime any additional clues or information would be welcomed.
jds1949
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Hi and thanks for your response
I don't have an age for Edward but he is buried with Robert and it says that they are brothers on the headstone. I have copies of Edwards probate which names Robert and William as his brothers and gives his occupation as a gentleman of Parbold. It also names William's son John. Robert, who died after Edward in 1824 also leaves his brothers William and Edwards children (no names) £40 to be devided between them.
I hope this helps.
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Hi,
Yes, that's a help. I am busy over the next few days, but I shall have a go at finding out what I can and get back to you.
jds1949
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Brilliant. Thank you.
Paula
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Hi Paula,
I managed to do a little digging - unfortunately with little to show for it. Have you seen the article in the Preston Chronicle and Lancashire Advertiser dated 20th July 1850 and signed H. F. ? It records the author's visits to Robert at Lathom in the 1820s. There is also a poem, by H. F. dated 1st May 1820 but published in August 1850 by the same paper. Both are interesting in their way - but add virtually no biographical information, except a passing reference to a gentleman from Liverpool who sent Robert an epitaph.
Clutching at straws - I went back to the Return of Papists 1767 and found this:
Liverpool
Stanley Street
Wm Swarsbrick Labourer aged 40 - 10 years resident
Agnes his wife aged 45
Thomas his son aged 13
John his son aged 11
Ellen his daughter aged 9
Jane his daughter aged 6
A William Swarsbrick with a son John???
Whilst I had the Return open I looked for any Robert Swarbrick of the right age - the only possible candidate, assuming he was a single man, was this man:
Westby with Plumpton
Robert Swarsbreck aged 25 servant to Thomas Barrowes [Catholic aged 48 – yeoman]
So – born c. 1742
It is possible that the Edward previously found in Ormskirk and the William and Robert above are the three we want - it's equally possible that they are none of them connected. I very much doubt that the 1767 Return listed all the known Catholics of the day. Even if all three are "right" it doesn't get us much further as we have yet to connect them to each other and to any possible ancestors and descendants.
I may well try and follow up the Liverpool connection, if only to rule them out. At least there we have a proven family to go after. I'm still occupied elsewhere over the next week or so, so it may be some time before I can return to this - unless the temptation to dig some more overwhelms me!
jds1949
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Hi. Thank you for your time on this.
I have copies of the articles that you mention and also the original poem by the Rev Thomas Garett that made the hermit famous !! The poem which is 12 pages long gives a description of Robert aged about 80 at the time of their meeting and alludes to the fact that Robert was spurned by his sweetheart and lived a solitary life in lathom from age 44 (1778). He was given an acre of land by the Bootle-Wilbrahams living at Lathom house at the time (no records of the estate from that period exist today).
I see the possibilities with William however in Edwards will of 1805 there is no mention of his other nephews/nieces, only John although of course they may not have survived until that date.
Re Robert in the papist rolls he is a bit older than 'our' Robert who different sources date as having been born nearer to 1736.
Also is it likely that Edward would go from being a servant to a gentleman !!
I have one last lead that I am looking at related to Robert in relation to marriage bonds but no subsequent record of marriage near Preston in 1765. Fits with the 'jilted' story maybe ??
Once again thank you for your help.
Paula
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Hi Paula,
As I said - I was clutching at straws.
I agree that the William in Liverpool is the most likely of the three and I shall try to chase him up, though the lack of records will make it difficult.
I know that the age for Robert doesn't match what we know, however in my experience over many years it is not uncommon for reported ages to vary from source to source. I doubt whether the Anglican clergyman who compiled the list for the 1767 Return actually asked Robert how old he was, he would have relied on what others told him and who knows where they got their information from.
I agree that Edward's status is a problem. Where did the information that he was a "gentleman of Parbold" come from? If he was buried in the same grave as his brother then, given that he died first, why is his name second on the grave stone? And if from Parbold why buried at Ormskirk?
The marriage bond lead might help - should it turn out to be the correct man.
I will persevere, but it may take some time.
jds1949
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Hi. Edwards status is from his will and burial record. As for the gravestone maybe the family erected this after they had both died. Maybe given the hermits 'status' someone paid for a grander headstone to be erected? Lots of maybes !! Not sure why Edward would have chosen be buried in Ormskirk.
Im fairly new to this archival research but it seems that more you learn the more questions that arise.
Paula
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Hi Paula,
There are always more questions than answers in my experience - that's part of the fun - I think "fun" is the word I want.
Thanks for the info on Edward's status - I'll get back to you when I have anything more.
jds1949
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Yes, I think fun is the right word. I think that I might approach the local press to run an article on the hermit and the quest for descendents. The might just be someone who has had a family story passed down over the years. It's worth a shot.
Kind regards
Paula
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Hi Paula,
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you - I've been away for a few days.
I'm afraid I've hit a brick wall - I can't conect any of the various bits and pieces to come up with anything that might conceivably hold together. I have exhausted all of my own resources and those that I can source online. It will be some time before I am next at the Lancashire Records Office and so, regretfully, I am, for the moment, defeated.
I will return to this at some point, and if you come up with anything new then I would be delighted to hear about it.
Regards,
jds1949
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Hi there,
I wonder if I’m 5 years too late for some assistance if possible :)
Swarbricks in barrow in Furness 1850 - 1896.
Thank you
Vicki
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Hi Vicki,
I have information on several Swarbricks in Barrow in Furness. Do you have a specific person in mind?
jds1949
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I'm just bookmarking this thread.
There were 2 Swar(s)brick- Cowban/Coulburn weddings at Kirkham. Thomas Swarsbrick to Sarah Cowban 1755 and Margaret Swarbrick to Thomas Coulburn, son of John Cowban in 1840. Cowban is a brickwall. Other Swarb(r)eck(e)/Swarb(r)ick(e) marriages of interest at Kirkham were to Hardman, Blacoe, Clarkson and Jillet/Gillet.
4500 entries on Lancashire Online Parish Clerks site for Swarbrick and variants. There would be more but St. Michael, Kirkham baptism registers on the site date from 1700s.
Other variants Warbreck(e) and Warbrick(e).
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Hi JDS1949,
I sure do ... I have 3 generations of Swarbricks that I know of:
George Swarbrick b. 1850 Weeton with Preese - Married Phoebe Jones (not sure when but is married by 1881 with his first son being born 1872). Struggling to find him pre 1881 census where he is married or his parents names to go any further back.
His 2nd Son, the main cause of my confusion.
I think (Based on GRO mmn and dates) he was born John Swarbrick in 1874, He marries Sarah Isabel Penny - Using the name Jones Swarbrick in 1895. He has 2 children:
George Henry Swarbrick 1896
Sarah Isabel Swarbrick who dies shortly after her birth in 1900 along with his wife.
On both the death certificates for his wife and daughter he is named Richard Swarbrick also on the marriage certificate for George Henry Swarbrick he is written as Richard.
I found "Jones Swarbrick" on the 1901 census living with his Uncle, John Jones, but after that I have nothing.
I cant find him on the 1911 census or a death using any of the names above :/
George Henry Swarbrick (My G Grandfather) b. 1896 d. 1964 (More for reference as I think I found him) but anything you know of him would be amazing.
Thank you ... I hope it makes sense.
Vicki
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Hi Vicki,
To start with George born 1850:
Lancashire Birth indexes for the years: 1850
SWARBRICK George
Birth registered at Kirkham
Register at Preston
Mother's maiden name: WHITESIDE
Ref: KH/7/72
George was with his parents in 1851 & 1861 at Weeton. His father was George Swarbrick and his mother was Alice Whiteside.
By 1871 both he and his brother Robert had moved to Barrow-in-Furness
1871 census entry [piece 4244 folio 27]
Barrow-in-Furness
Sun Hotel
Robert Swarbrick Boarder Single 49 Labourer b. Whitton field [sic]
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George Swarbrick Boarder Single 21 Bricksetter b. Whitten Fell [sic]
Marriage registered in the June quarter 1872
SWARBRICK George
JONES Phoebe
Marriage registered at Ulverston
Vol. 8e page 1019
I can give you more details on his ancestors should you wish.
I have the same information on Jones Swarbrick and the same difficulties with him as you do. However I did not know about him using the name Richard. I have a WW1 army record for a man named Richard Swarbrick, a fishmonger, born in Barrow in 1885, whose next of kin is either James or Jones - there may well be a connection.
I also have information on George Henry born 1896, including his WW1 record.
I think it's probably best if you send me a personal message via this site and then we can exchange email addresses as the file I have is too large to post on this system.
jds1949