Author Topic: SWARBRICK and variants  (Read 15988 times)

Offline Josephine

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #18 on: Wednesday 16 September 15 04:14 BST (UK) »
Thanks, jds1949, will do.

Regards,
Josephine
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Offline keatingp

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #19 on: Wednesday 28 October 15 14:57 GMT (UK) »
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?

Offline jds1949

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #20 on: Wednesday 28 October 15 19:25 GMT (UK) »
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
Swarbrick - all and any - specially interested in all who served in WW1

Offline keatingp

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #21 on: Wednesday 28 October 15 21:52 GMT (UK) »
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.


Offline jds1949

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #22 on: Wednesday 28 October 15 22:11 GMT (UK) »
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
Swarbrick - all and any - specially interested in all who served in WW1

Offline keatingp

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #23 on: Wednesday 28 October 15 22:34 GMT (UK) »
Brilliant. Thank you.
Paula

Offline jds1949

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #24 on: Friday 30 October 15 15:16 GMT (UK) »
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


Swarbrick - all and any - specially interested in all who served in WW1

Offline keatingp

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #25 on: Friday 30 October 15 17:56 GMT (UK) »
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



Offline jds1949

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Re: SWARBRICK and variants
« Reply #26 on: Saturday 31 October 15 09:48 GMT (UK) »
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

 
Swarbrick - all and any - specially interested in all who served in WW1