SILL family

[waverhouse]

I am trying to get some information on the history of Richard and Joseph SILL who where founder members (along with James Hendrie) of the Wigton School of Clockmaking in Cumberland in the early 1700s.
Richard was born in the late 17th century -- possibly 1680 and died in 1729
Joseph was born 1725, married Mary Barnes Bromfield in 1751/2 and died in 1803
Would also be interested to know where they worked as I am researching the history of clockmaking in Wigton.

[whiteout7]

This mentions Richard Sill working for a John Sanderson. Sanderson was a Quaker. Sound like their clocks were quite innovative. Joseph Sill is further down in the article.

From Clocks Magazine:
http://www.brianloomes.com/collecting/hendrie/

Richard Sill example of his work, marriage date 1704, death date - Wigton 1729
http://www.earlyclocks.com/r-sill-c1705/4579589622

[whiteout7]

There seems to be a family tree here but it would need to all be verified

RICHARD SILL was born November 17, 1691, and died 1729. He
married MARIA JEFFERSON April 24, 1711 in Wigton, Cumberland, England. She
was born in Bromfield, Cumberland, England.

JOSEPH SILL (Son of Richard) was born December 25, 1725 in Bromfield, Cumberland, England, and died 1803. He married MARY BARNES 1752

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/CUMBERLAND/2000-01/0948919060

[garstonite]

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2LM-6H2
But be careful - IF that tree is right and he was born in 1691 - this record can't be him as he would only have been 13 at the marriage - which means there were TWO Richard Sill in Wigton at the same time with an age difference of about 10 years
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N2LM-6HV

of course it may be that Richard Sill married twice and was Not born in 1691 ??

[waverhouse]

Thanks to all for replies.

Another line of research indicated to me that Richard was indeed married twice -- the first time to Janeta White in 1704. And if he WAS born in c1680, would make him 24 and 31 respectively which makes more sense.
Anyone able to verify birth as c1680??

[Deborah Boss]

There is a marriage licence issued for a Mary Sill widow of Wigton on 08 Nov 1729.  This could be the widow of your Richard.  Please let me know if you want more details.
regards
Deborah

[waverhouse]

Thank you, Deborah. It would certainly make sense as I have Richard's death as 1729 but if that is the case, Mary wasted no time, did she??!!
As mentioned in an earlier post, would be more interested in confirmation of Richard's birth. If you could help with that, I would be very grateful.
Am on holiday for a week from today so will not be able to respond to a reply for a while but will check on my return.
Many thanks.

[Deborah Boss]

I just looked in the Diocese of Carlisle marriage licences to see if any of the marriages mentioned had licences.  I have no knowledge of the Sill family but just in case you can glean something from the entry (Sill not being that common a name):

08 Nov 1729
groom: John Bushby, of Hole, Wigton, gentleman
bride: Mary Sill, of parish Wigton, widow (above 21 years)
bondsman: Joseph Tiffen (or Tiften) of Crosshill, Wigton yeoman or gentleman
marriage to take place at Wigton

regards
Deborah

[sillgen]

Thank you, Deborah. It would certainly make sense as I have Richard's death as 1729 but if that is the case, Mary wasted no time, did she??!!

Remember the calendar changed in the mid 1700s so depending on month dates there could be a year between death and remarriage.