Richard Rigby baptism 1721

[maddys52]

mlmcholm, I know you say you have indications the family are on the Papist Return of 1767, but there is also the possibility they were non-conformists. I don't know if this Alexander RIGBY of Middleton,Goosnargh (1620-1694) fits in to your family, but according to this bio he was Presbyterian and his descendents were Quakers.
http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1660-1690/member/rigby-alexander-1620-94

[mlmcholm]

Thanks everyone. I will look into your suggestions. My only concern is that the subsequent families don't have either an Alexander or Edward in them. Richard, Nicholas, James, William are the names that have been carried through to the next generations.

[maddys52]

What other information do you have about your Richard? Where and who did he marry and where were his children baptised?

[Maiden Stone]

The list of Rigby burials at St. Mary, Goosnargh may help a bit with trying to sort out the various Mr Rigbys and their wives and residences. Marriages include Mr Gilbert Rigby  to Mrs May Marsden. This doesn't mean that May Marsden was necessarily a widow. Mrs was short for Mistress, a style of address which showed that she belonged to gentry. She was "of gentle birth".

British History Online (Victoria County History vol. 7) Goosnargh pages has information about members of the Rigby family, their descent and residences.
 See the paragraph about "Worthies of the chapelry".
 The section "Manors" lists several of their residences in Goosnargh.
 See "The Hill", "Midddleton",  "Latus House",  "Fairhurst" and Hollowforth"
See also footnotes 83, 93 & 95-7
www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol7/pp190-206

In answer to your question in #1 about an earlier Return of Papists, there was one following the Jacobite Rising of 1715-16. Clayton has mentioned one a decade earlier. Lists were compiled in 16th & 17th centuries. Kirkham parish church has a list of births to Recusant families with the baptism register c1707.

[mlmcholm]

Thanks Maddys52. Have reason to believe, but as yet to be clarified, that Richard married Ellen Singleton, probably around the Goosnargh area. Richard died 1803 age 83, abode Haighton. Burial at Broughton. According to the papist return of 1767 in Haighton, their children are: Nicholas b1745, George b1747, Richard 1750, James 1755, Elizabeth 1758, Alice 1763, William 1753. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find baptism records for any of them.

[mlmcholm]

I have just found a document on national archives re Richard. It states 'sale to declare the uses of a fine of a half share in various closes of land in Heskin' It lists Richard Rigby from Haighton and wife Ellen and is dated 1775. I am beginning to wonder what their connection to Eccleston and Heskin is, as it's quite a way ( in those days at least) to Haighton, Goosnargh. Was he from here originally? Can anyone help? Many thanks

[Gibel]

The document you refer to above is held at Lancashire Archives you can contact them and find the cost of a copy of the document.

I see that Richard also left a will again that is at Lancashire Archives it might be very helpful to you to see the contents of the will.

[mlmcholm]

Thanks Gibel. What year is the will dated? Many thanks

[Gibel]

Looking again it could Richard's son Richard, it's 1827 Richard Rigby of Haighton. You can get the reference off the Lancashire Archives catalogue.

If other members of the Rigby family left wills that might help sort the family out.