Family of Rev. John Lever, son of Sir Darcy lever

[ellerydesign]

I'm trying to find some detailed information on the family of Rev. John Lever, son of Sir Darcy Lever of Akrington Hall, near Manchester by his wife Dorothy Ashton. John was also the younger brother of Sir Ashton Lever, the naturalist collector. However it is proving difficult to piece together especially when unable to access archive resources.

The details I know are that he was born at Alkrington Hall 1 September and baptised at St Leonard's church, Middleton, co. Lancs. 18 September 1733, and died February 1807 aged 75. He was Rector of Buxton, co. Derby (20 June 1768), Perpetual Curate at Buxton (10 Oct. 1768-22 May 1772) and Curate at St Peter and St Nicholas, Liverpool and St Thomas, Liverpool (1 Feb. 1772-21 Nov. 1777).

I think John married (by lic. Collegiate and parish church of Christ, Manchester 7 July 1758), a Mary Shaw, daughter of Isaac Shaw, esq., “of Altringham, parish of Bowden, diocese of Chester” (by Alice Birch), bur not entirely sure.

However I am sketchy about his family. What I have is:

1. dau. Dorothy Lever, born Altringham, bap. Bowdon, Cheshire 17 September 1760 ??

2. son Darcy Lever, esq., of Alkrington Hall, born 23 September 1761 (M.I. Canongate, Edinburgh)

3. dau. another Dorothy Lever, possibly bap. Barnard Castle, co. Durham 13 March 1767 as her death under Dorothy (wife of Peter Ramsbotham of Birch House) at  Manchester, co. Lancs. 12 June (bur. St Mary, Prestwich, co. Lancs. 16 June) 1827, states she was born about 1767 ?

4. son John Leaver / Lever, esq., “of Alkrington Hall”, born Altringham, bap. Bowdon, Cheshire 22 October 1771 ??, bur. St Mary, Prestwich, co. Lancs. 11 September 1834, aged sixty-two. I'm not sure the baptism at Bowden is him??; John married an Ann (surname unknown), bur. St Mary, Prestwich, co. Lancs. 9 May 1806 - I have no marriage details. 
They had a son Ashton, bur. an infant at St Leonard, Middleton, Lancs. 24 December 1804; possibly daughters Dorothy and Mary

5. Possibly another son James Lever, “of Amiens Street, North Strand, Dublin”, an architect and contract builder who worked on the Custom House and Marynooth College, of Talbot Street, Dublin, and went to Dublin from Manchester. He was father of 1) Rev. John Lever, Curate of St Catherine’s, Tullamore, co. Meath and 2) Charles James Lever, the novelist.
Sources online state he was a son of rev. John Lever but not entirely sure.

If anyone can confirm and add to any of this information I'd be very grateful.

I have been unable to find anything online at the Derbyshire end where he was rector but will also post this query on the Rootschat Derbyshire site.

[Susan Blackstone]

Hi, I have in my possession a copy of a book produced by the British Library, Series The History of Britain and Ireland, 'Historical Gleanings of Bolton and district. Edited and compiled by B. T. Barton.' published in 1883.  There are references to the Lever Family.


To quote, "Dorothy, eldest daughter of the Rev John Lever, M.A., second son of Sir Darcy Lever, of Alkrington, Knt, LL.D., who was born Jan.30, 1767; on Oct. 4, 1797, she was the Patroness of the Manchester Grammar School Festival, the stewards being the Rev. G. Leigh (deputy for Trafford Leigh Trafford, Esq.) and Peter Rasbotham, Esq.  She married Peter Rasbotham, Esq., eldest son of Dorning Rasbotham, of Birch House, Farnworth, the antiquary, and her son ultimately succeeded by devise to the Alkrington estates."

In the book there is a detailed article on Dorning Rasbotham.

Hope this is useful
Susan

[Maiden Stone]

A couple of thoughts.
Did the first Dorothy 1760 die?
Why would the younger Dorothy have been baptised at Barnard Castle? Was there a connection to someone there?

[Susan Blackstone]

Hi, There was only one Dorothy mentioned in my book.  I don't know how much information you have, but I did find on the internet a report on the excavation of the crypt at Alkrington Hall done by the Middleton Archaeological Society, there is a history of the family.  Also looking on Findmypast the death of Rev John Lever is mentioned in the Hull Packet 17/02/1807 '... in Ireland aged 75 the Rev John Lever only brother of Sir Ashton Lever knight and father of Darcy Lever Esq adjutant of the Leeds volunteers'.  The death also appears in the Lancaster Gazette 14/02/1807 '...father of John Lever Esq Alkrington Hall'.

Susan

[ellerydesign]

Many thanks Maiden Stone and Susan for your replies and apologies for the delay in replying.

Maiden Stone, I'm not 100% sure that the Barnard Castle Dorothy is in fact the daughter of Rev John Lever. It's purely speculation and a 'semi-educated' guest at the moment. I got the info from the internet Family Search and would need to look at the primary source to see if correct or not. Barnard Castle is not to far distant and the couple might have lived there for a short period.

Susan. many thanks for the invaluable info from the Bolton and District book. I was aware that a daughter Dorothy married Peter Rasbotham, but that additional info is really good.

Also the Hull Packet details about him being in Ireland is a really good lead. The supposed brother James lever seems to have gone over to Ireland so that would be a link. I wonder if some of his children were actually born in Ireland?

Many thanks both for your help. If you come across anything else please let me know.

Regards, Craig

[Susan Blackstone]

Hi Craig, I have looked on Findmypast and found the marriage licence of John Lever and Mary Shaw 1758 and it describes him as a Chapman.  Would this be correct?  Also I found the Baptismal entry for Dorothy Lever at Bowden with a date of 17.2.1760 father John Lever Mr and Mary.  May not be your John Lever.

Susan

[Susan Blackstone]

Hi Craig, I don't know whether you have been on Wikisource.  There is a mention of Darcy Lever son of John from the Dictionary of National Biography 1885 - 1900 Volume 33,  Lever, Darcy by John Knox Laughton.  Might be worth looking at it.

Susan

[Maiden Stone]

Maiden Stone, I'm not 100% sure that the Barnard Castle Dorothy is in fact the daughter of Rev John Lever. It's purely speculation and a 'semi-educated' guest at the moment. I got the info from the internet Family Search and would need to look at the primary source to see if correct or not. Barnard Castle is not to far distant and the couple might have lived there for a short period.

Susan. many thanks for the invaluable info from the Bolton and District book. I was aware that a daughter Dorothy married Peter Rasbotham, but that additional info is really good.

Barnard Castle is over 100 miles from Manchester by modern roads so it's distant even today. A journey in 1760 would have taken a couple of days.
Lancashire & Manchester Family History Society has/had a Bolton branch.

[Susan Blackstone]

I have found death notice in the Oxford University and City Harold 22/10/1842  'Aged 67 Mary, daughter of the late Rev. John Lever of Alkrington Hall, Lancashire.'

 I also found the death in the Preston Chronicle 02/02/1839, 'on 22nd ult. at his home in Heriot Row, Edinburgh, in the 79th year of his age, deeply lamented, Darcy Lever Esq of Alkrington Hall, in the county the last direct male representative of the very ancient family of Lever of Great Lever, of Darcy Lever, and Little Lever, near Bolton, where they were seated soon after the Norman Conquest, but latterly of Kersall, Collyhurst and Alkrington Halls all in Lancashire.  Mr Lever, like his grandfather Sir Darcy, and his uncle Sir Ashton was a liberated promoter of literature, science and the arts, an eminent virtuoso, a staunch loyalist, and above all a sincere christian.'

Also in the Leeds Intelligence 12.05/1806.  'On Saturday week died, after a severe and lingering indisposition, which she bore with fortitude and resignation, Mrs Lever, wife of John Lever, Esq. of Alkrington Hall, near Middleton, Lancashire, and late of Aberford near this town.'

Did John Lever Esq. marry twice? In the Lancaster Gazette 11/12/1813.  'On Sunday se'nnight, suddenly, Mary, the wife of John Lever, Esq of Alkrington hall.'