Good afternoon
I have limited information regarding The Tabernacle Hillgate-Independent, Stockport, Cheshire:
Under Stockport Hillgate Tabernacle were the results of two ministers, father and son, who went around Lancashire baptising and entering them into a book.
Registers of Rev Peter Walkden of baptisms at several churches (1709-1769)
Garsdale c1709-1710
Chipping and Newton c1710-1722
Hesket Lane and Newton c1722-1739
Holcone "and occasionally" 1739-1744
Stockport "and occasionally" c1744-1769
Bramhall, Newton and Littlemoor c1723, 1747-1768
Registers of Rev Henry Walkden of baptisms of several churches (from 1747)
Tingwhistle "and occasionally" c1747-1758
Heaviley Hall nr Stockport c1760-1761
Stockport "and occasionally" c1761
Wimondhouses, Newton and Hesket Lane c1761-1793
Wymondhouses (an old farm in the south of the parish) was purchased in 1667 by the Nonconformist preacher Thomas Jollie. He had a meeting-place licensed in 1672, later building a chapel that was still in-use until the 1860
The chapel at Wymondhouses was used until 1869 and was demolished in the late 19th century.
My ancestor, Reuben Brotherton, was baptised by the travelling minister in 1790 at Wymondhouses near Sabden in Lancashire. Siblings of his were baptised at churches within the area they lived, Padiham and Newchurch in Pendle so I am curious as to why this particular travelling minister was chosen.
I wonder if maybe Reuben was baptised outside of the regular church because he may have been illegitimate. His Scottish death certificate records his parents as John Brotherton and Jane Lightfoot yet his baptism records James Brotherton. Trying to consider all possibilities I wonder if maybe James was his father and Jane Lightfoot his mother and not James' wife, Margaret. I can, however, find no other record of John Brotherton and Jane. James did have an older brother, John, so I have considered Reuben could be his son but there are no records that I can find of Jane Lightfoot.
Reuben took his family and eventually died in Scotland having left Horwich due to, what I believe, to be him breaking his work contract which was for seven years. He had done this before and was threatened with prison so on the death of his wife I think he left the area and fled to Scotland where he remarried. On this death his wife was the informant and his parents are recorded as John and Jane. I feel that either his wife was misinformed or just didn't know his parent's names or Reuben deliberately told his wife different names of his parents maybe thinking it the best plan as he had potentially fled the authorities. A bit of a stretch I guess considering he kept his full name.
His reason for moving to Scotland is only speculation but would fit the information available. This speculation having come from a news report of his arrest after breaking a previous work contract in 1840.
I have no hard evidence of his younger years with his family as records of him are only his baptism, his first marriage in 1810 which was where the family lived and then the 1841 census where he was living in Manchester. Reuben, however, is a recurring name within the family so I have little doubt that he is part of James and Margaret's family though ready to be proven wrong.
The real point of my query is regarding The Tabernacle Hillgate-Independent. Why was it a travelling ministry? Are there any other examples of them specifically baptising illegitimate children?
I have included as much info as possible as I have posted on other county pages and always get asked for the details even though it's the church itself I am hoping for more information on.
Any additional information regarding the church would be very much appreciated.
Thank you.
Kind regards
Amanda
