Matthew Bradley of Tumbarumba, NSW

And his ancestors in Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland

 

Matthew Bradley arrived in Victoria, Australia on the "El Dorado" on 19 Nov 1852 at the age of 19, with his brother Thomas Bradley. He was in Victoria for about 3 years before moving up to NSW where there was a gold rush.

 

Matthew became a drover and auctioneer in the Tumbarumba area, near what is now Canberra and the Snowy Mountains region.

 

On this webpage I will try to explain what we, his descendents and distant relatives, know about his ancestry. I must register thanks to Nancy McLaughlin, whose great website is an inspiration to everyone with Kirkby Stephen ancestry. For each section below I have also had much help and discussion, which I will mention in the correct places.

 

I have also made a webpage about the family of Matthew’s wife, Martha Jane nee Oakes (or Oaks).

See http://users.skynet.be/lancaster/Oakes%20and%20Casey.htm.

If you are interested in this work, please contact me.

 

1. The family of Anthony Bradley and Agnes Dixon. The generation that moved.

 

For this section, thanks go to Dorne Saunders and Donna Bradley, fellow descendents of Matthew Bradley.

 

In Directories for 1830 and 1834, Matthew’s father Anthony was a brewer or maltster in Kirkby Stephen. Matthew recorded his profession later as a Clerk. By 1841 though, the family was in Hulme in Chorlton, now a part of Manchester and his father was a journeyman brewer but he had already been called a farmer in 1836 in Kirkby, and he was referred to this way when Agnes died in 1846. Children living with the parents in 1841 were William 12, Thomas 11, Isabella 4 and James 2. Anthony 9 and Matthew 6 were in Kirkby Stephen with their maternal grandmother Isabella (Bella) Dixon, grocer, as well, apparently, as their uncle William Dixon, a 39 year old farmer. Indeed Anthony and Agnes must have also moved back and forth between their old and new homes, because their children after 1841 also seem to have been baptized back in Kirkby.

 

Anthony and Agnes had died by the next census in 1851 and the family seems to have scattered, or perhaps (more likely) they stayed together for some time in the Hulme area, for which the 1851 census is damaged or missing.

See http://content.ancestry.co.uk/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=8860&enc=1&offerid=0%3a7858%3a0.

 

Marriage in the parish register:

Marr 15 Oct 1828 - Anthony BRADLEY of this parish, batchelor, & Agnes DIXON of this parish, spinster; Licence.

Witnesses: Anthony HUTCHINSON, Agnes DIXON.

 

The children (most information from Dorne Saunders):

 

1) William John BRADLEY. Baptised 15th March 1829, KIRKBY STEPHEN, WESTMORLAND, ENGLAND.

(Son of Anthony & Agnes BRADLEY, Kirkby Stephen. Anthony was a common brewer at the time of baptism.)

According to family folklore William was aboard the DUNBAR when she was shipwrecked outside the heads at PORT JACKSON.

William's name does not appear on the ship's passenger list as was recorded in the LONDON TIMES when the shipwreck was reported.

Passenger lists for this ship are not available in AUSTRALIA due to the wreck.

It is possible that William (or relatives) may have come to AUSTRALIA aboard one of the other Duncan DUNBAR owned ships, and possibly where the confusion has occurred.

A Mrs BRADLEY accompanied by 2 Miss BRADLEYS arrived in SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES 1862 aboard the DUNCAN DUNBAR.

 

2) Thomas BRADLEY. Baptised 4th August 1830, KIRKBY STEPHEN, WESTMORLAND, ENGLAND.

(Son of Anthony & Agnes BRADLEY, Kirkby Stephen. Anthony was a common brewer at the time of baptism.)

Thomas BRADLEY arrived in VICTORIA November 1852 aboard the EL DORADO aged 22 years.

A Thomas Bradley, photographer, was in Tumbarumba in the 1860s.

Probably died in Yackandandah in 1904, a travelling photographer without family, 74 years old.

 

3) Anthony Hutchinson BRADLEY. Baptised 25th March 1832, KIRKBY STEPHEN, WESTMORLAND, ENGLAND.

(Son of Anthony & Agnes BRADLEY, Kirkby Stephen. Anthony was a common brewer at the time of baptism.)

Anthony Hutchinson BRADLEY possibly arrived in VICTORIA in November 1853 aboard the MOBILE aged 21 years (yet to be verified).

Anthony Hutchinson BRADLEY died aged 30 on 3rd May 1862 (of dysentery) at SPECIMAN GULLY, BARKERS CREEK, VICTORIA.

He was buried at CAMPBELLS CREEK / CASTLEMAINE, VICTORIA 4th May 1862.

At that time he was a miner by occupation.

Brother Thomas BRADLEY was the informant of Anthony's death

 

4) Matthew BRADLEY. Baptised 19th January 1834  KIRKBY STEPHEN, WESTMORLAND, ENGLAND.

(Son of Anthony & Agnes BRADLEY, Kirkby Stephen. Anthony was a common brewer at the time of baptism.)

Matthew married Martha Jane OAK(E)S (of YASS) at ALBURY 27th June 1859. Martha was approximately 17 years old when she married.

Martha and Matthew had approximately 15 children

Matthew, a grazier & auctioneer, died of a cerebral haemorrhage, 20th October 1892.

Martha, mother & housewife, died 3rd June 1901 of sudden heart failure.

Both were buried on the family property "CLOVERDALE" at TUMBARUMBA.

The property is now the TUMBARUMBA GOLF COURSE and Martha & Matthew's graves are behind the clubhouse, which is now where the original homestead was.

 

5) Isabella BRADLEY. Baptised 14th October 1836, KIRKBY STEPHEN, WESTMORLAND, ENGLAND.

(Daughter of Anthony & Agnes BRADLEY, Kirkby Stephen, but at this baptism Anthony was a farmer.)

1851 census. Appears to be in Kirkby Stephen, scholar and 16 year old niece of 70 year old Mary Wharton, Gentlewoman, both born in Kirkby Stephen.

 

6) James BRADLEY. Baptised 26th June 1839, KIRKBY STEPHEN, WESTMORLAND, ENGLAND.

James BRADLEY may have arrived in VICTORIA at the age of 13 years with older brother Anthony Hutchinson BRADLEY in November 1853 aboard the MOBILE.

May also have become a photographer.

 

7) Cowper Dixon BRADLEY. Baptised 3rd July 1842, KIRKBY STEPHEN, WESTMORLAND, ENGLAND.

Census 1861. 19 year old Lodger in Hulme, born Westmorland: ”salesman in a shop”.

Cowper Dixon BRADLEY, tobacconist, died aged 25 years, 9th August 1867 at Lord Street SOUTHPORT, LANCASHIRE. A Benjamin HAWKE (first alpha appears to be an "H") was present at his death and the informant of his death, also of Lord Street, SOUTHPORT.

Memorial from http://www.northofthesands.org.uk/. Appleby St Lawrence (N.E.) In affectionate remembrance of Cowper Dixon Bradley who died at Southport, Lancashire 9th August 1867 aged 25 years, also of Mary his sister, the wife of Isaac Teasdale Carlisle who fell asleep in Jesus 28th November 1871 aged 27 years.

 

8) Ewart BRADLEY, baptised according to Donna, about 1840. Probably died very young?

 

9) Mary BRADLEY (baptised according to Donna 1846)

See Cowper’s memorial above which mentions her: “the wife of Isaac Teasdale Carlisle who fell asleep in Jesus 28th November 1871 aged 27 years”.

In 1861 she was a 16 year old scholar, born Manchester, with her 90 year old grandmother Isabella Dixon in Appleby.

 

Death registrations:

 

Agnes Bradley, female, 43 years, wife of Anthony Bradley, Farmer

Died 11 October 1846, Farm House, Warde Street, Hulme, Chorlton, of Gastric Fever, 1 week, certified

Informant: Anthony Bradley of the same address, present at death

Registered 14 October 1846 by registrar William Sorby

 

Anthony Bradley, male, 54 years, Farmer

Died 9 September 1848, Jackson's Farm, Warde Street, Hulme, Chorlton, of Pleuritis Acute, 6 days, Hydrothorax Anasarea, Certified

Informant: William John Bradley of the same address, present at death

Registered 12 Sept 1848 by registrar William Sorby

 

2. The Bradleys of Kirkby Stephen

 

Nancy McLaughlin is a fellow descendant of the Bradleys of Kirkby Stephen and has been a great help in discussing the available evidence.

 

Anthony Bradley was the son of William Bradley, a clogger, and Margaret Hutchinson, the daughter of a brewer, Anthony Hutchinson. William was baptized 2 February 1794, his parents having married 29 August 1790. He is also specifically mentioned in his father-in-law’s will of 1802, which appointed him as executor along with Margaret’s sister Elizabeth. Anthony’s siblings were...

Thomas Bradley 28 Nov 1790

William Bradley. Baptised 16 Jul 1793

Anthony Bradley 2 February 1794

Mary Bradley. Baptised 3 Sep 1795

Their mother Margaret died in 1769, before her father died, and William re-married to Anne Robinson, who lived until 1850.


It is fortunate for us, that, as Nancy has pointed out to me, the Westmorland poet John Close was a close friend of the Bradley family. Close , who was not a highly respected poet, but was well known, wrote at least two volumes concerning the people of Kirkby Stephen. "The Book of the Chronicles: or Winter Evening Tales of Westmorland" and "Once a Year, Tales and Legends of Westmorland" both appear on books.google.com. In it he mentions that Bill or Billy Bradley, the brother of Anthony, was a "merry devil-may-care" clogger with a penchant for breaking into song, and a premises named "Castle Burgos"; while Anthony and Bill's brother Thomas, seemingly taking after his uncle who was also named Thomas, became a Fellow of Queens College, Oxford, and was also Head Master of St Bees Grammar School. He appears to have died in Richmond in 1831, according to Nancy.

 

In turn, for William, the small number of Bradleys, amongst whom William was not a common name in Kirkby Stephen, plus his age at the wedding (32), makes it more or less certain that he was the son of Thomas Bradley, who appears to be the one who was married to Ann Chamberlain 27 Mar 1744, and then proceeded to have a family which is quite easy to identify from registers. William’s siblings were...

Sarah Bradley. Baptised 6 Mar 1745. 

Agnes Bradley. Baptised 3 Nov 1747. Married Edward Gilbanks.

Thomas Bradley. Baptised 21 Mar 1749.

John Bradley. Baptised 2 Sep 1752.

William Bradley. Baptised 25 Dec 1757

James Bradley. Baptised 25 Apr 1760.

Note that it was William's brother was apparently Thomas Bradley, (1750-1825), Rector of Hartley in Kent for 40 years. John Close wrote a poem which includes these lines:

This town ran boast a BRADLEY too,
Who was a clogger bred I vow;
Seven years he worked at this trade,
Then went to Appleby, 'tis said;
Where at that famous ancient School,
Attention paid to every rule ;
For learning he took in so fast,
That he got made a PRIEST at last;
All this is truth, a well known fact,
He was a Rector, most exact.

His nephew too, of the same name,
Soon Master of St. Bees became ;
A Clergyman of talent clever,
Alas ! he could not live for ever ;
At Richmond he resign'd his breath,
When in the iron arms of Death.
At ' Castle Burgos,' lives BILL—his brother,
He'll make his clogs—and sing like mad, 

A sad droll dog he is like no other;
I'll notice him just by and by, He is a jolly frisky lad ;

 

In turn, Thomas the father of Anthony, Bill and Thomas, was a member of the Bradley family that were all in leather-related trades like Thomas and his son William (tanners, curriers, and cloggers; see http://www.kirkby-stephen.com/charter-fairs/2003/1605.pdf concerning tanning; given the historical facts it appears that this trade grew in importance after 1603, as the proximity of Scotland began to be a more positive than negative thing). Thomas and Robert were the Bradleys most common names in the 1700s, and indeed all the Bradleys descend from a Thomas and a Robert who were presumably brothers. Thomas married Elizabeth Barnett 13 October 1706, and was apparently the brother of Robert Bradley who married Isabell Barnett, 13 October 1709.

 

In the Baileys Directory for Kirkby Stephen of 1784, we see Robert Bradley & Son, curriers, and likewise Thomas Bradley & Son. Then there is also Thomas Bradley, tanner.

 

Here are a series of burials showing the pattern in trades:

  1. Bur 30 Mar 1789 - Robert BRADLEY, clogger, Kirkby Stephen, aged 75, so born about 1714, corresponding to a son of a Robert baptized 10 March 1714/5. His helpful family memorial inscription is preserved.
  2. Bur 26 Jan 1790 - Thomas BRADLEY, Kirkby Stephen, clogger, aged 82, so born about 1708, corresponding to a son of a Thomas baptized 28 April 1707.
  3. Bur 20 Feb 1803 - Robt BRADLEY of Kirkby Stephen, clogger, aged 53, so born about 1750. This man is recorded as the son of Robert number 1 above on the family memorial. His wife was Isabell who died March 11th 1785 aged 38. (He also had two brothers, it seems, named Thomas, the first one baptized 1750, buried 1755, and the second baptized 1756.)
  4. Bur 24 May 1805 - Thomas BRADLEY of Kirkby Stephen, currier, aged 85, so born about 1720, corresponding to a son of a Robert baptized 28 January 1719/20.

 

Number 4 appears to be our man, and also quite clearly the brother of number 1. They are both sons of a Robert Bradley.

 

But an admon (document concerning administration made when someone did not leave a will) was made for one Thomas Bradley in 1746. Adminstration rights went to the son, Thomas Junior who was a Clogger, like it seems William Bradley, father of Anthony Bradley was. He must be the one who was buried in 1805. Matthew Dixon shop-keeper of Kirkby Stephen and Richard Waller, gentleman of Kirkby Stephen, were witnesses. This Matthew Dixon appears to be one of the several in the family of Agnes, who much later married Anthony Bradley.

 

Because of the existence of this Thomas junior, there seems to be a small possibility that the tree goes Thomas? > Thomas > Thomas (clogger) > William (clogger) instead of the more obvious (based on registers) Thomas? > Robert > Thomas (currier) > William (clogger).

 

What most likely happened is that Thomas who died in 1746 had only one child in his life, Thomas baptized 1707, not long after his marriage with Elizabeth Barnett 13 October 1706, and in fact on the same day this Elizabeth was buried. Dieing as a result of childbirth was a sadly common occurrence. This Thomas junior was himself seemingly old and childless at the time his father died. He then died in 1790.

 

Our Thomas was therefore the currier who appeared in some trials concerning what appears to be his mother’s family, the Thompsons, one of whom was also a clogger:

 

Affiliation order, 25 February [1726] against John Thompson of Kirkby Stephen in respect of a male bastard child born on 23 January [1726] to Elizabeth Harrap singlewoman, to pay 9d. weekly. Quashed, first because the order is not made by the two justices residing next to the parish church of Kirkby Stephen, the second because there is an apparent mistake in the date. Reference: WQ/SR/297/25

 

Recognizance John Thompson of Kirkby Stephen clogger and Thomas Bradley of Kirkby Stephen carrier for appearance of John alleged father of bastard child of Elizabeth Harrop. Reference: WQ/SR/300/16 23 October [1761]

 

So the tree for the early Bradleys probably went like this:

 

  1. Thomas Bradley married Anne Tate 27 May 1680.
  2. Those early registers are very incomplete, and only a few baptisms appear for this Thomas and Anne, Agnes and Elizabeth, but 20 years later we have Robert, Thomas and a Dorothy, (the latter was a single mother, it seems, who had several children without marrying). Robert and Thomas apparently married Barnett sisters (see above), whose own families may also have been in the leather trade?
  3. Thomas seems to have had only one child, who died childless, while Robert, seemingly went on to remarry a Catherine Thompson, founding the future lines of Kirkby Stephen Bradleys. Robert’s children were Robert, Jane, Thomas, Sarah and Agnes,

Robert Bradley 10 Mar 1715. Married Ann Rudd and later Isabella Morland. Buried 28 Mar 1789.
Jane Bradley 10 Oct 1717. Married John Harker.
Thomas Bradley 28 Jan 1719/20. Married Ann Chamberlain it seems, 27 Mar 1744.
Sarah Bradley 1 Feb 1722. Buried as infant 18 Nov 1722.
Agnes Bradley 5 Dec 1723. Married John Yates.
Alice Bradley 22 Apr 1729. Buried as infant 12 Mar 1730.

  1. We therfore almost certainly descend from Robert’s son Thomas. Thomas’s children are the ones named above including William. A wealthier line, descendants of whom are also spread around the world, comes from the eldest son who was also named Robert. Descendants include Nancy’s family in New Zealand. This Robert’s children were Isabel, Robert (perhaps the first of this family to be called a gentleman), Thomas, Jane, William, Thomas, Richard and Mary. They resided at Eden Place and the poet John Close was extremely complementary about them on every possible occasion, pointing out that they had supported him over the years.

 

As far as we can follow them, the Bradleys were a small family and remarkable for how much they stuck together. Robert appears to be the ancestor of all the later Bradleys except Thomas born 1707, and before their marriages, it seems most likely that the family starts with one man.

 

Might the Bradleys of Kirkby Stephen begin with Thomas Bradley? In any case they do not appear in tax records of the 1700s.

 

More anciently, Bradley is a surname based upon a placename, but it is an extremely common placename, meaning simply “broad meadow”. Even today, many places in England bare this name. At this stage the name appears too common to say much about where the paternal ancestors of the Bradleys were when they first took up this surname. But to say “a little”, it was certainly present in nearby Yorkshire from an early date, and there is a Braidley in the Yorkshire Dales to the south of Kirkby Stephen, over the watershed, which is probably the closest place of that name. Indeed the spelling Braidley is often found for the surname in old Westmorland records.

 

On the other hand there were Bradleys in Bradley Field, Underbarrow, in Kendal to the west, before they were in Kirkby Stephen. These Bradleys are said to have come from Lancashire.

There is a Bradley DNA project which aims to study the links between families with this surname, where paper trails fail. Volunteers are needed. No one Kirkby Stephen Bradleys seem to have joined.

 

3. The Hutchinsons of Hartley, Kirkby Stephen

 

Anthony Bradley seems to have been named after his maternal grandfather Anthony Hutchinson, and also perhaps to have acquired his trade through his connection to him (although they could hardly have known each other). They were both brewers. Brewing, like leather, was an important trade in Kirkby Stephen, and Anthony Hutchinson, son in turn of a William Hutchinson, may be the relative of a particularly successful one, perhaps his grandson.

 

See http://www.kirkby-stephen.com/charter-fairs/2003/1605.pdf but date of death year is wrong and should be 1732 not 1722!

The development of the trade [of brewing] is illustrated by John Hutchinson, a gentleman of Kirkby Stephen. He was a wealthy Maltster whose inventoried goods were worth £346 when he died in 1722. He owned such luxuries as a clock, a bible and books, elbow chairs and a dining suite. He had no farm but held £72 worth of malt while another £120 was owed to him for sales of malt. This was no longer subsistence living but a risk-taking commercial venture, for which he had borrowed money. He owed over £246 when he died; and he had desperate debts of £47 owing to him. Yet he had over £80 lent out on bond, and he employed servants. The scale of business and his standard of living was far advanced on that of the Haistwhittles of the 16th century. He was not the only maltster in Kirkby at this time as the Wilson family had a malt kiln, and a shop attached to their house which they sold to Nicholas Marshall in 1720.

 

Trying to prove the link is not easy. Anthony Hutchinson himself is fairly easy to trace, because Anthony was not a common name amongst the Hutchinsons. He appears to have married Elizabeth Laycock in Kirkby Stephen in 18 Feb 1756, and then proceeded to have children. He left a will, proven 15 March 1802, which confirms his connection. In turn he appears to have been baptized 7 Nov 1728, the son of a William Hutchinson of Harclay (or Hartley), which is the village of Kirkby Stephen where most Hutchinsons in this period seem to have lived. It is close to Kirkby itself, being just to the east. This in turn makes it very likely that Anthony’s mother was Isabell Dent, who married a William Hutchinson of Hartley 13 Nov 1726.

 

The Dents also appear to have been involved in brewing. A Thomas Dent, common brewer is recorded in 1792 (WQ/SR/511/12).

Recognizance John Tebay of Kirkby Stephen clerk, William Wharton of Wateby yeoman and Thomas Dent of Kirkby Stephen common brewer, for appearance of John and good behaviour towards Elizabeth Hutchinson of Kirkby Stephen singlewoman.

Also, an Abraham Dent, Innkeeper of Kirkby Stephen, purchased land in 1771 in Waitby (WDB 63/15). One neighbour was William Wharton of Waitby. Note that John Tebay may be Elizabeth Hutchinson’s brother in law, if these are the same people that appear in the will of Anthony Hutchinson in 1802, wherein a Reverend John Tebay is married to his daughter Ann. William Wharton of Waitby also seems to appear in our family tree.

 

Anthony appears in one legal record, Appleby Christmas sessions roll - ref.  WQ/SR/432  - date: 1781; Reference: WQ/SR/432/11-12

Recognizance Anthony Hutchinson of Kirkby Stephen, malster for appearance to prefer an indictment against Sarah Shaw for stealing three shifts one check apron and three caps; presentment, Sarah Shaw wife of Joseph Shaw of Kirkby Stephen, tailor on 20 December [1780] at Kirkby Stephen stole goods [as in WQ/SR/432/11] worth 11d. Plea not guilty, verdict guilty. Sentence that the prisoner be carried to the place from whence she came and from thence on the next market day carried tied to the tail of a cart through the market with a label on her back in large characters. Endorsed 'excused greater Punishment on Acct of her Pregnancy'.

 

But who was William Hutchinson? Given the marriage date, at least three baptisms would fit at first sight:

17 Apr 1694 William son of Wm HUTCHISON of Hartley

8 Sep 1695  Wm son of Jo: HUTCHINSON of Hartley

28 Dec 1708 William son of Mils HUTCHINSON of Kirby

 

The Hutchinsons of Hartley seem to have been a thriving family, most occupied commonly in skilled trades (many seem to have been blacksmiths), and a few certainly seemed to own land. Unfortunately for us, many of them were named William. More helpfully, many of them left wills. For example:-

 

Can we presume that the word “nephew” is being used in its strict modern sense?

 

Of the three Williams proposed above, only the son of William baptized in 1695 seems to have had a brother named John who could have been the yeoman who died in 1762. (It must be said that the sister names Anne and Elizabeth are difficult to match up with any of the alternatives, but might they be sisters who married into the family?) There are many Johns who this one could have been, one of which is the gentleman brewer who died in 1732. But there is no necessary connection. Brewing and malt production were common trades in this parish, and the small number of families with trades constantly intermarried and worked together, making seeming coincidences very likely.

 

There are plenty of early Hartley Hutchinsons, all seemingly related:-

In 1641/42 a John Senior and Junior of Hartley both appear in the protestation return of that year.

In the 1650s, a William Hutchinson was having children in Hartley. His will may be the one in 1662 which mentions brothers John and James, as well as children, and this brother James appears to be the one having children in the 1660s, and buried in 1681/82.

In 1672, amongst residents of Hartley paying hearth tax, there was a widow Hutchinson.

 

More anciently, Hutchinson is a surname which means “Hutchin’s son”. Hutchin, Hodgken and Huggen were familiar versions of the once common name Hugh or Hugo, something like Hughie in our time. In good medieval style these were formed by adding a dimunitive suffix “-kin” (as in “napkins” and “catkins”). So we can understand the name as “Hughkin’s son”! As with Bradley, the name is so popular that it is difficult to say much about the origin, but it was certainly common in Yorkshire from an early time, and Yorkshire would seem the most likely origin of this family.

 

There is a Hutchinson DNA Project, which aims to study the links beyond those which can currently be confirmed using traditional genealogy. Volunteers are needed. No Kirkby Stephen Hutchinsons seem to have joined.

 

4. The Dixons of Nateby, Kirkby Stephen

 

Also for the Dixons, Nancy McLaughlin has been a great help. As with the Bradleys and Ortons, she descends from them in a different way. The three families had many links.

 

Matthew Bradley appears to have inherited his first name from his mother Agnes’ Dixon family. Although her own father’s name was John Dixon, her father was a Matthew, and that name was used a lot in the family. They seem to have been based earlier in Nateby, a village of Kirkby Stephen. A related Dixon family appear to have been grocers in the village of Kirkby Stephen itself during the 18th century. Working our way back…

 

1.

Agnes’ brother William, who was living with some of her children in 1841, has already been mentioned above. He was baptized 1801 in Kirkby Stephen. Agnes also had a younger sister Margaret. Their parents, John Dixon and Bella Wharton, were married in Kirkby Stephen 11 Feb 1800.

 

2.

John Dixon was the son of Matthew Dixon and Agnes Orton who married 18 Mar 1751. The Ortons married into the families of my Kirkby Stephen ancestors many times, in my direct line twice into the ancestry of Agnes Dixon. Orton was a common surname in the area, because it came from the name of town just outside Kirkby Stephen. Agnes’ uncle James married a sister of Matthew, Christobella Dixon. Her cousin Margaret married one of the Bradleys, and her uncle Thomas married Isabella the widow of John Wharton of Waitby, having apparently been married first to her sister Mary Wilkinson. There were two Matthew Dixon’s at this time in the parish, one in Kirkby itself and one in Nateby, but using the IGI and Nancy’s work, these appear to be our Matthew’s children’s baptisms in Kirkby Stephen:

Anthony 02 JUN 1752

Dorothy 30 OCT 1753

Richard 25 MAY 1756

Mary  30 JUN 1758

Anthony 13 AUG 1760

Matthew 06 DEC 1762

James 30 AUG 1764

Matthew 02 MAY 1767

John 22 Nov 1769 (not in the IGI)

Thomas 1772 (not in the IGI)

William 1775 (not in the IGI)

 

Given the doubling of names it seems clear that several died very young.

 

Matthew seems to appear once in court records, though apparently without consequence:

Recognizance Mathew Dixon of Nateby yeoman and John Felton of Kirkby Stephen yeoman, for appearance of Mathew. Appeared and discharged. Reference: WQ/SR/245/19, 5 October 1754

 

3.

Both Matthew and his father Anthony Dixon were described as yeoman at the time of Anthony’s death in 1759. Matthew was the heir and executor of his father Anthony’s will. Anthony had assets inventoried at 95:19:0, but he also owed debts of 44:7:0. His main possessions were farm stock and household possessions such as bedding and table linen, so it seems that he was mainly a farmer, though with a nice house. Anthony had married Dorothy Sympson 2 Jan 1721. Along with a Richard Dixon, Anthony Dixon was a sworn witness to will, inventory and admon of Ralph Dixon of Nateby, who died in 1744, but he does not appear to have been his brother (just from looking the registers anyway, but these are incomplete). Only some of the children mentioned in the will appear in the Kirkby Stephen register:

10 Jan 1726/7     Mathew son of Anthony DIXON of Nateby

10 Dec 1728 Dorothy daur of Anthony DIXON of Nateby  

29 Nov 1733 Barbara daur of Anthony DIXON of Nateby

In the will Anthony also mentions James, Isabel the wife of Thomas Railton, Christoball the wife of James Orton, Dorothy, Barbara, Matthew.

 

4.

Anthony in turn appears as the eldest son, heir and executor of another Nateby yeoman, Matthew Dixon, in 1721 (one James Simpson was a witness of both the will and admon, possibly a member of Anthony’s family-in-law). Matthew probably had more animals in his possession than his son at death, but less household goods. Both of them owned bibles and books, and indeed literacy seems to have been far above average in Kirkby Stephen in the 18th century. In Matthew’s inventory assets come to a total of 63:07:2, but debts were greater by a significant 14:04:4. Matthew’s wife was Isabell Marshall or Marchall, whom he had married in February 1680 by license. One Richard Marshall signed his will, made in 1719. Apart from Anthony, the will mentions a younger son named William Dixon. Matthew and Isabell appear to have had several more children than the two sons mentioned in the will, using Nancy’s transcriptions:

16 Apr 1676     Edmond son of Matthew DICKSON de Natbie

23 Apr 1682     Richard son of Mathew DIXSON de Natby

20 Apr 1684     Anthony son of Mathew DIXSON de Natby

25 Aug 1686     Barbery daughter of Mathew DIXSON Natby

12 May 1689     John son of Mat: DIXON of Natby

16 Nov 1692     Willm. son of Mathew DIXON of Kirby

18 Mar 1695/6   Matthew son of Matt: DIXON of Kirby

30 Oct 1699     Isabell dau: of Mathew DIXON of Kirby

 

5.

Looking to earlier records:

 

Which Matthew, “senior” or ours, was the son of John Dixon who died 1669? And was this the same one who was, in 1665, the son of John Dixon of Nateby and “nephew” (perhaps grandson) of John Dixon of Wharton Dykes? I tend to think that Matthew who was assigned as an executor already in 1665 must have been Matthew senior who died in 1681. Matthew senior also seems to be the more likely candidate for the one whose brother passed away already in 1668. Our Matthew on the other hand does not appear to be the son of Matthew senior, who named his three sons very clearly.

 

6.

Going earlier, there were are not many wills from the tumultuous middle of the 17th century, and then we come to these in the times of the first Stewarts and the new United Kingdom:

 

In 1607, 1616 and 1618 a Matthew Dixon (as well as a John Fothergill in all cases) signed three Dixon wills in Nateby, those of Richard, William and Richard.

The later Richard mentions that his father and mother are still alive. His father’s name was Edward.

Neither of the later two Dixons seemed to have male Dixon heirs.

The will in 1607 however mentions an eldest son Anthony and a younger son William. His daughters appear to be Jane, Ann and Elizabeth. Apart from Matthew, the will names John Dixon and Edward Dixon the elder as supervisors.

 

In 1598, one Anthony Dicson left a will mentioning sons Richard his main heir, and John, Matthew and Edward his other sons. These names correspond to the supervisors named by Richard in 1607, and might have been Richard’s brothers?

 

More anciently, the Dixon surname (also spelt Dickson, Dikson, Dicson, Dixson etc) was a “borders” surname, known from records of medieval conflict between Scottish and English “reiver” clans (actually, technically they were not Gaelic “clans” but rather Anglo-Saxon “surnames” but no-one uses the word surname this way anymore). Like many other surnames, it is a “patronymic”. In other words, it named the father of the original person to use this name, and mean’s “Dick’s son”. Dick is and was a nickname for Richard.

 

The Dixons are thought to have originally been on the Scottish side of the borders, one of the earliest sightings being a Dixon who was a follower of the Douglases, but changing sides was quite normal in this long-running skirmishing, and many Dixons were in England by the time Scotland and England made peace. Nevertheless it seems quite likely that some of Agnes’ Dixon ancestors may have faced some of her Wharton ancestors in un-peaceful times.

 

They may have been in Kirkby Stephen for a long time, as it was certainly near the border region.

 

There is a Dixon DNA project, which aims to go further than the written records can. Volunteers are needed. No Kirkby Stephen Dixons seem to have joined.

 

5. The Whartons of Waitby, Kirkby Stephen

 

Thanks for some of this Wharton information, especially concerning the marriage with Isabell Cunningham, goes to Jan Twentyman and Elizabeth Hatt née Wharton. Elizabeth is also the source of the photos.

 

We can work our way back generation by generation…

 

1.

The mother of Agnes Dixon is normally registered as Bella, at least until the census takers came. For a long time this seemed unhelpful because Isabella, which can be shortened to Bella, was a common name of Whartons in this time and place.

Her memorial can be found on the northofthesands website.

Appleby St Lawrence (N.E). In affectionate remembrance of Bella Dixon, widow of the late Mr. John Dixon of Kirkby Stephen who died on the 27th January 1864 aged 95 years. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord.

 

This information helps us to confirm that Bella was born about 1768, which is precisely the year that the only Bella Wharton (as opposed to Isabella) was baptized in Kirkby Stephen. Her baptism was 31 Aug 1768 and her father was William Wharton of Waitby. The closest other contender is an Isabella Wharton, daughter of Anthony and Isabel, who appears to have died as an infant. She was one of a series of children to William and his wife Margaret née Eubank, of the nearby parish of Brough upon Stainmore. Strong confirmation of this comes from the way she ("my sister Isabella Dixon") and her daughter ("my niece the wife of Anthony Bradley") are mentioned in the 1833 will of Joshua Wharton, who was a son of William Wharton and his wife Margaret baptised in 1773. He also had sisters named Jane Robinson and Mary Wharton, and judging by the male nephews with the Wharton surname, he must had at least one brother who had lived to adulthood. Here are Joshua, Bella and their siblings, the children of William and Margaret...

BELLA WHARTON Christening: 31 AUG 1768 Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, England (only her father mentioned on baptism)
JOHN WHARTON Christening: 16 MAY 1770 Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, England
PEGGY WHARTON Christening: 18 OCT 1771 Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, England
JOSHUA WHARTON Christening: 06 OCT 1773 Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, England
WILLIAM WHARTON Christening: 01 FEB 1776 Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, England
MARY WHARTON Christening: 25 MAR 1777 Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, England (mother given as Elizabeth?)
JANE WHARTON  Christening: 08 DEC 1779 Kirkby Stephen, Westmorland, England

 

Records from the time consistently show one William Wharton present in Waitby. In 1764 he purchased Low Waitby Thorns and Low Waitby Thorns Close from Richard Fothergill of Forest Hall, Kendal (WDB 63/12) and this same piece of land was mentioned again during recorded transactions in 1768 (WBD 63/13) and 1771 (WBD 63/15). Waitby Thorns was apparently grazing land closer to Kirkby Stephen, between High Lease Lane and what was called Gilbert’s Lane. See http://www.old-maps.co.uk/gazetteer/10westm371/10westm371gazW.htm.

 

In 1768 William Wharton of Waitby appeared in court for one John Fothergill who was apparently in dispute with one George Bainbridge (WQ/SR/349). In 1792 the same man apparently appeared, this time with Thomas Dent of Kirkby Stephen, common brewer. They were there for John Tebay of Kirkby Stephen, clerk, who was in some sort of dispute with the singlewoman Elizabeth Hutchinson of Kirkby Stephen (WQ/SR/511/12).

 

By 1777, William Wharton was the only Wharton recorded in Waitby for the Window Tax at that time.

 

2.

This William’s memorial is as follows:

Sacred

 

To the memory of William Wharton

Late of Waitby

Who Departed this life March the

10, 1808, aged 70, [so b abt 1738]

and

of Margaret, his wife, who died

the 20, October 1807, aged also 70. [so b abt 1737].

They lived respected, and died

Sincerely lamented

By their afflicted Children

 

This stone records also the Death

Of their infant son William.

January 31, 1776

 

 

 

Given his age at death it seems certain that he was baptised 21 DEC 1737, a son of a John Wharton of Wateby, one of a series of baptism following a marriage 29 Oct 1732 of John Wharton and Isabella Wilkinson. Another Wharton family with a son William in this time was based in Mallerstang, but it is reasonably clear that there was a John Wharton also in Waitby. In the 1768 list of freeholders of Waitby there are both a John and William. As transcribed by Nancy McLaughlin the baptism registers show the children of John and Isabella, including William:

30 Oct 1733 Isabell daur of John WHARTON of Wateby

29 Oct 1735 Jane d of Jno WHARTON Waitby

11 Feb 1736/7 Wm son of Jno WHARTON Mallrstang

21 Dec 1737 William son of Jno WHARTON, Waitby

14 Mar 1739/40 Joseph son of Jno WHARTON Mall.

May 1740 Jno son of John WHARTON Waitby

7 May 1742 Christophr son of John WHARTON - Waitby

15 Aug 1744 Margt dau: of Jno WHARTON Senr Wateby

29 Jul 1746 John son of John WHARTON Waitby

12 Nov 1747 Sarah dau: of John WHARTON - Malster - Waitby

16 Sep 1748 Richard son of John WHARTON of Waitby

 

But the passing of the Waitby property from John Wharton and Isabell Wilkinson to William Wharton of Waitby can be confirmed by wills:

The ages and names of the children all match those in the register.

 

In the right time period, a John Wharton of Waitby appeared in court for a Luke Wilkinson, who had apparently been in some sort of conflict with a George Palmer:

Reference: WQ/SR/216/14

Creation dates: 2 May 1750

Recognizance Luke Wilkinson of Waitby, John Waistel and John Wharton for appearance of Luke and good behaviour to George Palmer.

 

3.

To go back further, wills are once again required to confirm what seems most likely from registers. There was only one family having children in the right time in Waitby, a William Wharton being the father. His eldest son John was baptized 27 Dec 1705.

 

In the will of John Wharton mentioned above he mentions some very specific assets “my three rooms over Cowhouses” where daughters could live until they married, and the “long table in the kitchen”. The 1731 will of William Wharton husbandman of Waitby on the other hand, which mentions all the Waitby children mentioned in registers, all in the correct order, left “one Long Table standing in the fire house” to his first mentioned son John. And in a codicil, he made special will that his four daughters “whilst they are unmarryed and virgins” should “live in my two Lofts or upper Chambers called Cowhouse Loft and Cowhouse Loft (sic.)”.

 

According to one source the use of lofts as extra living quarters was first seen in the area not so long before, in 1620 amongst the Ewbancks of Brough, discussed below.

 

William’s children correspond to these children in the registers (as transcribed by Nancy McLaughlin):

28 Dec 1703       Isabell daur of Wm WHARTON of Watby (mentioned in will as wife of William Hastwill; marriage was 16 Jan 1728/29)

27 Dec 1705       John son of Wm WHARTON of Watby

2 Feb 1708/9      Margt dau: of Wm WHARTON of Watby (will written 3 April and proved June 6 in 1744)

26 Sep 1711       Mary dau: of Wm WHARTON of Naitby[?] (possibly buried 2 Apr 1734)

15 Mar 1715/6     Sarah ye daugtr. of Will: WHARTON of Wateby (under 21 in 1731), buried 29 July 1735

15 Dec 1719       Richd. son of Wm. WHARTON of Waitby

30 Oct 1722       Ann daur of Wm WHARTON of Wateby (under 21 in 1731)

 

Isabell Wharton, William’s wife, appears to have left her own will in 1739, mentioning Margaret, Richard, John and Ann.

It has been pointed out to me that she must be Isabell Cunningham. On 25 June 1703, William Wharton and Isabel Cunningham married in Kirkby Stephen.

Thomas CUNINGHAM, Nateby, yeoman in a will dated 6 Aug 1741, proved 4 Nov 1741 mentions nephew John WHARTON and Richard WHARTON as well as nieces Margaret and Ann WHARTON.

 

According to Elizabeth, this house with the cowhouse with the lofts still exists, and has a lintel showing a construction date of 1714, with the initials of William and Isabell. It is now known as Wharton House.

 

4.

According to burial registers, William Wharton, there called a householder, was 57 at death in 1731. This means he was born about 1674, which is a period where baptismal registers are incomplete for Kirkby Stephen. My best guess is that his father was a John Wharton.

 

In 1674, in Waitby there Cicely (perhaps buried 1694), Jan and John amongst Hearth tax payers, making John the prime candidate. In 1672, amongst those paying hearth tax in Waitby, there were a Lancelot, William and John Wharton. One of these may be the father of our William. John of 1672 may not have been the smith who had children in the 1650s and 1660s (before the gap), because a John of Waitby was buried in 1668 and a John who is not described as a smith was having children in the 1680s (after the gap).

 

In the 1680s there is also a Richard who starts having children, apparently after a marriage in 1687. His father appears to have been William Wharton, a smith who died and left a will in 1684. No William was mentioned in that will. Richard is perhaps the one buried in 1735.

 

5.

Perhaps John’s father was William. According to a record in the catalogues of the Cumbria Record Office, Kendal (WPR 77/W 1) a woman's seat in the middle part of church was sold to John Wharton, son of William Wharton of Waitby on 24 June 1670. This is after the death of John of 1668, and into the period where there seems to have been only one John – also the period where William who died in 1731 was born. 

What's more, it also seems that the above-mentioned Richard Wharton is also the son of a William. He is recorded as son and heir of the late William of Wharton of Waitby in a register of admissions to Gray's Inn in London for 1684/5.

Given this connection to the big city in the south, perhaps the widow of this William Wharton of Waitby, perhaps a smith, was the Agnes buried in far away Stepney in 1704. 

 

6.

The earliest register records found so far for Whartons specifically in Waitby are for Richard, Thomas and William who, in the 1640s and 1650s died as people associated with a place within Waitby called Tarne End. In Northern English, according to the Oxford Dictionary, a tarn or tarne is a small mountain lake with no significant tributaries. There appears to be a pond or spring next to Wharton House in modern maps. An old map shows that on the other side of this spring the pastures were called the Tarn Lands, at the far end of which was North Ends Spring and some Mire Lands. There may have been a Tarn between the two springs? To me it seems extremely likely that Tarne End was where Wharton House was later built. Might William have been our John’s father?

 

In a 1641/42 protestation returns, more Whartons again appear in Waitby, apart from the above mentioned Richard and William: Peter, John, John, Richard, and William.

 

7.

Going back further, the Williams and Johns continue in Waitby. In 1626 an Anthony Wharton of Waitby left his goods to his sons John and William. In 1624 an Isabell, presumably a widow, left hers to sons Richard and Thomas, and daughters Margrate and Elizabeth. The names of the three sons in these two wills correspond perfectly to the Tarne End three named above. Perhaps Anthony was the father of our William, and maybe Isabell was a widow of, for example, Anthony’s brother.

 

8.

There is a will in 1579 for a William Wharton 1579, which shows that he had brothers Nicholas and Lancelot, and sons John, Thomas and Edward. This son John’s will dates 1586 and mentions his 2 brothers and that he had three daughters and a wife Esabell.

 

9. In 1519, according to a 1910 article called “De Lancaster” by the Rev. Frederick W. Ragg, a deed mentions that Thomas Wharton was occupant of a “chief messuage (manor house) in Waitbie”. I believe this Thomas was probably the first Baron de Wharton or his father.

 

More anciently, the Whartons, or at least some of them, had been important local aristocrats, the original spelling of their name being Querton. Just how far back they go, I am not sure, though it is typical of such families to claim to have been on the winning side in 1066. See http://gmb.orpheusweb.co.uk/lowrow/Wharton.pdf#search=%22querton%20kirkby%22 which seems to think they were already in the area before then. Concerning the family tree of the aristocratic family, it can be taken back to at least the 13th century. To quote Wikipedia:

The Wharton knighthood dates from 6 October 1292 when King Edward I granted to Gilbert de Querton "the Manor of Querton with its appurtenances." ("Querton" was the earlier Latin spelling of "Wharton") There de Querton built a pele tower, Lammerside, for himself and his wife, Emma de Hastings. Emma was the daughter of Nicholas de Hastings of the family which were the ancestors of the present Earls of Huntingdon and of Pembroke.

For a transcription of this document see http://genforum.genealogy.com/wharton/messages/1071.html. But they were clearly already there for longer. I suppose this Gilbert may have been a son Lyonisius, mentioned in the Pipe Rolls for the year 3 Henry III (about 1220).

 

So the surname is probably based originally upon the manor of Wharton (Querton) which is within Kirkby Stephen, unless the manor took it’s name from the family. The old “qu” spelling is normal in Northern England and Southern Scotland and reflects the way that people there still pronounce “wh” in a harder way than “w”. In any case the family had been in the area for a long time. In early modern registers the Whartons of Kirkby Stephen still tended to cluster around the south of the parish where they had originally based themselves. See http://www.visitcumbria.com/pen/lammerside.htm.

 

The first Baron Wharton, Sir Thomas Wharton, was promoted to this position in the time of Henry VIII, and appears to have been a resident of the manor house of Waitby. He led frequent forays into Scotland. Much of the northwest of England had been sparsely populated “forest” on the frontier with Scotland in the Middle Ages. (The border frequently moved. The Scots held parts of the region around Kirkby Stephen and even further south on occasions.) So developing both the economy and the military strength of this region was a long term project which the Kings kept an eye on. The economy which developed involved forestry and raising cattle.

 

By the end of the Middle Ages the local yeomanry probably all had a bit of the blood of the various early Norman frontier lords. It has even been remarked that this region was not a true feudal system because of the effective control that untitled people had to land. Matthew Bradley’s ancestors, tradesmen and land-owners, in some respects seem like the proto-types of the new “middle class” which is now so important, and in particular of the land-owning type which became important in America and Australia.

 

The Wharton name become common in the area, and most of the hamlets of Kirkby Stephen had one or more Wharton families. In early modern times they lost their earlier power by taking the wrong sides in politics and religion. The fourth Baron, Phillip, was a Presbyterian and supporter of the anti-royalist cause in the time of Cromwell, which put him in difficult circumstances after the return of the monarchy. His grandson, the sixth Baron actually became a Catholic and retired in Spain, a traitor! In any case I imagine that most of the Whartons were so distant from the main lines of the aristocrats that this was no longer a surname giving them any special respect.

 

There is also a Wharton DNA project which has participants with pedigree links to the Kirkby Stephen area, as well as some participating families with possible links to the Whartons of Wharton, the ancient family of the aristocratic Wharton family of the area. The project needs the participation of more male Whartons in order to develop a better understanding of the links between different Wharton families.

 

6. The Ewbanks of Borrenthwaite, Brough under Stainmore

 

At her marriage Margaret was recorded as having come from Brough, and her memorial makes her age clear. From this information she could be traced back and connected to the family tree of the Ewbanks of Brough. I have received some great help and advice on the Ewbanks from Robin Ewbank and Margo Murray.

 

Going back through the generations, looking at the Brough registers:

 

1. Joshua Ewbank married Margarett Hodgson 06 JUN 1726 and their children’s baptisms were:

JONATHAN EWBANK 28 MAR 1727

JOSHUA EWBANCK 02 OCT 1729

MARY EUBANCK 23 MAY 1732

ELIZABETH EWBANCK 28 OCT 1734

MARGARET EWBANCK 04 SEP 1737

MICHAEL EWBANCK 01 DEC 1739

Robin informs me that Joshua and his son Michael developed Rampson Hall, Borrenthwaite at Skirrigill in 1787

 

2. Jonathan Ewbanck married Elizabeth Rose, 24 JUN 1697:

JOHNATHAN EUBANKE 26 JUL 1698

JOSHUA EUBANCK 07 JUN 1702

ELIZABETH EWBANCK 25 MAY 1704

Robin informs me that Jonathan developed Borrenthwaite Hall, and that he had a second wife, Margaret Richardson whom he married 26 July 1715.

 

3. Thomas Ewbanke married Elizabeth Jackson, 22 JULY 1663. Children...

JULIAN EUBANKE 05 FEB 1663

ISABELL EUBANKE 09 MAR 1665

THOMAS EWBANKE 04 DEC 1666

JONATHAN EWBANKE 05 NOV 1668

ISABELL EWBANKE 26 NOV 1668

JANE EWBANKE 30 OCT 1670

RODGER EWBANKE 12 NOV 1672

FAITHE EWBANKE 15 APR 1675

ROBARTT EWBANKE 01 NOV 1677

Robin informs me that Thomas was a resident of Borrenthwaite.

 

4. Another Thomas.

From here, several options appear, but wills become very important. Ewbank was a common name in Brough registers.

At least two baptisms could be our Thomas:

25 JUN 1637, son of a Roger (and presumably Jilian nee Johnson) who seems to have been having children since not long after his marriage in 1622, Thomas being the last.

22 OCT 1643, son of Thomas, which is the one Robin and Margo believe to be correct. Again this Thomas is the last in his “series”.

And looking for this later Thomas, the father, two marriages seem to be possibly his:

19 NOV 1629, marriage to Margaret Nicholson

15 NOV 1638, marriage to Elsabeth Barnarde, which is the one Robin and Margo believe to be correct.

However in the registers I can see no way of distinguishing the children of the two Thomases. There are a series of 6 baptisms starting 1631 and spread out evenly at a rate of about one every two or three years...

MARIE EWBANKE 27 FEB 1631 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
FRANCES EWBANKE 26 NOV 1637 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
ANNAS EWBANKE 30 JAN 1633 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
BARBERIE EWBANKE 05 APR 1635 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
MICHAELL EWBANKE 18 OCT 1640 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
THOMAS EWBANKE 22 OCT 1643 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England


However, we do know that this family possessed Borrenthwaite, and so we can also work from earlier wills forward to this time...

 

5. Michael and Frances

The following baptisms had Michael as father. Michael Ewbanke made a will at Borrenthwaitein 1620, which mentions his oldest son Thomas, wife Frances, sister Ellinor, daughter Elsabeth, two younger sons, and a cousin in London, Robert. There were other Thomases at the same time but none seem to fit quite the necessary conditions. In this will, the eldest son Thomas is underage.

THOMAS EWBANCKE - 09 APR 1610 (or 1609 according to Margo? son of Michael the younger?)                                    

HENRIE EWBANCKE - 06 JAN 1612                                          

ELIZABETH EWBANKE - 08 MAY 1614                                              

ANNAS EUBANKE - 08 MAY 1614 (daughter of Michael "senior")

ADAM UBANKE - 24 NOV 1616                                        

JOHN UBANKE - 22 NOV 1619

6. Thomas and Ann

Based upon the study of more old wills by Robin and Margo we can now say that the Borrenthwaite inheritance passed through a couple named Thomas (will of 1594) and Ann (will of 1598). Two men named Michael (Mychell or Mychaell) were in line to be their heir: Michael, their eldest son, or Michael the son of their third son Roger. Both were childless and living at Borrenthwaite at the time, and both lived on. (See the above references to Michael the younger and Michael senior.)

To make a reasonable guess however, we need only turn to Robin's own family tree which descends from a Michael Ewbank born about 1590 who was a member of the Borrenthwate family. This Michael became a Cambridge-educated clergyman in southern England where his descendants still live. He would therefore appear to be the son of Roger, who in turn was the son of Thomas (will of 1594). It would seem we have found out link with Robin, and probably also the link between Michael (will of 1620) and his cousin Robert in London.

Also, Margo points out that in the will of 1620 Michael mentions a sister named Ellinor. Although there may have been several Thomases having children in the period, and also it seems clear that some baptisms are missing (for example for Michael himself) baptisms for Eleanors only appear in the register twice in this period, both times with the father being a Thomas. These are ALL the baptisms for the period where the father is Thomas, at least according to the IGI:

ROGER UBANK 25 MAY 1567 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
THOMAS UBANK 10 DEC 1563 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
ELEANOR UBANK 25 NOV 1571 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
WILLIAM UBANK 17 JUN 1582 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
ANNAS UBANK 10 SEP 1587 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
ELEANOR UBANK 10 SEP 1587 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
MARGARET UBANK 01 APR 1589 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
MARIE UBANK 14 FEB 1591 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England
CECILY UBANK 16 MAY 1593 Brough Under Stainmore, Westmorland, England


Again following Margo's suggestions, some of these are presumably the children of another Thomas who married Juliane Macheall 24.10.1586 at Appleby, and perhaps earlier had married Mgt. Aesgill 24.9.1581. Margaret perhaps died giving birth to William in 1582: a burial is registered 25 June that year. (This Thomas might in fact be the son of Thomas and brother of Michael, mentioned above baptised in 1563, but there were others.)

7. Miles.
Robin believes that the parents of Thomas (will of 1594) were Myles (will 1584) and Margaret (will 1592/3). The will of Margaret specifies Thomas as her son main heir and executor. Thomas already had children. Margaret also had daughters Margaret, Agnes and Grace. He was of Stainmore (not Borrenthwaite specifically, which perhaps did not yet exist).

8. Cuthbert.
In turn Myles seems to be the son of Cuthbert (will 1573). He was also of Stainmore and his will mentions  children Adam, Myles, Peter, Margaret, Leonard, and Anthony, as well as other "Ubankes".

 

More anciently, the Ewbanks are apparently named after a small hamlet in the parish of Brough and must have been in the area since the Middle Ages, like the Whartons and Ortons. Indeed various branches of the Ewbancks and Whartons married on many occasions. Spelling variations include Ubank, Ubancke, Hewbank, Eubank, Ewbanck, Ewbancke and so on.

 

The Borrenthwaite branch of the family, our branch, weresuccessful cattle drovers, perhaps amongst the biggest in the Eden Valley area at some points in time. Of course they would never have dreamed of the land available to Matthew Bradley their cattle droving descendant in Australia.

 

http://www.kirkby-stephen.com/charter-fairs/2003/1605.pdf

The main feature of agriculture in the Upper Eden Valley was its reliance on pastoral farming. Cattle were the most valuable possessions of the permanent farmers; sheep the most numerous. But the numbers were small in comparison with other areas of England. A large farm in the Eden was one with over 20 cattle and 70 sheep. In 1620 the wealthy Michael Ewbank of Barranthwayte Hall on Stainmore had a herd of 36 cattle and 100 sheep. His livestock was valued at £105 out of an inventory total of £138.

 

There is a Eubank/Eubanks DNA project which seems to need far more participation.