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Rawsthorn(e)s by many other names

Posted: 29 Jan 2013, 08:43
by Seeker
Hi! I'm very happy to find this site for Barnoldswick (or Barlick as I realise it's pronounced). :smile: Thanks to Doc and the Team! Those photos in the banners are so attractive, and I hope Barlick still looks like that - quaint and interesting. I've had a good look around the site and I think I'm ready to do a post. So, rules and regulations in mind, here goes:

I'm looking for ancestors and descendents of Thomas Rostron who was born in Barnoldswick in 1828 and died in Accrington, Burnley, in 1896. His mother was Ellin Slater who married his father, James Rosthorn in Nov.1827 in Barnoldswick. Thomas was a power loom weaver, and like others in the district, lost an arm in the mill, but became a champion weaver even wearing a hook. His obituary was written up in the Burnley Gazette. He had a son, James, born 1859-c1879. His second wife was Eliza Ann Wisdom, whom he married in Haslingden in 1861 as Thomas Rawsthorn.

We were told by a researcher that he had a brother Peter and a sister Elizabeth born in Wigan, but I'm not at all convinced that this is his family. So far I have found more than 40 variants of the name Rawsthorn(e) so it's difficult to trace the lineage with any confidence, but his daughter, my grandmother Mary Ann (b1888 in Burnley), spelt it without the final e.

There is a possible first marriage - an entry of a Thomas Rawston to a Martha Earnshaw of Bradford in 1850, which I would like to verify. This couple had a daughter Deborah Rawsthorne registered in April 1853 in Bingley, Keighley. Neither parent could write, so until government registration began in 1837, illiteracy would certainly have contributed to the differences in the spelling of names generally.

I'll leave it there and hope for some response. Any info that would help me differentiate the different Thomases and Jameses from Barwick and district would be very much appreciated.

Re: Rawsthorn(e)s by many other names

Posted: 29 Jan 2013, 09:53
by PanBiker
Hello Seeker and welcome to the site, hopefully someone may be able to add to your thread. I have moved your post from the Introductions thread into a genealogy area. We have quite a few members on here who are researching family names, I'm sure someone will be along shortly. Enjoy the site.

Re: Rawsthorn(e)s by many other names

Posted: 30 Jan 2013, 06:31
by Stanley
Welcome to the site. The name is thin on the ground in Barlick. Here's what I found in my index.

RAWSTHORNE ROSTHORNE INDEX ENTRIES 30/01/13

In A way of Life gone by, Dorothy Carthy states that John Rawsthorne was the blcksmith at Kelbrook c.1890/1910.

A John Rawsthorne was an elector of Coates in 1835 and 1841. Another entry for the same name is as elector of Salterforth, address given as Widdop in 1837. Ditto for 1841, address is Higher House, Widdop,

1851 census gives Thomas Rawsthorne as farmer at Greystone House, 80 acres and three labourers. This same man is an elector of Brogden in 1848, address is Greystone House but spelling is Rosthorne.

Re: Rawsthorn(e)s by many other names

Posted: 30 Jan 2013, 08:36
by Wendyf
Welcome Seeker. We had a topic on the other site, which you may already have found. Those Rawsthornes had a connection with Widdop and Halifax, so are probably a different family. This LINK should take you to it.
The Barnoldswick Parish Registers are on Ancestry now, you can browse through them.