—ƒ”–‡”Ž›Š”‘‹ Ž‡Ȉ‘Žume 20, Number 3 ȈFall 2014

In This Issue

The Cowley Family SagaȄPart 2 Adventures of a Library Picturing Knoydart Then and Now The Ballad of John Keys Report on the 2014 Annual General Meeting

Family History Research

The Cowley Family Saga³Part 2©

BY CHRISTINE JACKSON On the 400th ƒ‹˜‡”•ƒ”›‘ˆƒ—‡Ž†‡Šƒ’Žƒ‹ǯ•ˆ‹”•–˜‘›ƒ‰‡ up the Ottawa River, Christine introduced us to a colourful pioneering Canadian familyȄthe CowleysȄand their connection –‘Šƒ’Žƒ‹ǯ•‹ ‘‹ Ž‘•–ƒ•–”‘Žƒ„‡Ǥ –Š‡ ƒŽŽ͸Ͷͷ͹Anglo-Celtic Roots, she told us about Cowley family members who have included a riverboat captain, an Ottawa land developer and educator, and an NHL Hall of Famer. Here she takes the family history back to its English origins. ‘™Ž‡›ǯ•Family Record from 1697 wrote previously about the unto the present day (1904).1 Mary ‘™Ž‡›ˆƒ‹Ž›ǯ••— ‡••‹the Agnes (1853Ȃ1922) was the sixth of I Ottawa Valley following a tragic the 12 children of Capt. Daniel start in the early 1830s in Montreal. Keyworth Cowley and his wife Mary But I was curious to know about McJanet, the first Cowley settlers in their English origins, of which the the Ottawa Valley. first few generations in North America were particularly proud. The second was a 1935 biographical There were hints of links to the first Dz‡‘”‹ƒŽdz’—„Ž‹ ƒ–‹‘ƒ„‘—–‘‡‘ˆ Duke of Wellington and Sir Francis ƒ‹‡Žƒ†ƒ”›ǯ••‘•ǡ‘„‡”– ”ƒ‡Ȇ Šƒ†–‘‘™‘”‡Ǩ Henry Cowley (1859Ȃ1927), written by his friend and colleague Robert So this account will explore what I Stothers.2 It includes extensive have been able to find out about information about Cowley family their lives back to the mid- history, much, if not all, taken from eighteenth century and reveal the ƒ”›‰‡•ǯ‘–‡•Ǥ sourcesȄsome of them quite unconventionalȄthat I have used in ƒ‹Ž‡•‘™Ž‡›Ȇ–Š‡‹‰”ƒ– putting together their story thus far. While Daniel Keyworth Cowley can „‡ ”‡†‹–‡†™‹–Š–Š‡ˆƒ‹Ž›ǯ• Two principal pieces of family success in the nineteenth century, it memorabilia started me on my was his father, Mailes Cowley journey through Cowley history (1766Ȃ1832), who was responsible (Figure 1). The first was a collection for the Cowleys coming to North of handwritten drafts of Mary Agnes America.

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However, a tantalizing record of an DzǤ—Ž‡‡ǫdz–”ƒ˜‡ŽŽ‹‰ƒŽ‘‡‘ƒ–Ǥ Lawrence steamboat from Quebec City to Montreal on 26 June 1831 could refer to Mailes Cowley.3 The timing is certainly right. On arrival in Montreal, Mailes is said to have established a house and garden on the site occupied in 1904 „›Dz–Š‡‡™–Ǥ ƒ‡•ƒ–Š‘Ž‹  Ca–Š‡†”ƒŽǤdz4 Mailes died of fever in April 1832, a few weeks before the Figure 1: Cowley family documents ƒ””‹˜ƒŽ‹‘–”‡ƒŽ‘ˆ–Šƒ–›‡ƒ”ǯ• Source: Author terrible cholera epidemic. He was described in the burial register as Ž–Š‘—‰Š Šƒ˜‡ƒ‹Ž‹‰ǡ ǯ•–‹ŽŽ DzChristopher Cowley, an Emigrant.dz not sure what made Mailes emi‰”ƒ–‡Ȇƒ†•‘Žƒ–‡‹ Before his sad demise, Mailes had Ž‹ˆ‡Ȇarriving, as he did, in Lower received some practical assistance Canada at the age of 65 with his in starting his new life here. A wife Harriot, aged 53, and their two younger brother, William Cowley, a young children. successful china merchant in Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire, gave Daniel enjoyed talking about his Š‹DzƒŽƒ”‰‡’— Š‡‘[barrel] of ˆƒ‹Ž›ǯ•‘”‹‰‹•Ǥ ‹•†ƒ—‰Š–‡”ƒ”› china to sell when in this country to Agnes recorded his stories in 1904 help him over the new beginnings but said nothing, however, of any here.dz1 When William died in 1851, remembrances he must have had of his estate was worth approximately his own father, Mailes, who died $1 million ‹–‘†ƒ›ǯ•ƒƒ†‹ƒ when Daniel was 14 years old. dollars. At the time he emigrated in 1831, William was probably also a Mailes was describ‡†ƒ•Dzƒ’”ƒ –‹ ƒŽ Wesleyan Methodist lay preacher. „‘–ƒ‹•–dzȋ’”‘„ƒ„Ž›ƒ‰ƒ”†‡‡”Ȍƒ† The U.K. 1841 Census records that had apparently been commissioned he sent at least one of his sons to to bring over some soldiers from Wesley College, Sheffield, a school England.2 I have not found anything for sons of the laity; he also spoke to support a possible link between extensively in a March 1833 letter him and the military; nor have I to his nephew Daniel about building been able to find him, his family and a new chapel, about some of the ‹Ž‹–ƒ”› ‘’ƒ‹‘•‹–Š‡•Š‹’•ǯ local preachers, and about the passenger lists, as of July 2014.

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construction of a new dissenting Grange Farm, Anwick, and Henry chapel in Hull.1 ‡›™‘”–ŠǡDz‰‡–Ž‡ƒǡdz‘‡‘ˆ Elizƒ„‡–Šǯ•„”‘–Š‡”•ȋƒ‘–Š‡”‘‡‘ˆ Mailes Cowley was born on 23 June whom was also named Mailes!) of 1766, in Ollerton, Nottinghamshire Thorpe Tilney, a small hamlet just a (Notts.). He was the fifth of the eight few miles from Anwick. Their children of Daniel Cowley and his signatures on the bond are strong wife Elizabeth who were born there. and literate-looking (Figure 2). Details of his early life are skimpy, but I know that in 1797, Mailes, aged 31, was li˜‹‰ƒ–Š‹•’ƒ”‡–•ǯ home at Anwick Grange, Lincolnshire (Lincs.). I do not know if Mailes worked on the home farm or had another job. I like to think that his interest in Dz’”ƒ –‹ ƒŽ„‘–ƒ›dzƒ›Šƒ˜‡„‡‡ Figure 2: Signatures of bondspersons on influenced by the presence, only 15 letters of administration, 1797 miles away at his Revesby estate, of Source: Lincolnshire Archives, ref. LCC the famous naturalist Joseph Banks Admons/1979/16 (later Sir Joseph). Banks had The next reference to Mailes Cowley accompanied and financed Captain that I found from this period may James Cook on his epic round-the- say something about his life in world voyage (1768Ȃ1771) aboard general. It made me wonder if he the Endeavour and had become had inherited some money from his immensely popular on his return to fa–Š‡”ǯ•‡•–ƒ–‡ƒ†–”‹‡†Š‹•Šƒ†ƒ– England. business, as at the age of 37, only Daniel died intestate on 13 March ˆ‹˜‡›‡ƒ”•ƒˆ–‡”Š‹•ˆƒ–Š‡”ǯ•†‡ƒ–ŠǡŠ‡ 1797 at Grange Farm, Anwick, and was obviously in financial trouble. Elizabeth was made administratrix A notice appeared in the 7 of his estate. She was one of three September 1803 issue of the people bound in the amount of Stamford Mercury newspaper £1,050ȆƒŠ—‰‡ƒ‘—–ǡ Š‡ƒ†‡†Dz‡••”•Ǥ‘™ley and representing about £34,000 or ‘ ‘ ǯ•ffairs.dz –‰ƒ˜‡‘–‹ ‡–Šƒ– C$62,000 today. The bond was to Mailes Cowley and Edward Bocock, ensure that they administered the DzŽƒ–‡‡” Šƒ–•‘ˆ–Š‡‹–›‘ˆ estate properlyȆif not, they would ‹ ‘Žǡdz™‡”‡ǡ‹‡ˆˆ‡ –ǡ„ƒ”—’– forfeit the bond money. The other and called on their debtors to pay two were Mailes Cowley, Ž‹œƒ„‡–Šǯ• what they owed to the appointed •‘ƒ†Dz‘—”dzƒ‹Ž‡•ǡƒŽ•‘living at lawyer or risk being taken to court.

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(There are no Lincoln city conformity in England. Before the directories from this period to help introduction of civil registration in determine what type of merchants 1837, however, for a small fee, it they had been.) kept a central registry of births mainly (but not solely) within non- On 11 April 1816, Mailes Cowley, conformist families, to avoid having 50, a bachelor, married Harriot to have a child baptized an Anglican. Holmes, 38, a spinster, in St. Marga”‡–ǯ•, the Anglican parish This may indicate that it was church of Westminster adjoining cheaper to record the birth at Dr. Westminster Abbey. At the time, ‹ŽŽ‹ƒ•ǯ‹„”ƒ”›–Šƒ–‘Šƒ˜‡–Š‡ –Š‡›™‡”‡„‘–ŠDz‘ˆ–Š‹•’ƒ”‹•ŠǤdz Š‹Ž†„ƒ’–‹œ‡†‹–Ǥƒ”‰ƒ”‡–ǯ•ǡ‘” Pondering where this couple met, perhaps more likely, that Mailes however, it seems very likely that it and/or Harriot Cowley leaned must have been in Lincolnshire towards the nonconformity of the when Mailes was living in Anwick Wesleyan Methodist William with his parents. Cowley. Lincolnshire, the birthplace ‘ˆ ƒ””‹‘–Ȇƒ†‘ˆ ‘Š‡•leyȄ Harriot Holmes was baptized in always had been a hotbed of non- 1778 in the parish of Ruskington, conformity. near Sleaford, Lincs., where numer‘—• ‘Ž‡•ǯŠƒ†Ž‹˜‡†•‹ ‡ I have to wonder if Mailes and his the beginning of the 17th century, family subsequently lived in Hull, Ruskington being adjacent to the Yorkshire, for a number of years, parish of Anwick. She was the fifth perhaps with the support of brother of the six children of Joseph Holmes William. Certainly their other two (1742Ȃ1801), yeoman, and Eleanor children were born in 1818 and Todkill (1738Ȃ1782), who had 1823 in what is now Hull, and they married in 1772 in nearby ™‡”‡‘–”‡‰‹•–‡”‡†‹”Ǥ‹ŽŽ‹ƒ•ǯ Dorrington, Lincs. Library but rather in the local Anglican church. Supporting this Exactly nine months after their con-Œ‡ –—”‡‹•‹ŽŽ‹ƒ‘™Ž‡›ǯ• marriage in Westminster, Mailes 1833 letter to Daniel, which ƒ† ƒ””‹‡–ǯ•ˆ‹”•– Š‹Ž†ǡƒ‹‡Žǡ™ƒ• suggests that Daniel knew Hull and born there on 9 January 1817. They its preachers, thus indicating that ”‡‰‹•–‡”‡†ƒ‹‡Žǯ•„‹rth on 3 Daniel may have lived there for February 1818 at ”Ǥ‹ŽŽ‹ƒ•ǯ some part of his childhood. 1 Library on Cripplegate in London. At some point between 1823 and This is interesting, ƒ•”Ǥ‹ŽŽ‹ƒǯ• 1831, Mailes and his family Library is now known primarily for returned to London, as according to its holdings of pre-nineteenth- Mary Agnes Cowley her grandfather century material on Protestant non-

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was working ‹‘†‘ǯ• husbandman [farmer] of Ollerton in Kensington Gardens before Nottinghamshire by the Steward of emigrating in 1831 with his family. the Manor and Liberty of the Hundred of Ollerton within the Daniel Cowley of OllertonȆ Honour of Tuckhill, Parcel of the and The Cowley Charter Duchy of Lancaster.6 It confirmed Moving back in time, I studied Dƒ‹‡Žǯ•‹—‹–›ˆ”‘’ƒ›‹‰–‘ŽŽ•ǡ ƒ‹Ž‡•ǯˆƒ–Š‡”Daniel Cowley Jr. a right that was granted first in (1731Ȃ1797), who spent most of his 1629 by King Charles I and then Ž‹ˆ‡‹ŽŽ‡”–‘ǡ‘––•ǤȆ‹Sherwood renewed in 1681 by Charles II to Forest. In 1774, at the age of 43, tenants of Duchy of Lancaster lands Daniel was the recipient of a in the Hundred of Ollerton. document that has become known ƒ•DzŠ‡‘™Ž‡›Šƒ”–‡”ǡdz™Š‹ Š  Specifically, Daniel Cowley and his now know is the source of a servants were exempted from significant misunderstanding in paying various road and bridge tolls Cowley family history. On and fees anywhere in Britain. This discovering it, I determined to find would have been extremely useful out more about the Charter and to to him as he was, at the time, one of see if it could tell me anything about the proprietors of a stagecoach the origins of the family. business between the North of England and London, and would The charter shines light into the have been faced with having to pay feudal world of land tenure, with numerous tolls en route. the obligations and (in this case) privileges that it entailed. Both –‘–Š‡”•ǯ—†‡”•–ƒ†‹‰ǡŠ‘™‡˜‡”ǡ ƒ”›‰‡•ǯˆƒmily notes and was that the charter confirmed that ‘„‡”––‘–Š‡”•ǯ„‘‘‹ Ž—†‡ the Cowleys had held lands in transcripts of the charter, the Ollerton since at least 1629, and I original of which, in 1935, was in assumed that Judge Latchford the hands of Capt. Mailes Cowley, agreed. So, I thought, it must be the ƒ”›‰‡•ǯ„”‘–Š‡”Ǥ corre –‹–‡”’”‡–ƒ–‹‘Ȇƒˆ–‡”ƒŽŽǡ who was I to question a chief As the current whereabouts of the justice? original document are unknown, I have had to rely on those copies. I therefore set aside the matter of Stothers himself used a transcript of the charter for the time being, the charter prepared by Chief feeling confident that, as I traced the Justice F.R. Latchford of Toronto, an family back, I would be hunting for old friend of the Cowley family. 5 Cowleys in Ollerton, Nottinghamshire back to at least the Dated 29 October 1774, the charter early 1600s. The obvious place to was addressed to Daniel Cowley, Anglo-Celtic Roots Ȉ—arterly Chronicle 6 Volume 20, Number 3 ȈFall 2014

start to trace the family back was place in Willingham by Stow, whose –Š‡’ƒ”–‹ƒŽˆƒ‹Ž›–”‡‡‹–‘–Š‡”•ǯ parish register is online back to book, which takes one family line 1562. back to 1697. Going back to the family tree, I That family tree immediately found that before 1816 (Mailes answered questions I had about the ‘™Ž‡›ǯ•ƒ””‹ƒ‰‡›‡ƒ”Ȍ–Š‡†ƒ–‡• origins of two given names used in of births, marriages and deaths –Š‡ˆƒ‹Ž›ȆKeyworth and Mailes. were mostly complete with day, Keyworth, I found, was the family month and year, except that no ƒ‡‘ˆƒ‹Ž‡•ǯ‘–Š‡”ǡŽ‹œƒ„‡–Š places were mentioned. While the Anne Keyworth, who was born in dates were very helpful, I felt I had Willingham by Stow, Lincs., her to confirm them where ‘–Š‡”ǯ•Š‘‡’ƒ”‹•ŠǤȋŠ‹•˜‹ŽŽƒ‰‡ possi„Ž‡Ȇƒ†ˆ‹†‘—–™Š‡”‡–Š‡ is located just six miles across the events took place. So I turned first county boundary from South to FamilySearch and Ancestry. Leverton in northern Notting- Taking my lead from the charter, I hamshire, where there was started searching on the premise apparently a resident Keyworth that the Cowleys had come from family as early as 1576.7) And Ollerton at least as early as 1629. I Mailes was the fam-ily name of began with Daniel, supposedly born Ž‹œƒ„‡–Š‡›™‘”–Šǯ•‘–Š‡”ǡ 1731, married 1759, and died —•ƒƒȆ‘—”ƒ‹Ž‡•ǯaternal ͳ͹ͻ͹Ȇ–Š‡ƒ‹‡Ž™Š‘™ƒ•‰‹˜‡–Š‡ grandmother. Cowley Charter in 1774. I looked for Mary Agnes Cowley clearly cited a record of his marriage to Elizabeth Su•ƒƒƒ‹Ž‡•ǯ„‹”–Š†ƒ–‡ƒ•ʹͲ but turned up nothing in Ollerton. December 1697 and her father as Š‡ –”‹‡†Ž‘ ƒ–‹‰ƒ‹‡Žǯ• Joseph Mailes, but I can find no birth/baptism in 1731, which I baptism for Susanna around that thought must be in Ollerton. But, time.1 Repeated unsuccessful once again, the online databases searches in the online databases –—”‡†—’‘–Š‹‰Ȇƒ†ǡ™Šƒ–ǯ• have led me to conclude that ‘”‡Ȇ ˆound that the Ollerton Susanna was probably the person parish register, which starts in „ƒ’–‹œ‡†ƒ•DzǤdz‘ʹͳƒ” Šͳ͸ͻͻ 1592, contains no Cowley baptisms in Willingham by Stow, daughter of before 1760! Joseph and Susanna Mailes. I have I was beginning to feel also been unable to find a marriage disheart‡‡†Ȇ™Š‡”‡™‡”‡–Š‡ record for Joseph and Susanna, or a Cowleys in the 1600s and early suitable baptism for Joseph; I do 1700s if not in Ollerton, which is know these events did not take

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apparently where the charter Although they contain no Cowley indicated they were to be found? So baptisms before 1760, the Ollerton I took a different approach and parish records do include the searched the Internet Archive.8 baptisms of the eight children of Much to my delight I discovered Daniel and Elizabeth, starting with there a digitized book of transcribed Ann in 1760 and including the marriage licences issued in the Mailes who came to Canada. Archdeaconry Court of Nottingham Evidently I was going to have to for the period 1754Ȃ1770.9 Ž‘‘‡Ž•‡™Š‡”‡–‘ˆ‹†ƒ‹‡Žǯ•ͳ͹͵ͳ birth/baptism. Sure enough, a marriage licence was issued on 26 February 1759 to This time FamilySearch and Daniel Cowley and Elizabeth Ancestry came through with the Keyworth. (I later found in the baptism of a Danyal Cowley, son of parish register of nearby Danyal Cowley, on 29 June 1731, as Edwinstowe that the marriage took well as three other siblings, in place on 27 February.) And what a Carburton, Notts., a chapelry of the feast of information I found in the parish of Edwinstowe, located just ƒ””‹ƒ‰‡Ž‹ ‡ ‡Ȇ‘”‡–Šƒ  six miles from Ollerton. would later discover in the parish I noticed that ŽŽ‡”–‘ǯ•parish register: church is dedicated to St. Giles, the x Daniel was a bachelor at least 25 patron saint of forests; a very pop- years old from the parish of ular dedication in mediaeval Edwinstowe (which included England and a name that I was to Ollerton and other communities) ‡ ‘—–‡”ƒ‰ƒ‹Ȇ‹–Š‡‘™Ž‡› and his occupation was victualler family itself. Other churches nearby, [tavern keeper]. including Carburton, are also x Elizabeth was a spinster, at least dedicated to St. Giles.10 21 years old, and, at the time, from So, having discovered that Daniel Lincoln. Cowley (1731Ȃ1797) was born in x The marriage was to take place at Carburton, married in Edwinstowe –Ǥƒ”›ǯ•ǡ†™‹•–‘™‡ȋ™Š‡”‡ǡ and had his children baptized in incidentally, legend has it that Ollerton, all places located within a Robin Hood married Maid few miles of each other, what could Marian). I learn about his life? And what, if x Ž‹œƒ„‡–Šǯ•ˆƒ–Š‡”ǡ‹ŽŽ‹ƒ anything, had he done to warrant Keyworth, the bondsman, was also the rights and privileges he had ƒ˜‹ –—ƒŽŽ‡”ǡˆ”‘—ˆˆ‘”†ȆŒ—•–ƒ under the 1774 Cowley Charter? couple of miles from Ollerton.

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This is when I hit paydirt! I found growing. 11 It has been listed as a –Šƒ–ƒ‹‡Žǯ•ƒ‡Šƒ†ƒ’’‡ƒ”‡†‹ Grade II building by English newspapers from time to time for Heritage. business reasons, because he lived The following three newspaper in and ran the Hop Pole Inn in items illustrate just some of the Ollerton. Due to its strategic loca- purposes served by the Hop Pole tion at the crossroads of several Inn in the community besides important roads, in mediaeval times ’”‘˜‹†‹‰ˆ‘‘†ƒ†•Š‡Ž–‡”Ȇƒ•ƒ Ollerton became a meeting place for sale room, stagecoach station and Sherwood Forest officials, comm- meeting place, respectively: issioners and justices of the peace, leading to the development of two x A notice in the London Evening big coaching inns where the Post, 20Ȃ22 August 1776, meet‹‰•™‡”‡Š‡Ž†Ȇ–Š‡ ‘’‘Ž‡ confirmed that monthly meetings being one. of the North Clay Hop Planters Clubs, for the sale of hops, would The Hop Pole Hotel, as it is today be held ƒ–”Ǥƒ‹‡Ž‘™Ž‡›ǯ•ƒ– (Figure 3), is a handsome early the Hop Pole Inn, in Ollerton. Georgian coaching inn on the main x Londonǯ•Daily Advertiser carried street of old Ollerton, set back from an advert on 8 September 1778 the River Maun and opposite a from the named proprietors of the watermill that is mentioned in the Sheffield, Leeds and Carlisle Domesday Book. Built about 1740 Coaches, including Daniel Cowley by the principal landowning family of Ollerton, announcing a change of the area, the Saviles of Rufford in the London departure point for Abbey Estate, the inn was named their coaches. after the main agricultural activity ‹–Š‡ƒ—ƒŽŽ‡›ƒ––Š‡–‹‡ȆŠ‘’ x On 14Ȃ16 February 1786, the General Evening Post of London carried a notice about a meeting at the house of Mr. Daniel Cowley of Ollerton to finalize the accounts of a deceased person. But the Hop Pole Inn was ‘–ƒ‹‡Ž‘™Ž‡›ǯ•‘Ž› occupation in Ollerton. His ˆƒ–Š‡”ǯ•ͳ͹͸ͻprobate Figure 3: The Hop Pole Hotel, Ollerton, May 2014 documents told me that Source: Author ƒ‹‡Ž™ƒ•ƒŽ•‘ƒˆƒ”‡”Ȇ

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his occupation as stated in the 1774 Derbyshire, or Nottinghamshire are charter. In time, I would learn that not always located where you think. his ancestors were similarly used to Checking online catalogues for the multitasking. various Midland counties is there- fore a must when researching that ƒ‡ˆˆ‘”––‘ Žƒ”‹ˆ›–Š‡‘™Ž‡›•ǯ region. landholdings and the rights given to this Daniel in 1774 under the First I learned that Daniel Cowley charter, I started looking for had for some years rented various manorial documents for this part of copyhold lands that were part of NottingŠƒ•Š‹”‡‹™Š‹ Šƒ‹‡Žǯ• Warsop Manor.12 In 1767 Daniel land transactions and his position as surrendered to the lord of the a tenant of the Duchy of Lancaster manor copyhold lands that he had might be recorded. inherited from his maternal grand- father, and in 1779 he surrendered Thanks to largely digitized online the copyhold lands in Warsop that catalogues and a particularly helpful his late father had willed to him in archivist at the receiving end of my 1769. Perhaps he preferred to work email, I found Daniel mentioned in the lands he held closer to his home some documents relating to the in Ollerton. It appeared, however, Manor of Warsop at the Derbyshire that Warsop Manor did not belong Record Office (RO), and in others to the Duchy of Lancaster. regarding the Manor of Ollerton at the Nottinghamshire Archives. Although Warsop is actually in western Nottinghamshire (about six miles to the west of Ollerton and Carburton), finding Warsop manorial documents in Derby- shire RO is not unusual. Because of county boundary changes over the years, Figure 4: Extract from Ollerton map, showing plot 46 (Hop archival materials for Pole Inn) occupied by Daniel Cowley Midland counties like Source: Nottinghamshire Archives, ref. OL 2R (Map of the Staffordshire, Township of Ollerton, 1781). Reproduced with permission.

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Nottinghamshire Archives hold commencing Michaelmas 1794, some documents from the Manor of including Daniel Cowley of Anwick. Ollerton, which estate was amongst The notice offered a reward of five the many owned by the Duchy. A ‰—‹‡ƒ•Ȇ™‘”–Š–‘†ƒ›‘˜‡” 1781 map of the Township of ̈́͵ͲͲȆ–‘ƒ›‘‡ with information Ollerton indicates that Daniel was leading to the conviction of a sheep renting at that time some 20 thief. Dz Ž‘s‡•dzȏˆ‹‡Ž†•Ȑˆ”‘ŽŽ‡”–‘ The existence of such societies was Manor, ‘‡‘ˆ™Š‹ ŠȆ’Ž‘–Ͷ͸Ȇ news to me; I subsequently learned includes the Hop Pole Inn facing the that every town in Lincolnshire and street (Figure 4). Other manorial some villages formed its own records13 show that, as a tenant, he association for the prosecution of was eligible to sit as a juror of his felons as a means of combating peers in the manor court from 1759 theft, which had become a serious (the year of his marriage) to at least problem in the late eighteenth 1779. These documents confirm century. (Police forces did not exist that Daniel was indeed a tenant of in Britain at this time.) Sleaford's Duchy of Lancaster lands when he association was formed in 1789 by was given the Cowley Charter in the leading inhabitants of the town, 1774. who regularly placed notices like Daniel Cowley does not appear in the one mentioned above.16 the newspapers between 1786 and Š‡Žƒ•–Ȇƒ†›ˆƒ˜‘—r‹–‡Ȇ‡™•- 1794, and by 1789 another person paper clipping about Daniel was running the Hop Pole Inn.14 So appeared in the 23 January 1795 it is fair to assume the Cowleys edition of the Stamford Mercury. moved away from Ollerton Typically for newspapers of the day, sometime between 1786 and 1789. the item was sandwiched between I know that, by 29 September two unrelated others of significant (Michaelmas) 1794, Daniel was national interest, namely the living in Anwick, Lincs., even today a election of Lord Morpeth as an MP rather remote and tiny place on the and the respite of one month in the edge of the Fens.15 This is because, death sentence for high treason of on 16 January 1795, a notice David Downie.17 It read: appeared in the Stamford Mercury A turnip was lately found growing in newspaper placed by the Sleaford a close belonging to Mr. Daniel Association for the Prosecution of Cowley of Anwick Grange, near Persons Guilty of Felony and Sleaford, that weighed thirty Misdemeanors, which contained a pounds, and measured forty-four Ž‹•–‘ˆ–Š‡••‘ ‹ƒ–‹‘ǯ•ͳ͵͸ inches in circumference. subscribers for the year

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”‡ƒŽ‹œ‡†–Šƒ–•‘‡–Š‹‰•†‘ǯ– the western edge of the Fens. The change over the centuries, as I was open fields, common fens and reminded of a distant cousin of wastelands of Anwick parish were mine in Sussex, England, who is enclosed by act of Parliament only renowned for his award-winning in 1791, so it is possible that Henry vegetables! alerted his brother-in-law to the fact I asked myself, why did Daniel that new farmland was becoming choose to relocate to Lincolnshire? available nearby. 18 It was probably a combination of Unfortunately, Daniel did not leave factors. By 1789 he was 58 years old a will and there is no reference to and, in addition to farming, had his landholdings at the time of his perhaps had enough of running a death. In the Anwick parish burial busy inn and stagecoach sta–‹‘Ȇ ”‡‰‹•–‡”Š‡‹•”‡ ‘”†‡†ƒ•DzMr. perhaps he received an offer he ƒ‹‡Ž‘™Ž‡›dzȆƒ•Š‡™ƒ•‹–Š‡ ‘—Ž†ǯ–”‡ˆ—•‡ǫ”’‡”Šƒ’•‹–™ƒ• ŽŽ‡”–‘ƒ‘”‘—”–†‘ —‡–•Ȇ the wish of his wife Elizabeth to an indication that he was always return to her home county? Her considered a man of substance in „”‘–Š‡”ǡ–Š‡Dz‰‡–Ž‡ƒdz ‡”› his community. Keyworth, was living at Thorpe Tilney, just a few miles up the road When Daniel died intestate, to avoid from Anwick. forfeiting the bond money, Elizabeth had to produce an inventory of all

Figure 5: Cowley Family Places of Residences in Central England Source: Google Maps her deceased husband's "goods and The eastern Anwick parish chattels and credits" by 30 Decem- boundary is the Car Dyke, a ditch ber that year. Sadly the inventory constructed by the Romans possibly has not survived, at least in the as a drainage canal, which defines

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public domain, as these documents all tenants of Duchy of Lancaster ƒ•Š‡†Ž‹‰Š–‘‘—”ƒ ‡•–‘”•ǯ lands in the Hundred of Ollerton, of possessions and what was which Daniel was now only one. considered of value at the time. We The charter did not in any way do know, however, that its value did conˆ‹”–Šƒ–ƒ‹‡Ž‘™Ž‡›ǯ• "not amount to more than 600 ancestors were tenants in Ollerton ’‘—†•̶Ȇ‘”about £20,000 or in 1629 or that his family had C$37,000 today. I am assuming that performed any particular service for the value of the farm was not the Crown to receive their immunity included in the "goods and chattels from paying tolls, as Stothers had and credits." I have been unable to speculated. find a death or burial record for Elizabeth and do not know if she Thus it was quite plausible that and/or her son Mailes continued Dan‹‡Ž”Ǥǯ•ˆ‘”‡„‡ƒ”•Šƒ†‹†‡‡† living at Anwick Grange after come from Derbyshire and that Dan‹‡Žǯ•†‡ƒ–ŠǤ Daniel Jr. only gained those rights when he became a Duchy tenant in So where did the Cowleys Ollerton in 1759, the date when his ‘‡ˆ”‘Ȇƒ†™Šƒ–ǯ•‡š–ǫ name first appears in the Ollerton I was finally able to fully understand manorial documents. the meaning of the Cowley Charter when I was looking for the birth or Following the Cowleys back through baptism of Daniel Cowley Sr. (1699Ȃ the eighteenth century had 1769), of Carburton, Notts. A presented challenges as well as birthdate about the year 1700 much •ƒ–‹•ˆƒ –‹‘Ȇ—†‡”•–ƒ†‹‰ seemed right, as his will makes it feudal systems of land tenure and clear that he had died in 1769. But the significance of the Cowley the only Daniel in the online Charter, learning about one of the databases born at approximately royal duchies, locating and using the right time was the son of a Giles manorial documents, seeking Cowley, baptized in 1699 in alternative sources when parish Ash„‘—”‡ǡ‡”„›•Š‹”‡Ȇ–Š‡”‡™ƒs records were lacking, and finding none anywhere in Nottinghamshire. newspaper advertisements and reports, to name just a few. So I carefully reread the eighteenth- century legalese of the charter As I set off on a quest for Cowleys to tran• ”‹’–Ȇƒ†ƒ–Žƒ•–•ƒ™–Š‡Ž‹‰Š–Ǥ –Š‡™‡•–Ȇ‹–‘–Š‡ƒ†Œ‘‹‹‰ ‘—–› I could now see that the rights and of Derbyshire, little did I know that I privileges that were confirmed in would have to resort to even more 1774 to Daniel Cowley Jr. had unconventional sources in order to originally been granted in 1629 to piece together the earliest traces of this family.

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Surprisingly, those sources family, was undoubtedly named after uncovered much more than the Judge Latchford. missing parish register about the 6 A manor was a landed estate having a lives of early Cowley ancestors and court run according to the customs of revealed an entrepreneurial spirit in the manor. An honour was a large the family going back at least to the manor (estate). A liberty was sixteenth century. traditionally an area in which rights reserved to the monarch had been Those unusual sources and how I devolved into private hands. In found them will be the focus of a England and Wales a hundred was the forthcoming article. division of a shire for military and judicial purposes under the common Reference Notes law. The Duchy of Lancaster is one of 1 Cowley family documents. two royal duchies in England, the 2 Robert Stothers, A Biographical other being the Duchy of Cornwall. Memorial to Robert Henry Cowley Since 1399 it has been the personal (Toronto: Thomas Nelson & Sons (inherited) property of the British Limited, published for the author, monarch, for whom it provides 1935). income. In 2013 the duchy comprised 46,000 acres, including key urban 3 Passenger list for the St. Lawrence developments and farm land in Steamboat Co., 26 June 1831, Quebec England and Wales. to Montreal, at theshipslist.com. 7 As stated by G.W.M. in a submission to 4 In 1904 Mary Agnes Cowley wrote: The Reliquary: quarterly Dzƒ‹Ž‡•‘™Ž‡›ǯ•Š‘—•‡ƒ†‰ƒ”†‡ archaeological journal and review, July were where the new St. James Catholic 1863ȂOctober 1869, 9, p. 191, British ƒ–Š‡†”ƒŽ‘™•–ƒ†•‹‘–”±ƒŽǤdz Periodicals at ProQuest LLC. This —•–„‡–Š‡•‹–‡‘ˆ–‘†ƒ›ǯ• 8 Internet Archive (www.archive.org) is Catholic cathedral of Marie-Reine-du- a non-profit digital library offering Monde, which was formerly St. James free universal access to books, film Catholic Cathedral and is located at and music, as well as 417 billion René Lévesque Boulevard and archived web pages (accessed 13 July Metcalfe Street. 2014). 5 Francis Robert Latchford (1854Ȃ 9 Thomas M. Blagg, Abstracts of the 1938), born on the Ruggles-Wright Bonds and Allegations for Marriage Estate in Hull, Quebec, was a cabinet Licences in the Archdeaconry Court of minister in the Ontario Liberal Nottingham 1754Ȃ1770 (Nottingham: government of George Ross (1899Ȃ Thoroton Society, 1946Ȃ47, Record 1905) and Chief Justice of the Ontario Series Vol. X), p. 71. Court of Appeal (1931Ȃ1938). 10 Latchford Road in Ottawa, formerly From the history page of The Church part of the lands owned by the Cowley of England in Ollerton and Boughton

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website (http://www.cofe- half years land, common fens and ollerton.org.uk/about-us/history/) waste lands within the Parish of accessed 22 June 2014. Anwick . . . and for embanking and draining the said common fens . . . 11 From The Hop Pole Hotel website [1791]. Enclosure ended the English (http://www.hoppolehotel.co.uk/) open field system of agriculture accessed 30 Apr 2014. whereby people had traditional rights 12 Copyhold was a type of land tenure on common land. It is said to have whereby estates were subject to the been the cause of the Agricultural customs of the manor to which they Revolution. belonged rather than to common law.

13 Nottinghamshire Archives: Ollerton Manor Court File DDSR/213/2; ©2014 Christine Jackson Ollerton Suit Roll DDSR 213/2/9; Ollerton Suit Roll 1765. 14 Public Houses in the Market Towns, 1789 (Nottinghamshire Archives DD4P 68/40). 15 The Fens, also known as the Fenland(s), is a naturally marshy region in eastern England, much of which has been artificially drained and turned into a major arable agricultural region for grains and vegetables (Wikipedia, (www.wikipedia.ca) accessed 17 July 2014. 16 Dr W.J. Atkin, Museum Musings, Newsletter of Sleaford Museum Trust, No. 9, March 2009. 17 David Downie was a member of one of several radical societies of the time seeking the reform of various aspects of society. (This was the time of the French Revolution.) Arrested and –”‹‡†ƒˆ–‡”–Š‡Dz”‹–‹•Š‘˜‡–‹‘dz‹ 1793 in Edinburgh, he was eventually pardoned on condition of banishing himself from the British dominions and died in exile. 18 An Act for dividing and enclosing the open common fields, meadow ground, Anglo-Celtic Roots Ȉ—arterly Chronicle 15 Volume 20, Number 3 ȈFall 2014