CULSHAW of SCARISBRICK and ORMSKIRK (revised 31 August 2012)

The most recent Culshaw with whom we are concerned is John Culshaw (1853–1934), husband of Sarah Ashcroft and father of Mary Frances Molyneux. John, a joiner, was the youngest child of Joseph Culshaw (1809–1883) and his wife Ruth Hartley (1813–1898).

Joseph, an Ormskirk shoemaker, was a son of Edmund Culshaw (1782–1811), of Scarisbrick near Ormskirk, and of his wife Catherine Massam (1783–1828).

Edmund was a son of William Culshaw (1757–1816), a yeoman of Scarisbrick, and of his wife Eleanor Spencer (1759–1814).

William was the only son of Edmund Culshaw (c. 1718–1784), also a Scarisbrick yeoman, and of his wife Margaret.

Edmond was probably the second son of William Culcheth (died 1727) of Scarisbrick, and of his second wife Mary.

William was probably the elder son of Edmund Culshaw, a webster (weaver) of Lathom, Ormskirk (? 1620–1680/1), and of his first wife Margaret.

Edmund may have been the son of William Culcheth, a Burscough yeoman (died 1665) and of his wife Ellen.

Origins

The Culshaws were a farming family established by 1678 at Scarisbrick, a township in the south-west Lancashire parish of Ormskirk and situated in the low-lying moss region between Ormskirk and what is now the town of Southport. The township is entirely flat and wind-swept and from earliest times was subject to sometimes catastrophic flooding from Martin Mere on its north-eatern boundary. Among the township’s hamlets were Bescar (a corruption of Birch carr) in the centre, Drummers dale (anciently Drumbles dale) in the east and Aspinwall (sometimes Asmoll) in the south.

Almost the only wooded area of the township lay in the centre, in the park of Scarisbrick hall. Roman catholic worship took place in a chapel at the hall almost continuously from the early seventeenth century. In 1812 an old tithe barn was converted for worship (called St Mary’s from 1821) and was enlarged in 1840.1 The Culshaws of Scarisbrick were recusants throughout this period and discovery of details about their origins is hampered because records of Roman catholic baptisms and marriages at Scarisbrick have survived only from 1773 onwards. It is fortunate for genealogy that Roman catholic burials were permitted only in the Church of England parish churchyard and we thus have the records of such burials in Ormskirk churchyard (and early wills and Scarisbrick estate records) for family reconstruction.2

It seems certain that all branches of the Culshaw family (including the proper variants Kilshaw and Culcheth) derive from Culcheth in the parish of Winwick, Lancashire. Baines recorded that the name was ‘called Kilsha by the common people’.3

Culshaws are found in the Ormskirk parish registers from their commencement in 1557 (Edmund, Gilbert and Robart Kilshaw were all buried there in 1558) and although the entries do not distinguish between the constituent townships of Ormskirk parish until c. 1660, the family seem first to have been settled at Burscough and then also at Lathom.4 The Scarisbrick Culshaws appear to link back first to those of Lathom and probably through them to the many Culshaws of Burscough.5

Roman Catholic recusancy in south-west Lancashire

As the Culshaws were recusants from an early period it should be remembering that this was something very normal in south-west Lancashire, where the allegiance of most landowners to the old faith resulted in wholesale recusancy amongst their tenantry and a wide degree of toleration. The area was ‘a bit off the map, encircled by moorland, peat moss, marsh, sand-dune and mud flat, easily accessible only by a few narrow passages.’ It showed ‘marked social continuity and social harmony … [with] no tradition of feud. 1 Relations between landlord and tenant were exceptionally amicable.’ There was always land to spare and enclosure, when it came, presented few problems.6

The Lancashire recusants ‘practised co-existence with their immediate protestant neighbours. The recusants were ‘a comfortable, well-established body … satisfied with the pattern of their own lives, intent on country concerns.’7 They were always self-confident: a report to London of a disturbance at Ormskirk in November 1745 (when ‘200 of the Roman Catholics near Ormskirk’ assembled there, recruiting for the pretender and proclaiming him king) noted that ‘There are great numbers of them who have in that part always publically professed the Romish religion’.8

Culshaws of Burscough

The will of William Kilshawe of Burscough was made in 1616.9 In 1625/6 Wm Kilshawe of Burscough occurs in the West Derby wapentake court roll.10

Edward Kilshaw, husbandman of Burscough and Margaret his wife were recusants in 1626 and Edmund and Margaret Kilshaw in 1629–30.11 Richard Kilshawe was constable of Burscough in 1639/40.12

Among Burscough recusants in 1641 were ‘William Culcheth, junior and Ellin, his wife’ and Edward and Cicely his wife.13 Edward made his will on 18 December 1641, asking to be buried with his ancestors at Ormskirk:14 an inventory was taken on 22 January 1641/2 and the will proved on 9 February by his widow Cicely: he had a brother Henry and son John.

William Culshey of Burscough, yeoman made his will on 13 June 1665, providing for his ‘now wife’ Elinn and all his children. His wife and Henry Walker were to be executors, while the witnesses were Richard Culshey and Richard Walker. As ‘William Culcheth of Burscough, yeoman’ he was buried in Ormskirk church on 12 July. An inventory in the sum of £97 7s 6d was taken by the witnesses on 25 July and the will proved on 11 December.

Ellen Kellshaw made her non-cupative will on 20 January 1665/6.15 Everything was to go to her sons Richard and Edmund: Henry Kellshaw was to be overseer and Trinity Crookhoe, a Lathom clockmaker, the executor. Ellen was buried in the church on 18 March 1665/6 and her will proved on 22 March.16 Trinity Crookhoe and Edmund Culcheth were ‘poor recusants discharged’ at Lathom in 1679.17

William and Margaret’s son Edmund may have been the ‘Edmund Kilshawe, son of William’ baptised at Ormskirk on 12 February 1619/20.

Another Edmund was a son of Ellen Kellshaw of Burscough, mentioned in her will of 1665/6. A consistory court case of 1671 concerned a slander against Emblin Kelshaw of Burscough and in the same year William Culcheth of Burscough was presented for ‘making several attempts on the chastity of Alice Culcheth of Burscough, as she hath informed one of the wardens’.18

Another Ellen Culshey of Burscough, widow of William made her will on 16 April 1677 and was buried in Ormskirk church on 21 April.19 It was probably Ellen who had two hearths in 1666.20 She had six sons: John (died 1717);21 William; Richard; Henry; Gabriel (perhaps the ‘poor recusant discharged’ in 1679); George; and Thomas; a deceased daughter Ann; and a son-in-law Edward Culshaw.

There were five of the Culshaw family in the Burscough rental of c. 1660; five in the 1663 hearth tax returns for the township (Richard and William Kelshaw, Edmund, James and Thomas Culshaw, all with one hearth); eleven in 1664 (Edward, two Williams, two Richards, Edmund, James and Thomas: one each) and Edward ‘et mater’ and William (two); eight in 1666 (Ellin with two and Edward, Ann, Richard, James and William, all with one); five presented as papists in 1672 (Richard, Alice, Edward and Edmund and Margaret Kilshawe) and ten in the 1677 call book.22 Recusants in 1668/71 were Edward, and Margaret his wife; Ellen; John; William; Ann; Richard; Alice; Ann and Ellen, her daughter; and Alice, wife of Edward.23 Edmund Culshaw of Ormskirk parish and Margaret his wife were recusants in 1665 and Edmund in 1669—70.24 Recusants in 1678 and 1679 included Hector, husbandman; William, husbandman and Katharine; John and John, husbandmen; and Richard, a labourer.25 Recusants discharged c. 1679 included William and Gabriel Culcheth, webster.26

2 In 1682 Burscough recusants included Richard, husbandman; William, webster; Ellen, widow; John; Edward, shoemaker; and Richard; Jane, widow; Hector, husbandman and Ann, his wife.27

Culshaws of Lathom

The first member of the family known to have been at Lathom was Hugh Culshaw (will proved in 1652) and in 1656 Robert Culcheth of Burscough, skinner made a bequest to the daughters of ‘William Culcheth of Lathom, deceased’.28 On 8 May 1662 Richard, son of Edward Culshaw of Lathom was baptised. The hearth tax return of 1664 lists only Henry Kilshawe and 1666 has only William, while a tenants list of 1672+ has Henry Kulshaw and Edmund.29 Willliam Culcheth of Lathom was buried at Ormskirk on 28 February 1673/4 and James Kilshaw of Lathom on 4 May 1677.

Margaret and Edmund Culcheth of Lathom

Before 1667 there were flourishing at Lathom, Edmund and Margaret Culshaw, who had sons William and Edward. It seems likely that the young William may be identified with William Culcheth of Scarisbrick.

‘Margrett, wife of Edmund Culcheth’ was buried at Ormskirk on 26 January 1667/8. Edmund seems then to have married another Margaret (née Draper) but not to have had further children by her.

‘Edmund Kulshaw’ (together with Henry Kulshaw) was a Lathom tenant in 1672+ and ‘Edmund Culcheth, husbandman and Margaret’ were the only family members in the 1678 recusants roll for Lathom.30 Edmund Culcheth of Lathom was a ‘poor recusant discharged’ in c. 1679.31 Neither Edmund, nor any other member of the family occurs in a list of recusants convicted in 1664–1678.32

Edmund Culshaw, linen webster of Lathom drew up his will on 11 January 1680.33 He mentioned sons William and Edward and appointed as executrix his ‘now loving wife Margaret’: John Culshaw was witness. Other than the bequeathing of his entire estate to his wife, Edmund Culshaw’s will provided only for the gift of ‘one litle coufer [chest] with a midfather in’ to his son William and 12d and some earlier advances to his son Edward.

Edmund Culcheth died in 1680/1 at Lathom and was buried at Ormskirk on 24 January.

A long inventory was taken on 2 February by William Prescott, Henry Swift and William Draper, all of Burscough and Henry Draper of Newbrough. This confirms Edmund’s weaver’s trade by listing ‘a spinning wheel in the loft beneath’; linen yarn; sheets and other linen; ‘one couffer and towe [uncleansed flax] in it’ and ‘one paire of loomes reeds warpe [part of a loom] trough [another part of a loom] rings troans pinwheele and other things belonginge to that trade’. As well as the loft beneath there is a loft above, chambers above and below, a buttery and ‘the house’. Furniture includes one feather bed and other bedstocks [frames], a chase bed, a dishboard [dresser] and table and some chairs and cushions. While there is no mention of livestock there is corn, straw, malt, oatmeal, butter, honey, saltflesh and all the usual kitchen equipment, together with pewter worth 3s 4d. Edmund Culcheth died in 1680/1 at Lathom and was buried at Ormskirk on 24 January. Probate was granted on 7 May.

In the first clear link between the Lathom and Scarisbrick Culshaws, Edmund’s second wife Margaret (née Draper) drew up her will at Lathom on 17 July 1686, mentioning her step-sons Edward and ‘William Culshaw of Scarisbrick’, making provision for the maintenance and education of her step-grandaughter Ellen and leaving her ‘gray linsey, woolsey coate’ to provide a ‘suit of cloathes’ for her step-grandson Edmund (who was also to receive the residue of her estate). This young Edmund may have been the son of one of William and Edward’s brothers, already dead by 1680: if he was William’s son he must have died by 1723. ‘William Culshaw of Scarisbrick’ and John Smith of Lathom, webster were to be executors and the witnesses were William Ascowe, Henery Jumpe and Richard ?Jumpe, senior. 34

Margaret Culshaw died on 27 July 1686: as ‘Margaret Culcheth, Lathom’ she was buried at Ormskirk on 28 July. An inventory was appraised on 27 July by Richard Allerton, William and Henry Draper and John Vosse and the will proved on 8 April 1687.35

William and Margaret Culcheth of Scarisbrick

3 The earliest reference connecting the Culshaw family with Scarisbrick is found in the recusant roll of 1641, when James Culcheth of Scarisbrick was a husbandman and servant to Mr Gorsuch.36 A roll of those who owned or tenanted ‘papists’ estates’ throughout England, thought to date from the commonwealth period, includes William Culcheth of Scarisbrick and George Culcheth of Burscough.37 Margrett, wife of Hector Kilshaw of Scarisbrick was buried at Ormskirk on 30 October 1659 and Hector on 28 January 1661/2. The Scarisbrick hearth tax returns of 1664 include Ann Culshaw, assessed for one hearth. No Culshaws occur in the c. 1668/71 roll of Scarisbrick recusants.

We have seen that William Culcheth of Burscough may have been the father of Edmund Culshaw of Lathom and that he in turn was perhaps the father of William Culshaw of Scarisbrick.

William Kelshaw and his wife Margaret were presented as ‘popish recusants’ at Scarisbrick for the first time at Easter 1673.38 Although no Culshaws appear in the 1675 rental, in 1678 the recusants roll for Scarisbrick has ‘William Culcheth, husbandman and Margaret his wife,’ while that for 1682 has William, labourer and Margaret his wife; Katherina, wife of Thomas; Gabriell, webster; George, webster; Elizabeth, wife of Henry, webster; Ann, wife of Hector, yeoman; and Alice, wife of Richard.39 The 1684 rent tally for ‘Biscar Meadow’ lists ‘William Culsheth ... and for Little Poole Heyes’.40 On 16 May 1686 Alice, daughter of William Culcheth of Scarisbrick was baptised at Ormskirk and on 17 July ‘William Culshaw of Scarisbrick’ was appointed one of the executors of the will of Margaret Culshaw of Lathom, whom we take to have been his step-mother.

In 1692 there began the draining of Scarisbrick’s inland sea called Martin Mere. Celia Fiennes wrote in 1698:

not going through Ormskerk I avoided going by the famous Mer call’d Martin Mer that ... has parted many a man and his mare indeed ... some part of that mer one Mr Fleetewood [Thomas Fleetwood, 1661–1717] has been at the expence to draine so as to be able to use the ground for tillage ...41

On 17 June 1693 a lease was granted from the Scarisbrick estate of a messuage at Drummersdale, Scarisbrick (with certain other lands over the Burscough boundary) to ‘William Culcheth’ and Margaret his wife.42 ‘Wm Culshawe of Scarisbrick’ is the only one of the family in the 1705 recusants roll for the whole of Ormskirk parish.43 ‘Margaret Culcheth of Scarisbrick’ was buried at Ormskirk on 9 May 1707.

William Culshaw’s second marriage to Mary

It seems that William Culcheth of Scarisbrick married for a second time after his wife Margaret’s death, for on 10 March 1713/14 there was a lease of a messuage and tenement at Drummersdale, Scarisbrick from Robert Scarisbrick, esq. to William Culcheth of Scarisbrick by the lives of himself, his wife Mary, and William Culcheth his son. The lease was at a rent of £1 10s, with a £20 consideration and speaks of an earlier lease with ‘one life yet in being’ (i.e. that of William, senior). The lease also recites the ‘frequent and many good services done’ by William Culcheth to Robert Scarisbrick ‘and to his ancestors’ and its choice of lives confirms that William’s three younger children were then unborn.44 A further lease recorded in 1717 was of a messuage and tenement of £1 10s to William from Frances Scarisbrick of Scarisbrick, widow.45 It seems that William and Mary Culcheth had two other sons and a daughter between 1713 and 1723.

Other members of the family who were at Scarisbrick in William’s lifetime were Edward Culshaw, perhaps William’s younger brother (daughter Mary baptised at Ormskirk on 24 May 1719); George Culcheth (fl. 1715); Henry Culcheth (whose daughter Elizabeth was baptised at Ormskirk on 23 February 1696/7); Ralph (daughter Mary baptised in 1715); John (born c. 1718); Thomas Culshawe of Scarisbrick (whose wife Mary was buried at Ormskirk on 8 September 1724); Thomas (born c. 1721); and John Culcheth (daughter Katharine baptised at Ormskirk 28 May 1699). It should however be noted that most of these seem to occur also as residents of neighbouring Burscough.46

By his will drawn up on 1 May 1723 William Culcheth ‘of Dromesdale, yeoman’, after providing for an annuity to his (unnamed) wife, left the annual profits from his farm to his three sons and one daughter, the farm to pass to his eldest son William at 21. William, junior was almost certainly William Culshaw of Drummersdale (1710/2–1769) and although the two other sons are unnamed, we shall assume that one was Edmund (c. 1718–1784). The grounds for this assumption are his appropriate year of birth,47 his bearing his grandfather’s Christian name, his being one of the Roman catholic members of the family, and 4 most importantly his association with Drummersdale and with his brother William in a lease of 1737/8 (see below). William Culcheth marked his name: his executors were his neighbour Robert Draper, Robert Barton of Scarisbrick and George Culcheth of Burscough (buried 21 March 1728/9).48 The witnesses were Mr Gorsuch, John Miller and Gilbert Sephton.

William Culcheth, senior died in September 1727 and as ‘William Culshaw’ was buried at Ormskirk on 1 October 1727.

On 6 October 1727 an inventory of William Culcheth’s farm goods at Dromesdale was taken by Edward Spencer, John Barton and Henry Watkinson: the goods were valued at £85. There is no trace now of his father’s linen trade. William was obviously a mixed farmer with his greatest value in milk cows, steers, heifers and horses. His dwelling included ‘the house’, ‘the roome’, ‘the higher end of the house’, ‘the end house’, ‘the roome over the buttery’ and ‘the kitchen’ and contained tables and a cupboard; stools; bedstocks and bedding; a clock and case; brass and pewter; and kitchen goods. The will was proved on 19 October.

William’s widow Mary must have died sometime after May 1723 and was perhaps ‘Widow Culshaw, Scarisbrick’ buried at Ormskirk on 21 August 1728.

William’s heir was almost certainly William Culshaw, yeoman of Drummersdale, who made his will on 4 February 1769, disposing of his Drummersdale leasehold (under the Scarisbrick estate) to his son Henry and making bequests to his sons William and Robert and his young daughters Margaret, Ann, Elizabeth and Alice. The executors were to be his sons Henry and William and Henry, son of Robert Watkinson. The witnesses were Robert Watkinson, John Formby and Sam Whiteley. William was buried at Ormskirk on 28 February and an inventory was made on 2 March 1769.49

William’s eldest son Henry took a new lease of the Drummersdale farm on 7 October 1769, by his life and those of his wife and 10-year-old son William.50

Edmund Culshaw (c. 1718–1784) and Margaret

We have supposed that Edmond Culshaw was born at Scarisbrick in c. 1718, probably one of the two younger sons of William and Mary Culcheth (and that he was baptised there, with Roman catholic rites).

On 9 January 1737/8 Edmund Culshaw witnessed the lease by Robert Scarisbrick of a 14-acre farm (and 2 acres in Doe Hyles, over the adjacent Burscough boundary) to William Culshaw (1710/2–1769), a turner of Drummersdale, Scarisbrick, whom we have taken to be Edmund’s elder brother. The lease, at a rental of £1 10s 2d was by the three lives of William, of Mary his wife and of Henry their son. 51

The farm comprised a (house and) garden, fold, orchard, croft before the house, croft at the back of the barn, hey at the back of the orchard, Higher Hey, the Mack Fannell Hill, Ackers, Gill Lane Hey, Gill Lane, Long Shoot and Brough Henridges: all in Drummersdale. (Robert Scarisbrick’s son William re-registered the same Drummersdale lease in 1740, together with an additional one, ‘part of the demesnes of Scarisbrick Hall’ let to William Culshaw and William Riley for £7).52

Edmond Culshaw probably married his wife Margaret in c. 1744, for their eldest child Mary (calculating from her age at death in 1818) was born c. 1745.

In 1755 there was a disastrous inundation of Martin Mere, which made comprehensive new draining works necessary. In 1756 one Richard Culshaw was an alehousekeeper at Scarisbrick.53

Much detail of farming methods and conditions at Scarisbrick during the period c. 1758–1766 is to be found in the published account book of a local farmer, Richard Latham.54

The ‘Return of Papists’: 1767

In 1767 the House of Lords instituted an enquiry into the numbers of recusants in each parish of England and Wales. The largest and fullest of these ‘returns of papists’ was that for the diocese of Chester and included names, sexes, ages, occupations and length of residence in the parish. The Scarisbrick township 5 return was made on 31 August and listed 247 persons, among whom were the families of William and Edmund Culshaw (sons of William and Mary); of Henry Culshaw (grandson of William and Mary and son of William, junior); and of Thomas Culshaw, who may possibly have been William and Mary’s other son.55

The return shows Edmund Culshaw, a 49-year-old husbandman, living with his only son William (10)[c. 1757–1816] and daughters Margaret (18), Jane (14), Elizabeth (12) and Ellen (3)[c. 1764–1769]. His daughter Embling (20)[c. 1747/9–1828] was a servant two houses away, with a family named Spencer. Edmund’s wife does not appear in the return and was therefore perhaps not a Roman catholic.

Also shown in the return are Edmund’s elder brother William (‘farmer, 55’) and his daughters Margaret, Ann, Elizabeth and Alice. On 21 January 1768 the last surviving roll of ‘papists’ estates’ record William as possessing the messuage and 14 acres in Dromesdale and two acres with three beast gates in Doe Hyles granted for three lives in 1737/8. The rent was still £1 10s, plus 2d in lieu of boons.56 There was a lease to William Culshaw in 1763..

Edmund’s daughters marry

On 5 April 1768 Edmund Culshaw’s daughter Emblin (c. 1747/9–1828) married Edward Howard, later a Scarisbrick tailor: Edward died at Scarisbrick in 1809 and was buried at Ormskirk on 22 January.57 The youngest daughter, Ellen, was buried on 24 November 1769. Margaret married James Whalley, husbandman at Ormskirk on 25 November 1771.58 Mary (c. 1745–1818) (then ‘of Halsall’) married John Bushell, a Scarisbrick husbandman and bachelor by licence on 9 May 1774:59 their son John Bushell was baptised at Scarisbrick Roman catholic chapel in 1783.60 Bushell died on 18 October 1813, bequeathing his estate to his widow Mary, who died at Scarisbrick aged 73 and was buried as a Roman catholic at Ormskirk on 26 May 1818.61 Elizabeth married John Blundell (c. 1744–1816), a Bescar yeoman and bachelor by licence on 12 November 1781.62

In the c. 1770 rental Edmond Culshaw is shown paying 16s rent for each of three pieces of land in Biscar Meadows. Edmund was the tenant of Biscar House and of the adjacent building called the Shop, at a rent of £37, under John Charnock of Drummersdale House: in 1776 Charnock bequeathed him the tenancy for a further 11 years in his will.63 By 1779 the Scarisbrick rental shows Edmund paying hay grass rent of £3 for 3 roods of Biscarr Meadows: in 1780 he paid £2 15s 6d for 3 roods, with similar payments in 1783 and 1784.

Others in the family with dues in the 1765–1776 rentals were William (c. 1710/2–1769, land in Bescar Meadow), his son Henry (1735–1791) and Thomas (1720/1–1804, Wood Moss), possibly William’s brother.64 Freeholders at Scarisbrick in 1776 included Thomas and Henry Culshay, yeomen.65

Edmund Culshaw’s will and the death of his wife Margaret

Edmond Culshaw (as a yeoman of Scarisbrick) made his will when ‘aged and infirme’ on 27 June 1782, marking his name and leaving his estate to his wife Margaret for her lifetime. After this his clock was to go to their son William; the feather bed, with bolsters, a green quilt and a blanket to their daughter Jane Culshaw; and his wife’s bonnet, red cloak and linen and woolen bedgown to their daughter Emblin Howard. The remaining estate was to be divided in equal parts among the six children (William; Mary, wife of John Bushell; Emblin, wife of Edward Howard; Margaret, wife of James Whaley; Jane Culshaw; and Elizabeth, wife of John Blundell. Emblin’s portion was not to be controlled by her husband. The executors were to be Edmond’s son-in-law John Blundell of Bescar and Richard Blundell of Halsall, yeomen, while the witnesses were Thomas Ashhurst, William Blundell and John Eccles.

Edmond’s wife Margaret Culshaw died within a few days of the will being made and was buried at Ormskirk on 6 July 1782.

Edmond himself died in 1784: he was buried at Ormskirk on 1 August: the estate was sworn ‘above £100 and under £300’ and the will proved on 19 August.66

Marriage of William Culshaw and Eleanor Spencer

It was probably Edmond’s only son William (1757–1816) who married Eleanor Spencer in Roman catholic 6 rites at Scarisbrick on 14 October 1781, with Henry Dobson and William Culshaw as witnesses. This marriage was then validated at Halsall parish church on 15 October in compliance with the 1754 marriage act: banns were called beforehand (for William, of Ormskirk and Eleanor, of Halsall) and the witnesses were John Blundell and William Culshaw. The bridegroom signed, while the bride marked.

Eleanor Spencer was born at Lathom in c. 1758, second of the many children of Edward Spencer, a Lathom husbandman and his wife Ann. The family were all recusants and appear in the 1767 return of papists for Lathom township. Eleanor’s brother John was born 6 October 1760 and baptised at Ormskirk Roman catholic chapel on 16 October, with Hugh Spencer and Margaret Wilson as sponsors.67

William and Eleanor Culshaw had eight children, of whom the eldest was Edmund, born and baptised at Scarisbrick Roman catholic chapel on 3 February 1782 (sponsored by William Culshaw and Dorothy Spencer).68 The other children were: Ann (born 19, baptised 22 August 1784, sponsors Mary Spencer, John Bushell); Margaret (1786); Thomas (6 and 10 May 1789); Mary (25 and 31 August 1794); William (23 and 26 February 1797); Eleanor/?Helen (26 and 27 November 1798) and Eleanor (1802).69

Which William?

There is great difficulty in distinguishing William (‘of Bescar’, the husband of Eleanor) from other Culshaws named William, also living in Scarisbrick at this time. One of these was an older William (born c. 1739), shown in the 1767 returns as husband of Margaret and probably a son of Edmond’s elder brother William and thus a first cousin to William 0f Bescar. A second was William of Drummersdale (c. 1760– 1808), husband of Elizabeth: he was a grandson of Edmund’s brother William and a son of Henry Culshaw and thus a second cousin to William of Bescar.

The chief sources for distinguishing the various Culshaw families in Scarisbrick in this period are the 1767 returns of papists, the land tax returns from 1781 and a complete census of the inhabitants of Scarisbrick, taken in 1798.

In 1767 there were William (55, farmer [died 1769]), father of Margaret, Ann, Elizabeth and Alice; William (10) [later ‘of Bescar’], son of Edmund (49, husbandman) and brother to Margaret, Jane, Elizabeth and Ellen; and William (6) [later ‘of Drummersdale’], son of Henry (husbandman) and Elizabeth and brother to Evan, John and Mary. There was also William (28, husbandman), husband of Margaret.

The land tax assessments, beginning in 1781, list three Scarisbrick Culshaws: Henry, Thomas and John (all subject to a double charge as tenants of ‘Romanists’).70 Edmond Culshaw never appears and nor for the first three years does his son William [‘of Bescar’].71

The Scarisbrick census of 1798

A complete census of households in the township of Scarisbrick survives for May 1798, naming the heads and giving the numbers of males and females in each family: this lists eight Culshaw families: those of three Williams; two Johns; and those of Edward; James; and Thomas.72 Two of the Williams were certainly William of Bescar and William of Drummersdale.

Of the others, two were brothers of William of Drummersdale: John of Dig Lake (c. 1766–1837); and Edward of Moss Lane (12, 13 February 1773–1846); and perhaps Edmund Culshaw’s brother Thomas (c. 1721–1804) and his son James (died 1844) and another John (died 1805?).

William Culshaw of Bescar

From 1785 onwards came a further draining of Marton Mere.73

Edward Howard (son-in-law of Edmund and Margaret Culshaw and a Scarisbrick tailor) died in 1809 and by his will made bequests to his widow Emblin; to his sons Edmund, Thomas, Edward, William and Robert; daughters Isabella Halsall, Ellin Fairhurst, Emblin Holloway, Margaret Fazakerley; and brother- in-law William Culshaw.

7 From 1785 the land tax returns give more information about the holdings of William Culshaw of Bescar. It is usually possible to distinguish William from the son of his cousin Henry (William of Drummersdale), but not from his older cousin William (also of Drummersdale, born c. 1739).74

William Culshaw, son of Henry, appears in the land tax returns from 1785–c. 1808: this was probably William (of Scarisbrick), who was buried at Ormskirk on 17 February 1808. In 1788 new entries appear in the returns under the name of William Culshaw, occupier of three single assessment properties owned by Hesketh (3s 3d); John Blundell (£1); and Watkinson (£1 5s 5d). By 1792, in addition to Watkinson’s land (now £1 17s 2d), William held three pieces under Blundell (£1 1s 4d; 3s 2d––‛Moss’ from 1798; and 4s 9d––‛Greenings’ from 1798). The 1798 land tax returns show William paying £1 17s 4d for Watkinson’s land and 3s 3d, 4s 10½d and £1 1s 6¼d for Moss, Greenings and Blundell’s other land.75 [William re- appears amongst the hay grass rents in 1789 with one acre at £3 0s 11d].76

By 1800 the land tax returns distinguish between William Culshaw, senior (12s 4d) and William, junior (£1 1s 6d). This may be compared with ‘Taxes in Scarisbrick: 1809–10’ which makes no distinction between William, senior and junior and shows payments of £1 1s 6d and of 3s 3d; 3s 3d; 2s 5d and 1s 7d for Moss; Greenings; Great Cliff; and ‘Robert Barton’s Wholesome Moss’.77

Rack and lease rent lists from 1800 show only John and Thomas Culshaw and ‛Henry Culshaw, deceased’: 1801 has ‛Henry (now William’). New entries in 1805 were William Culshaw for Sandy Brow (£19 19s 10¾d) and William for ‛pt John Blundells; Charnocks Moss, late Blundell’ (£1 7s 4d). The 1807 list (for the year to 1808) has ‛the executors of Wm Culshaw deceased for his tenement pt Burscough 11 Nov. 1807 —13 Feb. 1808, out of lease’ and ‛William Culshaw for part of Midge Hall’.78

After William Culshaw’s death in 1808, his holdings passed to his widow Betty, who died at Scarisbrick and was buried as a Roman catholic at Ormskirk on 20 June 1838, aged 78. The 1808 lease rent list has: Elizabeth Culshaw, widow for late William, deceased’ and William Culshaw for Great Cliff (£20).79

In 1810 ‘William Culshaw’ was paying 17s 5d in land tax for his main holding, plus 1s 7d for his ‘part of Midge Hall’; 2s 5d for Mr Scarisbrick’s ‘Big Cliff’; and a further 1s 7d for ‘Thomas Spencer’s part of Blundells’. The 1810 rental has four entries for William, who was paying £20 for ‘great Cliff, part of Bonds late Browns’; £1 4s 4d for ‘part of John Blundells’ and 3s for ‘Charnockes Moss, late John Blundell’; for ‘another part of Biscarr Grass’; and 2s for ‘part Midge Hall’.80

Edmund Culshaw and Catherine Massam

It may have been Edmund, junior who was among seven Culshaws confirmed at St Ann’s, Ormskirk in 1803.81

Edmund Culshaw, junior married Catherine Masom/Massam with Roman catholic rites at Scarisbrick on 24 August 1806 (with Margaret Culshaw and William Oliverson as witnesses) and the marriage was validated after banns next day at Ormskirk parish church.82

Edmund and Catherine, who do not appear in any of the Scarisbrick rentals or tax assessments, had two children. These were Eleanor (born 1 July 1807 and baptised 5 July at Scarisbrick, with Henry Massam and Margaret Culshaw as sponsors) and Joseph (born and baptised at Scarisbrick on 3 September 1809, with Alice and Thomas Rothram as sponsors).

Edmund’s sister Ann married William Ol[i]verson, husbandman at Scarisbrick Roman catholic chapel on 3 July 1806, with William and Margaret Culshaw as sponsors and by licence at Ormskirk on 4 July.83 They had children Joseph Oliverson (3 and 5 October 1806, Scarisbrick: sponsors Margaret Culshaw and Thomas Oliverson) and Eleanor (12 and 14 October 1808, Scarisbrick: sponsors Edward Culshaw and Mary Oliverson).

Edmund and Catherine Culshaw were sponsors of a Scarisbrick baptism in 1808 and Edmund was a witness at the Ormskirk weddings of James and Ralph Culshaw (21 August 1809 and 9 August 1812).

Edmund Culshaw’s early death

8 Edmund Culshaw died in 1811 aged 29 and was buried as a Roman catholic in Ormskirk churchyard on 19 May.

Deaths of Eleanor and William Culshaw

William Culshaw’s wife Eleanor died in 1814 and was buried as a Roman catholic at Ormskirk churchyard on 21 August.

William Culshaw made his will on 7 January 1816, appointing his brother-in-law Thomas Spencer and his friend William Halsall (both of Scarisbrick) executors and making cash bequests of £40 each to William and Mary ‘to make them equal with what I have already given my other children’. £100 was to be paid to his grandchildren Joseph and Eleanor Culshaw on the decease of their mother, with the annual interest going to Catherine ‘provided she remain a chaste widow unmarried’: if she were to remarry she was to receive only 1s. The other grandchildren Joseph and Eleanor Oliverson were to receive the interest on £100 until Eleanor was 16.

There was to be an immediate sale of all his household and farming stock and all his tenements were to be let: ‘the Midge Hall Moss’ to his son Thomas for five years at £7 per annum; and ‘the tenement where I now live, with the Wood Moss called Spencers and the new moss part of Midge Hall Estate’ to his son William and daughter Mary Culshaw for five years at £44 per annum.84 After the five years all his leaseholds were to be given to Thomas, William and Mary and the remainder of the estate was to be divided in five parts between these three, with two of the parts between the four grandchildren. 85

William, senior died on 14 January 1816 and was buried as a Roman catholic at Ormskirk on 17 January. The estate was sworn ‛above £800 and under £1000’ and the will was proved on 1 June 1816. The bequests and annuities accounted for £557 and duty of £5 11s 5d was paid.86

William Culshaw’s holdings at his death

The 1817 rental lists three of William Culshaw’s holdings thus: ‘William Culshaw decd for Charnocks Moss late John Blundells’; ‘Do. for part of Midge Hall’; and William Culshaw’s reps for Marshalls late John Blundells’.87 ‘Charnocks Moss’ was probably the holding listed in the 1768 rental as: ‘Spencer John now John Blundell jnr for Charnocks Moss late Spencers’.88

The 1815 land tax assessment shows William paying 14s 7d for ‘himself’ and 1s 7d for ‘Midge Moss’ (total 16s 3d). By 1819 (after his death), this becomes ‘William Culshaw, himself: 14s 7d’; ‘Do. Spencers 1s 7d’; ‘Do. Midge Moss (Thos Culshaw): 1s 7d; (total 17s 10d).89

The position at Scarisbrick after William Culshaw’s death may therefore be summarised as follows: his son William and daughter Mary (who married Robert Halsall, a Drummersdale blacksmith, 1816>)90 held Spencers and a part of Midge Hall estate at £44 per annum; his son Thomas held Midge Hall Moss at £7 per annum for a similar period; and his widowed daughter-in-law Catherine had the interest on £100 to provide for her two small children Eleanor and Joseph.

The 1819 land tax assessments show Thomas paying 1s 7d for Midge Moss and William paying 14s 7d and a further 1s 7d for ‘Spencers’. By 1822 both brothers seem to have increased their holdings substantially. Thomas’ lands [?not rack rents] include Midge Moss (still assessed at 1s 7d), while William’s (all racks) include ‘part of Blundells’ and ‘Spencers’ (both owned by Mr Scarisbrick), but these are now assessed at 11s 4d and 2s 5d respectively. Thomas held, in addition, Wm Ryley’s: 6s 6d; Moss Heys: 1s 2d; Mothers Hey: 2s 0d; Hunters Biscar Moss: 2s 10d; Har Moss: 1s 7d. William held, in addition, Cliffs: 9s 9d; part of Hunters: 8s 1d; Hunters Moss Heys: 2s 5d; Chapel Ground: 12s 2d (all owned by Mr Scarisbrick).

The 1820 rental shows amongst the rack rents: John Occleshaw paying £115 for ‘late Wm Culshaw’; Edward Culshaw for ‘part Aspinalls and part of Blundells’, £60; and Wm Culshaw for ‘part of Marshalls, late John Blundells’, £66; Emblin Howard for a cottage and garden. Lease rents were paid by Elizabeth Culshaw (£5 for New House); Wm Culshaw, deceased (for Charnock’s Moss and 2s for part of Midge Hall); and Emblin Howard for Pool Heys.

In 1821 there was due the sale by which Thomas, William and Mary and the four grandchildren benefited 9 in one fifth shares.

Death of Catherine Culshaw

Edmund Culshaw’s widow Catherine died at Scarisbrick aged 41 on 23 December 1828 and was buried as a Roman catholic at Ormskirk on 26 December.91

Catherine was survived by her daughter Eleanor, now aged 21 and her son Joseph, aged 19. Each now became entitled to the £100 left them in trust by their grandfather William Culshaw.

Marriage of Joseph Culshaw and Ruth Hartley

In 1829, when Joseph was just 20, his future wife Ruth Hartley (then 16) had an illegitimate son Thomas Hartley, who was baptised at Ormskirk on 6 December. On 5 March 1832 Joseph (now 22) was granted a licence to marry Ruth Hartley (by now 19): the marriage took place at Ormskirk the following day.92

The children of Joseph and Ruth Culshaw

A daughter Catherine was born to Joseph and Ruth Culshaw on 10 January 1833 and baptised with Roman catholic rites at St Mary’s, Scarisbrick on 13 January, with John Dobson and Maria Forshaw as sponsors: the St Anne’s, Ormskirk register also records the baptism.93 A second daughter Mary was born and baptised at Scarisbrick on 3 November 1834, with William Culshaw as a sponsor:94 This first Mary probably died soon afterwards.95 A son Edmund (‘Ned’?) was born in early 1837 and another daughter Eleanor in 1840: she was baptised at Ormskirk parish church on 9 August, her father being a ‘shoemaker’. There followed: William (born 24 May 1843); Mary (c. 1846); Anne (September quarter 1848); Sarah (c. 1851); John (born 15 July 1853); and Joseph (born 25 September 1856).96

Tinkers Hill (1841)

By the time of the 1841 census of Ormskirk the family, including Thomas Hartley, were living at Tinkers Hill, where Joseph was a shoemaker.97 Large scale plans of 1846, 1850 and 185198 show that Tinkers Hill was the name then given to the eastward extension of Moor Street End, as far as its junction with Tinkers Hill Lane (now Tower Hill): the remaining distance east to the Lathom boundary was Dickenson Street. There were dwellings on both sides of the road at its junction with Moor Street End and then only three groups of dwellings further east, all on the northern side.99

At Tinkers Hill the family were living in a healthy area on the edge of the country, but living conditions in the centre of the town (especially in Moor Street and the whole length of Aughton Street to the southern town boundary) had become notoriously overcrowded and insanitary by 1850. Many Irish had long been seasonal visitors at harvest-time and Irish navvies were employed until 1849, building the Liverpool to Ormskirk railway. In the spring of 1847, after the potato famine there was a huge influx of Irish into the small town, many already sick with fever.

Within weeks typhus was rife, to be succeeded by cholera in 1849. The death rate rose to 46.1 per thousand, far higher than in the worst parts of London. An inspection (leading in 1850 to the establishment of a Local Board of Health) revealed a lack of any proper sewerage system. The town boasted no bath and only five water closets and many new dwellings erected in yards behind the main streets quickly became filthy hovels. Raw sewage ran in open gullies in all the streets and into the Mere Brook along the southern boundary of the town. In Moor Street the flow was interrupted when the railway was cut across it and the sewage thereafter flowed down the embankment onto the track below. There were few private drains in Moor Street ‘and the surface of the footwalks and streets are contaminated with all sorts of liquid abominations flowing from surcharged cesspools and middens’. It was however emphasised in 1850 that ‘proper sanitary works and regulations are alone required to render Ormskirk and the neighbourhood extremely healthy’!100

Moor Street End (1851) and 24 Wigan Road (1861–1883)

Careful comparison of the annual lists of inhabitants with the census returns of 1841 and onwards make it clear that Joseph Culshaw’s family were living from at least 1841 on the eastern edge of Ormskirk, 10 although the manor court rolls do not show Joseph as an official ‘inhabitant’ until 1846, when he appears in the Moor Street quarter. Enumerated in 1841 at Tinkers Hill, by 1851 the family were at ‘Moor Street End’ (later known as Wigan Road).101

At the census of 1851 Ruth Culshaw was working as a silk warper and all the children except the 21-year- old Thomas and 14-year-old Edmund were with their parents. (Edmund was by then a farm servant at Drummersdale, Scarisbrick and Thomas Hartley a farm labourer for his father’s aunt Mary Culshaw at Bescar).102 The immediate neighbours were Robert Rothwell, plasterer and John Woosey, agricultural labourer. Close by was William Gould Tilsley (master rope maker), who testified to the Board of Health enquiry in 1849 that he ‘supplied above 100 families from his own pump’.103 It is interesting that in 1851 there were 120 boot and shoemakers and their apprentices in Ormskirk, although only eight occur in the classified list of occupations in the 1854 directory.

Joseph Culshaw occurs in surviving lists of inhabitants of Moor Street for 1853, 1855 and 1856.104 By 1853 the eastern section of Moor Street had become known as ‘Wigan Road’, as it was in the census return of 1861.105 Ruth Culshaw was by now a silk hand-loom weaver, William a rope-maker, Ann a housekeeper and Sarah (10) a nurse, no doubt to her small brothers. Catherine, Eleanor and Mary had now left. The neighbours in 1861 were Robert Rothwell (plasterer), [Joseph Culshaw], John Parkinson (engine tester to wood turner), William Tilsley [rope-maker], Samuel Ashcroft (rope-maker), John Crompton (dresser of hemp) and Edward Woods (ropemaker).

By 1871 the Wigan Road houses had been numbered: the Culshaw family were at 24. With Joseph and Ruth were Sarah (a charwoman), John (apprentice joiner [at Burscough]), Joseph (apprentice grocer) and a year-old baby Alice Ann Culshaw. William and Ann had left. Next door was James Rothwell (roper) at 22 and Edward Woods (now an engine stoker) at 26. At 28 was Henry Jones, a twine manufacturer (who had probably replaced William Tilsley) and at 30 the Guernsey-born Samuel Ashcroft (now a twine spinner).106

The location of 24 Wigan Road can be established by comparing the census returns of 1871–1891 with the electoral register of 1889–1891 (the first to list voters by street in house order) and then identified on the available large-scale maps.107 If we assume that today’s Eldon Place occupies the site of Eldon House at 28 Wigan Road and that the present Ropers Arms is on the site of Tilsley’s (later Jones’) ropery, then the Culshaws probably lived two doors west of Eldon House in the direction of Mill Street and today’s Windmill Inn.108 By 1871 Joseph and Ruth’s daughter Mary was a servant at Bescar Lane, Scarisbrick: she later became the housekeeper to three Roman catholic priests at St Peter’s, Seel Street, Liverpool.

By 1881 ten court dwellings had been built at 6 Wigan Road, with number 22 next in enumeration. The Culshaws remained at 24, with James Houghton (a carter) at 22 and Samuel Ashcroft (in 1881 a twine spinner and flaxmill worker) at 26.109 Only Sarah Culshaw (30), a nurse, was left with her parents, now 71 and 69.110

Deaths of Joseph and Ruth Culshaw

Joseph Culshaw died of chronic bronchitis at 24 Wigan Road on 28 May 1883 aged 74. The death was registered by [his son] William Culshaw, who also certified Joseph’s burial as a Roman catholic in Ormskirk churchyard on 30 May.111

Joseph Culshaw’s widow, Ruth

Joseph’s widow Ruth moved to Hoscar Moss where by 1891 she was a ‘retired midwife’ living at Bleak Hall Lane (next to Bleak Hall farm) with her daughter Sarah and son-in-law Robert Bamber and her 10-year- old granddaughter Martha Guy Culshaw.112

According to her granddaughter Ruth Clerc, Ruth Culshaw broke her leg at 85: she died of ‘senile decay and diarrhoea, five days’ at Hoscar Moss, Lathom on 21 September 1898, aged 86. Her death was announced in the Ormskirk press and registered by her son-in-law Robert Bamber: her burial as a Roman catholic in Ormskirk churchyard was certified under the act and took place on 24 September.113

The sons and daughters of Joseph and Ruth Culshaw and their descendants 11 Although Joseph and Ruth Culshaw (and their daughter Mary) were to live and die as Roman catholics, the evidence suggests that all their other sons and daughters (except perhaps Thomas Hartley) converted to Methodism. ‘Brought up as strict Roman catholics’, the sons in particular were said later to have been numbered among ‘remarkable conversions’ to Methodism: an open-air evangelistic meeting in Ormskirk in 1863 is sometimes quoted.114

An astonishing attachment to Methodism can be traced, with a son, a grandson and two great-grandsons serving as ministers and other descendants as local preachers.115

From the time of Joseph and Ruth Culshaw, the main descent explored by this work is that passing through their second-youngest son John and his wife Sarah Ashcroft. It may be helpful however to consider their older children first.

Thomas Hartley and Elizabeth Howard

We have seen that Ruth Culshaw’s illegitimate son Thomas Hartley was brought up by Joseph and Ruth. By 1851 Thomas was working as a farm labourer for his aunt Mary Culshaw at Bescar. On 15 May 1858 Thomas Hartley (‘of Scarisbrick, son of Ruth Hartley’) married Elizabeth Howard at Scarisbrick R.C. chapel: Edmund Culshaw of Burscough (probably his brother) was a witness.116

Thomas and Elizabeth’s eldest child Stephen was born on 6 July1858 and baptised that day at Scarisbrick. In 1861 Thomas was an engine driver living with Elizabeth at Southport Road, Scarisbrick. Three children were born there: Joseph (23 March 1863, baptised 29 March); Elizabeth (c. 1869); and Thomas (16 March 1872, baptised 24 March). Thomas Hartley died on 24 December 1876 and was buried at St Mary’s, Scarisbrick.

In 1881 Thomas’ widow Elizabeth was a charwoman at Southport Road with Stephen (22, a stoker), Joseph (15, wheelwright’s apprentice), Elizabeth (12) and Thomas (9). In 1891 the family were at Cottage Lane, Aughton where Stephen was a ‛stationary engine driver’ (probably at the Ormskirk waterworks on the Aughton/Burscough boundary). On 18 June 1895 Stephen (‘de Aughton’) married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Spencer at St Anne’s R.C. Church, Ormskirk and by 1901 he was a stationary engine driver living at the waterworks in Halsall Lane with Margaret and two children Thomas Joseph (4) and Elizabeth Margaret (3). Also with them were Stephen’s mother Elizabeth (68). Elizabeth Hartley died in Ormskirk in March quarter 1911. Stephen and his family were still at the waterworks at that year’s census, with two further children Eleanor (8) and Stephen (7).

Catherine Culshaw and James Rothwell

Joseph and Ruth’s eldest daughter Catherine married James Rothwell, blacksmith by registrar’s certficate at Ormskirk on 8 October 1855, with James Rothwell and James Dixon as witnesses.

James and Catherine’s first child James was born in June quarter 1858 at Hammerwich, near Lichfield, Staffordshire. A daughter Sarah was born at Hammerwich in June quarter 1858. By 1861 James (27) was a blacksmith living at Vulcan Cottages, Top Row, Newton-le-Willows, Lancashire with Catherine (28) and Sarah (1). Four more children were born at Newton (Joseph c. 1862), Henry (c. 1864), James (c. 1866) and Catherine (c. 1868). John was born in Birkenhead district in June quarter 1870 and in 1871 the family were at 61 Patten Street, Birkenhead. They then moved to Liverpool where Annie (June quarter 1874) and Eleanor (March quarter 1877) were born.

James Rothwell senior had died in Liverpool in September quarter 1879 and in 1881 his widow Catherine (48) was keeping a sweet shop at 33 Aberdeen Street, Toxteth Park, living there with Sarah, Joseph, Henry, Annie and Eleanor. James junior had married and was living at 8 Robert Street, Barton-on-Irwell.

By 1891 Catherine Rothwell was at 33 Lord Street, Stockport with Sarah (31, a grocer); Henry (27, a joiner); Annie (16, a machinist) and Eleanor (14, a scholar).117 In 1901 Catherine was still at Lord Street with Sarah (41), a grocer’s shop keeper. Catherine died at Stockport on 15 February 1906, aged 73.118

Edmund Culshaw and Anne [?Beech] and Jane Monk 12 Joseph and Ruth’s son Edmund Culshaw married Cheshire-born Anne and in 1871 was an engine-driver (34) living at 337 Vauxhall Road, Liverpool with Anne and their infant son Joseph; another daughter Annie (1872–1951) was born there in September quarter 1872.119 Ann[ie] probably died at Liverpool in December quarter 1885. In 1885 Edmund was an engine driver at 24 Murat Street, Waterloo. On 19 January 1887, as a widower and labourer Edmund married Jane Monk at Ormskirk Wesleyan church with John and Sarah Culshaw as witnesses. In 1888 Edmund was an engine driver at 1 Green Lane, Seaforth and in 1889 at both 85 Phythian Street, Low Hill, E and 5 Kilshaw Street, E. He is shown as an engine driver at Kilshaw Street in 1889, 1890 and 1892, although the 1891 census shows him as an engineer fitter (51), on the south side of Wigan Road, Ormskirk with Jane and their children Maggie (1888–1950) and Joseph (1890–1960).120 They had two further daughters born in Liverpool: Eleanor (December quarter 1894–1945) and Eva (June quarter 1898–1918).121 Edmund appears as an engine driver at 24 Horsley Street in 1897 and 1898. Edmund Culshaw, dairyman was at 103/105 Hall Lane, West Derby in 1901. He died in that year and was buried at Kirkdale Cemetery on 12 March.122

Later in 1901 Edmund’s widow Jane was a 45-year-old confectioner at 103/5 Hall Lane, with Annie (28), Margaret (13), Joseph (10) and Eva (3). In 1909 Gore’s Liverpool directory shows Mrs Jane Culshaw as a milk dealer at 103/5 Hall Lane. In 1911 Jane (now 58) was at 49 Stuart Road, Walton with Joseph (21, a railway clerk); Eleanor (15); Eva (13) and another child Reginald Culshaw (9). Born at Coppenhall, near Nantwich on 22 October 1901, Reginald was a son of Ann Culshaw, no doubt Jane’s eldest daughter. Jane died in Wirral district, Cheshire in May 1935, aged 79 and was buried at Kirkdale with her husband and their daughter Eva..

Eleanor Culshaw and James Rothwell

Born in 1840 Joseph and Ruth’s daughter Eleanor Culshaw married James Rothwell, a rope-maker at Ormskirk in September quarter 1858. It is curious that she married someone with exactly the same name as the husband of her elder sister Catherine.

By 1861 ‛Ellen’ Rothwell, 20, a silk handloom weaver was living with James (27, ‛rope-maker’) at ‛a beerhouse, Wigan Road’, with their first children Thomas (2) and William (3 months). Further children John (c. 1864), Joseph (c. 1866), Jane (June quarter 1868) and Robert (June quarter 1871) were born at Ormskirk, but the next three: Sarah (December quarter 1873); Arthur (September quarter 1878); and Ruth (June quarter 1881) were born at Stockport and at the 1881 census James and Eleanor and their family were at 11 New Zealand Road, Stockport: James was a rope and twine spinner, William a cotton piecer, John a grocer’s assistant and Joseph an apprentice joiner. In that year James and Eleanor’s son Thomas was living at Lathom with his mother’s brother John Culshaw.

In 1891 James and Eleanor, with Thomas (joiner), William (cotton spinner), Jane (dress maker), Robert (draper’s assistant), Sarah (milliner’s assistant), Arthur (12), Ruth (10) and Percy Culshaw Rothwell (7, born June quarter 1884) were at 21 New Zealand Road.

In 1901 James (69, now ‛grocer and c.’) and Eleanor were at 24 Adswood Lane West, Stockport with five single sons and daughters: Thomas (40, foreman carpenter and joiner); William (38, cotton spinner); Jane (33, milliner and dressmaker); Ruth (20, felt hat trimmer); and Percy (17, carpenter and joiner).

In 1911 James (78, rope and twine spinner, retired) and Eleanor (70) were at 203 Shaw Heath, Stockport, with Thomas (52, carpenter and joiner); William (50, ‛oper rotten spiner’ [?operative cotton spinner]); and Ruth (30, felt hat trimmer). Married for 53 years, nine of James and Eleanor’s eleven children were living: the house had 5 rooms. James died at 203 Shaw Heath on 11 February 1913 and Eleanor at 305 Shaw Heath on 10 March 1921, both aged 80.123

William Culshaw and Elizabeth Walker and Catherine Brideson

Joseph and Ruth’s son William Culshaw worked as a roper all his life. Brought up as a Roman catholic he was ‛soundly converted’ to Methodism at a revival meeting in 1863. On 30 July 1870 William married Elizabeth Walker at Ormskirk Methodist church. In 1871 he was a ropemaker and Methodist local preacher, living with Elizabeth at Dyers Lane, Bickerstaffe. By 1875 the family were at Mill Street, Ormskirk. In 1881 William was a roper at 27 Mill Street with Elizabeth and their children (all baptised at 13 Ormskirk Wesleyan church) Joseph (1871—1915 (born Bickerstaffe 16 July 1871); Hannah Walker Culshaw (1873—1961) (20 December 1873); twins John (1875—1911) and Mary (1875–1946) (22 January 1875); Ruth Hartley Culshaw (1877—1957) (24 October 1877).124 William was present at his father’s death in 1883.

William’s first wife Elizabeth died giving birth to another daughter Elizabeth (8 May 1884—1949). In December 1884 William married Catherine Brideson. He had a vote in 1885 in respect of his Mill Street cottage. In 1891 he is found there with Catherine, sons Joseph (19, a printer) and John (10) and daughters Ruth (15), Mary (16, recte 10) and Elizabeth (6). By 1901 William was a twine spinner, living with Catherine and Elizabeth at 5 Sunnyfields, Wigan Road, Ormskirk.125 In 1911 William was a ‛foreman at ropeworks’ living in the 5-room house at Sunnyfields with Catherine, Ruth (a domestic servant) and a Bethesda-born grandson William Hughes Culshaw (10, born March quarter 1901).

William was said in 1910 to have ‘long been one of our most vigorous and acceptable [Methodist] local preachers’. The Methodist Recorder spoke of ‘the remarkable conversions’ of William and ‘others of his family’, who had been brought up as strict Roman catholics. By 1928 he had been a local preacher for over 60 years and was described as ‛the doyen of local preachers in the Ormskirk circuit’.126 Between 1901 and 1904 subscriptions of 1 guinea each were paid to the Methodist Historic Fund in the names of William and Catherine Culshaw (and of Hannah Walker Culshaw and Elizabeth), all of 5 Sunny Field, Ormskirk.127

William’s wife Catherine died in Ormskirk on 12 October 1917 and William on 4 December 1928.128 William’s will was proved at Liverpool on 4 January 1929 in the sum of £380 by his daughters Ruth and Elizabeth.

Mary Culshaw

By 1871 Joseph and Ruth’s daughter Mary Culshaw was a servant at Bescar Lane, Scarisbrick: by 1881 she had become housekeeper to three Roman catholic priests at St Peter’s, Seel Street, Liverpool. By 1911 Mary (now retired and ‛independent’) was living at 33 Lord Street, Stockport with her provision dealer niece Sarah Rothwell. Mary died on 1 September 1923, aged 77 and was buried in her parents’ grave at Ormskirk.

Ann Culshaw and Thomas Hall

It was perhaps Joseph and Ruth Culshaw’s daughter Ann who in 1871 was a housemaid at 6 Beach Lawn, Great Crosby.129 In June quarter 1875 Ann Culshaw married Thomas Hall in West Derby district. At the 1881 census on 3/4 April Thomas was a carrier and furniture remover living at 25 East Street, Crosby with Ann and their Waterloo-born children Elizabeth Culshaw Hall (4, June quarter 1876), Ann (3) and Joseph Culshaw Hall (1, December quarter 1879). Also in the house as a visitor was a 20-year-old music teacher Elizabeth Birtwistle, who was perhaps Elizabeth Ann Birtwistle, fiancée of Ann Hall’s brother Joseph Culshaw who had drowned in South Africa two months before.130 In 1891 the Hall family were at 28 Mount Pleasant, Waterloo: Ann junior was absent, but there were four more children: Thomas (9, December 1881), George (7) Frederick (5) and Harold (10 months, September quarter 1890). In 1901 Thomas and Ann’s sons Joseph, Harold and Cecil were living in another household at Oscroft, Tarvin, Cheshire. By 1909 Thomas Hall was a house furnisher at 39/41 South Road, Waterloo.131 In 1911 Thomas was a house furnisher living in a 10-room house at 26 Oxford Road, Waterloo, with his wife Anne and four of their children (Elizabeth (34), George (27), Harold (20) and Cecil (17, June quarter 1902); George was ‛bookkeeper for house furnisher’ and Harold and Cecil joiner and upholsterer ‛for house furnisher’, respectively. Of Thomas and Annie’s nine children, seven were living.132

Annie Hall died in West Derby district in March quarter 1912, aged 64. Her husband Thomas Hall ‛furniture remover’ died aged 60 on 27 March 1914: his will was proved on 1 May (in the sum of £8142) at Liverpool by Joseph Culshaw Hall, house furnisher.133

Sarah Culshaw and Robert Bamber

In March quarter 1889 Joseph and Ruth Culshaw’s daughter Sarah (37) of Hoscar Moss married Robert Bamber, a widower, at Ormskirk Wesleyan Church: the witnesses were Joseph and William Culshaw. According to Sarah’s niece Ruth Clerc, Bamber was ‘Lord Derby’s gamekeeper’. Sarah and Robert’s first 14 daughter Ruth Culshaw Bamber (1889—1970) was born in Liverpool on 30 November 1889. The family were living at Hoscar Moss in 1891 and a second daughter Margaret was born in Liverpool c. 1894.134

Robert Bamber died in Liverpool infirmary on 25 January 1910 and in 1911 his widow Sarah was living at 73 Orrell Lane, Burscough with Ruth Culshaw Bamber (21, ‛science student’) and Margaret (17). Sarah Bamber died at Orrell Lane on 13 July 1923: her will was proved in London in the sum of £1514 on 3 November by Ruth Culshaw Bisbee and Margaret Merritt. Sarah and Robert Bamber and Ruth Bisbee were all buried at St John’s, Burscough Bridge, Ormskirk.

Joseph Culshaw

Joseph and Ruth’s youngest child Joseph converted to Methodism like his brothers William and John. He was recommended for ministerial training in May 1877, accepted at the Conference at Bristol in July and ‘sent to South Africa, where he was accidentally drowned after a brief ministry of four years’. Joseph spent two years at Kimberley, where he contracted a fever: in 1881 he was sent to convalesce as an assistant at Kroonstad. On a monthly visit to Heilbron he was drowned on 8 February while attempting to cross the swollen Rhenester river. He was buried at Heilbron. 135

John Culshaw and Sarah Ashcroft

Two years older than Joseph junior, Joseph and Ruth Culshaw’s son John (born in 1853) married Sarah Ashcroft at Ormskirk Wesleyan chapel on 2 August 1877, six months before the opening of the new Emmanuel Methodist Chapel in Derby Street.136 Their daughters Annie Eleanor (‘Ella’) and Martha Guy (‘Pat’) were born at ‘Ormskirk’ on 14 July 1878 and 31 August 1880 (and baptised at Ormskirk Methodist Church on 16 July 1878 in private, and on 10 September 1880).137 At the census of 1881 John (a joiner), with Sarah and the two children was living at Mill Lane, Lathom: also with them in 1881 was Thomas Rothwell, son of John’s sister Eleanor.138 Then came a move to Burscough Street, Ormskirk, where Ernest Heilbron Culshaw was born on 23 October 1882 (baptised 5 November).139 By 1883 the family were at Southport Road, Ormskirk: Sarah’s mother Martha Ashcroft died there on 7 October 1883. John was probably the ‛Mr John Culshaw’, one of the ‛members of the Wesleyan choir’ paid expenses for the chapel outing to Blackpool on 30 June 1884.140 By 1885 one John Culshaw had a vote as occupier of a ‘cottage, Southport Road’.141 John and Sarah’s fourth child Mary Frances (‘Fan’) was born at Southport Road on 18 March 1885: she was baptised at Ormskirk Wesleyan Church on 3 May. The 1886 electoral register shows the family at ‘Cottage 3, court 1, Southport Road’.142

By 1887 the family had moved to Waterloo, in Great Crosby. John appears in the directory of that year as a joiner and builder at 3a and 5 Mount Pleasant (on its west side, close to the junction with South Road). These premises were no doubt a house and shop.143 The directories of 1888–1891 show John simply at No. 5, but in that year (while retaining a shop) the family moved further along Mount Pleasant to No. 27. Here they are found in the 1891 census [John, joiner (37); Sarah (37); Annie Eleanor, scholar (12); Ernest Heilbron, scholar (8); Mary Frances, scholar (6); and the youngest child Ruth Lilian [‘Lil’], born at Waterloo two months earlier.144 The directories of 1892–1894 continue to show them at 27 Mount Pleasant, with additional premises at 3a and 5 (1892); 1b and 3a (1893); 5 (1894). In 1894 John is listed as a ‘joiner and undertaker’ and No. 5 was also a Temperance House.

By 1895 the family had moved one block nearer the shore, to 12 Albert Road, while retaining 5 Mount Pleasant. In 1896 they are shown at 10 Brunswick Parade (between Great George’s Road and The Mews) with shop premises on the opposite side of Mount Pleasant, at 2 and 2a (between South Road and Cross Street).145

Another set of directories show that by 1892, John’s shop was at 3a, while 5 had become a Temperance Mission House; that by 1893 his shop was at 1b; and that from 1893 (rather than 1896) the shop had moved to No. 2, which in 1896 John was sharing with John Molyneux, a shop-keeper.146

John is not found in directories for 1897–1898. By 1899 he was a joiner at 7 Chelsea Road, Walton, moving in 1900 to 58 Cedar Road: he was a joiner and carpenter here in 1901, with Edmund Whalley, haycutter and Samuel Wright, building contractor as neighbours.147 Here the family remained until they moved by 1903 to 14 St John’s Avenue.

15 Between 1901 and 1904 subscriptions of 1 guinea each were paid to the Methodist Historic Fund in the names of John and Sarah Culshaw and three of their children, Ernest, Fanny and Lily.148

Mary Frances trained as a nurse and was in training at Baguley Sanatorium, Manchester from September 1903 to September 1905, going on to a post at Fazakerley Hospital, Liverpool.

From 1905–1909 John Culshaw and his family lived at 24 Haddon Avenue.149 From here Mary Frances was married on 18 September 1906 at Warbreck Moor Wesleyan Methodist Chapel to Albert Edward Molyneux. Mary Frances Molyneux and her husband Albert emigrated to Australia in 1909, arriving in Sydney on 13 December 1909 [see ‘Molyneux of Upholland and Aintree’]: they were to return to Liverpool permanently in 1922.

In 1910 John and Sarah Culshaw moved to 42 Rawcliffe Road, Walton: here they are found in the 1911 census returns in a 4-room house. John was a joiner working in ‘oil mills’: of the couple’s six children, five were alive. On 30 May 1913 their youngest daughter Ruth Lilian (a 22-year-old domestic servant) sailed from Liverpool for Quebec aboard the ‘Empress of Britain’, arriving on 6 June, now a ‘waitress’ and bound for a visit to her stonemason brother in Montreal.

From 1913–1923 John Culshaw is shown in the directories at 14 Ashdale Road. From 1924–1928 he was at 39 Chapel Avenue.150 On 31 July 1930 John Culshaw (now 77) sailed from Liverpool for New York on the White Star liner ‘Britannic’ to visit his son in the U.S.A.

John Culshaw ‘beloved and loving husband of Sarah’ died of ‘senilis’ on 7 May 1934 ‘at the residence of his son-in-law [J. Bagnall], 16 Whitchurch Road, Withington, Manchester’. The burial took place at Kirkdale Cemetery, Longmoor Lane, Aintree at 2.30 pm on Friday 11 May, after a 2.00 p.m. service at Brook Road Methodist Church, Rice Lane, Walton. Enquiries were to be addressed to Sans Souci, 19 Lower Lane, Fazakerley.151

Sarah Culshaw (‘late of Aintree’) died at 19 Lower Lane on 29 March 1935 and was buried at Kirkdale on 1 April.152

John and Sarah Culshaw’s eldest child Annie Eleanor and Leonard Blundell

John and Sarah’s daughter Annie Eleanor (Ella) married Leonard Blundell in December quarter 1902. Their children were Thomas Leonard Blundell (22 February 1904–1988) and Edna Mary (March quarter 1909). In 1911 the family were living at 42 Rawcliffe Road, Walton: Len was a ‛foreman’. Tom married Eveline Adams (1901—1991) in June quarter 1931 and Edna married Joseph Humphreys in June quarter 1933.153 Tom died at Birkenhead in March quarter 1988 and Evelyn at Wallasey in March 1991.

Emigration of John and Sarah’s son Ernest

Ernest Heilbron Culshaw (born 1882) was at school until the age of 12. He married Annie Cole at West Derby in June quarter 1909. The couple emigrated to Canada the following year, arriving at Quebec on board the ‘Dominion’ from Liverpool. Ernest began work as a stonemason, while his wife soon made a visit home, arriving alone at Liverpool on the ‘Dominion’ on 30 November 1910. Ernest and Annie’s first child Ernest was born in Montreal on 30 June 1914 and was baptised on 22 July at Delorimer Methodist Church.

On 14 November 1914 Anne and her baby son (accompanied by Ernest Cole, a grocer’s assistant and probably her brother) arrived in Liverpool on the ‘Hesperian’ from Montreal on a further visit. Annie and her young son Ernest returned to Quebec from Liverpool on the ‘Scandinavian’ on 10 May 1915.

On 25 August 1916 Annie Culshaw arrived in Liverpool from Montreal aboard the ‘Corsican’ (with ‘Annie Culshaw’ (sic), aged 2). They returned to Quebec on 2 November 1916. Ernest and Annie’s daughter Marion was born in Canada on 24 May 1918. By 1919 the family were living at 106 Glenora Avenue, Ottawa.154 A letter from ‘Ernest H. Culshaw’ of Ottawa appeared in 1919 in the Stonecutters’ Journal.155 On 4 October 1919 Annie and her children Ernest and Marion arrived at Liverpool from Montreal on the ‘Metagama’. On 10 October 1920 Annie and her two children arrived at Quebec from Liverpool: their mother reported that they had left ‘to visit relations’ and that the children were now returning to their 16 father, citing Ottawa as their permanent home. In 1922 Ernest Culshaw was listed in Detroit as a member of the Stonecutters’ Association of North America.156

In April 1923 Annie Culshaw and her two children crossed from Canada to the U.S.A.: their last residence had been 128 Cadillac Street, Montreal and their final destination Amherst, Ohio. In October 1923 Annie’s husband Ernest made the crossing. He said his last residence had been Windsor, Ontario; his wife was Annie, of Cadillac Street, Montreal; his final destination was Cleveland, Ohio; and his occupation was ‘stone cutter’.

A further crossing was on 8 September at Niagara Falls when Annie was travelling from the Waverley Hotel, Toronto to Killbuck, Holmes County, Ohio to join her husband Ernest, whose address was Box 22, Killbuck. At the federal census of 1930 Annie Culshaw (a proprietor of rooming houses) was living in Killbuck village with her children (16 and 12).157

Ernest Heilbron Culshaw applied for U.S.A. naturalisation at Holmes county in 1931 and his wife Annie in 1935. By 1940 they were living at 2654 Humboldt Street, Wayne Co., Detroit, where Ernest was a salesman for Goodwill Industries (a business similar to Remploy in UK. Ernest died in Detroit on 11 November 1949. Annie Culshaw made a second marriage to Walter Jerrett. Annie died in Detroit on 10 February 1955 and her husband Walter in February 1968.

Ernest Heilbron’s son Ernest married Leona Carpenter/Leona P. Leadbetter. The couple were living in Killbuck viillage in 1940 (where ‘Ernie’ was a gas company labourer and Leona a telephone operator: with them was their first child Ruth Ann (born 15 August 1938). A son James Ernest Culshaw was born on 23 June 1941 at Killbuck. Leona P. Culshaw died in September 1997 at Westerville hospital, Franklin county, Ohio. Ernest (formerly a ‘railroad brake, signal and switch operator’) died as an 84-year-old widower at Westerville on 14 November 1998.158

Ernest Heilbron’s daughter Marion died as a hospital receptionist and divorced woman at Columbus, Franklin, Ohio on 1 May 1989.

Ruth Lilian Culshaw and Frank Squires and Frederick Clerc

We have seen that John and Sarah Culshaw’s youngest child Ruth Lilian (Lil) visited her brother in Montreal in 1913.

Still a ‘waitress’ she returned to her parents’ house in Ashdale Road on 17 July 1915 and later that quarter married a Canadian soldier Francis W. Squires in West Derby district. Tragically, Frank was killed near Ypres in 1916. Ruth subsequently married Frederick W. Clerc at West Derby in September quarter 1923: their sons Donald W. and [John] Malcolm were born in June quarter 1924 (Wirral) and September quarter 1926 (West Derby).

Meanwhile at Scarisbrick …

In 1831, immediately before the marriage of Joseph Culshaw and Ruth Hartley, among the seven Culshaws in the land tax return for Scarisbrick were Joseph’s uncles Thomas and William, the surviving sons of William and Eleanor Culshaw (their eldest son, Joseph’s father Edmund having predeceased them in 1811). Both Thomas and William farmed at Bescar, Scarisbrick, as their father had before them. Thomas’ lands were largely north and east of the road through Bescar and Drummersdale: many of William’s were on the south side, part of the demesne meadow of Scarisbrick Hall.

By 1835 all the Culshaw holdings in the rack rental list were ‛on the north side [of the canal]’: William was paying £134 for The Cliffs, pt of Scarisbrick Hall demesne, pt of John Blundell’s and Hunter’s Cliff; Edward paid £64 for Aspinwalls’, pt of Blundell’s and Sutches’ Mere Heys; Thomas paid £38 for ‛late Ryley’s, Browns’, Brandearths and Moss Lands.159

Thomas and Ann Culshaw

Thomas Culshaw (1788–1862) married Ann Burtenshaw (1787–1872) at St Mary’s, Scarisbrick in 17 1808.160 They had children William (1812–1856); Margaret (1815); Thomas (1817–1897); Margaret (1820); Eleanor (1822–1893); Edward (1824–1898); and Ann (1830).

In 1839 Thomas was holding 32 acres (shown as 37 acres in 1851 and 30 in 1861) of which Broad Earth, Crofts, Higher Moss and his house, garden and yard were at Bescar. He held in addition Moss Hey, Biscar Moss, Cut Bridge Fields, Holt Hey and Wood.

Together with Mrs Mary Culshaw of Drummersdale, Mr Thomas Culshaw of Narrow Moss, Mrs Culshaw, Aspinwall Lane and Mrs Culshaw, Jacksons Common; Mr Thomas Culshaw of Bescar was among those from Scarisbrick making contributions to the enlargement of Ormskirk churchyard in 1861.161

Thomas and Ann’s son William (1812–1856) married Eleanor, daughter of Thomas Spencer (1771–1843) at St Peter’s, Liverpool on 6 August 1833.162 Eleanor was William’s second cousin, their fathers Thomas Culshaw and Thomas Spencer being first cousins. William and Eleanor had children Mary (1835) and Eleanor (1838) and farmed in his turn at Bescar. William was buried in St Mary’s chapelyard, Scarisbrick in October 1856, one of the first interments to be permitted there. In 1861 it was probably his widow Ellen (51) who was a cottager at Bescar with her daughter Ellen (23).163 Ellen senior was buried at Scarisbrick on 18 December 1875: Ellen, junior then moved from Bescar.

Thomas Culshaw died in January 1862 and was buried at Scarisbrick on 20 January. By his will he left his £1500 estate to his sons Thomas (‘of Liverpool, shopman’) and Edward (a Scarisbrick farmer), to his wife Ann and to his daughters Eleanor and Margaret. On 28 April 1864 The Ormskirk Advertiser announced a sale of household furniture and effects at ‘Mr Thomas Culshaw’s, Yew Tree House, Scarisbrick’.164 In 1868 the Local Board agreed to acquire land at the back of Yew Tree Farm, Narrow Moss for sewage purposes.165

Thomas Culshaw’s widow Ann was buried on 6 September 1872. Thomas, junior died on 13 December 1897 at Clevedon Street, Toxteth Park; The Ormskirk Chronicle announced the birth of a son to Edward Culshaw of Bescar in 1876. Edward died at Scarisbrick in June quarter (?22 Mar.) 1898, aged 74 and his widow Alice in 1914.

William and Mary Culshaw

William Culshaw (1797–1843) married Mary Howard (1797/1801–1890), from Woodborough, Nottinghamshire in c. 1818. They had children Ann Gilbert (1819); John (1821–1894, buried at Scarisbrick); Eleanor (1823–1849, buried at Scarisbrick); Margaret (1829–1901, buried at Scarisbrick); +Amelia (1831–1914); Frances (1834–1911, buried at Scarisbrick); Martha Pye (1836); Mary (1838–1864, buried at Scarisbrick); Teresa Bryers (1840–1926); and Elizabeth (1842–1916).

In 1839 William’s land amounted to 88 acres (shown as 93 in 1851 and 42 in 1861).166 He seems to have lived next door to the Chapel House in Bescar Lane. In the demesne meadow William Culshaw held Gray Field, Barn Field, Croft, his farmhouse, the 6 acre arable Cliff and the 14 acre arable Cliffs. North of the road were Peaze Acre meadow, Little Meadow, a house, cottage and garden. Further north lay Wood Mosses (arable and pasture), Moss Heyes pasture and Two Acre meadow.

William Culshaw, farmer of Scarisbrick died on 4 March 1843 (aged 46) and was buried as a Roman catholic at Ormskirk on 7 March.167 William’s death resulted in a coroner’s inquest, for which only the accounts survive.168 His widow Mary was granted administration of the estate on 21 August and continued to farm their land until her death in 1890.

In 1851 Mary Culshaw also had as a farm servant, in addition to her son and daughters, Thomas Hartley, illegitimate son of her husband’s nephew Joseph Culshaw. In 1861 ‘Mrs Mary Culshaw, Drummersdale’ was a subscriber to the enlargement of Ormskirk churchyard.169

On 18 August 1864 the Ormskirk Advertiser announced the death on 4 August, aged 29 of Mary, ‘daughter of the late Mr William Culshaw of Bescar’: Mary was buried at Scarisbrick. On 25 December 1864 there died Thomas Tumm (70) ‘for the last 44 years farm servant to Mrs Mary Culshaw, Bescar’.170

18 In 1869 Mary’s daughter Teresa married Joseph Bryers of Ormskirk at Bescar. He died in February 1877 and was buried at St Ann’s, Ormskirk. In 1881 Teresa was a 39–year old widow and wine and spirit dealer at Wigan Road, Ormskirk with her daughters and sister Frances, 44. Teresa was a wine and spirit dealer at Moor Street in 1891 and was living on her ‘own means’ at 46 Derby Street in 1901.171 She died on 22 March 1926 (86) and her daughter Lucy on 25 January 1951 (76).

At the 1871 census Mary was 70, living with John (50); Margaret; Amelia (39); Frances (37, a schoolmistress); Martha (33) and Elizabeth (29).172 On 16/23 April 1874 Martha, called by the Ormskirk Advertiser ‘daughter of the late Mr William Culshaw of Bescar’ was married at St Mary’s, Scarisbrick to Edward Pye, a Crosby corn-merchant.

At the 1881 census Mary Culshaw was still farming 80 acres at Bescar, with her unmarried son John (then 60) and unmarried daughters Margaret (52); Amelia (50); and Elizabeth (40). Mary Culshaw died on 9 January 1890, aged 89.173 By her will Mary left her farming business to John, Margaret, Amelia, Frances (a schoolmistress) and Elizabeth.

In 1891 John was a retired farmer, living with his four surviving single sisters Margaret, Amelia, Frances and Elizabeth.174 John died on 8 Oct. 1894 and was buried at Scarisbrick. In 1901 the four sisters were at Bescar (next to the almshouses).175 Margaret died at Bescar on 9 May 1901, aged 73 and was buried at Scarisbrick. The others all died at Cliff Villa, Bescar: Frances on 4 September 1911 (78), buried at Scarisbrick; Amelia on 20 December 1914 (84); and Elizabeth on 3 January 1916 (72). All of them left their effects and the value of their estates to daughters of their sister Teresa Bryers. © T.M. Steel

COPY DOCUMENTS IN AUTHOR’S COLLECTION 1841 census: Jos. Culshaw & fam., Moor St End, Ormskirk 1851 census: do 1861 census: do, Wigan Rd, Ormskirk 1871 census: do, 24 Wigan Rd, Ormskirk 1881 census: do 1881 census: Lathom (Ruth Culshaw) Tithe map, ‘1846?’ (T.N.A., IR 30/18/232) Plan of township attached to Board of Health Report, 6 chains to 1", 1850 (L.A., LSR/PO2), as reproduced in: A. Coney (ed.), R. Rawlinson, The Ormskirk Board of Health Report, 1850 (Preston, 1991), facing p. 46 Wills: Wm Culshey, Burs., 1665; Edmund Culshawe, La., 1681; Wm Culcheth, Drummersdale, 1727; Edmund Culshaw, Scar., 1784; Wm Culshaw, Scar., 1816; Jn Charnock, 1776; Jn Culshaw, 1805 Birth Certs: Jn Culshaw, 1853; Mary F. Culshaw, 1885 Death Certs: Ruth Culshaw, 1898; Jos. Culshaw, 1883; Jn Culshaw, 1934 Bap. Cert: Mary F. Culshaw, 1885 M. Lic. Papers: Bushell/Culshaw, 1774; Blundell/Culshaw, 1781; Culshaw/Hartley, 1832 Photos of Scarisbrick farmhouses from Celia Hawthorne: a. Edwd Culshaw’s Moss Farm (front & side) b. Culshaw’s Farm (back entrance, 50 yds from St Eliz’s RC Ch, Bescar Lane & shippons & stables @ do. & front view ‛to be demolished next year’ (c. 1989) c. Cliffs Barn, Bescar & Cliffe Farmhouse Photo of Jn & Sarah Culshaw’s Golden Wedding, Aug. 1927 (inc. 4 daus Ella, Pat, Fan, Lil & spouses Len ?Blundell, JW Bagnall, A.E. Molyneux & Fred. Clerc) Letter of Sarah Culshaw, 1935 Photo of MF Culshaw as nurse, Fazakerley: c. 1903? Land Tax, Scarisbrick: 1781, 1795, 1810, 1822, 1831 Scarisbrick census, 1798 Gore’s Dir (1892): Mount Pleasant, Waterloo Town Plan showing Mount Pleasant Culshaw will abstracts 1616—1727 Maps of Scarisbrick worked on by CH (‛1840—1844’ & modern) + sheet 83, OS, mid-19C + CH’s sketch plan of Bescar & Drummersdale 19 CRS 6/MISC V, pp. 124—5 (Burscough convicted recusants, Chas II) Notes on layout of certain houses in Moor St & Aughton St, 19C* Photos of St Anne’s, Orm & Emmanuel Meth Ch, Orm* Photos from Jn Cockerton’s colln* (Jn & Sarah Culshaw; Jane Culshaw (gm of JC); headstone of Edmund & Jane C, Kirkdale

20 1 A new church (called St Elizabeth’s) was to be built on the old site 1889 2 Burs. were forbidden at this time at any location other than the parish churchyard 3 C.W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English & Welsh Surnames (London, 1901), p. 223; E. Baines (revised J. Croston), History of the Co. Palatine & Duchy of Lancaster (Manchester, 1888), II, p. 218 4 Scarisbrick, Lathom & Burscough were all townships in Ormskirk parish; Ann & Ellen Culshaw were presented as recusants in Ormskirk in 1662, while Thos Kilshawe & w. were quakers; in 1669 Richd, Ellen & Edmund Culshaw were recusants: Univ. of York, Borthwick Institute [hereafter Borthwick], V [metropolitan visitation] 1662—1663 & 1669, CBs [court books] 5 For christenings, marriages & burials [hereafter cmbs] Ormskirk to 1678: J. Arrowsmith (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish Church of Ormskirk, 1557–1626’, Lancs Parish Register Soc. [hereafter L.P.R.S.], 13, (1902); T. Williams (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish Church of Ormskirk, II, 1626–1678’, L.P.R.S., 98 (1960) 6 J. Bossy, The English Catholic Community, 1570—1850 (London, 1975) 7 F.O. Walker, ‘Historical geography of S.W. Lancs’, Chetham Soc., Remains Historical & Literary connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster & Chester [hereafter C.S.], n.s. 103 (1939) 8 The National Archives [hereafter T.N.A.], SP 23/36/75 (ff. 91--94) 9 (n.d.): he mentioned a brother Hector; inv. & will proved 2 May 1717. For S. Lancs wills, invs & admons (Chester consistory) to 1858: Lancs Archives [formerly Lancs Record Office, hereafter L.A.], WCW/[name]/ [place]/[year] 10 T.N.A., DL 30/520/16–20 [W. Derby wapentake court roll, 1625/6] 11 Manchester Record Office [hereafter M.R.O.], L1 [papers of Dr Wm Farrer]/50 [abstracts & transcripts of docs/9 [Lancs refs in abstracts & transcripts of public records]/4 (list of recusants in W. Derby hundred) (copy at St Helens Lib., M/J/14); Borthwick, V [metropolitan visitation] 1629–1630, CB [court book] 12 Constable 1639 13 There are 3 surviving lists of recusants for 1641: T.N.A., E 377/49; W.E. Gregson (ed.), ‘Recusant roll for W.Derby hundred, 1641’, Transactions of the Historic Soc. of Lancs & Cheshire [hereafter T.H.S.L.C.], n.s. 14 (1855), pp. 235, 238; & a list of those fined at the Ormskirk quarter sessions given without ref. by E.J. Rosbottom, Burscough, the Story of an Agricultural Village (Preston, 1978), p. 60. Rosbottom noted that Burscough accounted for 52 recusants (more than 5% of the W. Derby hundred total) 14 Bur. not in parish register 15 An oral will made before 3 wits 16 Will abstract*: wits were Trinity Crookoe & Henry Curden: inv. 19 Mar. by Hugh Smith, Thos Mason, Wm Forshaw & Jn Mullinex 17 L.A., QSP/509/34 18 Cheshire Record Office [hereafter C.R.O.], EDC 5/1671/24 & EDV 1/39 19 Will abstract*: wits were Henry Swift & Richd Walker: inv. (£39) of Elin Culshew 21 Apr. by Swift, Walker, Henry Orme & Richd Gill 20 The most detailed hearth tax returns for W. Derby hundred (in descending order of usefulness) are: 1664 (T.N.A., E 179/250/11, part 5); 1673 (/132/355); 1663 (/250/8, part 5), 1666 (/250/9) & 1662 (/250/6); two others relate to changes only: 1671 (/250/13) & 1672 (/132/356); 1662 returns do not include Scarisbrick 21 Jn Culcheth, Burscough, yeo: will 15 Feb. 1716, proved 23 May 1717 22 L.A., DDK/1541/13 [c. 1660]; T.N.A., E 179/250/8/v, /11/v & /9 23 C.R.O., EDV 1/39 (1671, correction book) 24 C.R.O., EDV 1/34 & Borthwick, V 1669—70, CB 25 N. Gardner (ed.), ‘Lancs Quarter Sessions Records: Register of Recusants, 1678’, North-West Catholic History Soc. (Wigan, 1998), p.63; ‘1679’ (Wigan, 1999), p. 43 26 L.A., QSP/509/30 27 N. Gardner (ed.), ‘Lancs Quarter Sessions Records: Register of Recusants, 1682’, North-West Catholic History Soc. (Wigan, 1999), p. 89, 90–91, 238–239 28 Will abstract* 29 Tenants’ list, 1672+ 30 Gardner, ‘Recusants, 1678’, p. 132 31 L.A., QSP/509/34 32 British Lib. [hereafter B.L.], Add. Ms. 20739 (‘A list of convicted recusants in the reign of Chas II’), see Miscellanea V, Catholic Record Soc. [hereafter C.R.S.], 6 (1909), pp. 103–106* 33 Edmund marked his name: wits were Richd x Leyland, Jn Culshaw & Henry Draper 34 The testator marked. She also provided for her eldest bro. Henry Draper & nephews Jn & Wm Draper. One Rbt Draper (d. by 1727) was named 1723 as neighbour & exec. of Wm Culshaw, Drummersdale (d. 1727) 35 Will abstract* 36 T.N.A., E 377/49 37 B.L., Add. Ms. 22656 38 C.R.O., EDV 1/42 39 L.A., DDSc/25/40 (‘rents, boons & services due’); Gardner, ‘Recusants, 1678’, p. 74; ‘1682’, pp. 74, 196 40 L.A., DDSc/25/42 (‘the farmers in Biscar Meadow’) 41 C. Morris (ed.), The Illustrated Journeys of Celia Fiennes, c. 1682–c. 1712 (London, 1984), p. 161 42 L.A., DDSc/27/64 43 A.J. Mitchinson, The Return of the Papists for the Diocese of Chester, 1705 (Wigan, 1986), p. 14 44 L.A., DDSc/27/153; R. Sharpe France (ed.), ‘The Registers of Estates of Lancs Papists, 1717–1788, I’, R.S.L.C. 98 (1945), p. 76; E.E. Estcourt & J.O. Payne (eds.) English catholic non-jurors of 1715 (London, 1885), p. 108 45 ‘Papists’ Estates’, R.S.L.C., 98, p. 96; 1714 lease registered again 1719: L.A., QDP/1/7 46 A R.C. enrolled will was that of Henry Culshaw made 3 Apr. 1761 & enrolled 20 Jul. 2 Geo. III: his only relative mentioned was a sister, Mgt Oram: L.A., …/Geo. III/roll2/f. 62 47 Although Jn Culshaw [c. 1718–?] or Thos [c. 1721–?] would qualify equally 48 In 1717 Geo. held a messuage in Burscough under Lord Derby, by the lives of himself & his late w. Jane: his s. Jn Kilshaw’s life had been added 49 No appraisers named 50 L.A., DDSc/27/292 51 L.A., DDSc/27/223; QDP 1/11; in 1738 Rbt Scarisbrick also let parts of Bescar Meadow to Jn Culshaw (½acre at 24s); Edwd (2½acres); & Wm & Eliz. (½acre each at £1) 52 L.A., QDP 1/9 53 L.A., QSB/3/92 (1756) 54 L. Weatherill (ed.), ‘The Account Book of Richd Latham’, Records of Social & Economic History (Oxford, 1990). 55 E.S. Worrall (ed.), ‘Returns of Papists, 1767, Diocese of Chester’, C.R.S., occasional paper 1 (1980), pp. 27, 29 56 L.A., QDP/1/11 57 Both marked: their first child Edmund was bap. Ormskirk 1 Mar. 1772, followed by sons Rbt, Thos, Edwd & Wm (bapt. there 4 Jan. 1791) & 4 daus, who by 1809 were Isabella Halsall, Ellen Fairhurst, Emblin Holloway & Mgt Fazakerley. Howard (a tailor) made his will 29 Dec. 1806, with his w. & bro.-in-law Wm Culshaw as execs. The children were all to receive £20 on d. or m. of his w. Will proved 22 Jun. 1809 (under £100). For estate duty: IR 26/308 58 She marked 59 Application 29 May; Jn Barton, carpenter was bondsman & a wit. to the m.. 60 L.A., RCSk/1 61 For Bushell’s estate duty (1815): T.N.A., IR 26/633, f. 567 62 Application 11 Nov; Blundell signed; Jas Whalley, husbandman was a bondsman & Wm Culshaw a wit. to the m. 63 Many years earlier ‛Wm Culshaw’ was executor for Jn Charnock, who made his will 2 Apr 1733 (enrolled as R.C. will 29 Apr 7 Geo.) 64 L.A., DDSc/25/61 (1765—1776); /64 (1779); /65 (1779—1780); /66 (1780—1786); /61 65 L.A., QDF/2/6 66 No inv. 67 L.A., DDX/241/26 (register transcript) 68 L.A., RCSk/1 69 Helena, dau. of Wm & Helena Culshaw was b. 6 Jun. & bap. 8 Jun. 1802 70 Henry, with the largest Culshaw holding, was a s. of Wm Culshaw of Drummersdale & nephew of Edmd. In 1781 he was paying £1 3s 4d. By 1785 his £1 3s 4d land was occupied by Wm Culshaw: in 1788 & 1789 the occupier is shown as Henry’s ‘son’. Henry Culshaw of Scarisbrick was bur. Ormskirk 5 Jul. 1791 & from 1792– 1798 his land, with a lower assessment of 15s 10d is shown as owned by ‘Henry Culshaw’s heirs’ & occupied by Wm Culshaw. The 1809 Scarisbrick rental is marked ‘Henry Culshaw deceased’ & 1810 has ‘William Culshaw decd late Henry Culshaw’: this was Wm Culshaw (c. 1759–1808), s. of Henry. Wm of Burscough d. 1808 & was bur. Ormskirk 22 Dec: his gravestone survives in the churchyard. Thos Culshaw (c. 1720/1–1804) may possibly have been Henry’s uncle and a bro. of Edmd. According to 1767 return, Thos & his w. Eliz. had lived Scarisbrick since c. 1747. Their children were Catherine (c. 1757) (perhaps m. Richd Sumner); Eliz. (c. 1757/1760) (m. Thos Dobson, 1785); Jas (c. 1762–1831) (perhaps m. Eliz. Bullen 1785); Margt (c. 1765) (perhaps m. Evan Culshaw [c. 1763–1834, bur. Ormskirk as a R.C. 22 Jan. 1834, aged 70] 1787); & Jn (bap. St Anne’s R.C. chapel, Ormskirk 1767). [It was probably Jn who d. Scarisbrick 1805]. In 1781 Thos Culshaw was paying 11s 8d & 4s 8d for a cottage. In addition Eccleston (later named Scarisbrick) the chief land-owner, paid 4s 8d for ‘Thomas Culshaw’s fields’. Of Thos Culshaw’s ? (1721–1804) holdings his 4s 8d cottage was occupied by his son [?Jn] by 1788–1794. By 1798 Jas Culshaw had the larger of Thos’ holdings, while the cottage was occupied by his ‘father’. The 1800 land tax has Jas (but father?). Thos Culshaw d. Scarisbrick 1804 & was bur. Ormskirk 13 Nov. It is not possible to distinguish between a number of Jn Culshaws in Scarisbrick at that time, although a 1758 lease associates Jn Culshaw of Aughton (b. c. 1718) with Thos (above). We have seen that it was probably Thos’ younger s. Jn who d. Scarisbrick 1805 & was bur. Ormskirk 16 Apr. [Jn Culshaw fl. Aughton 1767, b. c. 1718/19, moved to Aughton c. 1747, fl. there 1758; fl. 1776; probably unm. 1767]. There were leases to Henry Culshaw 1742 & 1769 (L.A., DDSc/27/233 & 292) 71 L.A., QDL/[year]WD/73; 1781*, 1795*, 1810*, 1822*, 1831* 72 L.A., DDSc/26/46*: 514 males & 565 females 73 For a detailed description of these works & of Thos Eccleston’s ‘spirited improvements in agriculture & the breeding of stock’: J. Aikin, A Description of the Country from 30–40 miles round Manchester (London, 1798), p. 317–325 74 For Wm Culcheth’s holding of Maid’s Hills, Scholes Meadow & Gorsy Hill: A.J. Gritt & J.M. Virgoe (eds), ‘The Memoranda Books of Basil Thos Eccleston, 1757–1789’, R.S.L.C., 139 (2004), p. 110 75 T.N.A., IR 23/40 (f. 613v, land tax, Lancs, Ormskirk div., Scarisbrick township); they also show various payments by Jn (for himself & Evan) & Jas (himself & ‛father’): f. 611v 76 DDSc/25/68 (1789 rental) 77 L.A., DDSc/26/47 78 L.A., DDSc/122/17/1–8 79 L.A., DDSc/122/17/9 80 L.A., DDSc/25/85 [/84—99 are rentals 1809—1820: none in this series 1799—1808, but see DDSc/122] 81 L.A., RCAu/3 82 L.A., RC Sk/1; at Ormskirk Catherine marked & Thos Plumbe & Jn Hankin were wits 83 Lic. 28 Jun; bondsmen Oliverson & Jn Hankin, yeoman. Wm’s father Jos. Oliverson d. 1820: his will was proved Dec. 84 Wm, junr was only 19 in 1816, although Mary was 22 85 Wm marked: wits Jas Dobson & Richd Heyes 86 For legacy duty: T.N.A., IR 26/670/505* (& R.A. 106, 1818) 87 L.A., DDSc/25/ 84–99 (1809–1820) 88 L.A., DDSc 25/61 89 L.A., QDL/year/WD/73 90 Perhaps Rbt Halsall & Mary Halsall, both Wigan, m. there 6 Oct. 1817 91 L.A., RCSk/3 [deaths] 92 Wits Jas Culshaw & Geo. Wignall [?the clerk]; both parties marked, although Jos. signed bond 93 Scarisbrick R.C. chapel was converted from a tithe barn 1812 & called St Mary’s from 1821: for a photograph, M. Duggan, History of Scarisbrick (Preston, 1996), p. 48; L.A., DDX 241/26 (St Anne’s register transcript) 94 B./bap. registered Ormskirk 6 Nov. 95 Probably Mary Culshaw (R.C.), bur. Ormskirk (6), 3 Mar. 1841 96 The baps of Edmund & of the last 6 children do not appear either in the R.C. Records at Scarisbrick or in the Church of England records at Ormskirk 97 T.N.A., HO 107/515/9/5/14/21* (Census records 1841 are cited with 6 elements: class [HO 107]/piece/book/enumeration district/folio/page). At Tinkers Hill 1841 the only 2 families enumerated were those of Jos. Culshaw & of Henry Culshaw, a weaver. Next to Jos. in ‘Moor St End’ was another Henry Culshaw (an agricultural labourer), Edwd Whitehead (labourer), Ellen Croston (independent) & Sam Payne (tinman). Beyond Moor St End and Tinkers Hill was Dickenson St, home to ropers and weavers 98 Tithe map, ‘1846?’ (T.N.A., IR 30/18/232); plan of township attached to Board of Health Report, 6 chains to 1", 1850 (L.A., LSR/PO2); ordnance survey town plan (1851, surveyed 1849), 5 feet to 1 ml., (sheet 4) 99 It was probably Jos. of Dig Lake who was the ‘Joseph Culshaw, Scarisbrick’, with a vote 1845–6 in respect of a share of a house in Moor St: L.A., EL 1/14/S 100 A. Coney (ed.), R. Rawlinson, The Ormskirk Board of Health Report, 1850 (Preston, 1991), pp. 9, 29 101 T.N.A., HO 107/2197/221/18* (Census records 1851 onwards are cited with 4 elements: class [e.g. HO 107]/piece/folio/page). The Culshaws are shown in a sequence: Widow Woods, Jn Pimblett, Culshaw, Rbt Rothwell, Thos Jenyon (1846); in 1850 this was: Sam. Ashcroft, Richd Woosey, Culshaw, Richd Livesley, Rothwell; in 1851 it was: Peter Forrest, Ashcroft, Jn Prescott, Culshaw, Livesley, Rothwell; the 1851 census has the sequence: Henry Jenion, Livesley (an agricultural labourer), Rothwell (a plasterer), Culshaw, Prescott, Thos & Jas Woods, Wm Tootle, Ashcroft, with Sam. Payne (an 1841 neighbour) 7 more names along. In 1845 one Jos. Culshaw of Scarisbrick had a vote in respect of a share in a house in Moor St, Orm: L.A., EL/14/S 102 T.N.A., RG 10/3878/26/15 103 Rawlinson, Health Report, p. 25 104 In 1853 he appears in the sequence: Jas Prescott, Wm Rothwell, Jas, Thos and Ann Woods, Wm Tootle, jnr, Sam. Ashcroft, Jos. Culshaw, Jn Woosey, Jas Green, Sam. Ashcroft, Wm Rothwell, Thos Crompton, Jn Prescott, Richd Livesley; by 1855 this was Rothwell, Prescott, Jas, Thos & Ann Woods, Tootle, Ashcroft, G. Tilsley, Culshaw, Rothwell (Orritt’s Yard), Crompton (L.A., DDK/1524/3–5); Jos. does not however appear on similar lists in 1841 & 1851 court books (DDK/1523/25, 1523/15) 105 T.N.A., RG 9/2765/140r–v/9* 106 T.N.A., RG 10/3879/141r/12* 107 L.A., EL 3/2/16 (Ormskirk/Ormskirk polling district/Ormskirk division) 108 For illustrations of Windmill Inn, Eldon Place & Ropers Arms: H. Padfield, The Story of Ormskirk (Preston, 1986), pp. 98–99 109 In 1891 Houghton (general labourer) & Ashcroft (rope twine spinner) were still at 22 & 26, while 28, home of Edmund Stretch, auctioneer & valuer was named Eldon House 110 T.N.A., RG 11/3755/141/19 111 ‘Under the act 43 & 44 Vic., cap. 41’. Voters in Wigan Rd 1885 included Thos Crompton at 20; the Culshaws’ next-door neighbour Jas Houghton at 22; Edmund Stretch at 28; & Jn Jones at the ropery: the Windmill public house was at 6 & the numbering ran to 38. By 1889 the sequence (excluding cottages in courts) was: Windmill (6), Pimblett (beerhouse [?Ropers Arms], 8–10), Wm Fletcher (12), Robt Ashcroft (14), Jas Barton (16), Jas Crompton (20), Jas Houghton (22), Eileen Berkeley (24), Saml Ashcroft (26), Edmund Stretch (28), Jones (ropery), Edwd Crompton (30), Jas Crompton (34), 36, 38: EL 3/1/16 112 T.N.A., RG 12/3043/21/19* 113 Orm. Adv., 22 Sept. 114 Methodist Recorder, 14 Apr. 1910 115 Their s. Jos., grands. Jos. (s. of Wm.), gt-grandss Wesley & Clifford (ss. of 2nd Jos.) & gt-grands. Daemond Hall (grands. of Ann) 116 Eliz. was dau. of Jas & Mgt Howard; Isabella Howard was a witness 117 Annie m. Sam. Wood Sept. ¼ 1898 Stockport. Mgt Wood (youngest of their 5 children) m. Jn Lovery Sept. ¼ 1934 Stockport: their grands. Michael (thus a gt-gt-gt grandson of Jos. & Ruth) provided this info. 118 Not noticed by Stockport Advertiser 119 T.N.A., RG 10/3763/9/11; Ann was probably Ann Beech, m. Jun. ¼ 1864; Jos. was probably b. Liverpool Sept. 1870 120 T.N.A., RG 12/3042/113/14. Mgt m. Chas Foster Sept. ¼ 1927 & had daus Olive E. & Irene M. b. Liverpool Sept. ¼ 1933 & Jun. ¼ 1936; Jos. m. Gertrude Williams 1918 & had twin ss Jos. & Wm. (b. 1922) 121 Eleanor m. Wm Cockerton 7 Aug. 1926: their only child is Canon Jn Cockerton (b. 1927) 122 D. not noticed by Liverpool Echo 123 Both ds noticed (without further particulars) by Stockport Advertiser 124 T.N.A., RG 10/3869/26/10; RG 11/3755/136/10; birth of the twins noticed in Ormskirk Advertiser 125 T.N.A., RG 12/3042/109/6; RG 13/3544/131/29 126 W. Mellor, ‘A Lancs county town: Ormskirk, a centenary sketch’, Methodist Recorder, 14 Apr. 1910, p. 14, col. 3; Orm. Adv., 22 Mar. 1928; for a photograph of Wm: Duggan, Methodism in Ormskirk, p. 30 127 Methodist Central Hall, Historic Roll, Ormskirk District, vol. 26; it may have been Wm’s dau. or his mother, who was the Ruth Hartley Culshaw of Town Green, also subscribing 128 Wm’s eldest son Jos. went as lay missionary Apr. 1892 to Bombay, selling Christian books. Ordained Minister at Calcutta 1897, he m. Ruth Cartland 18 Dec. at Methodist Episcopal Church, Calcutta (noticed in Ormskirk press). Contributions to Historic Fund also made by Jos. Culshaw, 39 Dharamtala, Calcutta (together with Ruth & Dor. Cartland Culshaw, also of Dharamtala). For full details of Jos. & his descendants (including ss Wesley & Clifford who were Methodist ministers): M. Culshaw, A Goodly Heritage (Bangalore, 2011) 129 T.N.A., RG 10/3836/68/49 130 He drowned 8 Feb. For Eliz. Ann Birtwistle: Culshaw, Goodly Heritage, p. 39 131 Gore’s Liverpool Dir. 132 Living with the family was Eliz. Culshaw (26, dressmaker), dau. of Anne Hall’s bro. Wm 133 Jos. C. Hall m. Cath. E.H. Davies, Chester district, Dec. ¼ 1920: their s. [Alfred] Daemond Hall (later a Methodist minister) was b. W. Derby district Jun. ¼ 1923. Jos. C. Hall appears at 14 Hyde Rd, Waterloo & at ‛Burrard’, Park Ave in Liverpool dirs 1927 & 1946. He d. Chepstow, aged 73 , Sept. ¼ 1953 134 Ruth travelled to U.S.A. 1919 & there m. Geo. Allan Bisbee of Cleveland, Ohio, becoming an American citizen 1925. She later returned to become a Reader at Liverpool University & Superintendent of Burscough’s Methodist Sunday school. Ruth d. at Endmoor, Westmorland on 7 Jun 1970; Mgt m. Fred. Merritt at Ormskirk Sept. ¼ 1920: in 1970 she was living Birkenhead 135 Liverpool Mercury, 18 May & 28 Jul. 1877; Methodist Recorder, 14 Apr. 1910; J. Whiteside, History of the Wesleyan Methodist Church of S. Africa (microform) 136 Ormskirk Advertiser [hereafter Orm. Adv.] (2 Aug.) announced: ‘At the Wesleyan Chapel, Ormskirk, Mr Jn Culshaw to Miss Sarah Ashcroft, both of Ormskirk’. For the opening: M. Duggan, History of Methodism in Ormskirk, p. 38. For etchings of the old church: Duggan, pp. 21 & 39; for photographs & etchings of the new church: Duggan, front cover & pp. 34 & 36 137 Ella was to m. Len. Blundell & ‛Pat’, Jack Bagnall 138 Between Wm Fletcher, a boat-builder & Ann Laycock, ‘railway clerk’s mother’: RG 11/3756/41/25 139 Named after Heilbron in S. Africa, where his uncle Jos. had drowned the year before 140 L.A., MOr 141 L.A., EL 2/5/SW i & ii 142 L.A., EL 3/1/16; 1890 register still has them in Ormskirk (No. 2 court, 1 Southport Rd); EL 3/2/16 143 See L.A., EL 3/2/20 [mf 19/51] (electoral register, 1890, 5 Mount Pleasant, Great Crosby ward/Waterloo polling district/Southport division) 144 The neighbours 1891 were Henry Rogers, mariner [then 2 unoccupied houses] & Walter Mann, colour manufacturer: RG 12/2982/68/14* 145 Gore’s Dirs of Liverpool, 1887–1910 146 Kelly’s Dirs, 1887, 1889, 1891, 1894, 1896 147 T.N.A., RG 13/3451/79/26: of the children Ernest was a stonemason’s apprentice & Martha a book-keeper 148 Methodist Central Hall, Historic Roll, Liverpool District, Bootle, Aintree, f. 153 149 Gore’s Dirs of Liverpool & Environs 150 Kelly’s Dirs of Liverpool & Suburbs 151 ‘The residence of her dau. Frances Molyneux’: Liverpool Echo, 8 May; she had been present at the d. & had registered it 152 Liverpool Record Office [hereafter Liv. R.O.], 352 CEM/8/1/4 (bur. register, interments 89142, 90056; grave n/c 7/271); /8/2/181 (order book); Orm. Adv. 4 Apr. has: ‘died at the residence of her son-in-law J.W. Bagnall, 16 Whitchurch Road’ 153 Tom & Evelyn’s children were Jn M. (Mar. ¼ 1938), Graham J. (Mar. 1947) & Dorothy M. Blundell (Jun. 1950) 154 They also lived for a time at 351 Lagan St, Ottawa 155 Journal of Stonecutters’ Ass. of N. America (info. from Google Advanced Book Search) 156 Stonecutters’ Journal, 1922 157 U.S.A. National Archives, [roll] 1822/[p.] 1a/[enumeration district] 5/[image] 897.0 158 Among his residental addresses had been: 1731 Burlington Ave & 1113 Belden Rd, Columbus; 49 Hawaian Isle, Ruskin, Florida (1982); 4120 Cockroach Bay Rd, #49, Ruskin (1988); 1085 E. Versailles Dr., Grove Valley, Arizona; 951 Orange Grove Rd, Tucson, Arizona (1996 & 1998). Ernest & Leona’s s. Jas Ernest (b. 1941) m. Thelma Campbell: they had children Jas Ernest (b. 24 Nov. 1969, recently living 7303 Havenscroft Dr., Reynoldsburg) & Kelly (1970); Jas’ unm. sister Ruth Ann d. 13 Oct. 2005 Pinal Co., Arizona. In the next generation Jas Ernest jnr (b. 1969) m. (1) Sheila 1993 (div. 1998); (2) Robin L. Frazier 23 Dec. 1999 (div. 2003); (3) Irina N. Shevchenko (13 Nov. 2004). Ruth Ann’s d. notice mentioned her living bro. & sister-in- law Jas & Thelma, niece & nephew Kelly & Jimmy Culshaw & a gt-niece & gt.-nephew Natalie & Jos. Culshaw (Arizona Daily Star, 19 Oct. 2005) 159 L.A., DDSc/122/24/1 160 M. validated at Ormskirk (after banns), 1 Aug: both were of Ormskirk parish (wits Ellen Chisnall & the clerk) 161 Orm. Adv., 27 Jun. 162 Carter & spinster, ‛both of this parish’: wits Thos Spencer & Catherine x Culshaw 163 T.N.A., RG 9/2764/33/6 164 P. 2, col. 2 165 Orm. Adv., 27 Aug. 166 T.N.A., HO 107/2197/241/17; RG 9/2764/48/1 167 L.A., RCSk 3 [register of Scarisbrick R.C. deaths] 168 L.A., QSP 3196/148 169 Orm. Adv., 27 Jun. 170 Orm. Adv., 29 Dec. 171 T.N.A., RG 11/3755/134/5; RG 12/3042/48/11; RG 13/3544/136/39 172 T.N.A., RG 10/3878/52/3 173 T.N.A., RG 11/3754/58/10 174 T.N.A., RG 12/3041/31/9 175 T.N.A., RG 13/3542/40/28