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Home , Carr Houses, Great Altcar, Little Crosby, Maghull

1 MASSAM of ALTCAR

The most recent Massam with whom we are concerned is Catherine Massam (1783–1828), the wife of Edmund Culshaw (1782–1811), a yeoman. Both families seem to have been Roman catholic recusants from an early period.1

Catherine was a daughter of John Massam (1752–1817) and his wife Anne (died 1792). Catherine and Edmund Culshaw were married at Scarisbrick Roman catholic chapel on 24 August 1806 (with the necessary legal ratification of the marriage next day at parish ). The witnesses were William Oliverson (Edmund’s brother-in-law) and Margaret Massam (probably Catherine’s sister).

Origins Around Altcar

Our Massam family are first found in and around the south-west coastal parish of Altcar, although it has been suggested that the name is a locative one, deriving from Masham in the North Riding of Yorkshire.2

Altcar means simply ‘the carr’ (marshland) ‘beside the [river] Alt’. Its flat, low-lying land was drained by ‘numberless ditches’ into a main sluice and the water pumped by a windmill (and later a steam engine) into the Alt. The soil is light and mossy, producing much inferior hay, together with corn and root crops. There was much flooding in winter, requiring protective flood gates on the river. There was much use of boats inland and stepping stones were needed in winter to pass between cottages. Large amounts of oak and poplar have been found buried in the moss lands and carrs.

Bordered on the south by the and the parish of Sefton, on the west by the township of Formby (a detached part of Walton) and on the north and east by the townships of , and , Altcar comprises 4078 acres. The road eastwards over the Alt bridge, by a devious route through and Lydiate to Aughton and Ormskirk was already of immemorial use in 1598. Great Altcar’s long, crooked street is only 12 feet above sea level, although Hill House, east of the village stands at 40 feet.

Until the reformation Altcar belonged to Merivale Abbey in Warwickshire, who had a grange (with a chapel) at . Altcar subsequently became part of the estates of the family, earls of Sefton.3

Although the Altcar parish registers survive only from 1663 and those of the adjacent township of Formby from 1620, there is ample evidence from other sources of the presence of the Massam family in Altcar in earlier years and of their recusancy.

In 1531–2 Edward Massam of Altcar was 60 (born c. 1472) and William Massam of Altcar was 50 (born c. 1482).4 Henry Massam occurs in the 1569 muster for Altcar.5 Francis Massam paid £5 4s 4d in goods for the lay subsidy at Altcar in 1585.6 Francis Massam of Altcar, husbandman took a lease from the Formby estate in 1569/707 and leased out a cottage in 1610.8 On 5 January 1612/13 depositions were taken at Altcar from Francis Mossom, William Mossom and others, regarding the rights of the Molyneux family to wrecks washed up on the shore.9 The will of Antony Hey, husbandman of North End in the adjacent township of (made on 25 October 1617 and proved 8 November ), left £10 in equal shares to the children of John Massam: John owed him £10.10 On 29 January 1619 William Massam of Altcar (together with John Livesey, Roger Barton and Henry Leatherbarrow) appraised the inventory of Henry Goore of Lydiate.

Altcar recusants in 1626 included Jennet Massome, spinster.11 The 1641 recusants roll for Altcar includes John Massam de Woodcut infra Altcar and his wife Ann; John Massam, his wife Elizabeth and Francis their son; and William Massam, husbandman; and John Masom, Francis Massom and John Massom, junior: none occur at Formby.12

On 24 May 1640 Francis, son of Frances Mason of Altcar, spinster was baptised at the adjacent parish of Halsall;13 and on 28 January 1630/1 William, son of Frances Massame was baptised at Formby.14

1 2 Members of the family also occur in the records at Walton, although it is hard to distinguish in such cases between Walton proper and its chapelry at Formby. In 1652 there was an order removing John and Jennett Massom and their five children from Sefton to Walton,15 where Jenetta wife of John Massam and Alice Massam, spinster were found as recusants in 1668/71:16 ‘Francis, son of John Mossam’ was buried on 19 December 1655.17 Jennet, wife of John Massam was buried at Walton on 7 December 1671 and John Massam of Walton on 27 November 1672. ‘Elizabeth, daughter of Jams Massam of Walton’ was buried there on 13 March 1675/6; James’ wife Jane on 4 November 1705 and James himself on 19 January 1712. In 1637 John Massam owed 20s to John Wilson of Lydiate.18

One Ralph Massam was active in civic affairs at from c. 1650. He was elected to the council and also presented for keeping ‘inmates’ that year. He was a juror in June 1651 and presented for tethering in the Town Field. As ‘Ralph Massam, gent.’ he occurs as mayor in 1652 and October 1653. Thereafter, as an alderman, he paid a burgage rent for Potter’s House and occurs as a free burgess.19

In May 1652 Francis Massom had become constable of Altcar: it was reported in December that he had been in constant sickness since, and he was replaced.20 On 16 July 1655 Francis Mossam was witness to a Molyneux estate lease in Altcar.21 None of the family occur in the surviving Altcar hearth tax returns, although Francis Massam occurs at from 1663–1666:22 Francis Massam, yeoman and his wife Mary were recusants at Burscough in December 1663.23 Frances Massam of Burscough was buried in the ‛royal chancel’ at Ormskirk on 20 March 1667/8 and Mary Massam of Burscough in Ormskirk church on 25 October 1668. ‘Franciscus Mason’, yeoman was a Burscough recusant in 1668/71.24 In 1668 Francis Massam, yeoman was buried at Altcar.25 Elizabeth Massam, spinster was a recusant at Downholland in 1665.26 Lawrence Massam and Thomas Massam and his wife Ann were presented as recusants at Altcar in the 1671 and 1672 visitations.27

Anne Massam and William Carter (both of Ince Blundell) were married at Sefton on 9 May 166628 and in 1666 Jo: Massam paid tax on a hearth at Scarisbrick.29 On 11 December 1675 William Lydiate of bequeathed the hire of a cow to James Massam. We shall see that James Massam and his wife Jane were at in 1715 (see below), perhaps at what later became known as Massams Farm.

Christenings and burials of Massam/Mason family members from Snape, Scarisbrick occur in the Halsall parish registers for 10 years from 1669. Margaret, wife of John Massam of Snape was buried on 23 September 1669; John Massam of Snape on 1 November 1678 (will proved by Thomas Massam in 1679);30 and Edward Mason of Snape on 15 March 1678/9.

By 1682, when there was an attempt to distrain the cattle of two of the parish’s recusants, there was a riot ‘Most of the town being papists or popishly affected’. The protestant party in Altcar was ‘so slender that they dare not deny the Roman’.31

Thomas Massam of North End

The first generation of Massams in the Altcar area whom we can reconstruct as a family unit (and from whom our Massams probably descend) is that of Thomas Massam (described in his will as a ‘husbandman of Altcar’), who died in 1716 at North End. (North End was a hamlet south of the Alt and in the township of Ince Blundell and parish of Sefton and most other North End families seem to have used their parish church at Sefton in this period.)

There are no indications of Thomas Massam’s parentage or of his year of birth. He was probably married, perhaps to Ann (or to Elizabeth Linaker?), by 1675 when William, son of Thomas, recusant was noted in the Altcar register to have been born and ‘reputed to have been baptised’.

Among Altcar recusants indicted at Ormskirk on 2 February 1681/2, following a disorder was Thomas Massan, husbandman.32 The returns of recusants for Altcar in 1682 included entries for Thom. Massam, husbandman and Anna his wife; Thoma. Mason and Anna his wife; Thom. Mason, husbandman; and Thomas Massam, husbandman; while at Thomas Masom, husbandman was marked ‘dead’.33 In 1690 Thomas Mossam witnessed a deed conveying ‘a quarter of the south side of Altcar wood’ to Bridget Reynould, widow.34

2 3 The 1705 return of papists for ‘Formby, Aynsdale and Ravenmeals: the inhabitants whereof are mostly Fishermen and illiterate Rusticks’ includes Wm Mossom and wife; and Tho Mossom and wife.35

The Altcar highways accounts from 1717 refer to William Massam as one of the two supervisors for the Town Row division in 1717 and 1719. His accounts for 1717 include expenditure on guttering the highway, repairing causeys, cleansing some water courses belonging to the highways and ditching the Little Lane End. Thomas Massam was to be a supervisor in 1737 and in 1747 one James Rigby served ‘for Massams’.36

Making his will on 8 May 1716 Thomas Massom had a wife Elizabeth; sons William, Robert (married to Elizabeth) and James; a daughter Mary; and a brother-in-law Richard Linaker: Thomas left his North End estate to Robert. Thomas was buried at Altcar on 26 July 1716 and his will was proved on 23 May 1717 .

Children of Thomas Massam baptised at Altcar were William (27 December 1675, among ‘recusants’ children, reputed to be baptised’), Elizabeth (6 November 1693) and John (6 February 1700/1). Buried were Margaret (13 May 1682 and 10 January 1699/1700), Raiph (7 May 1699), Thomas and Francis (1703), John (1705).

Of Thomas’ children, William ‘of Altcar’ married Anne Norris of Formby at Altcar on 26 January 1703/4. Elizabeth, daughter of William was baptised by ‘a popish priest’ at Formby on 23 December 1704. Thomas, son of William, husbandman was baptised by ‘Fauster the popish preist’ at Formby on 29 April 1706. There is no extant return of recusants for Altcar in 1705 and none occur at Scarisbrick, but at Formby were ‘William Massam and wife’. James, son of William was baptised by ‘Burton the popish priest’ at Formby on 1 May 1709. Mary, daughter of ‘William Massam, papist’ was born on I November 1711 and in 1717 William and Ann Massam were among those at Altcar occupying ‘papists estates’.37 Ann, wife of William Massam, husbandman was buried at Altcar on 17 January 1723/4. William then married Alice and a daughter Ann was born to them and buried on 30 January 1726/7. On 21 November 1725 speaking of ‘ people’ Nicholas Blundell wrote in his diary that ‘William Massom told me that he was in hope to get a Tenant for his Wives Teneament ... I granted his Request’.38 On 6 May 1728 William Massam took a lease of a barn, two bays and five acres in Formby from the Blundell estate ‘in trust for Richard Rimmer’s children’ (Thomas, 15; Richard, 9; and Ann).39 William Massam, husbandman was buried at Altcar on 4 January 1728/9. Alice Massam, widow of Little Crosby was buried at Sefton on 14 June 1754: by her will made on 3 June 1754 and proved on 15 June William Massam ‘now of Little Altcar’ received £8 and a further bequest of 40s went to James Massam ‘now of Ince Blundell’.

Thomas’ son Robert (‘of Altcar, papist’) married Elizabeth Norrass of Formby on 19 August 1711. Robert and his wife Elizabeth received the tenancy of the farm at North End in his father’s will in 1717 (for as long as the lives continued). Elizabeth died in 1720/1 and was buried at Altcar on 25 February. Robert then married Eleanor. A son Thomas died at North End was buried on 11 March 1723/4. Eleanor also died there and was buried at Altcar on 28 February 1728/9, as did a daughter Ann, buried on 3 March 1732/3. One Robert Massam (with a daughter Bridget aged 35) was 68 in 1735 when he took a lease in Ince Blundell. It was probably Robert who died ‘of Sefton parish’ in 1749 and was buried at Altcar on 5 October. Thomas’ daughter Mary probably married Richard Linaker.

Thomas Massam of Altcar made his will on 10 November 1743 and was buried there on 20 November 1744: his will was proved on 22 November 1744.40 There were bequests to his wife Ann, sons William and Robert and daughter Ann.

James Massam and Jane Sutton

James Massam was amongst ‘recusants children reputed to be baptised’ in Walton parish in 1678.

The 1705 return of papists for Walton includes James Massain: there is no return for Altcar.41

It seems very likely that Thomas Massam’s son James can be identified with James Massam of Altcar (‘papist’) who married Jane Sutton of Formby (‘papist’) at Altcar on 17 June 1711: with this James our direct line certainly begins.

3 4 James and Jane had children Thomas (baptised 7 September 1712); a child born at Ainsdale in 1715; William (12 March 1717/18); Ann (23 December 1718); Ann (25 February 1720/1); Mary (buried 25 January 1737/8); Mary (baptised 8 February 1737/8); and Sisley (baptised and buried 29 September 1740).

[Everyone would have suffered from the disastrous inundation of the Lancashire coast during the great storm of 18/19 December 1720].42

James Massam served as supervisor of highways for Altcar in 1734.43

Deaths of Jane and James Massam

‘Jane wife of James Hassam’ was buried at Altcar on 13 March 1736/7 and ‘Mary, daughter of James Massam’ on 25 January 1737/8. ‘James Massam’ was buried at Altcar on 8 February 1737/8: no will is extant.

Of James and Jane’s children, it was probably Thomas (‘of Altcar’) who married Ann Abot of Ince at Altcar on 28 October 1733. Their children were William (baptised 21 April 1734); Ann (31 March 1736); Jane (21 January 1738/9); and Robert (1741–1814, 21 February 1741/2). Thomas died in 1743 and was buried at Altcar on 20 November, making bequests in his will to his wife Ann (who was perhaps the Ann Massam of Formby who was buried at Altcar on 26 February 1747/8) and to William (minor), Ann and Robert. It was doubtless this William who with Cuthbert Rimmer [his brother-in-law] was a witness to the Altcar marriage on 26 March 1761 of John Poole44 and Mary Lovelady.45 We have seen that William Massam ‘now of Little Altcar’ received £8 in the will of Alice Massam, widow of Little Crosby in 1754 and that a further bequest of 40s went to James Massam ‘now of Ince Blundell’. William (‘of Altcar, husbandman’) died in 1763, but was not buried at Altcar: administration was granted on 25 July to his brother Robert (an Altcar watchmaker) and sister Ann Rimmer. (Ann Massam of Altcar married Cuthbert Rimmer, blacksmith at Formby on 29 April 1755, with Robert Formby and Henry Tyrer as witnesses). William’s brother Robert later moved to Formby. The 1794 Formby land tax return has ‘Robert Massam 2s 1d’: he was entered at 2s 1d in 1807–10.46 The Formby court call book has ‘Robert Massam loose’ in 1808–10.47 Robert’s daughter Ann married Joseph Camack in 1806. Robert Massham died at Formby in 1814 was buried at Formby Roman catholic chapel on 27 April. His will made on 23 March made bequests to his sons Robert and John and daughters Mary Massam (probably born 1786) and Ann Camack.

‘A child of James Massam, Ainsdale’ was baptised at Formby on 8 October 1715 and William, son of James on 12 March 1717/18.

Ann, daughter of James Massam was buried at Altcar on 23 December 1718. A daughter Ann was born to James on 15 October 1720 (she perhaps married Robert Lovelady when ‘of Altcar’ on 13 August 1744).

Mary and Sisley, daughters of James Massam were buried on 25 January 1737/8 and 29 September 1740. [One Catherin Massam of Halsall was buried there on 22 June 1745].

William and Catherine Massam

William Massam, son of James was born at Altcar and baptised on 12 March 1717/18.

One William Massam was among Formby people (probably Roman catholics) failing to take an oath of allegiance in 1744,48 although the implication of the 1767 returns of papists49 is that James’ son William had only lived there since c. 1751. A bread-baker, he married Catherine (probably born in Formby c. 1723).

It seems likely that Catherine was the daughter of Henry Norris, thatcher and his wife Mary Scarisbrick, baptised at Formby on 16 December 1723.

William and Catherine’s children were John (12 February 1752); Alice (9 January 1755); Ann (5 April 1757); James (11 March 1759); Robert (9 August 1761); Elizabeth (29 August 1764); and William (13 September 1767): all were baptised at Formby. 4 5

One William Massam was a regular recipient of charity payments (varying from 2s 6d to 4s) at Formby in the years 1753—1772.50

Elizabeth, daughter of William Massam was buried at Altcar on 5 August 1765 and William, son of William Massam of Formby on 7 March 1768. James Massam was buried at Altcar on 17 December 1775.

The Formby manor call book of c. 1759–62 has ‘Robert Sutton—William Massam, farmer’,51 while that of 1785–9 has ‘Wm Massam’ (sic).52 No Massams appear in the Altcar or Formby land tax returns of 1786.

‘Catrine, wife of William Massam’ was buried at Altcar on 29 October 1791 and ‘William Massam’ on 10 November 1807.

John Massam [1752—1817] and Ann Formby [–1792] and Mary Rimmer

‘John, son of William Massam’ was born at Formby on 12 February 1752, the eldest child of William Massam, baker.

John Massam of Ormskirk and Anne Formby of Walton were married at Formby on 17 August 1778, with Alice Massam and James Formby as witnesses.

John was to be in effect the father of two families: he had his first eight children by Ann and then nine more by his second wife Mary Rimmer. Eight children of John and Ann are all recorded as baptised there: the first four (‘of John Massam, Formby’) were William (3 January 1780); Thomas (22 April 1781); Catherine (26 January 1783); and James (24 November 1784); there followed (‘of John and Ann Massam, Formby) Margaret (5 July 1786); Elizabeth (28 July 1788); Henry (14 February 1790); and John (24 January 1792).53

‘Anne, wife of John Massam’ was buried at Formby on 29 March 1792.

The Formby land tax return of 1793 has ‘John Massam and others’: that of 1794 has ‘Thomas Rimmer, brewer––John Massam £2 7s 8d and ‘Robert Parker––John Massam 5s 7d’; 1799 (not 1800) has ‘Robert Parker––John Massam 5s 6d’.

John Massam, husbandman then married Mary Rimmer, spinster by banns at Formby on 2 February 1796.54 Their first child was Henry (born c. 1796). The remainder are recorded in the parish church baptism register (‘of John and Mary Massam, Formby’), but in separate sections as Roman catholics: these were: Robert (12 March 1797); Ellen (11 May 1799); Andrew (4 August 1804); Margaret (27 January 1806); Ann (19 January 1809); Alice (14 January 1811). There followed twins John and William, born on 25 ‛xbris’ 1813 and baptised at Formby Roman on 26 th, sons of John Masshain and Mary (née Rimmer): the sponsors were Edward and Mary Rimmer.55

The 1798/9 Formby land tax return shows John Massam paying land tax of £2 6s 2d for land owned by John Rimmer.’56 The Formby call book of 1806 has ‘John Massam late Lawrence Formby, blacksmith’, ‘John Massam Lawrence Formby (sic) Mercers’ and ‘John Massam–Arnolds’.57 John Massam took out a lease from the Formby estate in 1812, for two acres adjoining Billy’s Acre, Long Croft and Shorlicar’s Yard, by the lives of Mary his wife and those of Henry and Robert his sons. This expired in 1855.58 The 1816 land tax return has ‘John Massam––3s 2d’, ‘John Massam for Mary Rimmers’ and ‘Robert Massams executors’.

John Massam of Formby, farmer died in 1817 aged 65 and was buried at Formby Roman catholic chapel on 11 January: administration of his estate (marked ‘under £100’) was granted on 26 December 1817 to his widow Mary, who marked her signature. Mary (by now 46) and her family remained in Formby, where she had been born in c. 1771. In 1841 Mary was aged c. 65 and living with [her son] Andrew (35) and [his wife] Mary (25). Next door was [her daughter] Alice Massam (25).59 By 1851 Mary (enumerated under Ainsdale) was a cowkeeper, head and widow (80), living with [her daughter] Alice (40) and a grandaughter Ann (11).60 Mary died aged 85 on 18 February 1855 and was buried at the Formby chapel on 21 February. 5 6

Catherine Culshaw’s many Massam siblings

There is much difficulty in tracing the lives of Catherine Culshaw’s sixteen siblings amongst the very many Massams by then living in south-, not least because in four cases (William, Margaret, Henry and John) Christian names used for surviving children in the first family were used again for children in the second. There is also much scope for further confusion with the families of Catherine’s father’s sons, who used the same Christian names repeatedly.

The children of John Massam’s first family seem to have settled largely at Ince Blundell and to have been buried at Sefton and those of the second family at Formby and Ainsdale.

Particular care needs to be taken in distinguishing John and Ann’s daughter Catherine (baptised at Formby in 1783) from her namesakes and cousins (all no doubt named after their Massam grandmother, who died in 1797). These were: Catherine, daughter of John Massam’s brother James; Catherine (baptised at Scarisbrick in 1801), daughter of John’s brother Robert; and another Catherine, born 16 May 1810, baptised 17 May and daughter of William (perhaps John’s brother) and his wife Elizabeth (see below). All four lived in Scarisbrick and were closely inter-connected. A fifth Catherine was a daughter of John’s nephew William, son of James Massam. Yet another Catherine was Catherine Kellet who married James Massam at Ormskirk on 15 January 1810: William Massam was a witness.61

James Massam’s daughter Catherine married James Formby, blacksmith at Scarisbrick and Ormskirk after banns, on 27 and 28 April 1823. Both were ‘of this parish’, James signed, while his bride marked. The witnesses were Thomas Buck and George Wignall.

When James Massam died in 1826 his daughter Catherine was certainly the wife of James Formby. Were it not for this, Catherine Culshaw might well be identified as the daughter of James rather than of John. Catherine Culshaw was 41 at death, suggesting birth in 1787–8, rather than 1783. Yet a 1787 birth would have made her a minor at marriage in 1806 and she was not so described.

William Massam (1780--?1827)

Although nothing is certainly known about the lives of John and Ann Massam’s elder sons William and Thomas after their Formby baptisms in 1780 and 1781, they may well have been the Roman catholics William of Liverpool and Thomas of Little Crosby buried at Sefton in 1827 and 1818.

Two infant children of William Massam of Liverpool were buried at Sefton: Ann (nine days, 28 August 1811) and another Ann (three days, 7 May 1812). William Massam of Liverpool (47) was buried at Sefton on 14 October 1827.

Thomas Massam (1781—1818) and Mary (c. 1782--1856)

William’s brother Thomas was probably married to Little Crosby-born Mary and living there by 1809.

Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Massum was buried at Little Crosby Roman catholic chapel on 22 March 1811, aged 2. Mary, daughter of Thomas Massum was buried on 19 April 1810, aged three months. Another Mary, daughter of Thomas and Mary was baptised there on 28 February 1811 and Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas was buried on 22 March 1811, aged two and another Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Mary was baptised on 12 October 1812.

Further children of Thomas and Mary Massum of Little Crosby were baptised there: William (15 September 1814, sponsors John Massum and Betty Carefoot); Catherine (7 April 1816, sponsors John Rainford and Ann Rimmer); Margaret (21 January 1818, sponsors Henry Massum and Ellen Rainford). A further baptism post-dates the death of Thomas by more than nine months and poses a question about this identification: Alice, daughter of Thomas and Mary Massum was baptised on 8 September 1819.

Thomas Massam of Little Crosby (37) was buried at Sefton on 24 December 1818.

6 7 Thomas and Mary’s daughter Catherine Massam died at Little Crosby on 5 April 1831, aged 16.

By 1841 Mary Massam was head of household at Little Crosby, with her shoemaker son William (c. 25, thus born c. 1816) and daughter Alice (c. 20), together with Mary’s shoemaker brother-in-law John Massam (c. 45). By 1851 the household was the same with Mary (68), unmarried John and her Little Crosby-born son William (35, a shoemaker) and Alice (31). Mary died on 17 July 1856 at Little Crosby and was buried at Sefton on 21 July, aged 74: administration was granted to Thomas Massam, yeoman.

By 1861 the household head at Little Crosby was William (45 and a shoemaker employing three) with his wife Alice (38, thus born c. 1823, Poolton), three children Mary (3), Thomas (2) and Alice (10 months) and William’s shoemaker uncle John (69). William himself died a cordwainer at Little Crosby on 14 September 1887, with administration again granted to Thomas Massam, yeoman.

James Massam (1784--1857)

James Massam, born to John and Ann at Formby in 1784 was living at Ince Blundell by c. 1821, when his first known child William was born (and probably baptised at Ince Blundell Roman catholic chapel). James seems to have been widowed between c. 1830 and 1841, when he was almost certainly the farmer (c. 55) at , Ince Blundell living with his sons William (20), Thomas (15) and John (11). In 1851 Formby-born James was 67, a widower and a farmer of 8 acres at Carr House Lane, living with Ince Blundell-born Thomas (25, a railway labourer) and John (20, a farm labourer). James Massam (74) of Ince Blundell was buried as a Roman catholic at Sefton on 25 September 1857.

Margaret and Elizabeth Massam (born 1786 and 1788)

Nothing is yet known about John and Ann’s elder daughters Margaret and Elizabeth after their Formby baptisms in 1786 and 1788. They are not to be found under their maiden names in the census returns of 1841 or 1851 (when they would have been c. 55 and c. 65 and c. 53 and c. 63) and it seems likely that they were both married by this time.

Henry Massam (1790—1860) and Mary (born c. 1796)

John and Ann Massam’s Formby-born son Henry married Mary and was living at Little Crosby by 11 November 1821 when Robert (son of Henry and Mary Masham) was baptised there. A son Thomas was born c. 1821. Further children of Henry and Mary Massum of Little Crosby were baptised there: William (29 August 1823); and Sara (14 August 1825). Sarah Massam (5) was buried as a Roman catholic on 3 December 1830.

By 1841 three more children had been born to Henry and Mary: Ann (c. 1830); another Sarah (c. 1832); and Catherine (c. 1836). At the census in 1841 Henry (a farmer, c. 50) was at South Lodge, Ince Blundell with his wife Mary (c. 45) and their children Robert (20), William (15), Ann (11), Sarah (9) and Catherine (5). By 1851 Henry and Mary (61 and 57) were at Road, Ince Blundell with their Ince-born children Thomas (30, a wheelwright), William (23, agricultural labourer) and Sarah (19). Sarah Massam of Ince Blundell (27) was buried as a Roman catholic at Sefton on 21 July 1859, as was [her brother] Robert of Everton (38) on 24 January 1860.

Henry Massam himself was buried as a Roman catholic at Sefton on 30 November 1860, aged 70. In 1861 his Tarbock-born widow Mary was at Park Wall, Ince Blundell with her sons Thomas (40, an unmarried journeyman wheelwright born at Little Crosby) and William (32, an unmarried agricultural labourer, born at Ince Blundell). Henry and Mary’s son Thomas Massam of Formby (61) was buried at Little Crosby on 23 January 1881.

John Massam (1792--1869)

We have seen that John and Anne’s Formby-born son John was by 1841 the shoemaker (c. 45) at Little Crosby, living with his sister-in-law Mary Massam, widow of his elder brother Thomas. Mary died in 1856 and in 1861 John (69) was still living with William (45 and a shoemaker employing three) with his wife Alice (38) and three children. 7 8 John died a shoemaker at Little Crosby on 27 October 1869, aged 76: his will was proved by his nephew William Massam, shoemaker of Little Crosby and by Joseph Norris.

Henry Massam (born c. 1796)

Although no record of his birth or baptism has been found, it seems likely that Henry Massam (born c. 1796) was the first son of John and Mary. Henry was at Ainsdale as an agricultural labourer (c. 45) in 1841, living with William Massam (30) and was an agricultural labourer and head at Massams Lane, Formby in 1851 (56), close to his poulterer younger brother William.62

Henry had married Margaret Massey, spinster (with consent of parents) at Formby on 4 May 1819: the witnesses were Henry Rimmer and John Woosey. A Henry Massam married Esther Speakman at Ormskirk in 1810.

It may have been Henry who died in December quarter 1855.

Robert Massam (1797—1850) and Ellen

Robert married Ellen and by 1841 was c. 40 and a farmer at Ainsdale: they were living with five children next door to Robert’s brothers William and Henry.63 The tithe award of 1845 shows one Robert Massam holding what is now West End Lodge under the Blundell estate. ‘Massams Farm’ lay further east along Pinfold Lane.64 Robert died on 21 August 1850.65 Administration was granted to his widow Ellen on 30 January 1851: she was head and farmer of 23 acres at Formby in 1851, next door to her mother-in-law Mary Massam. Ellen’s large family were Mary (c. 1828); Formby-born John (c. 1830); William (17); Elizabeth (15); Margaret (12); Ellen (10); Robert (seven) and Margery (four, born c. 1847 like her mother at Ainsdale).66

Ellen Massam (born 1799)

Nothing is yet known about John and Mary’s daughter Ellen after her Formby baptism in 1799. She is not to be found under her maiden name in the census returns of 1841 or 1851 (when she would have been c. 42 and c. 52) and it seems likely that she was married by this time.

Andrew Massam (1804—1851>)

Andrew was c. 35 and head of his mother’s household at Formby in 1841,67 living with his Orrell-born wife Mary (25), their three children and his mother (65). In 1851 Andrew and his wife were at Cable Street, Formby, where he was an agricultural labourer and head (45): the children were John (c. 14, born c. 1837 at Orrell), and Mary and Margaret (10 and ?1, born at Formby).68 It was probably Andrew who died in March quarter 1865.

Margaret and Ann Massam (born 1806 and 1809)

Nothing is yet known about John and Mary’s daughters Margaret and Ann after their Formby baptisms in 1806 and 1809. They are not to be found under their maiden names in the census returns of 1841 or 1851 (when they would have been c. 35 and c. 45 and c. 32 and c. 42) and it seems likely that they were married by this time.

Alice Massam (born 1811)

Alice was at Formby in 1841, living next door to her mother Mary and brother Andrew. In 1851 she was a monthly nurse and agricultural labourer, living at Ainsdale with her mother Mary, a cow-keeper of 80. Alice was unmarried at 40, but had a daughter Ann (11). By 1861 Alice (47) and Ann (21) were laundresses at Little Brighton, . In 1881 Alice was a lodger (‘70’, a ‘widow’) in Warrenhouse Road, Crosby. She died in December quarter 1884, aged 73.

John Massam (born 1813)

8 9 [One John Massam who was probably not this younger John was born at Ince Blundell in c. 1816 and in 1871 was 55 and a farm labourer at Further East Lodge, Ince Blundell with his wife Elizabeth (56). They were probably John Massum and Elizabeth Formby married at Little Crosby on 2 February 1846, with Thomas Massum and Sara Formby as witnesses. In 1881 John and Elizabeth (65 and 66) were at Park Wall, Ince Blundell, next door to Ince-born James, a farm bailiff (57) and his wife Mary (56)]. Either John may have been he who died in December quarter 1886, aged 71.

William Massam (1813—1864)

In 1851 William was a poulterer (37) with his wife Ellen (29) at Four Acres Lane, Formby (close to his brother Henry at Massams Lane).69 In 1861 Ainsdale-born William Massam (50) kept a poulterer’s shop at Church Lane, Seaforth with his wife Ellen (40) and children Mary (10) and William (6). William died at Seaforth on 17 May 1864: his will was proved by his widow Ellen on 4 November. Ellen ‘late of Seaforth’ died at Formby on 5 September 1874, aged 51 and was buried at Formby on 8 September.70 William junior (poulterer’s assistant and bachelor) died at Seaforth on 30 June 1877 and administration of his estate was granted to his sister Mary Turner.

©T.M. Steel (1 February 2014)

Appendix

The Brothers of John Massam (and thus uncles of Catherine Culshaw)

James Massam (1759–1826)

John Massam’s brother James was born at Formby on 11 March 1759. He married Ann Oliverson by banns at Ormskirk and Scarisbrick on 29 November 1784. They lived at Scarisbrick, where James appears as an owner in the 1798 land tax return (paying 1s 10d) and as an occupier under Scarisbrick in 1810; also in 1810 James was paying £3 10s rent for ‘his new house and land’.71 Details of James’ holdings (especially at Black Moss) are found in lists of Scarisbrick rack rents.72 Their children were William (born 23, baptised 25 September 1785, Scarisbrick RC chapel); Henry (23, 25 October 1787, with Ann Formby and Robert Massam as sponsors–1875); Alice (24 and 27 September 1789); Catherine; John (5, 8 Oct 1799);73 and another daughter born before 1798.

William married Elizabeth [Betty] Dobson at Scarisbrick on 11 May 180674 and then after banns at Ormskirk. Their daughter Catherine was born and baptised at Scarisbrick on 16 and 17 May 1810, with Catherine Masom as sponsor. William was to farm at Halsall and fl. 1826.

Henry was born and baptised at Scarisbrick Roman catholic chapel 23, 25 October 1787, with Robert Massam and Anne Formby as sponsors. He married Esther Speakman at Scarisbrick and Ormskirk on 4 and 5 March 1810, with Thomas Rotherham as a witness. Henry Massam of Ormskirk married Elizabeth Caddick of Halsall at Ormskirk after banns, on 10 November 1823: Henry signed, while Elizabeth marked and the witnesses were Henry Blundell and George Wignall. Henry died intestate at Black Moss Lane, aged 87 on 26 June 1876 and was buried at Scarisbrick Roman catholic chapel: his death was noticed in the Ormskirk Advertiser.75

Alice was also born and baptised at Scarisbrick on 24 and 27 September 1789, with Joseph Oliverson as a sponsor. She married Thomas Rotheram at Ormskirk and Scarisbrick on 26 and 28 November 1808, by banns, with William and Ann Massam as witnesses. Alice and Thomas Rotherham were sponsors at the baptism of Joseph Culshaw on 3 September 1809. She was an 85-year-old widow at in 1871: also there were Thomas Rotheram (59) and Philip Rotheram (43).76

Catharine married James Formby (both ‘of this parish’) after banns at Ormskirk and Scarisbrick on 28 April 1823: Catherine marked. Among the witnesses were Catherine Culshaw (doubtless John Massam’s daughter) and Catherine Massam (probably Robert Massam’s daughter) and Henry Massam.

James Massam died a yeoman at Scarisbrick on 4 January 1826, leaving his personal estate to his two 9 10 sons William (a Halsall farmer) and Henry; and to his two daughters Alice, wife of Thomas Rotheram of Halsall and Catherine Formby. Death duties were paid.77

Robert Massam (1761–?1831)

John Massam’s brother Robert was born at Formby on 9 August 1761. On 12 October 1795 he married Julia Woodcock (c. 1770–1861), at Ormskirk, after banns: the witnesses were George Lloyd and John Hankin. They too lived at Scarisbrick and had children baptised there: Elizabeth (born 6, baptised 10 January 1796); William (24 and 29 October 1797); Thomas (4 and 10 January 1800–1877, buried at Scarisbrick); Catherine (19 and 26 September 1801); Ann (11 and 18 November 1804, with William Massam as sponsor; Ann (22 and 31 January 1808, with Henry and Alice Massam as sponsors); Mary (27 August and 2 September 1810, with Catherine Massam as sponsor); and James (8 and 13 February 1813, with James and Catherine Massam as spomsors).78 It was either William or more likely Robert’s daughter Catherine who was a witness at the marriage of her cousin and namesake in 1823 and who bore children in 1826, 1830 and 1833 to her deceased sister’s husband John Marshall.79 John Marshall, butcher was married at Melling on 2 April 1826 after banns to Catherine Massam: both were then said to be ‛of Snape’.80 Their children (baptised at Ormskirk Roman catholic chapel) were Elizabeth (baptised 1 September 1826); Isabella (1830); and Martha (3 January 1833, with Henry and Elizabeth Massam as sponsors).81

Of Robert and Julia Massam’s children it was probably William (born 1797) who was a widower and farmer of 28 acres at Hares Lane, Scarisbrick in 1861 (63) and of 5 acres at Bescar Lane in 1871 (73).

John Massam’s brother William

William is difficult to distinguish from William, son of James.

Scarisbrick

The Massam family’s earliest connection with Scarisbrick seems to have followed the marriage there in 1784 of James Massam and Ann Oliverson of Scarisbrick and the birth of their children there from 1785.82

James’ brother Robert also lived there following his marriage with Julia Woodcock in 1795, as did William Massam, the son or brother of James. None of them occur in the land tax returns of 1795, but in 1798 there was a census of all the inhabitants of Scarisbrick: this showed the three Massam households of James, Robert and William.83 It follows that there were at Scarisbrick three Catherine Massams, the daughters of James (born by 1798); of Robert (born 1802); and of William (born 1810). It seems unlikely that Catherine Massam, daughter of John (in whom our chief interest lies, lived at Scarisbrick until her marriage to Edmund Culshaw in 1806.

Roman catholic Massams from Scarisbrick start appearing in the Halsall parish registers from 1814.84

Of the Massam family William, Henry and Julia were still at Scarisbrick in 1841: there were none at Altcar by this time. In 1846 Henry Massam was occupier of land at Scarisbrick leased by him and John and Alice Formby, taken for the branch of the Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston railway.85 Massams at Scarisbrick in 1851 were Julia (80, buried at Scarisbrick in 1861); Henry, farmer, Black Moss Lane (63, died at Scarisbrick 26 June 1876); Mary (60); William (52).86 It may have been Mary who died at Scarisbrick on 7 June 1871 and was buried at Formby Roman catholic chapel on 9 June. Thomas (50, died a widower at Scarisbrick on 29 January 1877, at 77).87

The 1839 Scarisbrick tithe apportionment shows Henry Massam with three holdings under the Scarisbrick estate (18, 27 and 3 acres) and Robert Massam’s widow Julia with two (6 and 10 acres).88

10 1 See also T.M. Steel, ‛Culshaw of Scarisbrick & Ormskirk’; ‛Sutton of Altcar’; ‛Formby of Formby’: http://tsgf.pbworks.com (2010, online) 2 C.W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English & Welsh Surnames (, 1901), p. 518; one Jn Massone occurs at nearby Scarisbrick in the Exchequer Lay Subsidy Roll of 1332: J.P. Rylands (ed.), ‛Miscellanies relating to Lancs & Cheshire, III’, Record Soc. of Lancs & Cheshire [hereafter R.S.L.C.] (33), 1896, p. 5 3 W. Farrer & J. Brownbill (eds), History of the County of Lancaster, III (London, 1907) [hereafter V.C.H., III], pp. 221 ff; E. Baines (ed. J. Harland), History of the County Palatine & Duchy of Lancaster, II (London, 1870), pp. 405 ff. 4 Manchester Record Office [hereafter M.R.O.], L/50/37/6 (Farrer papers, duchy of Lancaster pleadings) 5 The National Archives [hereafter T.N.A.], SP 23/58 6 Univ. of Manchester, Jn Rylands Lib., Ms 509 (Hundred Roll) 7 Lancs Archives [formerly Lancs Record Office, hereafter L.A.], DDFo/13/24 (Formby, bond) 8 L.A., DDFo/14/4 (Formby, lease) 9 L.A., DDM/16/4 (wreck of the sea) 10 Will proved 8 Nov: for wills, invs & admons: WCW/[name/place/year] 11 M.R.O., L1/50/9/4 (Farrer papers: list of recusants in W. hundred [1626]) (copy at St Helens Lib., M/J/14) 12 T.N.A., E 377/49; see also 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 13 For christenings, marriages & burials [hereafter cmbs] Halsall before 1754: T. Williams (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish of Halsall, 1606–1754’, Lancs Parish Register Soc. [hereafter L.P.R.S.] (105), 1966 14 For cmbs Formby to1780: T. Williams (ed.), ‘The Registers of Formby Chapel, 1620–1780’, L.P.R.S. (112), 1973 15 L.A., QSO … 16 British Library, 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), p. 141 17 For cmbs Walton: A. Smith (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish Church of Walton-on-the-Hill, 1586–1663’, L.P.R.S. (5), 1899; R. Dickinson (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish Church of Walton-on-the-Hill, 1663–1746’, L.P.R.S. (91), 1950 18 Crosby Lib: C 929.3 AIN WIL [T. Williams, ed., Probate Records of , Lydiate & Melling, 1590–1673 (Crosby, 1997) 19 M. Power (ed.), ‘Liverpool Town Books’, R.S.L.C., 136 (1998), pp. 2, 8, 21, 30, 33, 47, 98, 238 20 L.A., QSO/2/25 21 L.A., DDM/19/56 22 T.N.A., E 179/250/8, 11 & 9 23 ‘Lancs recusants [1665–1674] & quakers’, T.H.S.L.C., 64 (n.s. 28) (1912), p. 312 [500 names for W. Derby hundred] 24 ‘Convicted Recusants’, C.R.S., 6, p. 124 25 For cmbs Altcar: T. Williams (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish Church of Altcar, 1663–1812’, L.P.R.S. (M9), 1987; another Francis bur. Altcar 2 Jun. 1703 26 ‘Lancs recusants’, T.H.S.L.C., 64, p. 314 27 W.F. Irvine (ed.), ‛Church Discipline after the Restoration’, T.H.S.L.C., 64, pp. 61–62; 28 For cmbs Sefton: C.F. Russell (ed.), ‘The Parish Registers of Sefton, 1597–1783’, L.P.R.S. (86), 1947 29 T.N.A., E 179/250/9 30 L.A., WC/9 (act book) 31 V.C.H., III, p. 221 32 L.A., DDKe/HMC/441 [Kenyon papers] 33 N. Gardner (ed.), ‘Lancashire Quarter Sessions Records: Register of Recusants, 1682’, N.–W. Catholic History Soc. (Wigan, 1999), pp. 203, 70, 229, 284 & 293 34 L.A., DDM/19/78 35 A.J. Mitchinson, The Return of the Papists for the Diocese of Chester, 1705 (Wigan, 1986), pp.28–29 36 L.A., PR 2468 (Altcar highways accs 1714--1772) 37 R. Sharpe France (ed.), ‘The Registers of Estates of Lancashire Papists, 1717’, I, R.S.L.C., 98 (1945), p. 171 38 F.Tyrer (ed.), ‘The Great Diurnal of Nicholas Blundell of Little Crosby’, III, 1720–1728, R.S.L.C., 1972, p. 171 39 L.A., DDIn, Acc 1653 (Register of old leases, vol. 2: Formby, Ainsdale & , f. 50): a note in the register says that of this holding ‛2 acres abutting the Haws’ were later sold to ‛Jn Rimmer (Rabbet)’; see also DDIn/51/11 (lease to Catherine Rymmer, widow) 40 Wits were Richd & Robt Sutton & Jas Cooper; execs were Massam’s w. Ann, Jn Arnold & Richd Goore. 1745 general rental of the Molyneux estate shows one Thos Massam paying £1 16s 2d for Altcar lands (L.A., DDM 12/49) 41 Mitchinson, Return of Papists, 1705, p. 26 42 J. Beck, ‘The church brief for the inundation of the Lancs coast, 1720’, T.H.S.L.C, 105 (1953), pp. 91—105; 47 dwellings in N. were ‘washed downe’ 43 L.A., PR 2468 44 Connected with Brank Farm 45 Perhaps related to Mary’s uncle–in–law Robt Lovelady 46 For land tax returns: L.A., QDL/[year]/WD/[township number, e.g. Formby, 31]. Jn Massam was occupier of property owned by Thos Rimmer, brewer 47 L.A., DDFo/15/14 (call bk, 1806–1811) 48 St. Helens lib., M/Po/137 (Pope papers) 49 E.S. Worrall (ed.), ‘Returns of Papists, 1767, Diocese of Chester’, C.R.S., occasional paper 1 (1980), p. 46 50 L.A., PR 3360/4/1 (Formby accs) 51 L.A., DDFo/15/10 52 L.A., DDFo/15/12 53 For cmbs Formby after 1780: T. Williams (ed.), ‘The Registers of Formby Chapel, 1781–1837’, L.P.R.S. (M5), 1985 54 At the m. Mary marked & wits were Richd Rimmer & Jn Woosey 55 L.A., RCFo 9 56 T.N.A., IR 23/40 (Lancs, W. Derby hundred) 57 L.A., DDFo/15/14 58 L.A., DDFo/14/173 (Formby, lease) 59 T.N.A., HO 107/519/8/2/28/16 60 T.N.A., HO 107/2196/348/3 61 For cmbs Ormskirk after 1770: www.lan-opc.org.uk (Lancs parish clerks, online) 62 T.N.A., HO 107/519/8/3/42/5 & /2196/316/30 63 T.N.A., HO 107/519/8/3/42/5 64 T.N.A., IR 29/18/128 65 Southport Visitor 66 T.N.A., HO 107/2196/348/3 67 T.N.A., HO 107/519/8/2/28/16 68 T.N.A., HO 107/2196/335/29 69 T.N.A., HO 107/2196/315/28 70 Bur. wrongly entered as ‘Mary’ (no age given): Ellen’s will proved 29 Jan. 1875 by Wm Lovelady, Formby (uncle) 71 T.N.A., IR 23/40 (f. 612r) [1798]; L.A., QDL/WD/73; L.A., DDSc/25/85 72 L.A., DDSc/122 (17 [1—3]) [1800–1802] 73 L.A., RCSk/1 74 Jas Halsall & Mgt Fairclough were wits: L.A., RCSk/2 75 Ormskirk Advertiser; will proved 11 Sept. by ss Wm & Henry 76 T.N.A., RG 10/3871/45/16 77 T.N.A., IR 26/1093/368 78 One Rbt Massam paid 3s 7d in land tax at Formby 1798 79 Cath’s sister was probably Eliz. Massam who m. Jn Marshall, labourer at St Peter’s, Liverpool 31 Jul. 1820 80 T. Williams (ed.), ‘The Registers of Melling Chapel in the Parish of Halsall, 1603–1837’, L.P.R.S. (108), 1969 81 L.A., DDX 241/26 82 No recusant Massams appear in there in 1767 returns 83 L.A., DDSc/26/46*: 514 males & 565 females 84 For cbs Halsall after 1754: www.lan-opc.org.uk (Lancs parish clerks, online); for ms L.A., PR 262 85 T.N.A., RAIL 1071/83 (deposited plan) 86 Henry’s d. noted 3 Jul. Liverpool Mercury; Wm Massam’s Wood Mosses 602–3, were mentioned 1865 (L.A., DDSc/129/28) 87 Will proved 6 Mar. by s. Rbt 88 T.N.A., IR 29/18/279