Welcome to The Briercliffe Society Forum

I’m starting researching Whittakers of Extwistle / Briercliffe / Worthorne.
But as a newbie to Family Tree research, I’m only back to Thomas Whittaker, my Gt Gt Grandfather.
b. 1846, Extwistle
d. 1893, Worsthorne
Buried with Sarah Ann and two children (Mary & Sarah) at St Johns in Worthorne (ref Whittaker MI’s, A38).

I was thinking that a Whittaker would be relatively easy to track down in a tiny place as Extwistle,. How wrong can one be!!! There were HOW many???
It doesn’t help that I track him back some way as a whiTTaker, and then find that earlier to 1881, he is whiTaker.

I can’t pin down the father of Thomas yet, as it would appear that there were TWO Thomas Whitakers born in Extwistle in 1846??
I think he married Sarah Ann Stanworth, daughter of Joseph & Mary Stanworth,??

I believe he had 3 other children, William, Jane & John.
William married Hannah Walker??, was church warden at St John, both died in their mid 30’s within 2 days!??
Jane married James Hargreaves Heap??
John (my Gt grandfather) married Martha Jane Ellen Pickles, adopted daughter of William Lawson

I’ve been searching the Briercliffe site with amazement, bewildered at the mix of Whittaker, Heaps, Pickles and Stanworths, and feel like everyone knows far more than I ever will.

So if anyone can confirm some of this, or can fill me in on more detail, it would be very much appreciated.

Martin Whittaker

Hi Martin, have you tried to get his married cert, that would give the name of his father.
This I think is his marriage to Sarah Whitehead
Thomas Whittaker
Year of Registration: 1871
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
District: Burnley
County: Lancashire, Yorkshire - West Riding
Volume: 8e
Page: 223

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Thanks for that Gloria, but I'm not sure its right.

I was hoping to confirm his wife before I apply for a marriage cert, then I know I'm on the right track. As yet, I cant actually find a reference to his marriage.

Thomas WhiTTaker appears in the 1891 census, living at The Square, Worsthorne, wife Sarah A, with a son William of 13 (making his birth 1868). So I'm expecting a marriage before 1868.
BUT - on the 1881 census, same chap, address, wife, etc, is recorded as Thomas WhiTaker.

He died in 1893, but Sarah A was still resident at The Square in 1901, sharing the house with her nephew, Joseph B Stanworth, aged 27 (b. 1874). Hence my Stanworth link.

So Sarah A must either:
be a Stanworth with a brother, who had a son Joseph (which seems to tie to parents Joseph & Mary Stanworth, and brother Levi b1850) (my assumption here is that the son of Levi is Joseph E, but I'm already aware of to census innaccuracies).
OR - she had a sister who married a Stanworth???

Martin

Hi Martin, welcome to the site.

It could be her deceased husband who had a sister who married a Stanworth, but you have a Stanworth link somewhere.

I wouldn't rely too heavily on the spellings. It would be the enumerator who wrote down the details as he thought they were were spelt. The family may not have been literate (or literate enough) to correct him.

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

Mel is right about the spelling Martin it was easy for them to make the error. I have pm'd this website to you, but thought it may be of interest to others also http://www.thornber.net/famhist/htmlfil ... orth2.html

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Martin the girls are right about not worrying too much about the spelling of Whitaker/Whittaker. I am researching Whitaker' from Sabden and Burnley whose name changes to Whittaker by the time it reaches my gt grandparents. I am also tracing Whitakers from Yorkshire as yet the name remains spelt with one t.
Good luck

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Maggie

Hi, I looked for Thomas and Sarah Ann’s will today, no luck on either spelling of the name. There were a few Burnley address’s but none for Briercliffe so I didn’t bother copying them.


A38
In Loving Memory of
Thomas WHITTAKER
The beloved husband of
Sarah Ann WHITTAKER of Worsthorne
Who died Aug 6th 1893 aged 47 years
Also Sarah Ann his wife
Who died Feb 8th 1913
Aged 69 years
Also Mary their daughter
Who died Sept 29th 1885 aged 4 years
Also Sarah their daughter
Who died aug 31st 1894 aged 7 years

1881 census living in Hurstwood,Levi is a farmer of 35 acres.
Name Age
Joseph Edwin Stanworth 7
Levi Stanworth 31
Sarah Stanworth 33

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

1851 census, living in Worsthorne, Joseph is a farmer of 17 acres. We have a Sarah and a Levi, who could be father of Joseph.
Name Age
Elizabeth Stanworth 3
Grace Stanworth 5
Joseph Stanworth 27
Levi Stanworth 4
Mary Stanworth 28
Sarah A Stanworth 7

1861 same family Joseph is a quarryman and farmer of 25 acres
Name Age
Timothey Howarth 24
Elizabeth Stanworth 13
Ellen Stanworth 6
Grace Stanworth 15
Henry Stanworth 2
Joseph Stanworth 38
Levi Stanworth 11
Margaret Stanworth 4
Mary Stanworth 38
Mary Stanworth 8
Sarah A Stanworth 17
Susannah Stanworth 9

Hope this helps.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

I have cut this out of one of my previous messages as I think it is better on its own after the 1861
The 1901 census actually reads Joseph E. and their are Stanworths living next door. If you don't have access to these I will put them on here.
Thought I would do it anyway. It reads Hanworth but is Stanworth, Margaret is single and Levi is her son.
Name Age
Levi Hanworth 14
Margaret Hanworth 44
Could this Margaret be Sarah's sister as in the 1861census. I realise the ages vary a little but that is not unusual

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

1891 Margaret living with her brother, they are both single and Levi is down as his nephew.
Name Age
Henry Stanworth 37
Levi Stanworth 4
Margaret Stanworth 33

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

1881 Joseph is a widower and Mary Cudworth is his niece.
Name Age
Mary Cudworth 18
Henry Stanworth 22
Joseph Stanworth 58
Margaret Stanworth 24
Susan Stanworth 29
William Stanworth 16

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Does anyone have these Whitaker’s in their family? I think Mary Whitaker is the daughter of James Leaver and Betty Nuttall, and this seems to be confirmed with the fact she is living next door to them in the 1861 census.

1851 Census - HO107; Piece: 2251; Folio: 145; Page: 13
Sweetwell House, Extwistle
Richard Whitaker, Head, Mar, 36yrs?, Quarry Lab, b. Briercliffe
Mary Whitaker, Wife, 25yrs, b. Briercliffe
Ellen Whitaker, Daughter, 6yrs, b. Briercliffe
Thomas Whitaker, Son, 5yrs, b. Briercliffe
James Whitaker, Son, 4yrs, b. Briercliffe

Death
Richard WHITAKER, Holt Hill Briercliffe, 44 years, 27 May 1859, Church of Briercliffe

1861 Census - RG9; Piece: 3073; Folio: 101; Page: 14
Holt Hill, Briercliffe with Extwistle
Mary Whitaker, Head, Widower, 37yrs, House Work, b. Briercliffe
Ellen Whitaker, Daughter, 16yrs, Weaver Cotton, b. Briercliffe
Thomas Whitaker, Son, 15yrs, Weaver Cotton, b. Briercliffe
James Whitaker, Son, 14yrs, Weaver Cotton, b. Briercliffe
Whitaker Whitaker, Son, 9yrs, Scholar, b. Briercliffe
William Whitaker, Son, 8yrs, Scholar, b. Briercliffe
John Whitaker, Son, 6yrs, Scholar, b. Briercliffe
Richard Whitaker, Son, 3yrs, b. Briercliffe

When – 10 July 1844
Where – Church of Briercliffe
Groom – Rich Whitaker, Labourer, Aged full of Hill House, Extwsitle
Bride – Mary Leaver, weaver, Aged full of Holt Hill, Briercliffe
Grooms father – Thomas Whitaker, labourer
Brides father – James Leaver, weaver
Witnesses – Luke Whitaker and Mary Nuttall

1861 Census - RG9; Piece: 3073; Folio: 101; Page: 14
Holt Hill, Briercliffe with Extwistle
James Leaver, Head, Mar, 62yrs, Hand Loom Weaver, b Briercliffe
Betty Leaver, Wife, Mar, 61yrs, b. Briercliffe
William Leaver, Son, Unm, 40yrs, Weaver (cotton), b. Briercliffe
James Leaver, Son, Unm, 19yrs, Weaver (cotton), b. Briercliffe

1861 Census - RG9; Piece: 3073; Folio: 101; Page: 14
Holt Hill, Briercliffe with Extwistle
John Leaver, Head, Mar, 24yrs, Quarryman, b. Briercliffe
Margaret Leaver, Wife, Mar, 24yrs, Weaver (cotton), b. Marsden
Benjamin Smith, Son, 4yrs, b. Marsden
Hartley Smith, Son, 2yrs, b. Marsden

1871 Census - RG10; Piece: 4152; Folio: 28; Page: 11
Holt Hill, Briercliffe
Mary Whitaker, Head, Widow, 48yrs, House Keeper, b. Briercliffe
Ellen Whitaker, Daughter, Unm, 26yrs, Weaver (cotton), b. Briercliffe
Whitaker Whitaker, Son, Unm, 19yrs, Weaver (cotton), b. Briercliffe
William Whitaker, Son, Unm, 17yrs, Weaver (cotton), b. Briercliffe
John Whitaker, Son, 16yrs, Weaver (cotton), b. Briercliffe
Richard Whitaker, Son, 13yrs, Scholar, b. Briercliffe

1871 Census - RG10; Piece: 4152; Folio: 28; Page: 11
Holt Hill, Briercliffe
Thomas Lever, Head, Mar, 47yrs, Stone Quarryman, b. Briercliffe
Mary Lever, Wife, Mar, 44yrs, Weaver Cotton, b. Briercliffe

1871 Census - RG10; Piece: 4152; Folio: 28; Page: 11 (next page)
Holt Hill, Briercliffe
William Leaver, Head, Mar, 50yrs, Weaver Cotton, b. Briercliffe
Mary Leaver, Wife, Mar, 45yrs, House Keeper, b. Extwistle
Mary Leaver, Daughter, 1yrs, b. Briercliffe
William Simpson, wife’s father, Widow, 65yrs, Labourer, b. Briercliffe

Looks to me like she must be James & Betty's daughter, her address at the date of marriage was the same as their census address for both the 1841 and 1851 censuses. Plus there was a Nuttall witness at the wedding

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Maureen
If you can't fight, wear a big 'at

I agree. There are two candidates for Mary’s birth,

Mary
LEAVER, Born 7 July 1822, James and
Betty, Blackhouse Lane in Briercliffe, Haggate Baptist Chapel

Mary
LEAVER, Born 24 June 1825, James and
Betty, Extwistle, Haggate Baptist Chapel