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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Lancashire => Topic started by: mlmcholm on Wednesday 04 October 17 09:27 BST (UK)
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Hi. I have found a baptism entry for a Richard Rigby 1720/21 at St Mary's Goosnagh on lancs opc. It lists the father as Mr Rigby. Can anyone enlighten me as to why a first name isn't recorded? It gives address as Whittingham. Is there any earlier papist returns before 1767 that the family may be on? There is an indication that Richard and his family are listed at Haighton on the 1767 return. I do so hope this is not the end of the line. Can anyone help? Many thanks
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There is only one other Rigby baptism on Lancs opc with the abode of Whittington and that is for Mary, daughter of Edward Rigby, baptised 1714. Could this be the same family?
Emeltom
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Long shot on Family search site.
No idea if Ormskirk is near Goosnagh or Whittlingham ???
Richard Rigby
Residence Place Ormskirk, Lancashire, England
Christening Date 24 Dec 1720
Christening Date (Original) 24 Dec 1720
Christening Place Ormskirk, Lancashire, England
Father's Name John Rigby
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I find it strange that if they lived at Whittington they would baptise at Goosnagh - about 35 miles away?
There is also a baptism at Goosnagh on 22 Aug 1725 at St Mary the Virgin, Goosnargh for Alexander Rigby - son of "Mr. Jos: Rigby" Abode: Goosnargh. I note the use of "Mr" again? ???
Modified to add: gc1 - Ormskirk is about 35 from Goosnargh in the other direction, I have no idea how well travelled people may have been when baptising in Lancs around this time?
Sorry - modified again to strike through - I think I was looking at Whittington - not Whittingham!
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deleted
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Other RIGBY baptisms at Goosnargh around this time:
23 Dec 1711 Margaret dau of Mr. Edward Rigby Abode: Goosnargh
4 Mar 1714 Thomas son of Mr. Alex Rigby Abode: Goosnargh
and as emeltom noted:
10 Jun 1714 Mary Rigby dau: of Mr. Edward Rigby Abode: Whittingham
Looking at the entries, very few fathers are given the title "Mr" ie, gentlemen or esq.
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I note also Mr Alex RIGBY esq was buried at Goosnargh 28 Jun 1716, abode Middleton in Goosnargh.
Also Thomas son of Alex RIGBY buried 15 March 1713/14
and Mary dau of Edward RIGBY buried 7 Dec 1717
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Quite a lot of info about the RIGBY family of Goosnargh on-line, though I can't see how Richard fits in unfortunately. This book by Col H Fishwick is often referred to
https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/009041231
(you can read the whole book by clicking on the "Full view" button)
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I have the returns of Papists for the Diocese of Chester 1705. There is no specific listing for Goosnargh. Plumpton Parva has John Rigby and wife. Formby, Aynsdale and Ravenmeals Wm Rigby and wife. Heskin, Marg. Rigby. Shevington, John Rigby, carpenter. Dean, John Rigby, husbandman and wife. Upholland, Wm Rigby, poor. Daulton, Wm Rigby and wife, poor. There is no index of names, so it's always possible I have missed someone. cb
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mlmcholm, I know you say you have indications the family are on the Papist Return of 1767, but there is also the possibility they were non-conformists. I don't know if this Alexander RIGBY of Middleton,Goosnargh (1620-1694) fits in to your family, but according to this bio he was Presbyterian and his descendents were Quakers.
http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1660-1690/member/rigby-alexander-1620-94
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Thanks everyone. I will look into your suggestions. My only concern is that the subsequent families don't have either an Alexander or Edward in them. Richard, Nicholas, James, William are the names that have been carried through to the next generations.
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What other information do you have about your Richard? Where and who did he marry and where were his children baptised?
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The list of Rigby burials at St. Mary, Goosnargh may help a bit with trying to sort out the various Mr Rigbys and their wives and residences. Marriages include Mr Gilbert Rigby to Mrs May Marsden. This doesn't mean that May Marsden was necessarily a widow. Mrs was short for Mistress, a style of address which showed that she belonged to gentry. She was "of gentle birth".
British History Online (Victoria County History vol. 7) Goosnargh pages has information about members of the Rigby family, their descent and residences.
See the paragraph about "Worthies of the chapelry".
The section "Manors" lists several of their residences in Goosnargh.
See "The Hill", "Midddleton", "Latus House", "Fairhurst" and Hollowforth"
See also footnotes 83, 93 & 95-7
www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol7/pp190-206
In answer to your question in #1 about an earlier Return of Papists, there was one following the Jacobite Rising of 1715-16. Clayton has mentioned one a decade earlier. Lists were compiled in 16th & 17th centuries. Kirkham parish church has a list of births to Recusant families with the baptism register c1707.
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Thanks Maddys52. Have reason to believe, but as yet to be clarified, that Richard married Ellen Singleton, probably around the Goosnargh area. Richard died 1803 age 83, abode Haighton. Burial at Broughton. According to the papist return of 1767 in Haighton, their children are: Nicholas b1745, George b1747, Richard 1750, James 1755, Elizabeth 1758, Alice 1763, William 1753. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find baptism records for any of them.
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I have just found a document on national archives re Richard. It states 'sale to declare the uses of a fine of a half share in various closes of land in Heskin' It lists Richard Rigby from Haighton and wife Ellen and is dated 1775. I am beginning to wonder what their connection to Eccleston and Heskin is, as it's quite a way ( in those days at least) to Haighton, Goosnargh. Was he from here originally? Can anyone help? Many thanks
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The document you refer to above is held at Lancashire Archives you can contact them and find the cost of a copy of the document.
I see that Richard also left a will again that is at Lancashire Archives it might be very helpful to you to see the contents of the will.
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Thanks Gibel. What year is the will dated? Many thanks
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Looking again it could Richard's son Richard, it's 1827 Richard Rigby of Haighton. You can get the reference off the Lancashire Archives catalogue.
If other members of the Rigby family left wills that might help sort the family out.
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In answer to your question about an earlier Return of Papists, there was one following the Jacobite Rising of 1715-16.
The English Catholic Non-jurors is on Forgotten Books website.
https://www.forgottenbooks.com
You can read some for free; £ subscribe to see all.
Search Chester as well as Lancashire.
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Thanks Maddys52. Have reason to believe, but as yet to be clarified, that Richard married Ellen Singleton, probably around the Goosnargh area. Richard died 1803 age 83, abode Haighton. Burial at Broughton. According to the papist return of 1767 in Haighton, their children are: Nicholas b1745, George b1747, Richard 1750, James 1755, Elizabeth 1758, Alice 1763, William 1753. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find baptism records for any of them.
Does it state on the return whether they were born in the parish? Chances of finding pre 1750 R.C. baptisms not very likely.
Have you found a record of a Richard Rigby - Ellen Singleton marriage?
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Maiden Stone, as far as the papist return, I found that info on a thread on rootsweb? (Ancestry?) bur can’t find it now. Hence my latest post about a look up. I know now that Richard married Ellen Singleton because the Rigby siblings are mentioned in her brother, Richard’s, will. I don’t know where the Rigby’s originated. Was hoping the papist return might shed some light.
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1767 Return may state whether born in parish or length of time resident. It confirmed that both my 5x GGFs were born in parish and that years of residence of their wives matched years married. One couple married before Hardwicke's Marriage Act - no record of that wedding. The other couple had 2 wedding ceremonies.
The English Catholic Non-jurors 1715 (reply #18) has biographical notes added for some people.
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Fast forward a few years, an update. Richard Rigby if Haighton did marry Helen Singleton. Evidence shows that Richards father was Nicholas Rigby, who died in 1773 in Fulwood, Preston. His father was Richard Rigby who died in Fulwood in 1708. He married Elizabeth Miller from Heskin, so the land records from Heskin fit in. That is where I come to a stop. I can find no marriage for them, but guesses are they married around 1690. Has anyone got any idea where I can go next? With his land acquired in Writington and his wife from Heskin, could he be from that area? I do know there were Rigby’s from Harrock Hall, but my Richard was only a husbandman. Any help will be greatly received. Many thanks