Ancestors from Thurnham, between Glasson Dock and Cockerham.

[PENCAN]

Hello TimW,
 Are you still looking for the PARKINSON surname in Thurnham? I have found some that were born around 1750 that were buried in St. Michaels, Cockerham.

[tortiegirl]

Hi Pencan. Felt bad about misleading you so to make up for it, I looked up "lancasterfamilyhistory.org.uk/files/glassonchristchurch.htm" and found a list of burials including many Houghtons. I also printed out details of burials in the church by the same source from a booklet lent to me by my neighbours - you can buy it from the website. Here are the details: ROW 4, No. 9 - Isabella, wife of Thomas d.21/7/1921 age 70; dau Grace Parker d.31/3/1891 age 8; Thomas d. 30/4/1931 age 79; dau Ada d. 8/2/1935 age 48. ROW 2, No.1 - John of Conder Green (near us) d.17/2/1871 age 56; wife Betty d.7/2/1859 age 37; son Robert d.16/5/1868 age 22; dau Mary Jane d.23/5/1870 age 19; son John d. 31/7/1932 age 80. Row 10, No.1 - Richard -one of the twelve drowned on Lancaster sands 29/5/1857 age 25; Row 12, No. 4 - John of Glasson Dock d.28/11/1844 age 63; wife Alice d.28/8/1900 age 79; eldest son James perished at sea 27/4/1870 age 23. The list on the website I mentioned earlier includes some names not on in the the booklet, including another James - see what you make of it. Kendal Hill is still a working farm just to the north of us (see a map of area) and could have since amalgamated workers' cottages. Wonder what Margaret's maiden name was? I'll have a trawl but looks like they changed churches. Will also look for Joshua's marriage in Cockerham.

[TimW]

Hello Pencan,

Well the earliest Parkinson I have on my tree from this area is Peter who married Ann Wilding in 1880 in Christ Church Glasson.   I have him born around 1855 in Lancaster.

So, sadly, much too late I think for you.   

I think that Ann, like myself, is descendant of the Wildings from the Penwortham and Longton areas south of the Ribble.

Tim Wilding.

[tortiegirl]

TimW - are you looking for any earlier Parkinsons from Thurnham area as I have loads on my database.

[PENCAN]

Hello tortiegirl,
 Please don't feel bad about mixing up the two Joshuas, we had to do some head scratching at first. I'm just grateful for the help you've given me!! Sometimes it takes me quite a while looking at info before the penny drops and I can make connections [if there are any!]  My Joshuas father was THOMAS and we're looking at his parents being JOSHUA HOUGHTON & RACHEL CLARKSON who married 9th april 1771, but not definite yet. On my various bits of paper I also have the names ELIZABETH/BETTY for my Joshuas mother, possibly with the surname HELME and BROCKBANK [or BROCKLEBANK].
 Could you tell me if Thurnham was a small village back then as looking at the Houghtons names and their dates of birth etc could they have all been related in some way. Thanks again for all the info you have given me.

[tortiegirl]

Hi Pencan. Had a look for Helme and Brock(le)bank and, though I have a few, none are called Betty/Eliz.
Thurnham is supposed to be a medieval settlement (or even before that). It consisted of dwellings strung out along the A588 to Cockerham. This road was the shoreline until reclamation of the moss began (?1500-1600s), then dwellings were built along the trackway to the Abbey which is now the lane where I live. The Cockerham parish boundary goes right down the middle of it so include Cockerham in your research terms for Houghtons, and also try Hogton as spelling varied quite a bit as did mis-translation due to bad writing! There is also a Houghton Tower somewhere near and, though I have limited my entries for them to Thurnham, I have often seen the name mentioned connected with this area in a wider sense.

[PENCAN]

Again, many thanks tortiegirl for your help.

[PENCAN]

Hello TimW,
Have just come across this, don't know if you've already seen it or if it's too early for you. Might be worth hanging onto though for future reference [hopefully!!]. Hope you can open it ok.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/DAVIES/lStMarysPR.htm

[TimW]

Many thanks Pencan, and also to Tortiegirl for her post on the 14th.

I'm afraid I'm not really looking for more information on the Parkinsons though.  They are on my tree due to a male Parkinson "marrying in" to my family in 1880.   Since he isn't a blood relative I won't trace his ancestors.   I've got 3,500 people on the tree as it is, so if anything I'm looking to try and rationalise things a bit.

But I hope both of your respective researches go well.

Tim Wilding.