THORNBER FAMILIES IN SLAIDBURN AND GISBURN FOREST, FORMERLY YORKSHIRE, NOW LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND

As a result of my own research and work by Mrs Jessie Thornber of Clitheroe, many of the Thornber family trees of Slaidburn and Gisburn Forest have been assembled. Mrs Margaret Woodcock of Huddersfield researched the family of William Thornber and Ann Proctor in Gisburn Forest with particular reference to their son Thomas. As a result of looking at Thornber wills I made the connection between this William and the Thornbers of Slaidburn.

In the tree that follows, the connections between the first Giles and Anthony and between him and the second Giles is very plausible but not fully proven. Thereafter the availability of several wills has strengthened the connections. Mrs. Sue Borthwick of West Sussex kindly provided the information from the Blackburn census of 1851.

Because of the length and complexity of the tree, it has been divided into sections.  The first four generations are shown below.   Additional branches arising fromAnthony, baptised in 1705 have been researched and are included on separate pages.
 

• 1.     Egidius (Giles) Thornber
• +      Margreta Parker, on 28 April 1635, Slaidburn.  Children baptised as follows:
  • 2.     Egidius (Giles) 14 Aug 1636, Waddington. Hearth tax indicates a Giles resident in West Bradford in 1672. (Footnote 3)
  • 2.     Gulielmus (William) 28 Oct 1638, Waddington. Hearth tax indicates a William resident in West Bradford in 1672. (Footnote 4)
  • 2.     Anna, 12 Sept 1641, Waddington
  • 2.     Anthonius (Anthony) 5 Jan 1645, Waddington.  The fact that Anthony names his first son Egidius is consistent with him being the son of Egidius as noted above.
  • +     (wife's name not known)
    • 3.    Alice, 22 Mar 1677, Waddington
    • 3.    Egidius (Giles), 17 Aug, 1679, Waddington.  Giles, of Brookhouse Green, buried Slaidburn, 22 May 1757, will of 26 Mar 1757 mentions wife Margaret, sons Anthony, William and Ralph and a grandson Ralph.
    • +     Margretta Jackson, 6 Nov 1703, Waddington.  She was the dau. of Radulphus Jackson, who mentions Giles Thornber in his will.  Margretta buried 9 Apr. 1763 Slaidburn
      • 4.   Anthonius, 13 May 1705, Slaidburn
      • 4.    Jenetta, 14 Sep 1707, Slaidburn, buried 13 Jan 1729, Slaidburn
      • 4.    Radulphus (Ralph), 19 Feb 1710, Slaidburn (See tree in next section)
      • 4.    Sarah, 19 Jul 1713, Slaidburn, buried 7 Feb 1729/30, Slaidburn
      • 4.    Maria, 17 Mar 1719/20, Slaidburn
      • 4.    William, unknown birth date but known from his father's will. (There are two possible marriage records for a William Thornber, to Alice Parker on 16 Jan 1748 at Whitewell, and to Margaret Rudd on 23 Nov 1754 at Slaidburn.  He may have married both.  There are children of a William Thornber of Stephen Moor and Hardin bapt. at Slaidburn: John, 1753; Catherine, 1757 and William 1759 which do not fit the family pattern of names in which Anthony, Giles and Ralph usually feature.)
    • 3.    Sarah, 7 Jun 1686
  • 2.     Johes (John), 3 Sep 1648, Waddington.

The families arising from Radulphus (Ralph) Thornber in Generation 4 above.

The descendants ofWilliam Thornber  and Adam Proctor Thornber, grandsons of Ralph, are covered on separate pages.

I am grateful to Ian H. Burns for additional information on Thomas Thornber, the son of Giles Thornber and his wife Mary Ann Whalley as shown below in generation 5 in bold type. Ada Burns, the second wife of Thomas Thornber, was the daughter of Thomas Burns, the great great grandfather of Ian H Burns. I am grateful to Merle Thornber in Australia for the marriage records at St. Paul's Blackburn relating the three daughters of Ralph Thornber.

• 1.     Radulphus or Ralph Thornber, buried Houghton Chapel, Tosside, Gisburn Forest, 1 May 1795, will of 17 Nov 1790 mentions wife Elizabeth, sons Giles, Thomas & William, and a granddaughter, Agnes.
• +      Elizabeth Beecroft, 27 Nov 1742, by licence at Clapham.  Buried 3 Dec 1798 at Houghton Chapel, Tosside, Gisburn Forest.
  • 2.     Giles, bapt. 22 Sep 1745, Slaidburn, his will of Feb 1805 mentions brothers Thomas and William and one of sons of Thomas called Ralph.  Thomas died before him so codicil added naming Neddy Holden executor.  Buried 3, March 1805, Houghton Chapel, Tosside, no known issue. He lived atSandy Syke and it is believed that prayer meetings were held in his house before the construction of the Mount Sion Independent Chapel at Sandy Syke in 1812.
  • 2.     Thomas, bapt. 28 Jun 1747, Slaidburn.  Buried 13 Feb 1805, Houghton Chapel,Tosside; administration papers show administrators as Isabella Thornber and Neddy Holden, supporting the idea that Thomas Thornber married Isabella Holden.
  • +      Isabella Holden, 1 Apr 1798, Gisburn.
    • 3.    Elizabeth 2nd dau. born 5 May 1798, bapt. 27 May 1798, Houghton Chapel. This could be the Elizabeth Thornber, unmarried housekeeper, aged 54, born Tosside, who appears in the 1851 census at Langcliffe. (HO107/2277 folio 274, page 23; information from Beth Merryweather in New Zealand.)
    • 3.    Mary, 3rd dau. born 10 Nov 1799, bapt. 1 Dec 1799, Houghton Chapel.
    • 3.    Ralph 1st son, born 18 Jul 1801, bapt. 6 Sep 1801, buried 24 June 1807, at Houghton Chapel.
    • 3.    Emma, 4th dau. born 2 Apr 1803, bapt. 1 May 1803, Houghton Chapel.
    • 3.    Isabella, 5th dau. of Thomas Thornber, deceased, born 16 Jan, bapt. 13 Feb 1805, buried 14 June 1807,Houghton Chapel.
  • 2.     William Thornber, bapt. 26 Nov 1749, Gisburn.  He married twice.  Said to be 30 at his second marriage but this is disproved by his age at death and identity as son of Ralph from Ralph's will.  Buried Houghton Chapel, 15 May 1823, said to be 74. His will mentions Agnes, all the children from his second wife, except Adam who died, and two additional daughters, Ann and Betty.
  • +      1st wife, Mary Downham, 23 Apr 1786, Gisburn.  Mary wife of William Thornber of Lower Brayshaw in Gisburn Forest, buried at Giggleswick, aged 20 on 16 Oct 1787.
    • 3.    Agnes, bapt. 5 Jun 1786.  (presumed to be the Agnes mentioned in grandfather's will)
  • +      2nd wife of William, Ann Proctor, aged 23, married on 16 Sep 1790 at Gisburn.
    • 3.    Ralph, bapt. 1 Sep 1793, Houghton Chapel
    • +     Alice Wilson married at Bolton by Bowland on 16 May 1829.  The following information on the children is from the Blackburn census of 1851, sent to me by Sue Borthwick of Balcombe in West Sussex, and from the registers of Houghton Chapel, Tosside in Gisburn Forest. At 11 St. Paul's Street, Ralph was said to be 57, born Gisburn, and Alice said to be 47, born in Grindleton. Information from the 1841 census shown in Footnote 1.
      • 4.    Ann Thornber, born 4 April 18230 dau. of Ralph Thornber, farmer and Alice of Atkinsons, Bolton by Bowland, baptised 13 June 1830 at Houghton Chapel, Tosside, Gisburn Forest.
      • 4.    Beth Thormber (sic), born 23 August 1831 dau. of Ralph Thornber, farmer and Alice of Atkinsons, Bolton by Bowland baptised on 25 September 1831 at Houghton Chapel, Tosside, Gisburn Forest
      • 4.    William, born 08 July 1833, son of Ralph, farmer, & Alice, of Hollingbank P. Blackburn, baptised 04 August 1833 at Houghton Chapel, Tosside and mentioned in 1841 census.
      • 4.    Margaret Thornber, dau of Ralph, farmer, & Alice, of Holling Bank, nr. Blackburn, baptised 07 June 1835 at Houghton Chapel, Tosside. There is also a record of her baptism dau. of Ralph and Alice, of Blackburn, farmer, at Blackburn St. Mary on 11 April 1835.
      • 4.    Mary, born 25 April 1837, dau. of Ralph, farmer, & Alice, of Holling Bank, Blackburn, baptised 20 August 1837 at Houghton Chapel, Tosside and mentioned in census of 1841. She was described as aged 24, a spinster of Paul's St, dau. of Ralph Thornber, Hay and Stores (?) Dealer, when she married John Haworth, aged 35, bachelor, farmer of Little Harwood, son of Dennis Haworth, farmer on 10 February 1859 at St. Paul's Blackburn in the presence of John Duebury and Ellen Thornber (?) There is also a reference to Mary Thornber daughter of Ralph and Alice being baptised at Blackburn St. Mary on 2 May 1837.
      • 4.    Ellen Thornber, born c. 1840/1, Blackburn. She was described as aged 23 (?) a spinster and weaver, of St. Paul's Street, the daughter of Ralph Thornber a farmer, when she married Wm. Henry Sharples, 25, bachelor, joiner of New Park Street, the son of James K. Sharples, a joiner, on 2 March 1862 at St. Paul's Blackburn.
      • 4.    Ralph Thornber, born c. 1842/3, Blackburn (There is a GRO reference for Ralph born in Blackburn in June quarter of 1842, reference, 21 73. See also Footnote 2.
      • 4.    Alice Mary Thornber, dau. of Ralph and Alice baptised on 1 October 1845 at Blackburn St. Mary when said to be born 13 October 1844. (There is a GRO reference to Alice M. Thornber born in Blackburn in the December quarter of 1844, reference, 21 17). Alice was described as 21, a spinster and weaver of St. Paul's Street, daughter of Ralph Thornber, farmer, when she married William Henry Fielding, 21, bachelor, joiner of Whalley Range the son of Thomas Fielding, a joiner, on 3 June 1865 at St. Paul's Blackburn.
    • 3.     Thomas Thornber, 2nd son, born, 31 Oct, bapt. 22 Nov 1795, Houghton Chapel
    • +      Jane Taylor (bapt. c. 1799) on 4 Sep 1824, Slaidburn.  Family shown in the census of 1841.
      • 4.    William Thornber, bapt. 21 Nov 1824, Houghton Chapel
      • 4.    Ann Thornber, bapt. 17 Sep 1826, Slaidburn
      • 4.    Thomas Thornber, bapt. 24 Aug 1828, Slaidburn
      • 4.    Alice Thornber, bapt. 4 Jul 1830, Slaidburn
      • 4.    Jane Thornber, bapt. 23 Dec 1832, Slaidburn
      • 4.    John Thornber, bapt. 8 Feb 1835, Slaidburn
      • 4.    Giles Thornber, bapt. 6 Aug 1839, Slaidburn, died 15 Dec 1897
      • +     Mary Ann Walley  on 11 Sep 1873, Whitewell near Clitheroe.  She was born 23 Nov 1847 and died 7 Jun 1918.
        • 5.     Thomas, born 1875, died 1963 in Wakefield. (Information on his family from Ian H Burns)
        • +      1st wife, E A Crowther, died 1907.
          • 6.   Horace Thornber, 1902-1972
          • 6.   Minnie Thornber, 1905-1985
        • +      2nd wife, Ada Burns, born 9 November 1878, Huddersfield, married 26 June 1907 at South Ossett in Yorkshire and died 1963 at Wakefield.
          • 6.  Walter Thornber, 1909-1979
          • +   Dorothy Wilkinson, died 1979
            • 7.   John Thornber
          • 6.  Albert Thornber, 1910-1996
          • +   Mary Spence.
            • 7.   Peter Thornber
            • 7.   David Thornber
            • 7.   Anne Thornber
            • 7.   Allen Thornber
          • 6.  Stanley Thornber, born 4 September 1912. Died in Wakefield
          • +  Nora Layton, married August 1937, Wakefield
            • 7.    Janet Thornber
            • +     Brian Fox
          • 6.  Elsie Thornber, 1914-1970
          • +   Harry Greenhough, died 1974
        • 5.     Mary (Polly) 1877, married Sam Sykes
        • 5.     Walley James Thornber, 1879-1967
        • +      Ellen (Nelly) Hinchliffe (15 Apr 1883-1961) in 1906
          • 6.    Minnie Thornber
          • 6.    Horace Thornber
          • 6.    Walter Thornber
          • 6.    Albert Thornber
          • 6.    Evelyn Thornber, who married Sam Blagbrough
          • 6.    Fred Hinchliffe Thornber, who died in 1977.
          • 6.    Ralph Thornber, who died in 1978, married Norah Allison
          • 6.    Philip Gordon Thornber.
        • 5.     William Thornber, 1881, married Martha Ann Lees
        • 5.     Emma Thornber, 1883-1910
        • 5.     John Thornber, 1 April 1886, died 1911.
        • 5.     Sarah Thornber, born 28 July 1888, married Louis Syke
    • 3.    William Thornber, 3rd son, bapt. 1 Apr. 1798, Houghton Chapel (link to descendants in Scammonden, Yorkshire.)
    • 3.    Betty Thornber, d. of William & Ann, bapt. 9 Nov 1800, Bentham, mentioned in father's will.
    • 3.   Ann Thornber, d. of William & Ann, born 10 Jan, bapt. 6 Feb 1803, at Bentham, mentioned in father's will.
    • 3.   Margaret Thornber, 3rd dau. born 7 Feb, bapt. 3 Mar 1805, Houghton Chapel.
    • 3.   Adam Thornber, born 18 Feb, bapt. 22 Mar 1807, Houghton Chapel, buried 1811, Houghton Chapel. (said to be 7th son but probably 7th child)
    • 3.  Adam Proctor Thornber, born 28 April, bapt. 14 Jun 1812 at Houghton Chapel. (Said to be 8th son but probably 8th child)

     

Footnote 1.

Merle Thornber sent me the following details of a Ralph Thornber in the 1841 census for Blackburn at Nab Lane

I am grateful to Ian H. Burns for the following information from the 1861 census, relating to the same family at 21 St. Paul's Street, Blackburn, reference RG9 Piece 3095, Folio 86 page 25, Schedule 173.

Footnote 2.

A Ralph Thornber, born about this period has been found in the 1881 census for 20 Heatley Street in Blackburn as follows: (FHL Film 1342002 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 4180 Folio 57 Page 53). From the age given, the father would be born in 1840 or 1841.

Footnote 3

There is a possible family here as a Giles Thornber married Isabella in Waddington in 1659. Thereafter there were a number of children baptised at Waddington as sons and daughters of Giles or Egidius: Margaret, 1660; Ellen 1663; Elizabeth, 1665; Anna 1666; Johes, 10 January 1669; Maria, 1671; Sarah, 1673; Gulielm, 1676 and Jane 1680. A Johes son of Egidius, was buried at Waddington 2 April 1665. It could be an earlier unbaptised son of this Giles/Egidius. Another Johes son of Egidius is buried at Waddington on 13 May 1672.

There are some complications in assigning this family to the Giles baptised in 1636 as there were several men called Giles or Egidius Thornber in this period. There are three burial records for people called Giles or Egidius Thornber in Waddington in 1638, 1647 and 1655. One would expect that they are all adults as they are not said to be "son of" in the register. The Giles baptised in 1636 would have been 19 in 1655.

There is will of a Gyles Thornber, made 30 July 1647 and proved April 1648 at York. He had a son Richard and an unnamed daughter. His wife was Isabella. In addition the will mentions a brother Thomas Thornber and a cousin Anthony Thornber. This Gyles is clearly not the one baptised in 1636 who was only 11 in 1647.

An Isabella wife of Egidius was buried at Waddington on 22 Jan 1662/3 but another Isabella wife of Egidius was buried at Waddington on 2 June 1666. Neither of these women could have been producing children beyond 1666.

There was also Giles who had children baptised at Waddington as follows: Elling, 3 April 1617; Richard, 20 May 1620; Wm, 1638.

In the hearth tax for 1672 in the Wapentakes of East & West Staincliffe and Ewcross there were listed at Bradford West, Giles Thornebar, taxed on one hearth and William Thornborough, taxed on one hearth. These are likely to be the Egidius and Guliemus son of Egidius Thornber and Margreta Parker

Footnote 4.

The William or Gulielmus baptised in 1638 is likely to be the one recorded in the Heart Tax of 1672 as mentioned in Footnote 3. A William is recorded in the Waddington registers as having children baptised or buried from 1668. The fact that he has one of his early sons called Egidius is a clue that William is the son of Egidius.

In the I.G.I., John is said to be born 28 Jan 1671, son of William and Anna but Johes bapt. 28 Jan 1672 son of William. This could be a confusion of the old calendar and it is likely that there is only one son John. Gulielmus could be the son of Egidius and born in 1638.

Baptisms:

Wilhelmus1668 Wadd
Margereta 1670 Wadd
John, 28 Jun1671 Wadd
Johes 1672 Wadd
Ellina 1676 Wadd

Burials:

Egidius son of Will'mi was buried at Waddington on 9 Aug 1673.
Ann wife of Wilhelmi buried at Waddington on 9 May 1680.
Ellina daughter of Wilhelmi buried at Waddington on 27 Jan 1680/81.
Margretta dau of Gulielmus buried at Waddington on 17 April 1698.
Johannes son of Gulielmus buried at Waddington on 12 April 1698.
Gulielmus buried at Waddington on 12 May 1698.

Slaidburn Families Page 2
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