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| LAND OF "LIVESEY OF LIVESEY" A short History of Lancashire. |
| Roman forts and trade centers |
| Livesey and Tockholes townships |
| Land of Livesey, The Land, Inhabitants, Culture, Religion, Summary, References, Language, Additional: Abrams-Blackburn Parish, Tockholes-excerpts, Religious History of England |
| LAND OF "LIVESEY of LIVESEY" This essay is intended to introduce an understanding of the origins of our ancestors with particular regard to the limitations caused by the geography and climate of the area and to give a brief history of the development of the political, social, cultural and economic conditions pertaining in Lancashire that led to their emigration. Most of us seeking knowledge of family ties have an increasing curiosity of the conditions under which our ancestry lived and a wish to discover more about the social and economic climate which caused them to leave, or conversely, made them reluctant to leave their homes. What were the attractions of another continent and a new life containing many risks and unknowns? This essay will not answer any of these questions, but I hope it will provoke thought about these issues and encourage posing questions. I hope you are encouraged to seek answers to your questions, find facts, analyze your findings, and record your findings for family and peers. I find that understanding the history of this area is exceedingly complex and difficult to digest and comprehend. I also write from here in the US without the experience and traditions of those living in the area. In searching for answers to new questions arising with each avenue explored, the learning adventure brings excitement and enjoyment. I hope that you will enjoy the journey, which will never end. I am grateful to Judith Jacklin, and her brother Stuart who have reviewed, corrected this document, and made useful suggestions to my efforts which have been very helpful. Any errors and omissions are mine. Much more should be stated, especially concerning the effect on life during the time Henry VIII, the effects of the Reformation, and the Industrial Revolution. This is left for the reader to explore. THE LAND Lancashire is located in Northwest England between the Pennine Range and the Irish Sea. The River Mersey is the boundary to the south. The River Ribble forms the dividing border between South and North Lancashire. North Lancashire continues to the north of the "Sands" of the Kent River and Morecambe Bay, and at one time contained the Cumbria region. Lancashire border limits have changed over time. It has a HISTORICAL border, a POLITICAL, or administrative border, and also a GEOGRAPHIC border. These have changed over the times. The LAND OF THE LIVESEY is the historic cultural family area located principally in the Ribble and Darwen River Valleys in the South Lancashire region. This glaciated land has an extensive low coastal plain containing bogs and mosses and a shallow coastal shore with many shifting sand bars, affording few good harbors. The uplands contain small bogs, land suitable for pasturage and some crops and deposits of coal and small iron deposits. Almost all bog and marshland has been progressively drained beginning in the 1500s and extensively drained in the 1600s. The uplands and rolling hills were once extensively wooded, but were progressively cleared first by early Celtic activity, and continued into Norman times. Several rivers drain the land. The one of principal interest to Livesey history is the Darwen flowing into the Ribble above Preston. Several tributaries contribute to the drainage known as the Ribble River Valley. The rivers are accessible to small boats for short distances. The earliest Livesey families claimed, bought or were awarded for their services, their land on the south bank of the Darwen, on the uplands west of present Blackburn. Blackburn is on the Blackwater [Blakewater] River, a tributary of the Darwen. Old Feniscowles Hall, once a Livesey property, was established in the 1400's on the north bank of the Darwen, not far from the ancestral Old Livesey Hall in Cherry Tree, Blackburn, established in the 1200's. In 1207 King John established the borough and port of Liverpool to the south of Blackburn, on the north shore of the estuary of the River Mersey which flows into the Irish Sea. This served the King's forces in his war with Ireland and became the principal port on the west coast for trade with the New World. It also became an important seaport for Lancashire commerce and at least one Livesey family was active in maritime trade, e.g. Jonathan and Gilbert Livesey. Liverpool was an important port of embarkation for the New World. In the mid-north area, Walton-le-Dale and Preston on the Ribble River would become important locales for Livesey family involved in social reform, education, and political reform i.e. Joseph Livesey (social reformer). The area of Blackburn would become of principle interest as a market town and in the merchant trade, especially in the cotton industry e.g. Gilbert Livesey [cotton printing mill]. Livesey Old Hall and Feniscowles Old Hall, both near Blackburn, and the adjacent areas of Tockholes and Upper Darwen were areas inhabited by Livesey families. Beginning in the 1500s the bogs of the low coastal plain would be progressively drained transforming the area to pasture land and farming. Also, the large coastal lake, Martin Mere, (now a tourist attraction because of its bird life), was drained and made into agricultural land. All this was done with drainage canals and pumps driven at first with windmills and later by steam power. Currently, only a few scattered bogs remain, mainly along the Ribble estuary below Preston. Peat and coal were extracted on the area including Livesey lands. Many coal pits and mines were worked throughout the area. Several iron deposits were discovered and worked as early as Roman Empire days. Pre-Roman pack animal trails connected trading areas. The tracks were expanded and Roman roads connected principal areas serving Roman needs. The main Roman North-South road connecting Manchester to Lancaster passed through Walton-le- Dale where an iron ore works was located. Manchester became the principal trading center. Canal building, using locks, was active from 1700s-1800s. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal [1770-1816] passed through Blackburn and through the "Tockholes-cum-Livesey" Township. Canal-building was active beginning in the late 1700's and were important transportation avenues for coal, lime, grain and goods and passengers and a source for water for the steam power plants which powered the developing cotton mill industry in Lancashire, the site of the Industrial Revolution beginnings. On the canals, passengers could enjoy pleasant smooth travel, powered by horse tows, as a contrast to the poor roads. The canals now remain as a leisure boat travel activity. Speed of canal travel was about 2-4 mph. Road travel was about the same but roads were poorly maintained rutted, and required ferry transport across streams, and there was some exposure to mishap in isolated areas. Railroad building began in 1820-30. In 1846, the Blackburn line passed through Livesey Township close to Old Livesey Hall. The station serving the township was/is called Cherry Tree. Trains provided smooth rail travel at speeds of 15-20 mph, and were less expensive than overland stage or by canal. This made rail travel the preferred manner of passenger travel and goods transport. Of interest to rail history buffs, the 32-mile long Liverpool-Manchester line built in 1830 was the first to carry scheduled passengers. This line had to cross some bogs. The steam engine inventor/engineer, George Stephenson, designed a reed mat to lie over the Chat moss bog, which supported the track and train (about 5 mi. distance to traverse). Thus the first "floating rail" was also constructed. Further history of interest would include the Manchester Ship Canal, [opened 1894] which took ships from Liverpool to Manchester via canal and locks [no longer in use]. Additional information can be found on many related websites. Book references are listed at the end. www.Cottontown.org is an excellent source for local history with many period photos. THE INHABITANTS The Brigantes and related Celtic tribes had cleared much of the land and developed agriculture and cattle at the time of the Roman invasion in AD43.Sometime during the period AD71-84 the Celtic queen, Cartimandua, and husband Venutius, were conquered and Lancashire was brought under the Roman rule. Progressive Roman withdrawal after AD410 left the Celts again in the area. Picts from Scotland raided and later some Irish tribes settled in the low coastal areas. The Anglo-Saxon immigration-migration became dominant in the succeeding generations, mixing with Celtic culture. The Saxons brought sheep to the Pennine hills. Sheep were better suited for the poor quality high pasture; whilst cattle were more prominent on the richer, lower elevation pastures. Some mixed animal husbandry occurred throughout. The Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria conquered Lancashire north of the Ribble, but the area south of the Ribble to the Mersey was in conflict with the neighboring kingdom of Mercia. The land of the Livesey was located in this area of conflict between these two kingdoms. Christianity was introduced into Lancashire in the mid 600s AD, possibly from the Lindisfarne Priory. "Celtic Preaching Crosses" and Norse Crosses can still be found in several areas. [Christianity was known in the area probably from Roman times from commerce and soldiers. Viking raids and Scandinavian invasions in the 9th century introduced Danish influence and Lancashire, along with other areas, came under "Dane Law" until 1042, when Anglo-Saxon kings once again ruled until the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Viking raids and immigration of the Norse from Dublin and Scandinavia brought new settlements, especially along the coastal areas. This mix of Celtic, Saxon, Irish and Scandinavian peoples populated the Land of the Livesey at the time of the Norman Conquest. The arrival of the Normans introduced the next and enduring "cultural layer". Current times continue to change the cultural and racial mix in this "Land of the Livesey" as immigration from the Commonwealth and elsewhere occurs. ECONOMY AND SOCIAL LIFE In ancient times, Lancashire was relatively isolated from other areas of the British Isles by the Pennines and uninviting marsh coastal areas with poor harbors to the sea. The area was sparsely populated. The Celts lived in small family groups, raised cattle and some grain crops,raided other tribal groups and traded in goods and agricultural products. Captured peoples from war and raids were traded as slaves. Cattle raids were common. Contact with the Romans brought much social change. The Roman occupation lasted for over 400 years and brought peace, law and order, new buildings,religion and introduced many new foods from Europe. Commerce also increased with the building of fine roads and the presence of the Roman Forts, three of the Lancashire ones being in Manchester, Ribchester, and Lancaster. Only Manchester was to become a major commercial center. Contact with the Saxons, and introduction of Christianity brought increased hamlet organization and village structure. Considerable battle conflict crossed the area with raids and invasions by the Scots, Vikings, the Northumbrian kingdom to the East and the kingdom of Mercia to the South of the Mersey. The area between the Ribble and Mersey especially was affected. The settlement of Irish & Scandinavian peoples along the coast brought flax crops and flax weaving. The Saxon immigration brought sheep and wool weaving into the hill country to the east. The rule of Dane Law (10th century) brought Scandinavian influence into the culture. The Conquest by the Norman French (of Danish-Viking descent) brought the beginning of the Feudal system of vast estates governed by the entourage of William. The civil wars of England and Scottish invasions periodically stressed the area. Under William (1066), the organization of these areas was assigned to his knights, or their designates, for rule and profit, subject to the pleasure of the king. The political structure was based on Parish administration. Remnants of this system are evident today. The Levant Co. (maritime trading) in late 1500s, introduced imports of cotton from the Mediterranean into the area. As work experience with this new fiber developed, mixtures were used, consisting of long yarns of flax(warp) for strength to support the more fragile (weft) cotton yarns in weaving called Fustians, (Fustians- from the Egypt area origins). As spinning technology improved the strength of cotton yarns improved. Powered spinning, using new techniques and inventions, improved quality and supply of yarn for the handlooms. This was slowly followed by development of power looms for weaving. Steam power was developed, and the cotton mill industry rapidly developed. The development of factories with steam power and mechanization ushered in the Industrial Revolution. In the 1600s, New World cotton became the dominant source of raw material. Urbanization rapidly expanded around the mills and the transportation, and trading centers (Manchester and Liverpool). Many social and economic challenges caused population disruption/dislocation, and gave great anguish to much of the population. Livesey families were involved in all aspects of this change. RELIGION The most probable early Christian contacts were from Roman soldiers and their followers and from Celtic missionaries, possibly from Lindisfarne Priory. Celtic, Anglian, and Norse immigration also introduced religious ideas including Christianity. Worship sites were established, marked with preaching crosses, which can still be found in several areas and in the Whalley Abbey area there are several which predate the Abbey. The Saxon kingdom of Northumbria saw the union of Celtic and Roman churches in 663 at the Council of Whitby. This brought the church under the control of the Pope and his appointed Bishops and continued in this manner until the reformation. With the Norman Conquest, (1066), Crown rule was intertwined with the parish church structure, first from York, and later from Lancaster. The date of the formation of the Blackburn parish is uncertain but tradition states that it was detached from Whalley at some undetermined period of the Saxon era. It is officially mentioned in the Domesday Book (1080-6). Many monasteries, priories, and other parishes developed in this period. The Blackburn parish church was later rebuilt in 1547 and a drawing of this appears in several of the local histories, but no description of the church structure prior to this date remains. In the 16th Century Henry VIII broke with Rome when the Pope refused to recognize his divorce from Queen Catherine. As a result Henry established the Church of England and appointed his own Bishops. He then ordered the destruction of the monasteries and priories making them uninhabitable by removing the roofs. Conformity to the Established Church of England was required under penalty of law, and taxes known as tithes were exacted for Church of England purposes either in the form of currency and/or goods. In the 1600s religious repression caused much stress. Many intellectuals left for the Continent and, whilst there, were educated and inspired. On return they were involved in the Reformation movement. The Roman Church educated clergy on the continent who then secretly returned to minister to Lancashire communicants in clandestine gatherings always in peril of their lives and those who harbored them. Independent Reformist groups also organized in secret and often met in open fields. There were several such independent groups in the area, including The Quakers, a movement founded by George Fox (1624-1691), a native of Leicestershire; the Baptists, first formed by John Smyth in Amsterdam in 1609; the Methodists founded by John Wesley (1703-1792); the Presbyterians, originally from Scotland and the Independents or Congregationalists. The Civil War under Cromwell, inspired in part by the religious conflicts, persecutions and intolerance, had major battles in the area causing much disruption, stress and conflict. With the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660 eventually religious tolerance acts were passed which allowed freedom of worship. Catholic adherents built new churches, independent groups built Chapels and churches and organized public meeting and worship. All this was done with private funds. The Chapel in Tockholes (now United Reformed after a merger between the Congregationalists and the English Presbyterians) was a Congregational Chapel and is known locally as "the Mother of Non-Conformity" in the Blackburn area, it being the first chapel to take out a license to preach after Charles II issued his Declaration of Indulgence in 1672. The established church (Anglican) remained the official church and taxes continued to support it. Some political administration continued through the established church, especially the recognition of marriage. Lancashire has a mixture of these followings and the Livesey family had adherents in each of the groups. When these families emigrated they brought these ideologies with them and this influenced their attitudes toward separation from England, separation of church and state and expression of religion. It would also have an affect on where they would choose to live. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Please see the excerpt form the book Tockholes, a Time Warp, reviewed on the “Tockholes-cum-Livesey” web page. The foot of the page contains the excerpt regarding the Tockholes chapel where Livesey and Marsden families attended. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY Changing social and economic conditions, political disruptions and emerging freedom to choose options of where to live encouraged this seeking of a better life. Combined with the stories from the New World of freedom and free or cheap land proved a strong incentive. The possibility of adventure and profit were also strong motives to emigrate. The entrepreneurs exploited this with advertisements, active recruitment and loans, including indenturing their labor to finance immigration. The opportunities, adventures, and hardships of living, all had an effect on promoting emigration to the New World. Those remaining were equally challenged to cope with the changes and emerging leadership and worked to improve life. Joseph Livesey of Preston is a fine example of such courage and leadership. Other examples will be found in exploring this history, in Lancashire, and elsewhere in England, and in the lands of their immigration. LHS membership lists members from 6 countries. All have stories to tell and record for history. TO MY READERS This is a short introduction summary of the Lancashire area. Those who desire to know the full rich history of events and cultures of Lancashire are encouraged to explore information found on line, and through the listed references. Descendents of those dwelling in the homeland and those who are students of the local history are invited to contribute and comment. Descendents of those who left their home for foreign shores and other parts of the Realm have their stories to tell. The publications listed on our LHS website have extensive listings of Livesey/ay families and their activities and migrations. These are available in the Allen County Library, with certain historical societies and regional libraries, in the Livesay archives and are available for purchase. They are not available to read online. References: Britannica Encyclopedia A History of Lancashire, 1998, Alan Crosby The Origins of Lancashire 1991, Denise Kenyon The First Industrial Society, LANCASHIRE 1995 Chris Aspin A History of LANCASHIRE 1956, J.J. Bagley, 4th ed. 1967. Out of print. TOCKHOLES A Lancashire Village 1999, Kenneth Kershaw THE HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, 1998 Seth Lerer; Teaching Co., Great Courses “History of the Old Independent Chapel, Tockholes, near Blackburn Lancashire. About two Conturies and a Half of Nonconformity in Tockholes” by B. Nightingale 1896, John Haywood, publ. Out of Print. [Courtesy of Judith Jacklin, Gorse Barn, Rock Lane, Tockholes The LIVESAY FAMILY, A collection of Articles from the Livesay Bulletin. 1996 Edited by Janet Koladay. This book is available for purchase from the LHS Historian. Please see the Publications page on the web site. A History of the Livesays Vol I; Vol II. James J. Livesay. These volumes contain stories, genealogies, maps, photos, and some patriots listings, with a focus on the A1 line of Thomas Livesay, b. 1730, emmigrant from Feniscowles Old Hall to America c.1758. Available for purchase. See the LHS Publications list. Also available for purchase TOCKHOLES A TIME WARP, 2003, Judith Jacklin and Lyn Robinson. See LHS Web Site Online sources include many UK history sources including several Lancashire city and area listings. www.cottontown.org. www.manchester2002-uk.com These two sites are especially rich sources of history and period photos. I am grateful to their efforts. L.N. Testerman. 2/19/04 |
| Feniscowles Old Hall, Pleasington. 2000 photo |
| Livesey Old Hall c. 1889 sketch. SE view. |
| Livesey Old Hall 1878 |
| LANGUAGE: Celtic dialects were spoken at the time of Roman Occupation. Latin was the official language of Rome. It was also the written language. The Celts did not have a written language. With the invasion of the Anglo-Saxons, the Germanic language of the Saxons was introduced. The Church used Latin. The educational system was in Latin and was centered in the monasteries. As schools developed, instruction was in Latin. Greek was taught and the emphasis was on Latin and Greek classics. With the invasions of the Vikings the Nordic dialects were introduced. Many place names, geographic, and political structure terms reflect Viking and Dane language. With Norman invasion Norman French was introduced and became the language of the Court. Official documents were written in Latin. Royal court proceedings were in French. In parliament French was the official language. English developed as a mixture of the Saxon, Latin, and French. A few Celtic terms remained in local areas. Viking place names remained. Some political Viking terms remained. Documents of the Church were in Latin. Parliament proceedings were in French with English quotes interspersed. English recording of proceedings was established in the 15th Century. Latin was the language of higher education. French was the diplomatic language. The vernacular language was English in commerce and communication. Modern English was in evolution and established in Shakespeare times. Shakespeare writings and the King James Bible were the milestone forming events. Samuel Johnson published the first popular dictionary in 1755, which included about 40,000 words. Spellers and Grammar books were published which established standards of use. Surnames did not have a universal established spelling as many did not know how to write, and phonetic sounding would differ widely. Surname pronunciation and spelling continues evolution today. Place name and usage examples: Kenneth Kershaw: Tockholes, a Lancashire Village” lists 9 spelling variations of Tockholes. “…dated 1227, about a perch of land in the territory of Livesey, one of the witnesses being Adam de Tokholes…..in 1311….held Tockholes in Thaneage [which in Anglo Saxon times means a free man who possessed five hides of land]. Tockholes-cum-Livesey, is the designation that “Tockholes with Livesey” is considered as a unit for administration, “cum” being the Latin term. Latin terms as well as French are still commonly used in English. N.Testerman 3/15/04 |
| Abram's "A History of Blackburn Town & Parish" of 1877 which supports the fact that there was a church in Blackburn much earlier than 1200. The following excerpts are from the Abram book kindly supplied by Judith Jacklin. The book is also in the archives of the LHS ABRAM: "A Latin manuscript, supposed to have been written about the year 1347 by John Lyndelay, one of the Abbots of Whalley, contains a curious account, compiled probably from local traditions extant at that time, of the primitive circumstances of the district, both as respects its ecclesiastical and its civil settlements. This ancient document, which Whittaker styles 'De Statu Blagborneshire' - "Concerning the State of Blackburnshire" - was translated by the late Mr. Harland for the new adition of the History of Lancashire. All that need be recited here are passages referring to the first Christian foundations in the district and to the local manors of the Saxobn period:- "Be it remembered, that in the time of Ethlebert, King of the English, who began to reign AD 596, the blessed Augustine, the Apostle of the English, sent by the blessed Pope Gregory, in the third year of his papacy, at the instance and request of the said King, preached in England, and taught the Christian faith. There was at Whalley in Blackborneshire a certain parish church built in honour of all saints, in the cemetery of which church were certain stone crosses then erected and called by the people the crosses of the blessed Augustine, which under the same name exist there to this day; and the above-named church was called, at that time "The White Church under the Legh." Within the bounds and limited of the said parish church were comprised, at the time, all Blagborneshire and all Boland, and so it endured for many years. After these things, the devotion of the faithful increasing, and the number of believers in those parts being augmented, there were built other three churches in Blagborneshire - namely the Church of Blagbore, the Church of Chepen and the Church of Ribchester, the parishes of these churches being distinct and marked out in certain limits on all sides, as they hgave continued to be to the present time and are well known to all in those parts.........etc". P49/50 The Following is from Tockholes A Time Warp TOCKHOLES CHAPEL (From Time Warp.........) Oliver Cromwell died in 1658 and his son, Richard, who succeeded him as Protector, was an ineffective leader and was forced to resign by the Army in 1659. This led to the restoration of the Monarchy the following year when Parliament invited the exiled Charles II to return to England as King. The religious situation at this time was very delicate. The Corporation Act of 1661 prohibited any non-conformist from holding office in any city or municipal corporation and was an attack mainly on the Presbyterians because they were seeking to modify the Episcopal Church Government. The Bishops and the King out-manoeuvred the Presbyterians by getting this Act through Parliament and many non-conformist influential laymen were adversely affected. In 1662 the publication of a new prayer book and the Act of Uniformity meant that any dissenting ministers not previously episcopally ordained must be re-ordained and must also declare their "unfeigned assent and consent" to the new reformed book of common prayer. It also demanded canonical obedience to bishops on oath and renunciation of the "solemn league and covenant". This was an oath drawn up by Parliament in 1643 imposed on all Englishmen over 18, declaring they would enter into 'a mutual and solemn league and covenant' for the destruction of popery, prelacy, superstition, heresy etc. and also declare their intention 'to preserve the rights and privileges of the parliaments and the liberties of the kingdoms' though without any wish 'to diminish his majesty's just power and greatness'. The immediate consequence of the Act of Uniformity was to deprive nearly 2,000 ministers of their churches and academic posts. These 'Non-conformists' would accept neither the book of common prayer nor re-ordination because they conscientiously believed that the prayer book was not warranted by scripture. It implied the invalidity of their existing ordination and cast doubts on the nature of their ministry. It obliged them to kneel when receiving the sacrament; read lessons from the Apocrypha (books not recognised as canonical or authoritative scriptures); to use the sign of the cross in baptism and it prescribed god-parents to the exclusion of the child's own parents. The Act also affected school-masters, professors, university teachers and civil servants and caused terrible hardship and privation to such men and their families. This is the date which was considered as the break-away date from the established church and the one which is now noted on the Chapel Notice Board as being the date Non-Conformity was established in Tockholes. Two further acts were passed putting even more pressure on the nonconformists; the Conventicle Act of 1664 which made it illegal for anyone over 16 to attend any assembly, conventicle, or meeting for religious purposes other than according to the Church of England; and the Five Mile Act of 1666 which forbade any nonconformist minister to live or visit within 5 miles of any place in which he had previously worked. All these acts did much to divide England permanently into conformists and nonconformists and from then onwards a clear line was drawn between those who accepted the teachings and disciplines of the established church and those who were determined to preserve their independence. Undeterred by such hardships and persecution, and the threat of fines and imprisonment, the Independents still met for worship, led by ejected ministers, in woods and secluded retreats in the hills and moors. After the Conventicle Act of 1664 came into force it is understood that the people of Tockholes and Rivington frequently assembled to worship God according to the dictates of their consciences, in the open air, at a place called Winter Hill. Seats were cut out of the side of the hill, so as to form an amphitheatre, in the centre of which was a stone pulpit. Tockholes was a stronghold of independency, probably because of its isolation and therefore the lack of either too much pressure from one side, or too much influence from the bishops on the other side; and also to the devotion of its ministers. Its strength can be seen from the fact that it became the 'mecca' of non-conformity over a wide area - from Hoghton, Witton, Livesey, Withnell, Whittle-le-woods, Bolton and Blackburn. However, in 1672 Charles II issued a 'Declaration of Indulgence' asserting his right to cancel all penal legislation against both Protestants and Catholics and as a result licenses to preach were immediately taken out, amongst them, one to 'license John Harvie to be a Presbyterian teacher in a meeting-house in Tockley (Tockholes) erected for that purpose in the Parish of Blackburn, Lancaster' 1st May 1672. And so the story of non-conformity in Tockholes began officially. Nothing is known regarding the first meeting house and it was probably only a temporary structure. The terms of the license, however, appear to suggest that a separate, purpose-built meeting-house was set up, even though most of the meeting-houses licensed at that time were private houses or barns and as the Act was passed on the 15th March 1672 and the License was taken out on the 8th of May the same year, it would imply that a building already in existence was used as a Chapel. Prior to 1662, St. Michael's Chapel of Ease had a number of non-conformist ministers and also several non-conformist trustees. As late as 1704 Bishop Gastrell wrote that money was in the hands of the Presbyterian Trustees, who gave no account of the Benefactors but paid the Curate punctually. He also referred to ‘a School-house lately erected in Tockholes’ administered by the same Trustees (along with others), but that sometime after the revolution of 1688, these trustees appear to have obtained the use of the Chapel for themselves and other dissenters on alternate Sundays, although tradition says one half day each Sunday and Church of England the other half day. So what had happened to the ‘meeting-house’ of 1672 and where was the ‘school house’? Whichever arrangement existed between Church and Chapel folk, it appears that relations between the two parties were very friendly. However, these arrangements were very shocking to the Bishop of Chester and he commanded that they be discontinued. The Non-conformists were therefore compelled to provide their own accommodation and as a result a chapel was erected in 1710 on the site of the present Chapel. |
| The Christian History of England : Two Thousand Years in Two Thousand Words [by “anonymous” a retired minister with a British perspective. A friend of the LHS] Introduction I hope it won’t be regarded as cowardice or laziness if I make it plain at the outset that I am not an expert historian (so I might have made some mistakes) and that the opinions expressed herein are my opinions (so I could be wrong!). If you find fault with this article, please don’t tell me. I want to live in peace in my declining years, unruffled by the unsettling tenor of theological bad-temper or unnecessary argument. In that sense I probably differ from most Christians who have preceded me in England during the past two thousand years. Christians were probably arguing even as the first of them stepped off the cross-channel ferry and set foot for the first time on English soil. Arguing about how to spread the Gospel or how to respond to Mithraism or what kind of olives to put in their sandwiches. The Christian history of England seems to be a saga of arguments, stories of strong-minded people pushing their own interpretations of the Faith and of how to live it. Which is fine. It all makes for a lively story. English bishops arguing in 314 at the Council of Arles; Augustine of Hippo falling out with Pelagius in 415; northern monks from Ireland arguing with southern monks from Rome in 664; Boniface debating with pagans in the Black Forest in 719; Edmund confronting the Danes in 869; Norman bishops ousting the Anglo-Saxons after 1066. One argument after another. How strange it seems to a man of peace that throughout the long debate Christianity was putting down deep roots in the heart of England. God moves in a mysterious way, his wonders to perform! The Second Millennium : Broad Brush-strokes of Division The main purpose of these notes is to give a little background information about the origins and influence of some of the main Christian denominations and movements which would still be recognised in modern England. (a) From the Synod of Whitby in AD 664 up to the time of the Reformation the Church in England was the Roman Catholic Church. Although there were rebels from time to time such as John Wycliffe and William Tynedale, it was not until the 16th century that the word ‘Protestant’ began to wobble the pillars of English churchmanship. In 1517 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenburg, almost accidentally starting the Protestant/Catholic schism. Catholics (especially priests) had a tough time in England in the 16th and 17th centuries while successive monarchs were trying to decide whether England should be Catholic or Protestant. Like Nonconformists, the civil liberties of Catholics were curtailed. But gradually the Catholic Church recovered rights, confidence and numbers, and now represents a considerable number of England’s Christians. (b) The Baptist Church also finds its roots in earliest Christianity, seeing baptism as a sacrament for adult believers, often by total immersion, as in the Gospels. The Baptist Church in the modern sense, however, seems to have originated with John Smyth (1554-1612), a Fellow of Christ’s College in Cambridge, an ordained Anglican clergyman, a Puritan preacher. In 1609, living as an exile, he founded the first Baptist Church in Amsterdam. Some members of that church returned to London and founded the first Baptist Church in England three years later. Baptist churches tend to be independent in organisation and conservative in theology, remaining among the strongest Free Churches, not only in this country but particularly in the Southern States of America. (c) The Congregational Churches (also known as Independent Churches) also claim to be following New Testament practice by upholding the independence and autonomy of each local congregation. Congregationalism in its modern form can be traced back to groups of Christians of a Puritan nature who in the mid-16th century worshipped separately from the Church of England. Thirty years ago about half the Congregational churches in England combined with the English Presbyterian Church to create the United Reformed Church. The other half didn’t. (d) How unfortunate it is for Anglicans that their Church (known as the Episcopalian Church in some countries) originated with the monstrous King Henry VIII. Henry wanted to divorce his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. The Pope refused to oblige. So in 1529 Henry rejected the Pope’s authority, broke with Rome and appointed himself Head of the Church as well as Head of State. So the Church in England became the Church of England. Is it Protestant or Catholic? From a Roman point of view it is Protestant, from a Free Church point of view it isn’t Protestant enough, but from an Anglican point of view it sits nicely in the middle. What about its continuing position as the ‘established’ church? Some people see it as hopelessly compromised by being to some extent under State authority, while others see the State-Church link as a valuable practical way of making the Christian voice heard in secular contexts. It remains England’s biggest denomination. (e) Not surprisingly the Presbyterian Churches also claim to be following the New Testament example. ‘Presbyterian’ means that the church is governed by Presbyters, i.e. ‘elders’ (which means ‘senior’ rather than ‘old’). It flowered particularly in Scotland The modern Church of Scotland, established in 1560, is the only Presbyterian State-Church. (f) The Puritans were not so much a Church as a Movement touching various denominations, just as the Evangelicals and Charismatics were Movements in later centuries. Puritans were found in the Anglican, Baptist, Congregational, Independent and Presbyterian churches from the mid- 16th century until the later decades of the 17th century. They were opposed to most of the ceremony and decoration to be found in churches, stressing instead a plain and simple life based on the Word of God in the Bible and on high standards of morality. Their criticism of other Christians made them the target of much opposition. (g) George Fox, the founder of the Quakers (properly known as the Religious Society of Friends), was born in Leicestershire in 1624, the son of a weaver. George was an apprentice shoemaker, but in 1643 left home and work to spend time travelling in search of enlightenment. In 1646 he found ‘the Inner Light of the living Christ’ and began preaching about it soon afterwards. He saw no need for clergy or church buildings, for set liturgies or sacraments, for oaths or tithes or flattery to social superiors. All that mattered was the inner light of Christ, before whom he and his followers ‘trembled’ (quaked). The Quakers suffered considerably until the Toleration Act of 1687 allowed them the freedom of worship they required. (h) John Wesley (1703-1791) was the 15th child of the Rev. Samuel Wesley and his wife Susannah. His younger brother Charles (1707-1788), the greatest hymn-writer in the English language, was their 18th child. The family lived at Epworth in Lincolnshire where Samuel was the rector. Both boys were sent to boarding schools and then to Oxford University, before following their father into the priesthood of the Church of England. After gaining his degree, John became a lecturer at Oxford. The two brothers were serious students. With a small group of like-minded friends, they formed a religious society which met regularly to pray, to study the Bible and to do good deeds, to the amusement of many contemporaries who nicknamed them “The Methodists” because of their methodical approach to the Christian life. John was dissatisfied with the cold dryness of much of the Christianity of his day. He and Charles served for a couple of years in the new American colony of Georgia, but returned home disillusioned. A dramatic change in John’s life occurred at 8.45pm on Wednesday 24th May 1738. He was attending a religious meeting at a house in Aldersgate Street in London, listening to someone reading from Martin Luther’s Preface to Paul’s letter to the Romans, when, in his own words, I felt my heart was strangely warmed. This moment is often referred to as his ‘conversion’, though of course he had already been a convinced Christian all his life. However, this intense deepening of his religious experience was the impetus for unceasing evangelical activity for the remaining fifty years of his life – thousands of miles of travelling, thousands of sermons preached indoors and out, many books written, many Christian societies formed, many caring institutions and schools set up, many church buildings opened. Without his ever intending it to happen, by the time of his death there were 70,000 Methodists in Britain, and Methodism was seen as an organisation separate from the Church of England. (i) William Booth (1829-1912) was the founder and first General of the Salvation Army, helped of course by his wife Catherine (1829-1890). William was born in Nottingham. He became a Methodist in 1842, had a conversion experience in 1844, and became a Methodist revivalist preacher two years later. In 1861 he left the Methodists (for whom his preaching was too ‘enthusiastic’) and opened his own Christian Mission in London. By 1865 he had created the Salvation Army. Adopting military terminology, he took the Christian Gospel out onto the most drab and dreary streets of London with bright uniforms and banners and with the ringing tones of brass band music. The service given by the Salvation Army among the poorest people and in the most desperate situations has won the oranisation worldwide respect. Spreading the Word It is true that many European Christians emigrated to avoid persecution and to be free to worship in their own ways in new countries. Among them were the Pilgrim Fathers (Puritans) in 1620, the Amish and Mennonites from the German States, and William Penn (Quaker), founder of Pennsylvania in 1682. However, the worldwide spread of the Christian Gospel probably owes far more to - (a) those people who emigrated to North America or New Zealand and Australia for other than religious reasons but who of course took their religious faith and practices with them, somewhat as the Spanish and Portuguese had taken Catholicism to Central and Southern America some time earlier. For example, the flexible system of the Circuit Riders of Methodism in the 19th century was ideally suited to the opening up of the West, and (b) the Churches which financed and trained missionaries - preachers, doctors, teachers – specifically to send them to those people who had no tradition of Christian faith. So Christianity took root not only in the ‘new’ countries which became regarded as Christian countries, but also in Africa, India and the Far East where other major religions predominated. The Turn of the Tide? The tendency to divide (from the 16th century to the late 19th) became a tendency to unite as the 20th century began. The impetus came from overseas. At the 1910 Missionary Conference in Edinburgh those Christians who had grown up in other countries and other cultures pointed out how confusing the many divisions of the Christian Church were, and how much easier it would be to evangelise if the Church were one. An obvious idea whose time had come. So the Ecumenical Movement started to make itself felt in Britain. First the missionary movements co-operated, then those involved in Christian good deeds, then those who saw the need to discuss theological beliefs – steady progress, interrupted by two World Wars, leading eventually to the formation of the World Council of Churches (and its British counterpart) in the late 1940s. Fifty years later heady visions have given way to sombre realism. The number of unions of church organisations in England has been very small, but the old sense of antagonism and competition between the denominations has largely disappeared. Most Christians see the value of the variety which a multi-faceted Christianity can offer, while at the same time are happy to co-operate with one another in many practical ways. The arguments may go on, but usually politely and over a cup of tea. The End of the Story? I’m not disappointed that schisms, disagreements and divisions form the framework on which the Christian history of Britain is woven – except, of course, where they have burst out into acts of cruelty. One can only stare with incomprehension at the brutality of Crusaders, the torture of witches, the burning of ‘heretics’ by Catholics and Protestants alike. How could anyone possibly believe that such deeds are justified in the teaching of Jesus? But other disagreements – translating the Bible into English, the real presence of Christ at Holy Communion, the morality of dancing, the essence of priesthood, State and Church relationships, religious music, extemporary prayer, the use and misuse of alcohol – were surely just signs that people cared passionately about religious truth. They were willing to give and not to count the cost, to fight and not to heed the wound because they believed that Christian theology, worship and morality were supremely important. Disagreement and passion almost inevitably go hand in hand. And there lies the difference between the Christianity history of the first two millennia and the Christianity of modern Britain. It is difficult to find passion in the churches of England today, difficult to find leaders who are willing to speak clearly on moral issues, and difficult to find people who know why they belong to one denomination rather than to another. For nearly a century Christianity in Britain has been under the fiercest attacks in its long history; attacks not in the form of torture, imprisonment or civil penalties but of contempt, derision and withering scorn. The Church is portrayed by a largely hostile press as irrelevant, incompetent, foolish and theologically mistaken. Materialism is the modern Gospel, the Shopping Mall is the modern place of worship and Hedonism is the modern faith. Multi-faith religion is taught in schools. Moral issues are decided by the popular press. Churches have closed by the thousand, and the younger generations for the most part would no more think of going to Church than of flying to the moon. These attacks have unfortunately coincided with a lack of prophetic leaders in the Church. The reaction of many Christians has been to retreat into Fundamentalist unreason or Charismatic hysteria, as they huddle together against the cold winds of a hostile world. It is not impossible that the story of Christianity in England is nearing its end. Within the next fifty years the Church will be either revitalised or extinguished. …………………………. The above is contributed by a reader who read the Livesay History and has responded with expanded comments about the Religious History in Britain. Those immigrating to America came with views and convictions formed within this culture. In the new world their lives were affected by the views and practices in their new homes. Recording the religious and social histories of the communities of our ancestry is an important part of the genealogy story. L. N. Testerman, webmaster 3/1/0 |
| Research news. |
| “BARGARIN BASEMENT WHEN ONE READER BOUGHT HER COTTAGE IN PRESTON SHE DIDN’T EXPECT INVESTIGATIONS OF THE OVERGROWN GARDEN TO TURN UP A WHOLE NEW FLOOR TO HER HOME Mary Cooch had great fun discovering the suprises of her Lancashire home. We bought Peel Cottage in Preston in 1999, and soon discovered an unexpected bonus. While exploring the undergrowth in the garden we found an undiscovered basement! We got into it, Indian Jones-style, through a trap door in the hall. In it were stained-glass windows, the original cloth-covered mains cable that still powered the house, and encaustic tiles. This sparked our interest in the house’s past. The land was bought in 1851 by Joseph Livesey, newspaper magnate and founder of the Teetotal Movement. A social reformer, he let tradespeople buy plots in instalments, establishing the local Freehold Park Estate. The teetotal theme persists, as there is a covenant prohibiting ‘the sale of Ale, Beer or spiritous liquors’. Listed in the deeds as ‘that plot of land situated on the South Side of Victoria Road and the North Side of Lowerbank Road’, our house has had four addresses on three roads – frustrating for the amateur researcher! Peel Cottage was built by David Anderton in 1856. He borrowed £350 for a ‘dwelling house and shop’ with the entrances on different streets. In one room we discovered bricked-up windows and an entrance, so we may well be sleeping in the shop! By 1874 William Newsham, a druggist, was living in Peel Cottage, while David Anderton’s widow still ran his business from the shop. William Newsham may have built Albert Cottage next door to extend a two-up, two-down detached home into a semi-detached. It would explain why our front door is off-centre and why a tall, thin home is stuck on to our short, fat one! The 1901 Census mentions William Newsham’s widow, Phoebe, 63, and her children, Margaret and Thomas, who were continuing the family ‘photo drug dealer’ business in town. Phoebe’s children finally sold the house in 1943 for £800. Between 1943 and 1971 it was in the hands of a property developer, a company director and an architect. It was pebble-dashed and in 1955 divided into two separate flats. The basement was blocked off, the stairwell was boarded over and bushes were planted in front of the windows and doors. When Joseph Ainsworth bought it in 1971 for £3500.00, he rented out the top flat and put up suspended polystyrene ceilings. When he died in 1999 we bought the house. We’ve opened up the ceilings and basement and made a mosaic out of the tile fragments found during restoration. Although bound by the covenant, we still raise a grateful glass to Joseph Livesey. Then, nursing our hangovers, we think of the ‘drug-dealer’ Newshams, and wonder what they could have offered us!” This is a reprint from an unidentified magazine, If someone knows the source, please send the Webmaster a note. Contributed by J. Jacklin, Gorse Barn, Tockholes, Lancashire, UK |
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