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The ancient parish of Rothwell is situated in the old West Riding of Yorkshire, a few miles south-east of Leeds and to the north-east of Wakefield. It included the townships of Rothwell, Carlton-with-Lofthouse, Middleton, Oulton-with-Woodlesford and Thorpe. There are remains of an ancient castle or manor house near the church, a reminder of the time when the manor formed part of the vast lands owned by the Lacy family whose stronghold was Pontefract Castle. The Lacys endowed Rothwell Church, created a hunting park at Rothwell Haigh, and gave the parish the right to hold weekly markets. Amongst the early Farrars in Rothwell are William Ferror who paid rent there in 1425, and Robert Ferror who paid tax amounting to 12s. 2d in 1545. Others also feature in the early pages of the parish register which began in 1538, shortly after King Henry VIII decreed that registers of births deaths and marriages were to be kept by all parishes. Rothwell parish records are well preserved on the whole with only a few early pages missing and some gaps left during Civil War (1635-49). There are also gaps from Commonwealth period when there was an absence of proper ministers, and marriages were solemnised by Justices of the Peace. Early entries show that Elzabett daughter of Robt Farro, was baptised on June 20th 1539, Agnes the daughter of Ric' Farro was baptised on December 26th, Thomas Farro married Jane Sauell in January 1542/3 and Robert Farro married Ann Wyllson on July 1st 1544. People in the parish suffered badly during the plagues which affected most of England in the mid 16th century. The registers show that burials increased from the yearly average of 20, to 76 in 1557, and rose to 126 the following year. The parish records also show that on November 4 1635, Johes [John Farrar] ffarrey married Maria Wood in Rothwell parish church. This is the earliest entry that can be positively identified as ancestor of a large number of Farrars who subsequently settled elsewhere in Yorkshire and other parts of the world. Rothwell registers do not have a record of his birth which suggests he came from another parish to marry Maria. Presumably he was about the same age, or a little older, than Maria who was a local girl aged 22. She had been baptised at Rothwell on 6th June 1613, the daughter of Gulielmi Wood and Anna (née Booth), who had been married at Rothwell in September 1608. Little is known of the life John and Maria lived. The parish
register for this period (vol. 5 1635-49) is of little help. It appears they
lived in Oulton and had seven children: In 1642, just before the war began, a treaty of neutrality was signed at Rothwell between Royalist and Parliamentarian representatives. One signature being that of John Farrar, not the John who married Maria Wood, but more likely that of John Farrer Esq. from Ewood Hall near Halifax. The treaty failed to stop the war and in May the following year a decisive engagement took place at nearby Wakefield. Leeds, Selby and of course Pontefract with its massive castle, also saw a good deal of fighting during the conflict. No record has been found to show if John Farrar was involved in the war. The church font is said to have been destroyed by Cromwellian troops and a new one erected after Charles II was restored to the throne. The war ended in 1651 and John died a few years later in 1664/5. The burial entry on March 22nd described him as 'de Oulton'. John's son Samuel, who had been baptised on September 10th 1648, married Hannah Bretton (or Britton) in 1670. The Brettons were a well established Rothwell family with many branches. Samuel prospered and owned several pieces of property in the parish including a shop in Rothwell. He took an active part in the community performing the duties of Constable and in 1716 was a Church Warden. When he died 1728 he was described as a yeoman. However, his life must have been saddened by the deaths of his children, grandchildren and his wife Hannah. Their son Henry died in 1682 aged about ten. The other son Jo (or John) must have been under 30 when he died in February 1698/9, the same year that Hannah died. Jo (or John) had married Hannah Kitchen in 1694 and they had three sons who also died at a young age. The youngest Samuel died within a year of his birth, the next son John appears to have died in Leeds in 1706 and the longest surviving son Henry, died aged twenty-two. Jo did not leave a will, though letters of administration of his goods dated 1699 shows that 'John Farrer late of Rothwell in the diocese of York, deceased, intestate, was granted to Hannah Farrer widow, the relict'. Their son Henry was about 2 years old at the time and when he grew up he married Alice Sedgwick by licence on 23 February 1717 Henry and Alice had a son Samuel, but within two years Henry was dead. Like his grandfather, he was described in the parish register as a yeoman. In 1724, Henry's widow Alice married George Atkinson and they lived in the `Farrar's shop' in Rothwell. This may have been a blacksmith's shop, as George Atkinson, blacksmith, baptised three children at Rothwell between 1726 and 1732, before he was buried in 1733. Old Samuel, born in 1648, lived through most of this and was nearly 80 though 'sick and weak in body', when he made his will on November 25th 1727. He left the shop in Rothwell with 'a little barn ... now in possession of the said George Atkinson' to Alice Atkinson, his grandson's widow. Most of the rest of his estate was left to her son Samuel, old Samuel's great grandson. This shows just how close the family line was to ending, and only survived through young Samuel. He was about 10 years old when he inherited his great grandfather's estate. The inheritance included pieces of land at Boyntons Hill, Hopefield and Orgrave field. There were also cottages in Oulton and his great grandfather's house with its attached barn and orchard. Particular items in the house were valued at £6 19s. 6d and are detailed in his will: One Range and Bed irons, two iron pots one salt and the other not salt; one long settle; one Clock and Case; one dresser and pewter case nine pewter dishes and three pewter plates and one Oval Table and a Little Table; two soiled chairs and three thrown Chairs a ... Bedstead with a feather Bed and Bedding and in the parlour one bedstead one chest and an Oval Table and in the chamber a large Chest. The 'needful poor' of Rothwell and Oulton were given a legacy of twenty shillings yearly and John Vavasuor and Leonard Sedgwick 'my two friends' were appointed to administer the will. Gifts were provided for the two men: 'half a crown to buy them gloves to wear for my sake'. Rents and profits from the estate were to finance young Samuel's education. Unlike his great grandfather, he would learn to read and write. Provision was also made in case Samuel died without leaving an heir. In that event money from the estate was to go to the Brettons, Samuel's in-laws. Samuel put his mark and seal to the will and was buried at Rothwell on March 10th 1728. Young Samuel Farrer became an apprentice to Leonard Sedgwick, the local butcher, which signalled the beginning of the Farrars association with that occupation, an association which lasted for three generations. In December 1742, at the age of twenty-three, Samuel married
Isabella, the 18 year-old-daughter of Jonathan and Sarah Flockton. Their
children were: Samuel took an active part in the local community and appeared as a witness on several occasions at the Rothwell manor court. In December 1763 his eldest son, Henry married Elizabeth, the 21 year-old daughter of Matthew and Elizabeth Horsfull of Carlton. For a few years the couple appear to have lived in a house that he owned in Rothwell, but between 1766 and 1769 they moved to Kellington. The following deed seems to have resulted of this move: Jno Beckwith sworn An Indenture of Mortgage by way of Demise for the term of One thousand years leasing dated the fifteenth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Sixty eight and made as mentioned to be made Between Samuel ffarrer of Rothwell in the County of York Butcher of the one part and Richard Howson of Rothwell aforesaid Gentleman of the other part of and concerning all that Messuage Dwelling house or tenement situate standing and being in Rothwell aforesaid wherein Henry ffarrer late dwelt with the garden and appurtenances and also all those two lands lying and being between two balkes in the upper Shutt in the hope field in Rothwell aforesaid containing by estimation three roods be the same more or less and now in the tenure or occupation of the said Samuel ffarrer and also those four lands lying disposed in the orgrave field in Carlton in the Parish of Rothwell aforesaid containing together by Estimation one acre and one rood by the same more or less two lands thereof lying together in a place there call pillowtofts Lands of Sir William Lowther Baronet lying on the North and lands in the occupation of Mary Sedgwick widow South of these two land thereof lying together in the Low Shut land of Mr Joseph Barber lying on the North and Land of Mr Woods South together withal and singular ways waters water courses Common Commons of Pasture Liberties Easements Profits privileges Hereditaments and Appurtenances whatsoever to the said Messuage Dwelling house pieces or parcels of Lands or any part of parts thereof belonging or many wise containing and the Reversion and Reversions Remainder and Remainders Rents ... and profits thereof every part And parcel those of Which said Indenture is witnessed by Jon Beckwith of Rothwell aforesaid Gentleman and Joseph Field of Rothwell aforesaid yeoman. Signed and Sealed in the presence of Jno Beckwith Sworn Jo Field Samuel Farrah It is interesting to note that although the spelling ffarrer is used in the document, and it had changed from 'ffarrar' used by his ancestor in 1727, Samuel's signature was interpreted as `Farrah'. When he signed his will a few years later, he used the name 'Farrer'. Samuel was aged 61 in 1779 when he made his will and he described himself as a butcher. The bequests show that he held considerable property in Rothwell. This including part of Hopefield which, together with his household goods, which were to be sold to pay off debts and funeral expenses. Isabella his wife was appointed executor and she was to receive the balance of the estate when the following provisions had been made for the children: Henry, the eldest son living in Kellington was to receive a house in Rothwell then occupied by Samuel's son-in-law John Lister, a carpenter. Alice, who had married William Snowden a malster of Woodlesford, was to receive property in Oulton. Samuel part of the land in Hopefield from which he had to pay his sisters Alice £20 and Elizabeth (the wife of John Lister) £10. Isabella the house in Rothwell which she occupied. And the youngest daughter Hannah, another house in Rothwell then occupied by William Blackburn together with some land in Orgrave field. Samuel's will was proved by his widow Isabella at York on 14 September 1782. By then, the eldest son Henry and his family were well established in Kellington. In December 1782 Henry, then living in Kellington, and his brother, Samuel in Rothwell, made a release of property in Rothwell. The deed has enabled the local historian Mr Albert Brown to draw a map showing where the property was situated. An extract of the deed reads: ... concerning all that small piece or parcel of ground being part of the West side of an Hill in Rothwell aforesaid called Bointon Hill otherwise ffeatherfowl Hill as the same is now staked and set out, the East side thereof adjoining the premises of James Atkinson being twelve yards the West side thereof adjoining a woggon or passage leading from the Townstreet to the Marsh being ten yards and the South side thereof adjoining James Atkinson's barn and extending from the said woggon or passage nearly to the Barn door thereunto being six yards and the North side thereof extending from the said woggon to the premises of the said James Atkinson being thirteen yards and which said parcel of land was late in the tenure or occupation of John Lister together with the dwellinghouse lately erected by the said Samuel ffarrer thereon which said dwelling house and parcel of ground are now in the tenure or procession of him the said Samuel ffarrer the son his assigns together with all the singular ways passages waters watercourses hedges ditches with all and singular walls ffences privileges advantages and appurtenances whatsoever to the said parcel of land dwellinghouse and premises or any part there of belonging. Mr Brown was able to identify the `Woggan' (see map) as the modern Wagon Yard. As a child he had lived at the junction of Royds Lane and Marsh Street in a house opposite the yard. It had been used up to the 19th century as a park for horses and wagons belonging to traders attending the market. When the market became redundant, houses were built on the site, but a right of way was retained through to Town Street. Samuel's younger son, Samuel, stayed in Rothwell and followed his father's occupation by becoming butcher. His shop was later described and being close the Coach and Horse inn. Other Farrars, who may have been related, also lived in Oulton. Some were in Green Bottom Lane which changed to become Farrer Lane in the 19th century. John Farrer, a malster and land agent and his wife was Elizabeth (or Betty) had offices in Farrer lane. They had three sons Robert born at Oulton in 1799, Thomas in 1802, and John in 1808. John Farrer and Son, Land Agents, were appointed to the Calverley, Oulton Estates, as well as being administrators of several Turnpike Trusts in Yorkshire. Also in Oulton in 1841 were Robert Farrer, a corn miller aged 39 and his wife Mary and four daughters, Elizabeth Farrer aged 82, retired and Thomas Farrer, aged 48 agricultural farmer. A link between Rothwell, Yorkshire and Shelford, Victoria in Australia was investigated by Meryl Smith, a descendant of Matthew Farrar, who was born 7 April 1826 and baptised at Rothwell 25 June 1826 References:
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