THORNBOROUGH AND OTHER THORNBER VARIANTS
BAPTISMS IN LANCASHIRE, ENGLAND
17TH, 18TH & 19TH CENTURIES

Part 2. Parishes N to W

Lancashire Rose

The data below is taken in part from the International Genealogical Index and in part from my own examination of parish registers in Lancashire for variants of Thornber and Thornborough. Entries in the IGI noted as "relative of" or "born about" without any information from a register are excluded as are those without parent's names.  In each case the child's name is given first; the dates are in the form year, month, day. Where the mother's maiden name is quoted in the baptism register it is shown in brackets.  I am grateful to Tony Foster for the information on Blackburn Nonconformist baptisms.   The objective is to compare the spelling variants, places and dates as a start to seeing whether families can be identified.  For anyone interested in these families the first step is to consult the full entry in the appropriate register to seek information on abodes, occupations etc.  The second step is to consult the burial records at the same place to see if any of the children died in infancy.

There are a number of examples where the variants of Thornber and Thornborough are used for the same family. Several occur in Blackburn in the early 19th century when the vicar wrote Thornborough in the marriage register but the person involved signed as Thornber. This makes it necessary to consult both this page and those dealing with Thornber records in Lancashire.

Newchurch in Pendle

John Thornborough married Jane Clegg at Whalley on 13 September 1813 and there is a record of one child at Newchurch.

Howarth John & Jane Thornborough (Clegg) Newchurch in Pendle 1814 02 06
Preston St. John

George and Ann may be the same couple listed under the name Thornber

Ephraim  George & Ann Thornborough   Preston St. John  1847 04 22
Richard  George & Ann Thornboro  Preston St. John  1849 01 02
Ruth  George & Ann Thornber  Preston St. John  1850 03 02

William Anslow George Richard & Martha Thornbery   Preston St. John  1847 09 18
George Osborn George Richard & Martha Thornbery   Preston St. John  1850 10 31
Henry Hartley George Richard & Martha Thornbery   Preston St. John  1850 10 31
Thomas Frederick George Richard & Martha Thornbery   Preston St. John  1852 04 20

Anna Johis Thornborough Preston St. John  1621 12 24

It is possible that the John and Hannah below are the same couple as that at Lancaster St. Mary, who married in 1784.

Molly   John & Hannah Thornborough Lancaster St. Mary  1786 03 05
Arthur  John & Hannah Thornborough  Lancaster St. Mary  1789 07 12
Mary Ann   John & Hannah Thornborrow Preston St. John  1806 05 18

John and Isabel may be the same couple as at Lancaster St. Mary who married in 1792.

Betty John & Bella Thornborough  Lancaster St. Mary 1795 08 23
Isabella  John & Isabella Thornborough  Lancaster St. Mary 1798 04 29
Hannah  John & Isabell Thornborough  Lancaster St. Mary 1801 01 18
Millecent Parker  John & Isabella Thornborow Lancaster St. Mary  1803 09 04
Agnes   John & Isabel Thornborrow  Preston St. John 1806 10 19

Lawrence John Thornborrowe Preston St. John 1623 06 01
Laurance  John Thornebowrowe  Preston St. John 1626 09 16

Ellen Joseph & Catharine Thornborow Preston St. John 1839 01 27

Edward Richard & Ann Thornbury Preston St. John 1855 11 30
Richard Richard & Ann Thornbury Preston St. John 1855 11 30

Sarah Jane  Thomas & Catherine Thornborough Preston St. John 1862 05 25
Henry Thomas  Thomas & Catherine Thornborrow  Preston St. John 1868 02 23
Louisa Thomas & Catherine Thornborrow  Preston St. John 1869 03 28

William (Willm)   Thomas Thornborrow  Preston St. John 1623 05 18

Elizabetha  Thomas Thorneborowe  Preston St. John 1618 02 26

Boyd's Marriage Index shows that Jn. Thornborrow married Ellen Fishwick at Preston in 1621.

Stalmire

Thurs Thornborow married Ann Diconsons, Stalmire, 1593 (Boyd's Marriage Index)

Tatham Fells
Alice  Gyles Thornbury  Tatham Fells  1747 08 16
Tunstall

Althought there are four spellings of the surname the combination of parents' names makes this almost certainly a family grouping, particularly given the name of the last child.  Arthur Thornburrow married Agnes Airey at Kirkby Lonsdale, Westmorland on 3 Aug 1755.

Bridget Arthur & Agnes Thornburrow  Tunstall 1757 04 17
John  Arthur & Agnes Thornbarrow  Tunstall 1759 12 03
Isabel Arthur & Agnes Thornborough  Tunstall 1760 08 17
John  Arthur & Agnes Thornborrow  Tunstall 1763 06 11
Anne  Arthur & Agnes Thornborrow  Tunstall 1765 11 03
Robert  Arthur & Agnes Thornborrow  Tunstall 1768 05 22
Arthur Arthur & Agnes Thornborrow  Tunstall 1770 09 21
Thomas Airey Arthur & Agnes Thornborrow  Tunstall 1774 04 03

Mary  Christopher Thornborrow  Tunstall 1734 03 10

John Bush Thornborough married Agnes Gibson at Tunstall on 21 February 1807.

Note also that John Thornborough, husbandman of Bentham married Jane Bush spr o.t.p. on 30 September 1775 at Thornton in Lonsdale by Banns. Their son, John Bush Thornborough, was baptised 28 Jan 1776, at Clapham, Yorkshire.  Given the date of this marriage it is likely that the entry below corresponds to the same couple.

Mary  John & Agnes Thornburrow Tunstall  1807 07 12

The following correspond to the record of the marriage of John (Johanis) Thornborrow to Catherine Bell at Tunstall on 27 April 1695.

Robert  Thomas & Catherine Thornborrow (Bell) Tunstall 1695 12 01
Jacobus (James) Thomas & Catherine Thornborrow (Bell) Tunstall 1699 04 02
John Thomas & Catherine Thornborrow (Bell) Tunstall 1702 05 03
William  Thomas & Catherine Thornborrow (Bell) Tunstall 1704 10 21

Compare the entry for John Thornburrow with that for John Thornber

John  John Thornburrow  Tunstall 1731 04 17
Catharine  John Thornber  Tunstall 1738 03 19

Robert Thornborrow married Elizabeth Batty at Tunstall on 1 June 1727.

John  Robert Thornborrow  Tunstall  1728 09 16
Giles   Robert Thornborrow  Tunstall  1733 09 17

Cecily  Thomas Thornburrow Tunstall 1647 02 14
Anthony Thomas Thornburrow Tunstall 1651 12 21
Anne Thomas Thorneburrow Tunstall 1654 10 08
James Thomas Thornburrow Tunstall 1657 09 13

Boyd's Marriage Index shows:

Jn. Thornborrow married Bridg. Hutchinson at Tunstall in 1729
Rob. Thornborrow and Alice Morfet, banns Tunstall, 1812.

Ulverston
William  Edward Thornborough  Ulverston  1806 05 25

Walton le Dale from LPRS volume.

Note that years in this volume do not match those in the IGI for dates between 1 January and 24 March. The New Year began on 25 March under the Julian Calendar. The Gregorian Calendar was introduced from 1752.

Thomas George Thornborow  Walton le Dale (1619 in IGI) 1618 02 20
William  George Thorneborrowe Walton le Dale 1623 11 28
Anne  George Thorneborrowe  Walton le Dale (1629 in IGI) 1628 01 19
Thomas George Thornborow  Walton le Dale 1634 08 24

The marriage of Henry Thornbarrow to Elizabeth Hindle at Samlesbury on 2 Feb 1768 may be relevant to the next group

John  Henry & Elizabeth Thornbarow Walton le Dale 1768 06 29
Thomas   Henry & Elizabeth Thornborrow, born 27 April Walton le Dale 1771 04 28
William Henry & Elizabeth Thornborow, born 22 Sept Walton le Dale 1773 09 26
Henry  Elizabeth Thornbarrow & Henry her late husband buried this day. Walton le Dale 1776 02 18

The burial of Henry Tornber (sic), weaver is recorded for 18 February 1776 and Betty Thornber, a widow for 6 July 1801.

The following is probably a family group.  It is a good example of how the names Thornborough and Thornber are sometimes interchangeable.  Similar examples exist in other locations.

Anne John & Catharine Thornborough Walton le Dale 1788 09 21
Betty John & Catharine Thornborough Walton le Dale 1790 03 28
Henry John & Catharine Thornborough Walton le Dale 1792 03 25
Catharine John & Catharine Thornber  Walton le Dale 1794 12 14
William John & Catharine Thornber  Walton le Dale 1797 06 04
Anne John & Catharine Thornber  Walton le Dale 1798 08 26

There are burial records at Walton le Dale for:

William s. of John & Catherine Thornber, 2 Oct 1797
Ann d. of John & Catherine Thornber 4 June 1797
John Thornber 14 Feb 1799
Catharine d. of the late John Thornber & Catherine, 5 March 1799
Ann d. of the late John Thornber & Catherine, 5 March 1799

Thomas Thornber married Mary Bibby at Walton le Dale on 7 November 1791

Richard Thomas & Mary Thornborough, born 9 Sept Walton le Dale 1792 10 21

There is a burial record for Richard son of Thomas Thornber on 13 February 1794 and for Mary wife of Thos Thornber on 8 January 1794.

Warrington

Compare the entry for Liverpool six years later.  These are the only two James and Martha records.

Alice  James & Martha Thornborough  Warrington  1832 06 10
Elizabeth Sergeant James & Martha Thornborrow Liverpool St. Peter  1838 03 04

 

Warton near Lancaster

For John How Thornborrow see also the entries for Cartmell.

John How Christopher & Ann Thornborrow Warton near Lancaster  1782 06 09

William (Will.)  Mary Thornborays  Warton near Lancaster 1702 08 30

Christo Thomas Thornebarrow Warton near Lancaster 1643 10 01
Whalley

The parish of Whalley has a number of Thornber entries.   A Joseph Thornber married Susan Hartley on 6 April 1769 at Whalley.

Isabel Joseph Thornborough, tailor, Wiswell Whalley 1770 05 24

John Richard Thornborrowe Whalley  1640 10 25
Bridget  Richard Thornborrow Whalley  1643 03 26

Whittington

Rob. Thornborow married Dy Moises at Whittington, 1591 (Boyds's Marriage Index)

Edward Thornbergs married Jane Howton at Whittington on 29 Nov 1743.

Margaret  Edwd Thornber Whittington  1745 06 00
Christopher Edward & Jane Thornbergs (Houghton) Whittington  1747 05 09

A John Thornburrow married Agnes Benson at Tunstall on 13 Jan 1756,  This may be related to the following:

Mary   John & Agnes Thornborough  Whittington 1764 06 24
Wigan

Henry Thornborrow married Mary Barrow at Wigan on 18 Feb 1797.

James  Henry & Mary Thornborrow (Barrow)  Wigan  1801 08 16

Compare the entry for William and Mary (nee Ellison) with those at nearby Hindley under the name of Thornber.  The forename Ralph is fairly common among the Thornber families in Bowland, around Slaidburn and Waddington and could be consistent with the population movement from country to town during this period.  William Thornber married Mary Ellison at Blackburn St. Mary on 19 August 1789. This family has now been reconstructed as part of a family originating in Slaidburn and moving to Blackburn.

James William & Mary Thornborough (Ellison)  Wigan  1808 09 26
Ralph  William & Mary Thornber (Ellison) Hindley  1812 10 25
William William & Mary Thornber (Ellison)  Hindley 1812 10 25

Ends

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