Early Benefactors

The Early Benefactors of the Euxton Mission

Prior to the restoration of the Catholic Hierarchy in 1850, local clergy depended entirely on the support of benefactors to enable them to live and provide religious services. Given that early clergy tended to be from the “gentrified classes” some of this support came from their families (and, indeed some priests were relatively wealthy in their own right) but the main support tended to come from the local gentry – in Euxton the prime (but not sole) benefactors were the Anderton family. Euxton was a noted centre of Catholicism during the Penal Times and numerous Euxton folk are named as Recusants in the Quarter Session records of the time (see below), and surviving Parish records identify these and others as benefactors.   

As has been described on the main Parish History page, the Anderton family provided the initial Chapel in Euxton Hall, and later provided the building that was developed into the separate chapel at Euxton Hall in 1817, funded by public subscription. It is clear that the Anderton family provided accommodation and a living for the priest up to the time of the building of the current Presbytery in 1865 – initially in Euxton Hall itself, and later in a separate house on the Estate. The Andertons also provided the building that was used as a School until the building of the “Old School” in 1866. Having been the foremost patrons of the Church, it is clear that the Andertons regarded the church as their Private Church and the position of Priest as being in their personal gift – it is understandable why this should be the case, but this undoubtedly caused some difficulties following the Restoration of the Hierarchy and the establishment of the primacy of the Bishop!

But what of other benefactors and sources of income?

Surviving Parish Records indicate that numerous bequests were made to the Church in the 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th centuries by local families These bequests seem to have been held by local gentry on behalf of the Church (rather than held directly by the Priest) and interest or a specified bequest was paid annually – occasionally this led to problems in later years, particularly in relation to the ownership of land/rights to revenue from land testated by Rev Thos Anderton in 1735. Typically these bequests required the Priest to say Masses or Prayers for deceased family members, or paid for Bench Rents.

To give an idea of the sums involved, reproduced here are the details of the Mission Finances when the Rev Robert Swarbreck was the incumbent Priest:

A Statement of all the Securities & Moneys Belonging to Euxton                    £   s 

Rev R Swarbreck April 1801

 

1^st          Interest from Mr Anderton

                          (see the Rev Thomas Anderton’s Codicil)                              17: 0: 0

              In the said Mr Anderton’s hands £200

                          (see Mr Robert Blundell’s Directions)                                   10: 0: 0

 

2^nd          In Mr Orrell’s hands £250

                         (see Mrs Jane Daniels’ instructions)                                     11: 5: 0

              For the deficiency of £50 left by Mr Robert Daniel to Park Hall

                          (placed elsewhere) see my memorandum.                                

              In Mr Orrell’s hands £340.

                          See the promissory notes.                                                   15: 6: 0

 

3^rd          In the Rev John Atkinson’s hands £216

                         - see his Note                                                                      10:16: 0

 

            4^th          In the hands of the Trustees of Burgh Estate 100.

                                     See Mr John Chadwick’s Note.                                               4:10: 0

 

5^th          From Mr Walsh’s effects for a Bench.

                         See Mr Layland’s note                                                           2:10: 0 

 

6^th          £40 / Mrs John Gillibrand’s Annuity to Euxton

                         placed in old Mr Halliwell’s hands.

                        No Security I believe was ever given for ye money

This suggests that, in 1801, Rev Swarbreck had an annual income of £71 from “Securities” plus whatever donations he might receive during the year – he also received his accommodation from the Anderton family. This would appear to have been a reasonable annual income for a “country Mission” at that time.

The earliest donation mentioned in the surviving Parish Records dates back to the Penal Times: in a note to Fr Worthy written in 1855 he is asked to “distribute monies to the poor of Euxton and Charnock out of Peter Smith’s Farm…” – Fr Worthy has annotated this note thus:

“14 Feb 1733 recites the charge comes originally from Richard Roscoe”, and

“Comes originally from Richard Houghton 1666”

(nb Richard Houghton is named in the list of “Convicted Recusants in the Reign of Charles II”, being one of 27 Euxton folk listed)

The earliest “contemporary” document in the Parish Records is of a letter from Robert Dalton to Rev Swarbreck dated 1779, in which he writes:  “My grandfather left a hundred pounds to one Foster of Charnock the interest of which he was obliged to pay to ye Priest who said Prayers etc at Park Hall….”.  Mr Dalton goes on to say that he later “made my own Donation which was the first in the late Mr White’s time”. His letter continues to say that he intends to “order my Steward to pay you four Guineas next Rent Day….. to say twelve Masses in every twelve Months for ye last person of ye Family of ye Daltons who died last.”

Other bequests from Wills referred to in the Parish Records include those of:

Thomas Hornby’s Will of 1817

      £45 for 3 masses per annum & residue for School & Books

Thomas Welsh’s Will (before 1793)

                  “A sum of £50 in Trust, to pay fifty shillings a year to the officiating Priest of the Romish

                    Chapel at Euxton Hall for the use of a Bench, or Seat, or Form within the same Chapel”.

Codicil of Rev Thomas Anderton’s Will of 1735

       extracts of specific bequests to support “the Chappell”:

                  … From Boggards Inn for to furnish the Altar with Wine, Wafers, Wax Candles, Vestments

                      or other Necessaries for the Chappell per Annum for ever…..        £5:0:0

                  … From Boggards Inn as a Provision for the Priest’s Board to be paid to the Master or Mistress

                        Anderton per Annum……..                                                          £5:0:0 

                  … Interest from ye Remainder of Effects for ever of a £100 to ye Priest at Euxton to pray for

                         Mrs Helen & Mary Holland frequently…….                                £100:0:0

 It can be seen that monies were bequeathed in a variety of ways to support the Priest and Mission, with the saying of Masses and Prayers being the most common obligation placed on the Priest. The surviving Parish Records contain a number of lists of “Anniversary Masses” resulting from bequests – one of these lists is reproduced here…. there is no explanation of the dates, but it might be assumed that they are the dates of death of the named individuals.

List of Anniversary Masses (1846)

Jan 15        Thomas Hornby                      1818

Jan 20        Mary Blundell

Jan 22        Frances Rothwell

Feb 7          Rev John White

Feb 12        Elizabeth Hornby                    1818

Feb 15        John Martin                           1808

Feb 20        Hon Mary Anderton

April 19       Elizabeth Daniel                     1728

April 20       Margaret Jenkinson

May 7          Ellen Holland

May 12        Mary Holland

May 18        Robert Daniel jnr                   1778

May 23        Gilbert Lancaster

May 24        Rev Luke White

May 25        John White

May 26        Alice White

July 1          Jenny Daniel                          1780

July 6          Margaret Walker                    1815

July 25        Rev William Daniel                 1777

Aug 4          Thomas Welsh

Aug 5          William Blundell

Aug 13        Mary Towneley

Aug 25        Rev Thomas Daniel                 1770

Sept 1         Frances & Ann Lancaster

Sept 1         The Whole of the Daniel Family

Oct 16         William Anderton of Euxton    1744

                    (grandfather of the present)

Oct 24         Ellen Daniel                            1727

Nov 28         Mrs Sefton & friends

Dec 7           Anne Lancaster

Dec 16         Thomas Clifton

Dec 17         Robert Daniel snr                   1731

Dec 25         Mrs Welsh

At least until Fr Worthy’s time at the Parish, the household furniture and effects of the Priests House were largely the personal property of the individual priest. Inventory lists record the contents of the House at the end of the tenures of Rev Higginson and Rev Gillow, and the surviving Parish Records contain a series of receipts for payments from Fr Worthy to Fr Gillow between 1852 and 1854 for furniture and effects.

The Parish Records also contain a full inventory of “Church Property belonging to Euxton Mission” produced by Fr Worthy in 1860, primarily listing artefacts associated with the Church, rather than the House. The only “Church-owned” items in the Priests House were a silver tea service and an “indefinite quantity and quality of books left by Rev Thomas Anderton (1740) to be kept as heirlooms….” (some of the book titles are listed) - unfortunately none of these artefacts have survived to the present day.

Referring to the “Church Inventory”: of local interest might be the inclusion of 10 boys Surplices,  Cassocks, and Slippers, when linked to a separate document in the surviving Records (of the late 1850’s) containing the following list of Acolytes:

Richard Winstanley

Edward Blakeledge

Richard Rosbottom

Michael Aspinall

John Banks

James Moore

Thomas Barlow

Edward Banks

James Swarbreck

All these boys had been Baptised at St Mary’s during the 1840s, and this list of Altar Boys is the only surviving record of Parish volunteers of any sort.

Euxton Recusants

Extract from List of Lancashire Recusants, 1630   (dated 11^th October 1630) 

Thomas More

Robert Hodgson

Extract from List of Lancashire Recusants, 1632   (dated 12^th October 1632) 

Robert Worthington

William Reskow

John Sharrock

William Critchlow                 Yeoman

Henry Stones for Agnes Gradwell

Extract from List of Lancashire Recusants, 1678 

William Anderton                 Gentleman

Maria Anderton                    wife of William

John Walmesley                   Gentleman

Margaret Walmesley             wife of John

Henry Vusworth                    Husbandman

William Cowper                   Labourer

Margaret Cowper                  Spinster

George Bankcroft                Carpenter

Jenett Bankcroft                   wife of George

Extract from List of Lancashire Recusants, 1682 

Willus Anderton                   Gentleman

Johes Mawdsley                   Gentleman

Robtus Storres                    Yeoman

Margrett Anderton                Widow

Margrett Tootell                   Widow

Robtus Hudson                    Husbandman

Maria Hudson                     Wife

Edrus Woodcocke                Yeoman

Ricus Moore                       Husbandman

Margrett Wadsworth            Spinster

Ellena Cocker                      Widow

Margrett Swanie                  Spinster

Robtus Stones                      Yeoman

Thomas Cooper                    Husbandman

Anna Cooper                        Wife

Willius Mellnige                    Husbandman

Ellena Mellnige                    Wife

Anna Hodson                      Widow

Anna Bowlinge                    Shoemaker

          wife of Thome

Willius Woodcocke              Husbandman

Henricus Unsworth               Husbandman

Jana Unsworth                     Wife

Margrett Allnison                 Widow

Willus Anderton                   Gentleman

Johes Winstanley                 Gentleman

Robtus Stones                      Yeoman

Margareta Roby                   Widow

Ellena Woodcocke                Widow

Margaret Ffishwicke            Widow

Convicted Recusants in the Reign of Charles II 

Margaret Rigby                   Spinster

Alicia Rigby                        Spinster

Thomas Moore                    Husbandman

Jenetta Moore                     Wife

Ricardus Moore

fil predicti Thome Moore

Robertus Hodgson                Husbandman

Maria Hodgson                     Wife

Margaret Tootell

          wife of Willelmi

Jenetta Houghton                Widow

Ricardus Houghton

Hugo Woodcock                   Yeoman

          his Wife

Willelmus Woodcock

Willelmus Melling                 Husbandman

Ellena his Wife

Anna Hodgson                     Widow

Willelmus Radsworth          Husbandman

Margareta Radsworth          Spinster

** Thomas Roscow               Husbandman 

          Anna his Wife

Laurencius Breares              Yeoman

          his Wife

Jane Melling                       Spinster

Alicia Nixon                        Widow

Anna ffisher                       Widow

Henricus Unsworth               Labourer

          Alicia his Wife       

** The Roscows of Runshaw in Euxton and of Charnock Richard were staunch recusants. Brother Joseph Roscow OSB born at Runshaw died at Paris in 1709.