Bispham Church—rebuilt 1883
In the latter part of his life, Thomas Tyldesley 1657-1715, the Diarist, appears to have spent much of his time at Myerscough Lodge or Fox Hall. It may be that his eldest son, Edward Tyldesley had been given the use of Holcroft Hall.
The closest church to Fox Hall was the Parish Church of All Saints in Bispham. This fell into disrepair, was demolished in 1883 and replaced. However the registers survive and were published in (FN1). They contain two entries of interest.
First, there is a note recording the birth of a daughter to Thomas Tyldesley and his second wife Agatha Winckley. It confirms the antipathy which existed towards the family's religious convictions:
Winifrid d. of Tho: Tildsley of Blackpoole within Layton cu Warbrecke was borne the 8th & Baptised as they say by a Roman Prist the—11 October 1701.
Second, a burial is recorded:
Charles s. of Thomas Tildeslay of Blackpoole within Layton cu Warbrecke—9 11 May 1705
For the burial, two dates are given. The first is the date of the burial and the second is the date of the affidavit required under the Burial in Woollen Acts 1666-80—legislation which provided that the dead other than plague victims should be buried in pure English wool shrouds. No indication is given of the age of Charles Tyldesley at death. It seems likely that he was young and therefore a son of Agatha Winckley, but from this entry alone it is impossible to be certain.
Entries in the Tyldesley Diary 1712-1714 indicate that there was a second daughter of the marriage with Agatha Winckley. On 1 May 1712 Thomas Tyldesley met his creditors. This led to an argument with Dick Stanley, who objected to an allowance for the two daughters of his second marriage:
the referrys al mett at dick Jackson's, but did not complete the sedull, because all the debts were nott comen in, and partly because my good cos germond Dick Stanley would not consent my 2 2nd doughrs tho theyr mothr brought above £700, which made us all in confusion...
The name of the second daughter was Agatha Tyldesley. Agatha is mentioned by name later in the diary on 28 September 1712 after her father had taken her with him on horseback to Aldcliffe:
In the morning tucke Aggy behind mee to Aldcliffe, to payrs, and the remaindr off the day att home...
It is Agatha Tyldesley who married John Bleasdell and whose descendants can now be found in Canada and the USA.
With the information from the Tyldesley Diary 1712-1714 and the registers from Garstang, Newchurch and Bispham it is possible to start to put together a list of the children of Thomas Tyldesley 1657-1715. First, however, there is a question to be addressed regarding James Tyldesley.
With the information from the Tyldesley Diary 1712-1714 and the registers from Garstang, Newchurch and Bispham it is possible to start to put together a list of the children of Thomas Tyldesley 1657-1715. First, however, there is a question to be addressed regarding James Tyldesley.
1. Lancashire Parish Register Society, Vol 33, 1908.
