Did Thomas Tyldesley 1657-1715, the Diarist, have a brother named James?
Such a brother did not appear in the Tyldesley pedigree produced by Gillow and Hewitson in 1873. However, they did recognise that the diary includes a direct reference to "Bror James T" on 28 July 1713:
July 28.—In the morning went early towards Standish with dear Ned W:; ffound Sany Butler att Seath Whalley's; pd 6d.; thence to Standish; Bror James T : met us; we signd all the leases, viz., in Nobr 14; Mr. Parkinson pd all I went to Wigan to honest Isack Knipe who made much on mee.
[Sir Thomas Tyldesley, the Diarist's grandfather, married Frances, daughter of Ralph Standish, of Standish, Esq., and at a still earlier period, Mary, daughter of Thurstan Tyldesley, of Tyldesley and Wardley (by Jane, daughter of Ralph Langton, Baron of Newton) married another Ralph Standish, of Standish, so that the two families were closely allied.—" Bror James T :" may refer to a brother of the Diarist, of whom, however, we can learn nothing.]
In fact Gillow and Hewitson were mistaken in stating that we can learn nothing of this James Tyldesley. As will be seen, he appears in the Customs Letter-Books of the Port of Liverpool and there are also records relating to his marriage and a number of different leases. For example, this indenture from 5 June 1760.
1. The Tyldesley Diary 1712-1714, Joseph Gillow and Anthony Hewitson, 1873