Connection of the Pendle Forest Grimshaw Line
Connection of the Pendle Forest Grimshaw Line
To Its Parent Eccleshill and Clayton-le-Moors Grimshaw Lines
Thomas Dunham Whitaker has contributed perhaps more than any other individual to the genealogy of the Grimshaw family. Included in his History of Whalley1 are three Grimshaw descendant charts, starting with that of the earliest recorded Grimshaw family, begun by Walter Grimshaw, who was living AD 1250. This family started in Eccleshill and moved during the fourth generation after Walter to Clayton-le-Moors because of a fortuitous marriage. The descendant chart is referred to on this webpage as the Eccleshill/Clayton-le-Moors (E/ClM) chart.
The second descendant chart, for the Pendle Forest Grimshaw line, has Nicholas Grimshaw at the head. The third chart, for the Irish Grimshaw line, has another Nicholas Grimshaw at its head, but it is clearly tied back to the Pendle Forest Grimshaw line. However, Whitaker could not, or at least did not, clearly show the connection of the Pendle Forest line to its parent E/ClM line, leaving the many descendants of the Pendle Forest line (and the subsidiary Irish line) of Grimshaws unable to establish clear ties back to Walter Grimshaw at this time.
Review of two additional publications has established a clear connection, which is represented diagrammatically below. It must be noted that the connection is based on the work of historical authors generally recognized as authoritative for the time (Whitaker, Abram, Farrer & Brownbill), but their assertions have not been independently verified.
Subsequent review of a document by Doreen Crowther found that this author had surmised the same connection described on this webpage.
This connection is explained and elaborated on this webpage, with emphasis on the resources reviewed to make the needed connection.
Whitaker's Eccleshill and Clayton-le-Moors Descendant Chart for the Grimshaws
Whitaker's Pendle Forest Descendant Chart for the Grimshaws
W.A. Abram Articles in The Preston Guardian in 1877
Grimshaw Relationships in Victory County History, Volume 6, Lancashire, " Filly Close"
Conclusion on the Connection of the Pendle Forest line to the Eccleshill/Clayton-le-Moors Line
Connection of the Irish Grimshaw Line to the Pendle Forest Line
Summary Diagram Illustrating Connection Using Whitaker's Pedigrees
 | Webpage Credits |
Thanks go to Hillary Tulloch for making the author aware of many of the resources referenced on this webpage as well as for reviewing the hypothesis of the needed connection. Hillary also tracked down the authorship of the Pendle Forest Grimshaw articles in The Preston Guardian referenced below. Thanks also to Mavis Long for reviewing a draft document with this hypothesized connection.
| Whitaker's Eccleshill and Clayton-le-Moors Descendant Chart for the Grimshaws |
The E/ClM descendant chart for the earliest recorded Grimshaw family is presented in Whitaker's History of Whalley in two pieces; the upper portion (needed for this discussion) is shown below. Note the "Nicholas, 1481" on the right, a little more than halfway down.
| Whitaker's Pendle Forest Descendant Chart for the Grimshaws |
The second - Pendle Forest - Grimshaw descendant chart in Whitaker's History of Whalley is shown below in two pieces, the left and right halves, with considerable overlap. Whitaker's introduction to the the pedigree (with footnote) is also shown, above the two pieces. The Pendle Forest line of Grimshaws is described in more detail on a companion webpage.
Footnote to above text:
Left half:
Right half:
Nicholas Grimshaw, of Heyhouses, is at the head of this family, with son Thomas and grandson Nicholas Grimshaw succeeding him. As noted, Whitaker does not specify the connection of Nicholas of Heyhouses back to the E/ClM family line.
| W.A. Abram Articles in The Preston Guardian in 1877 |
William Alexander Abram, in a series of articles2,3 on the Grimshaw family published in The Preston Guardian in 1877, came close to making the connection of the junior Pendle Forest line to the senior E/ClM line, as shown below.
A. Extract from Article 1, September 1, 1877
We have not been able to ascertain positively the link of connection with, or the point of detachment from, the Grimshaws of Clayton Hall, of the Grimshaws of Pendle Forest, albeit the fact of the common ancestry may be safely taken for granted. We think it most likely that Nicholas Grimshaw, living in 1481 (younger brother of Henry Grimshaw, of Clayton Hall, who died in 1507) was progenitor of the Pendle Forest Grimshaws; this surmise is chiefly based upon the circumstance that "Nicholas" appears to have been a favourite Christian name in this family in every successive generation from the reign of Elizabeth to the present time.
The first member with which a careful pedigree of Grimshaw of Pendle Forest, inserted in the new edition of Whitaker's "History of Whalley," commences, is Nicholas Grimshaw, living in 1593. But we have met with references to Grimshaws resident in Pendle Forest more than half a century prior to that date. These we note below before proceeding to show the descent of the Preston Grimshaws from Nicholas Grimshaw last-named.
In the time of Henry VIII one George Grimshaw resided upon a copyhold estate at Moor Hills in the Forest. He was apparently the father of Richard Grimshaw, to whom documents printed below refer. George Grimshaw died before the year 1554, when his widow, Ann Grimshaw, was living. She had a suit with Richard Grimshaw, probably her son, in the Duchy Court, as to her widow's share of her husband's goods and chattels. In the Calendar to Pleadings in the Duchy Court the record appears:– "1 and 2 Phil. and Mary (1554), Anne Grymeshay, Widow, late wife of George Grymeshay, plaintiff, against Richard Grymeshay, of Mawer Hyles, administrator of the goods of George Grymeshay, deceased, defendant, in the disputed claim to the widow's moiety of goods and chattels, the defendant claiming by deed of gift."
Richard Grimshaw, of Moor Hills, also described as of New House in Pendle Forest, who is first met with as above in the year 1554 and was evidently either son or brother of George Grimshaw, occurs at several dates in the 54 years between the first allusion and the date of his death in 1608. Besides the copyhold of Moor Hills, which he had no doubt in succession to George Grimshaw, Richard Grimshaw acquired in conjunction with Nicholas Halsted, a freehold in Twiston, near Downham, by conveyance from Richard Asheton, Esq., lord of Downham.
B. Extract from Article 2, September 8, 1877
It was shown in our first paper on the Grimshaws, that Richard Grimshaw, gent., of New House and Moor Hills in Pendle Forest, who died in 1608, left no male issue. The descent of the modern family of Grimshaws, a branch of which was established in Preston, is traced down from Nicholas Grimshaw of Heyhouses, in Pendle Forest, who was living in 1584. There can be no question that Nicholas Grimshaw of Heyhouses, and Richard Grimshaw of New House, were near kinsmen; I conjecture they were brothers, although there is no direct proof on that point. The tenements they held in copyhold were contiguous, and they were contemporaries, – Nicholas Grimshaw, however, died several years earlier than Richard Grimshaw. Heyhouses, where these Grimshaws were seated for several generations, is an ancient hamlet in the heart of Pendle Forest, at the base of Padiham Heights on the north side, and closely adjoining the old hamlet of Sabden (which has been robbed of its name and significance by the comparatively modern manufacturing village of Sabden Bridge, lower down the glen). Four hundred years ago this hamlet of Heyhouses was founded, for it is recorded that certain charterers of the Forest, appealing to the commissioners of Edward IV., accused "Ric. Radclyffe, squyer, for making a town upon a tenement called ye Heyhouses, where he had no right without the Kynge’s staff." Nicholas Grimshaw of Heyhouses had a son and heir, Thomas Grimshaw, to whose use , in the 36th Elizabeth, he surrendered his copyhold estate. The date of Nicholas Grimshaw’s death has not been stated.
In summary, Abram indicates that Nicholas, living 1481, shown on the E/ClM descendant chart, was probably the father of George Grimshaw. George, in turn, was either the father or brother of Richard Grimshaw -- most likely the father as indicated by the suit between Ann, George's wife, and her (indicated) son, Richard. And Richard was the brother of the Nicholas (living in 1593) at the top of the Pendle Forest descendant chart. The 1593 Nicholas at the head of the Pendle Forest Line is thus either the grandson or great-grandson of the 1481 Nicholas shown in the Clayton-le-Moors line, depending on whether George was the father or brother of Richard. Richard, in turn, was probably the brother of the Pendle Forest Nicholas.
| Grimshaw Relationships in Victory County History, Volume 6, Lancashire, " Filly Close" |
Information in Farrer and Brownbill's Victoria County History4, volume 6 (Lancashire), "Filly Close", sheds more light that apparently makes it possible to clearly establish the connection. The relevant text is shown below.
FILLY CLOSE was in 1324 held by Richard de Whitacre in conjunction with the adjacent Royle in Burnley. (footnote. 26) In 1341–2 Filly Close was in hand, in connexion with the king's stud-farm at Ightenhill. (footnote 27) Royle appears to have become separate some years later, (footnote 28) and in 1459 John Sotehill rented Filly Close for £9 6s. 8d., (footnote 29) obtaining a twenty years' lease of it at the same rent in 1467. (footnote 30) But in 1471 Hugh Gartside had it granted to him on lease similarly. (footnote. 31) Lord Stanley paid the rent in 1495. (footnote 32)
When the forests were granted in 1507 Filly Close was demised by copy of Court Roll to Lawrence Towneley and Ralph Askew at a rent of £10 13s. 4d. (footnote 33) At this rent Sir John Towneley held it in 1527, (footnote 34) and in his line the ownership nominally descended. Ellis Nutter of Reedley in 1530–1 resigned his lease and goodwill in Filly Close to Sir John in consideration of an annuity of 26s. 8d. There were nine tenants in 1536, paying the £10 13s. 4d. copyhold rent and an additional rent of £5 11s. 6d. to Towneley. (footnote 35)
The chief tenant then was George Grimshaw of Moorhiles, paying £7; he and Thomas Watmough were the only ones exempt from suit to the corn-mill in Burnley. (footnote 36) In 1577 John Towneley brought a bill of complaint against Richard Grimshaw son of George touching the messuage of Moorhiles and lands in Filly Close. (footnote 37) The will of Richard Grimshaw, dated 1 June 1608, shows that he had lands in Pendle and in Craven; he left a widow Ellen, and had daughters, Janet (deceased) wife of John Woodroffe of Bank Top, and Elizabeth Grimshaw. (footnote 38) Moorhiles became the residence of Christopher Towneley, the transcriber. After the death of his wife he partially rebuilt it, his initials, C. T. 1668, appearing on a doorway, and he died there in 1674. (footnote 39)
Footnotes:
35 Rental of Burnley (Chet. Soc.), 4, 20. George Grimshaw was a younger brother of Nicholas Grimshaw of Heyhouses in Sabden, living 1539; Farrer, Clitheroe Ct. R. i, 353.
36 MSS. of Mr. O. Folds.
37 Duchy of Lanc. Plead. Eliz. cv, T 2. George Grimshaw died in 1551.
38 Add. MS. 32104, no. 381. The lands were held of the king as duke by knight's service; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Rec. Soc. Lancs. and Ches.), i, 137, 146. Elizabeth Grimshaw married Thomas Walmesley of Coldcoats; ibid. 221. From: 'Townships: Reedley Hallows, Filly Close and New Laund Booth', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 6 (1911), pp. 489-92. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=53158&strquery=george%20nicholas%20grimshaw. Date accessed: 04 April 2007.
The above information supplements Abram's previous conclusions by showing that George was the father, not the brother, of Richard Grimshaw. This relationship was the "missing piece" identified by Abram for establishing the clear connection of the Pendle Forest line to the E/ClM line of Grimshaws. The resulting connection is therefore summarized follows:
Nicholas Grimshaw, 1481 from Clayton-le-Moors line. Son of Henry & Isabel (Rishton) Grimshaw. Eighth generation descendant of Walter Grimshaw of Eccleshill. Grandfather of Nicholas Grimshaw, head of Pendle Forest line of Grimshaws.
|--Nicholas Grimshaw, living 1539, of Heyhouses in Sabden.
|--George Grimshaw & Ann. Died 1551. Younger brother of Nicholas.
|--|--Nicholas Grimshaw, living 1584 and 1593. Head of Pendle Forest Line per Whitaker.
|--|--Richard Grimshaw & Ellen. Will dated 1 June 1608.
|--|--|--Janet Grimshaw & John Woodroffe
|--|--|--Elizabeth Grimshaw & Thomas Walmesley
The location of "Nicholas, 1481" on the E/ClM descendant chart is shown below:
| Conclusion on the Connection of the Pendle Forest line to the Eccleshill/Clayton-le-Moors Line |
Based on the two sources published after Whitaker's History of Whalley -- the 1877 Preston Guardian articles and the 1915 VCH Volume 6 (Filly Close) -- the connection of the Pendle Forest line of Grimshaws to the Eccleshill/Clayton-le-Moors line is therefore established as shown previously in diagram form:
| Connection of the Irish Grimshaw Line to the Pendle Forest Line |
In the interest of completeness, Whitaker's Irish Grimshaw descendant chart is shown below, with Nicholas and Susan (Briarcliffe) at the head of the line. The Irish line of Grimshaws is the subject of a companion webpage.
The connection to the Pendle Forest Grimshaw line is shown in the following extract from the above image of the right half of the descendant chart:
| Summary Diagram Illustrating Connection Using Whitaker's Pedigrees |
The above interpretations may be concisely depicted with the following diagram that shows the connections among the Grimshaw pedigrees shown in Whitaker's History of Whalley.
| Doreen Crowther's Hypothesis Was Correct! |
Christopher Telpher has visited a number of libraries in and around Lancashire seeking information on Grimshaws (personal communication, May, 2000). Telfer found the text shown below, labeled "An Historian's View", by Doreen Crowther (undated) in one of his library visits. It is included on Telfer's website (see companion webpage).
The fourth paragraph, repeated below, clearly shows that Crowther was aware that Nicholas Grimshaw, born in 1481, was "...presumed to be progenitor of the Pendle Forest branch..."
A descendant of Adam and Cicely, Henry Grimshaw of Clayton 1467-1507, had a younger brother Nicholas, born in 1481, and he is presumed to be progenitor of the Pendle Forest branch of family in which Nicholas was a favourite name in every successive generation. Many residences in Pendle Forest have direct connections with the family. One of the most interesting being Ashlan House at Fence, this was built in 1594 by Richard Grimshaw and was then called The New House.
"An Historians View" by Doreen Crowther
For the greater part of the last century the Grimshaws of Crowtree were one of the most influential families in Barrowford.
The original settlement of this old family, from which it took its name, was a tenement or holding. In the parish of Blackburn, about 3 miles to the Northeast of Blackburn town, lying near the Hoddleston Brook, between Yate Bank and Eccleshill. It was originally spelt Grymishagh or Grymishaw, signifying a Wooden Glen, and supplied the family with its name De Grimshaw. They are known to have been there at least as early as 1276 when Richard De Grymishagh held the tenememt in succession to his father Walter, and the main branch of the family continued to live there latter years of the 17th century.
With the marriage in the 14th century of Adam De Grimshaw and Cicely De Clayton, this branch of the family resided at Clayton Hall, Clayton Le Moors, until the principle stock terminated in an heiress, Mary Grimshaw, whose daughter Rebecca marrying Richard Lomax Esq carried Clayton Manor to the Lomaxes. Permission was recently been given for demolition of this Hall, rebuilt about 1850, and sadly in a ruinous and neglected condition.
A descendant of Adam and Cicely, Henry Grimshaw of Clayton 1467-1507, had a younger brother Nicholas, born in 1481, and he is presumed to be progenitor of the Pendle Forest branch of family in which Nicholas was a favourite name in every successive generation. Many residences in Pendle Forest have direct connections with the family. One of the most interesting being Ashlan House at Fence, this was built in 1594 by Richard Grimshaw and was then called The New House.
In 1737 and there after it is referred to in legal documents as the Fence, and then the following century as The Fence or Hewn Alchelor House, later as Hewn Ashlan.
The originator of the family in which we are interested was Nicholas Grimshaw of Heyhouses in Sabden, where he was living in the time of Queen Elizabeth Tudor. His Great Grandson Nicholas who was buried at Whalley in 1651 had two sons, the youngest being Nicholas Grimshaw of Heyhouses and after of Fence Gate. He married Isabel Whittaker of Symonstone in 1664. From their older son John of Fence Gate and his wife Eleanor Stephenson of Old Lannd are descended that branch of the family which were so influential in Preston, providing that city with several important citizen including 3 Lord Mayors. One of them, Lt Col Nicholas Grimshaw a solicitor who married Esther Mary Haigh and died in1838 was Lord Mayor no less than 7 times including 2 Guild years.
The younger son of Nicholas and Isabel another Nicholas of Padiham and Northwood, married Anne, daughter of Thomas Grimshaw of Oakenshaw, in Clayton Le Moors, The Homestead of another branch of the ancient family. It is of interest here that their second son Nicholas of Blackburn born 1714 and who married Susan Briercliffe, founded a branch of the family who settle in Belfast and descendants of whom are living now. The elder son Thomas of Northwood, Heyhouse and Higham born 1703 married Margaret daughter of John Holt of Loveclough and by her had a son Nicholas of Heyhouse and Higham, born 1738. This Nicholas married twice; from his first wife springing the Grimshaws of Crowtree, and from his second wife Elizabeth Harrison widow of Nicholas Parker of Slaidburn. The Grimshaws became famous as solicitors and brewers, James of Redley Grove married Alice Keirby.
Nicholas, who sold property at Heyhouses and settled at Higham, by his first wife Mary Riley of Simonstone, had a son Thomas, born 9th March 1765. This Thomas married Grace, the daughter of Abraham Gibson of Brigg Royd in Stansfield near Halifax. For her he built the house at Higham, which is now the Four Alls Inn, and their initials may still be seen over the doorway. Jesse Blakey in The Annals of Barrowford, tells us that the owners of Crowtrees, the two brothers Bulcock who were both bachelors, were uncles of Grace Gibson and left a considerable portion of their large estate to her husband including Crowtrees.
By her will of 1638 Grace Grimshaw bequeathed to her sons James and Christopher all that cotton mill or factory (which she most particularly discribes) an estate called Whithycroft and a capital messuage called Crowtrees. Both mortgaged to William Birdworth to raise the capital to build the mill, a messuage farm and tenement in the occupation of the Ingham Walton (this became Bank House), and a capitol and newly erected dwelling house called Beanfeild House together with the estate belonging called The Lane Farm. A messuage farm and tenement called Hubby Causway (Higher Causeway) and the three cottages belonging. Ten cottages in Upper Barrowford (now Foreside), four cottages at the Higher End of the New Malt Kiln, and other cottages belonging together with the New Malt Kiln on the southerly side of the Gibson Turnpike Road. The Old Malt Kiln on the northerly side of the road, the messuage, farm and tenement called Rolph Laithe and that called Lower Ridge, as well as some dwelling houses in Colne Lane Colne. Thomas and Grace had 9 children, James born1791 being the eldest son and Thomas born 1794, and the second on the marriage of Thomas with Mary Bracewell of Coates Barnoldswick in 1823. His mother Grace built Bour Field on part of the Land of Lane Farm and incorporatly the old farmhouse (the barn and farm cottage of which stood at the junction of Gisburn Road and Barnoldswick Road until pulled down for road widening about 1924). Unhappily this marriage was short lived as Thomas died on 15th August 1824 and the course of history was changed.
His brother James now came to live Beanfield by his will of 14th March 1844 he divided his estate into 15 equal shares, of which his daughter Catherine was to have two. This must have Beanfield or one farm. As in her will 15th January 1848 she devised her estate to her husband Robert Haidman Parkinson, and on his dream, in trust for her daughter Anna Bracewell. Anna must also have been the daughter of one of three sons of Mary Grimshaw, eldest daughter of Thomas and Grace, who married William Bracewell of Coates Barnoldswick and the two later held Beanfield in trust to pay the and profits thereof to Anna Bracewell until they died. Anna continued to live at Whitly Croft with her Grandmother Mary Bracewell and seems to have been a somewhat eccentric character. She was referred to by the local council on occasions as difficult to treat with and in 1890 an action was brought against her in the High Court of Chancery by John Strickland of the Grange, for cutting off his water supply which came from her estate. She was ordered to pay £10 damages and an injunction was brought against her to be perpetually restrained from diverting said water. At that time the only source of supply. She died in 1910 at Morecombe and the local papers of that time contained no mention at all of this her death, which was followed by another High Court action to determine the succession to the estate.
That Elizabeth Bracewell, widow of Thomas and a daughter of James Grimshaw should take the whole of the property. The estate was then sold off and "Higherford" as we know it today came into being. With houses being built on Gisburn Road and Barnoldswick Road. Although the houses at Barleydale had been built first on Crowtrees land in 1909.
James son of Thomas born in 1832, inherited Crowtrees on the death of his older brother Nicholas in 1856, he married Frances Garde by whom he had three sons and a daughter. The daughter, Kate and one son James Garde Christopher went to live in New Zealand. Thomas Nicholas became Town Clerk of Wakefield and has descendants there and Charles Edward became an Architect (moved to London Married Edith Edna Palethorpe and had a son Norris and a daughter Phyllis). We have a link here with the present for their mother died in 1885 when she the children were young and later Mrs Land told me that she could remember someone coming from Crowtrees to school when she was there to tell the children that their mother had died. Only three years later their father died also. Their Aunt Mrs Thomas Bracewell of Thorneyclough brought up all the children, and the estate of Crowtrees was sold.
Thomas had two other sisters, Grace who married Richard Harper who built the Willows at lothersdale and the Brookdell, near Crowtrees, and whose granddaughters are still living. And Mary who married Richard Crossey of Soiland near Halifax, one of their daughters Clara Helena married her cousin Richard Walters Harper, so the present Miss Harpers are, as it were, twice descended from James Grimshaw.
The third son of the original Thomas and Grace was Christopher he married in1824 Mary Spencer Swinglehurst, daughter and heiress of John of Park Hill. Had there been children of this marriage, Barrowford may not have had its park. As it was through the death of John Holt who succeeded to Park Hill and died childless the opportunity came to buy this estate. It is worthy of note here that the people of Barrowford themselves raised the money for the purchase so that it would be no change on the rates, and the house and became the property of the township forever.
Mary wife of Christopher died in1841 and he built the Grange and went to live there, one of his sisters, Harriet Anne keeping house for him until his death. She then, in 1871 built Thorneyclough and lived there until her death in 1890 when her niece and nephew Thomas and Elizabeth Bracewell succeeded her.
Most of the Grimshaws men were very musical and took active part in the choir of Higherford Methodist Church, which the family keenly supported. In the early days instruments accompanied the choir and it is said that Christopher could play every one of them. On his visit to Manchester in his capacity as cotton manufacturer, he always attended the service at the cathedral and write down the tunes of any hymns or anthems which took his fancy, adding parts for the instruments and the choir on his return home. His greatest achievement was to build an organ for the chapel, which superseded the instrumentalists on it, Completion in 1859. William Holt the brilliant young organist and nephew of Abraham Holt of Barrowford opened it himself an organist builder, the chapel having been enlarged to accommodate it.
The fourth son Nicholas died aged 16 and 15 buried with his brother Thomas in Colne Parish Church and the three other daughters were Ellen Anne, Betty and Grace.
Ellen Anne married Thomas Corlass of Kieghley and they lived at Croft House (Lower Whithcroft) after living for a time at Readyford where Thomas had the mill. One of their daughters Sarah marries the Rev Glough, the very well known congregational Minister Barrowford. One of their sons Edward was the father of the present Mrs Wiseman. When she married Mr Wiseman she went to live at the home of her Great Aunt, the above Grace, daughter of Thomas and Grace, she married Ingham Walter son of James Walton of Pasture House Worsted Manufacturer, and who built Bank House. There were no children to this marriage, and the hpuse after their death passed to the Wiseman family.
Betty the last daughter, is the subject of a romantic story by Jesse Blakey referring to her elopement! Be that as it may she married William Melville Lomas of the Willows in Lytham, wine merchant. They had two children both of whom died in infancy. Perhaps her mother forgave her for in her will she charged her estate with her sisters. However, she died in 1866 and is buried at Horbury, co. York.
The Grimshaw family built Higherford Mill, which they ran as two forms, James and Christopher Grimshaw "and" Grimshaw, and Bracewell". They also ran the two Malt Kilns on Higherford Hill, so that almost no corner of Higherford was untouched by their influence and owes to the family an immeasurable debt.
[I am greatly indebted for much of the information above to Mrs and the late Mr Hanson of Halstead; and to Mr and Mrs Wiseman for kindly offering to me the loan of their titles deeds and family papers].
(Written by: Doreen Crowther)
| References |
1Whitaker, Thomas Dunham, 1872, An History of the Original Parish of Whalley, and Honor of Clitheroe (Revised and enlarged by John G. Nichols and Ponsonby A. Lyons): London, George Routledge and Sons, 4th Edition; v. I, 362 p.; v. II, 622 p. Earlier editions were published in 1800, 1806, and 1825.
2W.A. Abram, 1877, Sketches in Local History: Memorials of Old Lancashire Families – the Grimshaws of Pendle Forest and of Preston: Preston, Lancashire, England, The Preston Guardian, September 1, 1877, 2nd Sheet, p. 1.
3W.A. Abram, 1877, Sketches in Local History: Memorials of Old Lancashire Families – the Grimshaws of Pendle Forest and of Preston (Second Paper): Preston, Lancashire, England, The Preston Guardian, September 8, 1877, 2nd Sheet, p. 1.
4Farrer, William, and J Brownbill, 1911, Victoria County History, volume 6, a History of the County of Lancashire: London, Constable
Webpage posted April 2007. Updated July 2015 with note on earlier hypothesis of the connection by Doreen Crowther.
