Cuerdale

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Cuerdale is a civil parish in the South Ribble district of Lancashire, England. It includes Cuerdale Hall and has no substantive settlements. It originated as a township in the parish of Blackburn, becoming a separate civil parish in 1866. From 1894, it formed part of the Preston Rural District, and under the Local Government Act 1972 became part of the South Ribble district in 1974.

The Cuerdale Hoard was found in the parish.

Contents 1 Description 2 Etymology 3 History 4 Current status 5 Notes 6 Further reading 7 External links

[edit] Description

Cuerdale, was a township, in the parish, and Lower division of the hundred, of Blackburn, union of Preston, N. division of the county of Lancaster, 2.5 miles (E.) from Preston; containing 106 inhabitants in the 18th century. This place belonged to a family of the same name from the earliest times. About the reign of Richard II. it passed by marriage to the Molyneuxs,then Osbaldestons and since 1582 it has been the property of the Asshetons, of Downham, who formerly resided at Cuerdale Hall, a building of red brick with stone dressings, erected in a beautiful situation by William Assheton, in 1700 near the site of earlier buildings.

^[1]

Cuerdale is the name of an area of land on the south bank of the River Ribble about 2.5 miles east of Preston and one mile east of Walton-le-Dale. Cuerdale was the name of a Norman Manor, part of the Blackburn Hundred. The location of the ancient town of Cuerdale is not known to this author. One document refers to the location as being along a ridge above the flood plain of the river. The town no longer exists. There was a town and church in the area since Norman times possibly located on the site of Cuerdale Cross, an ancient stone cross located south east of Cuerdale Hall. Another possible location of the town is just west of the present site of Cuerdale Hall where satellite images may indicate the remains of foundations of some stone buildings. Cuerdale cross was converted into a war memorial about 1921.

Cuerdale is known for the discovery of a large hoard of Viking silver called the Cuerdale Hoard. Part of this treasure is now in the British Museum in London.[1] In about 905 the Cuerdale Hoard was buried slightly west of the site of present Cuerdale Hall on the South Bank of the River Ribble. This treasure rediscovered in 1840 comprising of 7,000 silver coins and silver ornamanets remains the largest Viking treasure found in Western Europe. One theory suggests that Cuerdale was chosen as the site to bury the hoard because it was the limit of the river that was navigable. The river could be navigated up to Ribchester in Roman times.

The original size of Cuerdale Manor and Cuerdale town and Church in the Middle Ages has not been established. Some historians believe that Cuerdale Manor could have been larger than 8,000 acres. By 1805 the estates attached to Cuerdale Hall were around 250 acres. Cuerdale Manor contributed one fifteen of the total levy charged on the Blackburn one hundred. Satellite images of Cuerdale Hall seem to show show foundations of perhaps a dozen buildings slightly west of the current site of Cuerdale Hall and farm Buildings. These images also suggest that the access road which terminates at the Hall today once continued North to meet the river just west of the modern expressway bridge. There are a number of contemporary references to leather tanning and tailoring including glove making in the Cuerdale area dating to at least the 14th century. The Cuerdale family were involved in the manufacture of linen then cotton from the 14th century.

The remains of defensive ditches on the site of Cuerdale Hall were surveyed in the early 1990s. The hall is contained within a semi-rectangular area about 150 metres in extent formed by a deep ditch about 12 meters in width. There is a V shaped ditch about 7 metres wide and two meters deep on the southern side of the Hall. Parallel and a little further south there is a scarp which suggests that the 7 metre ditch may have been cut from an earlier and wider ditch that silted up. The evidence suggests that a fortified enclosure existed on the site that was large for a manorial enclosure in the area. Close to a ford in the River Ribble the site is of strategic significance. The fortifications have not been dated. Some moated enclosures around halls in Lancashire served a decorative rather than protective purpose.

[edit] Etymology

Ekwall's The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Place-Names (Oxford, 1960). Ekwall defines the origin of Cuerdale and Curedale as "Cynferth's valley". Cynferth is a Saxon personal name.

But Cuerden, a few miles away and just south of Preston, is probably Celtic. Richard Coates and Andrew Breeze, Celtic Voices, English Places (Stamford, 2000), contradicts Ekwall and gives the origin as 'rowan, mountain ash' (compare Welsh cerddinen 'mountain ash'). Reference Andrew Breeze.

An alternative explanation of the relationship of the two names is "Den" is the Saxon suffix meaning long valley. "Dalr" is the Scandinavian suffix meaning long narrow valley.

Cuerdale is not mentioned in the Domesday book. Earlier spellings were Kieurdale, Kiuerdale (1190), Kyuerdeleg (1246,1275), Kouirdale (1260), Keuirdale (1279), Keurdale (1284), Keuyrdale,Kiverdale, Kyverdale (about 1300, may be related to Kyverdale Road in London), Keuerdale (1293, 1296, 1305),Keurdal, Kyerlay, Kiuerdale, Kiurdale, Kerdale (1337), Keuirdale (1341), Cunercheleg, Kyuerdeleg, Kynerdele (1301,1310),Keursdale, Keuresdale(1311), Keuresdeale (1329-1346), Keu'dale (1332), Kuredall (15th century), Kurdowe (1591), Curdowe (1612), Curedowe (1612, 1614, 1616), Couerdale (1484 to present - this name is found in Yorkshire and may not be from the same origin as Cuerdale variants found in Lancashire), Keverdale (1248, 1274, 1515, 1613), Kewerdale, Kewerdall (1562), Curdall (1616), Couerdale, Kieurdale (1107), Curedall (1463, 1607, 1622, 1643), Keuerdall (1643), Cuardall (1630), Curdall (1616, 1621, 1645, 1702, 1820, 1885), Curdell (1616, 1738, 1843), Cuaredall (1615, 1631), Couerdayle (1642), Kurdall (1703), Curodale (1742), Kuerdale, Curidale (1862), Cuerdale, Curedale 1438,(1463 to present)^{[citation needed]}.

Another theory for the origin of the name Cuerdale is that early variants of the name Cuerdale such as Keuerdale (10th century) and Keverdale (14th century map) share derivation with the Yorkshire Saxon place name Coverdale.^{[citation needed]} A variant of the name Coverdale is Couerdale. Early medieval forms of the word "cover" include: Keuere; Keure; Kouere; Kyuer; Kyuere. In the case of a pie, it means to put on the top crust.^{[citation needed]}

The origin of the word Coverdale is thought by some historians to be an area of a rivercourse covered by vegetation. Cuerdale could have been a forested area of the River Ribble during Saxon times or may share some connection with the Coverdale area in Yorkshire.^{[citation needed]} There are still wooded areas including Cuerdale Wood near the river at Cuerdale.

[edit] History

One of the earliest known references to the area was Warine or Swain de Keuerdale born abt 1112 (may be the same person as Swain De Salmesbury, Lord Of Hindley) and occupied site on or near location of present Cuerdale Hall. When Warine died, Gilbert received half of the Manor. The rest was dividedbetween the other sons.^[2] The rest of the estate was divided between the other sons.^[3] Alexander de Keuerdale son of Gilbert died before 1246 and was father of another Gilbert who was one of the jurors from this hundred at a special county court held in Lancaster that year. In 1322, the Scots army of Robert the Bruce set fire to Preston. Occupants of Samlesbury took refuge in the Church. What happened at Cuerdale is unknown. Robert de Keuerdale held the Manor in 1327 but died soon afterwards without issue. John de Keuerdale succeeded his grandfather John before 1356. His wife Denise or Dionesia was widow of John of Cuerdale, who died 15 October 1345, and as her dower they held part of the manor of Cuerdale and lands in Preston.

Around 1150, the area was a hundred division of the Blackburn Hundred and was a Norman Manor. The De Keuerdale family including Swain and his sons Gospatric and Gilbert lived in manorhouse near the present site of Kuerdale hall around 1145. An unusual name Cospatric is recorded in Scotland from the 11th century or perhaps earlier. The element Cos- is cognate to Welsh gwas "servant", and is thus equivalent to the Gaelic Giolla. The name appears in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as Gospatric, in 10th to 12th century Latin documents as Cospatricius, Gospatlicus, Caius Patricius, and Gaius Patricius. Later we find Cospatric MacMadethyn 1220, also recorded as Cospatrick filius Madad 1224 The date of this construction appears to be similar to nearby Samlesbury Hall. It seems possible that Gospatric de Samlesbury (Kendal and Workingtom" who constructed Samlesbury Hall and Chapel was the same individual as Gospatric De Keuerdale.

“Gospatric, son of Orne, and great-grandson of Eldred, 2nd feudal Lord of Kendal, Alan, 2nd Lord of Allandale, his cousin-german, gave High Ireby, which remained vested in a younger branch of the Curwens, which terminated in female heirs. This Gospatric was the first of the family who was Lord of Workington, having exchanged with his cousin, William de Lancaster, the lordship of Middleton, in Westmoreland, for the lands of Lamplugh and Workington, in Cumberland. Gospatric had (with four younger sons Gilbert ; Adam ; Orme ; and Alexander) his successor” Camdens’s Brittanica Isle of Man. 1695,

"No apology is necessary for the insertion of a corrected descent of the manor of Cuerdale, all the printed pedigrees of the family of the same name, who were lords thereof, being very incorrect. Alexander de Keuerdale was the first lord of Keuerdale on record, who, with his brothers John and Richard, attested the grant of Balderston by Ailsey, son of Hugh, to William, his son, before 1223. He was the father of Gilbert de Keuerdale, whose son and heir Alexander occurs from circa 1250 to circa 1300. Alexander, son and heir of Alexander, occurs until the 16 Edw. II, 1323, when Maria, his relict, releases her right to lands in Balderston, which she held in the name of dower. He had issue Robert, who probably died s.p., and Geoffrey, who held one moiety of "Ourederwent" at the death of the Earl of Lincoln in 1311 by knight's service in right of his wife, but died in his father's lifetime, for in the 7 Edward II. 1314, John de Langton, knight, granted to Alice, who was the wife of Geoffrey de Keuerdale, the custody of the lands which were formerly the said Geoffrey's in Little Derwent, and the marriage of John, son and heir of the said Geoffrey. Geoffrey and Alice had issue, besides the said John, a daughter Joan, who is named in the Fine no. 17 following, under which a life interest in the moiety of the manor of Ribbleton was limited to her, who released in the 1 Richard II., 1377–8, all her right in Keuerdale and in the moiety of the manor of Over Derwent to Thomas Molyneux and Joan his wife. Her brother, John de Keuerdale, was styled "lord of Keuerdale" in the 7, 10, and 16 Edward III. He gave lands in Walton-in-le-Dale and Keuerdale to the monks of Whalley to find a priest to celebrate masses for his soul for ever (Whalley Coucher, p. 1141; Hist. of Whalley, edit. 1876, II., p. 335). He died on Saturday, 15th October, 1345, and was buried in the new Conventual Church on the Thursday following. On Thursday, 12th April, 1346, by a mischance the manor house of Keuerdale was wholly burnt down (ibid.). He left issue Alice and Joan, his daughters and coheirs, who held Keuerdale of Lady Isabella, Queen of England, as appears by inquest taken at the Chapel of the Lawe on Wednesday after St. James the Apostle, 20 Edward III., 1346, on a writ of ad quod damnum to inquire touching lands to be alienated in mortmain to the Abbot of Whalley (Inquisitions, 20 Edward III., 2nd nos., 62). Alice married William Laurence, who died in or before 1355, having had issue a son, Edmund, who released his right in the manor of Keuerdale, the moiety of the manor of Ouerderwent, and in lands in the towns of Walton, Livesay, Preston and Hethchernock, which were formerly the inheritance of John de Keuerdale, to Thomas Molyneux and Joan, his wife, by deed dated 2 Richard II. (Keuerdale deed, no. 48). William, son of John de Merclesden of Colne, made a similar release in Lent, 1 Richard II., 1378; sealed with a seal bearing three lozenges in bend. In the year 1355, Alice gave the manor of Keuerdale and other lands to her sister Joan and her husband, Thomas Molyneux, son of Richard Molyneux of Sefton. These notes are mostly derived from the Osbaldeston deeds (Dodsworth's MS., cxlix.). The following is a copy of the will of Thomas Molyneux, as preserved in Kuerden's MS. in the College of Arms (vol. ii., fol. 256b), "I Thos. Molinex says my Wil is that my frends bein feoffed in al my lond etc. that my lond be given to Jenet my wife for life, remainder to Thomelyn the Molinex, Richard son my brother and his heirs male, remainder to Thos. Gefra son of Osbaldeston and his heirs male, remainder to John his brother and his heirs male, remainder to Richard his brother and his heirs male, remainder to my right heirs. I will that a place cald North-broc be given after the death of my wife to Raulin the Molinex and the heirs of his body male, remainder to Raulin, Richord son of Longworth and to his iongre brother after him and their heirs male remainder to my right heirs. That a place cald Harwood by [after] my wyf death be given to Jo: Jefray son of Osbaldeston and his heirs male, and to Richard his brother and his heirs male, remainder to Raulin the Molinex and to Will: Longworth sons in the same manner. I will that Jo: Benet son be fefeit [enfeoffed] in the land be woods (sic) and the land caled Thalwons in Derwent to him for life and that Paulin [Jankin?] Heari son le Molinex have a rent charge of 10li. [40s.] out of my lands in Ines, Thornton, and Crosby for his life after the death of my wif, and that Dicones lond Eli son of Ines be given to Janekyn Dykon son and to the heirs of his body goten, remainder to his brother H[enry] and the heirs of his body gotten, remainder to his yonger brother Wilkin [William] and the heirs of his body goten, remainder to Thomas right heirs the Molinex." Probably the original Will was in French. The date would be before 1387, as Thomas Molyneux is said to have been slain at Radcot Bridge, when Robert de Vere, the favourite of Richard II., was defeated there by the Duke of Gloucester. Thomas and Joan had issue Thomas, son and heir who died without issue in 1387 (Cf. Inquisition, Chetham Soc., xcv., p. 28), and Katherine, then aged forty, who was thrice married, and survived until the reign of Henry V. The estates of the Keuerdale family descended through her first marriage to the house of Osbaldeston." Numerous deeds relating to these estates are preserved in Kuerden's MS., Coll. of Arms, iv., K. 9 et seq.

From: 'Lancashire Fines: Henry, Duke of Lancaster (1351-61)', Final Concords for Lancashire, Part 2: 1307-77 (1902), pp. 130-67.

In 1354 William Lawrence and Alice his wife made a settlement of their estate in Thornton, Great and Little Layton, a moiety of the manor of Ribbleton and a fourth part of the manor of Ashton. The remainders, after their children (John and others), were, so far as Ashton was concerned, to the right heirs of Alice; and as to Ribbleton to Joan daughter of Geoffrey de Cuerdale for life, and then the same as Ashton; Final Conc. ii, 141–2. The fine proves that Lawrence held in right of his wife. Joan de Cuerdale was then wife of Thomas de Molyneux, and much of her estate went to the Osbaldeston family. John Lawrence died in 1398, having made a settlement of his estate on his wife Margaret in 1368. He left a son William, aged eighteen; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc), i, 72.

From: 'Townships: Ribbleton', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 7 (1912), pp. 105-08.

About 6 months after John's de Keuerdale's on 15 or 20 Oct 1345 death the Manorhouse of Cuerdale was totally destroyed by fire.

The remains of a moated enclosure on the site today of uncertain date suggest that there was once a larger structure on the site than exists today. This was possibly the remains of the building destroyed by fire in 1346.

Ownership of the Manor passed to the Molyneux family (Earl of Sefton) when the De Keuerdale family line had no male heir and Thomas Molyneux, Constable of Chester Castle married Joan De Keuerdale around 1343.

At Preston, on Monday the morrow of the Close of Easter, 3 Henry, Duke of Lancaster [1st April, 1353], and afterwards recorded on Monday next before St. Margaret the Virgin in the said year [15th July, 1353]. Between Thomas le Molyneux [of Keuerdale], and Joan his wife, plaintiffs, and Adam de Redleghes, chaplain, deforciant of the manor of Kyverdale [Cuerdale], and of 4 messuages, one shop, 80 acres of land, 50 acres of wood, and 4d. of rent in Preston, Walton-in-the-Dale, Lyvesay, and Hethchernok, and of a moiety of the manor of Overderwent. (fn. 4) Thomas and Joan acknowledged the said manor, tenements, and moiety to be the right of Adam, of which the said Adam had a moiety of two parts of two parts of the said manor, of two parts of a third part of the said manor, and of two parts of the said tenements and moiety of the gift of the said Thomas and Joan, for which Adam granted the said moiety to Thomas and Joan; to have and to hold to them and to the heirs issuing of their bodies. Besides Adam granted that the third part of two parts of the said manor, and the third part of the said tenements and moiety which William Laurence and Alice his wife held in dower of the said Alice, and that the third part of the third part of the said manor, of two parts of two parts of the said manor, and of two parts of the said tenements and moiety, which John de Warton and Dionisia his wife held in dower of the said Dionisia; and also that the moiety of two parts of two parts of the said manor; of two parts of the third part of the said manor, and of two parts of the said tenements and moiety, which Edmund Laurence held for term of life by the law of England, of the inheritance of the said Adam in the said towns, after the decease of the said Alice, Dionisia, and Edmund should remain to Thomas and Joan and to their heirs aforesaid, in default to remain to the issue of the said Joan, in default to remain to the right heirs of [Geoffrey de Keuerdale ?].

From: 'Lancashire Fines: Henry, Duke of Lancaster (1351-61)', Final Concords for Lancashire, Part 2: 1307-77 (1902), pp. 130-67.

In 1354 William Lawrence and Alice his wife made a settlement of their estate in Thornton, Great and Little Layton, a moiety of the manor of Ribbleton and a fourth part of the manor of Ashton. The remainders, after their children (John and others), were, so far as Ashton was concerned, to the right heirs of Alice; and as to Ribbleton to Joan daughter of Geoffrey de Cuerdale for life, and then the same as Ashton; Final Conc. ii, 141–2. The fine proves that Lawrence held in right of his wife. Joan de Cuerdale was then wife of Thomas de Molyneux, and much of her estate went to the Osbaldeston family. John Lawrence died in 1398, having made a settlement of his estate on his wife Margaret in 1368. He left a son William, aged eighteen; Lancs. Inq. p.m. (Chet. Soc), i, 72

From: 'Townships: Ribbleton', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 7 (1912), pp. 105-08.

Thomas was slain at the Battle of Radcot Bridge in Oxfordshire on 20 December 1387.

"In 1387, King Richard II. sent secretly to Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland, who was levying troops in Wales, to come to him with allspeed, to aid him with the Duke of Gloucester and his friends; and commissioned at the same time Sir Thomas Molineux, Constable of Chester, a man of great influence in Cheshire and Lancashire, and the Sheriff of Chester, to raise troops, and to accompany and safe conduct the Duke of Ireland to the Kings presence. Molineux executed his commission with great zeal, imprisoning all who would not join him. Thus was raised anarmy of 5,000 men. The Duke of Ireland, having with him Molineux, Vernon, and Ratcliffe, rode forward "in statelie and glorious arraie." Supposing that none durst come forth to withstand him. Nevertheless, when he came to Radcot Bridge, four miles from Chipping Norton, he suddenly espied the army of the lords; and finding that some of his troops refused to fight, he began to wax faint hearted, and to prepare to escape by flight, in which he succeeded ; but Thomas Molineux determined to fight it out. Nevertheless, when he had fought a little , and perceived it would not avail him to tarry longer, he likewise, as one dispairing of the victory, betook himself to flight ; and plunging into the river, itchanced that Sir Roger Mortimer, being present, amongst others, called him to come out of the water to him, threatening to shoot him through with arrows, in the river, if he did not. "If I come," said Molineux,"will ye save my life?" "I will make ye no such promise," replied Sir Roger Mortimer, "but, notwithstanding, either come up, or thou shalt presently die for it." "Well then," said Molineux, "if there be no other remedy, suffer me to come up, and let me try with hand blows, either with you or some other, and so die like a man." But as he came up, the knight caught him by the helmet, plucked it off his head, and straightways drawing his dagger, stroke him into the brains, and so dispatched him. Molineux, a varlet, and a boy were the only slain in the engagement; 800 men fled into the marsh, and were drowned ; the rest were surrounded, stript, and sent home. The Duke of Ireland made his escape to the Continent ; and the King returned to London. Vide" Holinshedand, The History and Antiquities of Pleshy. Ref Raphael Hollinshed (1520-80) chronicles

In 1387 Thomas Osbaldeston inherited the manor and estate of Cuerdale. The relationship to Thomas Molineux is uncertain. He may have been married to Katherine, Thomas Molineux's daughter.

At Lancaster, on Monday in the third week of Lent, 4 Henry IV. [19th March, 1403].

Between Henry, son of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland, knight, William Thirnyng, knight, John de Meeres, John de la Launde, Roger Welby, Nicholas Motte, parson of the church of Swyneshead, Thomas Barneby, parson of the church of Rothewell, Simon Luffenham, William Auncell, John Overton, and William Houghton, chaplain, plaintiffs, and Thomas La Warre, clerk, deforciant of the manors of Mamcestre and Keuerdale and of the advowsons of the churches of Mamcestre and Assheton [Ashton-under-Lyne].
Thomas La Warre acknowledged the said manors, &c., to be the right of William Houghton, to have and to hold to the plaintiffs and to the heirs of the said William Houghton for ever (with warranty), for which the plaintiffs gave him 1000 marks of silver. (fn. 9) 

From: 'Lancashire Fines: Henry IV', Final Concords for Lancashire, Part 3: 1377-1509 (1905), pp. 60-70.

The earliest known spelling Curedale is in a document contained in Lancashire pleadings dated 1438-39 involving a case where Laurence Aynesworth lays claim to some property in or near Preston at that time occupied by Margaret and Gracia Curedale. Laurence claimes an historical right to the property through a relationship to Margatet and Gracia's ancestors 8 generations earlier. The Curadale descent is given as Elmain, Ymayn, Johem Curadale, Galfridu, Alex married to Elizabeth, John, Margaret then Gracia.

Cuerdale Hall passed into the ownership of the Osbaldeston family and then the Asheton Family and the presentday owner is a member of the Asheton family, Lord Clitheroe who sublets Cuerdale Hall Farm.

22 October 1602 "Commission: Elizabeth I to the sheriff and his deputies - delivery of peaceable possession to Alexander Barlowe and Anthony Parker, executors of the will of Edward Scaresbrecke, esquire, dec'd, of the manor of Osbaldeston, the manor of Cuerdalle alias Keuerdale, fishing in the Ribble, the manor of Over darwen, and property in Walton-in-le-dale, Preston and Ribchester, in payment of John Osbaldeston's debt of £1400"

Nearby Samlesbury Hall was the home of the infamous Samlesbury witches. It is likely that the occupants of Cuerdale at that time were involved in the struggle between the Catholic and Protestant faiths and institutions in Lancashire. On 30 July 1837, the first Mormon baptisms were undertaken in the River Ribble west of Cuerdale on the south side of the river, upstream from the bridge near the end of Ribblesdale Road.

Cromwell's army camped in the area before the Battle of Preston in 1648.

Richard Kuerden was a lecturer at Oxford University and an antiquarian in the 1600s. He compiled a history of Lancashire in 11 volumes that was not published. Several of the hand written volumes exist in the College of Arms in London. He claimed that the Kuerden family were descended from the Keuerdale family though records to substantiate this claime have not been found.

The Cuerdale family were members of the Preston Guild through the fifteen and sixteenth centuries. Richard Cuerdale was an alderman of the Guild.

[edit] Current status

No known members of the family now use the spelling Cuerdale. There were about 20 individuals in 1900 who used the spelling Cuerdale and another approximately 20 who used the spelling Curedale. The last known member was married in Lancashire around 1943. The Curedale family who take their name from the area today consist of about 30 individuals living in Dublin, Ireland, Hertfordshire England, Western Australia and the US. The Irish members of the family are descendants of John Standish Curedale who moved to Ireland in the late 1800s and was a designer and craftsman of stained glass windows. He won an international competition to design the circular stained glass windows in St Georges Hall Liverpool. His some Jackie or Sean Curedale was a member of the Irish Republican Army during the unrest in the early twentieth century.

The Australian branch of the family are descendants of George Ward Boustead Curedale who was transported from England to Fremantle around 1860 on the convict ship Nile. George was the owner of a cotton mill in Lancashire. He later established one of the first wineries in Western Australia and was a pioneer of the wine industry. He had at least seventeen children. There are two streets; one in Burnley Lancashire and one in Fremantle Western Australia named Curedale Street after George Curedale. The street in Burnley was the location of the Curedale Cotton Mill.

'News of The World', August 17, 1856 Article titled: Uttering Forged Bills

"George Curedale, described as a “cotton manufacturer,” has been charged at Liverpool with having issued a forged bill of exchange. On the 26th March, the prisoner went to the office of Mr Henry Omrod, commission agent, George Street, Manchester, and presented a bill of exchange for £300, purporting to have been accepted by Mr Bamford, cotton manufacturer, of Burnley. The prisoner asked Mr Omrod to discount the bill, but that gentleman refused. The prisoner then asked that it should be placed to his credit (he being indebted to Mr Omrod) which was done. On the 17th of March, it appeared the prisoner had offered Mr. Omrod another bill for £476, purporting to be accepted by Mr Bamford, and on the 7th of the same month he had offered at the establishment of Messrs. Dilworth, of Manchester, a bill purporting to be accepted by Mr Henry Rawlinson, for £360. Mr Bamford said that neither of the bills bearing his name was accepted and signed by him, though he had accepted previous bills for the prisoner. Messrs. H and G Rawlinson, partners in the firm of that name deposed respectively that the bills bearing that name were not accepted by either of the firm.

The prisoner, shortly after these transactions, escaped to the Continent, and was captured in Hamburg by a Manchester detective [PC] Buckley. Mr. Atkinson for the defence, rested only upon some legal points, and called witnesses to previous good character.

The jury returned a verdict of Guilty, and the prisoner was sentenced to fourteen years transportation."

From the 1700s members of the family adopted the spelling Curedale though this had been used occasionally interchangeably with Cuerdale since the fifteenth century.

The 1841 England census shows 9 individuals Curedale and 27 individuals Cuerdale Today the UK phone directory shows 4 individuals Curedale and 0 Cuerdale.

There was a branch of the Curedale family living in Brooklyn, New York from 1873. Mary Curedale wife of William Henry Curedale and her son David, arrived New York 5 Jul 1871 aboard ship City of Limerick from Liverpool England. The last known member of that branch of the family is Jonathan Curedale Calvert living in Texas.

[edit] Notes

1. ^ 'Cuerdale - Cumberland', A Topographical Dictionary of England (1848), pp. 746-51. Date accessed: 12 December 2006.
2. ^ Victorian History of Lancashire v7 pp 301-303.
3. ^ Victorian History of Lancashire v7 pp 301-303.

[edit] Further reading

The Treasure of Consanguinity Author: Ward Curedale 2006 ISBN I 876763 84 1

[edit] External links

• Curedale Family in Ireland
• Curedale Hoard

A descendant from a cabin passenger on the Nile has provided two transcripts of personal letters written by Mathew Hale, the Bishop of Perth (Australia). Janice Hayes's transcripts give readers a different impression of convict behaviour at sea. In letters written from Bahia, Brazil on November 3 and later while approaching the coast of Western Australia on Januray 1, Bishop Hale described periods of convict unrest on board before he joined the Nile in Plymouth and in the months that followed.

• Convict ship 'Nile', Bahia, Nov 3, 1857