18. William BURNETT
The marriage licence bond, dated 2 Jan 1799, for William Burnett's marriage to Alice Miers, states that he was a widower and gives his age as 24+ yrs; hence born before 1776. There were two William Burnetts with baptism dates in 1774; William son of Peter Burnett and William son of Edward Burnett. There is strong evidence to suggest that William son of Edward married Martha Eden in 1807 and the fact that Thomas Burnett, son of William & Alice, later married and named one of his sons Peter, adds weight to the argument that William son of Peter was the husband of Alice Miers. Unfortunately it appears that neither Peter Burnett nor Edward Burnett left a will which might have clarified the situation. This link in the family tree is therefore based on circumstantial evidence, albeit convincing, and is the best fit on balance of probabilities.
During 1778/9 and 1779/80 an Edward Burnett held office as Overseer of the Highways and Overseer of the Poor at Bishop Monkton and the same man was Chapel Warden during 1784/5. During 1795/6 a Peter Burnett was Parish Constable at Bishop Monkton. It is highly likely that these were the two men mentioned above, who each had a son named William baptised in 1774. From November 1805 a William Burnitt was a witness to the accounts of various parish officers and continued to sign such accounts up to 1828. The William Burnett who married Martha Eden is known to have moved to Thornton le Dale before 1819 [his son William was born there] The man who consistently signed himself William Burnitt must therefore have been the husband of Alice Miers. A comparison of his signature with the signature on the 1799 marriage licence bond mentioned above tends to confirm this.
In January 1811 William Burnet AND William Burnitt signed the Parish Constables accounts for 1810 and William Burnet was Constable for the following year. Which of these two Williams was the one who became Constable is a matter for conjecture.
1841 census: Not found in Bishop Monkton but the following may well feature him:
Lofthouse, Ramsgill, Kirkby Malzeard
John WILKINSON, 55, farmer, Y [born Yks.]
Jane do 53, Y
Mercy do 9, Y
William BURNETT, 69, pauper, Y
Ruth IVISON, 55, pauper, Y
William HORNER, 72, pauper, Y
//1851 census: HO107/2281, folio 87, p19
Bishop Monkton
William BURNETT, head, widower, 77, cordwainer, Bishop Monkton
//
[Living alone]
The following extracts from the Ripon parish register, may be significant:
Baptism 1 Feb 1767:
Martha, dtr of Joseph MYERS, of Monkton [Alice's sister]Marriage 7 Jul 1788:
John HEMSLEY, bachelor, and Martha MIERS, spinster, by licence. Witnesses - Mary & Joseph HEARFIELD.Marriage 12 Sep 1791:
William DIXON, bachelor, and Martha HEMSLEY, widow, botp, by banns. Witnesses - Thomas BURNETT and Thomas MIERS.Baptism 25 Sep 1791:
Catherine, dtr of William DIXON, of Bishop Monkton.Marriage 29 Jan 1816:
Thomas HORNBY, bachelor, and Catherine DIXON, spinster, botp, by banns. Witnesses - Bethea BLAKEY and William BURNITT.Baptism 21 Dec 1823:
Alice, dtr of Thomas & Catherine HORNBY, flaxdresser, Bishop Monkton
23. William BURNETT
A transcript of Ripon parish register shows that these parents apparently had a child named William baptised on 13 Dec 1803, just five months after a daughter Alice was baptised. This may have been an error in transcription - the entry may in fact have been a burial.
24. Alice BURNETT
Alice daughter of William BURNETT of Bishop Monkton was baptised on 3 Jul 1803. Alice BURNETT was "churched" on 11 Jul 1803 at Bishop Monkto
19. Anthony BURNETT
Anthony BURNETT signed as a witness to the accounts of various parish officers at Bishop Monkton during 1823 and was twice mentioned in the accounts of the Overseer of the Poor for the year 1839-40; having been paid expenses for two journeys to Ripon on behalf of the Overseer.
1841 census: HO107/1351/3, folio 17, p5
Bishop Monkton
Anthony BURNETT, 60, weaver, born Yorkshire
Jane BURNETT, 50, born Yorkshire
Peter BURNETT, 85, ind[ependent], born Yorkshire.
//
[Peter was Anthony's father and had been a widower for 6yrs - his wife Ann, Anthony's mother, died in 1835.]1851 census: HO107/2281, folio 84, p12
Bishop Monkton
Anthony BURNETT, head, 74, retired weaver, Bishop Monkton
Jane BURNETT, wife, 66, Bishop Monkton.
//1861 census: Anthony BURNETT, widower, 84, born Bishop Monkton, was a "boarder" at the Crown Inn, Bishop Monkton, with innkeeper Joseph SCATCHARD and his family.
Anthony left a will, dated 26 May 1866, which named his sons Christopher & William as joint executors. These two sons and Anthony's wife, Jane, were the only named beneficiaries of the will which was proved at Wakefield on 5 Jul 1867. Anthony described himself as a "yeoman" in his will - this description was repeated in the probate documents.
"Leeds Mercury" newspaper, 28 Feb 1867: Deaths - February 19th at Bishop Monkton near Ripon, aged 90, Mr. Anthony Burnett.
National Probate Index:
Anthony Burnett of Bishop Monkton, yeoman, died 19 Feb 1867. Will proved at Wakefield, 5 Jul 1867, by Christopher & William Burnett the sons & executors.
[GRO Index of Deaths, Mar 1867: BURNETT, Anthony, Ripon, 9a 61, 96yrs - actual age was 90yrs]
Ann FELL, whose husband is a descendant of Jane's brother John, provided the following information:
Jane BURNETT [nee FELL] was involved in a protracted legal wrangle with her brother John over the will of their father Christopher FELL, who died in 1840. Jane's son William BURNETT acted on behalf of his mother and it took 10yrs to resolve the dispute. The situation was complicated by a mortgage on some property in Burton Leonard occupied by a family named SWALES. Eventually an independent arbitrator made a ruling which was legally binding on both parties. It would appear that John FELL was the villain of the piece for when his step-mother Hannah FELL died in 1847 she left legacies to Jane [her step-daughter] and to Jane's son Christopher BURNETT, but pointedly left John FELL out of her will.
21. John BURNETT
Given the proximity of his likely birthplace [Rothwell], to Leeds there is a very strong possibility that this John BURNETT was the man who married Mary WRIGHT at Thorner in 1838; particularly as they named their first son Christopher - see census extracts below.
1851 census: HO107/2320, folio 768, p20
7 Giles Street, Leeds
John BURNETT, head, 48, labourer, Leeds
Mary do wife, 49, Leeds
Christopher do son, 13, worker in flax mill, Leeds
Margaret do dau, 11, scholar, Leeds
William do son, 7, scholar, Leeds
Eliza HEMINGWAY, lodgr, 18, worker in flax mill, Leeds
Henry TAYLOR, lodgr, 50, unm, joiner, Leeds
//A copy birth certificate for one of the children would confirm their mother's maiden surname then a copy marriage certificate would hopefully confirm that John's father was Christopher BURNETT.
1861 census: RG9/3382, folio 90,p6
7 Giles Street, Leeds
John BURNETT, head, 62, labourer at a gas company, Leeds
Mary do wife, 57, Leeds
Christopher do son, 22, unm, mechanic (fitter), Leeds
William do son, 17, cloth finisher, Leeds
Henry TAYLOR, lodgr, 62, unm, joiner, Leeds
//
1851 census: living with parents at 7 Giles Street, Leeds; age 13, birthplace Leeds - see notes for father John BURNETT
1861 census: living with parents at 7 Giles Street, Leeds; age 22, birthplace Leeds - see notes for father John BURNETT
Christopher married Mary Ann BICKERDIKE in 1862
1871 census: RG10/4555, folio 125, p25
42 Cranberry St, Leeds
Christopher BURNETT, head, 33, labourer (iron works), Leeds
Mary A do wife, 23, Leeds
//1881 census: ?[not found]
1891 census: RG12/3693, folio 59, p7
45 Cranberry Street, Leeds
Christopher BURNETT, head, 49, mechanic, Leeds
Mary Ann do wife, 46, Leeds
//1901 census: RG13/4223, folio 87, p30
45 Cranberry Street, Leeds
Christopher BURNETT, head, 61, metal paning [sic], Leeds
Mary Ann do wife, 58, Leeds
//
31. Margaret BURNETT
GRO Index of Births: BURNETT, Margaret, Mar 1840, Leeds, xxiii 407
1851 census: living with parents at 7 Giles Street, Leeds; age 11, birthplace Leeds - see notes for father John BURNETT