Giles Higson 1712 - 1792

Owned by Liz Hardie
Last updated: Jul 21, 2015

Giles Higson (1712 - 1792)

Giles Higson was born on 12 July 1712 in Over Hulton, Lancashire. He was baptised on 17 November 1712 at St Mary's the Virgin. He was the second child and eldest son of James Higson (aka Jacobus) and Margareta Sims. 

He married Sara Lythgoe at St Mary's parish church in Deane, Lancashire on 8 Jan 1734. Sara was the daughter of Matthew Lythgoe and ???.

  • Margaret Higson Born 1734
  • Ann Higson Born before 1741
  • Betty Higson Born 1739 ; Christened 31 May 1739 ; Died
  • Mary Higson Born 1740 Died before 1748
  • James Higson Born 1741 ; Christened 6 Sep 1741 
  • Giles Higson Born 1742
  • Martha Higson Born 1743 ; Christened Nov 31 1743 
  • Elizabeth Higson Born 1745
  • Richard Higson Born 1746 ; Christened 12 Jan 1746 
  • Nathaniel Higson Born 1747
  • Mary Higson Born 1748 ; Married Henry Pendlebury Died 1822
  • Thomas Higson Born 1750
  • Alice Higson Born 1752 ; Christened 31 May 1752 
  • Ellen Higson Born 1752

Giles is reference on a number different occasions as being a fustian manufacturer - fustian was a kind of coarse, twilled cotton fabric made with heavily wefted materials, especially those with weft floats, that could be cut to produce pile  , including moleskin, velveteen and corduroy - It was a working class fabric in the 1800s 

Based on his will he was also the owner of a number of properties:

  • messuage at Cowdale Lane in Westhoughton
  • fields at Chew Moor in Westhoughton
  • messuages Round Thorn, Westhoughton

Giles died on ??? December 1792 James Higson and Henry Pendlebury were sworn as executors on 22 December 1792 and probate was granted on 21 January 1793

Transcribed and formatted by Alan Higson from original Will held at the Lancashire Record Office.

The Last Will and Testament of Giles Higson of Over Hulton

In the name of God. Amen.

I Giles Higson of Over Hulton, in the Parish of Dean & County of Lancaster, Fustian Manufacturer being weak in body, but of a sound and disposing mind memory & understanding, (praised be God for it) Do hereby revoke all former and other Will or Wills by me at any time heretofore made, & do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament in the manner & form following, (that is to say) First, it is my mind & will that all my just debts, & funeral expenses, & the charges of the probate of this my Will, & all other incident charges whatsoever, be first paid off and discharged out of my Personal Estate.

Then I give and devise to my son James Higson all that my messuage, tenement and premises with the appurtenances & also the croft near the cottages below which I am possessed of and entitled unto situate lying and being in or near a certain Lane called Cowdale Lane in Westhoughton and County aforesaid now in the occupation of John Bratherton & also the cottage now occupied by Nathaniel Dickinson, to hold the same to my said son James Higson his heirs & assigns for ever.Also I give devise and bequeath unto my said son James Higson those several closes or fields which I hold by lease under Starkie Esq situate lying & being near Chew Moor in Westhoughton aforesaid unto my said son James Higson his heirs & assigns as fully as the same are holden by me by the said lease with all my right claim & interest therein & tenantwright thereto.

Then I give and bequeath unto my daughter Ann (now wife of Edward Eckersly) all those my three messuages cottages or dwelling houses situate standing lying & being in Cowdale Lane in Westhoughton aforesaid now in the possession or occupation of Daniel Farbrother, Bullough Lee, & Mary Smith, widow, as tenants thereof to hold the said messuages cottages or dwelling houses & premises with their & every of their appurtenances unto my said daughter Ann Eckersley her heirs & assigns for ever.

Further I give and devise unto my daughter Mary (now wife of Henry Pendlebury) all those my messuages, lands, tenements hereditaments & premises with the appurtenances situate lying & being in Westhoughton aforesaid called the Round Thorn, now in the possession of Simon Seddon and Jeremiah Platt as tenants thereof to hold the said last mentioned messuages, lands, tenements hereditaments & premises with the appurtenances unto my said daughter Mary Pendlebury her heirs & assigns for ever, charged & chargeable nevertheless with the payment of the sum of twenty seven pounds to be paid to my Executors hereafter named & to be added to and disposed of in the same way and manner as the remainder of my Personal Estate.

With respect to the remainder of my Personal Estate & the said money, I dispose thereof as follows (that is to say) First I give and bequeath the sum of thirty five pounds to my grandson Giles Watmough.Also I give and bequeath the like sum of thirty five pounds unto my grandson James Watmough to be paid to him when he arrives at twenty one years of age, & if he happens to die before he attains the said age of twenty one years (not leaving lawful issue) then it is my will that his brother Giles Watmough shall have the said last mentioned sum of thirty five pounds. Also I give to my granddaughter Ellen Eckersley the bed & bedding which stands on the same side of the room where I now lye. Also I give to my said granddaughter Ellen Eckersley the sum of eight pounds to be paid to her out of my Personal Estate in lieu of the like sum which she has lent to her father & which I hereby order my executors to stop [in] out of his share. Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Martha (now wife of James Eckersley) the sum of one hundred and seventy three pounds to be paid to her at the end of twelve months next after my decease. Also I give and bequeath the sum of fifty three pounds unto my daughter Ann, wife of Edward Eckersley to be paid to her at the end of twelve months next after my decease. And thus I have made my three daughters fortunes as nearly equal as I can. All the rest, residue & remainder of my Personal Estate, Goods, Chattles Credits & Effects I give to be equally divided amongst my said three daughters share & share alike.

And lastly, I do hereby nominate constitute & appoint my said son James Higson & my son-in-law Henry Pendlebury & William Eckersley of Middle Hulton Executors of this my Last Will & Testament hoping they will faithfully perform the same as my trust in them is reposed.

In witness whereof I the said Giles Higson the Testator have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & eighty eight.

Signed sealed published & declared by the said Giles Higson

Testator Giles Higson as & for his last Will& Testamnent in the presence of us who at his marks his request& in his presence & in the or letterspresence of eac other have subscribedour names as witnesses hereto(the words ?with the appurtenances & also the Croftnear the cottages below? & several other wordsbeing first interlined

James Partington    William Sutcliffe   Peter Smith