Arthuret - Eskdale Ward Protestation Returns (Cumberland, England)

A few years ago I photographed and transcribed all the Protestation Returns for Eskdale Ward in Cumberland and these records were taken in 1641-42. The history behind these particular statistics follows (http://www.tackbear.co.uk/Protestation%20Returns.htm):

The Protestation Returns relate to the years 1641/42, around the start of the Civil War. The Protestation was an Oath of loyalty to the King, and was originally drawn up and taken by the members of the House of Commons on May 3rd 1641. The following day the Protestant Peers in the House of Lords also swore it.
On July 30th the House of Commons passed a resolution that all who refused the Protestation were unfit to hold office in Church or Commonwealth. The scope was widened so that it should be sworn by all adults over the age of 18.  In practice this meant all men; women were not usually asked to sign.

A letter was sent by the Speaker of the House of Commons to the sheriffs instructing them to take the protestation with the justices of the peace in their county, and then the incumbent of each parish was to read the protestation to his parishioners and they were all to sign. This took place in February and March 1641/2. The Protestation Returns were then sent back to Parliament.

The Oath:
I, _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ do, in the presence of Almighty God, promise, vow, and protest to maintain, and defend as farr as lawfully I maye, with my Life, Power and Estate, the true Reformed Protestant religion, expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England, against all Popery and Popish Innovations, within this Realme, contrary to the same Doctrine, and according to the duty of my Allegiance, His Majesties Royal Person, Honour and Estate, as alsoe the Power and Privileges of Parliament, the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects, and any person that maketh this Protestation, in whatsoever he shall do in the lawful Pursuance of the same: and to my power, and as farr as lawfully I may, I will appose and by all good Ways and Means endeavour to bring to condign Punishment all such as shall, either by Force, Practice, Councels, Plots, Conspiracies, or otherwise, doe any thing to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained: and further, that I shall, in all just and honourable ways, endeavour to preserve the Union and Peace betwixt the Three Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland: and neither for Hope, Feare, nor other Respect, shell relinquish this Promise, Vow and Protestation.

In total I transcribed eighteen parishes in Eskdale Ward which included: Arthuret, Bewcastle, Brampton, Castle Carrock, Crosby Eden, Cumrew, Cumwhitton, Denton, Farlam, Hayton, Irthington, Kirk Andrews, Kirk Linton, Lanercost, Scaleby, Stanwix, Stapleton, and Walton. I have proofread only Lanercost and it was published in 2010 in The Cumbria Journal. I will post a blog every day for the next eighteen days with the names of the individuals who signed the Protestation Returns in each of the eighteen parishes (there will occasionally be a suffix or an occupation and sometimes there will be the name of a particular property within the parish. If this is helpful to anyone that is great. If you have a query then please leave a comment and I will try to answer. I am only researching the Routledge, Tweddle, Robson  and Bushby families (and primarily Routledge because most of my Routledges married other Routledges. Remember I have only proofread Lanercost and I have adhered to the spelling as shown on the original document. If you think that I have a letter wrong in a name feel free to query it and I will answer as soon as possible.

Surname    Forename    Suffix    Standing
Hoggeland    George        Gent
Ballings    David       
Pearson    Thomas       
Batye    John       
Batye    Adam       
Tomson    Andrew       
Litle    William       
Tod    Richard       
Gilbert    Edward       
Storie    John       
Armestronge    Arch:       
Habdane    John       
Milborne    William       
Hunter    Mathew       
Dobson    William       
Crow    Scott       
Hodgson    Thomas       
Jeffrey    John       
Jeffrey    Thomas       
Bell    William       
Glestie    John       
Collheard    Anthony       
Blankebock    John       
Lambe    Thomas       
Michelson    George       
Sermen    Andrew       
Edgar    David       
Davidson    John       
Turner    Robert       
Graham    John        Laird
Gibson    John       
Gebson    John       
Graham    George       
Gebson    William       
Gibson    Every       
Irwen    John       
Meritson    Richard       
Litle    John       
Williamson    Richard       
Edgar    John       
Lowden    Richard       
Poole    George       
P?    Simon       
Stephen    Robert       
Tinlin    William       
Williamson    John       
Blackburn    John       
Blackburn    Richard       
Haldane    William       
Tansey    James       
Turner    John       
Wardman    William       
Wardman    Robert       
Bastine    Andrew       
Crowe    Edmund       
Haldane    John       
Brewend    Richard       
Kenelle    Andrew       
Edgar    John       
Ellmot    Martin       
Wardman    Samakell       
Raine    John       
Edgar    David       
Oglethorp    Mr. Robert        Gent
Oglethorp    Mr. Richard       
Corvine    David       
Blacke    Robert       
Moffet    John       
Gardhame    Simon       
Micholson    William       
Becke    John       
Williamson    Robert       
Williamson    George       
James    Mr. Hugh       
Blaeklocke    Michaell       
Hetherington    John       
Armestronge    Alexander       
Maleittie    Adam       
Litle    Edmund       
Waughe    John       
Browne    William       
Crol    Walter       
Turmell    Robert       
Almes    Andrew       
Nicholl    Christofer       
Graham    John       
Patrickson    Adam       
Turmell    Andrew       
Turmell    James       
Taggart    John       
Gayse    William       
Graham    George       
Hole    Arche       
Moffet    George       
Crel    John       
Colcheard    John       
Black    James       
Edgar    Gilbert       
Brynne    Thomas       
Bartie    Richard       
Bicket    Hugh       
Hutcherson    George       
Wardman    John       
Vinson    Edward       
Litle    Andrew       
Wright    Robert       
Litle    William       
Grahame    Fargus       
Bell    John       
Wirght    George       
Litle    Edward       
Grahame    James       
Hall    John       
Tenetire    John       
Heslep    John       
Clovie    William       
Browne    Richard       
Grahame    George       
Foster    Andrew       
Bundy    Jenkin       
Blakeburne    George       
Browker    George       
Clovie    George       
Browne    Thomas       
Lambe    John       
Lambe    George       
Corine    George       
Whitelock    John       
Binney    Richard       
Browne    Walter       
Grahame    William       
Blesbie    Richard       
C?ehn    Simon       
Hogge    Thomas       
Grahame    George       
Grahame    Richard       
Blake    George       
Pollard    John       
Phillins    John       
Grahame    Richard        gentleman
Grahame    Richard    Junior   
Grahame    Fargus        gent
Grahame    Fargus        gent
Lattimoore    James       
Foster    Andrew       
Milbourne    William       
Blakeburne    Herbert       
Cooke    George       
Todde    Richard       
Todde    John       
Fargison    Adame       
Atkinson    George       
Calvert    William       
Hill    Edward       
Grahame    Robert       
Crel    Richard       
Grame    James       
Litle    Edward       
Litle    David       
Litle    John       
Parker    William       
Timing    James       
Todde    Jenkin       
Grahame    John       
Jayson    John       
Holidaie    John       
Howard    Thomas       
Wardman    Robert       
Bawden    Thomas       
Blakburne    Hugh       
Grahame    Richard       
Hamelton    Thomas       
Grahame    Arthur        Gent
Bell    William       
Litsber    John       
Litle    William       
Gendinison    John       
Taggart    Thomas       
Grinnison    Steven        Gent
Holidaie    Robert       
Urceen    John       
Hutcheson    john       
Urcharbie    George       
Litle    Rinison       
Grahame    George       
Grinniston    Williame        Gent
Moffet    Hugh       
Grahame    Andrew       
Johnson    James       
Grahame    Richard       
Browne    Richard       
Litle    James       
Grame    John       
Litle    John       
Armestronge    William       
Todde    David       

Results of Research at Salt Lake City - 20 Nov 2008

Today was supposed to be transcription of the Manor Records of Upper Clatford but I decided to take a look at the Protestation Returns for Cumberland. I already have Bewcastle translated as I purchased it from the Carlisle Record Office a few years ago. I quickly transcribed the Bewcastle Return just to refresh my memory on the earlier writing in this part of the country. I then decided to do Lanercost as that parish is my other strong interest in Cumberland along with Farlam and Arthuret. Lanercost was ten images and all but one were quite sharp. Fortunately I overlapped quite a bit so was able to compensate for the one slightly blurry image. I set up my headings in Excel - Ward, Quarter, Status (Sworn or other), Surname, Forename, Suffix and Standing/other information. I have all the Tweddle and Robson names already from this parish which was about 50 names but the time that I completed the transcription (4 hours later!) I had 271 names from the four quarters - Lanercost, Askerton, Triermanie, and Burdoswell - and Kirkcambeck was also included in this return. I will go back and carefully proofread as there were about 20 that did not fit into the usual names and the letters were not well formed. There were a number of aliases (about 25) and a few locations noted. The number of different surnames was likely close to 70 and will determine that later after proofreading.

I am thinking that this would make a good submission to the Cumbria Newsletter and will think about doing that in January.

I will get back to working on the Manor documents for Upper Clatford this evening. We are putting together a slide show of our trip to England to show to some people who had us over to see their slides for Ireland and another couple. We had over 5,000 images which have been reduced to 1,200 images which is still quite a few but they cover a lot of territory. We will likely go with that many. Our family has over time watched all 5,000, sometimes just glancing!

I am now accumulating the evidence for proving the 4x great grandparents - I actually have four done already of the 64. I am missing material on 8 people although I have ordered fiche and books to help to do so. I have at least 1 that I will not be able to solve likely as the father of one of my 3x great grandmothers is unknown unless it is in the Bastardy Orders which I have not yet checked.

Taking 4 hours to work on 10 images lets me think that working on the 2500 images from Salt Lake City will take me all winter. Certainly the 30 slides for the Upper Clatford Manor Records are going to be a challenge. The writing is Secretary Style and is one of the hands that I have not done a lot of work with although the letters are very well formed.