THE HOLME FAMILY OF ORTON IN THE 16TH CENTURY
Wills are the main source of information concerning the Holme family in the 16th Century. The parish registers start in 1588. The Holme name crops up to show that there were as many as 6 separate families dotted about this large parish. They may have been distantly related to one another or not even related at all. The name Holme is fairly common in Westmorland, it probably originates from places called Holme, the nearest being just South of Kendal, many placenames have -holme as an ending, like Millholme or Oxenholme.
There are six wills dating from the 16th century, the earliest is that of John Holme (died 1564.) All are readable and interesting, most have an inventory and some have a debetory, which lists the debts that the testator owes or has owing to him. So far I have been unable to make any links with the wills of John Holme (1664,) or Christopher Holme (died 1578,) and Raynolde Holme, (died 1593), all of Orton.
The other three appear to link together however, these are Richard of Langdale (died 1569,) Robert Holme (died 1573,) and John Holme (died 1578.)
Richard's will is an important - looking document giving the impression that he was a leader of his community. In fact from 1618 - 1786 there has always been a Holme of Langdale as one of the 24 Feoffees of Orton, indicating that this was the senior branch of the family. Richard's will throws a great deal of light on his family relationships. He mentions his father, who was named Henry. If Richard himself was aged between forty or fifty when he died his father could well have been born in the late 15th Century. Richard appears to have had 2 sons, Richard the elder and John, who was probably the youngest of all. He also had married daughters whom he does not name but leaves it to Jane, his wife, "to help his daughters’ children when they come to marriage." He had arranged for his younger son John to be brought up by his brother Robert, in exchange for Robert's use of the premises he occupied, during his lifetime. Unfortunately no more is heard of Richard the elder son, he may well have had a family before parish records started, in which case it would be pleasant to think he was the great grandfather of my own 6 x great grandfather, Richard Holme, but the only evidence for that is the name. He could have died without family. It would be very satisfactory to find him. I engaged the services of the Historical Research Service at Carlisle to look at the manorial records for the Manor of Langdale that belonged to the Wharton family. Unfortunately none of the early Langdale books survive, only the Wharton Manors' general admittance books are there which do not give very much detail. The first entry, concerning Robert Holme, is for 21st April 1656.
It is possible that Richard moved to Longthwaite in the parish of Sedbergh, now more commonly known as Thwaite in Howgill. The first reference to a Richard Holme in the Sedbergh Parish registers is the baptism of a daughter Elizabeth on 19th June 1618. (This baptism was found in the burial register.) The child may well have been an afterthought as another daughter Ann, or Agnes, who was married to Thomas Parke, also of Longthwaite started a family in 1623. John Holme of Longthwaite who was presumably Richard's son, had a daughter, Agnes, baptised in 1633. Although the christian name is illegible it is almost certain that Richard Holme of Longthwaite was buried in 1636, His wife Agnes outlived him by many years, she was buried on October 17 1649. *Thomas Parke left a will and inventory, 1645 WV 003, which explained these family relationships. The last survivor of these two families to remain at Longthwaite, was Ann Parke who died in February 1662/3. George Parke, her son died in 1657 leaving a will that is at Preston.
The next related will is of Robert Holme, Richard's brother, dated 1573. It is the most difficult will to read, but most of it has now been transcribed. He obviously hoped that his wife Margaret was pregnant, but they were not sure and he had to plan for every eventuality, whether the child was boy or girl, whether it lived or died. If his wife was not with child he arranged that she should have half his farmholding and the other half should be split three ways, one third to his sister in law, Richard's widow, Genet, one third to John Park and one third to John Holme "my brother's son". Jane and Genet is one and the same person I believe, they are probably just different spellings by different clerks. I was puzzled by John Park's share but decided that he might be the husband of one of Richard's married daughters. John Park could also be connected to Thomas Parke of Longthwaite. Geographically Thwaite in Howgill is near the borders of Orton Parish and not too far from Langdale. When Robert divided his goods he arranged for Genet to have one third, John Park to have one third and Olyver Thornborow to have the other third, Oliver Thornborow may have been another of Richard's sons - in - law. In fact Robert's inventory shows that his goods were worth twice as much as his brother's, £47 12 against Richard's £21 12s 4d. Furthermore Richard's debts amounted to £17 19d.
The third will is that of John Holme, (died 1578,)who was both Robert's nephew and Richard's younger son. He had married Elizabeth and they had a young son called Robert. Elizabeth was also expecting another child so that he too had to make complicated provision. If both children died, or the unborn child was a girl he arranged that his brother Robert should take over his land and tenement. The identity of Robert is also puzzling; surely if he had been a full brother his father Richard would have made provision for him? Perhaps Robert was the eldest son for whom no provision was necessary as he would have automatically inherited Richard senior’s land? Brother Richard was still alive in 1578 as John made him a supervisor of his will, he was also a witness. The Parke family were also named as supervisors, John Parke, Thomas Parke and George Parke, an earlier generation perhaps, but the same Christian names indicate that this could be the same family.
I think that if John had had a daughter she would have been brought up strictly. He writes: "If my wife shall have a daughter my will is my son Robert give her twenty marks if she be willing to please her mother and other friends otherwise if she will not betake herself unto some virtuous part she to have but twenty nobles."
FURTHER RESEARCH
Sedbergh Registers. Recheck Baptisms, marriages and death for Holme family and also for Park/Parke family, particularly marriages.
Wills for Parke family Sedbergh Local History Centre