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Hi Lancashire Ann. Did you get chance to go to record offiice yet? Possibly the RC connection only came in in 1887 through marriage. William Henry Rigby (grandson of the infamous William b1808) married Maria Bland and their family were brought up RC. Can't wait to hear from you. Many thanks fpr all your help.

Thanks so much. Fingers crossed then.

ok - hopefully sometime next week

Hi Lancashire Ann. You mentioned that you were taking a trip to the records office soon. If you have the time, could you please look for William Rigby for me? On Ancestry it lists 1 death in Preston Jan, Feb, March 1859 and 2 deaths Oct, Nov, Dec 1859. I really don't know where else to look. I would appreciate it so much. See what you can do. Thank you for all your help with this so far. If you have anymore suggestions, I'm all ears!

Had a reply from Preston records. They said that to get any info I must obtain the death certificate, as they only hold the burial info. They suggested that I search Preston cemertry to identify if there are other family members in the plot. They checked to see if there was a will, but they only hold wills up to 1858. After that date there's a national probate index, they checked 1859-60 but no reference to a William Rigby there.

Is it a dead end? Or do I keep searching. The annoying thing is that I lived around the Preston area for years, and only wished I'd done it then before I moved to Ireland.

Will do. Just out of curiosity I found a George Rigby marriage 1808 st Johns Preston. With William's 2nd son named George I wondered if there was a family connection, and, the year being that of Williams birth. Or am I just clutching at straws?

let us know the result please Michaela

Hi. Been on to Preston Records office about William Rigby death 1859 Preston age 55? Hope I get something positive from it.

Where do I start to look for one?

could try looking for a will

How do we know which one it is? There's just too many William Rigby's. Thanks

This is around right age but .........

Burial: 12 Jul 1857 St John the Evangelist, Whittle-le-Woods, Lancashire, England
Wllm Rigby -
Age: 52
Abode: Whittle
Buried by: Thos Rowlandson Minister
Register: Burials 1848 - 1858 from the Bishop's Transcripts, Page 52, Entry 412
Source: LDS Film 1469070

might one of these 2 deaths fit?

Lancashire Death indexes for the years: 1859
Surname Forename(s) Age Sub-District Registers At Reference
RIGBY William 55 Preston Preston PRES/85/90
RIGBY William 55 Preston Preston PRES/85/99

St Saviour is also a Cof E church so we have not found the RC connection yet.

Thanks for that. It's so frustrating, I thought I was onto something. Where is he?

It says she was a widow so it appears William died

Marriage: 2 Mar 1862 St Saviour, Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, England
Henry Hull - (X), 46 yrs Labourer Widower of Bamber Bridge
Mary Rigby - (X), 47 yrs Widow of Bamber Bridge
Groom's Father: John Hull, Labourer
Bride's Father: William Cottam, Deceased
Witness: G. Lewis; Margaret Lewis, (X)
Married by Banns by: William Wignall


.... but looking at lancashirebdm on http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/

I don't see a death with an age that fits

Hi. Just found out that Mary Rigby nee Cottam married again in March 1862. Could this mean that William died about the same time?

Just worked out the dates of William Rigby burial 1864, age doesn't match. Sorry Mike

Hi Lancashire Ann. I can't be of much help regarding William snr death. I have not found him on any of the census after 1851. The burial you found of William from Broughton 1878 I'm not sure about as I have an 1861 census of him, married to Ellen and son Henry age 32. Different William Rigby I think! There's just so many of them, it's really confusing. I wonder if the other burial could be his, 22 April 1864?

I don't know how far back the RC religion was. I'm pretty sure that William Henry (yes another William) b 1866, son of William Jnr was RC, well his family was at least. Thanks

Wondering about this one ..........


Burial: 22 Apr 1864 St John, Preston, Lancashire, England
William Rigby -
Age: 48
Abode: Clark's Yard
Buried by: J. Wilson
Register: Burials 1864 - 1866, Page 43, Entry 341
Source: LDS Film 1278777

-----------------------------

and this may have some family connection ........

Burial: 17 Apr 1878 St Anne, Woodplumpton, Lancashire, England
William Rigby -
Age: 80
Abode: Broughton
Buried by: J.Mossop Vicar
Register: Burials 1857 - 1900, Page 102, Entry 811
Source: LDS Film 1470949