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The Bowker, or Booker, family were linked to the Tyrwhitts in 1714 when Elizabeth
Booker married Thomas Tyrwhitt at Maltby (about four miles from Tickhill) - his
name on this occasion being spelt TIRWAIT!
Unfortunately the records for Tickhill, Elizabeth's home parish, are not so complete as
the Arksey records, so there are gaps in the outline; but hopefully the suggested line
will prove to be useful, even if not yet taking us back to Robert Bowker's marriage to
Elizabeth Rodger in 1575, at Tickhill.
| George Bowker, born circa 1630, has not so far had his baptism traced; but
when he married Elizabeth CROSS at Harworth, Nottinghamshire, in 1690, he was described as
yeoman, widower, of Tickhill, so it is likely he is a son of the George BOWKER whose
marriage to Elizabeth ELVISHE (ELWES) is recorded at Tickhill in 1628; but I have not
found his baptism in the Tickhill register. In his will of 1707 George refers to his
brother-in-law James HOWSON.
BUT - the only James HOWSON marriage traced is not to one of George's sisters, but to his
niece Susanna, who married in 1704.
On the other hand the only James HOWSON baptism seems to be the one in 1641, and he must
be the one referred to as George's brother-in-law.
This suggests that James HOWSON married either George's sister Elizabeth or his sister
Susanna born 1637/38, perhaps in the dying days of the Commonwealth, when also perhaps a
young James HOWSON was born.
There is a James HOWSON (senior) will dated 1710. Perhaps that will give more
information.
There is more work to do, not least in tying in the family with the BOOKER families at
nearby Maltby. In the meantime, if anyone has any further insights, please be
in touch.
Unfortunately there are many gaps in the Maltby records, the second half of the 17th
century being particularly bad, so it is very difficult to build up a convincing picture.
Nevertheless it may be fairly safely assumed that there were family ties between
the different families living in such proximity. Tickhill, Maltby, Hooton Levitt,
Stainton, Braithwell, Bramley and Wadworth are only miles apart as this map of the area
indicates.
<<BOWKER OUTLINE pdf>> |
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There are a number of submissions that the name BOOKER / BOWKER derives from the French
word boucher, for butcher.
This would seem to be born out by entries in the 1379 Subsiy Rolls for Yorkshire.
It is not a common name in the area, but there is actually in Maltby an entry for
Willelmus BOCHER, assessed for iiij.d and it is fascinating to speculate on how he relates
to the families living there two hundred years later. There was one other occurence of the
name locally: Stephanus BOCHER at Wadworth. (There was also a BOCHERE at Wombwell
and at Sheffield a Johannes BOKCHOTER & Magot uxor ejus, iiij.d)
On three occasions, though, the word appears as an occupation, including at Ravenfield,
right in the heart of this area, the amusing entry: Hugo BACON bocher .
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