Garthwaite Family History

Thornhill

The earliest Garthwaite I have found so far in my family tree is John Garthwaite born 1770. John lived in Nether-Shitlington near Thornhill, West Yorkshire.

There were three villages in the Shitlington area, Nether-Shitlington, Over-Shitlington and Middle-Shitlington. The area has now been renamed Sitlington and the three villages are Netherton, Overton and Middlestown respectively. They fall within the parish boundary of St. Michael and All Angels' Church, Thornhill.

The map below shows Thornhill, with it's parish church, in the top left hand corner and to south east of it, Netherton.

Ordnance Survey Map of Netherton and surrounding area

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

A number of Garthwaites were christened, married and buried at Thornhill church. Part of the family used to run the Saville Arms public house nextdoor! George Garthwaite was the landlord from 1868 to 1878, Ann Garthwaite, his widow, ran the pub from 1878 to 1892. There is a picture of their gravestone at the bottom of this page. Below is a picture of St. Michael and All Angels' Church, to the right is a picture of the Saville Arms public house.

Picture of St. Michael and All Angels' Church, Thornhill

Picture of the Savile Arms public house, Thornhill.

Links to further information on Thornhill:
Read a description of Thornhill from Langdale's Topographical Dictionary of Yorkshire 1822 at GENUKI UK & Ireland Genealogy.
Visit the Thornhill Parish Church site.

Garthwaites Buried at Thornhill

There are a number of Garthwaite gravestones in Thornhill churchyard. Below are the ones I found during a visit in January 2006. To view a higher resolution picture click on the image.

	Transcription: In Memory of William the son of John & Mary Garthwaite of Netherton who died on the 29th of October 1840 Aged 16 Years ALSO of the above named John Garthwaite who died on the 6th of December 1847, Aged 77 Years. ALSO of Mary Wife of the above John Garthwaite who died on the 21st of October 1851 Aged 72 Years NB: There is more inscribed at the base, but the stone has crumbled away and is illegible.
	Transcription: In Memory of Mary, Daughter of Mathew & Emily Garthwaite of Harrogate, who died Feb 5th 1859 Aged 2 Years & 5 Months. Also Mathew Henry, their Son who died Jan 4th 1865 Aged 4 Years & 7 Months. NB: This is the back of the gravestone above. The Mathew Garthwaite of Harrogate was one of the above John Garthwaite's sons.
	Transcription: Lilian, Only Daughter of Joseph and Jane Garthwaite, of Dewsbury, who died February 8th 1875 Aged 4 Years and 8 Months. Also of the above Jane Garthwaite, who died May 6th 1877 Aged 33 Years Also of the above Joseph Garthwaite, who died July 16th 1896 Aged 58 Years. NB: Joseph Garthwaite was one of the above John Garthwaite's grandsons.
	Transcription: Also Mary Daughter of George and Jane Garthwaite of Thornhill who died October 1st 1863 Aged 29 Years NB: This is the side of the above gravestone, George Garthwaite was one of the above John Garthwaite's sons.
	Transcription: In Memory of John the beloved Son of George and Ann Garthwaite of Thornhill who died January 14th 1862 Aged 6 Years And George their son who died an infant Also Sarah Maria their daughter who died January 7th 1871 Aged 5 Years Also of Joseph Garthwaite, Grand-Father of the above children who died August 6th 1891 Aged 86 Years And Sarah, his wife who died July 14th 1885 Aged 77 Years NB: Joseph Garthwaite was one of the above John Garthwaite's sons.
	Transcription: George Garthwaite of Thornhill Born April 24th 1831 Died September 5th 1878 And of Ann his wife Born 2nd February 1834 Died 29th December 1893 For so he giveth his beloved sleep And of Ellen, their daughter The wife of A.J. Blackburn Born 31 October 1861, Died 9 March 1937 And of A. J. Blackburn Born 18 Aug 1860, Died 4 Nov 1937 NB: George Garthwaite was the father of the children on the previous gravestone.