The History of Shotton - Deeside & The Atkinson Family History
The History of Shotton - Deeside & The Atkinson Family History

The Hymn Book of John Swindlehurst

You can access scans of all the pages in John Swindlehurst's Hymnbook by clicking here.

 

Below you will find an account by Dyanna Swindlehurst of how the Hymnbook was discovered, together with a trancription of all the pages.

 

COPY OF TRANSCRIPTION, PRODUCED AND SUPPLIED BY DYANNA SWINDLEHURST, OF A HYMN BOOK BELONGING TO JOHN SWINDLEHURST.

 

Dyanna explains in a prior Email:

 

I also agree about the James/Isabel tree but I do have additional info. that is not/was not available to the people who added info via the IGI. Some 10 years ago now I had a contact with a Marie English who lives in Michigan. Her connection to SW is via the surname SUTTON. She had found a book in her loft.

It was originally a blank book.

Front cover and page 1

On the front cover is a list of various family dates of birth which continues over the next page.

Page 2

"John Swinglehurst his Psalm Book Bought in the Year 1779 October 8th"

(Then the handwriting changes and there is a very ornate inscription)

1836

1779

"John Swindglehurst Singing Book Bought at Lancaster October 8th 1790

Robt. Bleazard"

*Notice the discrepancy in the dates there - 1779 and 1790.

The rest of the book (108 pages long) has been hand ruled as music manuscript and written in are various psalms and folksongs of the day.

This book was that of John Swindlehurst born 1756 in Slaidburn and who married Ann Clarkson. The book was passed on to their daughter Nancy who, in 1816 married John Sutton. A number of John and Nancy Sutton's children emigrated with their families to Michigan and the book went with them. Meanwhile Nancy's brother James married Isabel Lancaster. Their eldest son John (b 1812) married Margaret Hopwood. They had 7 children. Margaret and 6 of the 7 children died between 1840 and 1851. Margaret died in Sept 1851 and John married Matilda Hopwood {Webmaster's note: This is incorrect it was Matilda Rothwell} in Jan 1852!! They had 8 children and it was this family that emigrated to Utah as John became an LDS member along with the rest of his family. It was John who wrote a record of his family for the LDS.

I have a transcript of the hymnbook contents that I will scan and send you. I did have it on computer but have somehow lost the file and only have a paper copy.

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

Dy's original transcription consists of two pages stapled together. My following copy will attempt to reproduce both its layout (though subject to WordPad spacing inconsistencies) and exact spelling etc.


 

Dyanna's page 1:

 

FRONT COVER

 

Nancy Clarkson daughter of Margaret Clarkson born April 15th 1779

                                                   5 children

 

The rejesters of John Swinglehurst

William Swinglehurst born Sep. 29th 1780

John Swinglehurst born March 26th 1782

Tho. & Mary Swinglehurst both born Jan/Feb.? 29th 1784 (the date here has been

altered and looks as if it was altered from 20th to 29th whilst the year looks like

1786)

Mary Swinglehurst born Feb. 20/29th? Feb. 1786

James Swinglehurst born November 2nd 1788

Susannah Swinglehurst born Sep. 21st 1790

 

(now the handwriting changes though' the list carries on)

 

Nancey Swinglehurst born Aug. 24th 1791/2?

Robert Swinglehurst son of Nancey Swinglehurst born Feb. 10th 1811

 

BACK OF THE FRONT COVER

 

William Swinglehurst born Miclemas 1780

John born March 26th 1782

Thomas and Mary born January (then February crossed out) 29th 1784 (4 altered from

something else)

Mary born February 23 1786

James born November 2 1788

Susannay born September 21 1790

Nancey born Agust 24 1792

 

(The next is written in the centre of the page like an inscription and with neater

handwriting)

Thomas and Mary born Feb. 23-1785

 

Page 2

 

(In the original handwriting from the top of the front cover)

John Swinglehurst his Psalm Book Bought in the Year 1779 October 8th

 

(now the handwriting changes again and it looks like an inscription)

                   1836

                     1779

John Swinglehurst Singing Book Bought at Lancaster October 8th 1790

Robt. Bleazard

(The above line and signature are very ornate and the date is not 1779 but 1790)

 

PAGE 3 TO 67 are all psalms.

 

PAGE 68

 

Dyanna's page 2:

 

At the bottom of the page is an ornate signature upside down - John Swindlehurst

(This is not in the same handwriting as the first lot but more like that of the

inscription on page 2 and note the 'd' instead of the 'g' in Swindlehurst.)

 

PAGE 69 TO 102 are a mixture of church music and secular songs including the

National Anthem

 

PAGE 103

(Another ornate signature like page 68 but with a treble clef for the 'J' of John)

John Swindlehurst Book 18?? (possibly 1800)

 

Page 104

 

(What looks like a practice signature)

An ornate treble clef 'J' followed by

Thos. S

(both the 'T'of Thos. and the 'S' for the next word which is not finished have treble

clef shapes in them.)

 

PAGE 107

 

(The top of the page has the bass music for 'God' save the King' followed by the bass

music for 'Britans Strike Home' followed by another signature)

William Swinglehurst

 

PAGE 108

 

John Swindlehurst

Singing Book

Margaret Cenyan daughter of Robert and Nancy Cenyan born agust 27 1817

John Sutton son of John and Nancey Sutton born February 4th 1817

Margaret Sutton born November 2 1818

Eling daughter of Robert and Nancey Kenian bourne 19 July 1821

 

 

There is one other little scrap of paper with the words as follows:

Nancy Swindlehurst born Augst 24th 1792

64 next birth day

(That must have been in 1856!)

 

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