Richard Bibby (1825-1860)

Richard was born in about 1825 in Samlesbury. His father was John Bibby and his mother Betty Satterthwaite.

Richard married Martha Barns on 15th June 1845 at Blackburn Parish Church, which is now Blackburn Cathedral. Here is a picture of it when it was called St Marys:

This image was provided by Gordon Hartley for use in the Cotton Town digitisation project.

We know his father was John and a publican as this is stated on his marriage certificate. It says that Richard was a spinner. The certificate also tells us that neither Richard nor Martha could read or write as they signed their names with an 'x'.

In the same year, according to the Blackburn Standard, a John Bibby was fined for serving drinks on a Sunday. This was in Darwen. So I am guessing this could well be Richard's father. However, we do not know what the name of the pub was. Running pubs seems to have run in the family as many years later my Aunty May and Uncle Jim ran the Black Horse in Darwen; their daughter, Kathleen, and her husband, Jack, ran the Ellenshaw pub and Kathleen's brother, Jimmy and his wife, Doreen, ran the Crown.

Richard and Martha's first child, Betsy (my great grandmother) was born 19th September 1846 at Bold Venture, Over Darwen. She was christened Betty but was later known as Betsy. The birth certificate tells us that her father, Richard, was a spinner and confirms he could not read nor write as he signed his name with an 'x'. Her mother was formerly called Barns (spelt without an 'e' on the certificate).

In 1851, Richard, still a spinner, was 28. The census tells us he was born in Samlesbury; Martha, was 24 and was born in Eccleshill. They live at Catty Gatte, which was up near Bold Venture Park. They now have three children, Betsy, aged 4 years, Margaret Ann aged 3 years and John aged 5 months.

In 1852 Alice was born but died the same year. Edmund came next, born in 1854 but died when he was only 12 years old. He was followed by Andrew who was born and died in 1856. Nancy was born and died the following year, 1857. Mary Jane was born in 1859 and Joseph 1861. Of the nine children Richard and Martha had, three died within a year of their birth. For more information about their children please see Martha Barnes.

Richard, died in 29th October 1860 of phthisis (consumption or tuberculosis). The family were living at 62 High Street, Darwen. The death certificate has his age at either 30 or 36 years (it isn't clear). It says he was a cotton self actor spinner and the informant was his wife, Martha Bibby who was present at his death.

This means that Richard worked in the Spinning Room and operated a Self Acting Spinning Mule, which which was a semi-skilled job.

High Street does not appear on the 1910 map of Darwen but, strangely, it is on modern maps. So I have shown on this map where it was, just below James Street West, behind the White Lion Hotel.