June 14. 1851.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



475 



AN OLD MAN WHOSE FA.THER LIVED IN THE TIME 

 OF OLIVER CROMWELL. 



[\Ve are indebted to the kindness of the Rev. 

 Thomas Corser for the opportunity of preserving in 

 oiit columns the following interesting notice, from the 

 Manchester Guardian of the 19th August, 184;5, of the 

 subject of His communication in our No. for May 31. 

 (No. 83., p. 421.)] 



Having heard of the extraordinary cifctimstance 

 of an old man named James Horrocks, in bis hun- 

 dredth jcar, living in Harwood, about three miles 

 from Bolton, whose fatlier lived in the time of 

 Oliver Cromwell, we took an opportunity, a few 

 days ago, of visiting this venerable descendant of 

 a sire who was contemporary with the renowned 

 Protector. Until within the last few years he 

 resided at Hill End, a small estate left him by an 

 uncle when he was about twenty-si.x; years old; but 

 both his surviving daughters being married, and 

 himself growing feeble, and his sight failing him, 

 he left the land and went to reside with his eldest 

 daughter, Margaret, and his son-in-law, John 

 Haslam, at a place called "The Nook," near the 

 Britannia, in Harwood. Here we found the old 

 man, surrounded v/ith every comfort which easy 

 circumstances and aflectionate friends can afford, 

 and, to use his own language, " neither tired of 

 living, nor yet afraid to die." He is a remarkably 

 good-looking old toan, with long silvery locks, and 

 a countenance beatning with benevolence and good 

 nature. He has nearly lost the use of his eye- 

 sight, and is a little dull of hearing, yet he is 

 enabled to walk about. The loss of his sight he 

 regrets most of all, as it prevents him from spend- 

 ing his time in readii'ig, to which he was before 

 accustomed ; and, as he remarked, also denies him 

 the pleasure of looking upon his children and 

 his old friends. He converses with remarkable 

 cheerfulness for one of his years. As an instance, 

 we may mention, that, on' observing to him that 

 he mnst have been a tall man in his youth, he 

 sprang up I'rom his arm' chair with the elasticity 

 of middle age, rather thali the decrepitude usually 

 accompanying those fe\v who are pennitted to 

 spin out the thread of life to the extent of a cen- 

 tin-y, and, with a humorous smile upon his coun- 

 tenance, put his hands to his thighs, and stood as 

 straight as an arrow against a gentleman nearly 

 six feet, remarking, at the same time, " I don't 

 think I am nuieh less now than ever I was." He 

 stands now about live feet eight inches and a half. 

 A short time ago, on coming down stairs in the 

 morning, he olwerved to his daughter, with his 

 accustomed good humour, and buoyancy of spirit, 

 " I wonder what 1 shall dream next ; I dreamt 

 last night that I was going to be married again ; 

 nnd who kiiow.i but I could find somebody that 

 wouhl Ir.ivc me yet." His son-in-law is an old 

 grey-headed man, much harder of hearing than 

 hrimself ; and it frequently happens, that when any 



of the family are endeavouring to explain any- 

 thing to him, old James will say, " Stop, and I'll 

 insense hitn ; " and his luiigs seldom fail in the 

 undertaking. 



From this interesting family \^c learn, that 

 William Horrocks, the father of the present James, 

 of whom we have been speaking, was born in 1657, 

 four years after Oliver Cromwell was declared 

 protector, and one year before his death. He 

 would be two years old when Richjtrd Cromwell, 

 who succeeded his father, resigned ; and four 

 years old when Charles II. was crowned in 1661. 

 The exact period of his first marriage we have not 

 been able to ascertain ; but it is certain that his 

 bride was employed as nilrse in the well-knowii 

 family of the Chethams, either at Turton Tower, 

 or at Castletoti Hall, near Rochdale. By this 

 marriage he had four children, as appears from 

 the following memorandums, written in an excel- 

 lent hand in the back of an old black-letter Bible, 

 printed in 1583 : 



" Mary, the daughter of William and Elizabeth 

 Horrocks, was born the 1 5th day of September, and 

 baptized the 23d da:y of the same month, Anno Dom. 

 1683." 



" John, the son of William and Elizabetli Horrocks, 

 was born the 18t!i day of January, and baptized the 

 25th day of the same month, Anno Dom. 1686." 



" .\nn, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Hor- 

 rocks, wa-s born the 14th day of March, and baptized 

 the 23d day of the same month, Anno Dom. 1699." 



" William, the son of William and Elizabeth Hor- 

 rocks, was born the 9th day of June, and baptized the 

 17th day of the same month. Anno Dom. 1700." 



At what time his wife died, we are also unable 

 to ascertain; but there is no doubt he remained a 

 widovvfer for many years, and at length married 

 his housekeeper, a comely blooming young woman, 

 whose kindness to the old man was unremitting, 

 and he married her in 1741, at the age of eighty- 

 four, she being at the time only twenty-six. 



This marriage evidently attracted much atten- 

 tion in the neighbourhood, and we find that, about 

 two years afterwards, the old man and his youth- 

 ful partner were sent for to Castleton Hull, the 

 residence of a branch of Humphry Chetham's 

 family, where they were treated with great kind- 

 ness, and a portrait painter engaged to take their 

 likenesses, which are now in the possession of their 

 son, and add much to the interest of a visit to him. 

 These portraits are well executed ; and, of course, 

 appear rather like those of a grandfather and his 

 grandchild than of luisband and wife, although he 

 appears more like sixty than eighty-six. In front 

 of each j)ainting is prominently inscribed the age of 

 each of the parties, and the date when the portrait 

 was ttiken. Upon that of the husband the in- 

 scription is, " iETA : 86—1743." And upon that 

 of the wife, " yETA : 28 — 1743." These, it_ ap- 

 pears, were taken two years after their marriage, 



