Individual Details
Joseph Hornby D. L. And J. P.
(22 Sep 1748 - 19 Mar 1832)
BIOGRAPHY: Merchant who succeeded his father in the family business in Kirkham, and who in the 1780's built Ribby Hall, Ribby-with-Wrea, which thereafter became his residence. . . In 1789, he purchased the advowson of St. Michael's-on-Wyre, Garstang, for his youngest brother, Rev. Hugh Hornby, M.A. He purchased the Bradkirk estate, Kirkham, in 1797, and was Lord of the Manor of Singleton. In 1809, he built the first Singleton Church. He also purchased very extensive lands in and around Kirkham, becoming one of the largest landowners in the vicinity. (See numerous title deeds held [1980] by William A. Hornby, of The Old House, St. Michael's-on-Wyre). In business, Mr. Joseph Hornby formed a co-partnership with his brothers, Thomas and William, trading as Messrs. J., T., and W. Hornby. This was effected by a series of conveyances in 1793. The partnership had premises in Freckleton Street, Kirkham, which included two spinning-sheds, a weaving-shop, a bowkhouse or bleach-house and two rows of workers' cottages known as Old Row and New Row, to which were later added further cottages and weaving-shops in a close called Hornby Square. Several fields were purchased in Orders Lane, Kirkham, on which the partners built another factory and bowkhouse, while in Moor Lane they had weaving shops and other buildings. Their town residences and counting-houses were in Poulton Street, Kirkham. About 1785, the partners owned a flax-spinning mill near Whitehaven, and they also owned a mill at Bentham, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. By 1824, they had in addition a factory in Redcross Street, Liverpool, and to supply these various establishments they were part owners of many ships which brought flax and hemp from the Baltic ports to Liverpool, Lancaster and Wardleys. . . With his death the Kirkham mercantile interests of the family ceased, although these interests continued in Liverpool, (see Messrs. Hugh and Joseph Hornby, of Liverpool - below).
Messrs. J., T. & W. Hornby established themselves in Bentham about 1795, and at first operated from Low Mill. They imported Baltic Flax into a warehouse on St. George's quay, Lancaster, and transported it by four horse wagons to Bentham. Initially, the brothers spun yarn at Bentham for their sailcloth factories in Kirkham, and later they built premises for weavers in Bentham, some of whom came from Kirkham. The Bentham operations were managed after about 1814 by Tony Roughsedge Esq., who continued to trade under the name of Hornby & Co., but who extended the Hornby interests there. In 1814, Mr. Hornby Roughsedge - who had formerly managed the Hornby factories in Kirkham - purchased High Hill and the residence known as Bentham House in Bentham from Charkes Oarker Esq. He also acquired the manorial rights of Ingleton, and became the leading gentleman of the district. He was a great benefactor of St. Margaret's Church, Bentham, which contains several memorials to him. In the 1830's, the sailcloth industry began to decline in Bentham, and the mills went over to the production of finer yarns by wet spinning. In 1850, Mr. Hornby Roughsedge sold the Bentham mills and Bentham House to Messrs. Waithman & Co., and retired to Foxghyll, near Ambleside. He died in September, 1859, and was buried at Grasmere. (Mr. Hornby Roughsedge was the son of Rev. Thomas Hankinson Roughsedge, Rector of Liverpool, and was a kinsman of the Hornbys through his grandmother (nee Hankinson) - see Mr. Hugh Hornby, of Kirkham (above). See also Rev. Edward James Geoffrey Hornby, M.A. Rector of Bury (below), who married Elizabeth, only daughter of Mr. Hornby Roughsedge).
Messrs. J., T. & W. Hornby established themselves in Bentham about 1795, and at first operated from Low Mill. They imported Baltic Flax into a warehouse on St. George's quay, Lancaster, and transported it by four horse wagons to Bentham. Initially, the brothers spun yarn at Bentham for their sailcloth factories in Kirkham, and later they built premises for weavers in Bentham, some of whom came from Kirkham. The Bentham operations were managed after about 1814 by Tony Roughsedge Esq., who continued to trade under the name of Hornby & Co., but who extended the Hornby interests there. In 1814, Mr. Hornby Roughsedge - who had formerly managed the Hornby factories in Kirkham - purchased High Hill and the residence known as Bentham House in Bentham from Charkes Oarker Esq. He also acquired the manorial rights of Ingleton, and became the leading gentleman of the district. He was a great benefactor of St. Margaret's Church, Bentham, which contains several memorials to him. In the 1830's, the sailcloth industry began to decline in Bentham, and the mills went over to the production of finer yarns by wet spinning. In 1850, Mr. Hornby Roughsedge sold the Bentham mills and Bentham House to Messrs. Waithman & Co., and retired to Foxghyll, near Ambleside. He died in September, 1859, and was buried at Grasmere. (Mr. Hornby Roughsedge was the son of Rev. Thomas Hankinson Roughsedge, Rector of Liverpool, and was a kinsman of the Hornbys through his grandmother (nee Hankinson) - see Mr. Hugh Hornby, of Kirkham (above). See also Rev. Edward James Geoffrey Hornby, M.A. Rector of Bury (below), who married Elizabeth, only daughter of Mr. Hornby Roughsedge).
Events
| Birth | 22 Sep 1748 | Kirkham, Lancashire, England | |||
| Christen | 30 Sep 1748 | Kirkham, Lancashire, England | |||
| Marriage | 16 Aug 1796 | Of Kirkham, Lancashire, England - Margaret Wilson | |||
| Death | 19 Mar 1832 | Ribby Hall, Lancashire, England | |||
| Burial | Kirkham, Lancashire, England |
Families
| Spouse | Margaret Wilson (1765 - 1838) |
| Child | Hugh Hornby D. L. (1799 - 1849) |
| Child | Robert Hornby (1803 - 1803) |
| Child | Margaret Hornby (1804 - ) |
| Child | Alice Hornby (1805 - 1830) |
| Child | Marianne Hornby (1800 - 1857) |
| Child | Jane Twin Hornby (1787 - 1787) |
| Child | Cicely Hornby (1797 - 1797) |
| Child | Margaret (1809 - ) |
| Child | Hankinson Hornby (1803 - 1870) |
| Child | Elizabeth Hornby (1790 - 1832) |
| Child | Joseph Twin Hornby (1787 - ) |
| Father | Hugh Hornby (1719 - 1781) |
| Mother | Margaret Hankinson (1723 - 1804) |
| Sibling | Alice Hornby (1746 - 1812) |
| Sibling | Robert Hornby (1750 - 1776) |
| Sibling | William Hornby (1752 - 1758) |
| Sibling | Thomas Hornby (1754 - 1758) |
| Sibling | John Hornby (1756 - 1758) |
| Sibling | Thomas Hornby (1759 - 1824) |
| Sibling | William Hornby (1761 - 1824) |
| Sibling | John Hornby (1763 - 1841) |
| Sibling | Rev. Hugh Hornby M. A. (1765 - 1847) |
| Sibling | Elizabeth Hornby (1771 - 1771) |