Bartholomew Bretherton

Bartholomew Bretherton (c.1775–1857) was a coach proprietor and landowner who lived in Rainhill, near Liverpool. He founded St Bartholomew's Church, Rainhill and owned Rainhill House, which became Loyola Hall.

Biography

He was born at Hurst Green, near Clitheroe, in North Lancashire, where his father is believed to have been a farmer near Stonyhurst College. Later he and his brothers moved to Liverpool. In 1799 Bartholomew married Jane Atkinson at the parochial chapel of St Nicholas, Liverpool. Although he was a Catholic, it was not legal to marry in a Catholic church at that time. On his marriage certificate, he gave his occupation as 'flour dealer'.

Bartholomew's brother, Peter (c.1770–1844) was originally a 'coachman' but in 1800 he purchased a coaching business, and soon after Bartholomew and his brothers Francis (c 1770–1833) and Joseph (c. 1781 – 1810) followed suit. Peter settled in Parr and his coaches ran from the Golden Lion in Dale St. Francis (c 1770 – 1833) lived at Maghull, where he owned stables and had a small coaching business. He had coaches (one called The Rocket) running from the Crown Inn, Redcross St and from the White Horse Inn, Dale St. Later Peter moved his business to the Birmingham area and settled in Yardley, Worcestershire. Joseph ( 1781–1810) lived at Sharples, near Bolton, Lancashire, where he had a small coaching business, but he was never part of the Liverpool traffic and died aged 29. Bartholomew operated from the Saracen's Head, Dale St and his coaches included Alexander, Bang Up. Lord Exmouth, North Britain, Defiance, Regulator, Royal Mail, Telegraph and Umpire. By 1822 he ran coaches to and from Manchester fourteen times a day and four left for London every day.

Bartholomew Bretherton (jockey)

Bartholomew Bretherton (1812–1866) was a jockey from Maghull, north of Liverpool who rode many times in the Grand National as an amateur rider, winning the race in 1840 in the colours of Henry Villebois on his horse Jerry.

Biography

Bretherton's father was Francis Bretherton (c. 1770 – 1833), coach proprietor of Maghull. Bretherton was his eighth child and third son. Bretherton's father and older brother Peter (second child and first son of Francis) were credited with starting horse-racing at Maghull Meadows, the precursor of Aintree Racecourse, in the late 1820s and 1830s. On 29 February 1836 a handicap race called the Grand Liverpool SteepleChase, was held at Aintree Racecourse which was the first of three unofficial precursors of the race which would become known as The Grand National. Bretherton took part in this race, coming third on a horse named Cockahoop. During the race the rider Horatio Powell, riding the favourite, Laurie Todd, fell from his horse and it was alleged that Bretherton deliberately steered his horse towards him in order to prevent him remounting. Powell was knocked back to the ground and forced to retire from the race through injury. He did not however lodge any protest on his return to the weighing room, suggesting that the act was considered part of the game. The winner of this race was The Duke, ridden by Captain Martin Becher (he later gave his name to the fence named Becher's Brook, when he fell there from his mount, Conrad, in the first official Grand National in 1839, and took shelter in the brook to avoid injury).

Bretherton

Coordinates: 53°40′41″N 2°47′46″W / 53.678°N 2.796°W / 53.678; -2.796

Bretherton is a small village and civil parish in the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, situated to the south west of Leyland and east of Tarleton. The population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 669. Its name suggests pre-conquest origins and its early history was closely involved with the manor house Bank Hall and the families who lived there. Bretherton remained a rural community and today is largely residential with residents travelling to nearby towns for employment.

History

Toponymy

Bretherton derives from either the Old English brothor and tun or Norse brothir and means "farmstead of the brothers". It was first recorded in documents in 1190. Bretherton has been variously recorded as Bretherton in 1242, Brotherton occurs in 1292, Bertherton in 1292 and Thorp was mentioned in 1212.

Manor

Bretherton, was part of the Penwortham fee and assessed as two plough-lands. It was given by the Bussels to Richard le Boteler of Amounderness, who made grants to Cockersand Abbey around 1200 and Lytham Priory. In 1242 the manor was held by six families of Richard Banastre, Walter de Hoole, Richard de Thorp, William de Brexes, Thomas de Gerstan and Simon del Pool who held the land from the Lord of Penwortham. Over time these six parts were consolidated into two moieties held by different branches of the Banastre family, the Banastres of Bank, and that of Sir Thomas Banastre. The Bank moiety remained with the Banastres until 1690 when Christopher Banastre died leaving two daughters. His eldest daughter, Anne, married Thomas Fleetwood who made the first to attempt at draining Martin Mere. Their daughter, Henrietta Maria, married Thomas Legh of Lyme Park and subsequently the manor descended to Lord Lilford. This branch of the family built or rebuilt Bank Hall in the Jacobean style in 1608.