THACKRAY OF OTLEY

 

Dorothy Thackray was baptised in 1639 at Otley, a daughter of John Thackray. Potential marriages of her father are:

 

John Thackray of Harewood, m ca 10 Aug 1619, Mary Thackray of Otley

John Thackray, m 2 Dec 1623, Otley, Alice West

John Thackray, m 16 Jun 1633, Otley, Margaret Bradley

John Thackray, m 1 Nov 1636, Otley, Dorothy Hardcastle

 

Relevant burial entries include:

 

Mary wife of John Thackray, bur 1 Jun 1620, Otley, with a newborn child of the said John

Mary wife of John Thackray, bur 14 Mar 1631/32, Otley

Alice wife of John Thackray, bur 6 Jul 1635, Otley

 

It is apparent from these that more than one John Thackray was in the area at the time and this is further supported by the proximity of some baptism dates in the Otley parish registers for children of John Thackray. For example, William was baptised on 26 March 1637 followed by John on 2 July 1637, and Dorothy on 29 December 1639 followed by Thomas on 1 March 1639/40.

 

Considering her forename, it seems most likely that the Dorothy baptised in 1639 was a daughter of John Thackray and Dorothy Hardcastle who were married in 1636. The older Dorothy seems to be the Dorothy Thackray of Otley who married John Brooke of Bingley on 30 January 1653/54 at Menston, in which case her previous husband would probably be the John Thackray of Otley who was buried on 8 September 1652 at Otley. Dorothy may have had another earlier husband as James Hardcastle and Dorothy Bradley were married in 1626 at Leeds and James Hardcastle was buried there on 25 March 1636.

 

Wills which could perhaps shed light on this family (and which I have not yet seen) include those of Richard Bradley of Farnley, written in 1628, and John Brooke of Otley, written in 1659.

 

I welcome comments on this page. My e-mail address is on my home page.

 

THACKRAY

 

JOHN THACKRAY.

 

Child of John Thackray:

i               DOROTHY THACKRAY, bap 29 Dec 1639, Otley, Yorkshire,[1] bur 1 Sep 1666, Otley;[2] m 21 Sep 1659, Otley, JOSHUA RAYNER[3] (see here).



[1] William Brigg, ed., The Parish Registers of Otley, part 1 (Leeds, 1908), 76.

[2] William Brigg, ed., The Parish Registers of Otley, part 1 (Leeds, 1908), 283: “Dorothie wiffe of Josua Reinard of Eccellcell”.

[3] William Brigg, ed., The Parish Registers of Otley, part 1 (Leeds, 1908), 176: “Jossua Rayner of Ecellsell and Dorothie Thackwray of Otley”.