Background
Author: Nev. Ramsden
The Lewthwaite Family of Whitehaven & Millom
The Lewthwaite family can trace their decent in an unbroken line from the reign of King Henry VIII through 15 generations. At the start of the Tudor dynasty Thomas of Broadgate, who was responsible for purchasing 'Broadgate', was described as a yeoman. When Thomas died in 1667 his will showed that he was a yeoman farmer of considerable means. After the restoration of Charles II in 1660 the family were able to consolidate their position at Broadgate. They began to expand their business activities by apprenticing younger sons to tradesmen or merchants in Lancaster, Newcastle and London.
Indeed surviving correspondence from the eighteenth century show members of the family as prominent merchants in the fast expanding town and port of Whitehaven. Furthermore, plantations were purchased at Dominica and Antigua. John Lewthwaite of Broadgate was a pioneer of the local industrial revolution having iron ore interests near Dalton-in-Furness. He also had business interests at Maryport where he was a partner in a blast furnace enterprise.
Towards the end of the century William Lewthwaite of Broadgate [1733 – 1809 ] was bequeathed a very substantial estate (£100,000) from his second cousin once removed, John Lewthwaite of Whitehaven [1701 – 1790]. This wealth made an enormous difference to the family and by the nineteenth century they were well established among the gentry class with all the changes in lifestyle, outlook and responsibilities that this entailed. During this time the Lewthwaite family were marrying into families of equal wealth and social status, derived from a mixture of commerce and land ownership. For example the Taylors of Finsthwaite, the Birleys of Egremont and the Armisteads of Whitehaven. . . . . . . . [ and much more]
taken from – The Lewthwaite Family of Millom, 1734-1965; reference: BDLEW; Barrow in Furness, Record Office.
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This house on Queen Street in Whitehaven includes an archway to a rear courtyard and was built at an earlier date of about 1742 and owned by the merchant John Lewthwaite. It would appear he also had a large warehouse attached to the side of the house.
See - http://www.whitehavenandwesternlakeland.co.uk/whitehaven/queen-st.htm
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