Hebden Township Historical Data

Hebden 1803 Muster Role

The Craven Muster Roll was produced in 1803 in response to the 1803 Defence of the Realm Act, when the threat of invasion by Napoleon made it necessary to prepare the whole of the active male population of the country between the ages of 17 and 55 for military training. It contains the muster for the wapentakes of Staincliffe and Ewcross. It is a useful document as it lists and categorises most males in the area together with their occupation.

The document is entitled: "Divisions of Staincliff and Ewcross [in the West Riding] of the County of York. The enrolment under an Act of Parliament made and passed in the fourty-third year of the reign of his Majesty King George the Third intituled an Act to enable His Majesty more effectually to provide for the defence of the Realm during the present war and for indemnifying person who may suffer in their property by such measures as may be necessary for that purpose and to enable His Majesty more effectually and speedily to exercise his ancient and undoubted prerogative in requiring military service of his subjects in case of invasion of the Realm – And also of another act passed the same session of Parliament to amend the said last mentioned Act.

The act referred to required the compilation of lists of all men between the ages of seventeen and fifty-five, arranged in four categories:

  • Class 1: unmarried men under thirty with no children living under ten years of age.
  • Class 2: unmarried men between thirty and forty-nine inclusive with no children living under ten years of age.
  • Class 3: married men between seventeen and twenty-nine inclusive with not more than two children living under ten years of age
  • Class 4: others not included in the above classes

Thus we can deduce that William Birch listed below, at the time of the compilation of the roll was a married joiner aged between 17 and 29, with no more than two children under the age of 10.

Certain categories of men were exempt from military service, and these were specifically noted in the lists: judges, infirm persons, clergymen, medical men, Quakers, persons serving in the army, navy marines, militia and volunteers, Lords Lieutenant, Deputy Lieutenants, constables and peace officers.

The following is a transcript of the muster roll for the township of Hebden which contains 59 entries. It can be sorted by any column ascending or descending by click on the required column header.

Name Occupation Class Notes Transcriber's notes
Baynes, William Labourer 4 Infirm 1764-1834; s. of Miles; m. 1809 Hannah Stackhouse
Birch, Joseph Miner 1 b. 1783?
Birch, William Joiner 3 1774-1818; S. of Ellis; m. 1799 Elizabeth Hudsmith
Bowdin, Thomas Mine Agent 4 1760-1835; b. Staffordshire; Lived at Holebottom
Brown, Christopher Farmer 4 1764-1809; m. 1786 Mary Craven
Brown, John Labourer 4 Infirm
Brown, John 4 Infirm
Brown, Robert Farmer 2
Brown, Thomas 4 Infirm
Brown, Thomas Smith 1 b. 1781; s. of John Brown
Brown, William Labourer 4
Cannon, John Servant 1 1786-1853; m. 1810 Tabitha Metcalf
Charlesworth, John Miner 4 b. 1760; m. 1798 Ann Leech
Constantine, James Smith 4 Infirm
Constantine, Joseph Farmer 4 Churchwarden 1760-1832
Dickinson, Thomas Mine Agent 1
Fletcher, George Miner 1 1784-1812, son of Edmond of Coppergill?
Fletcher, William Miner 1 b. 1779; m. 1803 Ellen Rodwell
Friar, Christopher Smith 4
Garrs, Richard Farmer 1 b. 1777; m. 1796 Ann Eccles
Garrs, William 4 Infirm
Hardacre, Joseph Shoemaker 4 b. 1783
Hardacre, Thomas Shoemaker 4 1772-1819; m. 1797 Isable Hardacre
Hardacre, William Cotton Spinner 1 1775-1829; m. 1805 Margaret Hallam
Hardacre, William Farmer 4
Hudsmith, James Labourer 3
Hudsmith, Richard Miner 1
Hudson, James Farmer 3
Hudson, John Miner 4 1753-1820; m. 1781 Elizabeth Peacock
Hudson, John Miner 1
Ibbotson, Christopher Servant 1 b. 1785
Inman, James Farmer 4
Joy, Christopher Miner 4 1776-1856; m 1796 Dorothy Robinson; m. 1804 Ann Birch
Joy, Richard Servant 1 b. 1784
Leeming, Thomas Farmer 4 1756-1817; m. 1788 Jenny Tennant
Lelland, James Labourer 2 b. 1770
Lupton, Thomas Farmer 2 1761-1840; m. 1786 Elizabeth Scaife
Lupton, William Schoolmaster 2
Mangham, John Farmer 4 1761-1834; m. 1816 Nancy Stoils
Moorhouse, Richard Servant 3
Mycock, Thomas Servant 1 1786-1855; m. 1808 Ann Wilson
Parmeby, Jonathan Miner 1
Pearson, John Miner 4 1758-1816; m. 1782 Ann Joy
Petty, George Weaver 4 1769-1849; m. 1810 Mary Birch
Petty, Silvester Miner 4 b. 1767
Pickering, John Servant 1
Robinson, William Miner 1 b. 1783
Rothwell, Thomas Miner 4 1762-1818; m. 1787 Sarah Robinson
Scaife, Allison Malster 4 b. 1760; m. 1786 Elizabeth Young; m. 1812 Martha Constantine
Simpson, John Servant 1
Smith, John Miner 1 1780-1833; m. 1809 Elizabeth Barker
Thornton, William Miller 4 b. 1755; m. 1783 Elizabeth Robinson; m 1787 Ann Bolland
Watson, Christopher Miner 1 b. 1782; m. 1805 Alice Demaine
Wellock, Richard Miner 4 1764-1849. m. 1789 Mary Windsor
Wharfe, Anthony Miner 4 1764-1806; m. 1788 Mary Wiggan
Whitaker, Christopher Slater 4 m. 1802 Mary Robinson
Wigan, Joseph Cooper 4
Wright, Moses Cotton Spinner 4 d. 1846?
Young, William Farmer 2 1770-1816