Mr. Henry Richardson was a very excellent Parish Priest, a kind husband and father; and inherited his father's taste, as a Florist, and for Natural History. 5. John, died an infant. 6. John Richardson, Esq. born at Bierley the 12th of November, 1721. He was brought up a Solicitor; and lived in Furnival's, and afterwards in Lincoln's Inn, London. His taste was for Topography and Heraldry; and his Collection of MS Pedigrees is voluminous*. He assumed the surname of Currer, * John Richardson, who took the name of Currer only, died unmarried. Upon his death, the Rev. Henry Richardson, Rector of Thornton, his nephew, succeeded, under the intail made by Sarah Currer, to all the estates belonging to her, upon which he took the name of Currer only. John Currer left his acquired estates, and his personal property, to his nephew, the Rev. Henry Richardson, upon certain conditions; which he, dying soon after his uncle, did not comply with; in default of which, he bequeathed his acquired estates and personals to his greatnephew, William-Hartley Roundell, the second son of the Rev. William Roundell, of Gledstone House; and Mary, his wife, younger daughter of the Rev. Henry Richardson senior, Rector of Thornton. William-Hartley Roundell was then in his infancy; but, by a decree of Chancery, he had the acquired and personal estates of his great uncle John Currer awarded to him, and thereupon took the name of Currer only. He was a Ward of Chancery; and his father, the Rev. William Roundell, appointed his guardian; who lent Dr. Whitaker the immense Collections of the late John Currer, before the Doctor compiled his "History of Craven." Mr. Roundell also gave to the Doctor the Plate of his Seat at Gledstone House in the first Edition, and the two Plates of it in the Second Edition -William-Hartley Currer dying soon after he became of age unmarried, the property of John Currer devolved according to the intail made by John Currer to his next brother (now the Rev.) Danson-Richardson Roundell, who also took the name of Currer only. He gave Dr. Whitaker the Engraving of the two Charters of high antiquity, belonging to Embsay and Bolton Priories, of which the originals are now in his possession. "Had John Currer not been prevented by death," says Dr. Whitaker, "he projected to digest and complete a History of Craven. This communication, however valuable on other accounts, was chiefly so because the Pedigrees of almost all the families in the district were completed down to the year 1773; by which means the dullest and most irksome part of a Topographer's labour was spared to the Publisher. In the same Collection were transcripts of Dodsworth's invaluable fragments, relating to Craven; and some excellent papers by the late J. C. Brooke, Esq. Somerset after the death of his mother's niece, Sarah Currer, who was heiress of that family. She died Feb. 27, 1759, aged 38; and, by will, left her estates at Kildwick and elsewhere to him for life, and to his male issue, on taking her surname; in default of issue, to the sons of his brother Henry in succession. He died unmarried, at Paddington, in Middlesex, the 22d of June, 1784; and was buried in the North Chapel of Kildwick Church, with the following Epitaph, contributed by the very learned Historian of Craven to the memory of his benefactor and forerunner in that excellent publication: H. S. E. Johannes Richardson Currer, armiger, in Societatem Antiquariorum Londinensium meritò cooptatus, Patriarum ipse Antiquitatum peritissimus : harum lautam satis et lectam coegerat supellectilem, Historiam Craveniensem, ni mors præpropera vetuisset, in lucem editurus. Somerset Herald, whose untimely end will long be deplored by every lover of English Antiquities. But he must not take leave of this accomplished family without the grateful remembrance of a lady and friend, whom abundant leisure, and extensive knowledge, have enabled to procure more information, than any other person on the subject of this Work, and whose good wishes for its success have allowed her to withhold no efforts which could promote it. This benefactress is Mrs. Dorothy Richardson." Thus far Dr. Whitaker in his First Edition. In the Second he adds, "Miss Currer, consistently with the general liberality of her conduct in the application of a large fortune, has contributed Plates of Eshton and Kildwick Halls. The Rev. William Roundell has kindly added an aquatinta engraving of Gledstone House; the Rev. William Carr, a beautiful view of the West front of the Abbey Church at Bolton: and Stephen Tempest, Esq. among other favours, a view of the new Front of Broughton Hall.Mrs. Richardson has exerted her wonted activity and intelligence in collecting and communicating many particulars relating to the Caves in Craven, and to St. Helen's Crosses: while Mr. Carr, above mentioned, the unshaken friend of the author and his family, by diligent researches among the Evidences of the Cliffords at Londesborough, has brought to light by far the most numerous and valuable additions to this Volume." At At neque tantæ spes in irritum cecidere, soluta historici denuò coalescunt membra Natus est apud Bierley Nov. XII. A. D. MDCCXXI; 11o Jul. A. D. MDCCLXXXIV. In the Choir. Underneath lieth the body of Henry Currer, Esq. who died January 19, 1723, aged 72. He was a great proficient in the study of the Law; but, allured by the charms of a private life, retired to the place of his birth, where he chose rather to employ the skill * Thus the Epitaph stands on the monument; and thus it appears in the First Edition of Dr. Whitaker's "History of Craven." But, in the Second Edition of that History, it is introduced in a short but more classical form, with the following apology from Dr. Whitaker : "Since the First Edition of this Work, a Monument has been erected by the present owner, inscribed with the epitaph contained in that Edition. It was, however, owing to the confusion and delay occasioned by the lamentable fire in Mr. Nichols's Printing-office, that the following, actually printed off and consumed on that occasion, was not adopted: H.S.E. IOHANNES RICHARDSON CVRRER ARM. HVIVSCE . DOMINVS. MANERII. RICARDI RICHARDSON DE BIERLEY. VIRI. DOCTISSIMI. F. INDOLEM FAVSTIS. SVB. PENETRALIBVS NVTRITAM STVDIO. VETVSTATIS. SODALITII ANTIQVARIORVM. LONDINENSIVM. SOCIVS PERCOLVIT. CRAVENAE SVAE HISTORIAM MEDITANTI INVIDIT. FATVM. A. C. MDCCLXXXIV. NEQVE TAMEN VTCVNQVE. VICTVRO NOMINI OFFECIT NAMQVE. PALMA DIVVIETA • *VIVIDAE. VEGETAEQVE. INTEXTA. REVIRESCIT A.C.MDCCCV. *Alluding to the History of Craven, published in that year, and deeply indebted to Mr. Currer's Collections. he he had acquired therein to the benefit of his country He excelled in all the relations of life; and affectionate Father, of a sincere Friend and obliging Neighbour, tenderly, discreetly, faithfully, and conscientiously. By him lieth interred Margaret his first wife, daughter of Abraham Fothergill, of London, Esq. who died June 23, 1697, aged 32, by whom he had issue three sons and seven daughters. Haworth Currer, their only surviving son, caused this monument to be erected to their ever dear and honoured memories. Near this place are also deposited the remains of Haworth Currer, Esq. who, by Sarah, the daughter of Tobiah Harvey, of Womersley, Esq. left one son and one daughter. After having supported the reputation of his family in hospitality and the distribution of justice, he exchanged this life, in hopes of a better, the 13th day of April, 1744, in the 54th year of his age. In the North Chapel of the Church, Near this place, amongst the remains of his Ancestors, Lords of this manor for many generations, rests the body of Henry Currer, Esq. whose liberality and benevolence, during the few years that he spent at his family's seat, were justly repaid by the general esteem and affectionate regard of his neighbours. He married Mary, one of the daughters and coheirs of Richardson Farrand, of Harden, Esq. and died, deservedly lamented, on the 10th of March, 1756, aged 28. and that of Sarah Currer, his only sister and heiress, who died op the 27th of February, 1759, aged 30, John John Currer, Esq. her Cousin and Devisee, hath caused this monument to be erected, as a memorial of her virtues, and an incitement to her successors to imitate her most amiable example. 7. Thomas Richardson, born at Bierley the 3d of April 1724; died unmarried, at Hackney, in Middlesex, January 11, 1763; and was buried there. Dorothy, Dr. Richardson's eldest daughter, born at Bierley June 16, 1712, was married at Wibsey Chapel, July 29, 1730, to Sir John Lister Kaye, Bart. being his second wife. She died at Gainforth, in the County of Durham, Sept. 15, 1772; and was buried by her husband at Flocton Chapel. By her he had several children. Her eldest, and only surviving son, Richard Kaye, LL. D. was born at Grange, near Wakefield, the 11th of August 1736. He was educated at Chesterfield School, and afterwards of Brazenose College, Oxford; and, during his residence there, he was elected a Vinerian scholar, after which he travelled into France and Italy. He was F. R. S. and F. S. A. and one of the Trustees of the British Museum. His first preferment was, on the presentation of the late Duke of Portland (his patron), to the living of Kirkby in Ashfield in Nottinghamshire. He was Sub-almoner; Prebendary of Southwell and Durham; in 1777 Archdeacon of Nottingham; in 1780 had the living of Marybone on the presentation of the Duke of Portland; and in 1783,upon resigning his Prebend of Durham, was appointed Dean of Lincoln. In 1789, on the death of his half-brother Sir John Lister Kaye, Bart. he succeeded to the title; but his brother left all his estates to his natural son John Lister Kaye, Esq. now Sir John Lister Kaye, Bart. Sir Richard Kaye, late in life, married Helen daughter of Mr. Fenton, of the Glass house, near Leeds, and widow of Mainwaring, Esq. of Lincoln. He died at Lincoln, without issue, December 25, 1809; and was buried in that Cathedral. Dr. |