BOLLARD FAMILY HISTORY


After having spent five years researching the Bollard branch of my family tree please find here a brief outline in which I have tried to contain relevant facts and data.




The Bollards were connected with the Forest of Pendle area for some Four hundred years, there are many references of them in the Clitheroe Court Rolls dating back to 1500c also a reference is made to them in a book about the Pendle Witch Trial of 1612, at the back of the book there is a list of Tenants of the Forest of Pendle 1608 to 1609 where the heads of households are recorded, it gives James Bollard and Ingramus Bollard as landowners in Barley Booth. The Bollard family were landowners in the Pendle area for approx Four Hundred years and lived in the Whitehough area for at least Two Hundred years.

Strong connections must also have been held with St Mary’s Church in Newchurch in Pendle, records refer to the Bollards holding the position of Churchwarden, the earliest record I have is Ingramus Bollard churchwarden in 1577 then many mentions over the centuries right up to a John Bollard in 1910 who had served as churchwarden for 30 years succeeding his brother who had held the position for 9 years who had succeeded their father who had served for 20 years, their service is commemorated inside the church on a plaque. In William Bollards Last Will and Testament dated 1834 he bequeaths to his sons his pews numbered 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15, which were situated in the gallery. The church walls had been built higher so as to extend the seating and pews had been put upstairs in the gallery; they are no longer there today.

During my research of parish records for St Mary’s Church Newchurch in Pendle, I came across a Fiche record of the Bollard Family Burial sites; there were three sites in total. The fiche showed plans and measurements of all three sites, two of which were situated outside in the Churchyard the third was inside the Church and was described as follows,

Burial places of the family of Bollards of Blackmoss, Whitehough & Height in Higham.

Memorandum. The site A is of the dimensions specified in the plan and is situated between the porch and steeple and has been used by the family since time immemorial. (Plan shows a rectangle drawing measuring 8ft 2in by 9ft 8ins) The site B is near the East corner of the old yard and is three vaults in the breadth, each 2ft 3ins by 6ft 8ins. The site C is inside the church situated half under the front aisle and half under the second and third forms of the middle rank. It has a stone over marked H.B. The above site ------ enclosed and the fees paid to the Rev J. Rushton the incumbent in the year ----- by Mr. W. Bollard---------
The above was recorded on the same page as Burials for 1799, yet the fees had been paid to Rev J. Rushton who was incumbent from 1825 to 1843.

(The fiche was water damaged and where I have left gaps I was unable to read it)
I have since spent twelve months trying to find out who is buried inside the church, I have contacted the present Churchwarden, checked parish records and Bishops Transcripts all to no avail.


In the Last Will and Testament of James Bollard dated the 13th October 1762 it is obvious that the family own a large amount of land in the area. As time continues further lands were bought, exchanged and sold and were always inherited by the next generation following the male line of inheritance. After the death of my Great Great Grandfather Henry Bollard in 1846, his will was wrote 26th February 1846 and proved the 20th day of August 1846, there was much litigation in a legal case between the Bollard family and the Aitkens. In several instances it was referred to as the AITKEN versus BOLLARD file by the late local historian Doreen Crowther. So far I have been unable to locate this file or determine what or why this case came about. During this case in Chancery it was ordered that a survey be made of all lands owned by the BOLLARD family. The lands and property that were owned by the BOLLARD family at the time are as follows :-

All that one messauge or Tenement called Law Tenement with one barn called the Higher Barn, part of Blackmoss and several closes of land in Whitely Booth. All the copyhold and messauge at Lower Black Moss then divided into 2 tenements with 2 farmhouses, 2 Barns etc. And all that parcel of land situated on the Higher side of the Bridge at Black Moss. All that messauge called Higher Black Moss in Whitley Booth with the farm house.

ROBERT LEE HOUSE, and 1 barn and 1 close of land called Robert Ley, as then divided into the closes of meadow or pasture land in Whitley Booth.

BARLEY, BRIDGE END FARM with 11 acres of land, cottage, barn and buildings. All that copyhold messauge at Barley called Top of the Town formerly part of Bridge End with the farmhouse, barn and 4 cottages. (notes say now site of Bus Station).

BARLEY, STANG TOP. All those closes of land part of a tenement called Stang Top.

WHEATLEY BOOTH, LOWER BARN All that messauge and Barn called the Lower Barn and garden and closes of land called The Stang, The Duren, The Duren Meadow, The Lower Meadow,The Great Hey, The Sweet Hey, The Higher Shoot, The Middle Shoot and The Lower Shoot.

HIGHAM. HEIGHT HOUSE All that messauge and tenement, one barn, one Garden and Fold and all the Closes of land called, The Meadow under the House, The Fearn Hill, The East and West Ormerod, the Great Meadow divided into two, The Butchers Wife Meadow, the Hullock and the Acre in Higham Booth and also all the tethers of Corn Grain. And also Wallet and Acre house.

RIMMINGTON. All that messauge and the Barns, Stables and Shippons etc known by the name of the Ox Close with the Closes of land belonging of 15 acres 1 rod and 50 perches situate at Rimmington surrounded on the North and West by lands of George Lane Fox Esq., on East by lands belonging to the Curate of Downham and on the South by lands belonging to Mr Mitchell. And All that half of a Horse Gate upon Rimmington Moor. All that Close formerly in one but then divided into three commonly called Lathes 4 acres 30 perches in Rimmington bounded on all sides by land belonging to George Lane Fox. And All that Close called Kel Ridding in Rimmington 4 acres 1 rod 5 perches bounded on East and West sides by land of George Lane Fox and North and South by lands of Rt Hon Lord Ribblesdale.

WHITEHOUGH All that Capital messauge called Whitehough and the barn, Stable and other buildings and Closes of lands called The Round Meadow, The Little Meadow, The Wood Field, The Jane Lane, The Three Holmes, The Warth, The Great Hey, The Little Hey, The Stoney Bank, The Lower hey, The Lower Hey. And also All that Old Messauge formerly divided into 2 cottages, the Gardens, the Orchards, the Crofts and the Great and Little Paddock. And All that Mansion House with the Barn and Closes of land called the Croft, The Barleys, The Parks, The Bullon Tree Croft, the Kiln Croft, the Kiln and garden. And All those Cottages with Gardens etc in occupation of Wm Robinson, James Starkie and James Bulcock.

The Bollards were in Residence at Whitehough Grange until 1924 which is when the property was sold to Nelson Corporation under the Compulsory Purchase act, the Corporation were going to flood the area to provide a reservoir, fortunately these plans were put on hold the Corporation must have decided against the idea. Sometime during the 1950’s Whitehough Grange was changed into a Youth Hostel by the Local Authority and later on was left vacant. The property still remains to this present day, where it is presently being lovingly restored to its former glory by the present owners.

At present I have a mini tree dating 16th and 17th century then a gap of approx  100 yrs then my main research dates from 1727 - 1728 where we have the deaths of JOHANNIS AND HIS WIFE JANA BOLLARD both buried St Mary's Newchurch in Pendle, I am unable to find any record of their marriage or of the marriage of their son JAMES BOLLARD who married ELIZABETH ODDIE entry on I.G.I. 17/5/1731 at Whalley.

So as you can see I have several brick walls to either demolish or climb over, any suggestions would be most welcome,  hope I haven't bored you all to death with my ramblings.

Shirley.