It seems that the Bousfield family originate from a small hamlet of Bousfield near Orton in Ravenstonedale in what was Westmorland before local government reorganisation. From there they radiated outwards. In chasing records for Bousfields, I have discovered a small but enthusiastic band of researchers. I am particularly grateful to Peter Bousfield for the assistance he has been able to give me in relation to Bousfields in Westmorland.
- Robert Bousfield, b. abt. 1751
- m. Dorothy Dixon, b. abt. 1754, m. 8 Jun 1775, Hartley, Westmorland
- .....Agnes, bap. 25 Jul 1784
- .....Agnes, bap. 18Jun 1786
- .....Robert Bousfield, bap 1 Mar 1789
- .....m Sarah Robson, May 1824, Gosforth, Nbl (b. abt. 1800, Simonburn, Nbl)
- ..........Agnes Louisa, bap. 8 May 1826, Haltwhistle, Nbl
- ..........Elizabeth, bap 22 Oct 1826, Haltwhistle, Nbl
- ..........William, bap. 11 Oct 1829, Haltwhistle, Nbl
- ..........Elizabeth, abt 1831
- ..........Robert, b abt 1836, Escomb, Dur
- ..........Frances Dorothy, (aka Fanny according to 1841 census), b 9 Dec 1839, Etherley, Co Durham
- ..........m Frederick Irwin, 15 Aug 1869, Newcastle upon Tyne
- .....Sarah, bap. 31 Jul 1791
- .....Mary, bap. 24 Sep 1793
- .....Michael, b. 1796 (in some records)
- .....Ricard, b. 1796 (in some records)
The Robert born in 1789 seems to have moved around a lot. He was born
in Hartley, married in Gosforth, moved to Haltwhistle where he was
described as an inn-keeper, then to Escomb and to Etherley, where he was
described as a miner.
At some point a William Bousfield and a Robert Bousfield moved to London where they each made a fortune
in the cloth trade. William was a determined Anglican evangelical; Robert was a dissenter. One other line
of my family were Glasites (Sandemanians) in Newcastle, but there was a Glasite chapel in Kirkby Stephen, so
it has me wondering if any of the Bousfields were Glasites as well