Roebuck or Barnard?
In the course of the research
carried out in England some interesting early entries in the
Dewsbury Parish Church Registers were uncovered. It appears that
Edward Roebucke moved to Dewsbury about 1600 A.D. along with
his brother William.
Edward Roebucke married Agnes
Brook on 2 December 1606 in Dewsbury and then changed his name
to Edward Barnard.
Future entries of his children in the
Registers read: - William son of Edward Barnerd alias Roebuck
baptised 5 March 1606/07; a young son of Edward Barnarde buried
10 November 1610; Edward son of Edward Barnarde baptised 2 February
1611/12; Lawrence son of Edward Barnarde baptised 17 February
1615/16; John son of Edward Barnerde alias Roebuck baptised 21
May 1621; and Lawrence son of Edward Barnarde alias Roebuck buried
18 March 1621/22.
A name change such as this was not uncommon at this time and
was probably an attempt to escape or avoid some form of religious
persecution. Presumably Ossett was considered 'safer' than Dewsbury
as no name change was considered necessary. No doubt Dewsbury
was 'safer' than where they had come from as long as the name
was changed. Edward and William were probably Catholics, although
William did become a Church Warden at Dewsbury Parish Church.
Whilst no specific attempt has been made to trace the origin
of these brothers, Dewsbury is less than 10 miles from both Darton
and Kirkburton and is indicated on the Roebuck Spread Map. The most likely origin
is the Parish of Kirkburton, more specifically one of the small
hamlets within the Graveship of Holme: such as Merehouse, Wooldale
or even 'over the border' Netherthong.
About 1630 his son John (son of Edward Barnerde alias Roebuck)
appears to have moved to the district of Ossett, but still within
the Parish of Dewsbury as John Roebuck. John Roebuck then married
Anne and had the following children: Ann daughter of Jo Robucke
of Ossett baptised 7 February 1631/32, buried 9 February 1631/32;
Mary daughter of John Robucke of Ossett baptised 31 March 1633;
Elizabeth daughter of John Robucke of Ossett baptised 3 November
1635, buried 5 November 1635; John son of John Robucke of Ossett
baptised 27 March 1642. John's wife Anne died in 1644 shortly
after giving birth to a son who died at birth. Her unbaptised
son was buried on 27 October and Anne was buried on 15 November.
Edward's brother William Robucke who had also moved to Dewsbury
about 1600, settled in Ossett. William married Alice Lee on 12
November 1601. He was became a warden of Dewsbury Parish Church
in 1618. William's daughter Alice, born 1602, married William
Fox on 10 December 1628. William Roebuck died in 1630 and was
buried on 4 March. His nephew John Robucke probably took over
his residence in Ossett after his death in 1630.
All the above events have been included on the Robuck
database of individuals.
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