Robert Heathcote

1675 - 1730

Robert was born in Flagg in 1675, the only son of William and Grace ⁽¹⁾. His father died when he Robert was just two years old ⁽²⁾. His mother remarried shortly afterwards, to Thurston Dale ⁽³⁾.

Robert married Rebecca Bradbury, originally of Youlgreave, in 1696 ⁽⁴⁾. Rebecca's parents were dead, and her elder sister had married Cornelius Dale ⁽⁵⁾, a relation of Robert's stepfather, so it seems that Rebecca had probably been living in Flagg with her sister. They remained in Flagg after their marriage.

Their first child, Mary was born the following year ⁽⁶⁾, followed by Sarah at the begining of 1699 ⁽¹¹⁾, then a son John in 1700 ⁽⁷⁾. I can't be certain about the next dozen or so years, because the Chelmorton parish registers are missing for this period, but they may have had a son William in 1704 ⁽¹²⁾. They had a daughter Lydia in early 1712 ⁽¹³⁾, and then their youngest son, Robert, was born in 1715 ⁽⁸⁾.

Robert obviously did something to upset his brother in law Cornelius, as the latter's will of 1719 states, "I request that my said Executors will take care that my Wifes Brother in Law Robert Heathcote never have or enjoy any thing that is mine or receive any part of the said Annuity left to my Wife".⁽⁹⁾ However, we'll probably never know the cause. Robert died in 1730, and was buried in Chelmorton on 16th June ⁽¹⁰⁾.

• Mary was born in Flagg in 1697. Nothing more is known of her.
• Sarah ....
• John has his own page.
• William ...
• Lydia ...
• Robert was born in Flagg in 1715. In 1741, he married Mary Hall. They initially lived in Flagg, where they had two sons, Robert in 1742, and Thomas in 1744. Thomas died the following year, and his burial is the last trace of the family in Flagg, so they may well have moved elsewhere.

1. Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes the entry:
   Bap Robert the Son of William Heathcot of Flag Shewmaker was baptized the 5^th day of October An dom 1675
2. Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes the entry:
   Willm Heathcote of Flagge was Buried Agust y^e 20 Anno 1678
3. Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes the entry:
   Thurston Dale & Grace Heathcot were marryed y^e 22 day of december Anno 1678
4. Parish register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton (transcript held in Buxton Library) contains the following marriage entry:
   Robert Heathcot & Rebecca Bradbury, 16th April 1696
5. See Rebecca's father's page.
6. Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes the entry:
   Mary daughter to Robert Heathcott in Flag. Baptized May 27 1697
7. Parish register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton (transcript held in Buxton Library) contains the following baptism entry:
   John, son of Robert Heathcott of Flagg, 25th November 1700
   This is partly corroborated from the PR film (but is difficult to read):
   John Heathcott son to Robert Heathcott in Flagg Baptized [Nov ......2? 1700]
   The bishop's transcript confirms the entry but gives the date as a month later :
   John Heathcott son to Robert Heathcott in Flag. Bap December 25 1700
8. Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes the entry:
   [1715] 7^ber 28^th Bap^d Robert son of Robert Heathcote of Flagg
9. Contemporay probate copy of the will of Cornelius Dale dated 15/6/1719, proved at PCC 11/3/1724. Held at The National Archives. Includes:
   "I request that my said Executors will take care that my Wifes Brother in Law Robert Heathcote never have or enjoy any thing that is mine or receive any part of the said Annuity left to my Wife".
10. Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes the entry:
    [June 1730] 16^th: Bur^d: Robert Heathcote of Flagg.
11. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes an entry for the baptism of Sarah daughter of Robert Heathcott in Flagg, on 31st January 1698/9
12. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes an entry for the baptism of William son of Robert Heathcott, on 29th August 1704. However no place of residence is given, and there were two Roberts having children around this period - one in Flagg, and another in Chelmorton, so I can't be sure which one was the father of William.
13. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes an entry for the baptism of Lydia daughter of Robert Heathcott in Flagg, on 8th January 1712.

His marriage to Rebecca is unreadable on PR film and is not in the BT. Need to confirm in the original PR.