Events
Date of Baptism: 24 February 1646.
Place of Baptism: Wigan, Lancashire, England.
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Burial: 10 August 1709.
Place of Burial: Wigan.
The burial is recorded in the parish register.
Relationships
Father: Ralph Laithwait (born 1612).
Mother: Ann (died 1693/4).
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Alice (died 1690).
Alice's burial is recorded in the parish register.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. All baptisms and burials are in Wigan.)
Ralph Laithwait (baptized 26 December 1669).
James Laithwait (baptized 30 June 1672 - buried 16 February 1673).
Ann Laithwait (baptized 13 December 1674).
Alice Laithwait (baptized 14 April 1677).
William Laithwait (baptized December 1678 - buried 3 October 1679).
Elizabeth Laithwait (baptized 6 August 1680 - buried 7 August 1680).
Elizabeth Laithwait (baptized 27 November 1681).
Ellin Laithwait (baptized 19 February 1683).
Grace Laithwait (baptized 2 June 1686 - buried 2 April 1691).
Evidence
Baptism (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
February 1646/7
14. John Son of Raph Lathwate de Standishgate
Baptisms of children (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
December 1669
26 Ralph the son John Lathwaite of Standishgate
June 1672
30 James Son of John Laithwate of Scoles
December 1674
13 Ann daughter of John Laithwate of Scoles
April 1677
14 Alice daughter of John Laithwate of Market Stidd
December 1678
William son of John Lathwate of Market Stidd
August 1680
6 Elizabeth daughter of John Lathwate of Marketstidde
November 1681
27 Elizabeth daughter of John Laithwaite of Market Stidd
June 1686
2 Grace D of John Leathwaite of Markit Streete
Burials of children (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
February 1673/4
16 James Sonn of John Lathwate of Scoles
October 1679
3 William Son of John Lathwate of Market Stidd
August 1680
7 Elizabeth daughter of John Lathwate of Market Stidde
April 1691
2d Grace: dou:tr to John Lathwait saxton
Burial of wife (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
April 1690
24 Alice wife of John Lathwate saxton
Burial (Wigan, All Saints parish register):
August 1709
10 John Leithwaite of Hallgate Saxton
Possible references to John in the Wigan Borough Court Leet Rolls (the transcription stops in 1691):
1670
gatewaiter Standishgate: John Laithwaite
1676
Humphrey Wetherby, Richard Crosse and John Laithwaite - assault
1677
Bellman: John Laithwaite
Petition of John Laithwaite who had been made bellman on the death of Myles Mitton that he might be elected and confirmed in that office
1678
Gatewaiter, Market Street: John Laithwaite
Bellman: John Laithwaite
John Laithwaite for an assault on Laurence Ormerod
Laurence Ormerod for assaulting John Laithwaite And for breaking his recognizance.
Order for the release of John Hindley “a poore distressed prisoner in gaol from 29 May last for debt due to John Laithwaite and Margaret Lewis.” 21 Dec 1678
1680
Thomas Browne for an assault on John Laithwaite and for breaking the church windows. Fined 3s. 4d. for each or to stay in prison till he paid.
Bellman: John Laithwaite
1681
Laurence Ormerod for assaulting John Laithwaite
1683
Bellman: John Laithwaite
1684
Bellman: John Laithwaite
1686
Complaint of John Laithwaite of Market Street and Richard Langshaw had stopped his watercourse and laid his “Coale and Cannell” against the petitioner’s wall &c.
1689
Bellman: John Laithwaite
John Laithwaite bellman and Adam Rigby - assault
1690
Bellman: John Laithwaite
James Anderton Esq and John Laithwaite - assault
1691
Bellman: John Laithwaite
Commentary
John’s parentage:
John’s eldest child Ralph was baptized in 1669 in Wigan. John was described in baptism entry as living in Standishgate.
There were two baptisms in the Wigan area that work chronologically as candidates for John’s baptism:
20 July 1634 (father “Thomas Lathwate of M[ar]ketstid”)
24 February 1646/7 (father “Ralph Lathate de Standishgate”)
The Standishgate residence and the name “Ralph” indicate that the 1646/7 baptism is the correct one.
The wife of Ralph Laitwaite appears in several records. Her burial is recorded 22 January 1693/4 in Wigan (“Ann Laithwaite wife of Ralph”). The Wigan Court Leet Rolls record several charges against Ann the wife of Ralph Laithwait: in 1652 (assault), in 1659 (abuse), and in 1660 (abuse).
References
Court Leet Rolls, transcribed at www.wiganworld.co.uk.
Marsden, Len (transcriber) and Ken T. Taylor (editor). Registers of Wigan, Parts 2- 3, 1626-1710. (Lancashire Parish Register Society, 2001)
Wigan Anglican Parish Registers. Wigan Archives Services, Wigan, England; digital images Ancestry.com (accessed 19 January 2016).