Richard’s will and burial record describe him as a yeoman. On his burial monument, he is called “Captain Richard Ball of Southport.” In the Baines 1825 Directory listings for Southport, his name is given as "Ball Captain Richard."
Events
Date of Birth: about 1768.
His age at death is given as 71 in his burial record.
Date of Baptism: 22 May 1768.
Place of Baptism: North Meols, Lancashire, England (Saint Cuthbert’s)
The baptism is recorded in the parish register.
Date of Death: 3 January 1840.
Place of Death: Southport, Lancashire.
Otterstrom gives a transcription of his death certificate. He died of apoplexy.
Date of Burial: 6 January 1840.
Place of Burial: Southport (Christ Church).
The burial is recorded in the register.
Relationships
Father: William Ball (1734 - 1814)
Mother: Mary Wright (about 1735 - 1772)
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Hannah Jackson (1766 - 1821). Married 24 December 1788 in North Meols (Saint Cuthbert’s).
The marriage is recorded in the parish register. The will of Hannah’s father, William Jackson, mentions his daughter, Hannah Ball.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project.)
Mary Ball (baptized 10 July 1789 in North Meols- died 25 August 1830).
William Ball (baptized 8 May 1791 in North Meols - buried 13 April 1827 in Southport) married Mary Eden 27 October 1813 in Bolton-le-Moors, Lancashire.
Ellen Ball (baptized 24 April 1793 in North Meols - buried 18 July 1816 in North Meols).
Richard Ball (baptized 4 October 1795 in North Meols - died 10 October 1875) married (1) Jane Rymer 5 March 1821 in North Meols; married (2) Ann Whitley 26 October 1854 in Walton, Lancashire; married (3) Harriet Johnson 1 July 1863 in North Meols.
Hannah Ball (baptized 11 March 1798 in North Meols - buried 1 March 1879 in North Meols) married James Howard 20 February 1816 in North Meols.
Peggy Ball (baptized 15 June 1800 in North Meols - buried 4 September 1824 in Southport) married Peter Ball 18 April 1820 in North Meols.
Jane Ball (baptized 3 April 1803 in North Meols - buried 4 November 1855 in Southport) married James Molineux 19 May 1823 in North Meols.
John Ball (baptized 15 September 1805 in North Meols - died 28 May 1876) married Mary.
Thomas Ball (baptized 19 February 1809 in North Meols - died 23 April 1829).
Evidence
Richard Ball baptism (North Meols parish register, May 1768, baptisms)
the 22.d Richard Son of William & Mary Ball of South Hawes --
Richard's marriage (North Meols parish register)
Richd Ball of this Parish and Hannah Jackson of the same Parish were Married in this Church by Banns this twenty fourth Day of Dec.r in the Year One thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty eight By me John Mawdesley Clerk
This Marriage was solemnized between us Richard Ball X Hannah Jackson’s Mark
In the Presence of John Hudson Thomas Andow
Baptisms of children (North Meols parish register)
[1789]
Mary D.r of Rich.d & Hannah Ball Fisherman South-Howse born July 9.th baptized 10.th -1789.
[1791]
Wm Son of Rich.d & Hannah Ball South Haws born April 27.th Xtened May 8 1791.
[1793]
Ellen daughter of Rich.d and Hannah Ball South Haws born April 4 baptized 14. 1793.
[1795]
Rich.d Son of Rich.d and Hannah Ball of South Haws born 14. of Sept. Christ:d Oct.r 4
[1798]
Hannah D.r of Rich.d and Hannah Ball of South Haws born Feb.y 20 X.d 11.th March 1798.
[1800]
Pegy D.r of Rich.d and Hannah Ball of South Haws born June 2.d Baptized. 15.th
[1803]
Jane daughter of Richard & Hanah Ball born March 16 Xened April 3.--
[1805]
John Son of Richd & Hannah Ball S. Hawse born Aug.t 28.th Xened Sept.r 15
[1809]
Tho.s Son of Rich.d & Hannah Ball S. Hawse born Jany 22 Xend Feb.y 19.th
One of the executors of the 1829 will of Thomas Aindow of North Meols, yeoman, was Captain Richard Ball of Southport.
Richard Ball burial (Chapelry of Southport, 1840)
Name: Richard Ball
Abode: Southport
When buried: 6 Jan’y
Age: 71 Years
By whom the ceremony was performed: Wm Docker curate
Will of Richard Ball:
This is the last Will and Testament of Richard Ball of Southport within North Meols in the County Lancaster yeoman I charge and make liable my real and personal estate with and to the payment of all my just debts funeral and testamentary expences the cost and expences of the probate of this my Will and of my trustees in and about the execution of the trust hereof I give devise and bequeath unto my two sons Richard Ball of Southport aforesaid common Brewer John Ball of Southport aforesaid Plasterer and my friend Richard Wright of Southport aforesaid Teacher their heirs executors administrators and assigns all my freehold and Leasehold messuages farms lands tenements and hereditaments wheresoever situate with their rights members and appurtenances together with all my furniture linen goods Chattels and effects whatsoever and wheresoever that shall belong to me at the time of my death To hold to them their heirs executors administrators and assigns according to the nature and tenure of the same premises upon trust that the said Richard Ball John Ball and Richard Wright or the survivors or survivor of them his heirs executors administrators or assigns do let the said three cottages furnished as they now are with power to alter and vary the furniture as they may from time to time see it necessary and if attended with any expence such expence to be taken out of the annual rents arising therefrom and also to let my freehold farm and small Cottage And upon further trust after the repairs of my said messuages the chief and other rents and all other incidental expences are paid out of the rents issues and profits arising from my said messuages farm and premises to pay if the remainder shall amount to thirty pounds and upwards to William Ball son of my late daughter Peggy Ball deceased the sum of five pounds and to the children of my late son William Ball deceased the sum of five pounds yearly and every year during my term and Interest therein but if the remainder shall not amount to thirty pounds then to pay them respectively one sixth part of such remainder and the other part of such remainder to pay and divide between and amongst my said two sons Richard Ball and John Ball and my two daughter Hannah Howard the wife of James Howard North Meols aforesaid Farmer and Jane Molinuex the wife of James Molineux Southport aforesaid Painter share and share alike to whom I give and bequeath the same to and for their own respective separate use and benefit but it is my Will and mind and I do hereby further declare that the said annuities given to my said daughters Hannah Howard and Jane Molinuex shall not be liable to the debts control or engagements of their present or any future husband with whom they may hereafter intermarry And I direct that the receipt of my said daughters alone notwithstanding their coverture shall be just and sufficient discharges and acquittances for the payment of such annuities And from and after the decease of my said daughters respectively to pay and divide the respective annuities between and amongst their respective children share and share alike And I do further will and direct that at any time my said trustees for the time being shall see that my said furnished cottages may be let to more advantage unfurnished that they my said trustees do make sale and absolutely dispose of my said furniture and out of the money to arise from such sale to put out two sixth thereof upon such security as they may think proper at Interest and shall stand and be possessed of such money and securities upon trust to pay the interest dividends or annual proceeds thereof as to one half unto the said Hannah Howard to and for her own sole and separate use and benefit during the term of her natural life and that it shall not be liable to the debts controul or engagements of her present or any future husband and that her receipt alone notwithstanding her coverture shall be just and sufficient discharges for the same and from and immediately after the decease of my said daughter Hannah Howard to pay one half of such principal money unto the children of my said daughter if more than one equally between and amongst them share and share alike but if but one then to such one alone to whom I give and bequeath the same respectively and as to the other one half of such Interest dividends and annual proceeds to pay to my daughter Jane Molinuex during the term of her natural life to and for her own sole and separate use and benefit notwithstanding her coverture and free and independent of the debts controul or engagements of her present or any future husband and that her receipt alone shall be just and sufficient discharges for the same And from and immediately after the decease of my said daughter Jane Molinuex to pay the other one half of such principal money unto the children of my said daughter if more then one equally between and amongst them share and share alike but if but one then to such one only to whom I give and bequeath to the same respecting And as to the remaining four sixths of the money arising from the sale of such furniture to pay one sixth part to the children of my said late son William Ball deceased equally between and amongst them share and share alike one other sixth to William Ball son of my said late daughter Peggy Ball deceased one other sixth to my said -Rd Ball Wsly -J.D- son Richard Ball and the remaining one sixth part to my said son John Ball to and for their own sole and separate use and benefit to whom I give and bequeath the same And I further direct that at any time my said trustees the survivors or survivor of them the heirs executors or administrators of such survivor if they see it advantageous to my estate do with the consent in writing in writing of my said daughters Hannah Howard and Jane Molinuex to be first had and obtained for that purpose Upon trust make sale and absolutely dispose of all or any part of my said freehold and leasehold estates and the money arising from such sale to be upon further trust as to two sixth parts to put out to Interest upon such securities as they may think proper and shall stand and be possessed of such money and securities to pay the Interest dividends and annual proceeds thereof as to one moiety or half part unto the said Hannah Howard to and for her own sole and separate use and benefit during the term of her natural life and that the same shall not be liable to the debts control or engagements of her present or any future husband and that her receipt alone notwithstanding her coverture shall be just and sufficient discharges for the same and from and immediately after the decease of my said daughter to pay one moiety or half part of such principal money upon trust unto the children of my said daughter if more than one equally between and amongst them share and share alike but if but one then to such one alone to whom I give and bequeath the same respectively And as to the other moiety or half of such Interest dividends and annual proceeds to pay to my daughter Jane Molinuex during the term of her natural life to and for her own sole and separate use and benefit notwithstanding her coverture and free and independent of the debts controul and engagements or her present or any future husband and that her receipt alone shall be just and sufficient discharges for the same and from and immediately after the decease of my said daughter to pay the other moiety or half part of such principal money upon trust unto the children of my said daughter Jane Molinuex if more than one equally between and amongst them share and share alike but if but one then to such one only to whom I give and bequeath the same accordingly And as to the remaining four sixths of the money arising the sale of such of my freehold and leasehold estates to pay one sixth to the children of my said late son William Ball deceased equally between and amongst them share and share alike one other sixth to William Ball son of my said late daughter Peggy Ball deceased one other sixth to my said son Richard Ball and the remaining one sixth to my said son John Ball to and for their own sole and separate use and benefits to whom I give and bequeath the same And I hereby declare that the receipt or receipts of my said trustees and the survivors and survivor of them the heirs executors administrators or assigns of such survivor shall be an effectuate release and discharge for my sum or sums of money which shall become payable to them her or him, under or by virtue of the trusts aforesaid to any person or persons paying the same for so much money as in such receipt or receipts shall be expressed to be received, and after such receipt or receipts such person or persons their or any of their executors or administrators shall not be obliged to see to the application of such monies nor be answerable or accountable for any loss misapplication or nonapplication thereof or any part thereof And whereas I have advanced to my said said sons and daughters different sums of money at sundry times and they having rented houses and land of me without paying the rents thereof and I have also become surety with them for certain sums of money all which are entered in a book and signed by me It is my Will and mind and I do hereby order and direct that my said trustees the survivors or survivor of them or the heirs executors administrators or assigns of such survivor do stop and retain the annuities or principal monies of such of my said sons and daughters as shall be in advance until they shall become equal And if either I or my said Trustees for the term being shall be called upon to pay the money for which I am become surety they shall also stop and retain such annuities and principal monies respectively until such monies are paid it being my intention that all my children shall be made equal And I hereby further declare that the trustee and trustees for the time being of this my will shall be charged and chargeable only with such moneys as they respectively shall actually receive by virtue of the trust hereby reposed in them respectively notwithstanding their joining in any respect or other act for the sake of conformety only and shall not be answerable or accountable for the other of them but each for his own acts and deeds receipts neglects and defaults only and shall not be answerable or accountable for any banker broker or other person with whom or in whose hands the same trust monies or any part thereof shall be placed for safe custody or otherwise nor for any insufficiency of any security upon which the same shall be invested nor for any other loss misfortune or damage which may happen in the execution of the aforesaid trusts or any of them or in relation thereto except the same shall happen by or through their or his own wilful neglect or default And that they shall and may by and out of my trust estate retain and reimburse himself and themselves all costs charges damages and expences which they may respectively actually sustain expend incur be put or become liable to in or about the execution of this my Will or the trusts thereof or any thing relating thereto And I do nominate and appoint the said Richard Ball John Ball and Richard Wright executors of this my will In witness whereof I the said Richard ball the testator have to this my last will and testament contained in five sheets of paper set my hand and seal this eleventh day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty eight
Ri[char]d Ball
Signed sealed published and declared by the said Richard Ball the Testator as his last will and Testament
in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses the words “of such remainder sale- my -be -be- out - my-same- the said” being first interlined the words “in writing” having the pen struck through
W S Greenhalgh
Thomas Dean
[The testator died 3 January 1840, the executors appeared in court 25 June 1840, and probate was issued 2 July 1840. The estate was under three hundred pounds.]
Commentary
Richard’s parentage:
In his 6 January 1840 burial record, Richard’s age at death (3 January) was recorded as 71. Richard’s residence is recorded as South Haws in baptism records of his children and in his will. Richard named his eldest son “William”.
All this information is consistent with the baptism in North Meols on 22 May 1768 of “Richard Son of William & Mary Ball of South Hawes”. (The second most reasonable candidate for a baptism would be the baptism 24 February 1765 of Richard son of Thomas and Anne Ball of South Haws, but this is three years off.)
The 1814 will of William Ball of South Haws mentions his son Richard.
A 1773 lease confirms that the 1768 baptism is correct. It is a lease of land in South Haws to William Ball of South Haws, mariner. The lease is for three lives: Ellen Ball, Mary Ball, and Richard Ball, who are stated to be the children of William Ball. Ellen is “nine years or thereabouts”, Mary six, and Richard four. The document records it is “Out of Lease by the death of Richard Ball January 3 1840”.
Richard’s baptism record shows that his mother was named Mary. The mother of Richard’s siblings Margaret, William, Ellen, and Mary is recorded as Anne in the parish register, but in the case of Margaret, William and Ellen, “Anne” was crossed out and “Mary” written above. Probably, “Anne” should also have been crossed out in the case of Richard’s sister Mary. The eldest child, Margaret, was baptized in North Meols in 1759. A Mary Wright of “North Maghull” married a William Ball of Liverpool, mariner, in Liverpool in 1758. This may be the marriage of Richard’s parents, but this is not certain.
References
Richard Ball burial, in Southport, Christ Church, Burials, page 26 No. 201; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 5 April 2014), citing Lancashire Anglican Parish Registers. Preston, England: Lancashire Archives.
Cheetham, F.H., The Parish Registers of North Meols 1732 -1812. (Lancashire Register Society: 1934).
Lancashire OnLine Parish Clerks
Otterstrom, Joyce L.C., “Richard Ball” and “William Ball” in RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: Park, accessed 5 April 2014. Otterstrom gives a transcription of Richard Ball’s will, a 1773 indenture, and Richard Ball’s monumental inscription.
Parish register of North Meols. Digital images available on FamilySearch, accessed 15 January 2018.
Will of Richard Ball the of Southport yeoman. Consistory Court of Chester, 1840. Digital image on FamilySearch (Film # 00442552).
Will of Thomas Aindow of North Meols. Proved 1829 in the Consistory Court of Chester. Digital images on FamilySearch.org. [FHL citation: "Lancashire, England, United Kingdom records," images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6L67-7QX?view=explore : Nov 18, 2025), image 83 of 615; . Image Group Number: 004422304]