Rodger lived in Windle, Lancashire, working as an engineer, which probably meant that his job was to keep the pumps (engines) running in a mine.
Events
Date of Birth: 1 October 1806.
The date is given by Roger’s baptism record.
Date of Baptism: 12 October 1806.
Place of Baptism: Prescot (St Helens), Lancashire, England.
The baptism is given in the parish register.
Date of Death: 28 December 1845.
Place of Death: Windle Smithy, Windle, Lancashire.
The date and place are recorded on Roger's death certificate.
Relationships
Father: Roger Eccleston (1775 - 1849)
Mother: Anne Williamson (about 1771 - 1847)
See the Commentary section.
Spouse: Ann Mary Swift (about 1808 - 1874). Married 6 December 1824 in St Mary Lowe House (Roman Catholic) in St Helens, and 12 December 1824 in Rainford, Lancashire.
The registers record the marriage.
Children:
(Complete source citations for facts about the children on this page are currently outside of the scope of this project. I believe the family was Catholic and that at least some of the children were baptized at St Mary, Lowe House, St Helens, but I haven't been able to check the registers yet.)
William Eccleston (born 21 April 1826 in Windle, Lancashire, baptized April 23 in St Mary Lowe House).
Thomas Eccleston (born 1 April 1828, baptized 6 April in St Mary Lowe House).
Elizabeth Eccleston (born 1 March 1831 in Eccleston, baptized 6 March in St Mary Lowe House - died 15 January 1885 in Southport, Lancashire) married (1) Thomas Molineux 22 April 1852 in North Meols, Lancashire; married (2) William Molineux 6 October 1858 in Liverpool.
Ellen Eccleston (born 15 February 1833 in Eccleston, baptized 17 February in St Mary Lowe House) married Thomas Marsh 7 August 1864 in Salford, Lancashire.
Isaac Eccleston (born 15 February 1835, baptized 16 February in St Mary Lowe House) married Mary Lawrenson 29 October 1854 in Prescot (St Mary the Virgin).
Henry Eccleston (born 31 March 1836, baptized 3 April in St Mary Lowe House) married Sarah Mather 3 July 1858 in Prescot (St Mary the Virgin).
Samuel Eccleston (born 20 April 1837, baptized 22 April in St Mary Lowe House - died 1909) married Emily Allen in 1862.
Peter Eccleston (born 16 April 1840, baptized 19 April in St Mary Lowe House)
Annie Mary Agnes Eccleston (born 12 August 1841 in Windle, baptized 15 August in St Mary Lowe House) married Edwin Grasmere Davy.
Thomas Eccleston (born 5 October 1843 in Windle, baptized 6 October in St Mary Lowe House) married Laura Lumbey 17 October 1864 in Farnworth (near Prescot), Lancashire (St Wilfrid’s).
Roger Eccleston (born January 1845 in Windle, baptized 17 January in St Mary Lowe House) married (1) Mary Lumbey 29 August 1864 in Farnworth (near Prescot); married (2) Sarah Williams in 3 November 1872 in Withington.
Evidence
from the Prescot St Helen’s parish register:
Roger Son of Roger Eccleston Engineer of Windle born October 1 baptized Octr. 12. [1806]
from the Rainford parish register:
Roger Eccleston of this Parish Engineer, Bachelor and Ann Swift of this Parish Spinster were married in this Chapel by Banns with Consent of [blank] this twelfth Day of December in the Year One thousand eight hundred and Twenty four By me William Ellam Minister
This Marriage was solemnized between us Rodger Eccleston Anne Swift’s [A] Mark
In the Presence of James Walker’s [t] Mark Robert Lawton
from the registers of St Mary, Lowe House, St Helens:
1824
Dec.r 6.th . Mar.d Roger Eccleston & Ann Swift. Witn.s Ann Molyneux & Bridget Smith. –
1826
Apr 23.d- X.d William son of Roger & Ann Eccleston - Sp.rs - John Kewket & Marg.t Eccleston born 21 April.
1828
April 6.th - X.d Thomas s. of Roger & Ann Eccleston - Sp.rs - John & Agnes Hankinson-} born 1.st instant.
1835
Feb.16 X.d Isaac S. of Roger & Ann Eccleston Sprs - W.m & Helen Swift Born 15.th instant
1836
Ap. 3.rd X:d Henry S of Roger & Ann Eccleston Sprs Thomas & Bridget Swift Born 31st instant
1837
Ap 22 Samuel S of {Roger & Anne Eccleston Sprs James & Mary Birchall Born Ap. 20
1840
Ap 19. Peter S of Roger & Anne Eccleston Sprs Thos Swift & Eliz Eccleston Born Ap. 16.
1841
Child’s Name: Anne Eccleston
Parent’s Name: Roger & Anne
Residence: Windle
Date of Baptism: Born 12 Aug Bapt 15
God Father and Mother: Thomas Swift & Ellen Swift
1843
Child’s Name: Tho.s Eccleston
Parent’s Name: Roger & Anne Eccleston
Residence: Windle
Date of Baptism: Bap Oct. 6th
God Father and Mother: Mary Lea
1845
Child’s Name: Rodger Eccleston
Parent’s Name: [blank]
Residence: [blank]
Date of Baptism: Bap. Jan 17th
God Father and Mother: [blank]
from the Our Lady, Portico, Prescot, Lancashire registers:
1831
Mar
Bap. 6
Born 1 [Feb]
Elizabeth Eccleston D. Roger & Ann James Parr & Mary Hankinon
1833
Born. Feb. 15.th
Bapt.d Feb 17th
Ellen Eccleston D. of Roger & Ann James Ankisson & Ellen Swift
1841 census (Eccleston)
Rodger Eccleston, 35, Engineer, Y [“Y” means born in Lancashire.]
Ann [Eccleston], 35, Y
William [Eccleston], 15, Y
Thomas [Eccleston], 13, Y
Elizabeth [Eccleston], 10, Y
Isice [Eccleston], 6, Y
Henry [Eccleston], 5, Y
//Samuel [Eccleston], 3, Y
Roger’s death certificate:
no. 274
Twenty-eighth of December 1845 at Windle Smithy Windle
Roger Eccleston
Male
39 years
Engineer at a Colliery
Laceration of the Bowels Occasioned by a Blow on the inguinal Hernia (lived 3 Days) Jo. Mort
Jn. Heyes Coroner Prescot
Twenty-ninth of December 1845
W Brimshill Registrar
Commentary
Rodger’s parentage:
At his death in 1845, Rodger was recorded as aged 39.
In the 1841 census (taken 6 June), he is said to be 35 years old and born in Lancashire. Ages in his census were rounded down to the nearest multiple of 5. The informant was probably Rodger himself.
Fortunately, Rodger Eccleston was not a common name, and only one shows up in the baptism registers in period. It gives Rodger’s birth date as 1 October 1806, which is consistent with other evidence. It also names his father, Roger Eccleston. The elder Roger is described as an engineer in the baptism record, which is also the younger Rodger’s occupation.
Taken together, the evidence clear supports the identification of Rodger’s father. Roger married his wife, Ann Williamson, shortly before the baptism of their eldest child. Ann is not named in Rodger’s 1806 baptism record, but she is named in some of the later baptism and burial records of the elder Roger’s children, making it clear that she was the younger Rodger’s mother as well.
There is also DNA evidence that Roger was the son of Roger and Ann Eccleston. I am a paper-trail descendant of Roger, and I share DNA with paper-trail descendants of four of Roger’s siblings: a descendant of Roger’s sister Ellen (10 cM over 1 segment), three descendents of Roger’s brother Samuel (11 cM over 1 segment, 9 cM over 1 segment, and 9 cM over 1 segment), three descendants of Roger’s brother John (18 cM over 1 segment and 2 x 9 cM over 1 segment), and one descendant of Roger’s brother Henry (41 cM across 2 segments).
References
“AncestryDNA ThruLines for Roger Eccleston database report, AncestryDNA. Accessed 22 February 2025.
Roger Eccleston baptism, Prescot, St Helens parish register (12 October 1806); digital image on Ancestry.com (accessed 7 April 2014), citing Lancashire Anglican Parish Registers. Preston, England: Lancashire Archives.
Rodger Eccleston - Anne Swift marriage, register of the Chapelry of Rainford, Lancashire, page 103, no. 307; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 7 April 2014), citing Lancashire Anglican Parish Registers. Preston, England: Lancashire Archives.
Rodger Eccleston household, 1841 census of England. Lancashire, Prescot, Prescot, Prescot, piece 516, book 6, folio 5, page 2, in Census Returns of England and Wales, 1841. Kew, Surrey, England: The National Archives of the UK (TNA): Public Record Office (PRO), 1841; digital image Ancestry.com (accessed 7 April 2014).