George BIRKETT of Windermire married Isabel COOKSON of Kendal on 28 Nov 1717. There is another marriage of a George BIRKETT to an Isabel WILSON in 1719, however the link to "Windermire" is compelling as this is referenced in George's will.
George was a husbandman and farmed cattle, sheep and kepts duck and "poats" (goats? or some unknown kind of fowl? "poot" is a Scottish word for a young partridge or grouse.)
In his will George made provision for his wife Isabel, and given 5 shillings each to his children George, William, Susan, Thomas, Isabel, Mary and Ann. His made his son Thomas BIRKETT and his brother Martin DIXON of Windermire his executors.
The main evidence for George BIRKETT being the father of Thomas BIRKETT is the fact that both left wills while living at Lambrigg Park: George in 1732 and Thomas in 1756.
George BIRKETTs of Kendal baptized a number of children in the early 18th century, but no Thomas baptism has been found:
- George 1701
- Ann 1702
- Catherine 1711
- George 1715
- John Nov 1717
- John Dec 1718
- Isabel 1720
- Margaret 1721
- Robert 1723
- Eliz 1729
- George 1731
- Bartholomew 1731
- Sarah 1733
- Susannah 1733
If Martin DIXON was George BIRKETT's brother, then George's father may have been John BIRKET who married Agnes DIXON in Coniston in 1686, making Martin DIXON an older half-brother. Agnes might have been Agnes SATTERTHWAITE who married Thomas DIXON in Hawkshead in 1676.