William BUSHER was a stuff weaver. A stuff weaver wove "stuff" - a coarse cloth, more especially of worsted, made of long or ?combing wool? distinguished from other woollen cloths by the absence of any nap or pile.
He was living on Highgate, Kendal in 1698 when he married Mary DIXON. The family were still living there in 1710 when their fifth child, Thomas, was baptized.
Between 1712 and 1715, John and Mary were living in Felside, then a new area in the north-west of the town.
By 1717, they were living on Stricklandgate where their last daughter, Margaret, was born.
William died in about 1726 as evidenced by a probate index entry dated 1726 for a William BUSHER, stuff weaver of Stricklandgate, Kirkby Kendall (the old name for Kendal).
There are no baptismal records for a William BUSHER near Kendal. The nearest surviving baptisms include:
- 1675 William son of John BUSHER and AGNES LAMBE of Crosby Ravensworth (15 miles NE). Married 1674. Also baptised Ellinor 1678, Margrett 1680, John 1686 and Thomas 1690. A William BEWSHER married in Patterdale in 1695 which could be this William aged 20 and rule this record out.
- 1680 William son of Thomas BEWSHER of Martindale (16 miles N)
Other information:
There are several older wills of BUSHERs living near Kendal including:
- Lancelot BUSHER, yeoman, 1661
- Stephen BUSHER, Yeoman, 1664
- John BUSHER, Yeoam of Farcrossbanke, Kendal, 1673
- Elizabeth BUSHER, widow, 1678
- Thomas BUSHER, of Underbarrow, Kendal, 1681
- Lancelot BUSHER, of Underbarrow, 1688
- John BUSHER, 1697
- Ambrose BUSHER, Yeoman, 1723
The relatively uncommon names Ambrose and Lancelot echo those of the MACHELLs of Crackenthorpe, so perhaps there is a connection.