Page:History of the Fylde of Lancashire (IA historyoffyldeof00portiala).pdf/419



CURATES AND VICARS OF RIBBY-WITH-WREA. +-+- Date of    |                             | Institution.|                       |   Cause of Vacancy. +-+- Before 1733.| Robert Willacy. |  "   1756.| Samuel Smith.               |   "   1762.| James Anyon. | In   1770.| — Watts. |  "   1791.| John Thompson.              | About  1823.| James Fox.                  |  In   1845.| George Thistlethwaite, M.A. | Resignation of J. Fox.   "   1846.| Steph^n Exuperius Wentworth,| |  M.A.                      | Death of G. Thistlethwaite. "  1866.| Ralph Sadleir Stoney, M.A.  |   "      S. E. Wentworth. +-+

The Rev. George Thistlethwaite was the son of the Rev. T. Thistlethwaite, incumbent of St. George's, Bolton-le-Moors, and in 1837 officiated ''pro. temp.'' as head master of Kirkham Grammar School. The Rev. S. E. Wentworth held the headmastership of the same school from 1845 to 1860, as well as his curacy.

The free school of Ribby-with-Wrea owes its existence to the frugality and benevolence of a tailor, named James Thistleton, of Wrea, who, although his daily wages averaged no more than 4d. and his food, managed, by great care and self-denial, to accumulate a sufficient fund to establish a school at his native place, an object to which he had in a great measure devoted his life. At his death in 1693, it was found that, after a few small legacies, one being "10s. to Mr. Clegg, vicar, to preach at my funeral," and another 6s. 8d. to each of the townships of Kirkham, Bryning, and Westby, for the use of the poor, he had bequeathed the remainder of his property "towards the making and maintaining of a free school in the township of Ribby-cum-Wrea for ever," stipulating only that his surviving sister should receive annually from the profits of his estate a sum of money sufficient for her support during the rest of her life. The executors appointed were Thomas Benson, Richard Shepherd, and Cuthbert Bradkirk, whilst the money designed for the foundation of the school amounted to £180.

The work thus commenced by Thistleton received, a few years later, substantial assistance under the will, dated 10th September, 1716, of Nicholas Sharples, who is described as a "citizen and