The Marrow Family
Ralph Abram1 and Mary Ann Perry (b.1801) were the 4th great grandparents of Michael Gregory. The parents of Mary Ann were
George Perry2 and Elizabeth Marrow. George Perry and Elizabeth Marrow were married on the 16 th August 1798 at St Thomas’s
church, Liverpool. The death of Elizabeth had not yet been identified and it had not been possible to locate her in any census. Her
date and place of birth, and therefore the place of her baptism, were therefore unknown.
Just as work started to identify possible baptisms of Elizabeth on the IGI 3, a search on the Internet found a very informative
history of a Marrow family in Cheshire. This was part of the website http://www.archerfamily.org.uk/. This narrative pedigree
included the known marriage of Robert and Elizabeth and suggested that she was the child of Robert Marrow of Liverpool and
his wife, Elizabeth, and had been baptised at St Nicholas, Liverpool in May 1777. This baptism was one of the four which had
identified on the IGI as being possible candidates for Michael Gregory’s ancestress. The other three were:
5 Apr 1772
14 Nov 1773
10 Dec 1773
d/o Richard Marrow
d/o William Morrow
d/o Roger & Elizabeth Marrow
Weaverham
St Peter, Liverpool b. 25 Oct 1773
Middlewich
No others possibilities were noted from the BVRI4. It was possible to obtain copies of the original registers of St. Nicholas (SoG
film 3053), St Peter (SoG 2968) and Weaverham (BTs LDS 1736164). The Middlewich entry was checked to a transcript held at
the Society of Genealogists (2846). The register of St Nicholas contained additional information that the daughter of Robert
Marrow was born on the 4th May. Robert was a broker of Clievland Square. No mother’s name was given. The binding of the
register was too tight to enable the exact date of her baptism to be read, as this portion had been omitted from the filmed copy.
The IGI shows that Robert Marrow baptised two other daughters at St Nicholas, Liverpool. They were Mary, born on the 15th
March and baptised on the 10th April 1779, and Nanny, born on the 7th September 1781 and baptised on the 26th of the same
month. Both entries were checked on the original register (SoG 3053). Again, no mother’s name was given and Robert Marrow
was confirmed in both cases to be a broker of Clievland Square. At the baptism of Nanny in 1781, her father was described as
deceased. There was no burial recorded in the register of St Nicholas for Robert Marrow between 22 nd August and the end of
September 1781.
A search of the IGI for a possible marriage of Robert Marrow in Lancashire or Cheshire between 1757 and 1777 gave only one
result. That was the marriage on the 18th September 1774 at Formby to Elizabeth Rimmer. Elizabeth’s maiden name fits very
well with the middle name given to one of the daughters of Ralph Abram and Mary Ann Perry, Elizabeth Rimmer Abram who
was born in 1831. This child would have been the great-granddaughter of her namesake, Elizabeth Rimmer. This appears to
confirm that the family in question are indeed the ancestors of Michael Gregory and also that the narrative pedigree obtained
related to his family. The task was now to confirm and document, as far as possible, the information about Robert Marrow and
his forebears from the narrative pedigree.
The Society of Genealogists has an extensive collection of family histories deposited over many years by genealogists. The
Surname Document Collection contained one reference to the Marrow surname and this proved to be the original version of the
narrative pedigree found by Michael Gregory on the Internet. It was submitted by Jeremy Archer in 1986. Its content is broadly
the same as the Internet version. Some additional information has been added to the website, presumably from research
conducted since 1986, and details of all living people have been removed. Jeremy Archer is descended from Robert Marrow’s
brother, John, so all of the information on living people, which is absent from the Internet version, relates to his closer relatives
on that line.
The final page of this collection, which has been inserted below, contains information not included on his Internet version. This
relates to the possible origins in Warrington of John Marrow of Kingsley, the grandfather of Robert. He stated that he had not
been able to show any connection from his pedigree to these earlier generations. The Marrow family of Warrington has not been
investigated as part of this stage of research.
The Society of Genealogists also holds a huge collection of most genealogical periodicals and antiquarian publications which
document the pedigrees and monuments of the more important families of all counties of England and Wales. This material is
made accessible through three publications: G.W. Marshall's The Genealogist's Guide (1904), J.B. Whitmore's A Genealogical
Guide (1953) and G.B. Barrow's The Genealogist's Guide (1977). These volumes list where articles and pedigrees of significance
can be found in print for those who used a particular surname. The sections of these three works for the Marrow surname were
examined and revealed three further sources held in the Society of Genealogists’ library.
See: Gregory, M.P., (2009), “Abra(ha)m Family History Report.
See: Gregory, M.P., (2009), “The Perry Family”, Personal Family History Report.
3
International Genealogical Index.
4
British Vital Records Index.
1
2
1
Burke’s Family Records (pp. 420-1) contains a narrative pedigree and coat of arms for the Marrow family, describing the same
descent as that published by Jeremy Archer from William Marrow of Crowton (b. 1709) through his second son, John. These
pages have been inserted into this report (see below).
The Visitation of Warwickshire 1682-3 (Harleian Society vol. 62, pp. 22-3) contains information on the Marow family of
Berkeswell, which claimed descent from a William Marow, a grocer and son of Stephen Marow of Stepney, London, who was
alive in 1456/7. There is no obvious connection between this family and the Marrows of Warrington, but their coat of arms bears
obvious similarities to that depicted in Burke’s Family Records. The Coats of Arms are depicted below, including a reproduction
of the pedigree contained in the Visitation of Warwickshire.
Further information about the Marrow family of Warwickshire was found in the Dugdale Society, volume 4 (SoG FH Tracts vol.
19 and WA/PER). The family acquired the manors of Birmingham and Berkswell in Warwickshire and lived in London, Suffolk
and Warwickshire. No mention was made of any branch of the family in Lancashire or Cheshire. Again, the Marow Arms entered
in the 1619 Visitation of Warwickshire can be seen to have obvious similarities to that used by the Cheshire family and page 71,
which illustrates this, has been inserted below for future reference.
A listing of Lancashire wills was made, from the indexes held at the Society of Genealogists, extracting all testators called
Marrow, from 1750 to 1837:
1750
1759
1760
1774
1777
1785
1791
1809 31 Oct
1813 21 Dec
1819 15 Dec
1824 Dec
Mary Marrow
Ann Marrow
Anne Marrow
Alexander Marrow
Thomas Marrow
Catherine Marrow
Elizabeth Marrow
Peter Marrow
Elizabeth Marrow
Winefrid Marrow
Thomas Marrow
Liverpool
Ince Blundell
Ince Blundell
Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool
Crowton
Thatto Heath
Northwich
widow
widow
mariner
mariner
widow
widow
broker
spinster
plumber & glazier
adm
will
will
adm
adm
adm
adm
will
will
will
adm
2
1831 Mar
1831 May
Thomas Marrow
John Marrow
Liverpool
Crowton
shipwright
gent
will
will
Robert Marrow does not appear to have left a will which was proved at Chester, nor was any administration granted on his estate
in that diocese. A search of PCC wills indexed on the National Archives’ Documents Online showed that he also did not leave
any will which was proved by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.
John Marrow, whose will was proved in 1831, was clearly the brother of Robert and the ancestor of Jeremy Archer. Copies of the
wills of Peter Marrow (1809) and Elizabeth Marrow (1813) and the administration relating to the estate of Elizabeth Marrow
(1791) were obtained.
Elizabeth Marrow died on the 10th February 1791. She was a widow of Liverpool. The power to administer her estate was granted
on the 18th February 1791 at Chester, to Thomas Hennon, a labourer of Liverpool, her nephew and next of kin. Thomas Hennon
entered into a bond together with Thomas Rimmer, a labourer, of Stourton, undertaking to administer his aunt’s estate in the
legally required manner. The value of the estate was estimated to be less than £10. It is not clear whether this Elizabeth Marrow
was related to Michael Gregory’s family. It may be significant that one of the bondsmen was named Rimmer, but it should also
be noted that Rimmer is a fairly common name in Lancashire.
Peter Marrow, a broker of Liverpool, made his will on the 7th August 1809. He named two sons: Peter and William, and four
daughters: Mary Ann, Elizabeth, Ann and Emma. William, Ann and Emma all appeared to be under the age of 21. The testator
had a house in Pitt Street, Liverpool, owned shares in the Liverpool Waterworks, pews in St Thomas’s church and an eighth share
in the brigantine Mary. Most significantly, he also mentioned his sister-in-law, Elizabeth, the widow of Robert Marrow and their
daughter, Ann. To them he left his interest in “a Tenement and Lands with the Apurtenances called Peck’s Prow” in Crowton. He
also left money to his spinster sister, Ann.
The executors were named as Thos Hornby Esq, of Kirkham and Garstang Bradstock, a merchant of Liverpool. The document
was witnessed by Richard Kent, James Dunn and John Pemberton. Peter Marrow died on the 1 st September 1809 and the will was
proved at Chester on the 1st October following, by Garstang Bradstock, the value of the estate being between £1,500 and £2,000.
The brief will of Elizabeth Marrow of Crowton, Cheshire, was written on the 8 th August 1813. She left her whole estate to her
unmarried daughter, Anne, including the Peck’s Prow estate in Crowton. She named as executors her daughter, Anne, and her
brother-in-law, Richard Marrow of Ashton in Tarvin, Cheshire. The will was witnessed by James Ryder, Richard Marrow and
Thomas Harvey. Elizabeth died just two days later. Probate was granted to both executors on the 21st December 1813. The value
of her estate was said to be under £800.
Various parish registers were examined, in order to confirm events relevant to Michael Gregory’s direct ancestry which were
mentioned in Jeremy Archer’s narrative pedigree.
The marriage of Robert Marrow and Elizabeth Rimmer at Formby had already been noted on the IGI The LDS Family History
Centre has a film of the bishop’s transcripts of that parish (1468978). Unfortunately, on examination, it appeared that the year
1774 was missing. A typewritten transcript of the registers is held at the Society of Genealogists (LA/R112). This tells us that
Robert Marrow, a broker of Liverpool and Elizabeth Rimmer, a spinster of Walton on the Hill, were married on the 18 th
September 1774, by licence. The witnesses were Mary Hulme and William Coulborn.
A transcript of the register of Frodsham is held at the Society of Genealogists (CH/R15-17). The baptism of “Will’m fil John
Marrall de Kingsly” took place on the 15th July 1709.
William Marrow of the parish of Frodsham married Mary Peck of Crowton in Weaverham parish by licence on the 26 th February
1737/8. The burial of William’s father, John Marrow of Alvanly, was recorded in the register on the 29 th June 1753. On the 29th
April 1767, Mary, the wife of the late John Marrow of Alvanly was buried.
The Frodsham baptism register transcript is indexed and no Robert Marrow appears at all in the index. A full search of the years
1739 to 1742 also revealed no entry for the baptism of this child.
Weaverham bishop’s transcripts are on film at the LDS Family History Centre (1736164). A search was made for the baptism of
Robert Marrow. None was found but there is a gap in the transcript between April 1739 and October 1741.
Robert’s burial was also sought in the Weaverham BTs. No burial for him was found for him between the 22 nd August and the
end of September 1781.
Burials were confirmed at Weaverham for:
Elizabeth Marrow, widow, of Crowton and late of Liverpool, aged 60 on the 14th August 1813
William Marrow of Pickering (illegible), old age, May 1800 (full date illegible)
3
Margaret (sic), wife of Willm Marrow of Crowton, old age, 12 November 1792.
These three burials have been copied.
If Elizabeth Marrow, the widow of Robert, was 60 when she died in 1813, she would have been born around 1752/3. As noted
above, the surname Rimmer is very common in Lancashire but the IGI has only one baptism of an Elizabeth at Formby between
1751 and 1755. This is for Elizabeth Rymmer, the daughter of John, on the 17 th October 1755.
The monumental inscriptions of Weaverham have been transcribed and indexed and are available on microfiche at the Society of
Genealogists (CH/MI/101363). There are five monuments containing reference to those with the surname Marrow. All can be
identified on Jeremy Archer’s pedigree and one is directly relevant to Michael Gregory’s own ancestry.
189
Here lieth the body of Mary wife of William Marrow of Crowton who died 8 November 1792 in her 78 th year.
Also the above William Marrow who died 10 May 1800 aged 91 years. Also Thomas Marrow of Milton who died
December 5 1834 aged 33 years.
There does not appear to be any surviving memorial to Elizabeth, the widow of Robert.
The film of St Peter, Liverpool (SoG 2968) confirmed the baptism on the 11th September 1775 of Mary, daughter of Robert
Marrow, broker. She was born on the 13th August. This child presumably died young. The event is not included on the IGI.
Copies of several old directories for the city of Liverpool, published by Gore, are available on film at the Society of Genealogists.
Those covering the years 1766 to 1796 are on film 401. Not every year is included. The first mention of Robert Marrow was in
the year 1773, when he was listed as a broker at East Side Dry Dock. In 1774 he had premises at 36 East Side Dry Dock and also
at 13 Temple Street. By 1777 he was at 8 Clievland Square and also appeared there in the directories for 1781 and 1783. By
1787 Robert Marrow was not listed, but there was an entry for Peter & E Marrow, brokers at 21 Dry Dock.
Jeremy Archer suggested that Robert Marrow was born on the 10th September 1740 and died on the 22nd August 1781. It has not
been possible to verify either of these dates, as no baptism, burial, nor will have been found for him. What is certain is that he
died sometime shortly before the baptism of his youngest daughter in 1781. It may be possible to contact Jeremy Archer by email and ask him what the source of this information might be.
Date of Report: 20 November 2009
4
The Marrow Family from John Marrow, 1753
William Marrow
Bur 27 May
1699
Thomas Marrow
Sexton
Bp 15 Mar 1699
or 1700
bur 15 Oct 1766
Frodsham
Mary
Bp 27 Nov1711
Peter Marrow
bp 16 Mar 1701/2
bur 16 Jul 1702
Frodsham
Richard Marrow
bp 23 Jun 1720
Anne
bp 5 Feb 1707/8
Elizabeth
Bp 3 Sep 1714
Bur 30 Apr 1719
Frodsham
John Marrow
Thomas Marrow
Bp. 9 Jan 1738/9
b. 16 Feb 1754
Bur. 2 Dec 1740
bp. 17 Mar 1754
Frodsham
Weaverham
William Marrow
Ann
b. 20 May 1749
b. 24 Nov 1746
bp. 8 Jun 1749
bp. 1 Jan 1746/7
Weaverham
Weaverham
Mary = John Heppard
b. 15 Dec
1744
Richard Marrow = Ann Jackson
b. 6 Aug 1751
m. 29 Oct 1771
d. 11 Jul 1825
d. 13 Jun 1833
Samuel Marrow = Mary Latham
Coal agent
b. 4 Apr 1759
d. 20 Jul 1843
John Marrow
=
bur 29 Jun 1753
Weaverham
Mary
bur 29 Apr 1767
Frodsham
Margaret
bp 24 Mar 1717/8
Lydia
bp 22 Jun 1721
bur 15 Dec 1721
Frodsham
William Marrow
shoe maker and
farmer
bp 15 Jul 1709 ?
Frodsham
d. 10 May 1800
bur 13 May 1800
Weaverham
(aged 91)
John Marrow = Ann Carter
Farmer of
Crowton
b. 1 Oct 1742
Weaverham
bur. 14 Feb 1831
Robert or William Peck
=
Mary Peck
bp 20 Dec 1713
Weaverham
m. 26 Feb
1737/8
Frodsham
d. 8 Nov 1792
Bur 12 Nov
1792
Weaverham
(aged 77)
=
Mary Gorst
m. 16 Oct 1712
Frodsham
John Rymmer
Robert Marrow = Elizabeth Rimmer
broker
b.1752/3
b. 10 Sep 1740
bp 17 Oct 1755
d. 22 Aug 1781
Fornby
d. 10 Aug 1813
bur 14 Aug 1813
Will pr 21 Dec 1813
Peter
Elizabeth
Marrow = Grace
broker
m. 17 Aug
b. 16 May 1793
1756
d. 1 Sep
1809
Peter Marrow
Mary Ann
Elizabeth
William Marrow
Ann
Emma
George Perry = Elizabeth Marrow
gentleman,
b. 4 May 1777
architect and
m.16 Aug 1798
merchant and
St Thomas’ Liverpool
amateur natur-alist ?
Jeremy Archer
See Perry Family History Report
See Abram Family History Report
Ralph Abram
b. ca 1785 (Liverpool)
Gentleman
Living in Everton (1851)
Salt Merchant (1852) d. 1853
=
Mary Ann Perry
bp. 17 Jul 1801 (St Nicholas, Liverpool)
m. 20 Aug., 1823, Holy Trinity, Liverpool
d. 4 Feb 1841 (Everton, Liverpool)
Richard Thompson Blake
Born 1826/7
=
Janet Abram
born 6 Jan 1833 Holy Trinity, Liverpool
Ralph Abram Blake
Born 19 August 1854, Eccleston,
Lancashire
=
Mary Catherine Thomas
b. 1852-54
Tranmere Cheshire
See Thomas Family
History Report
=
Annie Blake
b. 8 April 1886
See Blake Family History
Report & Genealogy Chart No 8
Frederick William Gregory
b. 25 Dec 1906
=
Margaret O’Neill
b. 24 Nov 1909
See O’Neill Family History Report & Genealogy
Chart No 3
Malcolm Peter Gregory
b. 26 Feb 1935
=
Bernadette Caffrey
b. 13 Apr 1934
See Caffrey Family History report & Genealogy
Chart No 2
Frederick John Hall Gregory
b. 1884
Michael Peter Gregory
b. 25 June 1957
See Gregory Family History Report & Genealogy Chart No 1
5
The Visitation of
Warwickshire 1682/83
The Harleian Society
6