Lionel Gordon CRESSWELL [3375]

  General Notes:

Lionel matriculated 1866 at the University of London. Called to the bar at the Middle Temple in Easter Term 1888. Lionel was the researcher, editor, and publisher of the extensive Alston family history known as Stemmata Alstoniana published privately in 1905 in England. His "consuming" interest in, and competence as a genealogist, produced a large volume of fascinating detail into how our ancestors lived across the ages. His scrupulously researched charts, rarely entertaining conjecture, provide a priceless record of thousands of Alston's and their families, which the writer (E.L. Fenn NZ) is digitalising in the millenium year 2000.

Mary Terbrack writes 2014.
I read somewhere years ago, Cresswell began his research because his grandmother had said that her grandmother had eloped with a baron, and forfeited the baronacy. This was supposed to be what spurred him on to doing the family history.

16 Jan 1885 Lionel Gordon Cresswell of Bolton Lodge, Bradford, Yorks., (19). Called 25 April 1888.
Only son of David Gordon C of Bradford Yorks., aforesaid, engine packing manufacturer.
Register of Admissions to Middle Temple. (NZSOG
Auckland)

1939 Register
Crackenthorpe Hall Park View , North Westmorland R.D., Westmorland, England
LionelCresswell 19 Jan 1866Barrister At Law Retired Married

Arms of Cresswell - Gu. three plates each charged with a squirrel sejant of the field.
Crest - A squirrel sejant cracking a nut or.

England Death Index.
Lionel Cresswell 2 Qtr 1943 aged 77 Westmorland North 10b 749
*

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 2 Apr 1871, 51 Portland Cres West Leeds YKS. Lionel was recorded as a son aged 5 born IRL

2. Census: England, 3 Apr 1881, 15 Southey Plc Bradford East YKS. Lionel is recorded as a son aged 15 a scholar born Ireland

3. Census: England, 4 Apr 1891, Fragley Hse 10 Fragley Rd Eccleshill YKS. Lionel is recorded as head of house married aged 25 barrister undergraduate of London University partner and employer in asbestos manufacturing firm born Newtown Ireland

4. Lionel Cresswell: Letter to Dr Edward Liveing re Family, 16 Feb 1898, Leeds YKS.
Liveing Archive
252 Cresswell Lionel 3375 to Edward Liveing 100 16 Feb 1898

Woodhall
Calverley
Leeds, Feb 16/98.

Dr. Ed. Liveing,
52, Queen Anne St,
Cavendish Sq.
LONDON N.
Dear Sir,
Many thanks for your letter. I have not yet come across any evidence of the wealth of the Alstons being derived from the manufacture of cloth. The earliest wills indicate the possession and cultivation of land, and marriages with heiresses were popular. One of the early Alston wills I have bears by the way the name of a Waldegrave as witness. Out of respect to your difficulties and burdened time I would like to leave it to you to send me what information you can at your leisure. Unfortunately the stemmata are in type and printers don't like to keep that locked up for a very great time. However I have a lot of corrections and additions yet to do and they will take me some weeks so if you will proceed to gather together what you can I will contrive to give you notice of the closing day. Any original papers you send me will be taken great care of and returned as soon as I have copied them or made extracts.
I am in correspondence with Miss Alston, Dr. Fenn, the Oxenden Alstons and the Ingrams, all of whom have given me much information about themselves and their ancestors down from Samuel but none can tell me anything about John.
Miss Alston's visitor would be the Rev. E. Constable Alston Rector of Framlingham Co. Norfolk. I am in correspondence with various members of his branch which goes back to William & Edward (father a son) of Newton 1564-1591 who stand as progenitors in common of all the Alstons who can trace their descent back so far.
There is a John Alston (son of Peter of Newton) who married a Dorothy Reynolds of Ipswich. He was living circa 1656. I have not traced all his issue yet. Again Samuel is a recurrent name in your family and also among the Marlesford Alstons whereas it only occurs once elsewhere. Christian nomenclature is not a safe guide but in default of a better it may be followed for what it is worth. The odd Samuel was born in 1657, was living in 1690 and was the son of Edward Alston of Newton.
Awaiting further from you and noting carefully all you have told me already
I am,
Yours faithfully,
Lionel Cresswell.
*

5. Lionel Cresswell: Letter to Dr Edward Liveing re Family, 22 Jun 1898, Leeds YKS.
Liveing Archive
253 Cresswell Lionel 3375 to Edward Liveing 100 16 Feb 1898

Woodhall
Calverley
Leeds,
June 22/98.
Dr. Ed. Liveing,
52, Queen Anne St,
Cavendish Square,
L 0 N D 0 N.
Dear Sir, It is a pity you cannot find the Bury St. Edmund's wills abstracts for I don't know what year to begin to tackle that Registry in. Of Alston wills at Somerset House I have now a complete collection and there is some mighty interesting reading. I have also extracts of all Alston entries from the Boxford Hadleigh registers from their beginnings until well on in last century.
Not long ago I had a very curious photograph sent to me of the leaden shroud enclosing the remains of Dame Mary Langham the elder daughter and coheiress of Sir Edward Alston Kt. your one time president. The wooden coffin had decayed but the plate shewed whose the remains were. They were disturbed when some alterations were in progress at St. Helens Bishopsgate. Munk's notes about Sir Edward are very scanty. Could you get me a few more from the College archives or as your time is so fully occupied enlist some-ones kindly aid? It would be a great favour.
I think I have most of what is contained in the M.S. pedigree of your branch but it will be very useful for checking.
I am,
Yours faithfully,
p. p. Lionel Cresswell.
*

6. Lionel Cresswell: Letter to Edward Liveing with Liveing Tree for checking, 16 May 1899, Wood Hall Calverley YKS.
Liveing Archive

Dr E Liveing
52 Q Anne St
Cavendish Square
London W.
Dear Sir,
Will you be good enough to read over the enclosed proof in all that relates to your family and to send it round for correction and addition where necessary? I am sorry to trouble you again but wish to ensure correctness so far as I can.
My work gets on too slowly for my liking but it is of a trying character and takes a lot of going over. Moreover my printer has the failing of his tribe and is wondrous slow.
I am
Truly yours,
Lionel Cresswell.
*

7. Census: England, 31 Mar 1901, Woodhall Woodhall Lane Farsley YKS. Lionel is recorded as head of house married aged 35 a barrister and a director and employer of an asbestos manufacturing company, director of a worsted spinning company born Ireland

8. Census: England, 2 Apr 1911, Woodhall Calverley YKS. Lionel is recorded as head of house aged 45 married 25yrs a barrister in the asbestos and worsted spinning industry an employer born Newtown Ards co Down IRL

9. Lionel Cresswell: to P W F Alston Mayor of Sudbury, 24 Jul 1935, Crackenthorpe Hall, Near Appleby, Westmorland.
Liveing Archive

Telephone and Telegram No 6 Appleby
Rail: L.M.S. & L.N.E.R. Appleby.

CRACKENTHORPE HALL.
NEAR APPLEBY.
WESTMORLAND.
July 24th 1935.
It was with no small interest that I read in Tuesday's Daily Mail of the Meeting called by you which resulted in the bathing in the River Stour being closed.
For two reasons.
First that in view of what has happened elsewhere in times of drought and shortage of flow I think the decision wise but secondly that I am glad to find an Alston occupying the Mayoral Chair of Sudbury, a town that is the central one of a district in Suffolk where Alstons have been settled and prominent as far back at least as the 14th century.
Many years ago I spent a great deal of time and money in research into the history of the Alston baronets of Chelsea (from whom I am maternally descended) and the Alston baronets of Odell in Co. Bedford. Both these baronetcies became extinct by failure of male heirs over a hundred years ago. But I found the pursuit of their genealogy so fascinating that I scoured the counties of Suffolk (principally) and other counties East Anglia and the South (Essex Norfolk Bedford and Surrey) through and through. In 1905 I had the results of my research printed and published in a large quarto volumes of over 400 pages with illustrations of places and persons under the title "Stemmata Alstoniana" Copies were bought by Alstons in all parts of the world.
Among the earliest Alstons in Suffolk of whom I trace were a John Alston and his wife of Belchamp of 1381/82 and a Thomas Alston of Sudbury of whom I found in 1469: respectable length of about 500 years. The most remote ancestor in the direct connected line was John Alston of Newton near Sudbury. From him there sprang numerous descendants. Whether you are one I do not know without knowing more of your particular family history but I think it highly probable. In the Parish registers of Newton I found about 80 Alston baptisms 25 marriages and about 80 burials recorded all before the year 1800. Sudbury Churches, Edwardstone Boxford Marlesford Parham Assington Polstead Groton Great Cornard Hadleigh Great Waldingfield and other places yielded many more. There are copies of my book in the British Museum Oxford (Bodleian) and Cambridge libraries deposited for copyright purposes so that if at any time if you are near one of them and curious as to your ancestry you might find much of interest Although no Alston has risen to eagle like heights:
"The States whole thunder born to wield
And shake alike the Senate and the Field"
yet a number have played their part in parliamentary add diplomatic life the learned profession the service
of the church and a great number whilst engaged in their administration of their lands and businesses have like yourself have taken part in the public life of their localities and counties.
I hope I have not wearied you.
I am,
Yours very truly,
Lionel Cresswell
B.L. J.P. (W.R. Yorks) & C.A. (W.R. Lanks)

The Worshipful,
The Mayor of Sudbury,
(Councillor P.W.F.Alston)
*

Lionel married Margaret Anne WOODCOCK [4428] [MRIN: 1146], daughter of Charles WOODCOCK [4429] and Marianne CORKER [4430]. (Margaret Anne WOODCOCK [4428] was born about 1865 in Leeds YKS.)