Rector - John Stanley (1692-1781)
John Stanley LWPL-BKP was the youngest son of Elizabeth Patten (1666-1695) and Sir Thomas Stanley, 4th Baronet Stanley of Bickerstaffe (1670-1714) who was an MP for Preston, Lancashire. Unusually Thomas had become the 4th Baronet at the tender age of one, after his father’s death. Sir Thomas Stanley, 4th Baronet – Wikipedia
John was born in September 1692 in Preston, Lancashire. His mother died when he was a toddler and Sir Thomas then married Margaret Holcroft; they had 15 children – half-siblings for John and his brothers Thomas and Edward.
Edward was six years John’s senior and became known as Sir Edward Stanley, 5th Baronet when he succeeded their father (1714-1736). From 1736, however, he also succeeded a distant relative, James Stanley, as the 11th Earl of Derby Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby – Wikipedia
Edward’s great, great grandson was Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby who was born at Knowsley Hall, Lancashire (now Merseyside) and was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom on three separate occasions.
Edward Smith-Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby – Museum of the Prime Minister
John Stanley was a fellow of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University where he gained his Master of Arts degree and graduated as a Doctor of Divinity. Doctor of Divinity – Wikipedia
He was ordained as a priest on 21st December 1718. During his career he was appointed rector of East Lavant in Chichester and then Liverpool from 1726-1740.
Whilst he was living in Liverpool, he met his first wife, Alice Warren and they were married on 15th January 1729 at St. Laurence’s church, Chorley. Unfortunately, Alice died on 5th November 1737. She was buried at Ormskirk Parish church.
From 1740-42, Reverend Stanley was the rector at Winwick and then from 1743-78 he was at Bury as well as being Halsall’s rector between 1750-57 and also at Winwick again from 1764-1781.
Presented to the living by the then patron, Colonel Charles Mordaunt MSMW-P2V of Halsall Hall, Reverend Stanley was appointed as St. Cuthbert’s rector on 2nd April 1750. Being rector of Halsall for seven years, he would have witnessed the rebuilding of the south aisle in 1751. At the time, a stone bearing the names of Reverend John Stanley, his churchwardens and the date, was built into the south wall of the aisle.
According to Taylor and Radcliffe 1896, this memorial stone was lost during the restoration of St. Cuthbert’s church in 1886. However, such a stone with these inscriptions can be seen in the graveyard of Halsall church, so thankfully although not inside the church, it seems it wasn’t lost after all.
Whilst at Halsall, John married his second wife, Sarah Earle KNSS-3RL who was 25 years younger than him. She was from Water Street, Liverpool and her father, John Earle was a merchant.
Their wedding took place at St. Cuthbert’s church on 23rd May 1753; they are listed in the Marriage Register amongst their parishioners.
Reverend Stanley’s final years as a rector were spent at Winwick where he died on 16th May 1781 and was buried at St. Oswald’s church. Sarah Stanley passed away in February 1809 and she was laid to rest at St. Oswald’s too.
