Thomas Stordy

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The best account of Stordy's life is found in 'EARLY CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND FRIENDS' by R.S. Ferguson (1871). This is transcribed in full below. It is largely based on the entries in "SUFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE CALLED QUAKERS" by Joseph Besse (1753). I have not transcribed the duplicate entries in Besse, which are quoted almost verbatim but, I have included any details omitted by Ferguson. I have also noted his family's Ostle connections.

FERGUSON: Page 109

Thomas Stordy of Moorhouse was born to the inheritance of a handsome estate, and, at an early age, joined the Society of Friends. In 1662, he was at Carlisle during the Assizes, and went to visit some of his friends and acquaintances who were in prison there. He was illegally detained in custody by the gaoler, and on the following morning brought up before JUDGE TURNER. Nothing could be proved against him; indeed nothing was laid to his charge; but the common trap for all members of the Society of Friends was set for him – he was tendered the oath of allegiance and, on his effusing, from conscientious objections, to swear at all, he was subjected to the penalty of a premunire.

Under the premunire, the Sheriff of Cumberland, JOHN LOWTHER, seized and sold, at prices far below their value, all Stordy's real and personal estate; and Stordy himself was detained a prisoner in Carlisle Gaol for ten years, at the expiration of which time he was set at liberty. His real estate was restored to him, at the intercession of the Earl of Carlisle.

A few years after his release, he was prosecuted under an obsolete Act of Parliament, and fined twenty pounds a month, for absenting himself from public worship. He was thrown into prison, and died there in 1684 after a second confinement of several years.

Sewell, in his History of the Friends, describes his death thus:-

Not long before his decease, he exhorted those that were come to visit him to faithfulness. 'For,' said he, 'if ye continue faithful to the Lord whilst ye live in this world, he will reward you, as he now rewardeth me, with his sweet peace.' Thus piously, Thomas Stordy departed this life, showing forth that he was really a gentleman, whose chiefest nobility consisted in virtue.

No exact record of his family is to be found, but descendants of his are now living in and near Carlisle. He was uncle to DAVID HODGSON whom we mention next; and a daughter of his married GEORGE BEWLEY, son of MUNGO BEWLEY of Carlisle.

BESSE, page 128

1660
Thomas Stordy was imprisoned nine weeks for refusing to take the Oath of Allegiance.

Page 129

1662
Thomas Stordy, being at Carlisle Assizes, went to visit some of his Friends there in prison, but was illegally detained by the gaoler, and the next day he, with STEPHEN PEARSON, then a prisoner, was had to the Sessions-house where the oath of allegiance was tendered them which, they refusing, were sent back to jail among the felons. Next day they were indicted on the Statute of 3K James and had sentence of Premunire passed upon them; by which they were adjudged to forfeit all their lands, goods and chattels, to be out of the King's protection and suffer imprisonment for life. Soon after, the sheriff seized their cattle, corn and other goods and proclaimed a public sale of them, at which they were sold far beneath their value, in regard very few cared to buy them. However, they were at length disposed of and carried away without any regard to the prisoners or their families nor would the sheriff, though earnestly desired, allow anything for the poor labourers who had been employed in gathering the corn and whom the prisoners, thus plundered, were unable to pay. Under this hard sentence, Thomas Stordy and Stephen Pearson continued close prisoners several years, enduring their great sufferings with exemplary patience and constancy, being supported by the testimony of good conscience and their obedience to the precept of Christ: Swear not at all.

Page 131

1670
Remarkable also in this year was the case of Thomas Stordy, against whom a Warrant was granted distraining his Goods and Chattels for £20.10s for a meeting at Moorhouse, though himself was still in Prison and had been for near eight years under Sentence of Premunire for not Swearing, and all his Estate had been seized by the King. But it pleased God to release him from so long captivity, by means of CHARLES HOWARD, Earl of Chester, through whose intercession also the King granted his Estate back again to his Children.

Footnote: Thomas Stordy and Stephen Pearson were set at Liberty after about ten Years Imprisonment by King's Letters Patent in 1672

Page 134

1684
Thomas Stordy's name appears in a list of prisoners at Carlisle.

BESSE also mentions a MATTHEW STORDY being imprisoned in November, 1682 after excommunication at the suit of JEREMY NELSON, priest.

Ostle – Stordy Connections.

As Ferguson says 'no exact record of his family is to be found'. The early entries for the family in the parish records at Brough-by-Sands are very sketchy. The Stordys don't feature at all in the early Holm Cultram registers. The Quaker records are better but don't begin until Stordy was in middle age and may not include all his children. There are several duplicate and misleading entries on the IGI.

For many years, I thought that the Mary Stordy who married Thomas Ostle in 1726 was his granddaughter, her father was John Stordy of Thurstonfield. I now think it more likely she was a grand niece. However it is quite possible that the Mary who married John Ostle of Lease in 1699 at Brough-by-Sands was his daughter. The Ruth 'Sturdye' of Moorhouse who married Ministering Jonathan at Brough in 1705 is another candidate. It is quite obvious the families were great friends and a marriage does seem likely, especially as the Quakers were so keen on 'marrying-in'.

I am leaving further research on this aspect of the family for my retirement!

Peter Ostle, October 2000.

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