Notes:

From Ampleforth Obituaries at
http://www.ampleforth.org.uk/clocktowerold/Obituaries/1998/1998-1/1998-1.htm

David William Astley Birtwistle;
Born 14 May 1926, Lancashire, England
Died 14 January 1998, London, England
Son of James Astley Birtwistle 1889-1974 & Muriel Marwood 1893-1988
Brother of Mary, Iris, Michael, Annette, Edmund, Antony, & Angela


David W A Birtwistle
David William Astley Birtwistle; born 14 May 1926;
Gilling Castle; Junior House 1938-40; St Edwards House September1940-July 1943; Royal Horse Guards; textile and film industry, theAmpleforth Popalar Settlement; civil servant; voluntary worker withAlcoholics Anonymous; died 14 January 1998

David Birtwistle was a notable worker with Alcoholics Anonymous and, inearlier years a Youth Leader with the Ampleforth Poplar Settlement. Akind, sensitive, brave and generous person who suffered much, he achievedmuch.

David was the sixth of the eight children of James Astley Birtwistle andMuriel Birtwistle of Houghton House, Lancashire. At Ampleforth he beganhis enduring interest in music, literature and painting which soondeveloped into lifelong passions. He became an accomplished pianist and agifted painter and his paintings are to be found in many privatecollections all over the world. On leaving Ample forth in 1943 he wentstraight to the Brigade Squad at Pirbright and then to Sandhurst, fromwhere he was commissioned in the Royal Horse Guards; he saw war servicein Belgium and Germany, and a visit to Belsen shortly after it wasliberated had a profound effect on him. After the war he worked for thefamily textile business in Lancashire, and in the 1950s moved to Londonto work in a film company, Van Dyke Films-they produced films with DennisPrice and others. Always deeply spiritual, it was at about this time thathe tried his vocation to the contemplative life, being a novice at themonasteries of Caldey Island in South Wales and later at Quarr in theIsle of White. After working for about two years in the late 1950s as aYouth Leader of the Holy Child Settlement in Poplar (see below), hejoined the civil service, working for nearly 30 years in the Departmentof Employment in London, retiring with ill health in the late 1980s. Overthe last twenty years of his life he became an effective worker withAlcoholics Anonymous (see below). David's gift for friendship and hisgenerosity will long be remembered, along with his wonderful cooking, hisrecent passion for gardening, his humour and above all his kindness.

As a Youth Leader of the Holy Child Settlement in Poplar in the late1950s, he had much success, working often long into the night. The HolyChild settlement was originally set up by Old Girls of Holy Childschools, after being bombed in the war, had been rebuilt at theinstigation of Monica Girouard (the mother of Fr Simon Trafford); she theapproached Fr James Forbes, asking for involvement of Amplefordians, andover a period of years Amplefordians who were involved included RoryChisholm (C29), Benard Henderson (E24), Terence Marke (E42), Peter NobleMatthews (E42), Pat Stewart (E39), Arthur French (O51) and David himself.

It was perhaps with Alcoholics Anonymous that he did his most wonderfulwork. Coming to this work through his own struggles, he spent the lasttwenty years of his live with Alcoholics Anonymous . His sister AngelaKirby writes of this period: 'Despite his many talents and tremendoussense of humour, David fought a desperate battle with alcohol from hisarmy days until the early seventies, when, having joined AA, he enteredwhat was to be the happiest and most rewarding period of his life withinthe warmth of that fellowship. Being exceptionally sensitive, and knowingso well the pain and difficulties that alcoholism bring he was able tohelp many others in their early struggles towards sobriety. It becamevery difficult to get hold of David on the telephone which was constantlyengaged as, despite his many health problems and the almost constant painhe suffered so bravely, he continued to help a wide circle of friendsright up to the day of his death.' Angela Kirby noted how he saved manylives, marriages, many children and many jobs-as seen by the enormousturn-out at his funeral.

Stretching over 115 years from August 1883 to 1998, David Birtwistle camefrom a family of five generations of Amplefordians- Marwoods,Birtwistles, Pritchards, Maclarens, Kirbys and Sandys. The first of thesefive generations is represented by Tom Marwood (born 1873, arrivedAmpleforth 22 August 1883- OA) David's great uncle. Tom Marwood's halfbrother, Frederik Marwood of Pleasington Lodge in Lancashire (marriedMary Walker), not himself an Amplefordian, has 14 direct descendents whoare Amplefordians. The second of these five generations is represented bythe children of Frederick and Mary Matwood; of their eight children , thefour son's, David's uncles, all came to Ampleforth; Basil (OA 1901),Cyril (OA 1902), Reginald (AO 1907, later Fr Stephen Marwood), andGilbert (OA 1909). A sister of these four brothers, Muriel married JamesAstley Birtwistle (always known by both first names), and they were to beparents, grandparents and great grand parents of more generations ofAmplefordians. The third of these five generations involves children ofMuriel and James Astley Birtwistle; of the eight children the four sonswere at Ampleforth - Michael (W38, who was at Dunkirk and later HighSheriff of Lancashire), Edmund (W42 died in 1970s), David himself andAnthony (E46). The fourth generation, the nephews of David, consists ofMichael Pritchard (T72, the second son of Mary, David's eldest sister);Mark Birtwistle(W70) and Jeremy Birtwistle (W72) (sons of Michael (W38)and also the nephews of David Craig (OA45, killed while at Ampleforth ona cycle on Gormie Day)); Hugo Kirby (E71) and Marcus Kirby (E75) (thesons of Angela, David's younger sister). In the fifth of these fivegenerations are the great nephews of David- Edward and George Sandys(arrived at St Hugh's house 1997 and 1998 respectively, the grandsons ofEdmund Birtwistle (W42) and sons of Camilla and Myles Sandys). OtherAmpleforth connections are David's brother Anthony (E46) and sisterAnnette both married Ampleforth families - Anthony's wife Diana was thedaughter of Charles Barnewall (Lord Trimlestown, E45 - died 1997) andRaymond (E48); Annette married Ian Maclaren (OA 32 died 1997), thebrother of Peter Maclaren (OA36, died 1996) and David Maclaren (OA39).

(The Ampleforth Journal 1998? . Old Amplefordian News. p 67-69)

James married Mary Muriel Marwood on 29 Jul 1915 in Pleasington Lodge, Lancashire, UK. Mary (daughter of Frederick Marwood and Mary Polly (of Ayneham Towers) Walker) was born on 15 Nov 1893 in Lancashire, England; died on 28 May 1988 in 18 Cloncurry Street, Fulham, London Sw6. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Albert + Annie Astley Bell. Annie (daughter of Astle Bell and Mrs Astley Bell) and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Northcote Manor
http://www.northcotemanor.com/history.htm
Northcote Manor (now a Hotel) has this at its web site
under Northcote Manor A Brief History:

Annie Mary Birtwistle took up residence in 1929, and was the widow ofAlbert Birtwistle, a prominent local business man who was a cottonspinner and manufacturer. The house was bought for the pricely sum of?4,550. Northcote remained in the hands of the Birtwistles for 50 years,during this time ownership changed hands from Hilda to Amy Birtwistle andthen finally to Albert, who passed away in 1979.

Notes:

Information from Angela Kirby:

The Marwood family (originally from Widworthy Hall, near, Honiton,Devonshire, but the links are lost, also the date and reason why ourbranch moved to Manchester as there was a fire in the Manchester housewhich destroyed all the family papers

Great-grandfather Marwood, born Manchester October 31 st, 1827 died(Manchester or Blackburn?) October 3rd, 1883 (?)

Great-grandmother Marwood, born Manchester, died Blackburn, (aged 41)November 18th, 1869

Great-grandmother Walker of Ayneham Towers, Preston, died October 26th,
1905, aged 75 (believed to be a relative of Robert (Sir) Peel, her firstmemory being of sitting on his knee in an open carriage, being driventhrough cheering crowds in Preston)

Children- Leo, Charles, Stanley, (one of them lived at Brownedge House,Nr. Preston) and Mary (Marwood)

Great Uncle Tom Marwood, b. Blackburn, November 27th 1873, m. MabelClerks of Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire, died Hoghton, Lancashire,January l8th, 1955

Great-Aunt Lily, b. B'burn, August 3rd, 1855.

Great-Uncle Edward, b.April 1lth, 1853, B'burn, died May l0th, 1914
m. Annie (?)- children - Constance, Dorothy (m. and div. A(fraudulent) solicitor, Pennington Reilly.and was mistress of CountMennini,
Italy) and Monica,


Great -Aunt Mary, March 18th 1851, M.(?) died 2nd September, 1904,
Tapieyvilie (?), US some of her family lived at Berkeley, California

Great-Aunt Louisa, b. May 27, 1872, (m. Lewis?) died November 4th, 1898,
Sydenham London

Grandfather Frederick Marwood, born Blackburn, October 3rd, 1857.
(Inventor) died Pleasington, Lancs, 1936(?) married on April 15th1885 to Mary (Polly) Walker of Ayneham Towers, Preston, Lancs, bornFebruary 16th, 1857 who died May 4th, 1898, Pleasington, Lancs.
Their children, all born in Blackburn or at Pleasington Lodge, NrBlackburn, Lancs -(and all but Muriel Mary (Mue) died there)

Basil, b. February 26th, 1986, B'burn, died Pleasington Lodge, Jan 16th194?

Cyril, MC, b. March 5th, 1887, died Pleasington Lodge, Dec 17th 1949

Reginald, b. August 2nd, 1890, Pleasington, Dec 15th 1949 (Dom StephenMarwood, O.S.B)

Mary Freda, b. October 10th, 1891,

Mary Muriel, (Mue) b. November 15th
m. James Astley Birtwistle of Northcote, Langho, Blackburn, 29.7.1915
died 18 Cloncurry Street, Fulham, London SW6, 28th May 1988

Gilbert, b. February 6th, 1894, Pleasington, d. Pleasington, January27th, 1945

Leo, born and died Pleasington, May 9th, 1896

Mary Angela, b. November 11th, 1897, died Pleasington, March9th 195?

(all the Marwood boys, except Reginald, were commissioned and fought inthe trenches in the First World War, Cyril also fought at Gallipoli



Relations not yet sorted out -
from Mue's family-
Ethel (Sister Mary Edmund), probably a Walker)
Aunt Agatha Psailer, connected with the Walkers) m. William de Freitas,
Judge, of British Guyana.

Mue's cousin Margerie who married Bertie Swanson of Northumberland(probably
a Walker).

Lily Bussey and her (iligit) son Francis Rose, a scientist (Petersfield)
(Grandfather Marwood's half-sister?).

The Lewises of London (Grandfather Marwood's relatives).

from Granny B's family -

The Astley-Belis, (Leonard and Merrick, maybe others, plus wives and
children).
Leonard lived in New York and was a president of Shell) -

Frederick married Mary Polly (of Ayneham Towers) Walker on 15 Apr 1885. Mary (daughter of ?tzi (Descendents of Family of) The Iceman) was born on 16 Feb 1857 in Manchester, England; died on 4 May 1898 in Pleasington, Lancs.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

(Research):Was this Avenham Tower, Preston which was built by the Threlfall family in 1847. It later became the home of Edwin Booth?

William married Rachell Holland in 1847. Rachell and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Astle + Mrs Astley Bell. Mrs and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Cork Manufacturer. Of 41 King Street, Blackburn



(Research):Note from Angela Kirby
"...Yorkshire Marwoods, were not related, or rather not closely related,.... but our lot definitely came from the Honiton area of Devon, atWidworthy Hall, although there is a Marwood Hill somewhere else in Devon.The family is mentioned in Lorna Doone, by R.S.Blackmore; there was acourt physician called Marwood and also a Hangman."


Birth:
or January 1826

Died:
or 19th October?

Edward married Mary E McKenna on 31 May 1848 in St Patrick Church, Manchester, England. Mary (daughter of Patrick McKenna) was born about 1828 in Manchester, England; died on 18 Nov 1869 in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Died:
Died aged 41

Notes:

The world, when the Iceman froze
http://www.robotwisdom.com/science/iceman.html
Jorn Barger July 2001 (updated Aug2001)

In 1991, a well-preserved mummy was discovered high in the Tyrolean Alpson the Italy-Austria border, dated by 14C to 3300 BC. (Because thespecific region was the ?tztaler Alps he's been nicknamed ?tzi or Oetzior Otzi.) A great deal has been deduced about his lifestyle from thefragments of his clothes and tools:
? He was about 46 years old, five foot two-and-a-half.
? He died in the springtime, from an arrow in the back.
? NEW: a wound on his wrist suggests he had just engaged in hand-to-handcombat
? His body-temperature was high when he died
? His last meal was fire-cooked flatbread, herbs, and ibex-meat
? He had been locked in glacial ice for almost the full 5300 years, butwith at least one melt that scattered his possessions.
? He had come from the south, heading for a pass over the mountain range.
? He wore wellmade snowboots so the pass must still have been snowy.
? His maternal ancestors had been in the region for 10,000 years.
? He had spent lots of time around copper smelting operations.
? He had no cavities in his teeth.
? He had simple tattoos near several arthritic joints.
? His copper axeblade was still attached to its handle, with pitch and astrip of leather. (Axes were status symbols, and this one seemed unused.
? His flint dagger had a wooden handle and a sheath woven from bark.
? His bow and arrows were unfinished and unusable.
? The arrows were in a sophisticated fur quiver,
? He had a net of woven grass, probably for hunting
? He wore three layers of garments made from goat, deerskin and barkfiber, but no wool.
? He had a bearskin hat.
? He had a wood-framed backpack, probably of leather.
? He carried live embers wrapped in green maple leaves in a birchbarkpouch.
? He had a 'fanny pack' belt with various tools
? He had a 'retoucher' of wood and antler for shaping flint
? He carried a sour blackthorn (sloe) berry, and two mushrooms withantibiotic properties.
[This is mostly based on Brenda Fowler's book: first chapter, Amazon]



From "Plants & the Ice Man" ?tzi's Last Journey. Written 1995 by JamesHolms Dickson. At
http://www.gla.ac.uk/Acad/IBLS/DEEB/jd/otzi.htm

"...he was found in a very well-preserved state melting out of the ice inSeptember 1991 at some 10,400 feet (3,210m) above sea level. With the topof his head thawing out first, he lay very close to the border of Austriaand Italy in the territory of the latter nation but only Italian since1919. When he died some 5,300 years ago ?tzi was between 25 and 40 yearsold, about 5 feet 3 or 4 inches (160 cm) tall and well dressed in threelayers of well-crafted skins and grass to face the rigours of beingbriefly in the zone of permanent snow and ice in the mountains. He hadwell-lined shoes, a belt from which to drape his loincloth and suspendhis leggings, a jacket, a cape and a bearskin hat. His gear included alongbow and a quiver full of arrows, a hafted copper axe, a sheatheddagger, a wooden-framed backpack, two bark containers, one containingcharcoal, and a belt pouch housing small useful items including flints, aretouching tool and fungus for tinder. He was inconspicuously tattooedwith simple designs.
?tzi's use of grass, bark and wood
?tzi wore a cape of grass and his shoes were packed with grass. Remainsof no less than 17 different types of trees and shrubs have beenrecognised so far among ?tzi's gear. The bark used to make his containerswas that of birch as the silvery white colour makes very obvious. Hislongbow was made of yew. Strangely, and without parallel, the handle ofhis axe was also of yew; ash would have been the expected wood. However,the handle of his small dagger was made of ash. His arrow shafts weremade of Viburnum (Guelder Rose or Wayfaring Tree) and Cornus (Corneliancherry or Dogwood). Both these woods were used to make the arrow shaftsrecovered from the grave of an Iron Age prince found at Hochdorf,Germany. Last century a peat cutter at Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, found aprehistoric flint arrow head with shaft attached; the shaft was Viburnum.Evidently, for a long spell of time over a large area of Europe arrowmakers regarded Viburnum as very suitable. Lime made the body of ?tzi'sretouching tool and lime bast was used for cords. His backpack frame wasof larch and hazel. Leaves of Norway maple were used as insulatingmaterial for the embers he had carried in one of the containers whichalso contained leaves of juniper. For fuel he had used reticulate willow,green alder, Norway spruce, pine, elm and possibly amelanchier. A fruitof sloe was found with the corpse."


See also:
"The Iceman's Last Meal" by Brenda Fowler at
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/icemummies/iceman.html
&
"Ice Mummies Home Page"
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/icemummies/

Also for more information see under his "grandmother" "Numerousgenerations to 7 daughters of Eve"