Family/Spouse: Elizabeth Jackson. Elizabeth (daughter of Christopher Jackson) and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Rebecca married Thomas (1st Lord Ribblesdale) Lister, DCL on 7 Nov 1789. Thomas (son of Thomas (of Gisburne Park) Lister, MP and Beatrix (of Hulton Park) Hulton) was born on 22 Mar 1752; died on 22 Sep 1826. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Following an education at Westminster School, in common with other young country gentlemen of the early 19th century, the Rt. Hon. Thomas Lister enjoyed London life and society, moving in the artistic circles of the day. He was able to study painting, develop his own talent, attend theatres, and become a cultivated young man, as far as his income would allow. But, as he wrote to his sister: "I have thoughts of quitting London, for it is misery without a horse ???.my spirits are wretchedly bad, and I am reduced to a walking skeleton". Of course, horses were always a high priority for the Ribblesdales, but an expensive one, especially in London. Amongst his circle of friends was Thomas Lister Parker, his cousin of Browsholme Hall, who was a great lover of the arts, a patron of the English artists of the day, and a noted collector of beautiful furniture and pictures, with which he enhanced Browsholme.

One hoped-for outcome of life in London society was finding a suitable wife, and Thomas Lister's letter to his father at Gisburne Park, in the years 1815-17, give an interesting and somewhat amusing insight into this problem. He writes: "Both yourself and my mother are anxious I should marry ???. I see the reasonableness of it myself and if I could only find a person who had money and who was tolerably agreeable I should not hesitate a moment in doing that which seems to be the wish of us all ???.. I think money could be borrowed so as to get through the winter, which would give me an opportunity of looking seriously about me, for this I have not yet done." He wants to make his parents comfortable, "and when by doing this I stand a good chance of making myself so, I should be out of my reason not to try. The times are certainly alarming and without some added income I fear we cannot go on much longer, comfortably or uncomfortably."

So young Thomas begins to look around and in the Spring of 1817, in letters to his parents at Gisburne, he records his reactions to some of the eligible young ladies he meets. In a letter to his father: "Lady D. (wife of Sir Humphrey Davy) is going to bring out a niece who has an immense fortune - so I must have a peep at her if I can." A few weeks later he "has no great fortune to be compared to Miss W." and has made a fool of himself in not taking more advantage of the opportunity thrown in his way. "If you think my living here till her (Miss W.'s) return is money thrown away, I will go into Staffs. or return home. My money is now growing into very little compass." One week later: "a very handsome girl and a large fortune of the name of Hankey dined with us, but she is as proud as Lucifer." In the same letter he mentions how his friend is surprised at his folly over Miss W., but writes: "I fear her fortune is not as large as it should be and her friends and relations not the most amiable in the world - but there must be some objections to all women ??? there is little happiness in this life ?".

Although he said that he had no serious intention of proposing to Miss W., just two weeks later he writes: "setting fortune aside Miss W. is the only woman I have seen as yet that I would willingly marry - in other respects neither Miss Hankey nor Miss Scrope will have above ?10,000, nor would I call either of them my wife if she had ?100,000"! "Miss Scrope is certainly a very nice girl and would enjoy Gisburne and Malham a great deal more than Miss Wrighton, but she is not so steady and her affections are certainly placed on another ?.. however if I fail in my first attack I can try my luck in a second venture." Then: "Miss Scrope a good match? Father no money and property goes back to his wife. So that won't do!" And finally: "no tidings of Miss W.. I fear my golden dreams are over. She is in Venice and Rome."

Having no success with any of these ladies, it was many years before Thomas Lister married his second cousin, Adelaide Lister, in 1826, having succeeded to the Barony earlier the same year. She bore him a son and three daughters, but sadly Lord Ribblesdale died in 1832 at the age of 42. His son was only in his 5th year and therefore became the youngest peer of the realm, and his mother, junior of the widow peeresses.

Thomas married Adelaide (of Armitage Park) Lister on 9 Feb 1826. Adelaide (daughter of Thomas Lister and Mary Grove) was born on 12 Sep 1807; died on 1 Nov 1838. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]