Biglands Family

The Biglands were another family from the Wigton area of Cumberland, who were also involved in the wine trade in Portugal and possibly Madeira

Joseph Biglands(1), born circa 1696, was the son of John Biglands. Joseph was born at Oulton, near Wigton, Cumberland and was christened on the 26th April 1696 at Wigton. He married Frances Dodgson, on the 10th July 1720 in the parish church in Wigton. She was almost certainly christened in Wigton in May 1698.

Joseph and Frances had two known children, both born in Wigton - George Biglands (1), born about 1721 in Wigton and Dorothea Biglands born in 1722.

George married Alice Appleby, in Wigton on the 13th November 1753, when she was 30 and he was 32. When he died in May 1777 he was recorded as being a clockmaker. As far as is known they had four children - Joseph Biglands (2) who was born in about 1755, not long after his parents were married, Thomas was born in 1758, and was christened on 21st April that year, whilst Jonathon was born in 1759 and christened later in the year on 11th November and finally Rachael (1), who was born in 1764 and christened on 16th September 1764.

Joseph Biglands (2) married Sarah Wilkinson on the 13th July 1790 in Wigton. She was born in 1769, the daughter of Leonard Wilkinson and Sarah Dodgson.

Joseph (2) and Sarah had ten children, six boys and four girls. Their first son, Joseph (3) was born on Saturday 7th August 1790 at 4:00pm, apparently only 25 days after their marriage! George (2) was born on Friday 13th January 1792

Their subsequent children were Thomas (b 1793), Rachael (2) (b 1796), Thomas (b 1800), and John, who died young and then another John (b 1804). Then came Sarah (b & d 1806) and Sarah Ann Biglands (b 1808) who was apparently born in Batley Carr, Yorkshire, which is about 120 miles from Wigton. I do have my doubts, as she was christened in Wigton on the 8th May 1808. Finally Elizabeth was born in 1812 and christened on 6th December 1812. Sarah Ann married William Wilby on the 9th November 1833 at Batley Carr, Yorkshire. William worked in the wine trade as they eventually moved to Oporto, Portugal, where William died on the 7th April 1881 and Sarah on the 18th January 1890.

After the death of Joseph Biglands (2) in 1820, his widow, Sarah Wilkinson lived in Water Lane, Wigton, which is where the the local brewery was located, which the Donaldson and Hudson