Hastwell Genealogy

It must be about four years ago when I dicovered that Margaret Hastwell was married to James Faraday, at Clapham, North Yorkshire. James was a blacksmith. The family moved to London and they raised a very famous son: Michael Faraday.

I know that Margaret, born 1760 was the daughter of Michael Hastwell, a farmer from Kirby Stephen. Her mother Betty?

There was a conclave of Hastwell's in the Kirby Stephen area, who in the main were farmers or labourers. There is also evidence that they were occasionally employed in the lead mines, probably part time.

I would be very interested in tracing Michael's ancestry and his siblings. There does not appear to be any records in the parish, but this may be by reason that the family were members of the Sandemanian sect.

The Hastwell clan have moved far and wide. The name crops up in Canada, America, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. Yet, it is not a common name in the UK. Do you think it may be that there is someone searching the same line, who may be able to help, or indeed, I may be able to help?

It is worth remembering that there are two townships named Haswell. One in Durham and one in Shropshire.

I have not found any trace of a Hastwell family in Haswell Durham, but in Shropshire, there are several refernces and there is a commercial building named Hastwell House.