Bowker
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The Bowker, or Booker, family were linked to the Tyrwhitts in 1714 when Elizabeth Booker married Thomas Tyrwhitt at Maltby (about four miles from Tickhill) - his name on this occasion being spelt TIRWAIT!

Unfortunately the records for Tickhill, Elizabeth's home parish, are not so complete as the Arksey records, so there are gaps in the outline; but hopefully the suggested line will prove to be correct, taking us back to Robert Bowker's marriage to Elizabeth Rodger in 1575, at Tickhill.

George Bowker, born circa 1630, has not so far had his baptism traced; but when he married Elizabeth CROSS at Harworth, Nottinghamshire, in 1690, he was described as yeoman, widower, of Tickhill, so I am assuming he is a son of the George BOWKER whose marriage to Elizabeth ELVISHE (ELWES) is recorded at Tickhill in 1628.

There is more work to do, not least in tying in the family with the BOOKER families at nearby Maltby.   In the meantime, if anyone has any further insights, please be in touch.

Unfortunately there are many gaps in the Maltby records, the second half of the 17th century being particularly bad, so it is very difficult to build up a convincing picture.   Nevertheless it may be fairly safely assumed that there were family ties between the different families living in such proximity.  Tickhill, Maltby, Hooton Levitt, Stainton, Braithwell, Bramley and Wadworth are only miles apart as this map of the area indicates.

<<BOWKER OUTLINE pdf>>

Map showing the Maltby / Tickhill area of Yorkshire

There are a number of submissions that the name BOOKER / BOWKER derives from the French word boucher, for butcher.
This would seem to be born out by entries in the 1379 Subsiy Rolls for Yorkshire.

It is not a common name in the area, but there is actually in Maltby an entry for Willelmus BOCHER, assessed for iiij.d and it is fascinating to speculate on how he relates to the families living there two hundred years later. There was one other occurence of the name locally: Stephanus BOCHER at Wadworth.  (There was also a BOCHERE at Wombwell and at Sheffield a Johannes BOKCHOTER & Magot uxor ejus, iiij.d)

On three occasions, though, the word appears as an occupation, including at Ravenfield, right in the heart of this area, the amusing entry: Hugo BACON  bocher.