Nat Gould

Alice Shaw 1742-1781

Alice Shaw was born in 1742, the daughter of Isaac Shaw 1703-1761 and his wife Alice (maiden surname unknown), and was baptised on 13 August 1742 at Bowdon in Cheshire.

On 23 April 1767 she was married to Thomas Gilbert at Eccles in Lancashire. "On Tuesday last was married at Eccles, Mr. Thomas Gilbert, of Worsley, to Miss Shaw, of Altrincham, a young Lady endowed with every Qualification requisite to make the married State truly happy" (1). He was born in 1748, the son of John Gilbert 1724-1795 of Worsley near Manchester and his wife wife née Lydia Bill 1723-1797.

They had the following children:

Lydia Gilbert. She was born in 1768, and baptised on 18 September 1768 at Bowdon in Cheshire. She was married on 10 November 1794 to Nathaniel Gould 1756-1820 at Eccles in Lancashire. She died in 1798 at Salford in Lancashire.

John Gilbert. He was born in 1770, and baptised on 21 June 1771 at Bowdon. He became a potter at Burslem in Staffordshire (2). He married Sarah Bennett of Great Broughton near Chester on 25 May 1795 at St Oswald's church in Chester (3). She was the daughter of Thomas Bennett and his wife née Ann Mosley, and was baptised on 19 January 1769 at St Oswald's church in Chester.

Alice Gilbert. She was born in 1774 and died in 1854.

At the time of his marriage Thomas Gilbert was described as being "of Worsley", and so may have been assisting his father there with canal building. By 1770 however he was established as a merchant in Liverpool and was thereafter referred to as being "of Liverpool" (5). He owned several ships , and also insured shipping. But unfortunately for him, he had headed a consortium that insured the slave ship Zong and thus became involved in the scandal resulting from the massacre of slaves on board the ship in 1781, thrown overboard to claim the insurance. In 1783 he was sued and lost. There was a tremendous scandal. Thomas Gilbert appealed, and won, but his business was ruined and he was made bankrupt (4).

Her husband Thomas Gilbert died on 27 February 1793 at Runcorn in Cheshire (5).

Alice Gilbert née Shaw was given an annuity by her father-in-law John Gilbert in his Will dated 31 December 1794 (6). However by then she had died in or before 1781.

(1) Manchester Mercury 28 April 1767.
(2) He was so described in documents detailing the purchase of a field in Altrincham and other property in 1796 by the 5th Earl of Stamford from his grandfather (John Gilbert 1724-1795|)John Gilbert)) of Worsley, his father being then deceased: Stamford Estate Papers 1778-1796 GB 133 EGR14/1/39.
(3) Staffordshire Advertiser 30 May 1795.
(4) London Gazette 24 June 1788 page 311, 13 September 1788 page 447, and 30 September 1788 page 479.
(5) "On Wednesday se'night died, at Runcorn. Mr. Thomas Gilbert, eldest son of Mr. Gilbert, of Worsley" Chester Chronicle 8 March 1793.
(6) " ... I give and bequeath to the Widow of my late Son Thomas Gilbert an Annuity or Yearly Sum of fifty two Guineas to be paid to her Yearly and every Year free from all deductions whatsoever from the time of my decease for and during the term of her natural life such payment thereof to be made to her in Weekly or Monthly or Quarterly Portions as she shall from time to time in writing require the same... "