West Cumberland Sewells (Northumberland and North Lancashire)

[Pamela Best]

Does any one have any interest in the Sewells of West Cumberland ie Gosforth, Irton, Lamplugh, Beckermet, Ponsonby. probably Whitehaven and Arlecdon. I would like to pull them all together and find out where they came from. They "emigrated" to Ashington in Northumberland and The Furness area of Lancashire.

They also have old testament names ie Moses, Jonah and Isaac as well as William and Henry.
This area had a "boom" time in the 18th and 19th centurys as Whitehaven was the 2nd biggest port (next to Liverpool) in the country. Engineering, Coalmining, and Shipbuilding were high up the ladder of industries as well as Farming and (infamously) the Slave Trade. It is situated on the edges of the Lake district and it has been considered, by at least one scholer, to have marvellous Georgian architecture (second to Bath). It was an important place and many people came here I hope they were your ancestors.

Thanks in advance

Pam