Members of one of Shap’s ancient and prominent families gathered in Shap Memorial Hall recently for a special exhibition and family day dedicated to of the Lowis family history. The event was sponsored by Shap Local History Society and was hosted by the chairman Jean Jackson and Jim Lowis, one of the members.
Over many years Mrs Jackson has been contacted by members of the Lowis family who were tracing their family roots since she lives in a home once inhabited by a branch their family. More recently Jim Lowis has carried out a lot of research into his family and has engaged the help of Mrs Jackson; it was from this work that the idea of an exhibition and gathering was born.
The family have existed in Shap from as early as 1472. The first record was of Robert Lowys who was a participant in a football brawl. The earliest record of the family in Westmorland was Henry Lowys who was a tenant in Bampton parish in 1392.
The exhibition attracted about 60 people from Scotland, Northampton, Manchester, Workington, Bolton (Appleby), Bentham, Milburn and Carlisle as well as many form the immediate locality. Many of those attending were descendants of Richard Lowis and Sarah Simmer who married in the early 18 th century; others were from Richard’s brothers who left Shap around that time.
Several postal and email contacts were made from other members of the family and much new information was received from these contacts and those who attended on the day.
There was a large display of photographs collected by the History Society, many of them from the collection of Jim Lowis of New South Wales, whose father, James Bateman Lowis, the son of George and Mary Ann Lowis of the Hermitage at Shap emigrated in 1910.
The visitors enjoyed tea and cakes whilst reminiscing and talking over their family connections.
Shap Local History Society held another display of the exhibition on the first Saturday and Sunday in October at the Heritage Centre in Shap for those who were unable to attend the gathering. This attracted many visitors.
|