Sarah Barber, the daughter of Thomas Barber, married Michael Sheard on in May 1763 in Birstall Parish.

Lydia Sheard, the daughter of Michael Sheard and Sarah Barber, was baptized in the Batley parish church on October 14, 1781.
Marriage: Lydia Sheard married Benjamin Law on April 20, 1801 in Leeds.
Son:
William Law, the son of Benjamin Law and Lydia Sheard was born in Batley on March 12, 1809.
Marriage: William Law married Mary Worth in Cheshire circa 1834
Daughter:
Lydia Law, the daughter of William Land and Mary Worth, was born in Cheshire circa 1836.
Marriage: Lydia Law married John Land on November 7, 1857 in Gomersal, Birstall Parish.
Son:
Law Land, the son of Lydia Law and John Land was born in in the town of Batley, Parish of Batley, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England on December 29, 1858.

The Name Barber

Barber is a name derived from an occupation. During the middle ages, in addition to giving shaves, the barber's services included bloodletting (a major form of medical therapy) and tooth pulling (the only form of dentistry). According to Bud Land, when he was a child in the 1920's on Long Island, people still went to the barber to have their teeth pulled.

Redmonds (YSS Part II) says,

" The medieval barber was hair-dresser, dentist and surgeon, but owned his title to the fact that he also trimmed beards. The surname has numerous origins and locally may have arrived from Dewsbury, Thurlstone or possible even Derbyshire (see FC). It was particularly strong in with the upper end of the Holme Valley"

• 1481 John Barbour (Holmfirth) Wakefield Court Rolls
• 1545 Edward Barboure (Holmfirth) Spencer-Stanhope Family Papers, Bradford, West York Archives Service
• 1582, Richard Barber (Kirkheaton) Parish Register

Sarah Barber

Barber is a relatively common surname. Thomas and Sarah are both very common first names. Despite the fact that it involves common first and last names, up until Sarah's marriage to Michael Sheard there are only a handful of Barber records in either Batley or Birstall Parish during the right time period.

Thomas Barber

Baptism: Unknown
Marriage: Unknown
Children:

1. Sarah, the daughter of Thomas Barber, labourer, was baptized on June 3, 1743 in Batley Parish.

"Poor rate valuation", Batley, 1756: Tenant name, Thomas Barber, "House or Cottage", tax, 10 shillings

Death: Thomas Barber "late of Methley" died in Batley Parish, March 1, 1792

Note: Menthley is a village about 10 miles south southeast of Leeds Notes:

• The baptism of Sarah and the death of Thomas are the only record for the name in the Batley parish records in the 1700s with the exception of the following deaths:
  • John Barber 11 December 1663, no other information (Parish Records)
  • Hannah Barber, 7 September 1785< no other information (Parish Records)
• I checked the Methley indexes for Barber and there were only three listings
  1. Gybert "Barker" son of John Barber (sic) September 17, 1570
  2. John of James and Ann Barber July 8, 1759
  3. Mary of James and Ann Barber April 12, 1762
• I cannot find the baptism or marriage of Thomas Barber or the record of any other children born to him or deaths connected with him in either set of Batley records from 1700 to 1751
• Or in any Birstall parish records from 1724 to the end of the century.
• There are no listings for Thomas Barber in the IGI, with the exception a baptism in Dewsbury parish.
• I could not find the marriage of any Thomas Barber in the Boydes marriage index.
• The Barber family was in the area from at least the 1500's as indicated by records for the name in Birstall parish as early as 1594 and by the transcripts of the Court Roll from the Rectory Manor of Dewsbury from 1574 to 1595.

• Ann daughter of Joshua Barber of Blakeup June 27, 1730 (Birstall Parish Records) and Ruth daughter of Joshua Barber of Hightown, April 24, 1735 (Birstall Parish Records)
• Ruth daughter of Martin Barber of Stubley 24 April 1737 (Birstall parish records)
• John Barber of Little Gomersall Jan 16, 1741/42 (Birstall parish records)
• Sarah Barber of Little Gomersall widow Sept 11, 1742 (Birstall parish records)
• Mary wife of Joseph Barber of Gomersall age 72, sudden death 4 July 1807 (Birstall parish records)