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Quarmby, Yorkshire, England. Further historical information.

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QUARMBY

QUARMBY, in the parish of Huddersfield, Agbrigg-division of Agbrigg and Morley, liberty of Wakefield, 2 miles W. of Huddersfield, 8 from Halifax. Pop. including Lindley, 2,040, which being united, form a township.

Quarmby, anciently the seat of a family of that name. In the reign of King Edward III. 1341, Sir John Elland, being High Sheriff of Yorkshire, a quarrel took place between him and three neighbouring gentlemen: John de Lockwood, Sir Robert Beaumont, and Sir Hugh Quarmby; what occasioned the dispute does not appear, but it arose to such a dreadful height, as to cause the death of all the three, who were murdered in one night, by the Sheriff and his men; a circumstance that strongly marks the ferocious manners of the times. --Watson's History of Halifax.

The fate of Sir Hugh Quarmby is thus related by a poet of those days :-

"He raisd the country round about,
His friends and tenants all,
And for his purpose picked out
Stout sturdy men, and tall:
Stout sturdy men, and tall:
To Quarmby Hall they came by night,
And there the Lord they slew;
At that time Hugh of Quarmby hight,
Before the country knew."

[Description(s) edited from various 19th century sources by Colin Hinson © 2013]