these photographs of churches connected to the Lewtas families are from www.lancashirechurches.co.uk
THE SEED FAMILY OF POULTONRICHARD SEEDCatherine Lewtas - baptised March 24th 1803 died 1867 - married Richard Seed (1809 - 1882) on June 4th 1835 at St Chad's. The marriage was witnessed by John Seed and Jane Banks. Catherine and Richard had eight children - Mary 1836 died aged 2 in 1838; George born 1837 died at 9 months in 1838; Mary again born & died 1840; Catherine born 1841 died at 3 months. A gravestone in St Chad’s shows that by the end of 1841 all their children had died in infancy. Of their ‘second brood’ George Lewtas Seed was born 1842; Mary Lewtas in 1844; Margaret in 1845 died aged 64 in 1908 and Catherine Lewtas Seed born 1846 died at 18.Richard was a member of a prominent Poulton family and later was a strong Methodist. His grandfather Richard was first violinist and choirmaster in the old parish church in the time of George II. He was a shipowner with schooners at Skippool. Richard himself was a coal merchant and agent for the north country quarries of the Duke of Devonshire. His wife Catherine Lewtas was a cousin of Harry Banks, grandfather of Dr Cocker.GEORGE LEWTAS SEEDGeorge Lewtas Seed attended Hammonds private school in Poulton, Mr Harvey's boarding school in Fleetwood and Wesley College Sheffield. He worked at Wilson and Chambers Liverpool and the White Star line as a shore purser. After living in Liverpool for 5 years he returned to live in Blackpool for 1 year at 'High Lawn' Hornby Road, later the home of Alderman Bickerstaffe. He set up as a coal merchant and builders merchant in new Road Blackpool and also built property - the union Baptist Chapel in Abingdon Street and the Lane Ends Hotel.In 1866 he married Annie Pattison, daughter of James Pattison of Tower Lodge - his family owned the first pilot boats in the Mersey. He had 4 daughters and a son.Seed took over Mycocks's Albion Hotel on the NW corner of Church Street in 1887. He was Chairman and director of the Royal Hotel Company, director of the Raikes Hall company, director of the Grand Theatre Company before Mr Sargeson, North Pier Steamship Company managing director. He attended Poulton Weslyan chapel where his sister Mrs John Seed played the harmonium in the evening.Then Christ Church Blackpool. He was captain of the first Fylde Cricket Club, Skipper of the Fire Brigade, Chairman of the first burial board in Poulton, Past master of the Fidelity Lodge Freemasonry Poulton, and founder of the century Lodge South Shore. He stood as an Independent in Talbot Ward and gained 94 votes.
