I found this in my travels.



Juba Thomas Royton an African servant belonging to Thomas Percival Esq. Was baptised 2nd June 1760 @ St Pauls, in Royton, Oldham, Lancashire.

Note Juba kept is African name and although he adopted the first name of his master he choose the name of the town he was living in as his surname.

Prior to his baptism there are no records for Juba but he turns up again in the marriage banns of St Mary's Oldham published on the 10, 17 & 24th March in 1765 His occupation is given as a 'waiting man' (servant)

He was married 25 March 1765 to a Betty (Elizabeth) Mellor. Juba signs the register in his own writing whereas Betty does not (about 100yrs before state intervention in education)

Juba next appears in the records 26 August 1766 with the baptism of his first son Thomas Percival Royton.

Another son John is baptised 6 Febuary 1769.

A third son was baptised 29 April 1771. All were baptised at St Pauls Oldham.

Rember those Europeans who turned out to have some gene specific to a certain part of Africa....Well maybe this is a source.

Thomas Percival's family were connected to the linen industry in Oldham going back 100yrs prior to Juba's baptism. I am still trying to work out if they actually owned plantations, but it doesn't seem likely.