From Standish Wiki

1715 Ralph Standish and the Jacobite Rebellion	1715	1716 James Blundell and the Preston Fight

In Standish, near Almond Brook Road, there still stands a farm, known as Cat'i'th'Window Farm, which, by legend played a part in the troubled times through which Ralph Standish lived. One story is that in those days, when Roman Catholics met for worship under the threat of arrest and heavy fines or worse, the occupier of the farm used to put a black cat in a certain window where it could easily be seen, as a signal to warn Roman Catholics of the presence of soldiers in the area. Another version was that the cat was there to inform those concerned that mass was being celebrated. Whether it is only a story or based on some such explanation the name Cat'i'th'Window has become the accepted name for the farm.Another story concerning the same farm purports to have taken place following the suspected complicity of Ralph Standish in the Jacobite plot centred on Standish Hall, when Ralph was being sought with a price on his head. Farmer Fisher lived at the farm. He was a local magnate, an active and staunch supporter of the Church and State. The story tells that one night the farmer was discussing with his wife the rumours that the elusive Ralph Standish was in the district and had been seen in the woods near the Hall and that the Commander of the troops in Wigan had been informed (Ralph had in fact been hidden by a priest at the 'Hermitage', quite near to the Hall), when there was a knock on the door and in walked Ralph himself looking scared. The old couple were surprised and dismayed when he told them that he was no longer safe at the Hermitage and had come to ask for their protection, feeling certain that no-one would suspect the Fishers of harbouring him. Farmer Fisher's loyalty to the Standish family overcame any doubt. He said that he and his ancestors had owed suit to the Standishes for nearly five centuries and no Standish should ask his help in vain.

There was no sleep for any of them that night, and next morning Mrs Fisher said she would send the servant girl home on the pretext of nursing her sick mother and Ralph could don female attire and take her place as the supposed niece of Mrs Fisher from Cheshire. This was agreed, and the 'niece' was considered a great improvement in looks and activity over the real servant who was no beauty, cumbersome and slow. Meanwhile, the soldiers searched the Hermitage and the woods were beaten by redcoats without success. As the search moved from the vicinity, the Fishers began to feel some relief, but not for long.

One Sunday, coming out of Church, Mr. Finch, the landlord of the Eagle and Child, told Farmer Fisher that on the previous night Fisher's ploughman had been drinking with the soldiers when talk got round to the missing squire and the reward. The ploughboy told the soldiers he knew where the squire was, so the soldiers plied him with more drink. At length he divulged that Standish was at Fisher's Farm, dressed as a servant girl, but he knew it was a man for when he tried to kiss her he felt a beard. The landlord said he then plied them all with hot rum and ale and locked them up for being drunk.

The Fishers hurried home and Mrs Fisher made ready an old oak chest which had a false bottom concealing a secret compartment made for holding valuables, and big enough to hold a man. Here Ralph was hidden and the top part filled with linen and clothes.

Old Fisher kept watch to give warning of the soldiers' approach and to delay them as long as he could with indignant protests at a search, he being a staunch supporter of Church and State. A thorough and fruitless search was made and the officer was about to withdraw his men when he noticed the old oak chest and said "Oh what have we here?" and ordered it to be opened. Mrs Fisher, too frightened to open it herself, gave him the key and and Old Fisher said later that he thought his head was not worth much then. Finding only women's clothes and linen, the officer, in disgust, thrust his sword through the pile exclaiming "If Standish is there I wouldn't give much for his life!" Then, as Mrs Fisher began to scold angrily about her damaged linen, he left hurriedly and called off his men, saying he would rather fight the devil himself than an angry woman's tongue.

When the troops were out of sight and Ralph had been released from his hiding place, Old Fisher insisted that Ralph should slip across country to Rivington and he would follow him and meet him there with the old mare. Then with a mount Ralph could cross into Yorkshire and so to Whitby to friends where he could find a boat to take him to Holland. Ralph did eventually get to Whitby where he sold the mare, and with the money procured a passage by fishing boat to Holland, from where he made his way to Paris. His exile was not long, however, for shortly afterwards, a Royal Pardon was obtained for him and he was able to return to Standish Hall.^[1]

1. ↑ The Rev. Thomas Cruddas Porteus, A History of the Parish of Standish, Lancashire (Published by J. Starr & Son Ltd, Wigan, 1927)