Sunday, 3 March 2013

The Day Book of Thomas Jackson (1775-1834)

Thomas Jackson (1775-1834), son of George Jackson and Elizabeth King, farmed at Lackenby all his life.  Over a period of years, he kept a Day Book, which was continued after his death by his son John (1808-94).

It is a book of notes and jottings (which may explain the spelling and punctuation) and covers a wide variety of subjects, including records of important family events, household accounts, details of court cases, and notes on farming matters.

There are many miscellaneous farming notes.  He jots down the recipe given him by Robert Thompson for a horse “bad in is wind”:
Robt Thompson Reseat [receipt]
        A Medison for a Horse Bad in is wind take 4 ounces of Garlic 4 ounces of Tax 4 ounces of Flour of Brimstone shread the Garlic small and mix it together into Balls size of a small nutmeg and give it every other Morning The Horse may work as usual
In 1806, he recorded the cost of a threshing machine:
1806  Feb 10    The following is an account of the expense of the Threshin Mushin that I Thos Jackson erected below Lackenby ………..£103. 3. 7

Thursday, 28 February 2013

John Jackson and his uncle, Captain Thomas King (1748-1824)

continued from 'The Jackson family of Lazenby and Lackenby' ...

Captain Thomas King
Thomas King, merchant of Wapping, played a hugely influential role in the life of the Jacksons of Lackenby during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

He was the brother-in-law of George Jackson (1746-1810) of Lackenby.  George and his sister Dinah (1753-1819) had both married members of the King family:  George married Elizabeth King (1752-82) in 1774 at Skelton, and Dinah married Robert King in 1783 at Wilton.  (Elizabeth and Robert King were probably cousins.)

Elizabeth King and her elder brother Thomas were the children of Newark King and Elizabeth Boyes, who married in 1746.  Thomas was baptised on 19 Feb 1748; he left home to go to sea and by 1766 he was second mate of the Royal Charlotte.  He became an increasingly successful London merchant, and left the sea in 1780.  He had a family of his own, but remained a powerful figure in the lives of his relatives in Cleveland.

He invested in property in the area – in 1783 he paid £1,200 for Lackenby Low Farm, which had belonged to another branch of the Jackson family.  This was the year that Robert King married Dinah Jackson, and the farm was to be the home of Dinah King until her death in 1819; Thomas was perhaps coincidentally providing a home for the newly married couple.  At that point his address was George Yard, near Tower Hill, Middlesex.  Five years later, he sold the property to William Jackson of Guisborough for £1,300 [Kirkleatham Hall] and by then his address was Great Aliffe (Ayliffe) Street, Goodman’s Fields.

He would eventually have a counting house in London and a country seat in Wandsworth.

Wednesday, 27 February 2013

The Jackson family of Lazenby and Lackenby

In the 18th and 19th centuries, a family called Jackson farmed at Lackenby and Lazenby, two small hamlets in the parish of Wilton, at the northernmost edge of the North Riding of Yorkshire.  This low-lying land, stretching northwards to the mouth of the river Tees – and later mostly covered by ICI Wilton – was once known as the Lowside.

We are so used to the view of the petrochemical complex that inspired the opening scenes of Ridley Scott's Blade Runner that it is hard to imagine how empty and beautiful the place once was.

Here it is – before the Tees became an industrial river – described by the Revd John Graves in his History of Cleveland in 1808:
The village of Wilton is small, and consists of a few houses, seated on the northern declivity of a hill, the summit of which being nearly level, has been brought into cultivation; while the sides, rising abruptly, are ornamented with young and thriving plantations.   
The grounds on the north from the village have an easy and gradual descent, and the prospect is extensive and pleasingly diversified: near at hand upon the right are seen the hospital and mansion, with the richly cultivated grounds of Kirkleatham, beyond which, tracing the circling line of shore to the left, the town of Hartlepool in a prominent position, with the bold figure of its church, affords a striking object; while the serpentine course of the river Tees, which on its approach towards the sea, expands itself into a fine extensive bay, is seen winding through a tract of rich and fertile grounds beneath, adding greatly to the beauty and interest of the general view. 
It was a small agricultural parish and, in 1801, consisted of 67 houses occupied by 74 families – a total of 328 people.
The lands within the parish consist nearly of an equal portion of arable, meadow, and pasture; and the soil in general a fertile clay; which, notwithstanding its northern aspect, and exposure to severe blasts from the sea, produces crops of wheat and other grain in great perfection, and the harvests in general are as early as in any of the more favoured parts of Cleveland.   
The low grounds near the river Tees are principally in grass; as was formerly an extensive tract, which lay in common open fields, stretching from the village in a direction north and south; but, by the late inclosure, has been brought into a more advantageous state of cultivation.
The Jacksons of Wilton were for the most part yeomen, that hardworking, prudent class that lay between the gentlemen and the petty farmers.

In the mid 20th century, a descendant of the Jacksons of Wilton compiled a family tree covering the 17th to 19th centuries, based on a collection of legal documents, information and artefacts that had remained in the family, and supplemented with research. 

It was subsequently examined and extended by the late Miss Grace Dixon, local historian of Guisborough, with assistance from the Kirkleatham Museum, and then Grace Dixon and I worked on some specific areas of the story. 

The early parts of the family tree remain imperfect, but nevertheless useful (perhaps particularly to those trying to disentangle the many Jacksons of Cleveland), and the later developments are very interesting.  Where I can, I indicate sources; it is obviously open to correction, but will at least point to areas of investigation.

Monday, 25 February 2013

People of Hutton Rudby in C18/19: Calvert to Chipchase

... from my working notes ... accuracy not guaranteed ... for explanatory note, see post of 14 Feb 2013


Calvert

Robert Calvert was a previous occupant of property on East Side, bought by Joseph, Thomas & William Whorlton in 1808

Stephen Calvert is a Wesleyan class leader in 1836, 1838 and 1839 and was a subscriber to the Youth’s Instructor in 1840
He was the agent in Hutton for subscriptions to Cottager’s Friend in 1840: ordering “14 Nos at 1/1d”
He was the Steward for Hutton Rudby in 1840
He was the agent in Hutton for subscriptions to Cottager’s Friend in 1841, ordering 22, and for Child’s Magazine in 1841, ordering 3.  He ordered 3 of the Missionary Notices.
Mr Calvert was a subscriber to the Shilling Magazine, Christian Miscellany, Early Days, Juvenile Offerings, and Missionary Notices:  no date, apparently 1859

1851 Census:  North End:  Stephen Calvert single 57 handloom weaver linen b Hutton lodging with Ann Elliot 63 schoolmistress b Ayton Bank, Durham


Campion

Campion is listed in “Recpts for 1854” – Barlow’s Notebook

29 Apr 1841:  Rudby church:  Margaret Dobbin 35 spinster of Rudby, dau of William Dobbin farmer, married William Campion 40 bachelor, gentleman of Kirkleavington, son of John Campion Coates gentleman:  witnesses Thomas Righton, John Dobbin
 
1851 Census:  Ober Green farm:  William Campion 49 farmer 75a, 3 labourers, b Whitby:  Margaret Campion 42 b Picton:  children:  Ann 7 and William 8 both b Kirkleavington;  with Margaret Dobbin 5 niece and visitor b Kirkleavington;  servants: Catherine Christelor 14 b Harlsey, William Hedley 20 b HR, Robert Weatherill 16 b Hornby


Friday, 22 February 2013

Snowstorms in 1900

With snow still lying on the moors and in the hedge-backs, and flakes of snow in the wind today, I thought now would be a good time to post this – which I found quite by accident yesterday.

In the first half of February 1900, Britain was hit by severe snowstorms causing great disruption for days. 

On Friday 16 February, the Daily Gazette for Middlesbrough had the headlines:

HISTORY OF THE BLIZZARD
An Unparalleled Storm of Wind and Snow
NOT EXCEEDED DURING THE PRESENT GENERATION
EXCITING AND THRILLING EXPERIENCES

On Saturday 17 February, the report began:

THE GREAT STORM
Further Stories of Adventure and Suffering
SERIOUS LOSS OF LIFE
Trains Fast in Snowdrifts
BREAKDOWN OF COMMUNICATIONS
One effect of the snowstorm is found in the delay to which news for Middlesbrough is being subjected.  All telegrams are being sent by train.  This accounts for the fact that the news of the relief of Kimberley, which was handed in in London yesterday morning to be sent over the wires in the usual way, has only been received by us to-day.  We are in the appalling position, that, with the exception of a telegraph wire to West Hartlepool, there exists no other communication with anywhere, either by telephone or telegraph.  We have been besieged by the elements, and are almost as completely isolated from the outside world as Ladysmith at the present time, or Kimberley until yesterday.

Thursday, 21 February 2013

People of Hutton Rudby in the C18/19: Bousfield to Busfield

... from my working notes ... accuracy not guaranteed ... for explanatory note, see post of 14 Feb 2013


Bousfield

Oddfellows Board:  Bro:  P Bousfield, Hutton, 22 Apr 1853, a57 [farmer, JBTurner]


Bowes

Roger Bowes owned property on East Side:  deeds of 1817 and 1830

EC 354:  30 Oct 1817:  James Bainbridge bricklayer (1) William Richmond of Stockton mercer & draper (2):  2 houses with garden behind, occ by James Bainbridge & John Simpson:  bounded by messuage & garden of Roger Bowes to E, by messuage & garden of Edmund Taylor to W, by street to N, by Thomas Passman to S

FC 147:  14 Nov 1825:  James Bainbridge bricklayer (1) Hutchinsons & Place bankers (2) William Richmond of Stockton mercer & draper (3) Richard Nightingale the younger of Middleton St George (4):  2 houses, lately in 3 tenements, with garden behind, formerly occ by James Bainbridge, Richard Wood & Thomas Almond, then by James Bainbridge & John Simpson, now by James & John Bainbridge; and also 2 new erected houses now in 3 tenements lately erected by James Bainbridge in the garden, now occ by George Harker, Alice Pedlar & Ann Rudd:  all bounded by messuage & garden of Roger Bowes to E, by messuage & garden of Edmund Taylor to W, by street to N, by Thomas Passman to S

FL 58:  13 May 1827:  East Side, judging by occupants & boundaries:  2 houses lately used in 3 tenements with garden behind formerly occ by James Bainbridge, Richard Wood & Thomas Almond, then by sd James Bainbridge & John Simpson, then by sd James Bainbridge & John Bainbridge:  and the 2 houses used in 3 tenements “newly created” and “lately erected” by sd James Bainbridge in the sd garden, then occupied by George Harker, Alice Pedlar & Ann Rudd:  bounded by house and garden bel to Roger Bowes to E, by Edmund Taylor to W, by street to N, by Thomas Passman to S:  parties:   Richard Nightingale the younger late of Middleton St George gent and George Stanger of Pickton farmer:  reciting indre of 14 Nov 1825 to which James Bainbridge, George & John & Henry Hutchinson, Thomas Place, William Richmond and said Richard Nightingale were parties

Monday, 18 February 2013

People of Hutton Rudby in the C18/19: Barker to Blacksmiths

... from my working notes ... accuracy not guaranteed ... for explanatory note, see post of 14 Feb 2013


Barker

Yorkshire Poll Book 1807:  Ayton:  Mark Barker 

Mark Barker benefited under the Will of Thomas Wayne of Angrove Hall (1727-1806). 

EB 102:  11 & 13 May 1816:  Hutton manor & mill:  assignmt to Barker

EX 146:  26 & 27 Nov 1823:  Hutton manor, mill and [Manor House] farm

FQ 249:  13 & 14 Mar 1829:  exors of Wayne to Barker:  the Carpenters Arms with the cartwrights shop and stable on the west end thereof, the garden and the privy on the south & backside of the premises, bounded by road to East Rounton to E, by Mrs Elizabeth Hildreth to W & S, by road to East Rounton, John Robinson and Mr Farnaby to N – occ by Edward Meynell;  the garth occ by Edward Meynell, bounded by Elizabeth Hildreth to E, by John Burdon to W, by Thomas Passman, Elizabeth Hildreth, Mr Kendall & William Spence to N, by road to East Rounton to S; the site where buildings lately occupied by John & Hannah Kay & taken down by Mark Barker stood; the garth now used as garden ground to the E & backside of the sd site;  the new houses built by Mark Barker on the site and part of the garth: some of the houses and the garden ground “at present unoccupied”, the others occupied by Robert Hall, William Souter, George Sanderson, John Kay, Mary Lamb, Jackson Richardson, John Wild and Thomas Shaw:  bounded by house & lands bel to Rev Richard Shepherd to E & S, by Arthur Douglas and townstreet to N & W

FT 30:  12 & 13 May 1830:  East Side:  John Kay of Hutton cartwright & others to Mark Barker & trustees:  house heretofore used as a coachhouse & formerly occ by James Ingledew, Mary Collyerson & Diana Swales, then by Elizabeth Farnaby, then by Charles Hall, then by Hannah Best, & now by Matthew Garbutt:  bounded by street to E, Mark Barker to W & S, Arthur Douglas to N

FU 487:  16 May 1832:  South Side, tithe map 194-6:  John Passman of Hutton yeoman (1) James Robinson of Whorlton yeoman (2) Robert Pulman of Stockton gent [solicitor] (3):  building with cowhouse & premises adjoining, and garth of 2r adjoining to the N:  bounded by Jane Farnaby to E, by Mrs Hildreth to W, by street to N, by Mark Barker to S:  occ by John Passman & James Harrison & Mary Kingston;  and the house with garden adjoining, bounded by street to E & N, and by above prems to W & S

1805:  4 Oct:  murder of Margaret Barker:  a spinster of Hutton Rudby aged about 46, who made a living for herself and her aged parents by travelling in the neighbourhood with housewife cloth for sail, she was staying at the house of Thomas Wilson, journeyman smith, in Stockton, when he murdered her in the night, apparently in mistake for his stepdaughter

1823 Baines:  Hutton:  Joseph Barker, farmer & gamekeeper

Mark Barker leased the site of the National Schoolhouse to the trustees for 5/- p.a [Lease for 999 years 10 Mar 1836]
Mark Barker made his Will on 18 Aug 1838, and was bur 24 Jan 1839 a72 at Stokesley [NBI Beryl] [HR Wills]

Tithe Map:  Edward Meynell occupied the Carpenters Arms, owned by Mark Barker
Tithe Map:  William Meynell and others occupied Barkers Row
Tithe Map:  Mark Barker owned Manor House farm, occupied by James Longstaff

Mark Barker named Edward Meynell the younger, weaver, and William Passman farmer of Carlton as his executors;  Meynell renounced probate.

1841 Census:  William Barker 75 linen weaver and Margaret Barker 30 linen weaver, South Side
1841 Census:  Mary Barker 30 and children, South Side
1841 Census:  Thomas Barker 40 linen weaver and Jane 35, South Side
1841 Census:  Butter Hill:  Dorothy Barker 75 in household of John Garfat

1851 Census:  North End:  Thomas Barker 53 hand loom weaver linen, b Hutton, Jane 50 b Liverton, niece Elizabeth Barker 12 house servant and uncle William Whorlton single 80 hand loom weaver linen, both b Hutton

1859 Whellan:  Hutton Rudby:  Mr Mark Barker is Lord of the Manor and resides in the Manor House, a small farmhouse, situated about a mile west of Hutton
1872 Post Office Directory:  Hutton Rudby:  William Barker, butter dealer