Emails
From: MICK HART
Subject: J W Beeson
Date: Wed, 17 May 2006 20:38:21 +0100
To: 
Hello John
I found your email address on the Wirksworth website.
I hope you won't mind me asking you if you have any information on a
Mr J W Beeson of Wirksworth.
I deal in antiques & collectables and have a particular interest in
ephemera. I was just about to eBay a document in my collection when
I realised that I had no idea where Wirksworth was -- hence, looking
it up on the web.
As usual, once started I became more and more interested in the
background to the document and wondered if you had any information
relating to it.
The document is an old (1861) Cash Book adapted to 'Dr Brewer's
Book-Keeping'.
On the front cover, there is a label, bearing some very fine
calligraphy with the name 'Mr J W Beeson's Academy' and then
'Coldwell Street, Wirksworth'.
The label is signed in ink: ' Walter Meller'.
Inside there are various cash transaction entries in a beautiful
rolling script. The entries refer to 'Norwich' and begin in
January 1861.
Do you have any information about the Academy and what the
connection with Norwich would have been?
Regards
Mick Hart
=============================
From:
To: Michael Hart
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 11:20 PM
Subject: RE: J W Beeson
Hello Mick,
James BEESON was a schoolmaster who arrived in Wirksworth from
Derby about 1861, and set up (with his wife Anna) an Academy or
Private School, situated in Coldwell Street, in the town centre.
"Norwich" refers to the Norwich Union & Law (a Fire & Life Office)
run by Joseph Stone, a lawyer, situated in the Market Place nearby. I
can only trace one Walter Meller, who would have been 3 in 1861.
I am keen to collect Wirksworth ephemera, and will probably bid for
this book on Ebay.
John Palmer, Dorset, England
Author of Wirksworth website
http://www.wirksworth.org.uk
=============================
From: MICK HART
Subject: Re: J W Beeson
Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 20:15:13 +0100
To:
Thanks for the information, John.
There's something quite awesome about tracing a document like this back
through the past to the original owner.
Last night, I was side-tracked from eBay (even!) and spent a couple
of hours browsing through sites relating to Wirksworth. It certainly
has an interesting past and I'm hoping now that I can visit it this
summer, perhaps stay for a couple of days and explore the local area.
There's no need to bid for this item on eBay. If you email your
address I'll gladly post it to you - no charge. It's a piece of
Wirksworth's history and belongs in the right collection.
All the best
Mick
=============================
----- Original Message -----
From:
To: Michael Hart
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 9:57 PM
Subject: Re: J W Beeson
Hello Mick,
That's extremely generous of you, I don't know how to say
thanks. I've been studying Wirksworth for 11 years now, and have
built up a picture gallery of over 800 items, a lot of them from Ebay
postcards. I like to think the website is the largest and most
detailed study of an English Parish on the Internet. I don't like
blowing my own trumpet, so have a look at this:
www.wirksworth.org.uk/77-FAN-3.htm
I will prepare a page for the website about the cash book, some
scans, perhaps transcribe it, and try to follow any leads and names
and link them to the Census, Parish registers etc. Let me know if you
have a website, so I can link to it when I list my thanks to you.
My address is:
John Palmer, 29 Sutherland Avenue, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 9EB
Other websites listed on:
http://www.eyemead.com
Many thanks again,
John Palmer, Dorset, England
=============================
From: MICK HART
Subject: Re: J W Beeson
Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 08:38:39 +0100
To:
Thanks for your email, John.
[Personal data erased...]
I'll post the cash book to you on Monday, Special Delivery, to ensure
its safe arrival on Tuesday.
I look forward to seeing the end result.
PS: I enjoyed your website very much. It is packed with information and
obviously a treasure-trove of information for amateur and professional
historians alike. I don't know about 'blowing your own trumpet', I
think you qualify for the Glen Miller Orchestra!
Best regards
Mick
================================
From: CAROLINE WOOLMAN
Subject: Walter Meller cashbook
Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2006 23:43:43 +0100
To:
Hello John,
I have just discovered your website and am particularly interested in
the cashbook owned by Walter Meller. Walter's grand parents Joseph
and Hannah are in my family tree and I may have some more details for
you. Joseph was christened on 26th July 1778 at St James Twycross
Leicestershire (IGI batch no. C034861)
He married Hannah Toone on 17/9/1798 at Whitwick in Leicestershire
(IGI batch no. 7903630).
Their son John was christened on 6/3/1805 at St James Twycross. (IGI
batch no. C034861) (This date is closer to the 1871 census entry you
quote on your site)
I am a descendant of John's elder brother William who stayed in
Twycross; my maiden name was Meller,
Hope this is useful,
Best wishes
Caroline Woolman
-----------------------------------
From: Caroline Woolman
Subject: Re: Walter Meller cashbook
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2006 17:27:54 +0100
To:
Hello again John,
I'm afraid I don''t know any more about Walter. I only found him on
the 1851 census living with his grand-parents. I think his parents
married after his father had left Twycross. I have found IGI
christening records for four children of Joseph and Hannah all
christened at St James' Twycross under the same batch no.,
they are: John as we've said,
William 20/6/1799 (died 1875)
Elizabeth 20/7/1800
Maria 18/9/1803 (died 14/10/1803)
The only other thing I have so far is that Joseph appears to be one
of at least 7 children born in Twycross to parents called William
Mellor and Elisabeth(no dates). I hope to get to the Leicestershire
Records office sometime soon to see if I can find more (but don't
have much time available for that!) Will let you know if I find any
more. I would like to know why Joseph and Hannah moved to Wirksworth
- perhaps they already had relatives there, so I will keep looking
when I get the chance, and will be keeping an eye on your website.
Regards,
Caroline
-----------------------------------------
From: Caroline Woolman
Subject: Re: Walter Meller cashbook
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 23:55:29 +0100
To:
Hello again John,
I have just found the BMD index for Walter's parent's marriage. Their
marriage was registered in the district of Derby in the first quarter
of 1847. They appear to have moved around a bit. The census records
indicate Walter was born in Wirksworth about 1848, his brother John
Frederick was born in Manchester in 1850. Walter his mother and brother
were back in Wirksworth for the 1851 census. Two sisters were born at
Cowley Manor, Ecclesfield, Yorkshire in the mid 1850's and an MI you
have listed for Wirksworth cemetary shows John Frederic was buried there
in 1857:
"[QC194]..... In/memory of/JOHN MELLER/who died October 21 l875/aged 70 years/also of/ELIZABETH/relict of the above/who died June 16th 1885/aged 63 years/also of/JOHN FREDERIC/son of the above/who died April 28 1857/aged 7 years/He was interred/ in Ecclesfield Churchyard/Yorkshire.(Marble headstone & Limestone kerb)"
By 1861 the family was back in Derbyshire. Your Derbyshire wills site
also indicates that there is a will for Walter's father John of Wirksworth
1876. and maybe one for Walter (spelt Mellor) of Glossop 1918 which may
give you a bit of a story!
The later censuses show Walter married an Emma Dennis in Bedford in 1876,
they settled there and he became a clerk of works for the Midland Railway.
They had 4 children Florence, Gertrude, Edith and John. In 1901 Florence
was shown to be an artist/sculpter and Gertrude a piano teacher.
That's all for now,
Best Wishes,
Caroline.
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