William Smith of Clay Mills near Burton Upon Trent married my Gr Gr Aunt
Sarah Walker sister of my Gr Grandfather Joseph Walker ..William was at
first a Gardener for Richard Arkwright at Willersley Castle but then removed
to The Lodge Heights of Abraham where he was Head Gardener at The Botanical
Gardens .. Also living in this same area of Matlock Bath at Upperwood were
the Pearson family one of whom Benjamin Pearson was my wife's Grand fore
bare .. His brother Thomas Pearson was at Loggerheads with John Mawe who
owned The Royal Museum in the early 1800s John Vallance being Mawe's Agent
William and Sarah's son Samuel Smith trained as a Spar Turner with John
Vallance who went on to own The Royal Museum then by the 1850s worked for
a time as a Serpentine Worker at Penzance Cornwall where the foreman was
Charles Wildgoose of Bonsall who had married Elizabeth Jackson.. Charles
Wildgooses sister Jane married James Flint of Cromford whose son married
into my sister in law's Dickinson and Farnsworth family of Cromford.( my
brother married into this family). see Emma Hillman's Farnsworth Family
pedigree also my own Farnsworth pedigree on John Palmer's web site ..
Samuel Smith married Ellen Robinson of Bonsall at Madron on 11th December
1858 but then they returned to Matlock Bath where Samuel worked for a
period of time on his own account at workshops on Museum Parade and Matlock
Bank .. Thomas Walker the owner of The Royal Museum died in 1871 and
Samuel took over as Proprietor at The Royal Museum..
From the 1860s Samuel employed among other's William Walthall who married
Edith Walker of my kin (not of my mother's Walker family but of my father's
Hoades Shaw and Walker family of Bolehill) and William Smedley..
Samuel's son William Smith continued the business at The Royal Museum
into the 1930s
Charles Wildgoose born 1821 was the son of George and Sarah Wildgoose
nee Pearson ..he married Elizabeth Jackson at Duffield Parish Church in
1841..They lived at 8 Grylls's Row Madron when he was Foreman at Penzance
Serpentine Works where Joseph Fletcher along with Samuel Smith and Joseph
Gould all born in the Cromford area worked
Joseph Fletcher of Cromford was a Spar Turner (also known as Joseph
Brown ).. He married Marie Jones daughter of Peter and Mary Jones nee
Flint in 1846 ..Mary sister to my Grt Grt Grandfather Samuel Flint who
married Mary Killer of Middleton.. Peter Jones was at first a Hatter
living with Mary at Cromford but by mid life had removed to Bolehill
as a lead miner at The Bage Mine.. where succesive members of my Flint
family were Mining Agents from the 1750s - 1880s when it closed down..
The Bage Mine stands on land owned by my allied Killer family today
the mine leased by P. Killer of Bolehill, to Wirksworth Mining Group..
previously owned by the Hall family also of my kinship..P. Killer's
father was Adam Killer deceased Baker of St Mary's Gate Wirksworth
his mother who lives near the Bakery today is also of my wife's family...
via Webster and Hall
Joseph and Maria Fletcher (Brown) nee Jones removed to Madron Penzance
by 1856 where Joseph was a Serpentine Manufacturer His heir today is a
friend of mine who with his wife lives near Gloucester ..The Jones
family are also my kin up to the present day via other marriages ie
Greenhoughs of Wirksworth ..Spencer's of Middleton and Bonsall, Axe
of Hatfield Mexborough Bonsall and Middleton and Killer's of Middleton...
Julia Mitchell was born at Madron ..She married at Madron to Joseph
Gould of Cromford in 1854 who was a Marble Mason at Matlock Bath for a
time and then removed to Penzance as a Serpentine Worker.. Julia was
daughter of John and Jane Mitchell of 1 Regent Square Madron.. In time
as with Samuel Smith Joseph and Julia Gould nee Mitchell returned to
the Matlock area Joseph Gould being a Spar Turner on Scarthin Nick
Cromford..His heir today is a retired Deputy Headmaster at Anthony Gell
School Wirksworth another heir being of my kinship via the Longden Hall
Sheldon and Frost family of Ible and Middleton...
Samuel Smith nephew of George and Lydia Wigley Walker nee Maskrey..
George Wigley Walker was my Gr Gr Uncle .. George and Lydia Walker
lived at first at Alpine Cottage Matlock Bath and then at Belle Vue
House Museum Parade Matlock Bath where Lydia was a Lodging House Keeper
and George was a Mining Agent at the family lead mine's Bullestree and
Moletrap ..Bullestree near where Cromford Railway Station was built and
Moletrap near Willersley Castle (one time one of the Arkwright's..
Peter, was a partner) George's brothers who partnered at the mines were
William who married Lydia Hall daughter of Caleb and Hannah Hall nee
Flint ..Hannah sister to my 3XGrandfather John Flint who married Elizabeth
Colledge .. Caleb was a miner at the Hall family mine Goodluck Via Gellia
where his father Gamaliel Hall was killed in the late 1780s ..Caleb's
brother Gamaliel along with Phillip Walker of Middleton was a witness at
the marriage of Robert Evans to Hannah Wragg of Middleton they my wife's
4XGrandparents Evans being partners at Springus Lead Mine Middleton
Wood ..At Gamaliels inquest taken at Wirksworth Barmote Court with Adam
Simpson Deputy Barmaster as Coroner all the Jurymen were of my wife and my
family ie Halls Spencer Godbehere Mather Ashover etc.. Adam Simpson
of The Study Manor House Bonsall was father to Mary Simpson who married
Richard Arkwright son of Sir Richard Arkwright in 1780 at Bonsall Parish
Church..
George and William's other brother /partner was Joseph Walker my Gr
Grandfather he a silent partner as he was a Master Stonemason and
Building Contractor at Steeplegrange and North End Wirksworth ..
Joseph married 3 times 1st wife Anne Wright she of my kin via William
Wheatcroft he my 7XGrandfather via Cauldwell and Walker he her
4XGrandfather and Robert Frost he my 6XGrandfather 3XGrandfather to
Anne Wright.. Anne was neice to Anthony Alsop (married Hannah Wright of
Wrights Cottages Wigwell Wirksworth Moor ) who was Barmaster Soke &
Wapentake of Wirksworth living at Wensley his brother John Alsop of Lea
Bridge they Lead Smelters and Mine owners whose heirs were the Miller
and Wass family ..Joseph's 2nd wife was Margaret Fletcher of Wrockwardine
Wood Shropshire by whom he had children heirs of whom live in the
Wirksworth and Holloway area today and as his 3rd wife on Margarets
demise in the 1860s Martha Sheldon of Middleton she my true Grt
Grandmother married 1867 Their son John Walker Master Carpenter/Joiner
married Annie Cauldwell of Alderwasley they parents to my mother Kathleen
born 1916 who married Harry Sprake Flint born 1894 on December 25th 1937
they my parents both deceased
Maria Jones who married Joseph Fletcher (Brown) was neice to John and
Mary Flint nee Flint (cousins) John Flint being son of my 3XGrandparents
John and Elizabeth Flint nee Colledge (they parents of Mary who married
Peter Jones).. Mary being daughter of my 4XUncle Robert Flint who married
Sarah Allen of Bolehill.. John and Mary's son Robert Flint born 1839
married my mother's Grandmother Sarah Cauldwell nee Smith as her 2nd
husband when Sarah's 1st husband and my true Gr Grandfather Thomas
Cauldwell a Police Officer at Attercliffe Sheffield died in the pursuance
of his duties aged 29 years.. Robert married Sarah in 1888 they living
at Wigwell Nook Farm Sough Lane Wirksworth Moor where Robert was Overseer
at Longway Bank Cupalow and a Farmer Also living with Robert and Sarah
were my Gr Gr Uncle Adam Flint who married Millicent Marples she my direct
kin via Flint Jones and Greenhoughs and Henry Flint my Grt Grandfather
widow of Emily Flint nee Crofts ..Emily drowned in Bonsall Mill Weir ..
Emily's brother George Crofts married Mary Anne Smith sister to Samuel
Smith who owned The Royal Museum whilst John Crofts Emily's other brother
married Elizabeth Britland of Cromford ..John Crofts was a School Teacher
first at Bonsall Free Grammar School then an Elementary Teacher at
Tansley School then at Somercotes near Alfreton By the late 1870s he was
Headmaster at a Public School at Isleworth Middlesex where he died in
1888.. His son James Crofts was a School Teacher at The Sir Thomas Rich
Blue Coats Grammar School Gloucester ~ Emily George and John Crofts were
children of David and Susannah Crofts nee Birch of Wooley Moor then
Cromford David Crofts a Master Wheelwright and then a Carpenter ..
Footnote
Robert Flint on the demise of his wife Sarah nee Allen in 1829 became a
member of The Latter Day Saints (Mormons) his son in law Elijah West
(married Letitia Flint Robert and Sarah's daughter) was one of the
first British Priests of the sect..In 1850 when Robert was nearing his
70s he along with sons John Flint who married Mary Foster Spencer
daughter of Peter Spencer of Middleton and William Allen Flint who
married Elizabeth Slack daughter of Samuel and Sarah Slack nee Land
emigrated to Kays Ward now known as Kaysville Utah U.S.A... John and
Mary Flint's Gr Gr Grandson and his wife who live at St George Utah are
my fellow family history researchers today
(Samuel and Sarah Slack nee Land were my 3XUncle and Aunt, Sarah sister
to Hannah who married James Smith of Carsington Mining Agent they my
Gr Gr Grandparents whose daughter was Sarah who married Robert Flint
aforementioned.. This Slack family also of my wife's family, Samuel
Slack also of my wife and my kin via our joint Shaw and Butler family
of Oker Ible Wirksworth Moor and Middleton )
My Sheldon family
Grt Grandmother Martha Walker nee Sheldon's brother was Samuel Joseph
Sheldon who in his mid years purchased the Freehold and Mineral Rights
of Upper and Nether Golconda Lead Mines along with Chariot and Chance
Mines twixt Griffe Grange and Brassington from Edward Miller Wass his
friend in 1877.. S.J Sheldon also owned Snake Mine Hopton Wood .. the
mine owned by his family from the late 1790s and Bold Pit Mine Middleton
Wood ..In 1915 S.J Sheldon sold the Golconda Mines at George Henry Key a
Colour manufacturer at Matlock Bath ,,The Key family still own the land
now trading as Viaton Industries ..For a time before Joseph Walker my
Gr Grandfather married S.J Sheldon's sister martha Sheldon, Joseph
owned 2/24ths share at Snake lead Mine S.J.Sheldon owning the 22/24ths
share.. Samuel J Sheldon was also into his 70s General Manager at
Bradleyl Mineral Works Middleton Top .(Quarry and Mine). He was Deputy
Barmaster to parts of the Wirksworth Wapentake and Barmaster to Crich
Liberty. I have many of Samuel J Sheldon's personal documents some of
which I have donated to Derbyshire County Archives Library.. Samuel J
Sheldon married Jane Logden daughter of Job and Elizabeth Longden nee
Bradley Farmers of Ible (Longdens originally from Sheffield and
Chesterfield ) living alongside the Rains family whose heirs are of
the Doxey family one of whom in recent years was a Chairman of Wirksworth
U.D.C and a Councillor on Derbyshire Dales D.C. distant kin to John Palmer
Web Master of this site.. Jane's sisters were Elizabeth who married
George Frost of Middleton Hillside a Mason at Killer Bros Quarry Hopton
Wood Stone his brother James Frost being direct kin to a member of the
Gould family aforementioned in this account and Mary Longden who married
Joseph Hall brother to Ebenezer Hall who owned Martin, Hall & Co
Silversmiths of Shrewsbury Works Sheffield.. Joseph Hall being a Manager
to the firm.. This Hall family are allied kin to the Halls who owned
Goodluck Mine Via Gellia in the 1700s .. One of my wife's fore bare family
Peter Wragg son of Nathaniel and Anne Wragg nee Spencer of Middleton
became General Manager at Martin, Hall & Co late 1800s ..Martin, Hall &
Co closed down in the 1930s depression years ..Ebenezer and Joseph Hall
were sons of Gilbert and Elizabeth Hall nee Slack of The Alley Middleton..
My wife's Gr Aunts Alice and Annie Holmes lived in the house once owned by
Gilbert and Elizabeth Hall they Aunts to F.H.Butler of my wife and my kin...
S.J Sheldon was also a Shareholder at Mill Close Mine often visiting the
mine as Deputy Barmaster with Captain Chandos Pole Gell of Hopton Hall..
I have written evidence of this in Samuel's private diary. Samuel was
quite taken by the novelty of being a passenger with Captain Chandon Pole
Gell in one of the first motor cars seen on the roads of the Wirksworth
area.. When Samuel J Sheldon died in his 80s 1930s he left my Grandfather
in his will the house John Walker lived at Manor Fields The Fields
Middleton where my mother was born in 1916 and where my Aunt Doris
Walker a Spinster and Departmental Manager at John Smedley Lea Mills
lived up to 2000 when she died two weeks short of her 100th birthday ..
S J Sheldon also left two cottages on Duke Street Middleton which my
mother and her sisters sold to A. Sheldon deceased heir of S.J Sheldon's
brother...
End of Text
Regards Stuart G Flint
All Rights Reserved.