Olive Dale to George Beardmore, 22 August 1967

92 Hassam Parade, Newcastle, Staffs., 22nd August, 1967.

My dear George,

I was delighted to receive the autographed copy of your new book, and feel that it should be very successful indeed. I started to read it, but was reluctantly torn away to go with my husband to Stafford.

This morning he had a ’phone call from the County Librarian (several things she wished to consult him about, one thing being about him performing the official opening of the Barlaston Library – he is the Chairman of the County Libraries Committee, amongst so many other things, and has opened quite a large number of Branch Libraries, also the huge County Library Headquarters a few years ago.) We took the opportunity to take your new novel with us, and asked if the Library had any copies – of course, we do not wish to be accused of nepotism, but still –. They have got three copies, and I showed the County Librarian and her Deputy my copy. I also borrowed from their stock two of your previous novels. Some years ago I very much enjoyed “A Tale of Two Thieves” and was very anxious to obtain “The Staffordshire Assassins” but was unable to do so at the time. The two I have got out of County stock are “The Staffordshire Assassins” and “Madame Merlin”, which I should think are two of your best.

I will try whenever I can to find the baptism of William Beardmore born 1759, but he is not in the Alton register, where other children of Robert and Grace are, but their dau. Mary was bap. at Leigh, so one never knows. William & Mary had their banns read at Leigh, and their first son Francis bap. there, but have not yet asked at Draycott if the marr. actually took place there. Of course, when Jeremiah, John and my uncle George were trying to find their joint relationships, they deducted William’s death date wrongly, writing 1749 for birth, but if he was 65 at death in 1824, it would be 1759. On one sheet I have Mary died 1824 aged 65, so there may be an error there. If only they had had a marr. lic. and had been under age, the names of guardians would have been of help. However –

I have now run up against two or three snags for your modern descent. Old John of Hallfields (Brassfounder) stated that William & Mary had ten sons and three daughters, the latter all dying unmarr. He named them as Elizabeth, Mary and Kitty. From somewhere else (it escapes me for the moment) I had a list which gave Catherine B. as a sister, born June 5, 1785, which of course fits her in nicely between William b. Dec. 1784 and George b. Jy 18, 1787. One might have thought from other entries that the three entries within the end pages of your Bible shewed George d. Feb. 17, 1839 aged 50; Catharine d. Sept. 15, 1844, aged 58 and Mary sister to the above George died Feb. 17, 1860 aged 77 were two sisters and brothers. Have you by any chance misread or mistyped any of the dates you gave to me, do you think? Catharine Beardmore born June 5, 1785 is entered in your Bible but the will I have of Catharine B. of Audley is dated 14 Nov. 1832, pr. 2nd May 1833, and in it she refers to her brother Samuel, sister Mary (spinster) and sister Elizabeth, residue to surv. s. & b. share and share alike. All these were children of William and Mary.

Then in Mary’s will dated Feb. 13, 1860, pr. Mar. 5, 1860 she refers to Mary, dau. of my late nephew James B. (Farmer) decd., niece Eliz. Machin, wife of Alfred Machin of Talk o’th’ Hill, writing clerk, Eliz’s son Frank Machin (under age), makes the Rector and bro. Samuel exors., and if nephew Frank did before 21, residue equally between surviving bros. Samuel, Francis, John, and the children of decd. bros. William, George, and Francis [handwritten: Thomas]. Also will of Wm. B. (one of dec. bros.) d. 1857 [handwritten: will dated July 12, 1856, pr. May 1857] refers to his wife Mary, son John, daus. Eliz. & Martha B. and dau. Kitty marr. to Wm. Mason. But turn over for biggest snag.

[Overleaf] FRANCIS BEARDMORE of Burslem, Bricklayer and Beerseller. I nominate my brother GEORGE BEARDMORE of Burslem, Blacksmith, and JOHN WATKIN of Burslem, Builder, exors. and trustees, they or their heirs to sell, etc. and invest the parcels thereof in Govt. or Real Securities (the will gives £100 as value), income to be for “my infant daughter MARGARET until she shall attain the age of 21 years. George B. and John W. to be guardians. Refers to wife SUSANNA BEARDMORE. Also desires that if his dau. MARGARET shall die before 21, his said real and personal estate shall go to nephews JOHN BEARDMORE and EDWARD BEARDMORE, the two sons of my brother GEORGE BEARDMORE. Witnesses: CHARLES HODGES, HAMLET BEARDMORE.

Now sort that one out! You can see what a frustrating job genealogical research can be.

Your grandfather JOHN was born in 1848, EDWARD round the same time, so were infants when this will was made, but how do you account for the GEORGE dying 1839 Feb. 17 (presumably the one born July 18, 1787) being referred to as father of JOHN and EDWARD when they were born after that date. There must have been another generation, and old John (Brassfounder) who stated that Thomas b. 1789 was grandfather of John and Edward and the George who heads the list in your Bible must have been the anc. of Rev. W. G. If so, why did the Bible come to you? Or is the FRANCIS will above bro. as he says of your great-grandfather George, and not the brother of Mary, will 1860, etc. You will note she refers to her brother Francis as being alive in 1860. I think you will find after asking your cousin John of Burslem that your great-grandfather George had a bro. Francis who died 1853, and an uncle Francis alive in 1860. What a tangle!

Dates have been put wrongly before – for example, my ancestor JAMES FYNNEY born late 1739 is entered in the Cheddleton register as dying aged 74 in 1804, whereas he was only 64. And one of his brother’s WILLIAM is not entered in the Alstonefield register, although all the others are, even one born after him, and yet I have his wife and all his descendants, to say nothing of the fact that he is included in his father’s and his uncle’s wills in the correct order of age. Oh, oh, these careless parsons and parish clerks. To say nothing also of my ancestors Thomas Beardmore and Sarah Bostock entered in the marriages in both Kingsley and Leek, also another marr. in Caversall and Kingsley, and my g-g-g-g (I am not counting) uncle ROBERT SHENTON is entered as buried in Kingsley and Cheadle. The answer is that both parsons wanted their fees for the marr. and the burial was entered in both as Robert S. left a charity to both villages, but why couldn’t the Kingsley parson say “bur. this day at Cheadle”? I know he was there as his gravestone is in the tower of Cheadle church!!

Again many thanks indeed for the lovely book – Charlie Pocock seems like a Potteries character to me.

Must close now for the time being. If you can think of any clues, or if I can, letters must follow. I have a terrible tangle to sort for an Australian distant relative, who I have got back to 1529 without any doubt, but she now wants to link up another branch (one who had big ideas of their descent from a kinsman of William the Conqueror!) Heigh-ho!

Best love from
Your affectionate cousin,
Olive