The Beardmores of Farley, Cotton and Alton: Olive Dale’s long version

Page 1. From: (Mrs.) Olive A. Dale, 92 Hassam Parade, Newcastle, Staffs. [Handwritten: Long version.] The BEARDMORES of FARLEY, COTTON and ALTON.

THOMAS BEARDMORE of Farley. Will dated March 12, 1568. Will proved Apr. 10, 1573.
– FRANCIS of Farley (“my sonne”), will pr. 1579 = AGNES.
– WILLIAM (“my sonne”), will pr. Sept. 20, 1598; Robt. B. to take invty. = ELLEN (son by 1st marr. Humphrey Wollerscroft); will pr. Dec. 17, 1609, dated Nov. 20, 1609.

Children of Francis: ROBERT of Farley (“my grandson”), purc. tithes of Farley, etc. 1607; leased farm from Earl of Shrewsbury 1613; will Apr. 21, 1619, prvd. May 30, 1619; buried at Alton; all 5 ch. under age. FRANCIS, w. 1617, d. unmar.; bro. JOHN apprsr. JOHN of Ford, Wetley, ancestor of B’s of Fd. Wt. ?Other young ch. not named in gfr’s will.
Children of William and Ellen: KATHERINE = BONAVENTURE HARTSHORNE (will 1629 pr. but missing); ALICE = RICH. PERCIVALL; MARGARET (d. 1609) = GEORGE HEWITT → MARGARET.

Children of Robert of Farley: THOMAS; ROBERT = ANNE (→ JANE bp. May 26, 1644; Wm. bur. Mr. 27, 1646); WILLIAM = ANNE (Wm. bur. Mar. 29, 1656; Ann bur. May 24, 1652; → SUSANNAH bp. Ju. 12, 1643; WILLIAM bp. Dec. 8, 1648 xx); ELIZABETH; DOROTHY.

Above ROBERT buried as “Senex” (an old man) at Alton Sept. 9, 1684. Paid tax on three hearths (fair-sized house), 1666. Will dated Mar. 25, 1684 unfortunately missing, but tithes were left to his sons. These were eventually all secured by the BILL family of FARLEY HALL.

xx WILLIAM BEARDMORE = MARY SHAW at Alton Jan. 16, 1676/7. Had one dau. only, SARAH = .. NIXON, one grandson WILLIAM NIXON. Will dated May 6th 1725, pr. May 5, 1725. WILLIAM bur. “Senex” at Alton Apr. 11, 1725. MARY bur. Mar. 5, 1717. I am not sure whether this WILLIAM is the son of WILLIAM and ANNE, or whether ROBERT and ANNE had another son named WILLIAM after the first one died. I had some knowledge that the tithes of FARLEY, COTTON and ALTON were left to ROBERT’s three sons, who are referred to by their residences, but as his will of 1684 is missing, I am not sure. I have had a lot of information from the BILL papers, so will try to find this again, but this particular WILLIAM does not affect you in any case.

ROBERT BEARDMORE = ANNE. Will pr. 1684.
– PRUDENCE (1) = THOMAS of Farley = (2) ELIZABETH ELKES, marr. Dilhorne May 26, 1687. Will dated Apr. 19, 1700, proved Aug. 18, 1702 (refers to my “cosen” Robert, but I think this means his nephew Robert son of Samson). THOMAS bur. Alton May 17, 1700. → ROBERT (Curate at Kingsley) (see over).
– SAMSON of ffur-Cotton = ELLEN HUNT, marr. Dilhorne May 11, 1678. C/W Alton 1683. Left 10s. chg. for sermon to be preached. Will dated July 7, 1712 (refers to “brother” John Hunt). SAMSON bur. Alton (“Senex”) Feb. 24, 1712/3. ELLEN bur. Alton Feb. 1, 1718. → ELIZABETH, ROBERT.

Page 2. ROBERT, B.A. 1683–4, M.A. 1693, born Feb. 12, 1660, bp. Alton. Educ. Jesus College. Curate at Kingsley 1685 on. Marr. at Temple Church, London, May 17, 1688 to ELIZABETH WOOLLEY, d. the late Rev. RALPH WOOLLEY, Vicar of Alton (d. 1681). ROBERT afterwards Vicar of Nassington, Northants, 1693–1730; bur. there Jan. 26, 1730. Children: ANNA, born May 14, 1679 [sic], bap. Kingsley May 18, 1689; RALPH, B.A. 1713–14, M.A. 1726, bap. Kingsley 1691, educ. Pembroke Coll., Vicar of Stamford, Lincs., died unmar.; eventual heir to all Beardmore tithes was his nephew JOHN SWANN, who sold the last of them to complete BILL’s possession; THOMAS, bp. Nassington June 2, 1696, bur. Aug. 1698; ELIZ., bp. Nass. Apr. 9, 1698; ANN, bp. Nass. Apr. 16, 1700.

SAMSON BEARDMORE = ELLEN HUNT (marr. at Dilhorne May 11, 1678); bur. Alton Feb. 24, 1712; she bur. Alton Feb. 1, 1718. Children: ELIZABETH, bp. Alton June 10, 1680 = SAMUEL SLATER, C/W 1720, bp. Alton Apr. 13, 1680; ROBERT, C/W 1722, bp. Alton Oct. 3, 1685, bur. Alton Mar. 1, 1728 = JOYCE SLATER, bp. Alton May 16, 1688 (children of JEREMIAH & JOYCE SLATER (bur. Sept. 22, 1716) – hence name of JEREMIAH). ROBERT & JOYCE marr. CAVERSWALL Apr. 26, 1707.

Children of Samuel and Elizabeth Slater: 1. JEREMIAH. 2. SAMUEL, bp. Feb. 28, 1702/3. 3. ELIZABETH, bp. Feb. 27, 1699. 4. ELLEN, bp. .. 10, 1711. 5. JOYCE, bur. Feb. 18, 1717. 6. JOHN, bp. July 4, 1717. 7. JOYCE, bp. Oct. 12, 1719.
Children of Robert and Joyce: 1. THOMAS, bp. Feb. 13, 1708, bur. May 10. 2. ELLEN, bp. June 25, 1713. 3. JEREMIAH, bp. May 2, 1715 (x). 4. ROBERT, bp. Aug. 23, 1719 (x). 5. JOYCE, bp. Nov. 1, 1722. All at Alton, but 6. SAMUEL, bp. Kingsley Mar. 9, 1726. (x See next page for descendants of JEREMIAH and ROBERT.)

Page 3. (3) JEREMIAH BEARDMORE of KINGSLEY, bp. Alton May 3, 1715, bur. Aug. 24, 1755, will pr. Nov. 6, 1755 (aged only 40 yrs.) = ELIZABETH HARRIES, marr. at Alton Aug. 20, 1744; (2) marr. SAMUEL FITTON of SWINDON, May 1764; Wit: ROBT. BEARDMORE. Children: ELIZABETH of “The Side”, bp. Kingsley Sept. 1, 1745, bur. Kingsley Dec. 10, 1781, aged 36 yrs.; ROBERT, bp. Kingsley Jy. 5, 1747, bur. Kingsley Jy. 6, 1747; JEREMIAH, bp. Kingsley Mar. 12, 1748/9, C/W Kingsley 1773 and 1795, juror for Whiston, Totmonslow Hundred 1784, bur. Kingsley Dec. 28, 1836, aged 87 years = ELIZABETH LOCKER, d. JOSEPH & MARTHA, bp. Kingsley Aug. 19, 1753, d. Ju. 5, 1820, aged 67, marr. at Kingsley Mar. 21, 1773; ELLEN, bp. Kingsley Mar. 22, 1752, bur. Kingsley.

Children of Jeremiah and Elizabeth Locker: CATRINE, bp. Kingsley Ju. 22, 1775; MARTHA, bp. Kingsley Sept. 13, 1777, marr. THOS. MOOR Feb. 21, 1814, wits: HANNAH & JERE. BEARDMORE; BETTY, bur. K. Dec. 10, 1781; BETTY, bp. K. May 25, 1783; HANNAH, bp. K. Oct. 9, 1785, d. Sp. 21, 1852, ag. 67 yrs.; ELLEN, bp. 1788, bur. K. Dec. 8, 1826, aged 38 yrs.; JEREMIAH 1790–1868, bp. Kingsley Nov. 28, 1790, C/W Oct. ?, d. at Bucknall Dec. 20, 1868 = SARAH, d. Ju. 1882.

Children of Jeremiah and Sarah: JEREMIAH (architect, of “The Poplars”, Bucknall), born 1844, died 1923, unmarried; JOSEPH, b. June 2, 1850 = ANNIE, b. Sp. 15, 1858, d. Oct. 2, 1938 → HOPE & or. ch. (This Miss Beardmore has visited me, and I know she has a nephew to carry on the descent.); ELIZABETH, d. Aug. 1919; CATHERINE, d. Sept. 1921; HELEN, d. Feb. 1920. I think all are bur. at Bucknall, but have not searched too thoroughly for the gravestones – grass too long and wet.

(4) ROBERT BEARDMORE, bp. Alton Aug. 23, 1719 = GRACE BRASSINGTON, marr. at LEIGH, Staffs. July 27, 1741. Children: MARY, bp. Leigh Mar. 23, 1741/2; ANN, bp. Alton Jan. 20, 1744, marr. Alton May 5, 1766 to EDWARD BIRCH of Stafford, wit: ROBT. B.; JOYCE, bp. Alton Mar. 23, 1745; JEREMIAH, bp. Alton June 18, 1752; ROBERT, bp. Alton May 19, 1754; ? WILLIAM, bp. .. 1759 = MARY CRITCHLEY Dec. 26, 1780. Banns at LEIGH Dec. 3, 10, 17, but no marr. He desc. as of LEIGH, she as of DRAYCOTT. (I will try to find the marr. at Draycott when opportunity occurs. It took years of search before I eventually found the Banns at Leigh. He is supposed to be of Cotton and I cannot find any Beardmore other than Robert & Grace having ch. round that period. One reason for hope is that Robert and William were either married or “banned” at Leigh, and their resp. first child bap. at Leigh.)

Page 4. WILLIAM BEARDMORE, bur. Audley June 11, 1824, aged 65 = MARY CRITCHLEY, married Dec. 26th, 1780 (possibly at Draycott). Banns called at Leigh Dec. 3, 10 and 17, 1780. William described as of Leigh (might have been working there or taken residence to qualify if son of Robert and Grace, so that does not clear up his birth entry). Mary described as of Draycott, although her parents are said to be of Ramsor, or Ramshorn, fairly near to Cotton and Alton.

Children: FRANCIS, bap. Leigh July 11, 1781, died young; MARY, bap. Audley Mar. 24, 1783, died unmarr.; WILLIAM, bap. Audley Dec. 16, 1784, afterwards of Dimsdale Hall Farm, Wolstanton; GEORGE, bap. Audley Jy. 18, 1787, fthr. Wm., g’fr. Rev. Wm. George, London; THOMAS, bp. Audley Apr. 7, 1789, g’fr. of JOHN BEARDMORE (Pidduck & B., Burslem) & EDWD., Barlaston; FRANCIS, bp. Audley Sp. 7, 1790; JOHN, bp. Audley Nov. 2, 1792, g’fr. of JOHN BEARDMORE, Brassfounder, Hallfields Fndy, Hanley, S-on-T. = ELEANOR LUCKCOCK (JOHN d. 1874, ELEANOR d. 1859; → THOMAS, d. unmarr.; JOHN, d. unmarr.; BENJAMIN d. 1890 = H. THOMAS, d. 1892 → dau. H. BEARDMORE, living 1905; son JOHN B. (brassfndr.), lvg. 1905); SOLOMON, bp. Audley Jan. 1, 1795, died unmarr.; SAMUEL, bp. Audley Mar. 26, 1797; DANIEL, bp. Apr. 23, 1799, dd. unmarr.; KITTY, bp. Audley Jan. 29, 1801, died unmarr.; JAMES, bp. Audley Dec. 22, 1804, died unmarr.; ELIZABETH, bp. Audley Oct. 27, 1806, died unmarr.

[Handwritten by George Beardmore, with a line drawn to Thomas:] Richard – This is our line. GCB 20/3/79.

In a list of very rough and incorrect notes supplied by JEREMIAH and JOHN and my uncle GEORGE BEARDMORE, of Hall Croft, Kingsley, they have tried to trace a relationship between all three of them, but without great success. In it they list a ROBERT 1714 as possibly the father of WILLIAM 1759, whereas ROBERT was born 1719. He could be the father of WILLIAM and if only I could find a baptismal entry, I should be happy to accept this. However.. in the KINGSLEY Register there is an entry dated 1759, the crucial date, as under:

1759. WILLIAM, son of THOMAS and ELLEN BEARDMORE, Bapt.

There is also an entry 1766. WILLIAM BEARDMORE, Bur., but I think this was an older WILLIAM with children of his own, as at that date the entries gave the names of all parents whether the child was Bapt. or Buried, so it is possible the above WILLIAM, son of THOMAS and ELLEN, was your ancestor. Shall I type out the other entries appertaining to THOMAS and ELLEN? I really think he was ROBERT’s son, but have no definite proof either way. I think I told you previously that there are no less than fifteen pages of single spaced foolscap entries for BEARDMORES alone in the KINGSLEY registers!