George
George Beardmore was born in 1815 in Butt Lane, Talke. He married Elizabeth Bowyer (born in 1811 in Northwich) on December 25th 1839.
Elizabeth and George’s eldest son John was born on February 13th 1845 followed by Edward in 1848. It appears from the census records that the family lived with Elizabeth’s uncle, Thomas Stevenson until at least 1851. By 1861 they had moved to 143 Waterloo Road, Burslem, next door to ‘The King’s Arms’.
George’s trade card read: ‘George Beardmore – Iron and Brass Founder, Manufacturer of High-pressure and condensing steam engines, Forge and heavy castings, weighing machines, Cranes, Rails, Columns, Girders, Palisading, various patterns – Waterloo Foundry, Burslem’. Evidently the foundry was behind the family home in Waterloo Road.
We think that Elizabeth died in her sixties because George married again on June 17th 1878 at Odd Rode. His second wife was Caroline Newall who was born in Sussex in 1821. They had no children and Caroline died at Congleton on October 17th 1891. It appears that she left £1187 15s 8d to George’s son Edward.
George died at Odd Rode on September 19th 1895. He was buried at St. Paul’s Church in Burslem on September 21st 1895. George’s estate, £1719 9s 4d, was divided between sons John and Edward, and Frederick Tennant, a wine merchant.
A portrait of George Beardmore hangs at Queenswood, Swynnerton in the home of Mary Jones (née Arrowsmith), his great-grand-daughter.
Agnes Ethel Arrowsmith to George Cedric Beardmore
Agnes Ethel Arrowsmith (née Beardmore, 1884–1970), Frank’s youngest sister, wrote this letter in old age to her nephew George Cedric Beardmore, from The Brackens, Whitmore, near Newcastle-under-Lyme. It is undated. She remembers her grandfather George Beardmore, the iron founder, her father John, “the Iron Duke”, and her mother’s father, Grandfather Hancock. The photograph she enclosed, of a painting “with the doll”, came from the Rev. W. G. Beardmore of Highbury; it may be the painting the family knows as the “Beardmore Dwarf”. The Joan who had the painting was probably May’s daughter, Joan Marsden. Her abbreviations are kept; a few are filled out in square brackets.
Transcription
The Brackens
Whitmore
Nr Newcastle
Staffs
Dear Cedric.
I only know what I remember myself, not what I was told, if you understand me, I may have been told things by May in later years, (I think I was) but I have quite forgotten, for instance the 2 dwarfs’ names, but Joan may know about them as she has the painting of the enclosed photo (of painting) with the doll. I have only sent these photos to shew you, as these were from the Rev: W. G. Beardmore Highbury (cousin of John my father).
My grandfather George B. was an iron founder, and lived in the white house in Waterloo Road, & the foundry was behind, the house is not white now but McIntyre’s offices, next to their works, there may have been a blacksmith’s forge there as well but I never heard of it, he retired and went to live at Odd Rode. It was quite a large house with a lot of land, and was just the same when I passed not long ago.
[Here she draws a sketch map: the house, with the wood & stream and a field beside it, along the “main rd to Manchester”; “G.B.’s field” and the “Aqua D.” (aqueduct) beyond, and the way “to village”.]
I used to love the wood & stream stroll thro: singing Daisy Daisy etc: I was 11 yrs old when he died, & he is buried in St. Paul’s Church Yard, Dale Hall, Burslem. He made me pluck, empty & cook a fowl, before I was allowed to eat, since when I have never minded doing a fowl. I also did the supper of toasted cheese & apple sauce. All drinking water was carried from the field by the Aqua D[uct].
I do not suppose you want all this, but I am old, & like talking about old times.
He was a real old English gentleman, married twice no family by 2nd wife, I just remember her, there is a window in Odd R[ode] Church to his wife Carolin[e] (I don’t know which).
My father was a real character very generous, was always had by lame dogs, & lost a lot of money, very quick tempered but soon over. His nickname by his friends the Wood brothers etc & Enoch B[ennett]. was the Iron Duke. He lived in Waterloo Rd, house called Apsley, next door to Wellington House (Savages), & they said when he walked home he looked as if he had conquered B[urslem]. & was going for Hanley.
The Beardmores came from Northwood.
G’father Hancock was a potter at McIntyres, retired & lived at Alsager, he was born at Oak Hill, S[toke]-on-T[rent] there were 4 brothers all very tall & handsome. Grandfather H. walked from Stoke to Stafford & back before work, to see the last man to be publicly hanged! He & wife are buried at Barthomley Cheshire.
I am afraid that I am not a fount of real information, I will gladly answer questions if I can. Mrs W. G. Be— Highbury knew the B. family tree from A to Z, but I am afraid she is no use.
I was the youngest of 9 5 boys first then 4 girls 2 boys died of whooping cough, 1 still born girl, & my twin who lived 3 months, we were both christened at birth, but I am still fighting!
My G’father Beardmore was sworn in as a Special C[onstable]. when the Chartist riots were on, there was a “do” at the top of Swan Bank. Sorry about this ink, I do not know how it got on my hand & then on paper.
If I think of anything else I will write it down. Love to all.
A. E. A.
Olive Dale to George Beardmore, 12 September 1967
Olive had been to Hanley Reference Library to search the 1851 census for George. The long sheet has been joined from two scans.
Transcription
Please excuse dirty paper. I have bags of it, but too busy to sort it out. I have to study my agenda for an Educ. Metg. at Stafford to-morrow and take Ev. Sch. to-night.
92 Hassam Parade, Newcastle, Staffs., England. 12th September, 1967.
My dear George, [added:] I loved the Staffordshire Assassins, but talk about horrific!!
Oh, dear! I have been trying to get some letters off to my various relatives in Australia, etc., but think you will be well aware that I do live in England!
Thank you for your letter of 28th August, enclosing list of “Brothers and Sisters” which I appear to have seen before, as I note a pencil note in my writing giving “Solomon” who was omitted from the list; probably he was the one killed by a truck at the age of 14. “Catherine” is also omitted. I think the old John (Brassfounder) must have made an error when he said William and Mary had 10 sons and 3 daus. They evidently had 4 daus., but I will try to see the Audley register sometime. Frank (my husband) says he will be seeing the Vicar at a Library meeting soon, and will then ask him again about the registers. He [handwritten: the Vicar] has already told him that I can go when I choose, so long as he knows in advance to get the regs. out.
I have to say that nothing has appeared in the “Sentinel” about me, nor the Beardmores. The Robert you mention was a collateral of Jeremiah’s set and I think yours, and was Curate at Kingsley in 1680, then went to be Rector at Nassington, Peterborough, where he was bur. in 1730, so not “pre” Thomas, will dated 1568, pr. 1573.
Now, I arranged with Mr. Beard at the Hanley Ref. Lib. to put out the 1851 Census for me on the Reader machine and went up a fortnight ago. It took me all morning to run through the Burslem reel alone, and I did not have much luck, as you will see from the attached entries. The nuisance is that Hanley only have part of the Potteries area, whilst Stafford have the majority of the county, excluding the Potteries, so Audley part is at Stafford, and Burslem part at Hanley.
Isn’t it a game? There are two Thomas Beardmores with sons John and Edward, but I found the second entry interesting. I have not typed out the other few entries for Beardmores, one “Head” born at Newcastle, another “Liverpool”, both in the pottery industry, and an Eliz. Widow, son George aged 5, she born Uttoxeter, George b. Burslem.
Your entries are clear, according to your family letters, etc.
Liverpool Road: Thomas Beardmore, Head, Marr., 38, Ironfounder, born Alsager, Ches.; Mary, Wife, 34, born Burslem, Staffs.; Margaret, Dau., Unm., 13, Scholar; Thomas, Son, 12; Phillip, 10; Robert, ?13 or 3.
Garden Street: Thomas Stevenson, Head, Wdr., 82, Retd. Smith, born Northwich, Ches.; George Beardmore, Neph.-in-Law, M., 37, Blacksmith emp. 4 men, born Lawton, Ches.; Elizabeth, Niece, M., 40, born Northwich; John, Grandnephew, 6, Scholar, born Burslem; Edward, Grandnephew, 2, born Burslem; Elizabeth Bowyer, Visitor, 14, born Northwich.
It appears that George B. born at Lawton [handwritten: your great-grandfather] m. a girl from Northwich and lived with her old uncle, although George was employing 4 men. The Eliz. Bowyer might have been a sister of his wife, or cousin.
Pleasant Street: Thomas Owen, Head, 45, emp. 2 men, born Whitchurch, Salop; several in family. Hamlet Beardmore, Lodger, 20, Carpenter, born Burslem, Staffs.
The Thomas 38, and George 37, must have been the two brothers who did not “speak” for years. Write when you get time, as will I. Up to neck level at the moment. Best love, Olive
What the letter tells us
Olive’s search of the 1851 census found George Cedric’s great-grandfather George Beardmore (1815–1895), blacksmith employing four men, living in Garden Street, Burslem, with his wife Elizabeth, their sons John and Edward, and her uncle Thomas Stevenson – the household described on John’s page. In Liverpool Road she found his brother Thomas, ironfounder, with his family – “the two brothers who did not ‘speak’ for years” – and in Pleasant Street their cousin Hamlet Beardmore, a 20-year-old carpenter, lodging. She also confirms that William and Mary had four daughters, not three, and that Solomon was probably the son killed at about fourteen.