George

[George Beardmore, born July 18, 1787 – top line worn]
Married Jan 1 – 1811 in his 24 year of age

Mary Beardmore Born Nov 27 – 1811
Married July 30: 1835 in her 24 year of her age

George Beardmore Born Sept 20 – 1813
Died August 27: 1834 aged 21 years

William Beardmore Born July 9 – 1815
William Beardmore died June 24 – 1848 aged 27 years

Hannah Beardmore die[d] Nov 10 – 1816

Emma Johnson Born Decem 29 – 1803
[Newspaper cutting, dated in ink “September 1860”:] DEATHS. On the 14th inst., at Fegg Hays Villa, Chell, aged 56 years, Emma, the beloved wife of W. Ford, Esq., chief bailiff of Burslem.

Hamlett Johnson Born May 29 – 1805

Catharine Beardmore Born June 5 – 1785

Elizabeth [a word struck out, “Leigh” written above] Leigh Beardmore Born June 3 – 1818
Burslem Staffordshire

William George Beardmore. Born Nov[ember] 25th 1842 [the day and year are worn on the page, and are taken from George Cedric Beardmore’s transcript of 1967]

Burchfield, Four Marks. 4th August 1967

My dear Olive,

I’ve come unstuck somewhere. Would you mind helping out? Put very simply it is that my grandfather was John Beardmore, the ironmonger, of Burslem. He I guess is the man you call a “brassfounder, living in 1905”. (He died in fact in 1909.) Now his father was George: this is indubitably so, and I enclose a letter from my Aunt Agnes, John’s only surviving daughter, giving one or two charming reminiscences about her grandfather George. BUT you say John’s father was Benjamin, the man who married Hope Thomas. In fact, in the rough sketch of the family tree you were good enough to enclose with yours of the 13th July, you say that John (brother of the Barlaston Edward whom I vaguely remember) is the son of George. I wonder if perchance you are under the impression that my grandfather was someone other than the Pidduck & Beardmore JOHN? Because he was. I know this, having spent my childhood Christmases with his widow (born Emily Hancock) at 188, Waterloo Road.

It’s quite on the cards that somewhere I have misread your tables. Just put me right on this one point and I will trace the rest back from your comprehensive tables.

Needless to say I can’t thank you enough and am looking for ways to repay you. Would you for example like a copy of the book I’ve got coming out on Thursday next? Funny you should say that you felt a relationship with me: when I got back in the car I told the missis (this was at the School): “I know it’s absurd, but I feel I’ve known that woman all my life.”

I enclose a note of the handwritten entries made in a 1794 Bible I inherited.

Best wishes

Enclosure: Transcript of handwritten entries in a Bible printed by Mark and Charles Kerr in 1795, now in possession of George Beardmore, Alton, Hants., 1967.

George Beardmore born July 18 1787, married Jan. 1st 1811 in his 24 year of age.
Mary Beardmore Born Nov. 27 1811, married July 30 1835 in hir 24 year of hir age.
George Beardmore Born Sept. 20 1813, died August 27 1834 aged 21 years.
William Beardmore Born July 9 1815 ½ pas 8. William Beardmore died June 24 1848 aged 27 years.
Hannah Beardmore died Nove 10 1816.
Emma Johnson Born Decm. 10 1816 [the Bible itself appears to read December 29, 1803]. (Here is stuck in a newspaper obituary: “Deaths, On the 14th inst., at Fegg Hays Villa, Chell, aged 56 years, Emma, the beloved wife of W. Ford Esq., chief bailiff of Burslem”. Handwritten are the words: “September 1860”.)
Hamlett Johnson born May 29 1805.
Catharine Beardmore Born June 5 1785 [added in pencil: m. Thos Repton of Norton 6/6/1805].
Elizabeth Leigh Beardmore Born June 3 1818, Burslem, Staffordshire.
William George Beardmore. Born Nov 25th. 1842. 37 Isah., 9 II Kings, 32 II Cron.
William G. Beardmore, Northwood, 186?

Within the end pages: George Beardmore died February 17 1839 in his 51 year of his age. Catharine Beardmore died on Sunday September 15th. 1844, her end was peace, aged 58 years. Mary Beardmore, sister to the above George Beardmore, died February 17th. 1860, aged 77.

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

92 Hassam Parade, Newcastle, Staffs. 20th December, 1967.

My dear George,

I am just sending you a few lines to let you know that I have made a little progress regarding your old WILLIAM BEARDMORE, died at Audley. I found at long last an entry in LEIGH Register (of which we now have the original books at the County Record Office) stating that Banns were read for WILLIAM BEARDMORE of the par. of Leigh, and MARY CRITCHLEY of the par. of DRAYCOTT-IN-THE-MOORS, during December, 1780, but no mention of the marriage having taken place. I therefore found out the name of the Rector at Draycott-in-the-Moors, wrote and gave him the exact date Dec. 26, 1780, and asked him please to check if they were married there. I hoped that the entry might give a clue to father’s name. I also asked him to please make any charge necessary. I received the following reply.

“22nd November, 67. Dear Mrs. Dale,

Thank you v. much for yr. letter of yesterday, & I have spent part of this morning in looking up our registers. Your luck is in & I enclose a copy of the entry 107, entered in our Marriage register started 2 Nov. 1754.

The name of your ancestor is clearly CRITCHLEY, like the great majority of people (esp. the women) then she could not sign her name but made her mark & the name of the second witness appears to me to be NEWTON IKIN but the forename is not clear. It may be a family name. We have a Doomsday farm here in Totmonslow called NEWTON.

Strangely enough you live in a Parade called after my father’s cousin (his mother & my grandmother were sisters, BURGESS) and I have his gold pencil & pen (this unserviceable) in my desk at this moment. He died in June 1926 & I came down from University to his funeral at S. George’s, N.C., at my father’s urgent request.

As regards payment, make it what you like & divide it into 2 equal parts, one for me & one for the church of S. Margaret’s, Draycott. Best Wishes, (sd) Charles Healy, Rector.

P.S. The two slips in the copying are mine. Sorry. I will keep the book (a most interesting volume from other points of view) at the Rectory for a week or so, & if you could care to run over you can see it in my study. We are usually in (one of us), but it would be wise to ring first. Many years ago I knew a Miss Beardmore who married Cyril Shingler. They were both in the Repertory players & I remember that she was related to (? niece) Arnold Bennett.

Extract from Marriage Register: “Banns of Marriage between WILLIAM BEARDMORE & MARY CRITCHLEY were published on the 3rd, 10th & 17th of Decr. 1780. No. 107. The said WILLIAM BEARDMORE of the parish of Leigh, Farmer, and MARY CRITCHLEY of this parish, Spinster, were married in this church by banns this twenty-sixth day of December in the year One thousand seven hundred and eighty – by me, J. Bill, Rector. This marriage was solemnised between us, WILLIAM BEARDMORE. The mark X of MARY CRITCHLEY. In the presence of WILLIAM ASTON, NEWTON IKIN. C. W. Healey, 22. Nov. 67.”

In view of the above, I was rather bothered as to what sum to remit to the Rector, but as I had given him the exact date and he had only to consult that book and check the entry, I eventually decided to send him 10s. (Previous parsons have charged say 1s. 6d. per entry if one examines the book oneself.) I have also recently had four entries sent by a friend who paid 3s. 5d. to the Rector there – at that parish I mean. I never heard again from the Rector, even an acknowledgment, so do not know whether he was offended at the smallness of the sum or not. However, this verifies that WILLIAM seemed to be of age on marr. and was evidently living at Leigh at the moment, as their first child Francis was bap. there in July, 1781.

I have studied the pages of the “Staffordshire Advertiser” Births, Marriages and Deaths, and found the following three entries:

1834. Sept. 6. At Burslem, on the 27th ult., George, son of Mr. George Beardmore, builder, aged 21.
1836. Oct. 15. At the Parish Church, Burslem, on Tuesday, Mr. J. Beardmore, blacksmith, to Miss Mary Lea, daughter of Mr. Lea, of the Old Crown, of Burslem. (Presumably “Billy Lear”.) (Entry states “Lea”.)
1839. Feb. 23. On the 17th instant, at Burslem, Mr. George Beardmore, aged 51, late of that place, builder.

If I can get any other information of help, I will write again.

In the meantime, I am busy spending millions with other members of the County Educn. Cttee, and struggling through the horrid fog, working all day and earning nothing.

So cheerio for the moment, – wishing you everything you wish yourself for a Happy Christmas and Prosperous New Year.

Best Love, Olive

92 Hassam Parade, Newcastle, Staffs. 7th August, 1967.

My dear George,

Many thanks for your letter and enclosure from your Aunt Miss Arrowsmith, which I have taken the liberty of copying and now return it herewith.

I should certainly very much like a copy of your new book, with a nice note from the author inside, of course! Thank you very much.

Now, to business. The old John referred to by me as the “Brassfounder” was not your grandfather John of Pidduck & Beardmore, Burslem, who must have been in his turn the son of George Beardmore, born July 18, 1787, the first entry in your family Bible. If you will consult the tabled pedigrees, you will see that the “Brassfounder” John states that he was the son of Benjamin, and grandson of John bp. Audley Nov. 2, 1792; this John was the sixth son of the old William and Mary, whereas George was the third son. I have not seen the baptisms etc. of the later descendants, but John “Brassfounder” must have crossed the two brothers’ descendants, as he gives George born July 18, 1787 as grandfather of the Rev. Wm. George of Highbury, and Thomas as your ancestor. Have you a verification of the ancestor of the Rev. W. G.?

At any rate, John “Brassfounder” was described on his letter-headings as “Iron and Brassfounder,” of Hallfields Foundry. Somehow, I do not think he was married; I will check up with my cousin Olive, dau. of my Uncle George who was engaged with the two of them in 1905. She may remember.

There is just one thing, in John’s list he gives Thomas b. Apr. 7, 1789 as father of George, grandfather of John (P. & B., Burslem and Edward of Barlaston) but your Bible gives George as bap. 1787. On thinking it over, I hardly think your Aunt Agnes Arrowsmith even if elderly would have a grandfather born 1787, and this generation may make the difference of name. However, try to find this out. I must tell you that my dear old friend, Mr. S. A. H. Burne, M.A., Barrister, etc., who used to be the Coroner for North Staffs., is still going strong, and his grandfather was born in 1775! My great-grandfather, Thomas Beardmore, was born 1775. It just depends how many children and what age at marriage, of course.

If this does not explain it, John Brassfounder must have crossed the descendants of the two brothers, Thomas and George. You say that Benjamin Beardmore married Hope Thomas. John only gave her initial as H., I did not know her name was Hope, but oddly enough, Hope is the name of Jeremiah’s niece, Miss Beardmore of Longton.

This morning, Frank my husband had a Planning Meeting at Stafford, so I took the opportunity of looking at the Burslem Register. I found the following indexed under Beardmore – there were also Aaron, Chris. and Charles indexed, but no entries to be found.

1771. Mar. 31. Sarah, dau. John & Hannah Beardmore. Bapt.
1775. Mar. 20. Hannah, wife of John Beardmore. bur.
1780. June 4. Mary, dau. John Beardmore. bur.
1811. Dec. 1. Mary, dau. George & Hannah Beardmore (Furlong). Bapt. (in Bible)
1812. Dec. 20. Sarah, dau. Josiah & Rebecca Beardmore.

If you can tell me when your grandfather John was born in addition to when he died (you say 1909) it might help to sort the generations out. I must admit that I have examined the will of Edward of Barlaston and one or two recent wills, but the maddening part to a researcher is that one or two crucial ones either never made one, or they are lost. By the way, talking about baptisms, as we were at Wolstanton, in the Burslem registers there are incidents of four children of varying ages being baptised at the same time.

I took the opportunity this morning of also examining a “Rentall” of the Earl of Shrewsbury dated 1581, etc., and found several Beardmore entries, including William, will pr. 1598, and Francis Beardmore’s wife (really widow) paying tithes, etc. and rent “for her ferme”. However, I shall have this Microfilm on again at a later date, as I had to use the beastly wornout machine, a young couple using the new big one (which, privately, I “pushed” my husband to agree to the purchase of). The old one is useless and almost crippled my arm to get it to work, so will look later.

Now, one point in your aunt’s letter intrigued me very much. She refers to the Beardmore dwarf’s photographs, and says that “Joan” has the actual painting from which the photograph was taken. Who was Joan, please, and is it possible to obtain any additional copies of this photograph, do you know? If only one, I could get it rephotographed at the Record Office, probably. The odd thing about this is, that, Miss Beardmore (Jeremiah’s niece) lent me a copy of this painting, calling it the “Beardmore Dwarf”. I have unfortunately mislaid it, and am unable to return it to her, although after I had sent her Jeremiah’s pedigree back to 1568, she said not to worry, send it back when it turns up, but if she could see the papers at my house (although we have a garage full waiting for the salvage men to take it for burning) she would wonder when that could be! Now, your aunt says the “2 dwarf’s names” escape her, but on searching my long-suffering memory after reading the list of names from your Bible, I recall that this girl was called ..something Leigh Beardmore, and there is an entry “Elizabeth Leigh Beardmore, born June 3, 1818, Burslem, Staffordshire.” Now, how did Miss Beardmore, Jeremiah’s set, obtain this photograph? She could not recall who had the painting. On looking at the picture, I do so wonder whether in actual fact the child was a dwarf (and ? two) as she looks more like a child in Georgian dress, with the long white frock and wide sash – see “Pinkie” the wellknown painting, and the “Little Mob Cap”, just that style. What do you think? I should so like to get another two photographs, one to send to Miss B. and one for myself.

The last entry, “Mary Beardmore sister to the above George B. died Feb. 17, 1860, aged 77” was the eldest dau. of William & Mary, bap. Mar. 24, 1783, died unmarr., as did his other two daughters. I have all their wills somewhere, but the darned old Wm. did not make one, and if he had, of course, a thousand to one he would never have said who his parents were! Strangely, Frank and I have visited Audley C/yd. several times, have found the grave of Mary and dau., but not that of William. Samuel is also there.

The Burslem registers have only been printed up to 1812, so I could not check the other children’s entries, but no doubt they were the children of George, born 1787 and his wife Hannah, d. 1816. There is a Hamlett Johnson referred to; there is a Hamlet Beardmore somewhere, but I have not got the will handy where he is mentioned. If you can find out anything further about the “dwarf” and the Leigh connexion, I will look up again.

By the way, in 1955 you sent me a note of rate books you had examined with Beardmore, Birks, etc., Earthenware Manufacturers, also including “Jerry” or “Jeremiah” Beardmore. On consulting the pedigree lists, you will see that the Robert who we think was the father of the old Wm. had a son named Jeremiah, and these are the Jeremiahs potters, etc., of Lane End, etc.

Shall be glad to hear from you again soon. Have had a letter this morning from my distant relative in Australia, whose pedigree (some of it mine, also) I have helped to trace right back to 1529. We are intrigued by the murder of one William Mountford, a famous actor, connived at by Lord Mohun, who engaged him in conversation whilst Capt. Hill stabbed him. This was occasioned by unfounded jealousy of Mountford’s friendship with the famous Mrs. Bracegirdle, with whom he acted: Hill tried to abduct Mrs. B., but fled the country after killing Mountford. There is an account of the State Trial of Lord Mohun for the murder, but he got off as he did not strike the actual blow; Mohun was afterwards killed in a duel with the Duke of Hamilton. Mountford was born in Staffs. 1664, son of Captain Mountford, and was a protégé of Judge Jeffries! Best wishes, Olive