The changing meadow

About a month ago I shared some photographs I'd taken of bodies of water around Loughborough. One of these was the Summerpool Brook, part of which traverses the Big Meadow, down on Meadow Lane, heading towards Stanford-on-Soar. This area is a floodplain, hence why the road floods when the slightest bit of rain falls. The road also has one of the most dangerous corners in the town.

Anyway, this particular meadow is a Lammas Meadow, so an area of common land, with origins in Mediaeval times, when strip farming was in operation, before the enclosure act. After Lammas Day, which falls in August, and after the grass has been mowed, the meadow is given over to grazing animals. 

When I last visited in July, the grass was clearly still growing strongly and upwards. Other times I've visited it's been in the winter months, so often the field has been muddy. I've also visited in September when the grass has begun to grow again.

Well, this week I was absolutely thrilled to be able to visit the meadow just after it had been mowed, and I was even more thrilled to see youngish cows grazing on it! They must have been quite young as they were very inquisitive when I got my camera out.

I think this is quite some history! One of the last few remaining Lammas Meadows in the country, across the seasons. It's owned by the Leicestershire and Rutland Wildlife Trust, and home to many species of plants and butterflies. 

The Summerpool Brook in the middle of the Big Meadow July 2020

Flooded brook on Meadow Lane, February 2020

Flooded brook on Meadow Lane, February 2020

Floods near the Big Meadow, February 2020

Looking across the Big Meadow, September 2019

Information board at Loughborough Meadows, September 2019

The Big Meadow, 19 August 2020

The Big Meadow, 19 August 2020

The Big Meadow, 19 August 2020

The Big Meadow, 19 August 2020

The Big Meadow, 19 August 2020

The Big Meadow, 19 August 2020

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2020). The changing meadow. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2020/08/the-changing-meadow.html  [Accessed 23 August 2020]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne   

Spotlight on the Fearon Fountain

Posted Sunday 30th August 2020

Henry Fearon and the Fearon Fountain

Henry Fearon (1802-1885) was Rector of Loughborough, All Saints, from 1848 until his death in 1885. During his time in Loughborough, Fearon was a keen advocate of the benefits of a clean water supply, especially as Loughborough had not escaped the cholera pandemics of the nineteenth-century. According to the World Health Organisation, cholera is a bacterial infection:

"Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae."

Providing the people of Loughborough with a clean water supply, not contaminated by being in close proximity to cesspits and butcher's and animal waste, was something that Fearon had long campaigned for, and which eventually saw the creation of Nanpantan Reservoir, and the installation of a town drinking fountain.

One of the main legacies of Archdeacon Fearon’s long association with Loughborough is the Fearon Fountain which stands in the Market Place. This was erected in 1870, and was presented to the town by Fearon who funded the fountain himself, and commemorates the installation of the first fresh, clean piped water supply to the town, for which Fearon had advocated so strongly.

The public dedication ceremony, which took place on Wednesday 31 August 1870, was well-attended, both by town dignitaries and other folk, the turnout being almost as good as during elections, and those who weren’t able to be in the Market Place, were apparently hanging out of their windows, looking down on the proceedings. 

Fearon’s rationale for giving the town a drinking fountain was because he strongly believed that a plentiful supply of fresh water was essential to fighting off diseases, and he was quite convinced that folk would be willing to decrease their consumption of alcohol in order to pay an extra twopence on their taxes for the water supply!

The report of the dedication ceremony that appeared in the Leicester Journal[i], describes the fountain as being made of Portland stone, and 10 foot tall. The lower section, with its inset marble drinking basins,  is joined to the upper section with polished granite columns[ii], and atop the stone canopy is a double light glove lantern. An inscription runs around the top of the lower level, and reads:

“Our common mercies loudly call,

For praise to God, who gives them all.”

a phrase that was read out in conclusion of the dedication ceremony, by Edward Chatterton Middleton, the chairman of the Board of Health.

The sculptor responsible for the creation of the fountain was James Forsyth, originally from Kelso in Scotland, but at the time of the commission, based in London and an established stonemason. James was the son of an architect, and the oldest of four children, the youngest of whom, William, was also a sculptor. By the time he came to sculpt the Fearon fountain, James was very experienced at his craft, having been involved in, amongst other things, the renovation of Wells Cathedral.   

James was present at the dedication ceremony, and was introduced to members of the Board of Health, and joined them in giving three cheers for Archdeacon Fearon.

During March 1870, the Board of Health had asked the sculptor to incorporate in the fountain design, a suitable tablet marking the donation of the fountain to the people of Loughborough, which request was duly enacted. More recently, following renovation in 1981 by local sculptor, David Tarver, a brass tablet on the fountain now reads: 

“The Fearon Fountain

Presented to the town by

Archdeacon Fearon

To mark the provision of Loughborough’s

First public water supply in 1870

Renovated as part of the

Market Place enhancement

1981”

Further renovation work took place in 1999, and another plaque installed to celebrate this:

“Archdeacon Fearon’s fountain

Restored by

Charnwood Borough Council

23rd February 1999”

Subsequent renovation took place in 2013, and a dedication service was held on 7th April, 2013, at which the Mayor of Charnwood, Diane Wise, snipped the ribbon, in the presence of many people, including representatives from the town’s Twinning Association, as water flowed through the lion’s head for the first time in many years. The stonework was again cleaned, and revealed on 31st August 2018, on the occasion of the 148th anniversary of the donation of the fountain.

The year 2020 sees the 150th anniversary of the installation of the fountain. There were to have been many celebratory events held across Loughborough, and there were plans to re-introduce a regular water supply to the fountain, however, the coronavirus pandemic has stalled these celebrations. 

The Fearon Fountain in the Market Place, Loughborough, August 2020

The plaque noting the 1981 renovation work

The plaque noting the 1999 renovation work

Snipping the ribbon at the re-dedication ceremony in 2013

Fountain detail

Fountain detail

Fountain detail

Nanpantan Reservoir

Nanpantan Reservoir

Nanpantan Reservoir

Nanpantan Reservoir

Nanpantan Reservoir

---

[i] Leicester Journal 2 September 1870, pg 7

[ii] Ibid. The report in the Leicester Journal suggests the polished granite columns are granite from Cornwall, while the English Heritage listing suggests they are made of Aberdeen granite. Given that the architects were from Scotland, the latter seems likely: given that the architects were working from London, the former seems likely!!

For further accounts of Fearon on this blog, please see:

So who was Henry Fearon?

Death and funeral of Henry Fearon

There's also a pictorial post about Nanpantan Reservoir. 

For a rather more obtuse link to Fearon see this post on Railton, Taylors and Fearon. 

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2020). Spotlight on the Fearon Fountain. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2020/08/spotlight-on-fearon-fountain.html [Accessed 30 August 2020]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne   

Loughborough Agricultural and Horticultural Show

A chance sighting of the name Crimwell Chief has sent me off on a real treasure hunt this week!!

Who would have thought such a name could have resulted in so much time spent on research!

Loughborough Agricultural Association was set up in 1838, and in 1839 its first anniversary show took place on Mr Warner’s land on the London Road – so probably in the grounds of The Elms. There already were other shows happening in places like Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Market Harborough and Waltham-on-the-Wolds, and the hope was that Loughborough’s would equal any similar show in the Midland Counties.

The show did indeed prove to be successful, and ran for nearly 100 years.

The pictures below were taken at the 1948 show:

Vanners at the 1948 Loughborough Show

A bull at the 1948 Loughborough Show

A cow at the 1949 Loughborough Show

Showing in the ring at the 1949 Loughborough Show

Around 1880 the show moved to Mr W.B. Paget’s land, Southfields – today’s Southfields Park – and continued in the same format until 1930, when financial difficulties forced a change of focus. Although many of the shows were held on Southfields Park, there were a number of occasions when the show took place elsewhere. In 1920 the former cricket ground at Allsopps Lane was the venue; in 1929 the show took place on the Corinthians football ground, and the final show of its type, in 1930, took place in the grounds of Burleigh Hall.

Most of the shows were held in mid-September, and most years were on a Wednesday, but the association did play with the date a bit, so there were times when it was held in early August. During the period of the First World War, no show took place.

Following the stretch of financial difficulties, the show was rebadged as an exhibition, and from 1937 it was held in various locations, including at Cedars Farm, Normanton-on-Soar in 1937; in Wymeswold in 1939, and at Ladygate Farm, Diseworth in 1947. There were no shows during the period of the Second World War.

I’m unsure where the 1948 and 1949 shows were held, but it was these shows that popped up when I was researching Crimwell Stuart.

Our area has long been associated with Robert Bakewell, the eighteenth-century agriculturalist who developed an animal breeding programme which improved the quality of sheep (the Leicester Longwools) and cattle (the Longhorns). Bakewell, who lived and farmed at Dishley Grange also improved the process of irrigation. The other improvement that he made was to the heavy horse, which was the forerunner of the Shire horse, a type of draught horse, being tall, strong and hardworking and often used in farm work like ploughing. Shire horses, often known as draught horses, were often used to pull carts, perhaps carrying beer.    

So, like Songster – Loughborough’s war horse - and Sunloch – a Loughborough winner of the Grand National in 1914 – Crimwell Stuart turned out to be a horse! On 31st July 1948, Crimwell Stuart, a bay gelding, took part in the Loughborough Show, where he came first in his class, and was the runner-up of the challenge cup for the best horse in the draught horse section. Crimwell Staurt was owned by Offilers Brewery, of Derby: they also entered another of their horses, Samson, into the show, and it was he who won the challenge cup.

As well as owning Ambrose and Birkwood Surprise, Offilers also owned quite a number of horses whose names began with ‘Crimwell’, including Crimwell Quality; Crimwell Chief, and Crimwell Prince.  Other Crimwell horses included Crimwell Mimic; Crimwell Goldlust, and Crimwell Modern Boy, although I am not sure who owned them.

These horses were all around in the late 1930s-late 1940s, and appear to have been bred by William Brock at his stud farm called Crimwell Pool in Lower Whitley, Cheshire. Legend has it that the farm was actually named after Oliver Cromwell, as it is thought Cromwell watered his horses here in 1645 – which reminds me that Cromwell is reputed to have rested his horses and his men in our parish church during the Civil War, and, of course, it also reminds me of the story of the Bloody Pool in the grounds of Garendon Hall, so named because legend says that during the Civil War, the pool turned red on four consecutive days, which was believed to represent the 4 years of the Civil War.

However, the name of Cromwell Pool, was changed to Crimwell when the farm became registered to breed pedigree Shire horses. In 1841, at 175 acres, the farm was one of the largest farms in Lower Whitley. 143 of those 175 acres were sold to William Brock around 1941, where as well as breeding Shire horses, he also bred British Friesian cattle, and large white, and Saddleback pigs. His Queen Mary line of pigs trace their lineage back to Derby in 1881, and the prefix ‘Crimwell’ was first used for the large white pigs in 1922. Foot and mouth disease in 1967 meant that the farm had to be re-stocked. Descendants of William Brock continue to farm at Crimwell Pool.  

Offilers, of course, was a brewery formed in Derby in 1876. Although taken over by Charrington in 1965, and closed in 1966, there is still evidence of Offilers in Loughborough, in the windows of the Peacock on Factory Street, and in off-licence ghost signs advertising their ‘nut brown ale’, like the one on the corner of William Street and Curzon Street.

As for the Loughborough Agricultural and Horticultural Show, well this was rather like today's Leicestershire County Show, which did for a few years take place on the land next to Dishley Grange, but which now takes place at the showground in Market Harborough, or like the Sutton Bonington Show - some pictures towards the end of this post. Here's hoping these will return next year. 

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2020). Loughborough Agricultural and Horticultural Show. Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2020/08/loughborough-agricultural-and.html     [Accessed 16 August 2020]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne   

So who was Benjamin Ironmonger?

          

Benjamin Ironmonger

Warning: Today's blogpost contains information about Loughborough and connections to a variety of other places.

The recent sighting of a gravestone prompted this blogpost on ironmongers. 

Firstly, Ironmonger as a surname, is an occupational surname from the Middle English word, irinmongere, meaning a dealer in iron. In the 1881 census returns, the surname appeared 541 times, but today this has reduced to around 509 times.

So, let's look at ironmongers with a little 'i' to begin with. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list. [You can find some photographs of some of the ironwork produced by local foundries over on my post about Foundries in Loughborough, and information on Beeby and Henton apears in 'Secret Loughborough'.]

In the Pigot's 1822 directory, the entry for Loughborough lists a few ironmongers:

Gamble	Mary	Market Place	Iron Founder
Dewberry	Daniel	Pinfold  Gate	Iron Founder
Frisby	Joseph	Market Place	Iron Monger
Gamble	Mary	Market Place	Iron Monger
Chapman	John	Mill Street	Iron Monger

  

White's directory for 1846 lists fewer, but some are clearly related to those listed in Pigot's 1822 directory:

Frisby	Samuel	Market Place	Home address noted as  Ashby Road	Iron Monger
Dewbery	Wm. Squire	Market Place	None specified	Iron Monger
Frisby	Joseph Known as Joseph Frisby & Son (i.e. Samuel)	Market Place	None specified	Iron Monger

White's directory of 1863 lists only one ironmonger:

Frisby

Joseph

Market Place

Ironmonger

Also listed as a Seedsman

On the 1881 census returns, people listed as ironmongers or iron founders include:

Albert Marshall, who was living at Rectory Cottage

Thomas Beeby (of Beeby and Henton) who was living on Victoria Street, was listed as an ironmonger and also a coal merchant

William G. Henton (of Beeby and Henton) whose address was given as 40 Market Place (which in 1887 was the business address given by Thomas Beeby). Henton is listed as an ironmonger employing 7 men and three boys.

Thomas Marshall is listed as an ironmonger and is living at the White House on Leicester Road, which was later the home of some of the Clemerson family.

George Moore, son of plumber and glazier David Moore, was an ironmonger on Swan Street

Joseph Johnson was the ironmonger son of Samuel Johnson who was also an ironmonger. They were based on Fishpool Head (later known as Ward’s End) 

Wright's 1887 directory lists quite a lot of ironmongers:

Surname	Forename	Corporate Name	Address	Business
Wootton	William H	None specified	13 Devonshire Square	Iron and Brass Founder
Cook	E[dwin]	E Cook & Co	7 Nottingham Road	Iron and Brass Founder
Coltman	H[uram]	H Coltman & Son	Meadow Lane	Iron and Brass Founder
Jones	J[ohn]	None specified	Meadow Lane	Iron and Brass Founder
Messenger	None specified	Messenger & Co	Midland Foundry, Ashby Road	Iron and Brass Founder
Clemerson	B	B Clemerson & Son	1 Mill Street, Market Place	Ironmonger
Fisher	Charles	None specified	21 Market Place	Ironmonger
Moore	George	None specified	24 Swan Street	Ironmonger
Marshall	Albert	None specified	32 Market Place	Ironmonger
Beeby	Thomas	None specified	40 Market Place	Ironmonger
Partridge	John	None specified	63 Baxter Gate	Ironmonger
Marriott	Chs S	None specified	Dead Lane, Biggin Street	Ironmonger
Hudson	William	None specified	Market Place	Ironmonger

Then on the 1911 census, we find: 

• Henry Evan Morgan (living on Frederick Street) [incidentally, this is one of the worst transcribed records I've ever come across!!!]

The 1939 register includes:

• Henry Evan Morgan who is now living on Westfield Drive
• Frederick W Bray was an ironmonger and seedsman living on Turner Avenue (not to be confused with Frederick W Bray who was a night porter in a hostel living on Granville Street)

Ironmongers included in the 1941 street directory are:

• Edwin Cook, Star Foundry
• H. Adey at 9 & 11 Nottingham Road
• Moore, Herbert and Moore on Swan Street

Those ironmongers who appear in the 1951-2 street directory:

• Edwin Cook, Star Foundry, Barrack Row
• H E Morgan & Son, Baxter Gate
• Clarke & Partridge Derby Rd
• Keightley T & F Market Place
• J Jones Meadow Lane
• Adey 9/11 Nottingham Road
• Moore, Herbert and Moore Shakespeare Street
• A L Hallam, Wards End

Now this is really interesting stuff, and as a piece of research was relatively easy to hunt down. But what prompted it?

The gravestone of Benjamin Ironmonger in Sawley

Well,  the above research was prompted by a gravestone I saw in Sawley Cemetery, when I recently spent two weeks walking around watery areas near to Loughborough. I've seen gravestones in our own parish churchyard that indicate the profession with which the deceased was associated, but in the case of the above gravestone, I wasn't sure if 'ironmonger' was part of the surname, or Benjamin's occupation, so I set about finding out. The inscription reads:

“In loving memory of Thomas Charles Ironmonger, died 13 June 1962 aged 76 years. Also, Lilian, beloved wife of the above, died 8 July 1975, aged 91 years. Reunited. Also, daughter Dorothy Lilian, loving, caring daughter, reunited with her parents, 13 May 1996. Also beloved Frances Catherine Taylor, died in 2002.”

This is what I’ve found so far:

1798 – Thomas Ironmonger occupied a property owned by Thomas Dalby, in Castle Donnington, and paid 6s 2d in land tax.

9 February 1808 – William Ironmonger is born at Castle Donnington to parents Thomas Ironmonger and Hannah [this I think, might tie in with the 1715 marriage of Thomas Ironmonger and Hannah Lester above, although clearly this was a couple of generations before the Thomas and Hannah in question here, and might be a link to the Lesters mentioned in a previous blogpost]

1851 - the Ironmonger family are living at the Navigation Inn on Trent Lock (now the Trent Lock Inn) where William (Thomas’ great grandfather) is publican and butcher. They have 3 children – Thomas, Richard and William.

1861 - the Ironmonger family is living in the Nag’s Head, Castle Street, Sawley, because Thomas’s father, William, (born 1808 in Castle Donnington, and married to Martha who was born 1813 in Sawley, and therefore Great grandfather to Thomas) is the innkeeper

23 March and & 7 August 1866 – William Ironmonger, described as a butcher and publican, died in Sawley.

1871 - Thomas Charles’s father, Charles, and Grandfather, Thomas, and Grandmother Eliza, and uncle Nathan, in 1871 are living in Sawley. Thomas’ Grandfather was a butcher, born c. 1835

1884 – Lillian Clifford was born

15 June 1885 – Charles Ironmonger marries Lizzie Cross Charles is listed as a butcher, and both are living in Sawley

1885 – Thomas Charles Cross Ironmonger was born in Kegworth and baptised in Breatson, Derby

1891 - Thomas is visiting his maternal uncle, Richard Cross (aged 33, born in Diseworth), on Ashby Road, Kegworth, with his mother, Elizabeth (nee Cross, aged 31, born Castle Donnington), and his father Charles Ironmonger, Charles being listed as a butcher.

1900 –William Ironmonger, son of Charles Ironmonger (Thomas Charles’ father too) was born

1901 - Thomas Charles Ironmonger is living with his father, Charles, his uncle, Nathan, and his grandfather, Thomas, a farmer (employing people) in Sawley. Samuel Kilbourne was a visitor

8 July 1909 – Thomas Charles Ironmonger married Lillian Clifford. Both lived in Sawley, and Thomas is a butcher.

1911 – Thomas, Lillian and William are living with Thomas’ father, Charles, and Thomas’ uncle Nathan (Charles’ brother) in Ivy House Farm, on or near Town Street, Sawley. Nathan is a farmer, and Charles and Thomas are farmers and butchers, and the one-year old Thomas Ironmonger, who is listed as the son of the head of the household: on the census entry this appears to be Nathan, as his name is listed first, but the person signing the entry was Charles, and Charles is listed as a widower, whilst Nathan is single.  

10 December 1913 & 1 February 1914 – Dorothy Lillian, daughter to Thomas and Lillian, was born and baptised. Thomas was listed as a butcher living at Cross Street, Sawley  

13 June 1962 – death of Thomas Charles Ironmonger, who lived at Firs Farm Sawley. Probate awarded on 6 September 1962 to wife Lillian, and daughter Dorothy Lillian.

This all then led me to wondering if there were any Loughborough connections, so any person with the surname Ironmonger living here at any time. I did a bit of research, but I was quite surprised at how many people there were using that surname, and I haven't managed to tie much of my research together. But, here is that research, which was based on an entry I found for on Benjamin Ironmonger who was in Loughborough in 1832.

1727 – a Ben Ironmonger, of Derby, marries an Elizabeth Sollers of Market Harborough in Market Harborough, in 1727. Also listed in the same document are George Ironmonger, of Long Whatton who married Hannah Lester, also of Long Whatton, in 1715; Thomas Ironmonger, of Wilson, who married Anne Peate of Breedon in 1675 and William Ironmonger of Hemington who married Hellen King of Long Whatton in 1716.

1790 – Ben Ironmonger (6) of Hoar Cross, Staffordshire, occupied property in the ownership of Hugo Meynell, and paid £10 4s. 2 3/4d in land tax, on 30 April 1790.

27 August 1797 – a Benjamin Ironmonger (3) was born in Church Gresley, to parents John and Mary

1798 – a Benjamin Shorthouse Ironmonger (4) was baptised in Tutbury on 15 October 1798. His father was William, his mother, Mary.

1798 – there is another Benjamin Ironmonger (5), a plumber in Rugeley, Staffordshire, who has taken on an apprentice, William Hawkins.

4 January 1821 – Benjamin Ironmonger (3) married a Sarah Paul in Ansley, Warwickshire 

1822 – BI (1)  listed in Pigot’s Directory as a straw bonnet maker on High Street, Loughborough

1824 - There is another Benjamin Ironmonger (2) who is/was a farmer in Derbyshire – Burton-on-Trent, as reported in the Derby Mercury of 14 April 1824, pg 1, who has signed over his farm to William Hawkins and William Yates

9 June 1826 – William, son of Benjamin Ironmonger (3) and his wife Sarah, is baptised in Ansley

1828 - Sarah, daughter of Benjamin Ironmonger (3) and his wife Sarah, is born in Nuneaton

6 February 1831 – Mary, daughter of Benjamin Ironmonger (3) and his wife Sarah, is baptised in Swadlincote

1832 -  In the Poll Book record for 1832, Benjamin (1) is listed as having a freehold factory on Leicester Road

1833 – Benjamin Ironmonger (1) is listed as a lacemaker in Loughborough, but looks as though all his real and personal estate was passed to William Lowe, John Clarkson Burton, James North and Robert Peck. I am unclear whether he has gone out of business, is selling up the business, or has passed away 

21 September 1834 – Benjamin, son of Benjamin Ironmonger (3) and his wife Sarah, is baptised in Church Gresley

1839 - There was a Benjamin Ironmonger (aged 40), (3) living in Swadlincote, tried at Derby County Assizes in 1839 for larceny, who, having pleaded guilty, received a 1-month prison sentence. His crime was to steal 168lbs of coal belonging to Court Granville, Esq.. This was reported before the trial in the Leicestershire Mercury of 30 November 1839, pg 3, and reported after the trial in the Derbyshire Courier 04 January 1840, pg 2

1841 - I think this is the above chap (BI (3) as in 1839) on the 1841 census for Church Gresley/Swadlincote, listed as a sawyer, wife Sarah

1850 – A Benjamin Ironmonger (7) - maybe BI number 5, or possibly a descendant of his - of Hoar Cross owns 6 freehold houses on Garden Street

1851 Benjamin (3) and wife Sarah are living with son William and a lodger in Eardley Row, Church Gresley. Benjamin is a sawyer, but William’s occupation is unclear

Does this say Blacksmith Journeyman?

1853 – Benjamin (3) and Sarah’s grandson, Thomas, is born in Burton-upon-Trent

1861 – Benjamin Ironmonger (3) and family, which includes grandson Thomas, are living in Eardley Row, Church Gresley

20 October 1863 – Benjamin (3) and Sarah’s son, John, a widower (birth date unknown) marries Elizabeth. He is a sawyer living at Grove Street, Derby

1871 - Benjamin Ironmonger (3), wife Sarah and grandson Thomas, are living in Eardley Row, Church Gresley. Benjamin and Thomas are both sawyers.

10 February 1875 – Benjamin Ironmonger (3) is buried in Church Gresley

1881 – the 1881 census throws up another Benjamin Ironmonger, this one aged 82 at the time of the census, who is an agricultural labourer, who was born in Parwich, Derbyshire

Well, I'm really not sure if I'm any closer to identifying Benjamin Ironmonger!! If you have any ideas, do let me know!

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2020). SO who was Benjamin Ironmonger? Available from: https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2020/08/so-who-was-benjamin-ironmonger.html     [Accessed 9 August 2020]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne