Deaths & Wills Reported in the Capesthorne Office Day Books 1848-1905

By Keith Giles

Estate papers can be an invaluable source of genealogical information. The papers of the Bromley-Davenport familyof Capesthorne Hall in Cheshire are no exception. Amongst the mundane reports of tenants' applications for house repairs and requests for bricks to build manure tanks can be found reports of family disputes, details of family relationships, and descriptions of individuals and the lands they worked. As an example of the information estate papers can contain I have extracted all those entries in the Capesthorne Office Day Books (covering 1848 to 1905) which record dates of death or details of wills. Most of the entries relate to tenants of the family estates around Capesthorne, Marton and Siddington in Cheshire, but the papers as a whole also refer to property in Staffordshire, Warwickshire and elsewhere. The Bromley-Davenport papers are held at the John Rylands Library, Deansgate, Manchester. I am indebted to Mr & Mrs Bromley-Davenport for their permission to reproduce the information detailed below:

AIDLEY Samuel - of Siddington died on 23 Feb[ruar]y 1871 aged 69.

BARBER Elizabeth - £525 left by the late Elizth Barber is invested [August 1864] in the 3 per cent Consols in the names of A H Davenport, the Revd Offley Crewe, and the Revd John Darcy for Marton School.

BARBER Elizabeth - (Siddington) died this day [21 February 1876].

BARBER Jane - [of] Siddington died Dec 11th 1861.

BEBBINGTON George - Platt House, Calveley. Died Wednesday 26 Feb[ruar]y 1873. His son Charles Bebbigton applies [28 February 1873] to be admitted as tenant from Lady Day next. Married & 2 children at home (5 in all). Is a shoemaker. Daughter and son-in-law James Cappel in possession. (Have a son 18 years of age). Have lived at home since their marriage.

BEECH John - of Calveley died in Oct[obe]r last, leaving his Brother William in possession who now applies [11 November 1868] to be accepted as the tenant.

BLACKSHAW Ann - late of Marton died 8 Dec[ember] 1865. Her pension was 5s/- which ceases from this date.

BRADLEY Thomas - [of] Siddington, died this day [8 November 1882].

BROMLEY-DAVENPORT William Snr - died atLichfield this day [15 June 1884].

BUCKLEY Jonathan - [of] Siddington. Died this day [3 December 1851].

DARCY Revd John - died Friday the 29th of July 1864. Property belonging to the living is situated at Brockwood Hill near Newcastle-under-Lyme - nearest Station Radway Green on the NS line of rails. Rent £50 a year. [Joseph Wright (tenant).]

DAVENPORT John - brickmaker, [of] Marton, died this day [9 April 1885}.

DAVIS Ann - died this day [19 April 1875].

DINGLE [William?] -Charles Dingle of Siddington applies [24 July 1871] to succeed his father (who died Spring 1871) as tenant. Extent of farm 23:2:15 [acres, rods, poles], rent ££47-0-0. [To see Mr Davenport].

EDGE Elizabeth & William - died in March last (Heswall). Ann Edge daughter-in-law (widow) with 4 children wishes to become the tenant [8 April 1870].

FAVILL Mr - died Apr[il] 3 1861.

HANCOCK Benjamin - of Heswall died Wednesday April 23rd 1873. Executors Thos Davies, EdwardHancock. Edward Hancock applies [28 April 1873] for this farm.

HEPTINSTALL The Revd Robert Henry - died Sunday Nov 4th 1866.

HICKSON David - [of] Birtles died this day [11 February 1885].

HOLLAND Peter - Mrs Holland, Blakehouse Farm, applies [11 May 1868] to be accepted joint tenant with her son. Her husband (Peter Holland) died on the 4th inst [4 May 1868]. [Agreed to].

HOOLEY Martha - John Hooley, Mark Worthington, Thos Walker - Executors of the late Martha Hooley, Woodford. John Hooley applies [6 October 1879] for the Public House & land late in the occupation of his mother (Mrs Hooley decd). [Let to him].

HULME Samuel - [of] Siddington. Died this day [8 July 1869].

JEPSON [Thomas?] - Edwin Jepson, Capesthorne [reports, 20 June 1858] his father now lies dead in the house. Wishes to have the farm if Mr Davenport will allow him. [Mr Davenport authorises JB[right] in his letter of 26 June to let Edwin Jepson the farm.]

LANCASTER Mrs - David Lancaster, Siddington, applies [2 July 1871] for House & Garden & Blacksmith's shop lately occupied by his mother who died June 12th [1871]. [And on 24 July 1871] Geo Lancaster Dcd: David Lancaster applies to be accepted tenant (eldest son unmarried) Blacksmith's shop, House & Garden & Lane, 2:2:1 [acres, rods, poles], rent £16.

LAWTON Thomas - The Rev J Darcy called [4 October 1858] to say the late Thos Lawton had left by will to his wife the sum of 7/- per week so long as she remained single. Has left his son Peter Lawton the live and dead stock upon the farm, and Mr Darcy recommends him as a proper & suitable person to have the farm. [A H Davenport Esq has agreed to accept Peter Lawton as Servant on trial for 12 months.]MASHITER Revd Bery - died Sunday July 21st 1867.

PIERSON David - Henry Shatwell, Woodford, applies [24 June 1860] for the cottage lately occupied by David Pierson who died on the 16 inst [16 June 1860]. The applicant is son-in-law to the deceased, with whom he has lived 16 years. [Let to this applicant].

PIERSON Elizabeth - Sam[ue]l Lightfoot, Woodford, applies [13 September 1875] for cottage & land late in the occupation of Elizth Pierson (decd). Elizth Pierson died on 11 Sept[embe]r 1875. [Let to Samuel Lightfoot at £15 per annum].

POTTS Peter - of Marton died on the 25th Feb[ruar]y 1871.

ROBINSON Simeon - [of] Marton, died this day [6 April 1884].

SIMS Jane Burrows - of Marton died on 8th inst [8 October 1883]. Her son Joseph Sims to succeed her as tenant from Lady Day 1884.

SIMS Mrs [William?] - of Somerford Booths died this day [7 June 1873]. Mr Richard Potts of Marton and Mr Sims of Mutlow wish Mrs Sims' son who is the only child to succeed her as tenant of the farm. [Let to Wm Sims at £170 per annum].

SLATER Ann - [of] Chorley, Cheshire, died this day [3 June 1874].

SMALLWOOD Elizabeth - (late of Mutlow) died this day [26 May 1880].

SMALLWOOD Thomas - (of Mutlow) died this day [17 February 1876] at Gawsworth.

STONEHEWER Elizabeth - died on 5th inst (Sunday) [5 December 1880].

SWIFT Thomas - [of] Heswall, died this day [19 September 1887].

WALKER [John?] - Richard Slack of Siddington [reports, 13 March 1854] Mrs Slack has been living with her husband and family in the house of William Walker at Siddington. She has been taking care of old Mr Walker (Mrs Walker generally being at the Public House, her sons assisting them). Mrs Slack has looked after old Mr Walker since May last - considered she was to live rent free for her trouble. Old Mr Walker died Feb[ruar]y 10 [1854]. Since then the son Mr Walker at the Public House has ordered Slack to leave the house, at the same time charging him 18/- for 18 weeks rent - and the hol(?) going out at once. Walker has pulled down the fire grate throwing the fire about the floor compel[ling] him to leave the house. Slack applies for advice as to what he should do. Whether to leave the house and if so if Mr Davenport has a cottage he could put them into. Slack has made a charge of 3/- per week for 30 weeks attendance (since Walker has ordered them to quit & made a charge for rent). Walker has let the house for £7 per annum to Samuel Challoner (shoemaker from Withington - who lived under a James Pimlott). Mrs Slack wishes an answer to be sent to Mr James Wright Senr her father to say what she is to do.

WHITTAKER Thomas - died this day [7 April 1879].

WILLIAMS Daniel - Moses Beech, Calveley, Tarporley, applies [17 March 1862] for the House and Land lately occupied by Daniel Williams who died on the 8 instant [8 March 1862]. Daniel Williams has a son - who lives there - he is very unsteady and does not work for any of the Farmers. Beech gives Mr Ravenscroft as reference, having worked for him both before and since he came to Calveley. Beech now lives in a cottage and holds land under A H Davenport Esq. at Calveley but having a large family thinks he could do better on Williams place as it is larger.

WOOD James - J Aidley Siddington names the death of James Wood aged 76 [1 May 1855] This person who held a life lease of lands in Siddington died yesterday [30 April 1855]. The lands are marked on the map X' to X13 and comprise about 13-3-37 of land and 2 cottages. One cottage was occupied by himself and his son with 4 acres of land - the other by his daughter (Widow Bickerton) with 2-2-13 of land and 3 fields containing 7-1-11 were settled to Mr Chapman. The rent paid under the lease was £2 15s per A[nnu]m. The lease was granted in 1782 on the lives of James Hudson aged 79 - James Wood aged 3 years & Robert Barns aged 6 years.

WOOD [Joseph?] - Mrs Wood, Siddington, applies [3 March 1868] to be admitted tenant. Her husband died on the 22 Feb[ruar]y last [22 February 1868] - has a simple son 29 years of age living with her & who is willing to assist her. [Agreed to.]

WORTH Peter - shepherd, died this day [26 July 1876] aged 95 years.

WORTH Sophia - died this day [23 October 1885].

WORTHINGTON James - died this day [15 September 1883].

WORTHINGTON Thomas - [of] New Hall, Woodford, is dead and his son Sam[ue]l applies [20 January 1866] to be accepted as tenant. [Saml Worthington to have this farm.]