Brown family of Thornton in Craven

[Wendyf]

I've started a new topic with reference to CaroleT's topic on the Watson family at Gill Hall.
http://oneguyfrombarlick.co.uk/viewtopi ... 59&t=14076

Think I may have found the deciding clue to which Robert Brown fathered Ellen's child.

Looking for a Brown connection with Nutter Cote I found a baptism in the Thornton registers on 16/8/1826 for a Margaret Jane Browne daughter of Christopher Browne & Mary of Nutter Cote. Christopher is the younger brother of Robert Brown baptised at Thornton on 30/1/1791.
Robert & Christopher are the sons of Robert Brown (senior) & Sarah (nee Baxter) weaver of Thornton. There are nine other children born to Robert sen. & Sarah between 1780 and 1805 who were all baptised at Thornton.
Christopher who is married to Mary (from Dunbar in Scotland) goes on to be the Parish Clerk at Thornton Church.

[CaroleT]

This is very exciting (for me anyway), Wendy. I knew about the Brown(e) family in Thornton in Craven but I didn't know Christopher was at Nuttercotes. This does seem likely that Robert (of Nuttercotes) was the Robert in this family born in 1790 and bapt. 1791. It seems Robert might be the "black sheep" if Christopher went on to be Parish Clerk. Of course, Ellen must either be gullible or the blackest sheep. None of her male partners being prepared to marry! It doesn't look like Robert & Isabella had any children of their own. Thomas , although illegitimate may have been his only child - if he was the actual father of course.
I assume parish clerks need to be literate so Christopher at least will have had some education. I have a cousin who is a direct male descendent of Thomas - if I can ever trace a direct male descendent of the other Brown males, in theory we could check the Y-DNA. Strangely, my mother's forebears came from Thornton as well - Berry/Cook/Lund. I think you have helped me before with Stone Trough & Harden.
Thanks for all your help again.
Regards
Carole

[Stanley]

I've started the Brown index and realise now why I've never done it before, it's enormous! Will carry on today.....

[CaroleT]

I am just running through the facts:-

Thomas Watson baptised at Ghyll Church 28/03/1830 son of Robert Browne of Nuttercotes and Ellen Watson of Gill House, illegitimate.
Thomas states born at Gill House on several census returns.
I cannot find any Robert Browne's in the Ghyll registers except one buried in 1825 (of Barnoldswick) which would rule him out.
Christopher Browne is at Nuttercotes in 1826.
There is a family of Browne's in Thornton who have sons Christopher(1802) and Robert (1790). It would seem likely then that Robert & Christopher are brothers as we have placed one at Nuttercotes in 1826 and the other there in 1830.
Robert Browne would be about 38 and Ellen about 32 when Thomas was conceived.
Robert married Isabella Haythornthwaite in 1834 when he was about 44 - quite late in life.
Ellen was still at Gill House in 1837 at least she had a daughter born there, father unknown. This might be a mistake as the daughter was baptised at St.Paul's Little Marsden, unless she still had family at Gill House and had returned to give birth there.

So, is it fairly safe to conclude that Thomas is the grandson of Robert Browne & Sarah (Baxter) of Thornton by their son Robert?

[Wendyf]

Looks like a good assumption Carole.
Burials at Thornton in Craven:

2/11/1701 Agnes, widow of Christopher Browne (Cler.)
27/4/1824 Robert Brown, parish clerk aged 72

Looks like the job of parish clerk may have run in the family! Nutter Cote is next door to the church.

13/8/1850 burial of Sarah Brown aged 88.Living in Almshouses.
4/2/1860 burial of Robert Brown aged 69
15/7/1891 burial of Christopher Brown aged 89

When Robert married Isabella Hainsworth (not Haythornthwaite) in 1834 one of the witnesses was an Edward Mitchell and our only reference to Nutter Cote in the history society archive database is a grant of administration for the estate of Henry Mitchell of Nutter Cote who died in 1802.

[CaroleT]

Yes sorry, Hainsworth not Haythornthwaite.
Thanks for the other facts, Wendy. Looks like I can get my line quite a bit further back now. Do you know if there are any records for the Almshouses in Thornton?

[Wendyf]

I'm not sure at the moment Carole, a search of the database throws up a file with papers relating to the almshouses. I'll check it out next week. They are still operating as almshouses, there is a contact address for the charity here.
Have you downloaded the Thornton in Craven records from the EDLHS website?

[CaroleT]

Yes, I have the Earby Hist. Soc. Thornton records - got them when I was researching my Berry family (mother's side). Never thought they would come in useful for my father's side. But I get a bit confused as the Brown/ Browne spelling seems to be interchangeable. It seem to fit that Robert Browne senior's parents are William Browne & Mary Robinson. Can't see who William's parents might be.
Anyway, I'm pleased that with your help, I seem to be getting somewhere.
Thanks again
Carole

[Wendyf]

I've been having a quick look through my copy of Derek Clabburn's book on Henry Richardson, the Thornton Rector from 1710 to 1778, to see if there is any mention of the parish clerks. The only thing I found was a copy of a page from his account book from 1748 which shows a payment on January 2nd 1748 "to William Browne for the 3rd Qtrs Land Tax - £1 8s 11d (11 and a half pence). Ditto Window money 3s 8d".

[CaroleT]

Does this mean William Browne was the Parish Clerk as well? The one I think is Robert Browne Snr's father was married in 1850 but I don't know his age. He is shown as a labourer or husbandman in the church registers. Did a parish clerk collect Land Tax? I'm afraid my local history knowledge is thin. I suppose I ought to find out more as it does seem the Browne's "kept it in the family".

[Wendyf]

I've no idea either!
I found this link to an article about parish administration, which is quite helpful.
Also discovered from A.H.Clegg's "Thornton in Craven - Bygone Days in an Ancient Parish" that a John Brown was one of three churchwardens in 1742.

[bonniebythesea]

I am hoping that Martha Brown, who married George Turner on 2 Mar 1802 fits into this family somewhere. They had a son Christopher, b. c.1816/18.

She was a widow at Birch Hall in 1841. Christopher married Martha Harrison.

Any help is appreciated!

[Wendyf]

Hi Bonnie, welcome to the site. I can't find a baptism for Martha Brown in our transcripts of the Thornton in Craven parish registers, in fact I couldn't find her marriage either until I searched under George Turner and found him marrying "Martha" but no surname is given, which probably means the name was illegible. Looking at Ancestry I see that the information has come from the IGI records.
Do you know anything else about Martha?
There are no children of Martha & George baptised at Thornton in Craven, but I found George's burial 17/1/1825 aged 46.No burial for a Martha Turner though.
Sorry I can't help anymore. I did turn up a Martha Brown baptised in Colne in 1779.

[Stanley]

Welcome to the site Bonnie. You are in good hands!

[bonniebythesea]

Thanks, Stanley, for the welcome. I was very happy to find this site.

Thanks, Wendy, for looking into this. I have also seen Martha noted as a Grayson, but can find no substantiation for that other than a George Turner and Martha Grayson married in Rotherham in 1803, which seems like quite a stretch.

The earliest record of Martha that I can find is from her daughter Elizabeth's baptism(?) at Barnoldswick Bridge Chapel, 23 Aug 1813... "Elisabeth, the daughter of George Turner by his wife, Martha, at the Birch Hall, in the parish of Thornton in the County of York, was born August 23rd 1813." In son William's record, 22 Feb 1809, George (cotton weaver) and wife, Martha, are of Earby. The Barnoldswick Bridge Chapel records show sons Thomas (1802) and Richard (1804) as well. I have not found birth or baptism records for their younger children born after 1813. I am curious to know if infant baptism was a common practice among the Earby Baptists at the time.

The Marlfield Papers talk of William and Elizabeth Turner living at Birch Hall in 1777. Possible parents of George? George is deceased before the 1841, 1851, and 1861 census records showing Martha Turner and various children and families living at Birch Hall. Census information puts her birth 1782/3 in Thornton.

Again, thanks for the help.

[Stanley]

The Baptist Chapel in Walmsgate, 1979. Also known as Bridge Chapel.

[Wendyf]

This is George's burial from the EDLHS transcripts of the Thornton records.
1825/01/17 b Turner George 46 Birch Hall

and the marriage of George & Martha, the witness is William Turner.

1802/03/02 m Turner Geo & Marth... (B) wit Wm Turner

[CaroleT]

Hi everybody
I have been trying to fill in this Brown family and bring it back to the present. If I can find living male descendants I might be able to persuade some and my male cousins to do a Y-DNA test to confirm that Robert Brown sired my great grandfather, Thomas Watson.

I have found a lot of children of Robert's brother, Christopher Brown (1802-1891) and Mary Jones his wife and they had 4 sons.
One, Christopher, drowned in the canal aged 5, Frederick died aged 9, Isaac married Dorothy but I can find no children yet, so that leaves Robert (B: 1837).
Robert had at least 8 children with his wife Sarah. Six were boys. Charles(1862-1951) had one son, William in 1889 & 3 daughters. Robert's other sons, Robert, Isaac, Joseph Edward & Arthur - at present I can't find if they had children. Lastly, Jones Metcalfe Brown (B: 1870) had at least one son, Arthur Jones Brown. At the moment, I haven't found any marriages or children for William and Arthur.

Robert (1837) Brown's occupation was bobbin turner and one of his children was born at Booth Bridge, so I assume he worked in the bobbin mill. I believe there is info about the bobbin mill elsewhere on this website.

Oh and Robert & Christopher Brown's brother, John had a son, Francis, but I haven't investigated him yet.

Regards
Carole

[Stanley]

Here's my research note on the mill....

Booth Bridge farm and mill, Thornton in Craven.

Hi Stanley
I Received this private message, not being a born & bred Barlicker I haven't a clue where Booth Bridge is, Can you Help?
Doc
----- Forwarded Message -----
my wife has been researching her family tree and had a relative listed as living at Booth Bridge. it was back in the 1700s and she was married at 15 to a farmer of booth bridge. is booth Bridge the farm or the name of an area. Its the first time we've seen it mentioned anywhere apart from the records of marriage and births.

I got this mail from Doc this morning, the easiest way to reply is to trawl the index entries. There certainly is a Booth Bridge and it’s at Thornton in Craven. The OS reference is SD 913478.

INDEX ENTRIES FOR BOOTH BRIDGE AS OF 03 November 2004.

Undated entry.
[c.1960?] ‘Half a century ago there was a thriving industry at Booth Bridge where the brothers Henry and Vandeleur Wilkinson had a bobbin mill. [A mill making wooden bobbins for the textile industry] The firm also made barrows and agricultural implements. The motive power was a waterwheel. Since the removal of the business to Heysham the buildings have fallen into decay. [many bobbin and shuttle makers removed to the west coast early in the 20th century to take advantage of cheap hardwood imported via Heysham, Liverpool and Preston. Bobbins benefited particularly from the better materials as with increasing spindle speeds thay had to be made far more accurately.]

1822 Baines directory
Notes John Wilkinsons as wood turner of Booth Bridge Thornton. In the same directory there is a mention of Richard Green of Earby, cotton spinner and it’s possible this was a small, short-lived enterprise at Booth Bbridge.

1841 census
Booth Bridge, Thornton in Craven. Henry Wilkinson, 45, timber merchant. Wife Margaret, 40. Elijah, 20. John, 20. Mary, 20. George 15. Sagar, 15. Henry, 15. Vandeleur, 7 years.

1853.
Booth Bridge Mill marked as ‘sawing’ on the 1st edition OS map.

1865.
The mill was conveyed to J W Wasney Esq. Of Fence End Thornton from the Lister-Kaye estate. [Sir John Lister-Kaye of Denby Grange, Yorks.] [Badgery Papers 1056/117] The conveyance was dated 4th November 1865 and the tenant was Henry Wilkinson who owned the mill fixtures except for the water wheel. The sale was on the 9th October 1865. John Wilkinson Wasney bought the mill, wheel, goit, house, warehouses, two cottages and shops, orchard gardens and yards. Also Barn, mistal, stable sheds and yards. Field names bought were Rampshire Mire, Windhill Field, Mill Holme. Price was £3,450 plus timber valuation of £50. He paid £84-10-0 deposit.

1866.
J W Wasney granted his interest in Booth Bridge to John Hill Smith of Middle Temple to hold in trust for his cousin John Wilkinson of 1 Cambridge Place, Regent’s park, London.

1868.
J W Wasney conveys his interest in trust to a lawyer to hold in trust for him and his family.

1875.
J W Wasney mortgages the Booth Bridge property for £2,000. Various mortgages until 16th March 1884 when J W Wasney dies and is buried at Barnoldswick.

1890
3rd of May 1890. Will of Henry Wilkinson, wood turner of Thornton in Craven [died 13 October 1890] mentions his son(?) Henry Wilkinson Pickles of Thornton in Craven, wood turner and Joseph Holgate of Thornton wood turner. This will also mentions a partnership between Henry Wilkinson and Vandeleur Wilkinson trading as Henry and Vandeleur Wilkinson. [Barrett Directory for 1896 notes Henry W Pickles as fried fish dealer in Earby.]

1892.
Elizabeth V Wilkinson of 1 Cambridge Place, Regent’s Park comes into possession of the property.

29th July 1914.
Sale of property by auction.

May 1918. Thomas William Eglin of Habergham Hall Farm seems to have bought the property for £25?. In the same year, Eglin sells the property to Amos Nelson for £3150.

1892.
Calf Hall Shed Co. minute books report on 21/09/1892 that the pumping engine at Wellhouse Mill to be offered to Mr Vandeleur Wilkinson of Booth Bridge along with the engine bed as it now stands for the sum of £45.

1922.
2nd of August 1922. Amos Nelson sells Booth Bridge to Earby UDC for £3580.

1926.
See LTP transcript 78/AH/12 for illegal felling of trees at Booth Bridge for fuel during the General Strike.

1930
Craven Herald 24/10/1930. Earby Council discuss the matter of the sale of Booth Bridge Farm. The Earby Council purchased the farm in 1922 ‘for certain purposes’. And it was no longer needed. [sewage works?] It was finally decided that it would be foolish to buy the farm at the top of the market, spend money on it and then sell it when the market was depressed. It was decided to retain the property.

1932.
Report in Craven Herald, 12/08/1932. The death is reported of Joseph Holgate (78) of Wentcliffe, Stoneybank, Earbby. For generations his family made bobbins at the two storey water mill at Booth Bridge Farm. He learned his trade from his father, Samuel Holgate. The business ceased about 1912 when it moved to Heysham and several members of the family carried on. The wood for the bobbins was felled by the family and carted from North Ribblesdale using six horse cart teams. When the firm stopped turning at Booth Bridge Joseph Holgate stayed in the district farming. He had Highgate and Batty House farms before helping his daughters in a confectionery business in Water Street Earby which they had established.

1939
Lewis Wilkinson takes over Booth Bridge as tenant.

1978.
See LTP transcript 78/AA/01. Side 2. Page 2. Jim Pollard talks about going to Wilkinson’s Farm at Booth Bridge to collect skimmed milk for baking milk cakes at the family bakery in Red Lion Street.

1982.
LTP. 82/HD/05. Page 19. Harold Duxbury talks about Booth Bridge as a bobbin mill. He says the Wilkinsons moved their business to Heysham in the 1920s. [1912 according to CH report] There were three sons, he can’t remember the eldest but the next two were Cecil and Bevis. Cecil died in 1981 and in 1982 Bevis was still alive. He doesn’t think that these Wilkinsons are related to the Wilkinsons that are there now. [still there in 2002]

24th April 2003.
I spoke to Lillian Bancroft at Thornton. Her husband was Harold bancroft who died in 2001. She said there were Bancrofts at Boothe Bridge in the 1920s. Since then, Boothe House has been incorporated in Booth Bridge Farm. The Miss Bancroft that Fred Inman talks about in his transcribed tapes [see LTP] who gave him and his brother mince pies was Martha Bancroft who never married. The father and most of the family lived at Brown House in Thornton. In the 1960s I used to pick up Lillian dn Harold’s milk when they farmed at Pasture Head and Harold’s brother farmed Skelda, bbith at West Marton.


NOTES AND ENTRIES FROM MY WATERMILL FILE.

BOOTH BRIDGE MILL, THORNTON IN CRAVEN


FORMERLY CALLED THORNTON MILL.

see Yorkshire Cotton, J Ingle.
1798. John Broughton of Thornton in Craven insured 'cotton' mill for:
cotton mill £50
machinery £150
stock £50
over 20 people were employed in 1820. The mill burned down in 1813, was
rebuilt in 1814 with a new thirty feet diameter water wheel. Ingle says that by
1822 Richard Green was tenant and still spinning cotton. However, Baines
1822 gives John Wilkinson, Wood turner, as tenant. Richard Green is
mentioned in the same directory as 'cotton spinner of Earby'.

EARBY MILL. To be let, for a Term of Years, and entered upon Immediately. All that Cotton Mill, lately burnt down, at Earby, in the Parish of Thornton, Craven, with a good new water wheel, thirty feet in diameter, and a fall of never failing water, upwards of thirty four feet, with a good new-built dwelling house, nearly adjoining, and near to the populous town of Earby, where hands may be had in plenty, and at a cheap rate. The above is situate about a mile from the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, which opens a ready conveyance for goods through Yorkshire and Lancashire. The occupier may be accommodated with a reasonable quantity of land adjoining. The above is well adapted for either a cotton, worsted or woollen manufactory. For particulars apply to Mr John Broughton, Thornton, who will shew the premises, and to Mr Addinell, Tadcaster. [From "The Leeds Mercury", Saturday June 11th 1814.]

In 1851 census Robert Wilkinson is mentioned as 'Wood turner of Booth
Bridge. See interview with Mr Wilkinson 21/5/84. Be careful here, there are two different sets of Wilkinsons, the owner and the later family who were tenants, no relation. New bobbin mill built by the original Wilkinsons who later moved to Heysham. Mill put up for sale in 1865 by John Lister Kaye Bart. See accompanying copy of Doreen Crowther research on the mill.

BOOTH BRIDGE MILL. DOREEN CROWTHER RESEARCH

24th Nov 1865 Conveyance from Sir John Lister, Lister Kaye of Denby Grange Co. York Part (1) Dame Matilda L.K. his wife (02) Isaac Fryer of Ken-son, parish of Great Lawford, Esquire (3) to John Wilkinson Wasney of Thornton in Craven Co. York Esq. (4)

Whereas said Sir John L.L.K. became entitled on death of his eldest son L L Kaye Esq. 2nd April 1865 to an inheritance of and in (inter alia) the messuages,
houses, cottages, mills, Goit, water Wheel, barn, stables, outbuildings, farms, lands and hereditaments to be conveyed and subject to an annuity to his wife granted by indentures of 20th and 21st October 1824 and also to a mortgage for securing the transfer into the names of the Earl of Stamford and Warrington,
Sir Edward Smith Dodsworth and Chas. Are both not of the sum of £25, 824 4th and 5th March 1840 which man transferred on 3rd Feb 1884 to Godfrey Wentworth, Geo. L.L.K., Sir Geo. Armitage and John George Smith and by them transferred to and now vested in Isaac Fryer by Indenture of 23rd Feb
1858 and J. W. W. has agreed with Sir John Lister Lister Kaye for absolute
purchase for £3472, and all surrendered.


ALL that farm called Booth Bridge Farm and the Booth Bridge Mill formerly called Thornton Mill with the water wheel and goit and messenger house, warehouse. cottages. shops, orchards. gardens, barns etc. etc. and ALL those closes called Rampshire, Mire Rampshire, Windhill field, White Crofts (3) and Mill Holme and 46acres 2rods 27perch timber, trees etc. etc. Water mill, Goit etc.


27th Oct 1866 Conveyance. J. W Wasney of T. in C. Esq. (1) to John Wilkinson of no 1 Cambridge Place, Regents Park Esq. (2) and John Hill Smith of the Middle Temple Esq. (3) for love and affection of (1) to (2) his cousin (1) grants to (3) ALL as above to hold to the use of (2).

29th Jan 1865 Marriage Settlement 29th Jan. 1868 between (2) above (1) and Eliz. Vaughan Holberton of Teddington Spinster (2) and Edward Thos. Holberton of Norbiton, Surrey Gent. and John Hill Smith Barrister at Law (3) In consideration of marriage between (1) and (2) J0. conveys above to (3) in trust for themselves and children.

3rd Nov. 1875 Conv. from J0hn Wilkinson Wasney of T. in C. Esq. (1) to Rev. Lawrence Burke Morris of Burdsall Yorks Clerk (2) in cons. of £2,000.

1st Sept 1883. Conv. John Wilkinson of 1 Cambridge Place, Regent’s Park Esq, (1) Thos. Kemmis Bros. of 24 Wormwood St Solicitor (2) £500 mortgage.

20th Apr 1887 Mort. to J. W. and T. K. B. from Mary Cowcher of High Street, Battle, Sussex, widow (3) £1,000 to repay T. K. B. Reciting 16th Mar 1884 death of J. W. W. at Fence End Thornton. Buried in Barnoldswick.

10th May, 1892 Eliz V. Wilkinson. of 1 Cambridge Place, widow to Mary Cowcher, further mortgage of £1000.

6th Apr 1892 Rev L. Ball of Burdsall (1) Ellen Smith of Fence End, widow. (2) to B.V.W. (3) Conveyance of Booth Bridge farm to (3).

29th Jul 1914 Sale by auction.

13th May 1918. John Wilkinson Esq. of Fence End. Of Mansion House. Greenock, Renfrew Esq. the Vendor (1) John Ducane Wilkinson of Witham Court, Essex, Esq. and Rev Richard Thorman of Christ Church Vicarage, Skipton. (2) Thos Wm. Eglin of Habergham Hall Farm, Burnley Farmer, purchaser for £25. Reciting Will of Ellen Smith 21st July 1902 appg. Osborne Reynolds, William Henry Wilkinson executors and Trustees and devising hereditaments to Vendor, and died 29th May 1905 and Probate 28th July at Wakefield. Plot at T. in C. bounded on 3 by land of Robert Shuttleworth, W. by [Midland] Ry. and other by Booth Bridge Farm 1 ½ acres.

29th Jan 1921. Sale by private treaty:- All that inheritance in fee simple of and in the farmhouse, Messuage and Tenement known as Booth Bridge in U.D. of Earby, W.R. Yorks. with the farm buildings. And several closes of land and the Cottages, orchards, saw mill and premises near thereto. Together with the full benefit and advantage of an agreement of 30th June 1902 made between Eliz. Vaughan Wilkinson and the Earby Water Company Limited.

4th Nov 1918. Conveyance from Thos. Eglin of CaIderhead Farm, Cliviger, Burnley, Farmer (1) to Amos Nelson of Nelson and of Thornton in Craven, W.R. Cotton manufacturer (2) purchaser for £3150 of ALL that Farmho. Mess. and Tent. known as Booth Bridge and barn, shippon, stable etc and closes of land in occ. of William Bancroft and cottage and orchard in occ. of Gilbert Eastwood and the saw mill with the buildings. and premises then unoccupied, all situate near the said Farm House. AND ALL that plot at Thornton in C. bounded on S by land then or late of Robert Shuttleworth, on W by Midlands Ry. from Colne to Skipton and on all other sides by other part of B.B. Farm. 1 ½ acres.

31st Jul 1922. Indenture between Sir Amos Nelson of Manor House Thornton in Craven W.R. (1) and U.D.C. Barnoldswick (2) Grant of Easement for the construction and maintenance of an Aqueduct in the Township of Earby authorised by the Barnoldswick U.D.C. Water Act 1915.

2nd Aug 1q22. Conv. from Sir Amos Nelson of T. in C. (1) to U.D.C. Earby (2) for £3,580 of ALL that Farmhouse etc. Booth Bridge.

5th Oct 1927. Agreement between U.D.C. of Barnoldswick and Earby to use part of the farm for a refuse tip and to build on approach road.

19th Jan 1939. Agreement between U.D.C. of Earby by their Agent Harold Buckley Hanson (1) and Lewis Wilkinson of Booth House. (Tenancy).


SCG research notes.
BOOTH BRIDGE MILL, THORNTON IN CRAVEN. SD 914478


Site investigation, 17 May 1984.

This was a revisit of the site. See references to Booth Bridge Mill in SG local history index for references to the Wilkinson family who operated a timber sawing and bobbin turning business here in the late 19th century.

The site is interesting in that it demonstrates well the transition of a water power site from corn milling to another use. in this case, timber working.

There is the site of a weir in the Earby Beck at SD 911475 and an intact goit with by-wash running NE along the boundary of fields 1853 and 3370 (SD9148 25” map.)

The goit is intact as far as SD 913477. From here it crosses the field and has been filled in. However. the line can be clearly seen as there is a bank on the east side of the line.

The mill building has been much altered but the pedestal blocks of the second motion shaft are still visible. They have heavy oil staining and some of the pedestal bolts with cotters are still in situ though badly corroded. The interior of the building has been gutted and the best evidence can be seen in the exterior walls.

On the East wall of the mill there is a long row of small windows under the eaves which suggest an early use for bobbin turning. There are numerous other openings which have been walled up and the whole building is in an unstable condition.

The tail race course can be seen and from the levels of the race and the beck the wheelpit must have been comparatively deep. Certainly at least 10 ft deeper than the present interior floor level at the SW end of the mill.

To the West of the mill is a more modern building with ample fenestration and evidence inside of two levels, shafting and lathe beds fixed to the wall. There is an opening in the SE wall which looks like a passage for a belt drive from the wheel or other exterior power source to this building.

The evidence for the fact that this has been a corn mill is the fact that in the wall across the lane to the NW of the more modern building are fragments of millstones and rack stones from a corn-drying kiln. There is also a rack stone embedded in the NW gable of the modern building.

The mill is marked on the 1853 OS & map as 'Sawing'

SG/18/05/1984.

BOOTH BRIDGE MILL, THORNTON IN CRAVEN.

Photographed the mill and the rackstones on Sat 19 May.

Spoke to Mr Wilkinson senior who told me that the wheel was a cast iron one with wooden buckets. He could remember it being scrapped but couldn't tell of the date.

His Father used to work for the Wilkinsons who ran the bobbin mill. They were no relation. His Father told him that when they opened the bobbin mill (The new mill to the West of the old one) in about 1885, the owners gave a dance in the top floor of the building.

The Wilkinsons who ran the business left the area and went to Heysham. Amos Nelson bought the farm Mr Wilkinson says he had the idea of making electricity there but never did. Amos sold the farm apart from one meadow at the East end of the holding to Earby Council. He didn't say who owns it now.

The first edition map of the First OS (1853) shows Booth Bridge as "BOOTH BRIDGE (Sawing)" and also shows a building opposite the new mill on the other side of the lane. This looks as though it was the drying kiln. The new mill is not, of course, shown on this map. This partly confirms Mr Wilkinson’s dating.

The tail race is shown in the position I suspected and is marked as a culvert under the road.

I walked the line of the goit. There is no trace of a by-wash and none marked on the map. There is much stonework in the side of the beck where the weir would have been but none of it is high enough to have given the head necessary to fill the goit. There is no trace either in the North or South side of the beck of the weir. The stonework that remains must be the remnants of the works necessary to protect the downstream foundations of the weir as the land is very sandy bottom land lying on a bad rock strata which is visible further down the beck in the bed.


SG21/5/84

Whole document re-written by SCG/ 03/11/04

[CaroleT]

Wow, thanks for all that, Stanley. Robert Brown was a Bobbin turner and living at Booth Bridge in 1862 when his child, Charles Frederick was born. His brother, Isaac Brown was also a bobbin turner in 1861 aged 17, presumably working at the same place. So bobbin turning must have been carried on here before 1885 when the new mill was built. Presumably Robert & Isaac Brown were employed by Mr Wilkinson. Christopher Brown(e) was their father and he was a weaver and then Parish Clerk & Sexton at St.Mary's. By 1881, Robert was in Burnley working as a Brewer's traveller.
Regards
Carole

[Stanley]

Booth Bridge was definitely a corn mill until the mid 19th century when better transport meant cheaper flour could be brought in from bigger commercial mills. There was a big demand for bobbins in the early textile industry. New Coates mill (1865) had a bobbin mill as did Bracewell's Wellhouse Mill (1853).

[CaroleT]

Re: Bobbin Mill at Booth Bridge. I now have the 1891 census return for Robert Brown, Bobbin Turner and he is still a bobbin turner aged 54 but at an address in Blackpool. Maybe he re-located with the Wilkinsons who went to Heysham? But it seems too far away. In 1881 he was in Burnley and a brewer's traveller.
Carole

[Stanley]

Probably the owner of the mill Carole. Towards the end of the century bobbin turning moved over to be nearer Liverpool, the port of entry for the hard woods needed for the more accurate and stable bobbins needed for the new high speed textile processes. The same thing happened to the bobbin-turning industry in the Lake District. Another factor was the increased supervision of small factories by the Board of Trade enforcing age limits, working conditions and wages legislation. All these combined to make small mills using local softwood uncompetitive.

[rhb55]

Dear All

I have been reading with interest the unfolding details of the Browns of Thornton in Craven which took place nearly a year ago. I am the sites newest member, apparently (rhb55). I must thank you for supplying details during the email train which I was having difficulty finding. I could not get back further than early 1800s, I think you will have gone back considerably further, if one of the dates presented (1701?) is correct.

My Great, Great Grandfather was Christopher Brown (b.circa1803); my Great Grandfather was Robert Brown (b.1837); my grandfather was Jones Metcalf Brown(JMB) (b.1870). JMB had ten children, vis.: Arthur, Stanley, Wilfred (my father, b.1896), Harry, Herbert, Frederick, Alan (emigrated to Utah USA), and daughters Edna, Phyllis and Sarah. The sons are in chronological order, but I have forgotten where the daughters fitted in; it is available from later census records. Arthur was, and acted the part of the family head, being hugely pompous. He like his grandfather was a traveller for a brewery (latterly Ind Coup). He married Dolly (Birkenhead), and they had three children: Mary, Marjory and Frank. After Dolly died (1946?) they all relocated to Coventry.

I noted that Christopher Brown is reported as dying in 1891, which does not fit in with what members of the Brown family told me. He certainly appears in a census record of 1891 as still living in Thornton in Craven. I was told that he died at the age of 95 (seven years on) when he broke his neck falling off the ladders while cleaning the windows at Thornton church - that is what I was told, but is unverified by independent sources.

Members of the Brown family also told me that at some stage in their genealogy, the Metcalfes of Hawes/Askrig (Wensleydale) married into the Brown family, and it is this that I am quite keen to find out the facts about and I would be grateful for any help or information. Certainly JMB's name would suggest this, i.e. it reflects Mary Jones of Dunbar and an earlier marriage to a Metcalfe. All I know is that a Thomas Metcalfe had no sons but two daughters, one Rebecca who emigrated to America and could not be traced after her disembarkation there, and another daughter whose name I do not know who married into the Brown family. Did the Brown family live in Thornton in Craven as far as records can trace them or did they ever live further north?

Thank you for supplying the details of Robert Brown Senior and Mary (nee Baxter) Christopher's parents. I think you mentioned his grandparents too.

Regards
Richard Herbert Brown (Great Malvern) - miss the Pennines dreadfully, have to make do with the Malvern Hills

[Stanley]

Never heard the story about a man being killed falling off a ladder at the church but it reminds me of another story connected with Thornton. They seem to have a thing about ladders. A notorious skinflint in Earby who was always on the look out for odd jobs to make money was told that the inhabitants of the alms houses at Thornton wanted someone to clean their windows. He grabbed his ladder and walked to Thornton, carrying it on his shoulder. When he got there he found out of course that the alms houses are single story, all the windows were accessible from the ground. He had been had!