The Birchall Family

of

Cheshire

1

Lynda Burke, December 2002

2

Birchall Crestas seen on the following page

This is taken from Burke's General Armory- but should not be taken too seriously.

Armorial bearings are always awarded to an individual, never a family, though the next holder of arms would have

a very similar coat of arms to his predecessor.

For the record, the details are silver (or argent) fleurs-de-lis on a black chevron, between three crosses,

crosslet fitchée.

The crest above the helmet shows a blue lion attacking a green tree.

1

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

A NOTE on SURNAMES

Did you know we were related to all these people?

How This All Began 4

Where did it all begin? 4

THE LINK BETWEEN THE TWO BRANCHES 6

PROCEDURE 7

ORIGIN of the BIRCHALLS 9

A NOTE on SOURCES 12

Chapter One - The Birchalls of Willaston1. Descendants of Samuel Birchall, 1743 - 1831 21

Charles, 26; Wills, 35; Edward, 36; William Edward, 54

2. Descendants of Samuel's children, their children, 20 grand children, and so on, down to the present day - or as far as they have been traced.

A historical interlude:

Life in and around Nantwich in the time 49of Samuel Birchall and his Descendants

2

Chapter Two - The Birchalls of Crab Mill 54

Comparison of the Two Samuels 60

1. Descendants of Samuel Birchall, 1818 - 1875 61 and his children, grand children, and so on, down to the present day

The Birchalls and Methodism 63

3. Descendants continued 67

Are We Still A Farming Family? 83

APPENDICES

Appendix One - Occupants of Crab Mill in Census Years

Appendix Two - Evidence for events of Samuel's life

Appendix Three - A Cheshire Convict - John Birchall

Appendix Four - Some Family Photographs

3

The Birchalls of

CheshireINTRODUCTION

A) HOW THIS ALL BEGAN

This is an expanded version of an assignment written for a short course in Family History, on six

Saturdays, at Lancaster University in Autumn 2002. It does not claim to be a complete one-name study,

simply a compilation of findings about our family, which I hope will add up to a rough outline. I have

checked carefully, but I cannot claim it is a complete account, or completely free of errors. Far from it -

this is very much a first attempt at a huge task.

However uncomfortable it is to acknowledge, common sense makes me face the fact that one

person, least of all one living almost a hundred miles away and with limited means, cannot hope to do a

really thorough job. You, and anyone else who reads this, will know much more detail about some

individuals or topics. It is the detail, and telling little memories and anecdotes that now and then spring

to mind, which make an overview of a family really ring true. If you think of anything as you read,

perhaps you could jot it down at the back, where I have left a few blank pages. Or if anything comes to

mind later, please tell me, and mention any anomalies or omissions that you notice, so it can be

improved. I do hope that someone else may feel like joining the search, or perhaps one day taking this

mini-archive over. I have asked a few questions here and there throughout the text, and for convenience

have grouped them together at the end. If you can answer them, please do. Then, at some future time,

perhaps our findings would be worth lodging in a Cheshire library. This really is only a start.

Where did it all begin? Of all places, in Launceston, Tasmania, early in 2002, when I asked the

way to a newsagents. Round the corner and into the mall, there in front of me stood Birchall's

Bookshop, 'the oldest bookseller in Australia' - started, I later learned, by an Andrew William Birchall,

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who went to Australia as a young man, first as a reporter, then working for the shop's owners, later as

partner and, finally, owner. He was from the Manchester/Liverpool area, and seems to have been related

to the Molyneux family.

As Australia has excellent state libraries, I took the opportunity to look into these Birchalls I

never suspected were Down Under. The first white child born in Tasmania was to a John Birchall, who

came from Woore, near Hatherton - sentenced at Chester Assizes for highway robbery and transported.

He left a wife and children behind and bigamously married the daughter of another convict. He was

baptised, and hundreds of other Birchalls were christened, married and buried, at Mucklestone, the

mother church for Woore. Some of these ceremonies were presided over by the local curate from

nearby Oakley Hall, Philip Chetwode, whose family rented land at Sound Oak to the Bournes, but that's

part of another, very long, story. John the Con received a gift of land when his sentence ended and

became a rich man, with almost 1,000 acres and a sloop, exporting meat and grain to nearby Victoria,

Australia. His descendants are still in the Sorell area, nor far from Hobart. In his case, crime did pay.

For more detail, see Appendix One: 'A Cheshire Convict' - coincidentally, while I was away Les

Pickering had written an article about John, for the Cheshire Family history Society magazine, Ancestor.

The 'respectable' Tasmanian Birchalls from the north of the island, descended from Andrew

William, became successful businessmen, solicitors, doctors, chairmen of state committees and so on.

A John Birchall was one of the first in Victoria to have enough wealth to leave a Will - probably

attracted there by the Bendigo gold rush. Whether he was a convict chancer, or a Launceston

entrepreneur, is not clear. Sometimes the difference could be slight. Birchalls still live in many parts of

Tasmania, and in the Bendigo area (and other parts of Victoria). My youngest son, Frank, an engineer,

also lives in Bendigo - 'in one of the ooldest houses', that is to say about 130 years old.

By one of those frequent coincidences that keep occurring in family history, I found a distant

relative of Andrew William in Morecambe, Maurice Molyneux Birchall, an Anglican clergyman, and

the grave of what seems to be another, the Rev. Edward James Birchall, aged 67, buried in 1815 in a tiny

Roman Catholic churchyard at Thurnham Hall, near Lancaster.

Returning to England, I arrived back in Lancaster mid-March 2002, and in April began

researching my mother's family, the farming Birchalls of south Cheshire. Inevitably, my initial

knowledge was mainly about those I grew up with around Nantwich, descended from Samuel Birchall,

1817-1892, of the Crab Mill farm in Baddiley.

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At that time I didn't know that while Samuel had no surviving brothers, his father, George, who

preceded him at Baddiley, had had several older sisters - and, crucially, also an older brother, Charles.

Tracing Samuel's descendants was hugely enjoyable, not just for the information that emerged,

but also for the sheer pleasure of renewing close contact with my relatives - until it became clear that

on our branch there were only eight living males bearing the Birchall name. The 'Birchall Eight' of

Crab Mill are:

Eric Birchall, formerly of the Hawthorns farm, Wettenhall (now in Cholmondeston) Peter, formerly of Wood Green, Church Minshull, now retired to Abersoch Peter's son Nicholas, now in Bunbury Philip Birchall of Nottingham, grandson of William Caleb, ironmonger of Whitchurch the three brothers from Cross Banks, Cholmondeston

- Edward Derek (known as Derek)- Kenneth James- John Harold Leslie

Kenneth's son, James Kenneth, now teaching English overseas.

Half are still in Cheshire; Derek and Beryl are at Beadnell in Northumberland, Kenneth and Cora

at Newton, Chester, James in Poland and John and Stella in Gressingham, Lancaster.

As most of the Birchall Eight have completed their families, dynastically speaking, this was

somewhat dismal and discouraging. As Philip Birchall of Nottingham said, it seemed possible that the

Birchall name could die out in the next couple of generations. To put the cart before the horse, the

gravestone overleaf shows the beginning of a trail, which led to twice as many more members of the

family, including over a dozen living Birchall males. Indeed, at the latest count, including our in-laws,

there are, with our in-laws, over 660 on the Big Tree.

THE LINK BETWEEN THE TWO BRANCHES

This gravestone links the descendants of Samuel Birchall of the Crab Mill farm at Baddiley (in

some records, it is termed Crab Mill House) to the Birchalls who had earlier been farming in Colleys

Lane, Willaston, since at least the early 1800s, and perhaps from the 1770s.

Samuel Birchall, 1743-1831, baptised in Wybunbury, farmed at Brassey Hall, followed by his

older son Charles, 1784-1839, then Charles' second son, Edward, 1828-1899. In 1860, Edward,

6

possibly with the help of Thomas Pedley, bought some of the Willaston Hall land from Ralph Sneyd and

established the Dairy House Farm. Edward was married to Ann Pedley. Edward's descendants

continued to farm at Dairy House, and indeed some of this senior branch of the family still live in

Colleys Lane though the farm land has been sold. One of Charles' sons, Samuel, farmed at Checkley-

cum-Wrinehill for at least forty years.

Meanwhile Samuel's younger son, George, 1789-1831, married Mary Austin of Baddiley and set

up farming at the Crab Mill1. Their descendants farmed in Baddiley, Church Minshull, Cholmondeston,

Wrenbury, Wettenhall, Shut Lane Head, Stoke, Hatherton and Blakenhall. Birchall descendants are

still farming in Wettenhall, Cholmondeston and Blakenhall..These two branches will therefore be called

the 'Willaston Birchalls'- those descended from Samuel senior and Charles, and the 'Crab Mill

Birchalls', who are descended from George. Samuel and his two sons Charles and George are all in the

same grave, shown overleaf. The good news is that between us we have no fewer than twenty-one

living Birchall males so, now, at the beginning of a New Year, we can celebrate the fact that the family

name seems secure for a good while longer.

Appropriately, two Birchall males, one from each part of the family - though both involved with

Poole - enabled these two branches to be traced back to the same trunk - not the stem of Jesse, but to our

own Biblically-named common ancestor, Samuel Birchall, born 1743.

PROCEDURE

As I started from Samuel Birchall of the Crab Mill branch, the earliest ancestor we knew of, the

obvious next move was to find his parents. Samuel was born in 1817, deduced from his age at death,

given on his Baddiley gravestone.

However, civil registration did not only begin until he was 20 years old, so there was no chance

of obtaining a birth certificate. But it had begun by the time he married and his marriage certificate

would give his father's name - if it could be found. Unfortunately the marriage was omitted from the

national index of the General Register Office. This index was compiled from all church and civil

1 However, family tradition says they began their married life at Buerton.

7

records when Somerset House could no longer house them, before they were removed to the basement

of the Office of National Statistics in Birkdale, near Southport. This centre handled all the war-time

Identity Cards, and now supplies duplicate birth, marriage and death certificates, and commemorative

certificates for 100th birthdays, Golden Weddings etc. Thus, though the record of the marriage of

Samuel's parents existed, it could not be accessed without giving a reference number from the index. As

it was not in the index, this seemed to be a total dead end.

Knowing that my cousin John Birchall, of Gressingham, had looked into the family's history

some years ago, I consulted him. To my amazement, John had had a copy of the Marriage Certificate all

along, which he had obtained over 20 years before, when Somerset House was still in operation. We

already knew that Samuel's wife was Mary Ravenscroft: now we saw that his father was George

Birchall, farmer of Baddiley, that Mary's father, John, had farmed at Rushton, near Tarporley and that

the couple married in Tarporley St Helen's on 15th September, 1815.

At about the same time, when trying to telephone my second cousin, Eric Birchall, formerly of

the Hawthorns, I spoke to Roger Birchall. Roger was then a stranger to me, but he lives in Dairy Lane,

Poole, very near to Eric in Cholmondeston. Roger told me of the Birchall family grave behind St Mary's

church in Wistaston. Roger's great-great-grandfather, Charles, was there, Charles' brother George, and

their father, Samuel Birchall. Could Charles' brother be our George? A great deal of evidence had to be

amassed before we could be certain. Eventually there was sufficient proof to convince me, and then to

convince Roger, and it was possible to identify the parents and grandparents of Samuel of the Crab Mill.

This led to the wonderful discovery of many living Birchall relatives I never knew were there.

At first, though, I wondered why George was buried in Wistaston, and not in Baddiley, where

he lived. It may be that he expected to return to Willaston one day - or perhaps the simplest explanation

is that a family grave was already established - his mother was buried in Wistaston in 1812, and joined

by Samuel in 1831. Why look any farther?

ORIGIN of the BIRCHALLS

As you have seen from the tree, our earliest currently known ancestor is Samuel of Wybunbury,

born 1743. The baptismal register of St Chad's gives his father's name as Robert, whose father was

William, but nothing more is known - so far - about him. However, a Robert Birchall of Audlem

(Samuel's grandfather?) left considerable property in Audlem, Walgherton and Hankelow in 1722, but

8

no Samuel is named among his children. Robert Birchall, a yeoman of Tattenhall, left a 1714 Will.

There may be a connection with one or both of these. A Robert Birchall - and we cannot be sure that it

was the same Robert - had other children baptised in Wybunbury, close to Samuel's birth date. These

are:

Thomas, 2 December 1735 Hannah, 14 December 1737Sarah, 29 July 1739 James, 13 March 1741…………?………… Robert, 17 March 1747

As you see, there is clearly a gap in these baptisms0, into which Samuel would just fit. The

oldest, Thomas, may have been the Thomas Birchall, married to Margaret Minshull, who was a

churchwarden in Nantwich during Samuel's marriage. Thomas and Margaret baptised their children at

Nantwich, and it would make sense for Samuel to do the same.

It would be an easy task for someone in or near Nantwich to look for other references to these

names (marriages, baptisms) in the Parish Register for St Mary's (formerly called St Nicholas and St

Mary) in Nantwich Library2. At a glance, we can see that the names Sarah and Hannah were frequently

used in our family. Thomas's line seems to have kept his name going. and we could well find the same

with the descendants of James and Robert. Experience of naming patterns suggests that Samuel of

Brassey Hall could well have been named for a brother of his father.

Some people say that Birchall Moss takes its name from the family and that the Birchalls

originated there. That may be so: as far back as 1533 Birchalls figure in parish registers in the

neighbourhood. Other early Wills in Chester Record Office (tel. 01244 602574) are of High Legh

yeomen Thomas and his son Peter Birchall in 1728 and 1730; John (Gentleman) of Blakenhall in 1754

and James of Aston, near Budworth in 1765. Thomas Pedley Birchall, farmer of Buerton, was born in

Budworth in 1885, though his parents farmed at Baddington.

In the earliest records, men farming the land on a small scale were classed as 'husbandmen', later

as 'yeomen' and later still as 'farmers'. In all three cases, it is possible that they rented their land, but not

certain. All three terms were used to describe Samuel senior at various times The changing descriptions

show increasing prosperity, but perhaps they also reveal the 'grade inflation' seen in both society and

2 If you go to the Library, look out for George Hardy of Audlem, who wrote the Cheshire chapter in the Book of Bournes, and for John Prince, both of whom have already been very helpful.

9

education nowadays - after all, no-one in this country is called a peasant, or lower-class or even

'backward' any more.

The 1723 record of local Oaths of Allegiance to the Protestant Succession lists Birchalls in

Newhall, Over Whitley, Halton, Lymm, Audlem, Appleton, High Legh, Tattenhall, Hutton and

Barthomley. This suggests that we should look in one of these places for 'pre-Samuel' Birchalls. The

Audlem Birchall was William, a yeoman. Could he be our man? Could he be Samuel's grandfather?

Possibly, as we know that a William Birchall did have a son called Robert. Again, this could be checked

in Audlem (or Wybunbury) Parish Registers. It is fair to say, though, that some of the earlier registers

are quite hard to read. And others are surprisingly easy!

There are far more Birchalls in Lancashire than anywhere else in Britain, and ultimately one of

our ancestors perhaps came from there. It is usually considered that the origin of a family lies in the

area where there are most bearers of the name, though this does not always hold true, for example where

economic hardship forced rural families to move to towns and cities for work, and/or they stayed and

multiplied over the years in an area to which they had moved for economic reasons.

One interesting family is that of Caleb Birchall, a yeoman farmer from the Stockport area - and

so very close to Lancashire. I have a copy of his 1805 Will. His heir was his son Samuel, who had

moved to Leeds and become a woolstapler and cloth manufacturer. Samuel of Leeds had one son, also

called Samuel, who married the daughter of John Dearman, a Gentleman from Surrey. These Birchalls

became part of the well-to-do of Gloucestershire. Perhaps they don't suspect they are descended from

Cheshire farmers. It is not impossible that they are distantly related to us, being farmers, and all

Samuel's grandsons have the same forenames as George's grandsons of the Crab Mill. See next page

for the cover of a book about these Birchalls - I am grateful to John of Cross Banks and Gressingham for

this. John came across the book in Gloucestershire, in the course of his work for the nuclear power

industry.

The Lancashire Record Office in Preston shows the Wills of a good many Birchalls in the areas

of Lancashire bordering Cheshire. Birchalls are now widespread in Cheshire - in more recent times, in

the 19th century, there were Birchalls in, for example, Austerson, Barthomley, Birkenhead, Bunbury,

Burwardsley, Chester, Congleton, Coppenhall, Great Budworth, Latchford, Middlewich, Norbury, Over,

Ridley, Sandbach, Spurstow, Stapeley and Stockport - not to mention those over the Staffordshire

10

border around Mucklestone, in the Potteries and in Market Drayton, Whitchurch and other parts of

Shropshire.

The Middlewich, Hatherton, Stapeley and Sandbach Birchalls could also be related to us - many

of our in-laws, for examples the Bolderstones lived round there. Like some of the Birchalls from

Hough and Barthomley, they tended to be practical people, builders, joiners and so on, but as in recent

times, a century ago there were rapidly-changing work patterns in both individuals and within families.

To give one example, Charles Henry Birchall, born 1877 in Stapeley (in the parish of

Wybunbury) was the youngest of the six children of John and Hannah3 Birchall, who farmed 51 acres

in Audlem Road. He married Emily James in Nantwich and was working as a groom and living in

Newhall when their daughter Eva (Evelyn May) was born at Sandford Cottage in August 1898. Two

years later, when their son Charles Stanley was born at Ravensmoor, Charles is an insurance agent. The

1901 Census shows Charles still an insurance agent, but the family is living at Burland. Eva married

John Barclay in 1934. Charles, Eva and Stanley are all buried at St Chad's, Wybunbury. As we know, it

is much easier to leave farming than to return to it. Coincidentally, the name Stanley also crops up in

the Willaston branch of the family.

The Birchalls of Austerson seem more likely to be direct relatives - this farmer, yet another

Samuel, died in March 1813. They are near to the Crab Mill, and also used the same forenames for their

children. In 1881, one of this Samuel's daughters, Martha, was a retired schoolmistress, living in

Cholmondeston. e Charles Edwin Birchall, great-grandson of Samuel of Brassey Hall, farmed, from

about 1898 to the 1940s. It is possible Martha's father was an uncle of Samuel senior, but the farther

back we look, the harder it is to find evidence. I also have his Will and can copy it for you, if you wish.

Of course, it is always easier to track down criminals and conspicuously prosperous people than

the law-abiding, averagely successful mass in the middle. However, it could be well worthwhile to

check Quarter Sessions records as, apart from the wrongdoers, other people do figure as witnesses,

parish constables and, sometimes, as the subject of inquests.

3 née Beech

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A NOTE ON SOURCES

Again, it is always much easier to research a family in its home area, where the records are

available. There are some nationally-available resources, one of the most useful being the 1881 Census.

This is available on cds from the Church of Latter Day Saints, in their Reading Rooms, or in most public

libraries. A couple of sample pages follow, one showing Edward Birchall in Colleys Lane and the

other Samuel Birchall and his family at the Crab Mill. From these records it is possible to work back and

see who was at the same address, or nearby, in earlier censuses. National censuses began in 1841, but

no other national cd version yet exists, apart from the on-line version of the 1901 census.

Dwelling: Colleys Lane

Census Place:Willaston In Nantwich, Cheshire, England

Source: FHL Film 1341849 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3545 Folio 84 Page 14

Marr Age Sex Birthplace

Edward BIRCHALL M 52 M Averton, 4Cheshire, England

Rel: Head

Occ: Farmer Of 83 Acres

Ann BIRCHALL M 53 F Tiverton, Cheshire, England

Rel: Wife

Alice BIRCHALL U 18 F Willaston, Cheshire, England

Rel: Daur

Occ: Farmers Daur

Edward BIRCHALL U 15 M Willaston, Cheshire, England

Rel: Son

Occ: Farmers Son

Mary STOCKTON U 15 F Beeston, Cheshire, England

4 Hatherton?

12

Rel: Serv

Occ: General Servant (Domestic)

George EDWARDS U 16 M Market Drayton, Shropshire, England

Rel: Serv

Occ: Farm Servant Indoor

Dwelling: Wrenbury Rd (Crabmile5 Farm)

Census Place: Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Source: FHL Film 1341850 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3551 Folio 158 Page 7

Marr Age Sex Birthplace

Samuel BIRCHALL M 63 M Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Head

Occ: Farmer Of 127 Acres

Mary BIRCHALL M 53 F Tarporley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Wife

Occ: Farmers Wife

George BIRCHALL U 26 M Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Son

Occ: Farmers Son

Samuel BIRCHALL U 24 M Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Son

Occ: Farmers Son

Charles E. BIRCHALL U 20 M Baddiley, Cheshire, England

5 Obviously a transcription error

13

Rel: Son

Occ: Farmers Son

Mary E. BIRCHALL U 18 F Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Daur

Occ: Farmers Daughter

John BIRCHALL U 16 M Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Son

Occ: Farmers Son

William C. BIRCHALL 14 M Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Son

Occ: Scholar

Alfred BIRCHALL 12 M Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Son

Occ: Scholar

Edward E. BIRCHALL 8 M Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Son

Mary A. JACKSON U 33 F Baddiley, Cheshire, England

Rel: Serv

Occ: General Serv

Sarah SKERRATT U 15 F Wrenbury, Cheshire, England

Rel: Serv

Occ: Housemaid

14

And Samuel's cousin for luck

Dwelling: - [not given]

Census Place:Checkley Cum Wrinehill, Cheshire, England

Source: FHL Film 1341847 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3539 Folio 44 Page 1

Marr Age Sex Birthplace

Samuel BIRCHALL M 65 M Over, Cheshire, England

Rel: Head

Occ: Farmer Of 151 Ac

Ann BIRCHALL M 62 F Wybunbury, Cheshire, England

Rel: Wife

Catherine BENION U 18 F Wybunbury, Cheshire, England

Rel: Serv

Occ: Domestic Servant

John HUXLEY U 16 M Woore, Shropshire, England

Rel: Serv

Occ: Farm Servant

Owen BENION U 15 M Woore, Shropshire, England

Rel: Serv

Occ: Farm Servant

15

Unfortunately, this is riddled with errors as the work was done cheaply by first, prisoners, then

because of the low quality, transferred to India, to non-native speakers of English. You can imagine

the difficulties they had, for example, with Welsh place-names, and in deciphering names of

occupations that no longer exist. Even simple English names foxed them: Audlem is often given as

'Andlam', for example, and Noctorum shows up as 'Heatorum'. Volunteers from Family History

societies, who can more easily recognise local place names, have transcribed many censuses to a very

high standard, but the disks are relatively costly. Members of the South Cheshire Family History

Society can look at filmed censuses of most of Cheshire at the Alderley Edge Research Centre, for no

charge. Institutions, e.g. workhouses, hospitals, boarding schools, ships in port, prisons, asylums and

barracks are included in the census. An extract from the 1871 Census is given overleaf.

This, as you see, shows children of Cheshire farmers, and others, at school in Nantwich.

This could be an interesting way of charting the importance of education in the farming community. I

have also attached a sample page of writing by my grandfather, Charles Edwin Birchall - you may like

to compare it to the standard of a 12-year-old today.

Once families are located, far more detail is found in Parish Registers, than a census 'snapshot'

every ten years can give. When civil registration started, from 1837 onwards, more detail was noted:

BIRTH address, date, parents' names/marital status, father's occupation

MARRIAGE addresses, occupations, date, parents' names/marital status, fathers' occupation, whether previously married, widowed, or divorced

• DEATH address, date and cause of death, occupation, age, details of the informant, inquest (if any) and any certification by a doctor.

In rural areas, sometimes only the village is given as an address. I would have loved to know

where my father, Edward Chetwood lived, but his Birth Certificate just says 'Bunbury'. Age at marriage

was noted to confirm the legality of the union, often, in earlier years, just given as 'of full age'. Licences

to marry if under age, or without Banns can be found, e.g. on the Public Record Office website.

Certificates cost £6.50 from local registrars; £8.00 from the Office of National Statistics. Prices are due

to rise in April 2003 and from 2004 certificates will not be available for people still alive. The govern-

ment has said it will digitise earlier records and make them cheaply available - but the accuracy of this

is doubtful after the poor standard of the 1901 Census.

16

Other helpful sources are church journals and archives (there are many Methodist archives in the

John Rylands library in Manchester), directories, newspapers, Wills (or Letters of Administration, where

someone has died intestate) and specialist journals.

Cheshire directories were useful, such as those published by:

Bagshaw

Johnson (Nantwich)

Kelly

Pigot

Slater

The Nantwich Hearth Tax list of 1792 and Owners of Land Return 1873 were also useful.

While we are used to treating what we read in the press with some reservations, reporters seem to

have been far more diligent in earlier times, and would go into much greater detail. Nowadays, with

television, videos, computer games and hosts of other activities clamouring for our attention, most

people do not have the time or the inclination to sit down and read pages of closely printed columns with

no photographs or other variation.

My grandfather, William Chetwood, died in 1937, before I was born: his obituary and funeral

report took almost half a page of the Crewe Chronicle. Mourners and messages on all the wreaths were

listed, and a wealth of information about the family and their in-laws could be discovered. Reading

that made it much easier to understand what people said about him

Being so far from Cheshire archives I have had to rely on the few cuttings my mother left, but

you would be surprised how interesting reading old newspapers can be. If you know the date of a

wedding, death or other event, you can go straight to the right place and find out all sorts of things you

never knew before! Now you can find out who was boarding at the Grammar School in 1872. Please let

me know if you would like me to send you any copies of Census pages or other documents referred to.

1871 CENSUS FOR NANTWICH6

6 Do you recoognise any of the names?

17

Hawthorne Buildings Boarding School, Welch Row, NantwichMarital

Name Occupation Age status Birthplace

Thomas L ORCHARD Head Schoolmaster 50 Mar. Helstone Cornwall

Eliza ORCHARD Wife 38 Leamington Warwickshire

Thomas F. PRIOR Assistant 26 Unm. Bedford, Bedfordshire

Thomas HITCHEN Assistant 20 Unm. Padiham Lancashire

Samuel CLARSON7 Pupil 14 Congleton Cheshire

Peter MOORE Pupil 15 Blakenhall, Cheshire

Arthur BANCROFT Pupil 14 Chorlton, Cheshire

Richard BANCROFT Pupil 13 Chorlton, Cheshire

Charles RIDOUT Pupil 14 Minshull Vernon

George RIDOUT Pupil 12 Minshull Vernon

Willie HILL Pupil 12 Audlem

Peter TIMMIS Pupil 14 Haslington

Waltone(?) HILL Pupil 13 Congleton

Daniel ASHTON Pupil 11 Frodsham

John SCROUBS(?) Pupil 11 Sunderland, Durham

William Hy MORLEY Pupil 13 Audlem

William GRESTY Pupil 12 Audlem

Thomas WILLIS Pupil 15 Tarvin

Charles H MARRISON8 Pupil 14 Castleton, Derbyshire

Oliver COTTON Pupil 9 Coppenhall

Edward CROPPER Pupil 13 Liverpool, Lancashire

Hannah ALLMAN Servant 28 Unm. Acton

Sarah LOWE Servant 18 Unm. Coventry, Warwickshire

Emma WELCH Servant 16 Unm. b Acton

NOTESCharles Edwin Birchall (Grandpa) was at the school in 1872 - I have a letter written by him, from there to his parents, in that year. When Eric Birchall was there, from 1937, this building was used as a Woodwork room and the junior department (under Miss Grant, known as 'Piggy') . The main school was by then in its present building, at the far end of Welsh Row.

7 Probably a typing error for 'Clarkson'8 Harrison??

18

Girls' Department

Name Age Occupation Marital status Birthplace

Eliza LLOYD,Head 39 Private Schoolmistress Unm Wine9 Hill, Ches.

Eliza B. LLOYD Niece 18 Scholar Unm Longton, Staffs

Mary Jane EVANS Asst. tchr 22 Governess Unm [blank]

Mary COOPER Servant Unm 26 Domestic servant Betley, Staffs

Mary MURRY " " 17 " " Nantwich

Annie BLACKWELL Pupil tchr 17 Scholar Middleboro' Yks

Margaretta A. COOKE 17 Pupil Mkt. Drayton, Salop

Harriet WALLIS 16 " Bristol

Alice CARTWRIGHT 15 " Leek, Staffs

Phoebe L. WILKINSHAW 14 " Nantwich

Annie A. ARNOLD 14 " Derby

Eliza WALLIS 14 " Nantwich

Sarah A. WILKINSHAW 13 " Nantwich

Sarah A. COOPER 12 " Nantwich

Martha M. SHUFFLEBOTTOM 12 " Madeley, Staffs

Flora INGHAM 13 " Blythe, Nbl10

Annie A. SHUFFLEBOTTOM 11 " Madeley, Staffs

Rachel CHARLESWORTH 8 " Wettenhall

Again, you see some familiar names

9 Wrinehill?10 Northumberland

19

The LDS also produced an International Genealogical Index (IGI), listing baptisms and

marriages nationally. Hardly any burials are included because their main motive was to re-baptise

anyone who could be related to their members, to ensure their salvation. Coverage of Cheshire is poor:

only about 85%. It is on fiches at libraries, and on-line, somewhat updated and cross-referenced.

Again, use with care, as much of it is not reliable. It ends at about 1837, when civil registration began,

though this was not compulsory until 1875. Nonetheless, it can be a good starting-point, as it indicates

areas worth investigating.

Another excellent source of information is inscriptions on gravestones, which is almost certain to

be accurate. Some of these, known as memorial (or monumental) inscriptions, often called MIs for

short, are listed and can be either e-mailed or posted to you. It covers:

Baddiley St Michael's Church Minshull (and some of Minshull Vernon) Nantwich - Whitehouse Lane Wettenhall St David's Wistaston St Mary's

The Wybunbury MIs are too numerous to list, and only a minority of Birchalls has been identified. I

would be happy to check on the microfiches for you, if you suggest any names.

There is useful information from official websites on the net such as the Public Record Office,

mimas.ac.uk, and English Origins. Ancestor Search has a great deal of information, but it does all need

to be checked as much of it has been transcribed by amateurs, some of whom are not always as careful

as one might wish. The National Burial Index covers Great Budworth, Barthomley and Stockport well

but does not include the Nantwich area. Bertram Merrill's Marriage Index for Cheshire is invaluable and

almost 100% accurate. It only goes up to 1837, as civil registration started then. The most informative

source of recent times could well be local newspapers. The Chronicle papers, Nantwich Guardian and

Staffordshire Sentinel have been filmed and are available for consultation at local libraries and at

Chester Record Office.

Unfortunately I have had time for only a couple of visits.. However, anyone living locally might

find it more feasible - and certainly of huge interest. The next chapter deals with the Willaston

Birchalls, and the final one with the Crab Mill branch. Then there are a few Appendices to save

clogging the body of the text with excessive detail.

20

Chapter One - The Birchalls of Willaston

Samuel Birchall, 1743 - 1831, his family and local events

There were other Birchalls, both well-to-do and from labouring families, living in Willaston

and Wistaston before Samuel lived there. Some of them seem to have moved from the Audlem and

Wybunbury area, but the exact connection, if any, is not clear. Samuel senior, described as 'yeoman of

Wybunbury', was a bachelor of 35 when he married 23-year-old Mary Perrin on 4 February, 1778, from

a successful farming family in Willaston. Perhaps her family's influence and assistance enabled him to

rent Brassey Hall in Colley's Lane, Willaston. Previously, up to at least 1765, the farm had been

occupied by the Hassall family. Samuel's descendants still live in Colley's Lane, though much of the

land is now under housing. It is possible, also, that Perrin land adjoined Brassey Hall farm. One of

Mary's family, Randle Perrin, was churchwarden at Wistaston, dying at only 47 in January 1827. The

Parish Register describes him as 'An affectionate Husband and Father; a kind Neighbour, and an honest

Man.' This seems to be the Randle Perrin who witnessed the marriage of Mary's daughter, Alice

Birchall, and Ralph Pennell in 1802. It is a warm tribute, applicable to many other Cheshire farmers,

Birchalls among them.

Such remarks are what make it worthwhile to sit in a library and scroll through the filmed copies

of parish registers. On 19 May, 1793, for example, the Wistaston minister preached a special charity

sermon, and prayed for the safety and welfare of the brethren clergy in France who had been turned out

of their churches after the French Revolution, and took up a collection for them. Later, in 1810 a

forthcoming census is reported and in 1820 we read that the common land was being enclosed. In

1827-28 the present church, replacing an earlier one, was built. This perhaps explains why the grave,

pictured earlier, is so close to the side of the church, right next to the path - as the Pennells, Perrins, and

Birchalls were notable local families (the first two producing many churchwardens), it seems they

merited a special place. Plagues of cholera and typhus in mid-19th century are recorded. They took

a pitiful toll of life in Nantwich, where Thomas Birchall, possibly Samuel's brother, was a

21

Churchwarden. St Mary's graveyard filled rapidly and Whitehouse Lane cemetery had to be opened as

an emergency measure.

Willaston and Wistaston seem to have suffered far less. Overall in Britain, 100,000 died of

typhus (including the Potteries author Arnold Bennett) and some 77,000 of cholera.

Of more specific interest to farmers, apart from the fact that milk-sellers would not enter infected

towns like Nantwich, was the price of grain. The Mucklestone registers, when the ever-rising and

protected price of corn was impoverishing most people, noted the weekly price of all grain at Market

Drayton. When the Corn Laws were repealed in 1846, it was deeply unpopular with farmers.

Samuel's Will, perhaps, provides the best evidence of his way of life. It is an imposing, very

thorough and lengthy document, running to four A3 pages, very professionally drawn and worded.

Firstly he leaves £150.00 to his daughter Elizabeth, married to Joseph Moss, an Excise man, not the

most popular neighbour, perhaps, rather like police officers and VAT11 or tax inspectors in some areas

today. Apart from alcohol, salt was taxed at source, so Joseph may originally have been based in the

area to collect salt tax from Winsford. This tax was abolished in 1825 as it was very expensive to

collect - Excise Officers were highly paid, perhaps to reduce the potential for bribery.

After Elizabeth's legacy, Samuel directs is executors, in their own names, to invest a

sufficient sum of Money so that the Interest, Dividends and annual proceeds thereof together with the interest of my Wife's fortune under her Marriage Settlement will make it Fifty pounds per Annum. And I give and bequeath the same accordingly unto my beloved Wife and her Assigns for and during the Term of her natural life.

Samuel's first wife, Mary Perrin, had pre-deceased him, dying in January 1812. In December of

that year Samuel married Jane Holding in Nantwich church, apparently both by Licence and Banns.

Samuel further instructed that Jane should have

all the furniture and Effects in the Parlour my Wife's own Bed and one other Bed and Appendages [that] she may make choice of. And also such furniture as my Executors shall think necessary unto my said Wife her Executors Administrators and Assigns for her and their own Use and Benefit absolutely.

11 VAT, of course, is collected by the Deaprtment of Customs and Excise.

22

As in many farms of the day, the best room, with the choicest furniture, paintings and

rugs was the parlour, this was a substantial bequest. Not for Jane the 'second-best bed' that

Shakespeare bequeathed to Anne Hathaway.

In the event of Jane's death, her legacies would to revert to Samuel's estate and 'be taken

and considered as residue'. Upon Samuel's death there was to be a valuation of:

all my Stock of Cattle Corn Hay Straw Fodder Implements in Husbandry Dairy and Brewing Vessels Household Furniture and all and singular other my personal Estate Goods Chattels and Effects respectively consisting of Money or securities for Monies.

All this suggests that Samuel was farming on a substantial scale. Once the valuation had been

carried out (unfortunately the Valuation document itself does not seem to have survived, which would

have been very informative, though it did in the case of the High Legh Birchalls) then 'either my Son

Charles Birchall or my Grandson James Pennill shall take to and pay for the same at and according to

such Valuation'.

In the event that Charles or James refused or declined, everything other than the legacies to

Elizabeth and Jane was to be sold by public sale or private contract and the proceeds to be invested.,

and divided equally between all his children, irrespective of whether his daughters were single or

married. Samuel's executors were his widow, Jane, and Richard Wilding of Church Coppenhall12,

Farmer. As with the Valuation, either James or Charles was to succeed Samuel as tenant of the farm, if

the landlord agreed. James witnessed the Will, as did George Eaton, the Raby Hall solicitor who had

engrossed it. Samuel died on 7th May, 1831, and probate was granted on 29th October: typically a quicker

turnaround time than we see nowadays.

CHILDREN OF SAMUEL AND MARY

All their seven children were baptised at Nantwich, as follows:

Hannah, 18th October 1778 • Alice, 13th August 1780 Mary, 7th July 1782 • Charles, 19th September 1784 Mary, 25th February 1787 • George, 23rd August 1789 Elizabeth, 19th February 1787

12 Crewe existed only as a family name, not a place, until the railways came.

23

1. Looking at them in turn, Hannah, the eldest, married Joseph Wood in Nantwich Church

in 1798, when she was 20 and had nine children, shown below with baptismal details:

Mary, 18 April 1799, Nantwich Martha, 10 July 1803, St Chad's, Over Joseph, 28 April 1805, St Chad's, Over Mary, 7 June 1807, St Chad's, Over John, 7 June 1809, St Chad's, Over Sarah, 1 December 1811, St Chad's, Over John, 17 April 1814, Over by Middlewich George, 12 December 1816, Over by Middlewich Hannah, 19 September 1819, Over by Middlewich

Little more is known but they seem to have lived in Over; George farmed at

Smallwood.

2. Samuel's second daughter Alice, born 1780, married Ralph Pennell, on 28 June 1802 at

Wistaston, St Mary's. His father, also called Ralph, had married Martha Perrin13 on 13th July,

1767, witnessed by John Eaton, probably a forebear of the George Eaton who drew up

Samuel's Will. The marriage of Ralph junior and Alice Birchall, was witnessed by Martha

Pennell, née Perrin (probably Ralph's mother) and Randle Perrin, of whom we heard earlier,

on page 14. Martha and Randle Perrin may have been brother and sister. There were a number

of Pennell and Perrin marriages at Wistaston. Ralph Pennell and Robert Perrin were both

churchwardens for very many years in the second half of the 18th century. This, then, was an

excellent alliance for Alice. Her firstborn, in 1803, was named Samuel, after his grandfather,

then Richard followed in 1804. These two were baptised in Nantwich; the other three in

Astbury, which suggests the family had moved there.

The Astbury Three were James, 1806, who was mentioned in his grandfather's Will;

Mary Ann, 1809 and Ralph - a long-established Pennell name - in 1814. In 1881, Samuel

Pennell junior was farming 112 acres at Bostock in 1881, with three adult children at home and

two grandchildren.

13 Almost certainly related to Mary Perrin, Samuel's wife.

24

Meanwhile Ralph was farming 92 acres at Newhall, with his wife Eliza and four adult

children. We will see that many of Samuel's children used names established in their or their

spouse's family, for their own children.

As we know, Samuel and Mary baptised all their children, in Nantwich, where they

married. - apart from family connections, most brides baptised at least their first child where they

had been married, even if by then they were living elsewhere. This Wistaston marriage of

Alice's, though, made sense because it was nearest to her home at Brassey Hall - and because of

the long-standing connections her in-laws and their kindred had with St. Mary's at Wistaston.

Although most Birchalls were Methodists, they used the Anglican church of St Mary's,

Wistaston for baptisms, marriages and burials We will look at the involvement of the Birchalls

with Methodism a little later, on page 57.

3. The third daughter, of Samuel and Mary, also called Mary, lived only six months and was buried

at Wistaston on 26 January 1783.

4. Next came Charles, of whom his descendants still speak, and who needs far more space. For

reasons that will become apparent, it will be convenient to refer to him as Charles I. After all,

his father was born very near the time of the Jacobite rebellion, when Catholics were drinking

toasts to 'the king over the water'. However, if we had to choose, it would be far more likely

that Charles owes his name to the Wesley family.

5. Mary, fifth child and fourth daughter of Samuel and Mary, was baptised in Nantwich on 25th

February 1787. A Mary Birchall married John Williams in Nantwich on 3rd September 1800,

but this information has not yet been checked in the Parish Register.

6. George, sixth child and second son,. of Samuel and Mary, moved away from the Willaston area

to Crab Mill Farm, Baddiley - though, as we know, he is buried with his parents in the family

grave at Wistaston. Over the years, his descendants became separated from their Willaston

relatives, we will deal with George separately in the next 'Crab Mill' chapter.

25

7. Elizabeth, also known as Betty, their fifth daughter and youngest child was christened in

Nantwich church on 19th February, 1792. She married Joseph Moss on 1st April 1810, at the

same church, when she was just 18. He was described as an Officer of Lytham in Samuel's

Will. The Exciseman was about as popular as a VAT inspector on an unscheduled visit.

Revenue for the armed forces and government was raised by customs and excise duty - income

tax was not introduced until 1799, when William Pitt used it to finance the French Wars.

Backbenchers in Parliament forced its withdrawal - but it was re-introduced in 1842.and became

a permanent feature.

As so often, the glamorous and exciting lawbreaker, like Robin Hood and Dick Turpin,

was often far more popular than the law enforcer - we know how smuggling of 'brandy for the

parson, baccy for the clerk, laces for a lady, letters for a spy' was largely condoned. The Excise

men were crucial to the economy and highly paid, so would probably show no leniency to

smugglers and evaders. Cheshire, with all its dutiable salt, a lucrative 'taxing field'.

It is not known where Elizabeth and Joseph lived, or if they had any children, but

Samuel left her £150.00 in his Will - a substantial legacy.

Charles, fourth child and eldest son of Samuel, 1784 - 1839

and his Children

Samuel's eldest son, Charles, perhaps needs a full-length book to himself. At the early age of 21

he married Sarah Massey, another farmer's daughter, in Nantwich, in 1805. It may be that Sarah was

related to the Masseys of Alvaston. Charles, evidently, was 'a young man in a hurry' - he is said to have

had eleven children and been Mayor of Over. While the eleven children have been traced, I have not

yet found any reference to any civic or mayoral duties. This would certainly merit research in Winsford

Library, if anyone has the time.

26

One of these eleven children was, inevitably, called Charles, so it will be convenient to refer to

Charles, the son of the Charles under consideration, as Charles II. Our Charles I did die relatively

young, at 55, but not the untimely public death at 49, on the scaffold, of his royal Stuart namesake. As

an aside, while the rest of Cheshire was Royalist, Nantwich was stoutly Parliamentarian in the Civil

War.

Charles I seems to have farmed at Over until the death of his father, Samuel in 1831, but his

exact address is unknown. It is not clear what took him to Over, but we know that his older sister

Hannah and her family were already there, and certainly there were other Birchalls in Over in recent

generations, possibly at the same time Charles was there.. Mary Birchall, for example, a daughter of

Samuel and Katherine Birchall of the Church Hill, was buried in St Chad's, Over in 1752, and another

Mary Birchall was buried at St Chad's in 1731. Perhaps they were relatives of Charles and Samuel,

and/or of Samuel Birchall of Austerson.

In any event, when Samuel died in 1831, Charles had to return to Brassey Hall, which seems to

have been held on a 'three-life' copyhold tenancy. This meant that the outgoing tenant could suggest

the next - usually a son - and that successor could do the same. After that, the tenancy could be

terminated in favour of a tenant of the landlord's choice.

This must have been a time of some turmoil for the family - Samuel died in the May, Charles

took over, then Charles' younger brother George died in December of the same year, so there were two

Wills to settle at the same time.

Charles himself lived for only eight more years until his own death, from cancer in 1839. His

son Charles II, Sarah, his widow, and his brother Edward were all at Brassey Hall in 1841 - but if only

there were earlier censuses to help trace Charles' movements. This Census is one of the many proofs

showing that George, father of Samuel at the Crab Mill, and Charles were brothers. Among the main

proofs were their Wills, as we shall shortly see. Charles's Will stipulated that Sarah should stay on at

Brassey Hall as long as she chose, and that any of his sons (and he had only two when he died - but

perhaps thought he would go on for much longer) who were living on the farm could only keep one

sheep at a time on the land.

27

I wonder if this was to avoid squabbles? Or to perpetuate the emphasis on dairy farming? If you

have any ideas, please tell me. Sarah did stay on, as the 1851 Census shows, and was buried in the

family grave at Wistaston with Charles, at 87 in 1851. However, it seems that Edward took over

Brassey Hall, not either of Charles' sons, though Edward was only three years older than Charles junior.

Charles made other bequests, which will be mentioned later.

CHILDREN OF CHARLES

1. Charles and Sarah's first child, Mary Ann, was christened on All Saints Day, 1806 in

Nantwich: perhaps Charles was still living in or near Willaston. Or, if elsewhere, perhaps to

maintain the link with the church where he married. As often in large families, one generation

could overlap another: Mary Ann married William Astbury in Whitegate, near Over, on 11th

August, 1825, five months after her younger brother Charles (later to become the Missing Man)

was baptised at Marton, near Over. The witnesses were Thomas Astbury and John Harvey.

They moved to Checkley and had seven children, mainly baptised there:

Charles, born 30th April 1827, Checkley; baptised 30th May in Over Sarah, baptised 13th November, 1829, Whitegate, Over Mary Ann baptised,17th January 1831, Checkley Willliam, baptised 13th March 1833 at Checkley John, baptised 13th October 1835, Checkley Samuel, baptised 15th December 1838, Willaston & Checkley Sarah E, baptised 4th May 1847, Willaston

William went into the salt works, John became a corder, Charles died in Checkley in

1917. There is more information on later generations, if you would like it.

2. All we know of Charles' second daughter, Sarah, is that she was baptised in Whitegate

on New Year's Day, 1809. Coincidentally, Thomas and Hannah Birchall of Nantwich also had a

daughter Sarah, baptised in 1809 - perhaps Thomas was one of - or was descended from one of -

Samuel's brothers.

3. Charles' third daughter, Susannah, was also baptised in Whitegate on 25th August, 1810.

She married Samuel Astbury on 11th January, 1832, at Whitegate. Samuel was perhaps a

brother of William, Mary Ann's husband. Their witnesses were William Salmon and Mary

Austin. In all probability this is the Mary Austin, who married Charles' brother George in

28

Baddiley, five years later. Susannah and Samuel Astbury had six known children, baptised in

Over as follows:

Sarah, 6th January 1833 • Ellen, 23rd March 1835

William, 19th March 1838 • Margaret, 22nd July 1840

Mary J, 1847 • Alfred, 1852

In 1881 the widowed Susannah was farming at Chester Road, Salterswell, with

the two youngest, Alfred and Mary, and two grandchildren, Catherine and Edward, who

must be William's children.

4. Charles' fourth daughter, Alice, was baptised on 6th October 1812, and married

William Wood on 9th December, 1830 by Licence at Whitegate, witnessed by her cousin

James Pennell and Susanna Baker. Only six months later, Alice's grandfather, Samuel

died at Brassey Hall, and her parents moved there. It is not known whether their

remaining unmarried children moved with them - but certainly only their older son

Charles was there at the 1881 Census. Alice's children, if any, have not yet been traced -

it is difficult, with a name like Wood.

5. Meanwhile, Jane, Charles' fifth daughter, married Thomas Thornhill, a farmer

of Crewe Green on 29th December, 1835. Charles clearly thought highly of Thomas,

choosing him as joint executor of his Will., with Sarah. Charles' younger son, Edward

acted as executor for Thomas - so there was close contact and mutual trust. Jane and

Thomas had only two children, John and Charles - Jane died at 26, of inflammatory fever

on 18th September, 1840 and is buried at Barthomley. Their first son, John Thornhill,

married Eliza Ford of Barthomley and farmed 128 acres at Worleston Lane. They had

nine children, born as follows:

John Thomas, 1862, Acton • Ann, Feb. 1865, Poole William, 1 Oct. 1866, Poole • Charles, born c. 1870

• Alice, Feb.1871, Worleston • Jane, April 1673, Worleston Henry Ford, 1875, Worleston • Ralph, 1878, Worleston Frances Ann, November 1881, Barthomley

Despite having so many children, John and Eliza parted, and lived and died

separately, John being buried in Wheelock and Eliza in Barthomley. The family story is

29

that Eliza's parents were wealthy and when she inherited money, she decided she would

rather not share it. As most of her brothers remained single, this may have a family trait.

Their eldest son, John Thomas Thornhill, married Mary Bolshaw, daughter of

his former landlady in Haslington. They farmed at Green Farm, Church Lawton and had

four daughters, Clarice Mary, Mabel Elizabeth, Ruth and Gertrude Mary. Mabel died

single; Ruth married Ernest Boffey14 on 19th April 1922. Ernest's son David left farming

and is a Project Manager for Bombardier in Crewe.

Charles Thornhill was baptised at Barthomley, 24th September 1839. He farmed

at Heath Farm, Sandbach Heath from 1864 (at least) to 1914, married Emma Hollinshead

at Smallwood and had two children, Gertrude and Thomas. He died on 21st February

1917. Probate was granted to his widow, Sarah Ellen, so perhaps, like his Samuel, he had

lost his first wife and re-married. There is more information about the Thornhills, if you

would like it.

6. Charles' sixth daughter, Martha, was baptised at Salterswell but died in infancy

and was buried at Whitegate on 19th November, 1817. I am grateful to Julie Boffey, née

Dennis, David's wife, for tying up several loose ends in Charles' branch of the family.

7. Finally, after six girls, Charles had his first son, Samuel, named after his own father.

Samuel was baptised in Whitegate on 23rd August, 1818, and moved to Brassey Hall with his

father, when Charles took over, following Samuel's death. .

At 24, in 1842, Samuel married Ann Dobson at Wybunbury. Her father, James, farmed

locally. From 1851 to 1881, with the help of between two and four servants at different times,

Samuel farmed 153 acres at Checkley-cum-Wrinehill, not far from the railway line between

Crewe and the Potteries. In 1881 a brother and sister Owen Bennion (15) and Catherine (18) of

Woore were there. No Censuses for this period shows any children for Samuel and Ann, though

of course this does not prove they had none. His retired father-in-law, James Dobson, then 73,

14 Apparently related to Ernest Boffey of Henhull Bridge Farm and to Winifred Boffey who married Arthur Birchall.

30

was with them in 1851. Samuel's niece Sarah (daughter of his brother, Charles II, of whom we

will hear more) also lived with them.

Samuel retired to Gorsty Hill, Weston, near Crewe. Coincidentally his great-nephew

William Edward Birchall, and his son, Ted, of the same name, both lived at Weston in the next

century. When Samuel died, in December 1895, he left everything to his niece and nephew,

Sarah and her husband, William Dimelow, which does suggest that Samuel, unlike his cousin

Samuel at Baddiley, had no surviving children of his own. These two cousins are compared in

the next chapter. Samuel inherited Charles' silver cup - perhaps it is still treasured by a

descendant of Sarah and William Dimelow, somewhere near Checkley or Weston. You can see a

comparison of Charles' Will with those of his father and his brother George on page ???

8. Charles and Sarah's eighth child was another Martha, baptised on 18th April, 1819, at

Whitegate, named after the Martha they had lost two years earlier. On 21st October 1841 she

married Samuel Trickett of Wrenbury in Nantwich. It seems they first lived in Wardle, then

moved to Rope . Their known children are:

Samuel, born c. 1852 in Wardle

John, born c. 1854 in Rope

Mary, born c. 1857 in Rope

Alfred, born c. 1860 in Rope

In 1881 they were farming 117 acres in Rope, with all the children listed above still at

home, and the help of four servants. It seems they must also have had a daughter, who married

someone called Manley, as they also have two very small Manley grandchildren at their house.

These are Esther Mary Manley, aged two, born in Rope, and Thomas Manley, only five

months, born in Newhall. There has not been time to trace the parents of these little ones. It

could be that their mother died in having Thomas. If so, we would need to find a young widower

called Manley. He might be related to the Manley auctioneer of Newhall.

In 1891 Samuel and Martha are still in Rope, but only their 38-year-old unmarried son

John is still at home with them.

9. Ninth was Esther, baptised in St Chad's, Over, in 1821. She married William Adams,

son of Thomas Gleave Adams in Nantwich in 1848. It seems he died, for she later married a

31

Tipton, and turns up on the 1881 Census, 60 and once more widowed, living alone at number 25

in the appropriately-named China Street, Stoke-on-Trent. She is described as House Keeper,

which probably meant she looked after herself and had no paid occupation. If she worked as

housekeeper for someone, she would almost certainly have been living in. At some point after

this, Esther (or Ester, or Hester, as it was variously spelt) retired to Rope - perhaps with the

Tricketts - and lived to be 80, before joining Charles and Sarah in the family grave at Wistaston

in 1902. No children have been traced for her, though they might be found in censuses.

10. Charles' tenth child was his second son, Charles, called after himself., referred to as

Charles II. He was baptised in Marton, near Over, on 7th March, 1825, and moved to Brassey

Hall with his parents in 1831, when his grandfather died. Eight years later, when his father died,

the Will stipulated that the Family Bible was to go to young Charles, then only 14. Like his

father, Charles II married at the age of twenty-one, on 3rd March 1846, in Acton. His bride was

Jane Morrey, whose father John farmed at Burland. Their witnesses were William Allen and

William Rogersall. Charles and Jane had four known children:

Sarah, born 1846

Ann, born 1847

Charles, born Stoneley Green, 1850

Harriet, born 1860

In Spring 1851, Charles' mother, Sarah, had died and the Census of that year shows Charles and

Jane farming 77 acres at Nantwich Road, Monks Coppenhall, with their baby son, Charles III, as we

must call him, to avoid confusion. But where were the two older sisters?

The same 1851 Census shows John Morrey, 54, farming at Baddiley, with a young girl named

Birchall there. The initial is unclear, but it looks like a 'D'. Could this be a badly written 'A' for Ann,

daughter of Charles and Jane, who is his granddaughter? The age would fit. We already know that

Sarah was with her uncle Samuel at Checkley-cum-Wrinehill. But where was Ann? The census for

1861 has not been checked, and it is not clear whether or not the family was still in Monks Coppenhall

then.

32

However, by 1871, Ann was living at Braynes Hall, Monks Coppenhall, married to James

Bolderstone, with a three-month-old son Edwin, after whom Charles Edwin Birchall may have been

called. The Birchalls and Bolderstones of Poole were very close. The household also included Ann's

21-year-old brother Charles III, single, and her youngest sister, Harriet, only 11. But why are they not

with their own parents, Charles and Jane (Morrey)? Where were Charles and Jane? Has she died? There

is a Charles Birchall, shown living alone at Newhall in the 1881 Census, stated to have been and born in

Willaston in the same year as Charles II, but he is said to be married. This man is listed as an

Agricultural Labourer. In the absence of any other evidence we probably have to assume it is our

Charles, the second. But why is he there, and what became of Jane?

Is there a connection with Astbury relatives in Newhall? Or with descendants of the Birchalls

who were in Newhall in 1723? Did Charles fall on hard times? Or go off the rails? Emigrate? And

what happened to the Family Bible?

Then, in early 1901 - Censuses were always taken in early Spring, when the weather began to

improve and roads were more passable - Charles II re-appears, widowed, as a retired farmer, living at

Upper Woodhouse Farm, Shifnal, together with his own son, inevitably called Charles. Charles III is

now 50 and still a bachelor. Two years later, on 25th March, 1903, Charles II died after a five-day

bronchitis attack, still at the farm near Shifnal. His son was present at the death. Charles senior was 79,

and described as a retired farmer - seemingly recovered from the poverty indicated in 1881, when he

was a mere labourer. So far, nothing further is known of Charles III after 1903, when he was present at

his father's death, and even less of the Family Bible.

If only the Bible had been left to Sensible Samuel, who stayed near Crewe! While we have

quite good information about the 18th,, 19th and 20th Birchalls, the Bible of Charles II could well have had

information going back to the 17th century - maybe even earlier.

With this in mind, I contacted all the Birchalls from the telephone directory covering the Shifnal

area, to see if any were descended from either of the Charleses at Woodhouse Farm. None were, but I

didn't draw a complete blank. The findings were:

33

several from Lancashire, mainly Liverpool

several solidly from Shropshire for many generations

Sarah, granddaughter of John Birchall and Phyllis Crewe, from Wettenhall

Andrew, son of Graham, formerly of Dairy House Farm, Willaston

However, one of the Liverpool Birchalls did tell me about a local journalist called Adrian

Birchall, who had been a reporter on the Shropshire Star, and was said to have been interested in the

family's history. At present he is retired and living in the London area but I am trying to trace him.

Who knows, perhaps he may have some information, or be able to offer some advice on tracking down

the missing Bible.

This is not yet the end of Charles' line - if you have been keeping count, you will notice

that there is still number eleven to come. This was Edward, born 1828, maybe the most successful of all

the farming Birchalls. Like his father, Edward needs more space.

Please see over for the summary of the Wills of Charles, his brother George, and their father

Samuel.

34

Wills of Charles, George and Samuel

(summarised)

Charles

Died

7 Aug 1839

Address

Willaston

Occ'n

Farmer

Will on

16 Mar 1839

Bequests

Samuel - silver cupCharles - large family bible; Edward £5.00Sarah to continue tenancyEqually to Samuel, Martha & other children.

Executors

Sarah (wife)Son-in-law Thomas Thornhill

Witnesses

George EatonPeter Eaton

*sons not to keep more than 1 sheep each

Probate on

Chester27 Feb. 1840

George 3 Dec. 1831

Buerton, Audlem

Farmer 8 Nov. 1831

Wife Mary; capital in trust for all children

Richard Austin, James Pennell , both farmersAlso William Austin & William Pennell

Geo. EatonRichd. Jarvis

17 May 1832, Chester, under £1500.

Samuel 7 May 1831

Dairy House, Willaston

Farmer 1831

Farm at valuation to son Charles or grandson James Pennell; £150.00to Elizabeth Moss (dau.), life income to Jane £50.00, rest equally to chr

Richard Wilding, Farmer, Church Coppenhall

Jane B - widow

James Pennell of Willaston,grandson

Geo. Eaton of Nantwich, Solr.

Chester, 29 Oct. 1831, under £1500.00

I have copies of these three. They are quite lengthy, on large A3 pages, so for reasons of space I have not copied them here. If you would like me to photocopy any for you, just ask. (I have checked with the Record Office and this is permitted, if they are not reproduced in any published work)

Other copies: Caleb 1803; James 1825; Jane 1811(?); John 1754; John 1835; John 1850; Peter 1728; Robert 1714; Robert 1722; Samuel 1813; Samuel Jowitt 1854; Thomas 1730; Thomas 1805; Thomas 1885

35

11. EDWARD BIRCHALL, 1828 - 1899last child of Charles Birchall and Sarah Massey

and his family

When Edward was born in Marton, his parents, Charles (44) and Sarah (41),

already had a grandchild, Charles Astbury, Mary Ann's first son. Edward was baptised at

Whitegate on 7th November 1828. Almost before he was old enough to remember either Marton

or Whitegate, the family moved to Brassey Hall, Willaston, when Edward was two-and-a-half,

for Charles to take over after Samuel's death. Eight years later, Charles was dead at only 55,

leaving his 11-year-old youngest child with a legacy of five pounds - a considerable sum for a

child of that age in 1839. This may have focussed Edward's attention on the uses to which

money could be put, as he was able to make a substantial purchase of land when only 32. In

1842, three years after Edward lost his father, his brother Samuel married Ann Dobson and soon

after Edward was in day-to-day charge at Brassey Hall.

The 1851 Census shows the 22-year-old Edward, who had evidently inherited his

father's dynamism, farming Brassey Hall alone, with the help of outdoor workers Edward Heath

(20), John Lockett (16) and, indoors, Sarah Basford, 28. Sarah was to be a lifelong friend and

mainstay. Shortly after this, Edward married Ann, daughter of Thomas Pedley of Tiverton. In

1860, when they already had their first two children, John and Sarah Ann, Edward and (his

father-in-law?) Thomas Pedley bought land from Ralph Sneyd of Willaston Hall and Edward

built his new home, Dairy House farm15, where Sarah moved with them.

In 1881 Edward was farming 83 acres, with just his two younger children still at home,

Alice, who later married John Ibbs of Hodnet, Shropshire - where William Chetwood lived as a

bachelor - and William Edward. Edward's eldest, John, was a successful farmer in his own

right, with a large farm at Baddington, no doubt assisted, if not totally funded, set up by his

father. Sarah had married Robert F Lewis, a Master Draper, who seemed to be running a large

establishment at Drayton-in-Hales, with staff from the shop, a servant and their first three

children, George (4), Marion (3) and Robert (2). The three male staff lived in and Robert also

employed six female staff - clearly, this was quite a large concern.

15 This is reported in James Hall's 1883 History of the Town and Parish of Nantwich, to which Edward was a subscriber. He is listed as 'Esquire' among the subscribers' names, which attests to his success.

36

Not only was Edward a well-to-do farmer, is also said to have been a JP. He died in 1899

and is buried with Ann in Nantwich cemetery. Their old friend Sarah Basford shares their grave

along with Edward's second son, William Edward and WE's second wife, Maria Jane.

Summary of Edward's life

Date Eventby 1851 Samuel and Ann in Checkley; Edward at Brassey Hall with his mother

c. 1852 Edward marries Ann Pedley: no details yet available of their wedding.

1853 John, Edward's first son born, later to farm at Baddington

1855 Sarah Ann , Edward's daughter born

1860 Edward buys the Dairy House land from Ralph Sneyd of Willaston Hall.

1862 Alice born

1866 William Edward born. See after page 43 for a photo of William and his sons, when he has taken over Dairy House.

1881 Edward & Ann farming 83 acres at Dairy House, with two servants

1891 Edward & Ann still at Dairy House

1898 Edward dies on 28 May

1899 Ann dies, six months later, on 9th January

Like his brothers, Samuel and Charles, Edward was in having been in farming, for at least

part of his life, during one of its better times. Indeed the very king in most of his father's lifetime

was known as 'Farmer George' partly for his simple tastes, and also, as my near neighbour Eric

Evans says:

When fit, he was a highly dutiful monarch, whose very conscientious-ness helped to cause conflict with politicians. He was also devoted to his wife and, based on his genuine love for farming and the English countryside, liked to believe he was a typical landowner with the attitudes, beliefs and patriotic instincts of an Englishman.'

No wonder the people loved him.

37

For sixty years George III reigned over most of what is known as the Agricultural

Revolution, spanning the years 1750 - 1850. This was not a period of violent uprising, but

nonetheless of great changes including:

Wider use of new technology such as seed drills and threshing machines

Development of improved drainage schemes

Application of industrial technology e.g. iron ploughs, clay drainage pipes

Selective and scientific stock-breeding

New crops for animal feed, e.g. sainfoin and turnip

Specialist crops for urban markets, e.g. fruit and vegetables

Improved crop rotation, therefore less fallow land and better yields

Formation of agricultural societies, research stations and, later, colleges

Consolidation of land holdings (was this always a good thing?)

Enclosure of land, as mentioned in Wistaston Parish Register

Higher investment

However, by the end of Edward's life, this had given way to the Great Depression of

1876 to 1896, caused by a downswing of the economy. Arable farming was especially hard hit,

with grain acreage down more than half, from 3.6 million in 1871 to only 1.7m. acres in 1901.

Many landowners were forced to sell up. This, however, was an opportunity for tenant farmers

to buy their own land, and as we now see, it is the farmers who do not have to pay rent who

have the best chance of weathering recent storms in farming, like the foot and mouth epidemic.

Edward had done well to buy the Willaston Hall land in 1860, perhaps enabled to do so by the

release of capital following the early death of his father.

This was also the time when millions emigrated from the UK, many attracted by

opportunity for land ownership in countries like America, Canada, Australia and South Africa.

Between 1846 and 1869 alone about 340,000 left England and Wales on assisted passages to

Commonwealth countries, leaving aside those who paid their own fares.

At about the same time, Methodism was rising in esteem and importance and by 1870

had 600,000 members, which was about 13% of all churchgoers. Birchall involvement with

Methodism will be looked at more closely later, at the beginning of Chapter Two.

38

Edward had visibly successful man and a prominent citizen from an early age. His

listing as 'Esquire' among the subscribers to James Hall's 1883 History of the Town and Parish of

Nantwich , and mention of his acquiring Willaston Hall shows his respected status. However,

unfortunately he did not live to enjoy a long retirement, dying at only 71. His second son,

William Edward took Dairy House over. Edward, Ann and their old friend Sarah Basford are

buried together in Nantwich cemetery. We will now look at each of Edward's children.

1. John, oldest child of Edward Birchall,

Edward had provided well for John, who farmed Broadlands at Baddington, its 180 acres

making it one of the biggest farms in Cheshire. John had a large household - as well as himself,

Susannah, his wife, and their children (given in the table below) there were:

Susannah's older sister, Martha Ince, 50, their dairymaid Ann Potts, 55, a nurse Sarah Smith, 25, a vessel cleaner Amy Allman, 14, a housemaid John Parkinson, 19, indoor servant Thomas Young, 16, the same John Welch of Mayo. 25, the same

A summary of the main events John's in life follows.

Date Eventc. 1875 Married Susanna Dale (perhaps a widow) of Astbury in Brereton St Oswald1877 Margaret Ellen, their first daughter born, later to marry Billy Bourne1879 Edward Harrington, their first son born, who married Marguerite Vavasour Thompson1881 Edith Mary born, shortly before the Census was taken - lised as NK, because unnamed at the

time. She may be the Edith Birchall who married John Lowe in Nantwich, in 1903.1882 Winifred Annie born.1885 Thomas Pedley born, who later married Florence Meakin in Pillory Street.Aft.1881 Susanna dies1891- '95 John seems to have married Annie (Jackson of Tarporley.?) The exact date is not knownAbout '98 Gertrude May born1898 Farming has been very difficult at this time - see below. John, who had been a staunch

teetotaller, before Susanna died, took to drink. One night he seized his shotgun and frightened the children so badly that they leapt out through the bedroom windows on to the grass below. Margaret Ellen just escaped a bullet and ran to Mr Hall at the next farm, who brought the police. They found John burning the baby's cradle and arrested him; he later appeared in Nantwich court.

1898 John's father dies in May.1899 John's mother, Ann, dies six months laterAbt. 1900 Jessie born1901 John still at Baddington, farming with his second wife, family, and the help of his 22-year-

old Irish cowman, Michael Walsh. Most 19th century farmers had Irish farm workers.

39

Apart from John's personal pain at losing his wife, and both his parents

within seven months, not to mention his very public breakdown into violence, life as a whole had

been increasingly harsh, with outbreaks of typhus and cholera between 1830 and 1849 and huge

loss of life. Despite the new railways, with accompanying compensation disputes over

disruption and the land that had been taken, hard times continued for farmers, with rinderpest in

1868 and the full-on agricultural depression at the end of Edward's life referred to above. The

Chester Chronicle's regular 'Farm Notes' column of 31 December, 1892, says

'Christmastide has been hardly kept this year ... for the shadow of the crisis is over all. The old year closes amid general gloom. The new year cannot be worse than the past.'

Problems included American and Canadian beef flooding the market and the sale of

'bosh' or 'bogus' cheeses, filled with oleo (fat and oil) from Scotland and Ireland, all of which

destroyed farmers' income. On top of this, there was pressure from 'the three Fs' which all

related to landlords:

Fixed tenure imposed by landlords, (the lack of)

Fair Rent

(absence of) Free Sale in relation to the improvements farmers made to their rented land and houses.

There were endless public meetings. Farmers constantly begged the different railway

companies to reduce charges for transporting milk and dairy products, all to no avail. Only the

wars, to use a dreadful pun, saved the farmers' bacon.

A week later, on January 7, 1893, the Chronicle tells us

'The position is a very simple one. The tenants cannot pay the rents with produce at the present price under the present conditions of tenure'

All this might make you wonder whether John's grandparents, Charles and Sarah, might

not have moved to another part of England, or even left altogether and gone to some other

country for a time. As we saw from the 1898 entry, John was clearly under enormous pressure.

For details of his children please see page 44.

40

2. Sarah Ann Birchall, Edward's first daughter, born 1855

Sarah, married Robert F Lewis in 1875, a Master Draper, employing three men and six

females. Four of the staff were living in with them at Shropshire Street, Drayton-in-Hales in

1881. At that time they had three children:

George E, born about 1876 Marion, born about 1877 Robert F, born about 1879

and later another son, Arthur, who we see visiting Alice and her husband Edward below, in 1901.

The sisters and their husbands seem to have been close, especially with the men in the same line

of work, possibly even related to one another.

3. Alice Birchall, Edward's second daughter, born 1862

Alice married John Prentcliff Ibbs, born in Hodnet. She may have met him at 31 High

Street, Nantwich, when he was working at Miss Waterfall's drapery there (as listed in 1881

Census). This was a large business - ten staff, including John, lived in, one of them Edward

Wilding of Poole. John seems to have been from a farming family - in 1881, Mary Ibbs, widow

of 52, and her 26-year old-son Robert, were farming at Stanton-upon-Hine-Heath, not far from

Hodnet. Robert's sisters Lizzie, Maggie, Alice and Sallie were also at home

A Richard Ibbs (45) was also farming 350 acres at Grinshill, Shropshire with his three

younger spinster sisters, Mary, Sarah and Margaret, at home. The only other Ibbs in the region

was Richard Pratchett Ibbs, 25, born in Stanton-upon-Hine-Heath (close to Hodnet), and

working as assistant to a very busy mercer, Charles Lewis, in Newport - just along the road from

Market Drayton - also with ten resident staff. It seems probable that John, Richard and Robert

Ibbs are brothers, sons of the widowed Mary, whose oldest son , predictably, stayed on the farm

Support for this theory comes from the fact that by 1901 John has returned to farming

and is at Shavington Wood Farm, Moreton Say, near Whitchurch - again within striking distance

of Market Drayton. And who is visiting John and Alice? None other than their nephew, Arthur

Lewis, too young to have been in the 1881 Census, but almost certainly the son of Sarah and

41

Robert Lewis - see above - and very likely also the nephew of Charles Lewis, employer of

Richard Ibbs.

4. William Edward Birchall, Edward's second son and youngest child, born 1866

When William Edward took over the Dairy House from his father in 1899, it was not - as

we have seen - a good time for farming. Perhaps as a result, he seems to have married quite late

in life, around 28, in 1894 or thereabouts. His bride was Florence Emma Hammond - like him,

she was known by her second name.

Their children were:

Florence Annie, born about 1895 Elsie E (Emma?), born about 1896 Edward Stanley Pedley, born 1901

Florence and Elsie Birchall married two farming brothers, John and Hugh Jackson.

Florence married John in 1916; Elsie and Hugh were married three years later. Both marriages

took place in the Methodist Chapel at Mill Street, Crewe. Many of the Birchalls were committed

Methodists, as will be seen a little later. The Pennells, who lived near Wrenbury and Poole in

the early years of Methodist meetings and fellowships, were also Wesleyan worshippers, perhaps

the Perrins as well, who lived nearby.

Florence and Elsie's brother, known as Stanley, however, married in Wistaston St Mary's

in April 1926. The Birchall marriages for that year, taken from the Cheshire BMD website 16,

show the frequent intermarriage among farming families. The reference numbers in the last

column is for use when ordering a certificate from the relevant registrar.

For the record, the only other three Birchall marriages for 1926 were in Stockton Heath

and Warrington. These 1926 weddings united the two Crab Mill and Dairy House Birchall

branches by marriage, as well as blood ties.

BIRCHALL - CREWE marriages in 1926

16 CheshireBMD.org /uk

42

BIRCHALLEdward Stanley

PedleyCREWE Hilda Wistaston, St Mary CC 157/1/452

BIRCHALL Frederick CREWEDorothy

MaryActon, St Mary CC 101/5/218

BIRCHALL John CREWE Phyllis Wistaston, St Mary CC 157/1/448

Stanley married 21-year-old Phyllis, daughter of George Henry Crewe of Church House

Farm, Wistaston in April. Her witnesses were her sister Ethel, and Marjorie Brown. Just a year

before, Ethel, then 23, had married Joseph Frederick Richardson, 22, son of Joseph Henry

Richardson of Whitchurch House Farm, Willaston. D Richardson and Ethel's cousin Phyllis

were witnesses. Stanley and Phyllis went to farm at Windy Arbour, Alvaston and had two

daughters, Elizabeth and Florence, of whom no more is known - perhaps you have some

knowledge of them. Phyllis was second cousin to John and Fred Birchall.

The second couple, Frederick Birchall, 30, and Dorothy Mary Crewe, 23, cousin of the

other brides, married on 1st September in Acton church as Dorothy lived in Burland, where her

father Thomas had farmed. Fred was first cousin to John, known as Jack, Birchall, 25, who

married Phyllis Crewe. His parents were George Birchall and Hannah Maria Dutton of Outlanes

Farm, Church Minshull. George was the eldest surviving son of Samuel Birchall of Crab Mill,

named after his grandfather, George Birchall who died in 1831 and is buried in Wistaston.

Their witnesses were George Roland (Roly) Birchall, Fred's cousin; Herbert and Phyllis Moore

and Mary E Crewe. Fred and Dorothy continued to farm at Outlanes, where Fred and all his

siblings had been born. They had only one child, Harold, who died in infancy. Like Maria Jane

Twigg, Edward's second wife, Dorothy suffered from diabetes.

John, or Jack, Birchall was the first child of Alfred Birchall, seventh son of Samuel of

the Crab Mill Farm, Baddiley. Alfred's address was one of the most lovely in Cheshire - Wood

Green Farm, Paradise Lane, Church Minshull. Sadly, Alfred's luck was not typical of seventh

sons, as Jack died suddenly in church, of a heart attack, at the early age of 41. Even sadder,

Jack's son, Alan Cliffe Birchall, also suffered a fatal heart attack at the same age.

Jack was 25 when he married Phyllis, then 23, on 14th April. Though they were married

only seventeen years, they were a happy, popular couple, and are re-united in their grave at

43

Church Minshull. Their cousins Hilda and Ethel Crewe and John Birchall, of the Crab Mill Farm

were their witnesses. They had two sons, Eric and Alan, of whom more later in Chapter Two..

While Edward's three children of his first marriage were growing up and marrying, he

was raising another family with his second wife, Maria Jane, née Twigg. It is unclear when he

was widowed, but he seems to have re-married about 1904. His bride was the widow of Ernest

Crawford Bowker, a photographer in Churchyardside, Nantwich.. Ernest took a portrait of the

young and lovely Maria, when she was 18. Later they married and had two sons, Henry

Crawford Bowker and Raymond Ernest.

Maria and Edward had a new family of four more boys. They, Maria's two, and Edward's

and Stanley, all lived as very friendly brothers at the Dairy House. Raymond took readily to

farming and at 26 married Kathleen Barnett, 24, of the Corner House Farm, Wistaston, on 12 th

June 1928, at St Mary's, Wistaston, witnessed by Raymond's stepfather, William Edward, his

half-brother Frank and R H Barnett.

Raymond and Kathleen farmed at Shrewbridge, Nantwich, and in 1932 had a son

Raymond Henry, named after both his grandfathers.

The four sons of William Edward and Maria are:

William Edward, born about 1905 Frank, born 1906 George Edward, born 1908 John (Jack), born 1914

The photograph which follows this section shows them all at Dairy House. The bench

on which Maria and the three youngest boys are sitting, is in the garden of Jack's daughter,

Beryl.

Coming closer to the present day, I am following usual family history practice here and

not giving detailed information about living persons and their parents.

4. WILLIAM EDWARD BIRCHALL II, first son of Edward and Maria, born about 1905

44

This William Edward was known as Ted. He married Elizabeth Mabel Evans (known

as Mabel) in Acton church in 1935. They farmed at Longhill Farm, Buerton and had three

children:

Bernard, born 1937, who died about 1990 of a heart attack. He had no children. William |Edward, also known as Ted. He now lives at Weston and is married to Norma.

He has two adult sons, Ian and Darren Birchall Doreen married a Bebbington and has sons Paul, Philip and Steven and a daughter Sarah

Jane Bebbington

5. FRANK BIRCHALL, second son of Edward and Maria, born 1906

Like many a farmer's second son, Frank looked farther afield than home. He took a BSc

degree, but the land was still in his blood and he later ran a market garden near Blackpool. Frank

is said to have been an interesting man who never lost his own interest in the Birchall family and

passed a great deal of information on to Roger Birchall, now living in Poole. Though Frank had

three wives he had no children.

6. GEORGE EDWARD BIRCHALL, third son of Edward, born 1908

George - see how the name lingers on in both branches - farmed at Dairy House and later

became manager of Willaston Glass. He married Esmé Clatworthy and is the father of Roger

Norman Birchall, of Poole, Graham Stuart of Tarvin and Jennifer.

Roger is married to Anne and has three adult children, Timothy, Jonathan and Jane.

Graham is also in business making doors and windows : he has twin sons, Peter and Andrew, and

daughters Anne Marie and Leanne. He is married to Suzanne. Jennifer, now a Butler, has two

sons and lives in Devon.

7. JACK BIRCHALL, fourth son of Edward, born 1910

Jack also farmed at Dairy House. He married Lucy Capper of Wybunbury in 1936 and

had three children, Margaret, Beryl and John. After his death, some of the land of Dairy House

was sold for housing and the rest is still farmed by his daughters.

45

Margaret married Roger Smith and has daughters Lesley and Helen. Beryl married

Thomas Vaughan and has children Philip, Caroline and Barbara. John is still in Dairy House, is

married to Vivian and has daughters Caroline, Mary and Barbara and one son, David.

The Cappers, like the Pedleys of Winterley, and Thomas Birchall of Hatherton, had, in

earlier years, been a farming and cheese factoring family. There were many of them in and

around Wistaston, though in previous centuries the name was spelt Cappur. Jack and Lucy are

buried in Nantwich Cemetery, very close to the graves of Charles Edwin Birchall of the Crab

Mill branch and of Harold Bower of Hatherton.

CHILDREN of JOHN BIRCHALL of Broadlands, BaddingtonEldest son and first child of Edward Birchall of Dairy House Farm

John had a total of seven children, five by his first wife, Susannah - three girls and two

boys. After he married Annie, they had two more two daughters. He lived at Broadlands,

Baddington throughout this time.

1. Margaret Ellen Birchall, born 1871

Margaret married William Ernest Bourne, known as Billy, in 1900 when she was 23.

This seems to have been a happy marriage and her grandchildren speak very fondly of their late

grandmother. Billy was related to Hugh Bourne, husband of Hilda Birchall.

2. Edward Harrington Birchall, born 1879

Edward was perhaps named after his grandfather, the illustrious and dynamic Edward.

He married Marguerite Vavasour Thompson in 1902. I do not know any more than this about

him, or whether or not they had children. I would be grateful for any information.

3. Edith Mary Birchall, born 1881

Edith seems to have married John Lowe in 1903. It is now known whether they had

children. She died in 1861 and is buried with her brother Thomas in Nantwich cemetery.

46

4. Winifred Annie, born 1883

Little is known of Winifred, except that she died in February 1961 and is buried with her

brother Thomas (in grave 394B) at Nantwich cemetery. Please tell me if you know anything

abut her.

5. Thomas Pedley Birchall, born 1885

Thomas bears his grandmother's maiden name. The Pedleys were an important local

family. Charles Pedley, son of Richard Pedley, the Cheese Factor of Winterley House, was in

legal practice in 1891 at the age of 28, and was later involved in the well-known Nantwich firm

of solicitors, Pedley Timperley and Tomkinson. One branch was living at Baddiley Hall in the

1950s.

Thomas married Florence Edith Meakin at Pillory Street Methodist Chapel in 1920.

They farmed at Buerton Farm, Audlem until Thomas died in December 1950. He was buried in

Nantwich - see his funeral service sheet. Florence moved to Blackpool, but only lived another

three months. I do not know if they had children. Do you?

6. Gertrude May, born 1897

All I know of Gertrude is that she must have been the baby whose cradle her father had

flung on the fire in 1898, and her birth date. I would be glad of any information about her.

7. Jessie, born 1899

All I know of Jessie is her birth date and that she died on 14 July 1974 and is

buried in Nantwich cemetery. I would be glad of any information about her. If you think of

anything as you read, perhaps you could jot it down on the back of the page.

Looking back to the ancestor of these families - our ancestor too - here is the end of the

story of Samuel and Mary. Mary died on 8th January 1812. With all his children married and,

presumably, gone from home, the ageing Samuel was perhaps lonely. In December he married

47

Jane Holding by both banns and licence in Nantwich church - the signature in the Register

seems to match the one at his first marriage, though with a gap of 34 years it is hard to be fully

sure. Samuel's signature on his Will in 1831 is shaky, but also matches those in the Parish

Register for his marriages. Samuel's Will was drawn up by George Eaton, Solicitor, of Raby

Hall, Willaston, whose son Peter also acted for Samuel's son George, in the same year.

Samuel and Jane had just over 18 years of marriage before Samuel died in 1831, leaving

her a life income of £50.00 p.a. and the right to stay on the farm. Jane seems to have died

about 1844, so was probably somewhat younger. I do not know where she is buried.

Though only the obituaries of notables, such as Members of Parliament, were printed in

the Chester Chronicle (& Cheshire and North Wales Advertiser) of the day, Samuel's death is

one of the few to merit being announced. In May, 1831 we read:

On the 7th inst., Mr Samuel Birchall, Farmerin the 86th year of his age.

Samuel's younger son, George, was clearly not as well-known, and his death, in

December of the same year, was not announced. George was baptised on 23 August 1789 at

Nantwich and went on to marry Mary Austin by Licence at St Michael's, Baddiley in 1815.

It is said that they began their farming life at Buerton, where other Birchalls of the

Willaston branch later farmed. The dates are not known, but certainly by the time their son

Samuel was born, they were farming at Baddiley. It is George, and his first surviving son, his

son, Samuel, cousin of Samuel the son of Charles, at Checkley-cum-Wrinehill, who are the direct

ancestors of the other branch of the Birchalls. It would therefore make sense to deal with

George and his descendants separately. The story of George links the Willaston and Crab Mill

branches, and takes us in to Chapter Two.

This concludes the thumbnail sketch of the Willaston branch

48

of the Birchalls, namely the descendants of Samuel Birchall, 1743 - 1831,

via his older son Charles,born in1784.

It is now time to turn to George, younger brother of Charles,

born in 1789.

First, though, a brief overview of the times may be of interest.It is mainly based on James Hall's extract from the

Annals of Nantwich, quoted in his

History of the Town and Parish of Nantwich

published by T. Johnson at his office in theOat Market

1883

49

Life in and around Nantwich in the time of Samuel Birchall and his Descendants

1779 John Wesley was preaching in the Alpraham area. One of his travelling preachers was William Allwood17, who later settled in Faddiley. His descendant, Jane Allwood, was John Birchall's second wife, after the death of Agnes Emma Dutton.

The Tolpuddle Martyrs, at least one a Methodist, were transported to Australia for seeking higher wages for agricultural workers, by means of a union.

1777 Wesleyan Methodists hired Barker Street Chapel for worship.

1779 John Wesley preached at Barker Street. Many farmers were - or still are - staunch Wesleyans.

. The Chester and Nantwich Canal was opened, though it stopped short of the town at Basin End. Some canal bridges were called after the farmers on whose land they stood, e.g. the Bennion Bridge at Cross Banks Farm, Cholmondeston.

Cheese was a major product, with George Garnett and Thomas Cappur, Cheesefactors, being among the shareholders of the new workhouse. Their colleagues included Sir Robert Salisbury of Combermere, George Wilbraham Esq. of Delamere, a Surgeon, Attorneys, the Rev. John Kent, Grammar Schoolmaster; a JP and some tradesmen.

1780 The Cloth Fair started in Welsh Row. The London to Chester coaches plied through Nantwich; coaches to Manchester began soon after this, taking, among other things, shoes made in Nantwich for sale at Shude Hill market.

1803 400 acres of Beam Heath were enclosed: riots followed. The Trustees included Thomas Cappur and William Garnett. To this day, residents who have lived in Nantwich for seven years or more are eligible to claim a payment from the Beam Heath Trust Fund. The Welsh Bridge, between Welsh Row and High Street was built, replacing a stone bridge which had lasted 140 years. Now there is talk of a new river crossing nearby.

There were real fears that Napoleon might invade and, as elsewhere, every male between 15 and 60 was trained in the use of arms. After Chester, Nantwich had the largest group of 'Volunteers' in the county, commanded by Col. John Crewe. The Chester Chronicle had a regular column on Volunteer activities until at least 1896. Soldiers were selected by draws at the Crown Inn (still standing on High Street) and, if they had money enough, could redeem themselves and pay someone else to fight in their place.

17 Names in bold are of families related to the Birchalls by marriage.

50

1804 Horse races began in Nantwich, which had long been a very 'sporting' town.

1809 The Jubilee of King George II was celebrated on 25 October, and the church's new organ dedicated.

1820 The Duke of Wellington visited Lord Combermere, en route to Chester for celebrations.

1830 The Manchester & Liverpool District Banking Company opened in Barker Street.

1831 Outbreak of cholera.

1837 National Schools built on land given by Marquis of Cholmondeley

1840 A severe outbreak of typhus - there were 56 cases at once in the Workhouse.

First appearance of potato blight. Primitive Methodist chapel built in Welsh Row, also Wesleyan Day and Sunday schools.

Nationally, 1,500 miles of railway track were open for traffic. The rise of the railways led to the new town of Crewe, named after the family from Crewe Hall, near Weston.

1841 George Wilbraham, MP, who had supported fixed duty on corn, was defeated by Sir Philip de Malpas Grey Egerton and John Tollemache Esq., both Conservative. Until 1880, most MPs were landowners, and the House of Lords, mainly composed of land-owning peers, could cancel out any initiatives they did not like. It is calculated that from the late 18th to the early 19th, century, 200 landed families governed England.

1842 A fire destroyed thatched cottages in Hospital Street and damaged the Wesleyan Schools.

1846 The Savings Bank was built in Welsh Row . There was another outbreak of typhus, lasting nine months.

The London North Western Railway created, going between London and Carlisle, now the basis of the West Coast line.

1849 Cholera started in June and killed 180 (of a population of c. 6000) within 14 weeks. In one week in July 37 people died. Milksellers would not enter the town and grass began to grow in the streets, despite the frequent funerals passing through. An emergency cemetery was made, at what is now Whitehouse Lane. The disease was most severe near the river and in Hospital Street, though Irish people, who had been badly affected by typhus three years earlier, suffered much less.

Finally, as the disease lessened, a mass disinfecting was ordered and a cup of vitriol (sulphuric acid) was given to each household. At a signal from the church bell, everyone closed their doors and windows and dispersed the acid. After this, the town began to recover, and a better water supply was secured from Baddiley Mere18. The first idea had been to fire cannons upwards to blast away the germs, but this was considered too dangerous. Oddly, though the present cemetery in Whitehouse Lane was opened to cope with all the burials, there has never been a memorial to the victims.

Millions were pouring out of England to seek a better life overseas - including the family of Willliam Thomas Chetwood, uncle of my great-grandfather.

18 See note below

51

1855 St Anne's Catholic Chapel built and the 'restoration'19 of the parish church by Giles Gilbert Scott begun.

1856 The last salt-pan closed.

1857 Local shoemakers struck in protest against machine-made uppers.

Traffic began on the new Crewe and Shrewsbury Railway.

The Town Hall, by the Welsh Bridge in High Street, and the new Corn Exchange were also opened. The day was a public holiday and Clara Novello sang at a select concert.

1858 Leonard Gilbert brought sewing machines into his shoe factory.

1859 New Grammar School built, and the old building in Welsh Row demolished, though the boarding house, listed in the 1871 Census, still stands.

1860 There are now 9,000 miles of railways in operation. In 1932 there were 22,243 miles - and today, only about 10,000.

1863 There was an earthquake - and the Nantwich to Market Drayton Railway began operating.

1864 A severe cattle plague, rinderpest, struck the county. Farmers suffered greatly and a church collection was taken up on a Day of Humiliation in the following February.

1868 The present Market Hall and Market Street were built on land given by John Tollemache, MP. On 31 July, the day after the Market Hall opened, there was a severe fire, caused by sparks from a smithy setting thatched roofs in Snow Hill alight, which rapidly spread to Carrington's newsagents on High Street. It had been a dry summer and there was not enough water from Baddiley Mere.

Immediately after this, the Volunteer Fire Brigade was formed

1878 Water problems continued: in August, F E Massey Esq. of Alvaston Grove, served an injunction on the Local Board for polluting the river. This took two years to resolve.

1879 There was a severe frost in January and February, followed by a cold spring, a snowstorm on Mayday and a wet summer. Farmers could not turn their cattle out on 12 th May, as they always did. Is this still the custom?

1880 Brine was discovered at 30 feet under Parkfield.

1882 The Cheshire Show was held at Dorfold Park on 31 August and a monthly Cheese Fair established.

1883 The Brine Baths opened on Snow Hill (similar baths had opened in Droitwich in 1876). The Brine Baths Hotel later operated from the corner of Park Road and Broad Lane, run by Mr Worsey. This land had previously been farmed by Birchalls

As we saw earlier, hard times followed at the end of the century. After the recent foot and mouth epidemic many farmers went out of business. Will 2003 be any better?

19 Nowadays regarded more as an act of sustained vandalism - much irreplaceable stonework, and with it many historical inscriptions, was carted away for rubble.

52

Apropos of Baddiley Mere, this comes from an obituary in the Crewe Chronicle of 17th July 1937 concerning the new waterworks scheme:

…Baddiley's resources failed in maintaining an adequate and regular supply to Nantwich… This Baddiley scheme demanded the entire removal of Baddiley willow beds (a noted fox cover which ran down to the Mere), the building up and strengthening of the banks of the mere, the clearing away of contaminating beds, the raising of the overflow, the provision of modern machinery and filtering arrangements, the erection of a covered stone reservoir at Edleston midway between Baddiley and Nantwich, and the laying of a new pipe track. It increased the storage by six feet and gave to Nantwich a full supply. It cost over £30,000 but it was worth it. .. he lived to see .. the town supplied plentifully with good water, the sewering transformed ... the up-to-date re-equipment of the Gas Work, the erection of new baths and the successive schemes of rehousing under better conditions. … As the cortège moved slowly from the house, it was headed by members of the Nantwich Fire Brigade in full uniform.'

And the deceased? The Chairman of Nantwich UDC, 1929-1931,William Chetwood, my grandfather,

53

Chapter Two - The Birchalls of Crab Mill20

George Birchall, son of Samuel and Mary of Brassey Hall, Colleys Lane,

Willaston, was baptised in Nantwich church on 23rd August 1789. We can probably safely

assume that he worked with his father at Brassey Hall until his own marriage on 28 th August

1815, at the age of 26, to Mary Austin of Baddiley. This marriage was by Licence, in St

Michael's Church, Baddiley. George and Mary are said to have begun married life at Buerton

Hall farm, then moved to Baddiley. For the record, the 1891 Census shows John and Alice

Nunnerley farming at Buerton Hall. It appears that Walleys were at Crab Mill before George

and Mary went there as the Baddiley Parish Register records the burial on 16 th June 1795 of

Joseph Walley, 'late of the Crab Mill'.

In the nineteenth century, and earlier, many marriages were performed by Licence, either

for reasons of privacy or of haste, most commonly when the bride was pregnant. Among the 46

Birchall ceremonies listed in Bertram Merrill's Index of Cheshire Marriages, 1700 - 1837, over a

quarter were by Licence. The wedding of George and Mary was no exception, for their first

child, named Samuel, after his grandfather, had been born and buried within three months of

their wedding day. The baby has no gravestone, but the Parish Register says he was buried on

11th November 1815.

Pre-marital pregnancy was not then regarded as shocking. Indeed, if you are familiar

with Shakespeare's Measure for Measure, you may remember that the whole point of the play

lay in the difference between Christian mercy and the dogmatic insistence of Angelo, the

temporary ruler, on strict adherence to the rules. Claudio was much in his love with his fiancée,

Julietta, to whom he had made a binding betrothal commitment, which then preceded the actual

marriage ceremony. Julietta's pregnancy was the outcome of genuine love, not promiscuity.

Claudio's defence was:

She is fast my wife, save that the denunciation we do lack of outward order.

20 See photographs of the farm and church overleaf.

54

In other words, they were as good as married. He uses 'fast' in the sense of 'firmly fixed'

as when we may say something is tied fast. 'Denunciation' here means official ratification.

Similarly, a slightly accelerated wedding in rural England of this time was not regarded as a

matter of great shame. We seem to have come round again to this point of view today.

George and Mary had eight children in all, listed below:

Children of George Birchall and Mary Austin

Born Name Remarks Age

1815 Samuel Buried 11 November 1815. No headstone. 01817 Samuel Baptised 30 March 1817. Headstone in churchyard. 751819 John Baptised 10 January, died 1837 No headstone. 181820 Richard Baptised 20 April, buried 11 November 1844.No headstone. 241823 Ann Baptised 16 February. Burial unknown. 28+1825 Martha Baptised 19 June, buried 7 February 1852. 271829 Elizabeth Baptised, 15 February, buried 15 May 1829. No headstone. 3m1830 Mary Baptised 28 March, buried 2 January 1852. No headstone. 21

The early deaths of Richard and his sisters may have been caused by the epidemics of cholera and typhus that were raging at the time, for which the water of Baddiley Mere may have been partly to blame.

When George died in December 1831 he had seen his first son, Samuel, die in infancy

and his daughter Elizabeth at three months. His youngest child Mary, named after both his own

mother and his wife, was only fifteen months old.

George died at 42: as we have seen, his great-grandson Jack (who married Phyllis Crewe

in 1926), and Jack's son Alan both died suddenly at the same age, in their cases of heart attacks.

The cause of George's death is not known, but it could have been the same.

George's second son Samuel was only 14 when his father died, but the farm work had to

go on. He must have had a hard time of it, with his sisters and widowed mother dependent on

him. Twenty years later, the 1851 Census lists the farm at 128 acres, Samuel as farmer and his

mother, Mary, as housekeeper. His three unmarried sisters are still at home but a very short time

later, on 8th April, his sister Ann married William Jones, an office clerk at Chester and the son of

a local lock-keeper. The witnesses were William Austin, perhaps a cousin of the bride, and B

Birchall.

55

This could be a mis-transcription: no Birchall relative alive at the time had a forename

starting with 'B'. This was not an illustrious match for Ann, but at 28, she was rather an elderly

bride. There could have been another reason too - see later.

Her marriage left Samuel alone with his mother. Two years later, on 15 th September

1853, at the relatively late age of 36, Samuel married21 Mary Ravenscroft, dutiful daughter of

another prolific and highly-regarded farming family - see her photo (I think) and the Ravenscroft

arms, on the next page.

When Samuel's bride, Mary - always said to have been serious and pious - moved to the

Crab Mill (as the farm was always known in the family) it had seen the death of six of her

brothers- and sisters-in-law and of Samuel's father George, all in the past 22 years. Two other

very young boys had also died - both illegitimate - the first, Richard at only a day old, born in

1844 to Ann, before she married William Jones. The second, even more embarrassingly for the

then 16-year-old Samuel, was James, born to his mother 19 months after his father died. Neither

boy has a headstone or lived to be in a census.

The final concealment came when Mary, Samuel's mother, died at the age of 76. She had

left the farm, perhaps on his marriage, and retired to Burland, but wished to be buried in

Baddiley, her childhood home. Her burial took place on 14th November, 1870, whereupon

Samuel forbade anyone to erect a headstone in her memory. Still she lies in an unmarked grave.

This would suggest that there was at least one person, possibly several, who disagreed

with Samuel and thought Mary should have a gravestone. There is no need to forbid what no-one

wants to do. While many people simply do not get around to organising a stone, it is far more

uncommon for one to be expressly prohibited. For example there had been well over 5,000

burials at Wybunbury church when the burial list was compiled some years ago, but the number

of stones is clearly far fewer. It is not very likely that hundreds, maybe thousands, of deceased

relatives suffered a similar ban.

It is likely that the angry Samuel intended that no-one should remember his mother, but

in fact several of her descendants are aware of his action and the reason for his attitude, if not,

until now, of the details. My own mother, in fact, knew long ago the actual spot where Mary

21 On 15 September, 1853, at St Helen's Church, Tarporley, - see her photograph.

56

was buried Clearly, events had made a deep impression, whether out of disapproval, or at

sympathy for Mary, one cannot tell. I suspect that she may be more pitied than hated now.

George, as we saw earlier, is buried with his own parents, brother Charles and Charles' widow,

Esther at Willaston.

Mary Ravenscroft and Samuel had eight sons and one daughter, and were fortunate in

their children. All of them, except William, born 1859 and dying in 1860, living to maturity, in

most cases to ripe old age. While the average age of at death of Samuel and his siblings was

only 20.66 years, that of his own children was far higher, as we shall see. (This figure excludes

Samuel's married sister Ann Jones, whose surname made her death unfeasible to trace).

Samuel was obviously a busy man with a large farm to run, staff to deploy and ten

mouths to feed. Nonetheless, he found time to serve on the Audlem Highway Board. This is just

one connection which suggests a long-standing link between Audlem and the Birchalls.

Looking at the names of Samuel's children, and of their children in turn, it is easy to see

parallel with the names of Samuel's cousins, and nephews and nieces.

Names of Samuel's children, and his grandchildrenwith recurring names in bold

Born Name Children Died at

1854 George Alice, Elsie, Mary Hannah, Martha, Samuel, Annie, Frederick,

80

1856 Samuel none 711859 William none 11860 Charles Edwin John Herbert, Mary Jane, Eveline Mary,

George Roland, Winifred, Olive Elizabeth 88

1867 Mary Eleanor Edward, Dorothy Mary 801864 John Mary, Helen, Agnes Emma 611866 William Caleb Vincent 1001869 Alfred John, Arthur, Hilda, Frank 671872 Edward Ernest Marian 65

Average age 68.11

In the next generation the names Mary and Elizabeth recur, also Edward and John.My own sons' names include Edward and Francis, but overall the traditional

Birchall names are more thinly spread.

57

Apart from bachelor Samuel, all the children of Samuel and Mary married into

nearby or neighbouring farming families. The two closest were the Duttons22, farming 171 acres

at Baddiley Hall, and the Pickfords, with an even more impressive 208 acres, next door. Mary

Eleanor (known as Polly), married John Thomasson of Porter's Hill Farm, Wrenbury, the

youngest of three sons, perhaps one who did not weather the Depression, which was as severe as

the hardship at the close of Edward's life, and of Polly's own father. The widowed Polly lived in

poor circumstances in a small house in Nantwich.

Apparently the nephews and nieces would visit Polly on market day23, each giving her a

pound. Thus she could manage. In earlier times, Cheshire cheeses were so valuable that they

formed an important part of contracts and were equivalent to currency - see Lake pp.28-31.

Nantwich was a major provisioning stop for Elizabeth I's troops to and from Ireland, and sent

cheeses to London. In the 1920s they could not be sold to cover the cost of their production, and

my mother remembers her father, Charles Edwin, coming home from market weeping, with his

unsold cheeses.

Apart from George, the eldest24, all Samuel's children were single until just before, or just

after Samuel died. This would suggest either a severe father or stringent times - possibly both.

Polly married in March 1892, and Charles Edwin (my grandfather) in April. Each had siblings

as witnesses to his or her marriage25. Nonetheless, Samuel was able to set up at least three of his

sons on farms, as follows:

Eldest son George and Hannah Maria went to Outlanes, Church Minshull, which was in Birchall hands until the Partons bought it about 2000.

Samuel farmed at Shut Lane Head

Charles Edwin was set up at Wood Green Farm, Church Minshull. When his first wife, Mary Jane Bennion died bearing her third child in 1896, Charles took the children to their mother's home, Cross Banks Farm, Cholmondeston and took the tenancy after his father-in-law, James Bennion. His son Harold succeeded him.

22 A long-established family, known as the Duttons of Dutton, and well-documented e.g. by Fletcher Moss, Hall and Ormerod.23 Thursday, when local farmers still traditionally shop, though they no longer bring their produce to market.24 George married his near neighbour, Hannah Maria Dutton, of the 171-acre Baddiley Farm (see photo). They set up farming at Outlanes Farm, Church Minshull, where all their own eight children were born.25 See table in Appendix

58

Mary Eleanor went to the Thomasson farm at Porter's Hill, Wrenbury when she married John Thomasson

John stayed at the Crab Mill until Samuel died, whereupon he took over as the next tenant, thus completing the three-life agreement

William Caleb was apprenticed at Whitchurch Showrooms and left farming

Alfred and his bride Isabella Cliffe (married in 1900) took over Wood Green and raised their family there, their son Arthur succeeding them, then his son, Peter. Peter's sister Isabel and her husband Doug Johnson took over the tenancy of Cross Banks after Harold's death. Their son, Christopher, is now the tenant.

Edward Ernest joined Caleb in Whitchurch in the firm Birchall Bros., Ironmongers. It is likely that Samuel would have funded this venture.

We saw earlier the extreme hardship of farming at the time when both Samuel and his

cousins Edward and Samuel died. No wonder two of Samuel's sons left farming, William

Caleb, the sixth (who lived to be 100), and Edward Ernest, the youngest (and youngest at

marriage - 26), date of death unknown. Initially they lived at home, then in the same street in

Whitchurch, with their families. Samuel had done well by his family, which perhaps accounted

for the relatively low net value of his estate. This amounted to only £763.11.5.

Like Edward, Samuel did not live to enjoy retirement: he had a sudden, ignominious

death, far from peaceful death, according to the Crewe Chronicle of 31 December 1892:

SUDDEN DEATH OF WELL KNOWN CHESHIRE FARMER

Mr Samuel Birchall, 75, of Crabmill Farm Baddiley, dropped down dead on Tuesday. The deceased partook of a hearty dinner on Tuesday and afterwards went out to feed the pigs. One of his servants, who accompanied him to the buildings, left him for a short time and on returning found the deceased lying upon his back - dead. The deceased, who had previous to his death enjoyed good health, was well known in farming circles and was a member of the Audlem Highway Board.

Perhaps because of his good health, Samuel had never made a will, so Letters of

Administration had to be obtained in order to hand over everything to Mary. As with his

Samuel's Marriage Certificate, this document was omitted from the filmed entries at Chester

59

Record Office, but eventually I did manage to obtain a copy. The Sureties for Samuel's estate

were, predictably, his son John, and son-in-law John Thomasson, perhaps as he was very nearby

at Wrenbury.

Samuel was buried in Baddiley churchyard on 30 December, where his wife Mary joined

him three years later, in May 1895, with the inscription 'Her children rise up and call her

Blessed'. Their son Samuel lies with them, buried on 27 September, 1927.

I wonder if the person who ordered this gave a thought to the other Mary, Samuel's

mother, without even a mention, let alone a loving memorial.

* * *The table below shows the lives of Samuel of the Crab Mill and his cousin, the first son

of Charles Birchall. There are many similarities: they were born in consecutive years, had long

marriages, stayed on the same farm for over 40 years and died at almost the same age.

The Two Samuel Cousins Compared

Event Son of Charles Son of GeorgeBaptism 23 August, 1818, in Whitegate 30 March 1817, BaddileyFarmed at Checkley-cum-Wrinehill, 153 acres Crab Mill, Baddiley, 128 acresShown in Censuses of

1851, 1881 1851, 1881, 1891

Children none nineStaff varied between two and four twoRetired to Gorsty Hill, Weston Did not retireDied 29 December, 1895, aged 76 27 December 1892, aged 75Will Brief note leaving all to William

DimelowNo Will, Admon. to wife Mary

Burial unknown with Mary & son Samuel at Baddiley

Samuel of Checkley perhaps had the more tranquil life, with no responsibility for children.

The very fact that he was able to retire suggests a degree of comfort.

Who do you think was

the luckier man?

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CHILDREN of SAMUEL BIRCHALL of the Crab Mill:

i) GEORGE 1854 - 1934

George, as we saw, went to Outlanes with Hannah Maria Dutton, where they had seven

children, all of whom survived. to adulthood. His first child was Alice, born 1883 who married

Walter Windsor of Lane Acres Farm, Wrenbury, in 1912. Walter's father, William, was

married to Mary Ann Thomasson, sister to the father of John Thomasson, who married Mary

Eleanor Birchall.

Alice and Walter had one son, Arthur, born 1918 who married Peggy Fearnall. They

had two sons, Eric, who married Elizabeth Darlington and has a son and a daughter, Emma

and Robert Eric. Their second son, Robert Frederick. married Pauline. That marriage was

dissolved and he is now re-marrying. I wonder if the name Robert was chosen because it had a

connection with Arthur's great-grandfather, Samuel? Arthur and Peggy live at Alkington, near

Whitchurch.

George's next two daughters, Elsie and Mary Hannah (Molly) did not marry and when

their mother died in 1921 and their father retired, they moved to 'Croftlands', just beyond Dysart

Buildings in Nantwich. The third daughter, Martha, known as Pattie, married Charles

Frederick (Fred) Breeze and they farmed at Cool Pilate. They married late in life and had no

children.

In the next year, 1922, George's older son Samuel married Elizabeth Mary Bennion at

Hospital Street chapel. May was niece of his brother Charles' wife, May's father being James

Bennion, formerly of Cross Banks, brother of both Charles' wives. Sam and May went to farm

at Gorsecroft, Audlem. They had no children and later lived at Stapeley Manor before retiring

to Rhos-on-Sea. Samuel, like many of his relatives, was also a Methodist, and a local preacher.

George's younger son Fred married Dorothy Crewe in 1926, as we have seen in the

discussion of the Birchall marriages of that year (page 33). It was always a joy to visit their

home at Outlanes, with its beautifully polished brass and Georgian furniture, glowing flower

61

arrangements, great warmth, and considerable style. Dorothy was a gifted homemaker and it is

sad that their only child died in infancy.

'Croftlands', where George and his daughters lived, was always a gentle and welcoming

household. Annie later moved to the other side of Crewe Road End to one of the red brick

terraced houses on the left. She died in 1979 at 86. George died in 1934 and is buried with

Hannah Maria at Church Minshull, as are Fred and Dorothy, with their baby, Harold.

ii) Samuel, 1856 - 1927

Samuel, as we saw, farmed at Shut Lane Head, near Pleck in Staffordshire. The 1901

Census does not give the acreage but as he had three staff as well as a housekeeper, it is likely to

have been substantial. Samuel never married and died in a nursing home at Hartshill on 17

September 1927. He is buried with his parents in Baddiley on 27th.

iii) William, 1859 - 1860

William was a winter baby, baptised at Baddiley on 16th January 1859. He lived

little more than a year and was buried on 28th May, 1860, seven weeks after his next brother,

Charles Edwin was born. Six years later, William's name was given to his brother Caleb, born in

October 1866, whether in his memory, or for ancestor William we cannot know.

Samuel's third son was named Charles, for his great-uncle, older son of Samuel and Mary

Perrin, perhaps. As several members of both branches of the family were active Methodists, this

would be a good point to look at the rise of Methodism in the area, if only as a break from so

many names and dates. Charles farmed at Cross Banks, Cholmondeston, only a mile from Poole

Chapel and half a mile from the Bolderstone family, also devout Methodists for several

generations.

Much of the information is taken from a booklet written to commemorate the 150th

anniversary of Poole Chapel, by Kenneth Spibey, now retired and living in Aston-Juxta-

Mondrum. The material, and the drawing overleaf, are used with Ken's kind permission.

62

BIRCHALLS and METHODISM

What is now known as Methodism arose from the meetings of a group of young Oxford

Anglicans, nicknamed 'The Holy Club' for their serious devoutness. Charles Wesley founded the

group in 1729, 1707-1788 and later acquired the nickname of 'Methodists' for their orderliness.

John Wesley, 1703-1791, younger brother of Charles, experienced conversion in 1738, after

reading Martin Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans. John was also a member of the

Church of England; he resolved to dedicate his life to evangelising.

This activity became increasingly unpopular and the Anglican bishops refused to ordain

any more missionaries for the work. John and his followers therefore took to preaching out-of-

doors and travelling throughout Britain. When he started ordaining his own missionaries, he was

excluded from Anglican membership and in 1791 the Methodist group formally separated itself

from the Church of England. Ironically, the united Methodists are second only to the Anglican

church in Protestantism, and in many ways, almost identical to 'Low Church' Anglicans. Indeed,

initially their beliefs were not substantially different from those of other Anglicans, but they

placed a greater emphasis on evangelicalism. This meant:

sincere conversion must take place, attendance at worship not being enough

as a corollary, there was a strong belief in encouraging others to be converted

salvation is by the grace of God, not pre-destination

the teachings of Christ should be applied to everyday life - a good example of this is the anti-slavery movement led by William Wilberforce

Inevitably there was a good deal of overlap between the aims, activities and members of

Wesleyans and educationalists, Chartists, reformers and the trade union movement.

By 1749, John Wesley's travelling preachers had reached Cheshire. Stephen Cawley, of

Moat House Farm, Alpraham, one of the early converts, invited John Wesley to come and preach

on 20th October. After another meeting at five next morning, Wesley went on to Little Acton.

63

It is likely that people from Poole were part of these congregations. Before leaving

Cheshire he promised to send one of his travelling preachers to work in the area.

The man who came was Christopher Hopper, who travelled from Yorkshire, via Bristol,

Durham, Stockton, Thirsk, Knaresborough, Manchester and Chester. Once in the area, he

established a Methodist Society at Alpraham and another at Poole. On his way to Alpraham, he

recorded the following in his journal:

It was a humbling time among the opulent farmers; the murrain raging amongst their cattle. They buried them in the open fields. Their graves were a solemn scene. The hand of the Lord was on the land.'

William Allwood was another of Wesley's travelling preachers. One day he attended a

Methodist meeting in the home of Mrs Davison, widow of another preacher and a member of the

Little Acton Society, as was Mary Pennel, of Poole. William and Mrs Davison became close

and married, and William settled down to farming in Burland. Jane Allwood, second wife of

John Birchall of the Crab Mill, is very probably one of his descendants. The Allwoods set up a

Society at Faddiley, which led to the building of the chapel there.

One of the Poole meetings was thought to be held at Gate Farm, home of the

Bolderstones. If you remember, Ann Birchall, Charles' second daughter married James

Bolderstone of Braynes Hall, Cholmondeston. Could this be the place which is now called Gate

Farm? Methodist meetings were certainly held there, and the Bolderstones very active in

chapel affairs. Please let me know if you have any idea about this.

On Good Friday, 1751 John Wesley preached at Alpraham, Bunbury, and to 'another

deeply serious congregation' at Poole that evening. He re-visited Poole in 1752, 1753 and 1757.

Meetings continued locally and throughout the country. Meanwhile, the Primitive Methodists

were gathering support not far away, after a series of revivalist meetings from 1808 onwards -

led by Hugh Bourne and William Clowes. They had strong links with the trades union movement

and other politicised people and became known as the Primitive Methodists, for their no-

nonsense down-to-earth approach. The Wesleyans had an equally strong commitment to

education and social justice, but were less inclined to rocking the boat overtly. The 'Prims'

64

formally seceded in 1812 from the less radical Wesleyans in 1812 and for a time there were both

Primitive and Wesleyan Methodist chapels in most areas.

To jump forward, the two wings were formally re-united in 1932 as the Methodist

Church of Great Britain. My parents' marriage was the first to be celebrated under the new

united order, at Hospital Street Methodist Church, Nantwich, in that same year. Symbolically,

my mother's family were staunch Wesleyans and my father's fervent Primitive Methodists.

Poole Chapel was opened in 1834, when Samuel of the Crab Mill was seventeen, the

land on which the little chapel still stands having been bought from a well-wisher for only five

shillings. Appropriately enough, this was the year that the Tolpuddle Martyrs, who had worked

for the reform of wages for farm workers, were transported to Australia. At least one was a

Methodist. As Trevelyan said,

It was a time of repression and reform with many farmers ruined and multitudes out of employment.

Early class leaders included Mr Major and Mr Bolderstone senior. Members in 1900 included:

Mary Bolderstone • Elizabeth Birchall (Charles' wife) Annie Bennion (her sister) • John E Bolderstone William H Bolderstone • Charles E Birchall (married to Elizabeth) Jessie Bolderstone

Mrs Bolderstone was Society Steward from 1898 to her death in 1922. Bournes,

Charlesworths, Dones, Duttons and Goodwins were among farming families also involved later,

as were Harold and Eva Birchall. My mother, then Olive Birchall, taught the Sunday School and

played the organ. Derek, Harold's son, also later played the organ.

In 1901 my grandfather, Charles Edwin was a chapel Trustee. Others were William

Joseph Dutton, John Emberton, Alfred Charlesworth, John Charlesworth Bolderstone and James

Bennion, of Gorsecroft, where May and Sam were to farm.

At different times Polly and Eva Birchall were also organist for many years and Charles

Sunday School Superintendent, again for many years, along with John Bolderstone, who died on

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Coronation Day, 1953. In 1946, however, the Sunday School closed for lack of members and

remained closed until it was re-opened by my mother in 1951.

Later Trustees of Poole Chapel included Harold Birchall, his cousin Arthur of Wood

Green, Phyllis Birchall, wife of their cousin John; and Norman Afford, Chartered Accountant

who bought Parkfield in Wellington Road on the death of William Chetwood. More recent

stalwarts included Walter and Ethel Collins and their son Wilfred (and, later, his wife) and Ken

Spibey. Ken 's wife, Janet Tickle, and her older sister Margaret, who married the late Harry

Sandland, were also staunch chapel workers, as were Mr Henry (Harry) and Mrs Elizabeth

Tickle. Lizzie and my mother were best friends at Nuthurst School and apparently used to spend

huge swathes of time walking each other repeatedly home and back again between

Cholmondeston and Aston-Juxta-Mondrum.

After christenings, weddings, funerals - and especially Harvest Festivals - the minister

would be invited back to one of the neighbouring farmhouses and would always say grace. I

imagine your close relatives have many wedding photographs where the minister is an

inndispensable guest. Certainly the Birchalls practised the principles of Methodism, in service

and love of their community. Is it any wonder that so many of them were called Charles or

John?

This section has focussed on the Crab Mill Birchalls, simply because more information

about them was available. The Willaston Birchalls were also Methodists and Maria Jane, second

wife of William Edward Birchall, for example, also played the chapel organ at Willaston. I

would be grateful for any more information on this topic.

Meanwhile, let us return to the remaining descendants of Samuel Birchall of Crab Mill.

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Children of Samuel Birchall - continued

iv) Charles Edwin, 1860 - 1948

I have often wondered, in view of the closeness of the Birchalls and Bolderstones,

whether Edwin, the son of Ann Birchall (daughter of Charles II) and James Bolderstone might

have been named after Charles, who was his second cousin once removed. Edwin was born in

1871 and Charles Edwin, my grandfather, on 15th April, 1860. The Bolderstones who were

frequently mentioned in connection with the chapel seem likely to have been relatives. John

Bolderstone of Gate Farm was always referred to as 'Uncle John'.

However, James Bennion, of Cross Banks, brother-in-law of Charles Edwin, whose

daughter Ellen married William Witter, was always known to the Witters as 'Uncle Bennion'.

It's wonderful when even terms for referring to relatives are so various - as Gerard Manly

Hopkins said, 'Glory be to God for dappled things'.

Charles was educated at Nantwich Grammar School, where he later sent his own sons.

My mother, his youngest child, attended Nuthurst School, beside Churche's Mansion, run by a

Miss Hare. Inevitably, the girls were known as 'Miss Hare's Bunnies' - in fact, we had quite a

number of these 'bunny girls' in the family. Eva and Polly also attended, but not, I believe, full-

time, and so did Polly's daughters, Ruth and Doreen Bower, and Margaret Witter, granddaughter

of Ellen Bennion. It seems that Samuel had imbued his family with a healthy respect for

education.

Charles worked on the farm with his father until he married Mary Jane Bennion on 19 th

April 1892. She was the youngest child, and fourth daughter, of James Bennion and Ellen

Hewitt of Cross Banks, Cholmondeston. It is unclear how long the Bennions had farmed there,

but one of the canal bridges on the land is called the 'Bennion Bridge'.

Originally both the Hewitts and Bennions had come from Shropshire, Ellen apparently

originating from Sleap Hall Farm near Market Drayton, and James from Middle. I am proud to

own a sampler worked by Ellen Hewitt in 1838.

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Charles and Mary were 32 and 26 when they married and went to Wood Green Farm.

Four years later, their first child, John Herbert, had died, their second, Eveline Mary, or 'Eva',

had been born with a permanent spinal problem and Mary Jane had died after giving birth to

their third child, also named Mary Jane, but known in the family as Polly. It is a cruel shame

that after losing his son John, Charles didn't live to know his grandson John and see any of his

successes. - see next page.

Eva, Charles' first child, never married, and followed very much in her Auntie Annie's

footsteps, always ministering to whoever needed help in the family, never having a home of her

own. For example, when her brother Harold was widowed, Eva returned to Cross Banks to help

with his children, where she stayed for many years. Eva was cautious and traditional in her

approach to life, full of old sayings. One such was 'A green December makes a full graveyard'.

This came to mind very recently when her sister-in-law Elsie Arden died in just such a green

December.

Polly married Thomas Welfear Bower, of Park Farm Hatherton, in 1932. Tom always

called her Mary. They had two daughters, Doreen and Ruth Elizabeth, who are both married

with grown up children. Tom and Polly later moved to 'Heathfield', Hatherton to specialise in

poultry farming, though they kept other livestock as well. Polly played the organ in the small

chapel at Hatherton. Indeed, most farms had a small harmonium and/or a piano at home, around

which hymns were often played.

Doreen married John Platt and after Tom retired they stayed on at 'Heathfield' They

have grown-up daughters, Caroline Barrow and Isabel Platt, both married with children. Ruth

had married Michael Brindley, who was a renowned breeder of Holstein cattle, trained by Tom

Lea of Wimboldesley Hall.

Michael lost his own father, John Brindley, who farmed at Hulme Walfield, during the

war, in 1943, at an early age. Ruth's and Michael's sons, Graham and Martin, are both also

married with children. Graham married Jane Gleave; Martin's wife is Diane Ward. Diane's

father, Richard is sister to Jean Ward who married Alan Birchall, son of Jack Birchall and Phyllis

Crewe who married in 1926.

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After Tom died, Polly, Eva and Olive shared a bungalow on Audlem Road, Nantwich,

until Eva died in 1966. Like all the Birchall women, Polly was an excellent homemaker and

hostess, and extremely kind. I used to think her tea-making very stylish as she always put the

milk in second. After Polly left the bungalow, she lived with Doreen and her husband John Platt

until she died of a stroke in 1979. She, Tom and Eva are buried in Nantwich cemetery.

Charles, Polly's father, must have been reeling after losing both his son and his wife so

early in marriage. Charles could be stern and tough, but fundamentally, like many of the Birchall

men, he had a kind and gentle nature, and had been dealt very hard blows. After struggling on

for a time with his two tiny girls, fate took a hand.

His father-in-law, James Bennion senior, died and Charles moved into Cross Banks.

James' son, also called James, married and, moved to Bunbury, where the widowed Ellen shared

his home. The oldest daughter Annie remained to keep house for Charles and was a tower of

strength. The next sister Ellen married William Witter who took over Green Farm, Chapel

Chorlton from the Doddington Estate. The youngest sister, Elizabeth Bennion also seems to

have helped Annie to mother Charles's little girls.

As time went by, Charles and Elizabeth fell in love and were married. As marriage to

the deceased wife's sister was still prohibited in England, they went to Jersey to be married there.

This means that the record of their marriage is all but inaccessible, but is likely to have been

some time in 1898 or 1899. Elizabeth's wedding dress used to be kept in the bottom drawer of

the Georgian chest my mother had brought from Cross Banks - it was a thing of real beauty.

The chest, but sadly not the dress, is now in my house.

Their first child of Charles and Elizabeth was George Roland (Roly), born 1899, the

year Edward died, who was just old enough to fight in World War I. He was fortunate enough

to become unfit through trench foot, which could well have saved him from death on the

battlefield. His sister Eva joined the Red Cross26 and trained in nursing. Roly had considerable

charm and style and was known as 'Baron', because of a resemblance to the Royal photographer

26 See her certificate

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of that name. He married Beatrice (Betty) Mawrey, from near Manchester. Betty was one of

the first to volunteer for the Women's Land Army in World War II, and did her training in

Cheshire. They later farmed in Marple. Roland was also bailiff for Sir Peter Greenery before

returning to the Nantwich area and running a farm for his cousin Samuel, George's son, who then

lived at Stapeley Manor. Roland and his family later moved to Eastbourne where Betty was

able to utilise her training in interior design. Roly and Betty had daughters Elizabeth Marcia,

now living in Madrid with two adult sons, Marco and David Berrio, and Sheila, who married

Andrew Crabtree. She was tragically killed in a holiday motor accident in Wales, when she was

expecting her first child.

Roland died of a heart attack when visiting my mother in 1966 and is buried in what was

to have been Eva's grave, with their father and his second wife. Betty is well and living in

Oakley, Bedfordshire.

Charles' second son was Harold James, known as 'Count' and perhaps christened James

after his Bennion uncle. Harold can be seen with his father and brother at a Sunday School treat

in Blackpool. Then came 'baby Winifred' who died after a smallpox vaccination from a faulty

batch. She is buried with her parents, and brother Roland, in Nantwich cemetery. Harold

married Elsie Rosamund Cooke ('Rosie'), sister of farmer Leslie Cooke, in 1934.at Handley.

They farmed first at Tattenhall, where their first son, Edward Derek was born. He was

christened in Bunbury, where a good many of the Chetwoods lived a little earlier. Harold later

returned to Cross Banks and had two more sons, Kenneth James and John Harold Leslie, all

of whom are married, Kenneth and John with adult children. John's name Leslie comes from

Rosie's brother, Leslie Cooke.

Charles's youngest child was my mother, Olive Elizabeth Birchall, born in 1905. She

was the only member of her generation to leave the farming community. In 1932 Olive married

Edward (Eddie) Chetwood, son of William Chetwood of Chetwood's Garages. It was this

William who oversaw the improved water supply to the town from Baddiley Mere in the 1930s.

They lived first in Parkfield, Nantwich, near Eddie's parents, then moved farther up

Wellington Road to 'Rozel', then to a larger house in London Road, 'The Hollies'., so that Eva

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and her father Charles could move in with them when Harold took over the tenancy of Cross

Banks and Charles retired. Though England was at war, domestically this was a happy period,

for both Harold and Olive and their families, though I always wished that I had brothers or sister

as my cousins did. During the Second World War, like Eva before her, Olive trained with the

Red Cross and Eddie was Transport Officer for the Nantwich Home Guard. Incidentally, Eddie's

uncle and aunt, Harry and Harriet ('Cissie') Chetwood of Bunbury, parents of Douglas, had

driven ambulances in France for the Red Cross in WWI. However, in family terms, 1946 was

a particularly sad year for the Birchalls.

Harold's wife Rosie died in January and Eddie Chetwood in November. Rosie is buried

in Worleston and Eddie in Nantwich cemetery, alongside his parents. Eva and Charles returned

to Cross Banks to help the stricken Harold and Olive turned 'The Hollies' into a small hotel, 'The

Old Biot', named after one of Nantwich's old salt workings. In 1949 she married one of the

residents, Ronald Lee Helstrip, divorced husband of Gertrude Jackson. He was Seeds Manager

for the Cheshire Farmers' Association and they moved27 to Stoke, to be nearer to his work at

Calveley Mill.

Their house, 'Stoke Bank', was next door to 'Hillcrest', built by Alfred Birchall and used

for Hilda and Hugh Bourne's retirement, then by her son Philip and his wife Eileen when

they, in their turn, retired. Many moves later, Olive died in 1989 of a stroke, and joined Eddie

in Nantwich cemetery. Their grave is behind the headstone of Charles and Elizabeth Birchall,

where Winifred and Roly also lie. She was a founder member of the Acton and Reaseheath WI

and had been a gifted seamstress and needlewoman, a talent she had perhaps inherited from Ellen

Hewitt, but which largely passed me by. She was always a great lover of birds, an interest her

grandson Francis enjoys in Australia..

Harold also later re-married, to another Elsie, Elsie Mary Arden. Like Mary

Ravenscroft, Elsie's farmer farmed near Chester. Unfortunately, thirteen months after their

marriage Harold suddenly died of a heart attack at only 53 and was buried in Worleston

cemetery. When the tenancy on Cross Banks expired, Sir Richard Verdin would not let Elsie

renew it and the farm passed to Isabel Birchall and her husband Doug Johnson. Isabel is the

27 Olive was noted for habit of moving house every few years and it has been calculated that she had over 20 homes, most of them in Nantwich.

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daughter of Arthur Birchall, of whom more later. Cross Banks has now passed to her son

Christopher and his family.

Elizabeth, Charles' second wife, was apparently an unhappy woman towards the end of

her life, took to drink and became very irritable and withdrawn. She died in 1940 and is buried

in Nantwich cemetery with Charles. Their grave is very near that of Jack and Lucy Birchall

and those of other Willaston relatives. Charles lived to be 88. I dimly remember a birthday

celebration for him in the 1940s at 'The Hollies' where his birthday cake was daringly tilted, and

iced to resemble a ploughed field, with chocolate furrows.

Someone else had a birthday, perhaps me, and Grandpa, as I called Charles, threw sweets

in the air so that the children could scramble for them. This was always part of the Sunday

School treats28 he used to organise when he was Sunday School Superintendent of Poole Chapel.

I attended Poole Sunday School when my mother taught there, and taught at Sunday School at

Hospital Street Methodist Schoolrooms before going to university, which I had attended when

we lived at The Hollies.

I married Richard Burke in 1967 (he died in 1992) and have three sons, Christopher

Edward, Overseas Franchise Manager for Habitat, living in Altrincham; Miles Edmund, in

Morecambe, completing a degree in Computer Science and Francis Garrett, engineering in

Bendigo, Australia. Miles and his partner Melanie have a son, Elliott Richard Burke, born in

1997. Francis and Chris attended Sunday School in Morecambe. Christopher was called

Edward for my father (who was so called after his mother's father, Edward Bailey of Dawley).

'Edmund', of course, was in honour of Edmund Burke, a possible distant forebear of Richard.

Garrett comes from Richard's brother, who was always called 'Garry' for short.

v) Mary Eleanor Birchall, 1862 - 1947

As previously mentioned, Mary Eleanor, known as Polly, married John Thomasson,

youngest son from Porter's Hill Farm, Wrenbury in March 1892 when they were both 27. Her

brothers George and Charles witnessed the wedding. It seems that her new husband was

regarded as a very sensible and trustworthy man, as he was chosen as Surety for her father's

28 The next phooto shows him and his sons at Blackpool on just such a treat.

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Letters of Administration in January 1893, less than a year after their marriage, after Samuel had

died intestate in the preceding December.

Polly's son and daughter, Edward and Dorothy Mary Thomasson, were born soon after

she married. Edward married Olive Egerton, about 1926, that busy year for Birchall marriages.

They had a daughter Joyce, who was at Nantwich & Acton Grammar School at the same time as

Eric Birchall, the son of John Birchall and Phyllis Crewe. Joyce later married, and worked in

Japan.

It also seems that Polly's troubles were ahead of her, as after John died she lived in some

poverty in Shrewbridge Road, Nantwich, not far from Raymond Bowker's farm. According to

the nieces who sometimes stayed overnight with her, she was very careful and anxious, fearful of

anything being damaged - natural enough if she had not the wherewithal for replacements.

Nothing is known if any further descendants, but I would be very glad to hear of any you may

know of.

vi) John Birchall, 1864 - 1935

Third tenant of Crab Mill, John Birchall fifth , son of Samuel

When I was a child I remember people speaking of the Crab Mill almost as if it were a

land from a Golden Age. Certainly it is a lovely farm, in a lovely spot. Perhaps the warmth of

the welcome accounted for the warmth of the regard. This must have come from John and his

family, for when Samuel died, only George, his eldest son had begun his family, and most of the

first five grandchildren, aged between one and nine, would probably have had only hazy

memories of their grandfather and his farm or none at all. My relatives at Cross Banks always

spoke of John very fondly, and perhaps his stoicism strengthened Eva in her life-long struggles

with pain.

John was baptised and buried in St Michael's at Baddiley, but it is not known where, or

exactly when, he married Agnes Emma Dutton. However, it would have been about 1898.. The

1881 Census shows her family living at Cloy Hall, Bangor-Is-Y-Coed in North Wales, so it is

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possible that the wedding was in Wales. Both parents of the bride, Frederick and Helen, are said

to be natives of Buerton in the 1881 Census. Agnes' younger sister, Helena was born in

Shropshire so the family had moved at least twice. Maybe later they returned to Cheshire, home

to hundreds of the Dutton family.

Agnes Emma was a relative of Hannah Maria Dutton, the wife of John's oldest brother,

George. Like many of the Duttons, she was sociable and evidently made her husband's relatives

welcome As we know, from coverage in the local press and other reference material, this was a

deeply trying time for farmers. They had three daughters and no sons, so at least John was

spared the expense of setting up farms for them.

Indeed, it would not be surprising if John encouraged their oldest daughter, Mary to

emigrate to Canada to join her English fiancé Tom Fletcher. Mary was born in 1899, the same

year as her cousin Roland at Cross Banks. In fact Tom Fletcher prospered and he and Mary

stayed, and retired, in British Columbia. They had two children, Rosalie, born in 1933 and Lois

in 1936. Like her parents, Rosalie seems to have had plenty of the pioneering spirit, and is

confident and outgoing - and a keen traveller. She married Ray Potter and for several years they

have lived near Halfmoon Bay, north of Vancouver, near the wilderness, running a business

renting holiday cabins. Coincidentally, descendants of William Thomas Chetwood, who left

Shropshire for Wisconsin in 1849, are also in the same line of business, though in Minnesota.

The Potters and their extended family enjoy all aspects of the outdoors, including hunting and

fishing. Rosalie and Ray had four children:

George Noel, born 1957

Nancy Maryanne, born 1960

Noel Thomas Cleve, born 1962

April Marie, born 1965

Next time I write to Rosalie, I must ask her if George was called after Samuel's father,

the first Birchall resident of Crab Mill. At four generations back I have to admit it is unlikely!

Lois, by contrast, was very shy and lacking in confidence. Though brought up away from

towns she later lived in a flat in Vancouver and worked for a bus company, advising travellers

on their journeys. Lois visited England a couple of times with her parents and made friends with

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Hilda Bourne and my mother. She died of cancer about 1995. Mary moved to a retirement

home with Tom and died in Sechelt in 1987, aged 88.

John's second daughter, Helen , named after her mother's sister, was born in 1903 - just a

year before her cousin Hilda. Sadly, Helen died at the age of six in 1909 and is buried in

Baddiley. Agnes Emma, the youngest, was born in Audlem in the following year. Her mother

died shortly after Agnes was born, at the early age of 27. It is very doubtful if Agnes, who was

named after her mother, would have been able to remember her. John had the inscription

'Patience Hath Its Rewards' placed on her grave. The motherless Helen died in 1909, when she

was six. Life must have been very hard for the widowed and doubly bereaved John, left, like his

brother Charles, with two little girls

It is therefore not surprising that he re-married the year after he lost Helen, 1910. His

bride was Jane Allwood, known as Jennie, probably a descendant of the famous Methodist

preacher and founder of Faddiley Chapel, William Allwood. On the face of it, there was much

common ground, the Allwoods, Duttons and Birchalls all being related, and all Methodists.

However it is hard to be a step-parent or step-child, and things were never the same as they had

been before. To make matters worse, John contracted tetanus and gradually became more and

more paralysed.

Agnes Emma, John's third daughter, had her mother's name. Little Agnes sorely missed

her mother. Mary and Agnes called Jennie 'Steppy', their abbreviation of 'Stepmother'. Agnes

married Henry Davies Beecroft, a farmer's son from Broxton, near Chester. They moved to

Hooton, and later to the Coton Priory, Bosworth in Warwickshire. Their son, Peter Birchall

Beecroft, was born in January, 1937. Peter lost his father in the war, when he was only three

and. throughout the war years Agnes had to work hard, at one time running a mill in

Warwickshire. She later returned to Cheshire and ended her days in a nursing home in

Cheshire, dying only 13 months ago at 97.

After Mary and Agnes left home, John had continued to run the farm efficiently to the

end of his life - sadly curtailed by his illness - directing affairs from his dining chair29. Its back 29 In the proud possession of his grandson in Oldham

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legs were worn down from the farm servants dragging the paralysed farmer to and from the

table. John died in 1935, a year after his brother Alfred, and is buried in a square plot, with a

stepped cross at its centre, inscribed on all sides with the names of John, Agnes Emma and their

daughters. His inscription reads:

'In Sure and Certain Hope'

On John's death, Jennie returned to her brother at Burland and died in 1951. In 1936,

Crab Mill passed into other hands, though John's Will could not be completely wound up until

after Jennie died, fifteen years later, in 1951. Sam Birchall (George's son), John's nephew, was

one of the Trustees. Speaking of Wills, when I visited Lois, Mary's daughter, in Vancouver

some years ago, she mentioned the 'missing millions' of the Dutton family.

Recently I was talking to Richard Dutton, an academic in the English Department at

Lancaster University (who interviewed me when I applied to do an MA there, in 1977) and he

also mentioned these alleged millions. Agnes' son Peter, who now runs an electronics company

in Oldham, told me a little more. Apparently two elderly Duttons died intestate some years ago

and all living descendants or relatives had to be traced. This eventually resulted in a payment to

Agnes. Agnes lived to be 97, dying only last year.

Peter married Margaret Higgs and has a son Michael. When Agnes died, Peter chose this

inscription for her side edging of the family grave facing the central cross:

'The Last Birchall Resident of the Crab Mill'

When I asked Peter about this and he said simply: 'I thought she'd like it'. I'm sure he was

right, as who would know better? Though, again, I wonder what Samuel would have thought

about a woman having the last word about the farm and, indeed, his son's grave.

viii) William Caleb Birchall, 1866 - 1967

William Caleb acquired his first name from his infant brother who was born seven years

earlier, and lived only one year. As the name William occurs so often in the Willaston branch,

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and was deliberately perpetuated in the Crab Mill branch, it suggests the name meant a great deal

to both sides of the family. This would lend support to the idea that Willliam Birchall of

Wybunbury might be one of our ancestors, particularly as Caleb gave the name to his own son.

I wonder if the name Caleb has any connection with Caleb the Stockport yeoman who died in

1805? More scope for research here?

However, William Caleb, of 1866, was never known by his first name, always being

referred to as Caleb. Samuel apprenticed Caleb at the Showrooms in Whitchurch, clearly taking

the view that farming was not a sure thing at the time.

On 31 March 1894, Caleb set up Birchalls Ironmongers and in 1895 married Mary Ellen

Pickford of Baddiley House, daughter of Thomas Pickford and his wife Martha. Thomas and

Martha are buried in Baddiley, with the inscription 'The Lord is My Shepherd', suggesting that

they too may have been Methodists. Their marriage was witnessed by Ellen's father, and Caleb's

brother John, to whom he was closest in age.

Caleb's youngest brother - see next - Edward Ernest, joined him in the business, in 1906

which became Birchall Brothers. Caleb and Ellen were living at 21 St John Street, Whitchurch

at the time of the 1801 Census, with their five year old son, William Vincent (though always

known as Vincent, or Vin) who was born on 17 January 1896. When Edward retired from

Birchall Bros. in 1925, Vin became his father's partner

Caleb served as a sidesman at St Alkmund's, Whitchurch for an incredible 60 years, from

1897 to 1957, only retiring when he was over 90. He was an excellent shot and a keen draughts

and billiards player. One of his regular draughts opponents was a former editor of the

Whitchurch Herald, Robert Furber. Caleb retired to 10 Richmond Terrace when he passed the

business on to Vin. Clearly he was a man who relished continuity and it is no surprise that his

life continued so long - indeed, he lived for another six months after his 100th birthday.

Vin continued to run Birchall Bros. and serve as a sidesman at St Alkmund's. He married

Annie Bontflour Dickman, of a Northumberland family, She was always known as Nancy. Like

their parents, Vin and Nancy they were a popular couple.

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As Walter Windsor said, 'were welcome wherever they went'. This may have been partly

due to Nancy's singing, but I have no doubt that it was mainly due to their tremendous social

skills.

Vin and Nancy had two sons, Kenneth born in 1922 who died of a childhood illness two

years later, and Philip Roddam Birchall. Like his father and grandfather, Philip ran Birchall

Bros. and served as sidesman at St Alkmund's. He married Betty Smith and taught in Further

Education in Crewe. When Vin died, Philip sold Birchall Bros and moved to Nottingham to be

nearer to his daughters Catherine and Elizabeth. He now lives in Arnold, near Nottingham.

viii) Alfred Birchall, 1872 - 1936

Like Charles, Alfred was a spring baby, and, like his brothers and sisters, he was baptised

in Baddiley, on 25th April, 1869. When he was 31, he married 23-year-old Isabella Cliffe,

daughter of Thomas and Mary Alice Cliffe, who farmed at Padsbridge Lane, near Congleton.

Alfred and Bella - as Isabella was always known - were married at Astbury St Mary's in 1900,

and began their married life farming (at first as tenants) at Wood Green Farm Paradise Lane,

Church Minshull. Wood Green was owned by the Luxmore-Brooks before Samuel bought it for

his sons, first farmed by Charles Edwin had been there before moving to Cross Banks.

Alfred farmed there until his retirement. He and Bella moved to 'Hurstwood', London

Road, Stapeley. Alfred died in 1936, before I was born. Bella then engaged a companion, I

think this was Miss Willis who had been Arthur's housekeeper. I clearly remember Bella as a

very strong character, who lived to be 90. She is buried in Church Minshull with Alfred. They

had four children:

John (known as Jack), born 1900

Arthur, born 1904

Hilda, born 1904

Frank, born 1912

We heard about Jack earlier, when looking at the Birchall-Crewe weddings of 1926 -

see pages 35-36. From what the family says, his death was a great loss. I was only four when

Jack died and have no memory of him, though I remember Phyllis as pleasant and gracious.

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Jack's two sons, John Eric - always called Eric - and Alan Cliffe (to commemorate his

mother's maiden name) were already young men when I was a teenager. Eric married Peggy

Ward, sister of Richard Ward, whose daughter Diane married Martin Brindley in 1998. Sadly,

Peggy died in 1987. Eric and Peggy have grown-up daughters Helen, Anne and Victoria Jayne,

all married, with children. Helen is married to Alan Wilson, Anne to Geoffrey Robinson, now

farming the Hawthorns since Eric retired; Vicky married Malcolm Johnson, son of Victor

James Johnson. Eric is lucky enough to have nine grandchildren from his three girls.

Alan married Jean Wright at Wettenhall in 1954. Jean's parents were Joseph Wright

and Lily Mary Parker. They farmed at Greenfields, Cholmondeston until Alan died, at the

same age as his father, in 1973. They also had three daughters, Sarah Ann - who I found by

chance in Shrewsbury when trying to trace the missing Family Bible; then Elizabeth Claire, who

married William Michael Boffey, son of Doug Boffey and Molly Beech of Elm House,

Burleydam - linking us yet again to Julie Boffey's family. Eric's youngest daughter is Isabel

Fiona, who married David Wright, son of Harold Graham Wright and Gwen Mary Holmes of

Ash Tree Farm, Blakenhall. David and Fiona now farm at Ash Tree. Fiona's first name, of

course, commemorates her grandmother, Isabella Cliffe, and her aunt, Isabel Birchall, Arthur's

daughter.

Jack's next son, Arthur, succeeded Alfred at Wood Green and lived to be 69. Arthur

and was an unmissable- and much missed - presence - sociable, large, jovial and hospitable.

Arthur married Winifred Boffey - yet another link with Julie - the daughter of Charles and Emily

Boffey. Their first child was Roland Peter - I believe my uncle Roland and Arthur were good

friends, as well as first cousins, hence Peter's first name. Their next child was Isabel, named for

her grandmother. Like his cousin Harold, Arthur lost his wife when the youngest child was born.

Winifred is buried in Wettenhall. Arthur, like Eric, never re-married, and engaged a

housekeeper, Miss Willis, to help run the home. This is the inscription for Arthur and

Winifred:

IN LOVING MEMORY OFWINIFRED

Beloved Wife of ARTHUR BIRCHALLof Wood Green, Church Minshull

Who passed away March 11th, 1934

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Aged 30 years

ARTHUR her beloved husband

Reunited 4th June 1971

'So He giveth His beloved sleep'

Peter inherited his father's gregariousness, and was the lynchpin of the youth club at

Wettenhall., behind the chapel - now closed, alas. A large bunch of us would cycle from

Barbridge to Wettenhall, sometimes scooping up Philip Bourne on the way as we passed Stoke

Hall Farm. Among other activities Peter organised some memorable entertainments and plays. I

believe at one time Peter wanted a career on the stage, but farming pulled him firmly back.

Peter married Doreen Finney, daughter of Christopher and Mabel. Doreen's father was a

Master Builder and contractor. Peter had anantiques shop and served on Crewe Council. He

and Doreen have one son, Nicholas, now living at Bunbury.

Isabel married Douglas Johnson, son of Horace and Violet Johnson, who farmed at

Austerson. They have one son, Christopher, called after his paternal grandfather. Until recently

they farmed at Cross Banks, Cholmondeston, but have now retired to Birchin Lane, Nantwich.

Isabel and Doug had a daughter and a son. The elder, Catherine, married David Tomlinson: they

farm at Coole Pilate with their three daughters, Charlotte, Annabel and Abbie. Isabel's son,

Christopher, has one daughter, Freya. His partner is Michelle Johnson.

Alfred's third child was his only daughter, Hilda, born in 1904, a year before my mother,

to whom she was always close. They attended Nuthurst School in Hospital Street, Nantwich

together. Olive boarded; I'm not sure if Hilda did, though it would seem likely. She married

Samuel Hugh Bourne, always known as Hugh, or Hughie, at Wettenhall Methodist Chapel in

1933. He the eldest son of Samuel Bourne of Stoke Hall Farm and a relative (nephew?) of Billy

Bourne who married Margaret Ellen, daughter of John Birchall of Baddington in 1900.

Hugh and Hilda took over Stoke Hall Farm, succeeded in turn by their only child, Philip

Hugh Bourne, born in 1935. Like Billy Bourne, Hugh was always affable, and was a devout

Methodist. Hilda played the organ at Barbridge Chapel for many years, and they were close

friends of Alderman Sir John Wesley Emberton and his wife - very well known in Methodism.

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Contrary to what you might expect of the only girl in a family of brothers, Hilda was very timid.

Or perhaps her mother was more able to manage her than the lads? Hilda and Hugh retired to

Hillcrest at Stoke, where, in turn, Philip and Eileen now live in their own retirement. They have

two sons, David and John both farming at Stoke Hall, and a daughter Susan. Her partner is

Martin Brown and they have children Amanda and Rebecca..

David has sons James and Samuel and daughters Sophie and Georgina. His partner is

Helen Walsh. John married Marion Bourne and has children Hannah and Daniel.

Philip boarded at Rydal School, Colwyn Bay and married Eileen Whittaker in 1958. She

was the daughter of Herbert and Evelyn Whittaker, also Cheshire farmers. Both Philip and

Eileen are active members of Nantwich Show committee, Philip being especially involved with

the cattle.

Alfred's youngest child was his son Frank, born in 1912. He is buried in Church

Minshull with his parents, having died in September 1926, when he was only 14.

ix) Edward Ernest Birchall, 1872 - 1967

It's that name - Edward - again! The names Samuel gave his sons seem to make his

awareness of the common ancestry with the Willaston branch of the family very clear.

Edward Ernest was baptised in Baddiley on 9th February, 1873. At first he worked on

the farm with his unmarried brothers, before marrying the 18-year-old Harriet Hull, known as

Haddie, in Nantwich in 1898. Harriet always said she had the 'same birthday as old Hitler'.

Though Haddie does not appear on the 1881 Census, I am told that her parents were Henry and

Harriet Hull, who farmed at Haughton, and later at Edleston Hall.

Edward Ernest joined Caleb in Birchall Brothers in 1924 and continued there until his

retirement. They had one daughter, Marian, who married William ('Billy') Oakley. They had

two daughters, Mary and Ruth. Mary married Richard Harrison and has one son, William, who

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in turn has children. Ruth married a Preece and had four children. Marian and Billy both died

in the same year, 1971. All Edward Ernest's descendants live in Shropshire. Mary and Ruth are

among the few people left who remember Crab Mill clearly. Ironically, this branch of the

family, though among the first to leave farming, is firmly back in the farming community now.

But are we still a farming family? In each generation, a few individuals or their spouses were

in other occupations, but the vast majority were farmers, married to other farmers. It seens to be

among those living now that the most change has occurred.

We know that the recent plague of foot and mouth accelerated both diversification within

farming, and departure from it. This was far more pronoounced if the farmer was struggling to

pay a fixed rent to a landlord. Most of my own generation seem to have, on average, at least one

child permanently out of farming. As families now are so much smaller, than the seven, eight

or nine children that we saw in the first few generations, this immediately pushes up the average

significantly. Another factor is the reduced subsidy and absence of protection for farmers'

produce. Anyone reading this will know that the days of feather-bedded farmers are long gone,

and that cheap milk from Eastern Europe has made British milk production uneconomic.

Farmers and their wives have turned to any opportunity they can find, such as work outside the

farm, shoots, selling or renting their land, b&b, livery, painting, driving instruction, renting out

fishing and parking rights, converting their buildings to flats, even part-time undertaking. These

are huge social changes, which it would be difficult, if not impossible to reverse. It is the

minority of farmers' children who can expect to make their living from farming, or even keep the

farm in the family. Wartime 'Dig for Victory' saved farming - for a time. What will save it now?

Thinking of the great festivals of our year, spring and the birth of new life, harvest,

seedtime, and the shepherd-heralded Nativity we see how huge a slice of our national life is

disappearing. The land girls have been commemorated in fiction and drama - maybe it's time

for the farmers to be given a hearing. Strangely, there is no important English play or novel

centred on farming - you may have seen 'Sons and Lovers' on television recently, which showed

how Lawrence loved the Leivers' farm (and Miriam Leivers) - but this is only a side issue.

Maybe something more visibly enduring than a Countryside March is needed. Perhaps we could

encourage our librarians to break the silence and pay some attention by mounting permanent

collections related to local farming history. What do you think?

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This brief mini-history is dedicated to all the Birchalls - whatever their surname may be - that I have loved. and also to all the 'new' Birchalls I've

been lucky enough to get to know.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

DORE R N Cheshire 2nd Impression 1977 Batsford, London

EVANS Eric The Complete A-Z 19th & 20th Century British History Handbook

Hodder & Stoughton, London, 1998

GARTON Eric Tudor Nantwich: A Study of life in Nantwich in the Sixteenth Century 1983 Cheshire County

Council

HALL James A History of the Town and Parish of Nantwich 1883 T Johnson, Nantwich

LAKE JeremyThe Great Fire of Nantwich 1983 Shiva Publishing, Nantwich

MOSS Fletcher Pilgrimages to Old Homes

ORMEROD History of the County Palatine of Cheshire

ROGERS Colin The Family Tree Detective, 3rd ed. 1997 Manchester University Press

RESOURCES - listed alphabetically

Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates

Censuses from 1841-1901

Cheshire BMD.org (computerised records on-line)

Cheshire directories

Chronicle newspapers for Chester, Crewe and Nantwich

IGI and FamilySearch.com

MIs and burial registers

Parish Registers

Probate indexes and Wills

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APPENDIX ONE

Crab Mill Farm - occupants in Census years

Name Remarks 1841/Age 1851 1881 1891 1901

Mary Farmer √ 40 √

Samuel Farmer after 1850

√ 20 √ √ √

Ann sister √ 15 √

Martha sister √ 15 √

Mary sister √ 10 √

George son - - √ - -

Samuel son - - √ - -

William son - -

Charles son - - √ √ -

Mary E daughter -- - √ √ -

John son - - √ √ √

Agnes Emma daughter-in-law

- - - - √

Agnes Emma granddaughter - - - - √

William Caleb son - - √ √ -

Alfred son - - √ √ -

Edward Ernest son - - √ - -

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APPENDIX TWO

Life Events of Samuel of the Crab Mill - sources

EventSource

Parish Reg./ Civil

Reg.

Newspaper book etc. Census Local

DirectoryMemorialInscription

Probate Index or

WillParents Marr.

Cert. √ √

Birth or

baptism √ √

Residence √ √ √ √ √

Marriage Marr.

Cert. √ √

Children √ √ √ √

Occupation √ √ √ √ √

Death √ √ √ √

Heir

/successor √ √ √ √

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A Cheshire ConvictJohn Birchall of Woore, c1779-1860

by Les Pickering

The loss of the American colonies caused a severe shortage of timber suitable for shipbuilding and, in particular, for masts and spars. The Admiralty, worried by this loss, decided to survey the woodlands of Australia and New Zealand. H.M.S. Calcutta and H.M.S. Ocean sailed from Portsmouth to carry out a survey and, where possible, to bring home samples for inspection by the Board's officers. On the outward voyage H.M.S. Calcutta carried 308 souls, including the ship's company and military escort and convicts bound for Hobart, Tasmania, or Van Dieman's Land as it was then known.

One such convict was John Birchall c.1779-1860. Aged 23 at the time of his trial he was a native of Woore, married with four children. He was the son of James and Elizabeth Birchall, tenant farmers of Woore Hollows. One of five children, he was baptised at Woore on May 6th 1779.

Birchall was tried at the City of Chester Pleas of Sessions on October 23rd, 1802, for the theft of five pounds' worth of goods, the property of Thomas Benbow and for breaking gaol on October 31st 1802. He was retaken in London on April 24th 1803.

At his trial he was acquitted of theft but sentenced to death for breaking gaol. He was reprieved and sentenced to transportation for life. Gaoled in Chester Castle, he was transported to the Captivity, a hulk moored at Portsmouth. He is mentioned in the Hobart musters of 1810, 1818, 1819 and 1823. He was granted a conditional pardon in June of 1810 and freed in 1818. Granted 55 acres of land at Pitt Waters, he purchased 400 acres in 1819 and employed seven servants. A further 433 acres were added to his property in 1831. He contracted to supply the commissariat and the military with large quantities of grain and meat.

He married Susannah Bellett on October 24th,1809. She was the daughter of a Jacob Bellett, a First Fleeter30 from Norfolk Island. They had nine children between 1812 and 1819. Their eldest son, James, the first native-born white child, married Sarah Reardon the daughter of a neighbour, Bartholomew Reardon who was also a First Fleeter.

Birchall acted as a district constable for the Pitt Water district until 1819. He built a schooner, which he used to carry passengers and goods across the lagoon between Pitt Water and the opposite bank.

He was absent from work for five months in 1806 and stole a dog. For these mis-demeanours he received 500 lashes. In 1818 he was tried for beating a prisoner but there was insufficient evidence to convict him. Later in 1818 he was removed from his duties as a constable.

He was buried on May 9th, 1860. One is tempted to think how different his life would have been around Woore had he remained in Chester to await his trial.

30 This means that Jacob came over in the first fleet of convict transport ships, which left England in 1776.-

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