Benton Grange was the Newcastle upon Tyne seat of Matthew Liddell in the
mid-19th century. [Ref.: Faulkner & Lowery (1996), "Lost Houses of
Newcastle and Northumberland"]
I do not know what relation (if any) he was to Sir Thomas Liddell, coal
owner, of Ravensworth Castle, near Gateshead, who was created Lord
Ravensworth in 1821.
Mike Syer
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Keith Ramsey wrote:
> Does anyone know anything about Liddell and Simpson?
>
> Liddell, of Benton Grange (exact location unknown), seems to have been some
> kind of consultant colliery engineer. In 1853 he helped to recruit Simpson
> as manager of the Countess Waldegrave's pits at Radstock in Somerset, and
> when Simpson became ill soon after his appointment he recruited George
> Clementson Greenwell as his replacement.
>
> Simpson pleaded ill health within a few months of taking up the job at
> Radstock and decided to return to Newcastle. He had, however, received an
> offer of a better job and his employers seem to have thought that that was
> the real reason for his departure. They insisted that he stay on until a new
> manager was found, although he claimed that he was in such poor health that
> this would put his life in danger. Does anyone know what became of him?
>
> Keith Ramsey
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