 |
 |
VARIOUS NAMES AND PLACES In Connection with the Cromhall Coal Mine investigation I have come across a number of names others may have heard of. These are mainly from the 1851 Census for Cromhall and the surrounding villages 1) On the 1841 census 20 yr old William Wathen lived at Kites Nest (very near Cromhall New Engine Works) and is described listed as a coal miner. A William Wathen also appears in the 1851 census for wickwar by then described as: WATHEN William, aged 32 Labourer from Wickwar (NB now no reference to mining) His wife is called Pamela aged 30 from Cromhall, the listing is under the western section of the parish which includes Wickwar common and the area Kites Nest. It would appear William Wathen has not moved far although he is no longer described as a coalminer. 2) James SCHOLAR is a 36 yr old miner originally from Cornwall and is living in nearby Itchington in the 1851 Census. There were however lead mines in that area and he may be linked to those ? The description descibes him as: SCHOLAR James Lodger 36 Miner Cornwall Bradges ? (The last word is unclear) DOES ANYBODY HAVE ANY IDEA WHERE BRADGES MIGHT BE?? 3) There are also three coalminers listed in the 1851 census for Rangeworthy, (the next parish South along the old toll road). The proximity of the pits in the Yate area to Rangeworthy suggest these miners may have been working there and not Cromhall. 4) The Cromhall census includes (along with several other miners) KEELING Christopher 49 Coal Mines Prop Notts Moore Green Does anybody know where Notts Moore Green is and whether there were any KEELINGs mining there prior to circa 1838 ?? There are other KEELINGs listed in YATE (along with other miners), these are known to be the relatives of Christopher KEELING KEELING is also the name refered to in Keith Baker's note of 20th July along with LONG and NOWELL in connection with the pits in Yate. I would be interested to know which Keelings are involved with which mines. 5) There are various LONGS associated with mining in the area. Samuel Long (the elder) is Lessee of Cromhall Colliery in 1827. He is a Non Conformist, Textile Mill owner from the Wotton-Under-Edge area. I have quite a lot of information about him but would be interested to receive any more. His will was however proved in Coventry and I have not therefore had the opportunity to track this down. Two of his sons Samuel (the younger) and Paul are listed in the 1851 census as having mining interests, I would be interested to identify which mines these were. The will of Samuel Long (the younger) has been looked at (in Gloucester Records Office). This however makes no reference to mining. Details of Paul Long have yet to be tracked down. 6) The 1851 Census for Wickwar includes Martha NOWELL a 43 yr Old Widow originally from Bosley Chesire who is described as a Proprietor of Mines. She is not listed in the section including the village but in part of the parish to the West of the railway, which includes Wickwar common, along with four children a servant and a gardener. Her eldest two children were born in Leeds (circa 1833) and Derbyshire(circa 1841), where she may have had a mining connection. This could be the NOWELL refered to in the Yate pit details along with KEELING and LONG Does anybody have information about her late husband and whether there were any mining connections in either Bosley Chesire, Leeds or Derbyshire? 7) Keith Ramsey also refers to Handel Cossham An artical has been written about him and his links with Wickwar by a local historian history. I am trying to get hold of a copy of this. He appears in the 1851 Census for Wickwar under Section I, which covers "the area all that Part of the Town and Parish of Wickwar which is bounded on the West by the Bristol & Birmingham Railway and on the East by a Brook running from Horton to Berkeley including the Town of Wickwar Buthay and Back Lane" The entry is as follows: 73 COSSHAM Handel 27 Merchant Thornbury Elizabeth 27 Marlow WETHERHEAD Edwin BinL 35 Merchant Little Marlow Rebecca Sister 36 Little Marlow JESSOP Mary Visitor 22 Cheltenham HARDING Emma Servant 25 Dursley COSSHAM Amy Sister 12 Thornbury I have not as yet found any connection between Cossham and the Cromhall mines. There is no reference to mining in the census entry although this Cossham would appear to be the Mine owner in the Kingswood Bristol area linked to Cossham Hospital Sorry for the length of this message, I hope some will find it interesting. I have a lot more information about the Cromhall and Yate area but I am always pleased to receive more. REGARDS , DAVID %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%