James Croasdell 1813

Croasdell Family - Potted Histories

 

 

 

Around 1858 James became tenant farmer at Plumpton Hall near Ulverston on the Furness coastline. The property supposedly originates from around the 12th century and is sited on the edge of the sands looking out towards Chapel island. It features in the story of the haunted lantern in Myths and Legends. James and the family flourished and he became a well respected pillar of the local community. The 1861 census shows that he was farming 400 acres as well as operating the quarry to burn lime. There were 8 servants in the household, most of them employed on the farm such as the hedger, carter, 2 ploughmen, a dairy maid, and of course a full-time mole catcher! One of James's achievements was the rearing of a prize bull which was captured in paint and the picture later bequeathed to his granddaughter Hannah Croasdell (married Robert Geldart Battersby). Unfortunately the portrait of the bull was apparently burnt some time later.

Whilst James and Hannah were at Plumpton Hall another article in the Ulverston Mirror recorded the launching of a ship named the "Hannah Croasdell" from Mr Wilson's yard at nearby Canal Head.

Family remembrance is that James paid for all his sons to establish themselves in a trade or profession of their choice - but then they were on their own - with varying results! By 1871 the size of the farm had been reduced slightly to 365 acres and there was no mention of the lime quarry. Most of the children had left home and shortly afterwards James and Hannah also left Plumpton for Hammerside Hall.

 

Here Hannah died in June 1873 when she was buried at St Mary's Ulverstone. There is a tombstone just beyond the lych gate to the right of the pathway.

 

But James had returned to Hawkshead by 1890 when he died at Violet Bank, the house next to the family farm of Skinner How, by then being farmed by his nephew. He was buried at Ulverston with his first wife Hannah and received a glowing obituary in the local press. He left a will containing some interesting personal information

James and Hannah had 7 sons and 1 daughter, all but one living to adulthood.

 

• Thomas 1834 - 1835
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• Henry 1836 - 1911
  • Born at Beyond Field and baptised at Hawkshead
  • Married Mary Cragg at Colton in 1865.
  • They had one daughter Mary who had a son Mark and later married John William Higgin, a joiner of Soutergate, Ulverston.
  • Descendants live in Furness today.
  • Henry followed his father as a farmer, working at Plumpton and later as a farm labourer at Woodend, Egton-cum-Newland.
  • Henry and Mary are both buried at Bardsea in a churchyard overlooking the sea.
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• Jane 1838 - 1918
  • Baptised at Bootle, Cumberland.
  • Married George Riley at Kirkby Ireleth in June 1858 and the pair farmed at Hawthwaite, West Broughton where they raised a family.
  • By 1881 Jane was widowed and was farming 150 acres with two of her sons.
  • In 1891 Jane was in Liverpool, where she remained for the rest of her life and where she can be found in 1901 and 1911 as a boader with the Hobson family
  • Jane died on 10th July 1918 in Walton, Liverpool
  • Further details of Jane and her family kindly provided by their descendant Michael Riley
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• James 1842 - 1874
  • Born at Hawthwaite, baptised at Broughton.
  • Married Agnes Postlethwaite, a widow, formerly Penny, at Urswick in August 1871.
  • Before the marriage James worked at Plumpton helping his father on the farm, but after the wedding he settled in Little Urswick with Agnes and her children.
  • When their only child, Hannah, was born in 1872 James was working as a miner, according to the baptism register, and as an Innkeeper, as described on the birth certificate.
  • He died early aged 32 in 1874.
    • Agnes married a third time, to John Inman Taylor a cattle dealer, who brought up Hannah. She married Robert Geldart Battersby a local farmer of Redman Hall.
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• Isaac 1844 - 1897
  • Baptised in Broughton in 1844 Isaac was reputed to be a lifelong bachelor, more likely to take drink than a wife! His father set him up as a stonemason and he had a business for a time with his brother Joseph.
  • 
  • But Isaac did marry - to Sarah Bateman in March 1869 at St Mary's Applethwaite, and they had 6 children all born in Windermere. They were living in New Street in 1871
  • Several died young, including John who was killed in a tragic accident in 1891. He fell off a ladder whilst working at a grocer's shop in Ulverston and was in a coma for several months before dying. There was an inquest and full report in the Ulverston News.
  • Isaac and Sarah did seem to be in different places on census nights, however, so maybe they lead separate lives. Sarah remains undiscovered in 1881.
  • In 1891 Isaac and his son Isaac junior were boarding in Whitehaven and working as stonemasons there. Sarah & son John were in Sun Street Ulverston
  • But 6 years later Isaac died in sorry circumstances in Whitehaven Workhouse and Lunatic Asylum.
  • Isaac junior married Ada Price in Barrow in 1901 and although they had 9 children, including two sets of twins, most of these died young, remained unmarried or were childless. There is now only one surviving male descendant, currently living in Barrow.

• John 1847 - 1941 my direct ancestor

• Samuel Thomas 1851 - 1912
  • Born at Hawthwaite, baptised at Broughton, Sam was the most successful of the 7 brothers in economic terms.
  • Like his brother John he learned his trade as an engineer at Lowca Foundry, later Lowca Engine Works just north of Whitehaven, no doubt working on the railway locomotive engines produced there.
  • In 1871 he and John were lodging in Parton at the home of William Morton, later to become John Croasdell's father-in-law.
  • In November 1874 Sam married Jane Evening at Moresby.
  • They had twin boys who died young and one daughter, Clara Margarita born 1880 at Seaton, Cockermouth - where the family were living in 1881. Sam is described as a civil engineer.
  • Clara married Henry Howe in 1902 and they in turn had one daughter, Marjorie. The trail runs out here!
  • Sam was remembered by my grandfather (but only vaguely!) and his brothers. Apparently his career as an engineer was successful and he worked in the North East and Workington where he died in 1912.
  • He is rumoured to have lost money in a lengthy court case where an interim judgement gave him the benefit of being right in principle but wrong in law! I would love to find out more.
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• Joseph Septimus 1856 - 1907
  • The seventh boy and the eighth and last child of James and Hannah.
  • Born at Hawthwaite and baptised at Broughton, Joe was also remembered by my grandfather.
  • His father set Joe up as a stonemason and he carried on that business mainly in the Whitehaven area and at times in conjunction with his elder brother Isaac.
  • Like his brother he was rumoured to enjoy a drink or two!
  • Joe married Elizabeth Brockbank in 1880 (church not known but in Bootle Reg District) and in 1891 they were living in Frizington where Joe was described as a self-employed Monumental Mason. (See Census)
  • The couple had seven children and several lines of descent have been traced to the next generation and one to the present day.
  • I would be very interested in finding out more if possible, particularly re any descendants of their three married daughters Edith (Adams), Jane (Coghill) and Elizabeth (Hunter)

 

To continue with the line of descent see John 1847 - 1941

Copyright D E Waters 2010