OneGuyFromBarlick

Hi Wendy
It looks like the Robert Brown who married Isabella Hainsworth is the likeliest candidate as father of Thomas Watson. If he married Isabella in 1834 he was unmarried at the time of Thomas' conception in 1829.Robert would have been about 38 then & 43 when he married Isabella. A bit late. Ellen would have been about 33 when Thomas was conceived and she already had a child Isabella by John Peel of Marton. The Robert Brown at Greenberfield aged 25 in 1841 must have been born about 1816 so probably not Robert & Isabella's and would have been a Hainsworth if he was.
Of course, it could have been a Robert Brown who was passing through and not a local at all. Do you know if the transcriptions of the Thornton registers that Earby Historical Society has are from the original registers or The Bishop's Transcripts?
Just a thought - should I now transfer this discussion to another thread as it has diverged from Gill House into genealogy?
Regards
Carole

I must have confused you there. As you mentioned before the Robert at Greenberfield is 45 in 1841, it was John Brown living with the neighbours who was 25.

Nice photo Elise. I've started a new topic about The Brown family of Thornton in Craven.

EXTRACT FROM A COPY OF TERRIER IN SAFE AT GILL CHURCH

A copy of a Terrier delivered to his Grace the Archbishop of York at Skipton August
the 3rd 1825.

...There is also a building erected for a stable, and solely for the use of and convenience of
the Minister and Parishioners to bind up horses when coming to the church.
Size of building 14[' x 12' Erected 1824. Partly by subscription and partly at the expense
of the Parish.

EXTRACT FROM A HISTORY OF BARNOLDSWICK – REV J.H.WARNER

1 The land for this was given loaned by Robt. Proctor, Esq., proprietor of Gill Hall Estate.

AN ASSESSMENT ON THE SEVERAL INHABITANTS OF THE PARISH OF
BARNOLDSWICK FOR AND TOWARDS THE RELIEF OF THE POOR IN THE SAID
PARISH FOR THE YEAR 1752.

COATES
William Drake Esq……………………..1 0 3
William Bracewell……………………….0 1 9
Peter Hartley Higgins………………….0 0 3
Timothy Riddihough Stony Flatt……….0 1 0
Henry Whittaker Gill……………………0 5 2

Brown index is big, one third of the way into it. Will persevere and get Ian to put it up if it's too big for my allowance.

PM me when you are ready Stanley and I'll take the cap off post size.

It's posted OK. See 'Brown Index Entries'.

Not all that big in comparison to some of the rare texts and research topics.

Interesting Information, Elise. Maybe the Watson girls worked for Robert Proctor, Esquire? Wendy is helping me with Robert Brown on another topic. This one will concentrate more on the history of Gill Hall.
Carole

The view from the tower of Ghyll Church includes Ghyll Hall Farm.

The Rolls-Royce plant at Ghyll Brow is 20th century, but the canal would be there in the first half of the 19th century.

Informative pic. Shows the relationship between the church and Gill Hall which I think is significant. Are those the Canada Geese in the bottom beyond the canal? They divide their time between there and Whitemoor reservoir. Nice shot of drumlins as well......

Can't make out if they are geese or sheep... I'm always looking for a drumlin snap!

I am returning to this topic after finding out a bit more about my Watson forbears.
Thomas Watson's wife, Margaret (nee Simpson) was the daughter of a lead miner at Greenhow Hill, between Grassington & Pateley Bridge. I also found out there was silver/lead mining at Rimington not far from where Thomas Watson originated before moving to Gill. Thomas then moved on and died in Carleton parish and there are lead mines in the vicinity at Cononley.
Unfortunately, Thomas died in 1838, before the 1841 census so I don't know his occupation but maybe he was a lead miner too. Previous mention of Robert Proctor made me think. Proctors were involved in the lead mining at Greenhow Hill at least. Would there be any mining within a radius of Gill House? Perhaps Thomas was following work in the mines? Maybe even an employee of Robert Proctor. All pure speculation, of course, but any thoughts from anyone out there?

Carole

Carole, to the best of my knowledge the nearest we ever got to hard rock mining round here was in the quarries and the major works of the L&L Canal and later, the railway. Deep mining skills would be transferable to all these.

Thanks Stanley. It was just a thought that I had that there might be a mining connection in the Gill House area. As you say, maybe there was a work opportunity in the quarry, canal or railway. I need to get more background on what the ups and downs of lead/silver mining were in Rimington and Greenhow areas to see if it forced the families to move on. Unfortunately, pre-census, there is so little in formation to be gleaned for a labouring family other than in general terms. I have so little to go on.

Carole

John Clayton at Barrowford is your man, he has had a close look at mining in this area. For Greenhow. try Arthur Raistrick's research on lead mining in the Dales. The books will be accessible on Bookfinder.