Robert Bramwell

c1797 - 1847

Robert was born in Tideswell in 1797, the son of Robert & Nancy ⁽¹⁾, and baptised in Tideswell on 24th September ⁽²⁾. He had two older sisters, Martha and Mary, and an older brother William. His next younger brother Edward, was born in 1800 ⁽³⁾, and followed by Jane in 1802 ⁽⁴⁾, George in 1805 ⁽⁵⁾, and finally Nancy in 1807 ⁽⁶⁾.

His mother died in 1819 ⁽⁷⁾. The following year Robert married Esther Ann Walker, a Tideswell girl, by which time Robert was a joiner like his father ⁽⁸⁾ - a trade he continued throughout his life ^{(9)(10)(11)(12)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(24)(25)(26)(29)(30)(32)}. Their first child Nancy was born later that year ⁽⁹⁾, followed by Mary in 1822 ⁽¹⁰⁾, and George in 1823 ⁽¹²⁾. Mary died the following year aged just 2 ⁽¹³⁾. His next son Thomas was born in 1825 ⁽¹⁴⁾, followed by Amy in 1826 ⁽¹⁵⁾ and William in 1828 ⁽¹⁶⁾. Robert's father, Robert senior, died in 1829 ⁽²⁰⁾, and Robert was named as one of the executors of his will ⁽¹⁹⁾ (although he didn't accompany his brothers, the other executors, to the court of probate in Lichfield in March the following year ^(21)(22)). This is likely to be the time when Robert became the parish clerk ⁽²³⁾. His youngest daughter Sarah was born in 1831 ⁽²⁴⁾, followed by youngest sons Robert in 1833 ⁽²⁵⁾ and James in 1838 ⁽²⁶⁾.

At the time of the 1841 census ⁽²⁷⁾, the family was living in the cottage next door to the vicarage ⁽²⁸⁾ (possibly by virtue of Robert being the parish clerk?). Robert died aged 50 on 7th December 1847 ⁽³⁰⁾, and was buried three days later ⁽³¹⁾. His wife survived him by 5 years, dying in July 1853 ⁽³²⁾.

• Nancy was born in Tideswell in 1820. She married Thomas Robinson in 1841, but died less than 2 months later.
• Mary was born in 1822 and died in 1824.
• George has his own page.
• Thomas was born in Tideswell in 1825. He did an apprenticeship as a mechanic which was complete by the time he married Ann Furniss in 1846. They settled in Litton Mill and had 7 children there - Elizabeth (born about 1848), William (1850), Ann (1853), Samuel (1855), Mary (1858), Jane (1860) and James Robert (1864). Some time in the 1870s they moved to Bugsworth, before returning to Tideswell in the 1880s. He died in 1894.
• Amy was born in Tideswell in 1826. By the 1851 census she was still single and living with her mother. Nothing more is known of her.
• William was born in 1828 in Tideswell. Nothing is known of him after 1841.
• Sarah was born in Tideswell in 1831. She married George Robinson in 1859, and they had three children - Sarah Ann (born about 1861), Fanny (1863) and Leon (1866). Her husband died in early 1901. Nothing more is known of her after the 1901 census, when she was 70.
• Robert was born in 1833 in Tideswell. He married Sarah Berrisford, and they settled in Bakewell where he worked as a tailor. He had 8 children - Leonard (born in 1857), Mary Ann (1859), George (1862), Robert Beresford (1865), William (1868), Henry (1870), Francis (1873) and Walter (1877). He appears in the 1891census, but nothing more is known of him.
• James was born in Tideswell in 1838. Nothing is known of him after he appeared in the 1851 census as a 12 year old.

1. Robert's approximate date of birth (gleaned from his age at death ⁽³⁰⁾) is 1797. Looking at the Tideswell parish register from that period, there were two Robert Bramwells baptised that year, and two the year before :
   1. Robert the son of Elias and Hannah was baptised 2/2/1796.
   2. Robert the son of Samuel and Ann was baptised 30/10/1796
   3. Robert the son of Thomas and Catherine was baptised 26/3/1797
   4. Robert the son of Robert and Ann/Nancy was baptised 24/9/1797 ⁽²⁾
   However looking at other evidence I believe it can be shown that it was Robert-4 who went on to marry Esther Ann Walker :
   • Robert was a joiner and the parish clerk, the father of Robert-4 was also a joiner and the parish clerk.
   • Robert and Esther Ann didn't name any of their children Elias or Hannah (the names of the parents of Robert-1), or Samuel or Ann (the names of the parents of Robert-2), or Catherine (the name of the mother of Robert-3), but they did call two of their children Robert and Nancy (the names of the parents of Robert-4).
   • The son of the father of Robert-4 was known to be still alive when his will was written in 1829 ⁽¹⁹⁾.
   Further study of the other Roberts allows me to complete the picture :
   • The father of Robert-3 was a cordwainer, and also had a son Jesse. In the 1841 census a Robert Bramwell, cordwainer (the one who first married Martha Middleton, then an Irish woman called Ann), is living next door this Jesse Bramwell, so it seems likely that this Robert & Jesse were brothers.
   • The third Robert to survive (the weaver who married a woman called Mary), gave his age as 64 in the census of April 1861, and was said to be 82 when he died in February 1879. These ages put his birth between April 1796 and February 1797, so I am taking him to be Robert-2
   • Robert-1 disappears without trace after his baptism.
2. Baptism entry in parish register of St John the Baptist's, Tideswell reads:
   *Nancy   [1797] Sept 24 Robert Son of Rob^t and Ann* Bramwell of Tideswell
3. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
   [Baptisms, February 1800] 5 Edward, Son of Rob^t & *Ann Bramwell of Tideswell     *Nancy
4. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
   [Baptisms, August 1802] 10 Jane, Daug^r of Rob^t & Ann Bramwell of Tideswell
5. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
   [Baptisms, May 1805] 1^st George, Son of Rob^t & Nancy Bramwell of Tideswell
6. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
   [Baptisms, August 1807] 23 Nancy, Daug^r of Rob^t & Nancy Bramwell of Tideswell
7. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
   

   Name	Abode	When buried	Age
   Ann, Wife of Robt Bramwell	Tideswell	June 1st [1819]	yrs 54

8. Marriage entry in the parish register of St John the Baptist's, Tideswell reads:
   Robert Bramwell of the Parish of Tideswell, Joiner
   and Esther Ann Walker of the Parish of Tideswell, Spinster
   were married in this Church by Banns
   published 7^th 14^th & 21^th May, this Twenty second Day of
   May in the Year One thousand eight hundred and Twenty
   By me M^r Brown, Vicar of Tideswell
   

   The Marriage was solemnized between us	Robert Bramwell
   	Esther Ann Walker

   In the Presence of	Wm Bramwell
   	James Nichols

9. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
   

   When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
   		Christian	Surname
   Octr 30th [1820]	Nancy Daugr of	Robt and Esther Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

10. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    		Christian	Surname
    Mar 21st [1822]	Mary, Daugr of	Robt & Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

11. Entry in Pigot's Directory of Derbyshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire 1822 lists Robert Bramwell, Joiner amongst the tradesmen of Tideswell (although may well refer to his father).
12. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    		Christian	Surname
    Augst 22d   [1823]	George, Son of	Robt & Esther Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

13. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    Name	Abode	When buried	Age
    Mary, Daugr of Rob & Esther Ann Bramwell	Tideswell	April 16th [1824]	yrs 2

14. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    		Christian	Surname
    Mar 25th [1825]	Thomas Son of	Robt & Esther Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

15. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    		Christian	Surname
    Decr 6th [1826]	Amy daugr of	Robt & Esther Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

16. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    		Christian	Surname
    1829 Jany 8th	William Son of	Robt & Esther Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

17. Entry in Glover's Directory of the County of Derby 1829 lists Robert Bramwell, Joiner amongst the tradesmen of Tideswell (although may well refer to his father).
18. Entry in Pigot's Directory of Derbyshire 1828-9 lists Robert Bramwell, Joiner amongst the Tradesmen of Tideswell (although may well refer to his father).
19. Will (page 1, page 2, page 3) of Robert Bramwell (ref: B/C/11/Robert Bramwell, Tideswell, 1830 @ LRO) reads:
    This is the last Will and testament of me
    Robert Bramwell the Elder of Tideswell in the
    County of Derby Joiner - I will and direct that all
    my just debts funeral and testamentary espenses
    be fully paid and satisfied out of my personal
    Estate. I give and devise all that my messuage
    or tenement situate at Windmill in the parish of
    Hope in the said County of Derby, now in the
    occupation of Francis Bramwell my son in law, unto
    and to the use of my daughter Martha the wife of
    the said Francis Bramwell her Heirs and Assigns
    for ever. And as to for and concerning all and
    singular other the Property whether Real or Personal
    or whatever other nature or kind the same may be
    (except my Weaving Apparel) which I shall be seized
    of or over which I shall have a disposing power
    at the time of my decease I give devise and bequeath
    the same respectively and every part thereof unto and
    to the use of my sons William, Robert, and Edward
    Bramwell their Heirs Executors Administrators and
    Assigns Upon Trust that they or the survivors or
    survivor of them or the Heirs Executors Administrators
    or Assigns of such survivor do and shall as soon as
    conveniently may be after my decease sell and dispose
    of the same Real and Personal Estates either by
    public auction or private contract as to them my
    said Trustees or Trustee shall seem best for the
    most money that can be had or gotten for the same
    respectively and also do and shall make execute and
    perfect all neccesary or proper deeds conveyances
    and apurances for vesting the same Real Estates
    in any purchaser or purchasers thereof or in such
    person or persons and for such uses intent and
    purposes as he or they shall direct or appoint. And
    I hereby declare that the receipts of the said
    Trustees or Trustee shall be good and sufficient
    discharges to the purchasers of my said Real Estates
    for the purchase money for which the same shall
    be so sold and that such purchasers their Heirs
    Executors Administrators or Assigns shall not
    afterwards be answerable or accountable for any
    loss misapplication or nonapplication of such
    purchase money so received or any part thereof. And
    upon further Trust that they my said Trustees or
    Trustee do and shall retain and pay the proceeds
    or produce of my said Real and Personal Estates so
    directed to be sold as aforesaid unto and amongst
    my said sons William, Robert, and Edward, and my
    son George, and my daughters the said Martha
    Bramwell, Mary the wife of Richard Oven of
    Stockport Hatter, Jane Bramwell and Ann
    Bramwell, equally to be divided between or amongst
    them share and share alike, and the issue of such
    of them as shall be then dead, such issue to stand
    in the place and be entitled to the share of his
    her or their deceased parent; and in case any of
    my said children shall happen to depart this life
    without issue before his her or their share or
    shares shall become payable under and by virtue
    of this my Will I do direct that the share or
    shares of him her or them so dying shall go and
    accrue to the survivors or survivor of my said children
    and be payable in like manner as their original
    share or shares hereinbefore mentioned. I give and
    bequeath all my Weaving Apparel unto my brother
    George Bramwell absolutely. And I do hereby nominate
    and appoint my said sons William, Robert, and
    Edward Executors of this my Will. And lastly I
    hereby revoke all former Wills by me at any time
    heretofore made. In Witness whereof I the said
    Robert Bramwell the elder the testator have hereunto
    set my hand and seal the nineteenth day of
    April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
    hundred and twenty nine.
    
    Signed Sealed Published and               \
    Declared by the above named               |
    Robert Bramwell the Elder the                |
    testator as and for his last Will                |
    and Testament in the presence              |     Rob^t Bramwell
    of us who have hereunto subscribed      |
    our names as witnesses thereto              |
    in his presence and in the presence      |
    of each other.                                            /
    Richd Warhurst
    W^m Barber
    W Montagu Brown
    
20. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    Name	Abode	When buried	Age
    Robert Bramwell Parish Clerk	Tideswell	April 26th [1829]	yrs 65

21. Probate of Robert Bramwell (ref: B/C/11/Robert Bramwell, Tideswell, 1830 @ LRO) reads:
    At Tideswell the 22nd day of March 1830
    Let a Probate of this Will be granted to William
    Bramwell Joiner and Edward Bramwell
    Butcher both of Tideswell, two of the Executors
    herein named, they being sworn as well to a
    faithful discharge of this office, as that the
    personal Estate of the Testator doth not in value
    amount to one Hundred Pounds before me
                                              Tho^s Brown
                                              Surrogate
    Probate Expected
    29th March
    
22. Administration of Robert Bramwell (ref: B/C/11/Robert Bramwell, Tideswell, 1830 @ LRO) reads:
    Will
    In the Dean and Chapter Court of Lichfield.
    In the Goods of Robert Bramwell the Elder
          Deceased.
    Appeared Personally William Bramwell of
    Tideswell Joiner and Edward Bramwell
    of Tideswell aforesaid Butcher two of the
    Executors named in the last Will and testament of the said Robert
    Bramwell late of Tideswell
    in the County of Derby
    Deceased; and made Oath, that the Estate and
    Effects of the said Deceased, for, or in respect of which, a Probate of the said Will
    of Robert Bramwell is to be granted, exclusive of what the
    said Deceased may have been possessed of, or entitled to, as a Trustee for any other
    person or persons, and not beneficially, but including the Leasehold Estate or
    Estates for Years of the Deceased, if any, whether absolute or determinable on Lives,
    and without deducting any thing on account of the Debts, due and owing from the
    said Deceased are under the value of One Hundred
    Pounds, to the best of these Deponent's knowledge, information and belief.
    
    Sworn on the Twenty Seven             W^m Bramwell
    day of March 1830                            Edw^d Bramwell
    before me
    Tho^s Browne
    Surrogate
    
23. Robert's father was parish clerk up until 1829, and Robert was himself parish clerk from the time of the 1841 census at the latest, so it would seem likely that he took over directly from his father.
24. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    		Christian	Surname
    Jany 31st [1831]	Sarah Daugr of	Robert & Esther Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

25. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    		Christian	Surname
    Feby 15th [1833]	Robert son of	Robert & Esther Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

26. Parish Register of St John the Baptist, Tideswell includes the entry:
    

    When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parents Name		Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
    		Christian	Surname
    April 27th [1838]	James	Robert & Esther Ann	Bramwell	Tideswell	Joiner

27. Census of 7th June 1841 reads:
    Place: Upper Street, Tideswell
    

    Robert Bramwell	40	Parish Clerk
    Ann Do	40
    Ann Do	20	Reeler / Cotton Factory
    George Do	15
    Thomas Do	15	Mechanic "Ap"
    William Do	12
    Sarah Do	9
    Robert Do	7
    James Do	2

28. The census gives their addess as "Upper Street", which is no longer a name used in Tideswell, but as the two adjecent properties to the family's home shown in the census are Eccles Hall on one side, and the vicarage on the other, they must have lived in the cottage in between them, now known as Vicarage Cottage.
29. Entry in Bagshaws' History, Gazetteer and Directory of Derbyshire 1846 lists Robert Bramwell amongst the Joiners & Cabinet Makers of Tideswell.
30. Death Certificate from Registration District of Bakewell states:

    When and where died	Name	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered
    Seventh of december 1847 at Tideswell	Robert Bramwell	Male	50 years	Joiner. Husband of Esther Ann Bramwell	Atrophy. Not Certified	Mary Flint, present at the death, Tideswell	Eighth of december 1847

31. Burial entry in parish register of St John the Baptist's, Tideswell reads:
    

    Name	Abode	When buried	Age
    Robert Bramwell late Parish Clerk	Tideswell	Dec 10th	50 Years

32. Death Certificate from Registration District of Bakewell states:

    When and where died	Name	Sex	Age	Occupation	Cause of death	Signature, description and residence of informant	When registered
    Twentieth July 1853 Tideswell	Esther Ann Bramwell	Female	53 years	Widow of Robert Bramwell a Joiner	Ovarian disease. Certified	Mary Flint, present at the death, Tideswell	Twenty third July 1853