Robert Oldfield

1734 - 1794


Robert's signature on his will in 1794 ⁽⁵⁾

Robert was born about 1734, probably in Taddington ⁽¹⁾, the son of Michael and Mary ⁽²⁹⁾. He had two older brothers, Richard and Michael ⁽²⁾. A younger brother William was born in 1739 ⁽³⁾, then a sister Mary in 1740 ⁽⁴⁾, however she only lived for a few months ⁽⁵⁾. Twin sisters, Mary & Martha were born in 1742⁽⁶⁾, and his youngest brother George in 1745 ⁽⁸⁾. His brother Michael died in 1748 ⁽⁹⁾.

He married Elizabeth Wylde on 9th November 1760, at Chelmorton ⁽¹⁰⁾, and they set up home in Taddington. Their first child, Richard, was born in 1762 ⁽¹¹⁾. They had a daughter Mary in 1764 ⁽¹²⁾, but she only lived for a few months ⁽¹³⁾. Their next son Michael, born in 1766 ⁽¹⁴⁾, faired even worse, survivng for just a few days ⁽¹⁵⁾. Next came sons William (1767) ⁽¹⁶⁾ and George ⁽²⁸⁾ (1769) ⁽¹⁷⁾, and daughter Susannah (1770) ⁽¹⁸⁾. In 1772 they had another son, Robert ⁽¹⁹⁾, but he too died young ⁽²⁰⁾. Another son, Michael, in 1775 ⁽²¹⁾, was followed by three more daughters - Betty in 1777 ⁽²²⁾, Ann in 1779 ⁽²³⁾ and Molly in 1782 ⁽²⁴⁾. Their youngest son, Thomas, was born in 1783 ⁽²⁵⁾, and finally their youngest daughter Martha came along in 1786 ⁽²⁶⁾, but she only survived for about a week ⁽²⁷⁾.

Robert had been a blacksmith earlier in life ⁽¹⁰⁾, but its not clear that he was still "practising" towards the end. He called himself a yeoman and owned a number of properties at the time he wrote his will on 1st October 1794, when it seems that his son Richard had probably taken over the smithy ⁽²⁸⁾. He died about 3 weeks later, and was buried in the "Oldfield Crypt" started by his father in Taddington Churchyard ^(29)(30). His wife survived him by over 20 years ⁽³¹⁾.

• Richard was born in Taddington in 1762. He married Ann Dicken in 1786. They lived in Taddington, where they had 10 children - Ann, Robert, Mary, Richard, Thomas, Elizabeth, (another) Elizabeth, (another) Mary, Peggy and Joseph. Richard was a blacksmith. He died in 1845.
• Mary was born in Taddington in 1764, but died the following year.
• Michael was born in Taddington 1766. He only survived a few days.
• William was born in Taddington in 1767. He married Alice White in 1795. They lived in Taddington, and William worked as a labourer. They had 11 children - Thomas, Mary, Robert, (another) Thomas, Elizabeth, (another) Elizabeth, Ann, Ellin, Richard, William and Henry. William died in 1840.
• George has his own page.
• Susannah was born in Taddington in 1770. She married Richard Roberts in 1797. They didn't have any children, and Richard died sometime before 1815. Susannah died in 1833.
• Robert was born in Taddington in 1772, and died there in 1774.
• Michael was born in Taddington in 1775. He married Ann Howard in 1806, and they lived in Taddington, where Michael was a labourer. They had 6 children - Michael, Robert, Elizabeth, John, Susannah and Richard. Michael died in 1834.
• Elizabeth was born in Taddington in 1777. She married Francis Foulkes, a watch maker in 1800. They lived in Bakewell and Ashford, and didn't have any children. After Francis's death in 1847, Elizabeth moved back to Taddington, where she died in 1851.
• Ann was born in Taddington in 1779. She married Richard Dunn from Ashford in 1805. They are not known to have had any children. Ann died in 1860.
• Mary was born in Taddington in 1782. She married Elisha Dicken in 1805. They moved about quite a bit - they were in Hope in 1811, Stockport in 1813, Ardwick in Manchester in 1841, and Hulme in Lancashire when Mary died in 1851. They had at least 3 children - Robert, Elisha & Elizabeth.
• Thomas was born in Taddington in 1783. He married Sarah Redfearn from Longnor, who was about 15 years his elder, and they lived in Taddington. They are not known to have had any children. Thomas died in 1865.
• Martha was born in Taddington in 1786. She only lived for about a week.

1. No baptism is found for Robert in the Taddington parish registers, so its possible that his parents lived eleswhere at the time. His date of birth is calculated from his age at death ⁽²⁹⁾.
2. See his father's page for details
3. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [15th March 1739] Baptized ye same day William Son of Michael Oldfield of Taddington
4. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [1740] [...] 9^ber Bap^d Mary Daughter of Mich: Oldfield of T[......]
   The rest of this entry is unreadable on the film of the PR, so I need to confirm it. Val Neal's transcript gives the complete entry as occuring on 30th November 1740, and also names Michael's wife as Mary.
5. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [1741] Aug^st 6 - Bur. Mary Daughter of Mich. Oldfield of Taddington
6. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [1742] Aug^st 29 - Bap. Mar^t & Mary Daughters of M^ich Oldfield of Taddington
7. N/A
8. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [1745] Bap^t 15 Sep^t Geo. son of Mich Oldfield of Taddington
9. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [1748] Bur^d 24 May Michael son of Michael Oldfield
10. Parish Register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton includes the entry:
    Robert Oldfield of Taddington Blacksmith &
    Elizabeth Wylde of Prestcliffe Spinster, both within
    y^e Parish of Bakewell, were married by Publication
    of Banns in y^e Chappel of Chelmorton, this
    ninth Day of November in y^e year of our Lord
    one thousand seven hundred and sixty by me
                                  Rob^t Lomas
                                  Curate of Chelmorton
    This marriage was               Robert Ouldfield
    solemnized betwixt us         Elizabeth ^her+_mark Wylde
    In y^e p^rsence of us         Mary Lomas
                                             John Dale
    
11. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1762] Bap^d Richard son of Robert Oldfield April 11
12. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1764] Bap^d Mary Daughter of Robert Oldfield October 14
13. Bishop's transcripts of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1765] Bur^d Mary Daughter of Rob^t Oldfield May 27^th
14. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1766] Bap^d Michael son of Robert Oldfield & Elizabeth his wife June 21^st
15. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1766] Buried Michael son of Robert Oldfield & Elizabeth his wife June 25^th
16. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1767] Bap^d William son of Robert Oldfield & Elizabeth his wife June 28^th
17. George's DOB calculated from his age of 53 when he died in 1822.
18. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1770] 8^th Dec Bap^t Susannah Daughter of Rob^t Oldfield Tad
19. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [October 1772] Bap^d Rob^t son of Rob^t Oldf^d 14
20. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [May 1774] 25^th Buried Robert son of Rob^t Oldfield
21. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1775] March 5^th Bapt^d Mich^l son of Rob^t Oldfield
22. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1777] Jan 26^th Bapt^d Bette Daughter of Rob^t Oldfield
23. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1779] Sept 10^th Baptiz'd Ann Daughter of Rob^t & Elizabeth Oldfield
24. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1782] Jany 27^th Baptiz'd Molly Daughter of Rob^t & Elizabeth Oldfield
25. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1783] December 25^th Baptiz'd Tomas Son of Rob^t & Elizabeth Oldfield
26. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1786] June 29^th Baptiz'd Martha Daughter of Rob^t & Elizabeth Oldfield
27. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1786] July 4^th Buried Martha an infant of Rob^t Oldfield aforesaid
28. Will of Robert Oldfield (top, bottom) (ref: B/C/11/Robert Oldfield, Taddington, 1795 @ LRO) reads:
    In the name of God Amen, I Robert Oldfield of Taddington in the Parish of Bakewell & in the County of Derby
    Yeoman being weak of Body but of sound & perfect mind & memory & considering the uncertainty of this mortal
    life do make & ordain this my last Will & Testament in manner & form following.
    First I give & devise to my Son Richard that House situate in Taddington aforesaid where he now dwells
    & also that building adjoining to the East end thereof, & the Garden on the backside thereof to him his Heirs
    & Assigns for ever. I also give to my said son Richard the lease & tenantright of my Smithy where he now works
    & also all my Smithy tools. I also give to my Daughter Susanna Twenty Pounds to be paid out of my personal
    Estate Two Years next after my decease. I also give & bequeath to my wife all my household Goods & also all
    the remainder of my personal Estate on condition that she shall pay all my just Debts out of the same, & also
    my funeral charges & the expence of proving this my last will. And with regard to the rest of my real estate
    consisting of the House where I now dwell, & also that house where M^r John Williams now dwells, & all my out-
    housing, Bans, Stables, Shippens, Cowhouses, Carthouse & all my outhousing whatsoever, the croft on the backside
    of my House & Garden, One Field known by the name of the ButtsClose, Two Crofts, one of them lying on the west side of the
    said Close, one croft called the Barley pingle, one crost on the backside of my nether Barn, & one croft called Sutton's pingle
    all situate at Taddington aforesaid I hereby give the use of all my said Housing & Lands to my wife for & during
    her natural life, if she remains unmarried, but if she marries again, it is my will that she shall have onlya third
    part of the remains of my personal estate after my said Daughter susanna's legacy, and the other payments before
    mentioned are paid out of the same, and also one third of the rent of my real estate during her natural life.
    And after my wife's decease, I give & devise all my real estate (except what I left to my son Richard) to be equally
    divided amongst my younger children, that is, to my sons William George Michael & Thomas, & to my Daughters
    Susanna Elizabeth Ann & Mary: each to have an equal share of the said Housing & Lands to them their Heirs & Assigns
    for ever & to be equally divided amongst them Twelve months _^^next after my Wife's decease & if the said Housing & Lands
    that I have left to my younger children be sold after my wife's decease if one or more of my children chuses to pur-
    chase them, it is my will he she or them shall have the first refusal of them. But if any one of my younger
    children happen to die _^^{without lawful issue} before his or her share becomes due it is my will that their share or shares shall go
    equally amongst my surviving younger children, but if he or she that shall happen to die as aforesaid shall leave
    any lawful issue, it is my will that such child or children if there be more than one shall be entitled to their
    Father or Mothers share. And finally I do hereby appoint my said son George & my Daughter
    Susanna to be executoria of this my last Will & Testament. In witness wherof I
    have hereunto set my hand & seal this First day of October in the 34^th year of the reign of
    our Sovereign Lord King George the Third & in the year of our Lord 1794
    Signed, Sealed, published & declared
    by the above named Robert Oldfield                                                   Robert Oldfield
    to be his last Will & Testament, in
    the presence of us who have hereunto
    subscribed our names as Witnesses,
    in the presence of the Testator.
              John Newton
              Mary Buckley                                         At Bakewell 14 July 1795
              Ellin Buckley                               Let a probat be granted to George Oldfield
                                                                & Susannah Oldfield spinster the Exors
                                                                          They having been duly sworn under 100£
                                                                          before me
                                                                                              Richard Chapman
29. Memorial Inscription on grave in "Oldfield Crypt" at Taddington (transcript on GENUKI) reads:
    Mickel OLDFIELD, 4 Jan 1785, 81
    Mary, wife, 14 June 1777, 73
    Robert, son, 24 Oct 1794, 60
    Robert, Mary, Michael, Martha, & Robert,
    Their sons & daughters, of Elizabeth & Robert OLDFIELD,
    Died in their infancy
30. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [October 1794] 24 Buried Robert Oldfield
31. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    

    Name	Abode	When buried	Age
    Elizabeth Oldfield	Taddington	March 29th 1815	74 Years

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