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Matthew Hodgkinson

c1831 - 1909

Matthew Hodgkinson's signature as a witness to a marriage in 1860
Matthew's signature as a witness to a marriage in 1860 (5)

Father James Hodgkinson
Mother Unknown
Wife Mary Ellen Kirkham
Children Matthew, Ellen, Hannah, Mary, William, Thomas, Jane


Matthew was probably born around 1831 (1), on or near a farm called Greensides, about 3 miles west of Flagg (2). His early life is unknown, but I believe he was probably the illegitimate son of James Hodgkinson (although he could have been "unofficially adopted" by him) (3).

By 1851, he was living and working on his "father" James' farm in Flagg (9), along with his grandmother, step-mother, two step-sisters, a step-brother and two half-brothers. In 1860 he appears as a witness at a wedding in Wormhill (5), and by 1861 (10) he was living on William Wilkinson's farm in Taddington, working as a carter. He moved to Wormhill sometime before his marriage, to Mary Ellen Kirkham at Alstonfield on 25th February 1867 (6)(23), but went back to Flagg soon afterwards (7). By the time of the 1871 census (11) he was living back at Ubberdale Farm with his wife and one year old son Matthew. His sister in law Hannah was also living with, and working for them. His father appears to have given him about a third of the farm land, and both Matthew's and his father's households are listed in Ubberdale House. On the 2nd April that year - the actual night of the census - Matthew must have been visiting his brother-in-law Thomas in Fawfieldhead, because he is also listed in the census there (12). It can even be speculated that his visit may have been to do with a deal over horses, as he was first listed as a visitor, but this was crossed out and "Horsedealer" entered in its place!

His daughter Ellen was born about 1872 (13), followed by Hannah about 1874 (13), Mary in 1876 (16), and William in about 1879 (13). His father James died in 1880 (17), and other than £50 left to Matthew, everything else was left to his two younger half brothers Moses and James (22). However it would appear that Matthew took over more of Hubberdale Farm on his father's death as by the census of 1881 (13) the amount of land he was farming had doubled to 64 acres. His half brother Moses (who was living with James at the time he wrote his will in 1879) appears to taken over the rest of the farm as he is listed next in the census, under the same address. Matthew's youngest son Thomas was born in 1881 (21).

His youngest daughter Jane was born about 1884 (15). His wife died in June 1886 (18), and this seems to have prompted his move to Taddington, as he was living there in April 1891 (14). However the move was fairly short-lived and he was back in Flagg at the next census in 1901 (15), this time living at Back O'th' Hill farm, which he was sharing with his daughter Mary and her husband George Allen.

Matthew died at Back O'th' Hill on 21st October 1909 (19), and was buried in Chelmorton 3 days later (20).

Brief details of his children:


Sources:

  1. Judging by the ages given on all censuses and his death certificate, that is certainly around when he believed he was born.
  2. No record of his baptism has been found, but this seems most likely given his details from censuses. In 1851 (9) and 1861 (10) its given as Greenside/Green Sides, Derbyshire. In 1871 (11), (12) and 1881 (13) though its given as Flagg. Finally in 1891 (14) and 1901 (15), it reverts to Greensides. In 1891 it is explicitly stated to be in Derbyshire. In 1901 no county is given, but a later hand has added "Lancs". I am tempted to believe that this later addition was just a guess, so this must refer to a place in Derbyshire, probably fairly near to Flagg. Greensides Farm, about 3 miles west of Flagg, just the Derbyshire side of the border with Staffordshire is the only place I can find that fits those criteria.
  3. On the 1851 census (9), Matthew is described as "son to head", and the head of the household is James Hodgkinson. The specific wording was probably meant to convey that he was James' son, but not son to James' wife Ann, and indeed this would tie in with the fact that James and Ann married in 1847 (4), 16 years or so after Matthew's birth. However this is one of only two documents I've found which claims that Matthew was James' son (the other being Matthew's marriage certificate (6)). James didn't have Matthew with him at the time of the 1841 census (8), and in his will (22) James refers to Matthew as "Matthew Hodgkinson formerly residing with me", leaving him a single, fairly modest bequest, whilst Moses and James (James's sons with his wife Ann) are explicitly called son, made executors, and left the entire balance of the estate in a number of bequests.
    In the 1881 census, Matthew has an 18 year old niece, Rosie Mellor at his house. I can find no relationship between James Hodgkinson or his wife, and Rosie. Rosie (or Rosehannah/Rose Hannah) was the daughter of James and Rosehannah Mellor of Taddington. When James Mellor and Rosehannah Kidd married in Wormhill in 1860, one of their witnesses was called Matthew Hodgkinson (5).
    This implies a number of things:
  4. Parish Register of All Saints, Bakewell includes the entry:
    1847 Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church in the Parish of Bakewell in the County of Derby
    When married Name and Surname Age       Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of marriage Father's name and Surname Rank or Profession of father
    June
    21st    		 James Hodkinson of full
    age    		 Bachelor Farmer Flagg William Hodkinson Farmer
    Ann Needham of full
    age    		 Widow - Flagg William Bagshaw Farmer
    Married in the Parish Church of Bakewell according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church after banns
    This Marriage was solemnised between us James Hodkinson his + mark in the Presence of us Thomas Flint
    Ann Needham  
  5. Parish Register of St Margaret's, Wormhill includes the entry:
    1860 Marriage solemnized by Banns in the Parish of Wormhill in the County of Derby
    When married Name and Surname Age       Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of marriage Father's name and Surname Rank or Profession of father
    February
    9th    		 James Mellor full Bachelor Servant Wormhill ______ Mellor Labourer
    Rosannah Kidd full Spinster - Wormhill William Kidd Shoemaker
    Married in the Parish Church of Wormhill according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the United Church of England & Ireland
    This Marriage was solemnised between us James his+mark Mellor in the Presence of us Sarah her+mark Ash
    rose hanah Kidd Matthew Hodgkinson
  6. Marriage Certificate from Registration District of Ashbourne states:
    1867 Marriage solemnized at Alstonfield in the parish of Alstonefield in the County of Stafford
    When married Name and Surname Age Condition Rank or Profession Residence at the time of marriage Father's name and Surname Rank or Profession of father
    Feby 25th Matthew Hodgkinson 21R Bachr Servt Wormhill, Derbyshire James Hodgkinson Farmer
    Mary Ellen Kirkham 21R Spinster - Reapsmoor James Kirkham Do
    Married in the Ch according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Established Church by license
    in the presence of Joseph Riley, Abigail Kirkham
  7. He was in Flagg in 1871 (11), at which time he appears to have been given about a third of his father's farm. His son Matthew is also stated to have been born there about a year before, so it seems likely that he moved back to Flagg at the time of his marriage, when his father gave him the land to farm.
  8. Census of 7th June 1841 reads:
    Place: Flagg
    Jno Mitchell 40 Farmer
    Eliz Do 50 .
    Jas Hodgkinson 40 Farmer
  9. Census of 30th March 1851 reads:
    Place: Flagg
    James Hoskinson Head Mar 44 Farmer holding 103 acres land Derbyshire, Flagg
    Ann do Wife . 37 . Staffordshire, B??????top
    Hannah do Mother U 70 . Cheshire, ???amble Green
    Matthew do son to head U 20 Farmers son Derbyshire, Greenside
    Mary Ann Needham step daughter . 11 Scholar Derbyshire, Flagg
    Martha do do . 7 do do do
    Charles do step son . 9 do do do
    Moses Hodkinson son . 3 do do do
    James do son . 1 . do do
    Hannah Mycock servant U 16 General Servant do do
  10. Census of 7th April 1861 reads:
    Place: Lidgate Houses, Taddington
    William Wilkinson Head Mar 58 Farmer of 118 acres Derby Priestcliffe
    .... Other members of the household ....
    Matthew Hodkinson Serv Unm 30 Carter Do Green Sides
  11. Census of 2nd April 1871 reads:
    Place: Ubberdale House, Flagg
    Mathew Hodgkinson Head Mar 39 Farmer of 32 acres [Derbyshire], Buxton
    Mary Do Wife Mar 28 Farmer's Wife Staffordsh; Longnor
    Hannah Kirkham Sister Unm 40 General Serv Do: Do:
    Mathew Hodgkinson Son . 1 . Derbysh; Flagg
  12. Census of 2nd April 1871 reads:
    Place: Hall Hill, Fawfieldhead
    Thomas Kirkham Head Mar 36 Farmer of 74 acres [Staffordshire], [Fawfieldhead]
    Charlotte Do Wife Mar 46 . Do, Elkstone
    Matthew Hodkinson Br in Law Mar 40 Visitor Horsedealer Derbyshire, Flag
    George Thompson Serv Unm 23 General Servant Domestic Staffordshire Fawfieldhead
  13. Census of 3rd April 1881 reads: (Note that Mary Ellen appears to have been mis-entered as May Elizth)
    Place: Hubberdale, Flagg
    Matthew Hodgkinson Head Mar 50 Farmer of 64 Acres Derbyshire, Flagg
    May Elizth do Wife Mar 38 Farmer's wife Staffordshire, Longnor
    Matthew do Son . 11 Scholar Derbyshire, Flagg
    Ellen do Dau . 9 do do do
    Hannah do do . 7 do do do
    Mary do do . 4 do do do
    William do Son . 2 . do do
    Thomas do do . 1m . do do
    Rosie Mellor Niece Unm 18 Visitor do, Taddington
  14. Census of 5th April 1891 reads:
    Place: Taddington
    Mathew Hodgkinson Head Widr 61 Farmer [Derbyshire], Greensides
    Mathew Do Son S 21 Do son Do, Flagg
    Ellen Do Daur S 19 Farmers Daughter Do, Do
    William Do Son . 12 Scholar Do, Do
    Thomas Do Son . 10 Do Do, Do
    Jane Do Daur . 6 Do Do, Do
  15. Census of 31st March 1901 reads:
    Place: Back O'th Hill, Flagg
    Matt Hodgkinson Head Widr 70 Farmer Employer, Own Acc at home Greensides
    Matt Hodgkinson Son S 31 Farmer's Son Worker . Hubberdale, Flagg, Derby
    William Hodgkinson Son S 22 do do Worker . do do do
    Thomas Hodgkinson Son S 20 do do Worker . do do do
    Jane do Daug S 16 Farmer's Daughter Worker . do do do
    . . . Different household at the same address . .
    George Allen Head M 30 W. Farmer Own Acc . Flagg, Derbyshire
    Mary do Wife M 24 . . . do do
    Fred do Son S 2 . . . do do
    George do Son S 3 months . . . do do
  16. Birth Certificate from Registration District of Bakewell states:
    When and where born Name Sex Name and surname of father Name, surname and maiden surname of mother Occupation of father Signature, description and residence of informant When registered
    Eleventh September 1876, Upperdale, Flagg Mary Girl Matthew Hodgkinson Mary Ellen Hodgkinson, formerly Kirkham Farmer Matthew Hodgkinson, Father, Upperdale, Flagg Sixteenth October 1876
  17. 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
    Twenty first August 1880, Flagg James Hodgkinson Male 74 years Farmer Dropsy, Certified by J L Park MRCS Moses Hodgkinson, Son, Present at the death, Flagg Twenty third August 1880
  18. Mary Ellen Hodgkinson's 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
    Sixteenth June 1886, Hubberdale, Flagg, Bakewell Mary Ellen Hodgkinson Female 43 years Wife of Matthew Hodgkinson, Farmer Disease of organs of Circulation, Certified by Philip S [??????] Matthew Hodgkinson, Widower of deseased, In Attendance, Hubberdale, Flagg Seventeenth June 1886
  19. Matthew's 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
    Twenty first October 1909, Flagg RD Mathew Hodgkinson Male 78 years Farmer Old age, Certified by Philip S [Hulme?] MD M Hodgkinson, Son, present at the death, Flagg Twenty Second October 1909
  20. Burial entry in Parish register of St John the Baptist's, Chelmorton reads:
    Matthew Hodgkinson, Back o'th' hill, 24/10/1909, 78 years
  21. Taddington School records state that he was born on 18/3/1881 and admitted to the school on 23/3/1885.
  22. Contemporary copy of James Hodgkinson's probate (page 1, 2, 3) (amongst post 1858 contemporaory probate record copies @ DRO) reads:
    This is the last Will and Testament of me, James Hodgkinson of Rock Field House, Flagg, in the Parish of Bakewell, in the County of Derby, Farmer. I appoint my son Moses Hodgkinson now residing with me; and my son James Hodgkinson now residing at Blackley in the county of Lancaster, Farmer, to be executors and trustees of my will, and I devise to them and their heirs all real estate to which I shall be entitled at the time of my death, as trustee on mortgage but subject to the equities affecting the same respectively. I bequeath the consumable household stores and provisions of which I shall die possessed together with the rest of the household furniture and effects to my son Moses Hodgkinson. Also I bequeath to my aforesaid son Moses Hodgkinson the house in which I now reside, together with the land adjoining thereto, consisting of three fields, two of which are known and called by the name of Lime Close containing in the whole eleven and a half acres or thereabouts.
    [Added later, squeezed between the lines] and which are bounded on the East side by land of John Hodgkinson, on the West by land of Evans, on the South by [?Flagg M.....ry?] and the third of the aforesaid three fields is known and called by the name of ["Swath Tall?]
    And as to all my live and dead farming stock of which I shall be possessed at my death I bequeath to my aforesaid son Moses Hodgkinson for his own use absolutely. And as to all the rest of the personal estate to which I shall be entitled at my death, I bequeath to my aforesaid son Moses Hodgkinson, upon trust to get in and convert the same into money, and thereout to pay my debts and funeral and testementary expenses, and then to stand possessed of the surplus for his own use absolutely. I devise all the real estate to which I shall be entitled at the time of my death, save and except the aforesaid three fields which I have bequeathed to my son Moses Hodgkinson, in the manner following. Namely, first as to all that piece of old enclosed land, now on heretofor divided into two fields and situation the Township of Flagg, and now on heretofor called the Over Hubberdale Close on Field Head, and containing eight acres and twelve perches or thereabouts, and bounded on the one side in part by land of John Hodgkinson and in part by land of John Newton Braddock and William Bown on two other sides by land of John Hodgkinson and on the remaining side by the lands herinafter described. I devise the same to the use of my son James Hodgkinson and his heirs forever, but nevertheless subject to, and charged with the payment of a legacy of fifty pounds to be paid by my aforesaid son James Hodgkinson to Matthew Hodgkinson formerly residing with me but now living at Hubberdale.
    Secondly as to all those three pieces or parcels of land situate in the said Township of Flagg and now on heretofor called and known by the names of Top Hubberdale and Middle and Nether Hubberdale and containing in the whole together ten acres or thereabouts by the same more or less. I devise the same to the use of my aforesaid Executors, subject to, and charged with an annuity of twelve pounds to be paid yearly to my son Arthur Hodgkinson for his lifetime, and in the event of my said son Arthur Hodgkinson dying and leaving issue then the aforesaid three fields or parcels of land called Top Hubberdale, Middle Hubberdale and Nether Hubberdale shall be divided equally among his children, but if my aforesaid son Arthur Hodgkinson should die having no children then I devise the aforesaid three fields Top Hubberdale, Middle Hubberdale and Nether Hubberdale to the children of my aforesaid sons Moses Hodgkinson and James Hodgkinson or their heirs, share and share alike.
    Lastly I revoke and declare void all former Wills and Codicils by me at any time heretofor made and do declare this to be my last will and testament. In witness whereof I the said James Hodgkinson the testator have to every sheet of this my will contains on seven sheets of paper set my hand this fourteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thosand eight hundred and seventy nine.
    James Hodgkinson X his mark
    Signed published and declared by the said James Hodgkinson the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time, who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as witnesses the same Will having been first read over by the undersigned
    James Slack of Alvaston
    Thomas Bunting of Wheal
    Proved at Derby the fourth day of October 1880 by the oaths of Moses Hodgkinson and James Hodgkinson the sons the executors to whom Administration was granted.
    The testator James Hodgkinson was was late of Rock Field House, Flagg, in the parish of Bakewell, the county of
    Derby, Farmer, and died on the twentyfirst day of August 1880 at Rock Field House Flagg aforesaid.
    Personal estate under £500
    Extracted by the executor in person
  23. Marriage License for Mary Ellen Kirkham and Matthew Hodgkinson reads:
    At Alstonfield the 24th day
    of February 1867 before the Reverend
    John Simpson DD Clerk
    Appeared Personally Mary Ellen Kirkham
    of Reapsmoor in the Parish of
    Alstonfield Spinster
    in the County of Stafford and Diocese of Lichfield
    of the full age of 21 years and upwards
    and prayed a Licence for the Solemnization of Matrimony in the Parish Church of
    Alstonfield in the
    County of Stafford and Diocese of Lichfield
    between her and Matthew Hodgkinson
    of Wormhill in the Parish of
    Wormhill in the
    County of Derby and Doicese of Lichfield
    Bachelor Servant
    of the full age of 21 years and upwards
    and made Oath that she believeth that there is no Impediment of Kindred or Alliance
    or of any other lawful Cause, nor any Suit commenced in any Ecclesiastical Court,
    to bar or hinder the proceeding of the said Matrimony, according to the tenor of such
    Licence; And he further made Oath that she the said Mary Ellen
    Kirkham hath had her usual place of abode within
    the said Parish of Alstonefield for the space
    of fifteen Days last past
    [Sig:] Mary Ellen Kirkham
    Sworn before me John Simpson Surrogate


Notes:

None of his children were baptized in Chelmorton, nor, as far as I have found, anywhere else! The only possible place I haven't checked yet is Alstonfield (or its chapelry of Longnor)

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