Martha Needham

1812 - 1879

Martha was born in the spring of 1812 ⁽¹⁾ in Glutton Bridge ⁽²⁾, the eldest child of Joseph and Hannah, and baptised at St Michael & All Angels in Earl Sterndale on 20th April ⁽³⁾.

She married William Wood, a farmer, on 7th October 1833 at St Giles in Hartington ⁽⁴⁾. This was undoubtably a bit of a rushed marriage as their first child, Mary Ann, was born less than 6 months later, at which time their residence was given as Hurdlow ⁽⁵⁾. Their next child Hannah, was born in 1835, by which time they lived in Sterndale ⁽⁶⁾. Their last two children Jane Ann (1836 ⁽⁷⁾) and Joseph (1839 ⁽⁸⁾) were both also born in Sterndale. Her daughter Hannah died in early 1840 ⁽¹²⁾, by which time the family had moved to Crowdicote. It is assumed that their daughter Jane Ann also died somethime before 1841 ⁽¹³⁾.

At the time of the 1841 census ⁽⁹⁾ they were still living in Crowdicote ⁽¹⁰⁾. Sometime between 1846 and 1851, it seems her husband William inherited his father's farm in Hurdlow. ⁽¹⁴⁾, where they stayed until at least 1861 ⁽¹⁶⁾, at which time Martha's new son-in-law William Allen was living with the family, but by 1871 they had moved to a slightly smaller farm in Taddington ⁽¹⁷⁾.

Martha died there of pneumonia in 1879 ⁽¹⁸⁾. Her husband survived her by 8 years ⁽¹⁹⁾.

• Mary Ann has her own page
• Hannah was born in about spring 1835 in Sterndale ⁽⁶⁾, and died in February 1840 ⁽¹²⁾.
• Jane Ann was born in late 1836 in Sterndale⁽⁷⁾, and probably died before 1841 ⁽¹³⁾
• Joseph was born in early 1839 ⁽⁸⁾, and lived with his parents until they died. After the death of his father he went to live in Flagg next door to sister Mary Ann, and was still there in the census of 1901. He never married. His death has not been found yet.

1. Based on her baptism ⁽³⁾, her age at death ⁽¹⁸⁾, and on the 1851 census ⁽¹⁵⁾ she was probably born between 26th February and 30th March 1812
2. Her place of birth is given as Glutton Bridge in both her baptism ⁽³⁾, and the 1861 ⁽¹⁶⁾ and 1871 ⁽¹⁷⁾ censuses. The 1851 census ⁽¹⁵⁾ gives Hartington Middle Quarter but this is the parish containing Glutton Bridge.
3. Parish Register of St Michael & All Angels, Earl Sterndale includes the entry:
   August 20 1812 Bapt^d Martha Daughter of Joseph & Hannah Needham Glutton Bridge
4. Marriage entry in the parish register of St Giles, Hartington reads:
   William Wood of this Parish
   Bachelor and Farmer
   and Martha Needham of this Parish
   Spinster
   were married in this Church by License with Consent of
   Parents this seventh Day of
   October in the Year One thousand eight hundred and thirty three
   By me W. M. Ward M. A. Vicar.
   This marriage was solemnized between us William Wood, Martha Needham X Mark
   In the presence of William Needham, [Sam Johnson]
5. Baptism entry in parish register of St Michael & All Angels, Earl Sterndale reads:
   

   When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Christian Name	Parent's Surname	Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
   April 6th [1834]	Mary Ann Daugr of	Wm and Martha	Wood	Hurdlow	Farmer

6. Baptism entry in parish register of St Michael & All Angels, Earl Sterndale reads:
   

   When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Christian Name	Parent's Surname	Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
   April 19 [1835]	Hannah Daugr of	Wm & Martha	Wood	Sterndale	Farmer

7. Baptism entry in parish register of St Michael & All Angels, Earl Sterndale reads:
   

   When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Christian Name	Parent's Surname	Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
   Decr 11 [1836]	Jane Ann Daugr of	Wm and Martha	Wood	Sterndale	Farmer

8. Baptism entry in parish register of St Michael & All Angels, Earl Sterndale reads:
   

   When baptized	Child's Christian Name	Parent's Christian Name	Parent's Surname	Abode	Quality, Trade or Profession
   Febr 10 1839	Joseph son of	Wm & Martha	Wood	Sterndale	Farmer

9. Census of 7th June 1841 reads:
   Place: Hartington Middle Quarter
   

   William Wood	25	Ag Lab
   Martha Do	25	.
   Mary Ann Do	7	.
   Joseph Do	2	.

10. The 1841 census ⁽⁹⁾ only gives their residence as Hartington Middle Quarter, but their next-door neighbours Joseph and Ann Gould had a one month old daughter at the time. This daughter, Harriet, was baptised a week earlier at Earl Sterbdale church when her parents residence was given as Crowdicote ⁽¹¹⁾, so it seems certain William and family were still there.
11. Baptism entry from parish register of St Michael & All Angels, Earl Sterndale (transcript by Ancestral Archives of Derbyshire) states that Harriet Gould, the daughter of Joseph & Ann was baptized on 30th May 1841, and gives Joseph's's occupatuion as farmer and residence as Crowdicote.
12. Sheen Parish Register notes the burial of Hannah Wood of Crowdicote on 19th February 1840
13. Whilst no record of his burial has been found, he cannot be found in any censuses and no marriage record can be found. There is a burial in Sheen (where his sister Hannah was buried a week later) for a Jane Wood of Crowdicote aged 3 on 12th February 1840. It seems quite possible that there was an error and this is actually him, or,... he is actualy her - i.e, either the baptism name of Jonathan or the burial name of Jane is wrong!
14. See her husband's page
15. Census of 30th March 1851 reads:
    Place: Hartington Middle Quarter
    

    William Wood	Head	Mar	39	Farms 100 Acres	Stafford, Warslow
    Martha Do	Wife	Mar	39	.	Derby, Hartington Middle Q
    Maryann Do	Daur	U	17	.	Do Do
    Joseph Do	Son	.	11	.	Do Do

16. Census of 7th April 1861 reads:
    Place: Hurdlow
    

    William Wood	Head	Mar	50	Farmer of 100 acres	Staffordsh, Elkston
    Martha Wood	Wife	Mar	49	Farmer's wife	Derbysh, Glutton Bridge
    Joseph Wood	Son	Un	22	Farmer's Son	Derbysh, Earl Sterndale
    Mary Ann Allen	Daur	Mar	27	Farmer's Daur	Derbysh, High Needham
    William Allen	Son-in-law	Mar	27	Agricultural Lab:	Derbysh, Flagg

17. Census of 2nd April 1871 reads:
    Place: Taddington
    

    William Wood	Head	Mar	61	Farmer of 80 Acres	Staffords, Elkstone
    Martha Do	Wife	Mar	59	Do wife	Derbys, Glutton Bridge
    Joseph Do	Son	Unm	32	Do son	Do, Earl Sterndale

18. 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 fifth February 1879, Taddington	Martha Wood	Female	66 years	Wife of William Wood, Farmer	Pneumonia Congestion, Certified by JS Parke MRCS	Thomas Rodgers, present at the Death. Taddington	Twenty sixth February 1879

19. 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
    First March 1887, Taddington	William Wood	Male	77 years	Farmer	Disease of heart, Dropsy, Ulcerated Legs. Certified by John S??????? Parke MRCS	William Allen Son-in-law, in attendance. Flagg	Twenty sixth February 1879