Richard Oldfield

1672 - 1759

Richard was born in Taddington in the spring of 1672, the second son of Michael and Elizabeth ⁽¹⁾. He had a brother John about two years his elder. He never knew his father, as he died the following winter, when Richard was only around 7 or 8 months old ⁽²⁾.

I have been unable to find any mention of his mother after this time, so under what circumstances, and by whom, Richard was raised remains a mystery. His paternal grandfather died when he was 6, and both Richard and his brother were left bequests of property in his will (to come to them after the death of their grandmother) ⁽³⁾. As their mother wasn't mentioned in the will, it may be the case that she was either also dead or remarried, and that Richard and his brother were living with his grandparents. His brother then died too, at around the time of Richard's ninth birthday ⁽⁴⁾.

He married a woman called Ellen, sometime before 1698, and they initially lived in Priestcliffe, where their eldest son, John, was born that summer ⁽⁵⁾. By the time their daughter Elizabeth was born two years later, they had moved a little further down the hill and were living in Blackwell Ditch ⁽⁶⁾. They had another daughter, Ellen, in 1703 ⁽⁷⁾, followed by a son Michael ⁽¹⁴⁾ the following year ⁽⁸⁾. Their whereabouts over the next 8 years is unknown, but it seems that during this period their eldest son John died, and they had two more daughters, Margaret and Mary ⁽⁹⁾.

They were back in Taddington parish by the time their son Richard was born in 1712 ⁽¹⁰⁾. They had another son George in 1714 ⁽¹¹⁾, and their youngest son John was born in 1718 ⁽¹²⁾.

Richard's wife died in May 1745 ⁽¹³⁾, but Richard lived for nearly 14 more years, until around the time of his 87th birthday, he finally realised his days were numbered, and wrote his will ⁽¹⁴⁾, leaving the bulk of his estate to his eldest surviving son Michael. Within a few days he was dead, and then buried in Taddington on 15th April 1759 ⁽¹⁵⁾. An inventory taken a couple of weeks after his death ⁽¹⁶⁾ appears to depict a rather meagre existence towards the end, when he was left with just a few tired old possessions, but this is probably not a realistic picture, as he owned property, in which he was living with his his eldest son and family ⁽¹⁴⁾, so the threadbare inventory almost certainly doesn't list all the contents of the house, which were probably thought of as Michael's by then.

• John was born in Priestcliffe in 1698. He probably died sometime between 1703-1712.
• Elizabeth was born in Blackwell Ditch in 1700. She married a Mr Low, and was still alive in 1759. Nothing more is known of her.
• Ellen was born in Taddington in 1703. She married Samuel Wainwright in Chapel en le Frith, in 1726. They lived in Chapel and had 4 daughters, Ellin, Ann, Margaret and Elizabeth. Ellen died sometime between 1743 and 1759.
• Michael has his own page.
• Margaret was probably born sometime between 1705 and 1711. She married a Mr Cooper, and was still alive in 1759. Nothing more is known of her.
• Mary was probably born sometime between 1705 and 1711. She married a Mr Coots, with whom she had children. She died before 1759.
• Richard was born in Taddington in 1712, and was still alive in 1759. He may be the Richard Oldfield, butcher, who was buried in 1767.
• George was born in Taddington in 1714. He was still alive in 1759, but nothing more is known of him.
• John was born in Taddington in 1718. He may be the John Oldfield who maried Elizabeth Heathcoat there in 1744. He was still alive in 1759.

1. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [1672] B Richard the son of Michaell Oldfield & Elizabeth his wife was baptized May 5^th day
2. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [1672] S Michaell Oldfield was buried Nov: 24th. day
3. Will of George Oldfield (ref: B/C/11/George Oldfield, Taddington, 1678 @ LRO) reads:
   In the name of God Amen I George Ouldfield of Tadington in theCounty of Derby Myner being in good health ^{& body}
   & of sound & perfect minde & memory praise be therefore given to Almighty God do make publish & declare this my last will and
   Testament in manner & forme following That is to say First & principally [.....] and my soule unto the hands of Almighty God my
   maker hopeing to be saved through the merrits death & passion of my Saviour Jesus Christ & my body I comitt to the earth to be buryed
   according to the discretion of my Executors hereafter named And as for & concerning all my houses ands Groves & other worldly
   estate as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me I give devise & bequeath the same as followeth And first I give devise & bequeath
   All that messuage or dwelling house wherein I now dwell & all that Croft lying & adjoyning to the said house (except such
   parts thereof as are herein hereafter devised) to my loving wife for & during the terme of her naturall life And after her decease
   Then to the use & behoofe of my Son Adam Ouldfield his heires & Assignes for ever Item I give devise & bequeath all that
   Barne of building standing & being in Tadington aforesaid adjoyning to the said Croft before mentioned together with twelve
   yards of the said Croft within the wall next adjacent to the said Barne to my wife for & during the terme of her naturall
   life & after her decease then to the use & behoofe on my Grandchilde John Ouldfield & to the heires males of his body lawfully
   to be begotten And for default of such issue then to the use & behoofe of my said son Adam Ouldfield his heires & Assignes
   forever Item I give devise & bequeath all that dwelling house standing & adjoyning to the said Croft in the possession of one
   John Sellers now being & also four yards of the said Croft within the wall next adjacent tothe said dwelling house to my
   loving wife for & during her naturall life, & after her decease then to the use & behoofe of my Grandchilde Richard Oldfield
   & to the heires males of his body lawfully to be begotten. And for default of such issue then to the use & behoofe of the
   said Adam Ouldfield his heires & Assignes for ever Item I give devise & bequeath all that dwelling house standing & adjoyning
   near the said Croft now in the possession of Robert Jackson together with six yards of the said Croft wihin the walls next adjacent
   to the said dwelling house to my said loving wife for & during the terme of her naturall life and after her deease to the use
   and behoofe of Ellin the wife of the said Robert Jackson for & during the terme of her naturall life (if she happen to survive
   the said Margaret my wife) And from and after the decease of the said Margaret & Ellen & the survivor of them then to the
   use & behoofe of my Grandchilde Richard Robinson & to the heires males of his body lawfully to be begotten & for
   default of such issue then to the use & behoofe of the said Adam Ouldfield his heires & Assignes forever Item I give
   devise & bequeath a third parte (being devided into three equall parts) of all my Groves mears of ground or [portion]
   for groves or mears of ground & minerall possessions whatsoever lying & being in the County of Derby or elsewhere
   unto my said loving wife for & during the terme of her naturall life and after her decease then I give & bequeath
   the said third parte as followeth (to witt) two parts of the said third parte to my said son Adam Ouldfield his heires &
   assignes for ever Item I give devise & bequeath the other two partes & the remaining third parte of the said Groves before
   devised unto the said John Ouldfield his heires & assignes for ever Item I give devise & bequeath the other two
   parts of all the said groves above mentioned (not herein before devised) in manner following (That is to say) Two
   parts thereof to my said son Adam Ouldfield & his heirs & Assignes for ever & the remaining third parte of the said
   two parts to my said Grandchilde John Ouldfield his heires & Assignes for ever And my minde will & minde is that all
   the parts of groves devised to the said John Ouldfield as aforesaid shall be managed & wrought according to the
   discretion of my Executors hereafter named until he shall attaine the age of one & Twenty years to & for his best proffit &
   advantage Item I give & bequeath unto my daughter Jane Ouldfield the sum of Threescore pounds of lawful money
   of England to be paid to her by my Executors hereafter named within two years next after my decease Item I give &
   bequeath one Cofer & the little brass pot unto the said John Ouldfield my Grandchilde Item I give & bequeath unto the
   said Adam Ouldfield the great brass pot one Cupboard & the longest table (to remaine in the said house as Eyre Loomes)
   Item I give & bequeath to John Dickens my Son in Law the sum of twoshillings & sixpence Item I give & bequeath
   unto William Wylde my Son in Law the sum of two shillings & Sixpence Item I give & bequeath unto Richard
   Foxlowe the sum of four pounds to be paid to him within twelve months next after my decease Item I give & bequeath
   unto Thomas Jackson of Townend the sum of three pounds within one twelve month next after my decease And
   lastly I give & bequeath unto Executors hereafter named all the rest & residue of ^all my estate reall & personall not herein
   before devised they paying my debts Legacies & funerall expenses And I appoint my said wife & my said son Adam
   Oldfield Executors of this my last will & Testament hopeing they will perform the same according to the trust I [reposs]
   in them And do revoke & disannull all former wills by me made In witness whereof I the said George Ouldfield
   the Testator nave hereunto put my hand & seal the Tenth day of August in the Thyrtieth year of the Raign of our
   soveraign Lord Charles the second over England & Anno Dni 1678.
                                                                                                                                            George Outfeild
                                                                                                                                               his marke
   
4. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   [1681] John the son of Michael Oldfield & Elizabeth his wife was buried April 6^th
5. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   John the son of Richard Oldfield & Ellin his wife was Baptized October y^e 4^th 1698
6. The Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington (Transcription by Val Neal) lists the baptism of Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Oldfield, of Blackwell Ditch, on 11th October 1700. The bishop's transcript simply states: Elizabeth Oldfield was Baptized October y^e 11^th - her parents aren't named.
7. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
   Ellin the daughter of Richard Oldfield was baptized December y^e 19^th 1703
8. Based upon his stated age at death. See his page
9. No burial for John is found in Taddington, but as Richard's youngest son was also called John ⁽¹²⁾, he must have died at some time. Two daughters called Margaret & Mary are identified from Richard's will ⁽¹⁴⁾, but again no baptisms are found in Taddington. It seem likely that these three events, as well as the baptism of Michael ⁽⁸⁾, may have taken place somewhere else during the 9 year gap when Richard and Ellen are not mentioned in the parish registers of Taddington.
10. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1712] Richard son of Richard Oldfield of Taddington baptized June y^e 10^th
11. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1714] Georg son of Richard Oldfield of Taddington bapt Dec y^e 28
12. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1718] John son of Richard Oldfield of Taddington bapt Dec y^e 11^th
13. Bishop's transcript of the Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [1745] Bur^d 18 May Ellin wife of Rich Oldfield of Tadd
14. Will of Richard Oldfield (ref: B/C/11/Richard Oldfield, Taddington, 1759 @ LRO) reads:
    In the name of God amen I Richard Ouldfield of Taddington in the
    Parrish of Bakewell and County of Derby Mason being at this time but
    in a Bad state of health but of sound and perfect mind and memory (prased
    be God) Do make and ordaine this my last will and testament in manor
    and forme Following First I will that my just Debts and funerall charges
    be pead and Discharged by my Executors hereafter named Item I give
    and bequeath unto my son Michael Oldfield and to Mary his now wife all my
    messuage House where I and them Dwell and all Buldings thereunto be
    longing During there naturall lives and to the survisor of _^^them and the yard
    and Gardins on the Back side of the sd House and Buildings and after there
    Decease and the survisor of them then after there to such child or children
    of theres that the shall thinke it most usefull for to them and there Heires
    and assigns for ever but if the survisor do not Dispose of it by will,
    then to there next heire at law and his _^^{Heirs and} assigns for ever I likewise
    Give and bequeath to my son Michael Oldfield and to his Heirs and
    asigns for ever all the rest of my freehold estate he paying my just
    Debts and to my Children the sumes here after named to wit to my son
    George Oldfield Twenty shilling to my son Richard forty shillings
    and to my son John Three pounds and to my four Daughter ^or to
    there children to wit Margret Cooper and Elizabeth Low to eather of them
    forty shillings and to my Daughter Ellin Wanewright Deceased her
    Daughters Anne Ellin Elizabeth and Margret forty shillings to be
    equily Devided amongst them and to my Daughter Mary [Coots] Cheldren
    forty shillings to be equily devided amongst them, and it is my will &
    mind if any other of my sd cheldren should happen to die befor there sd lagaces
    com due the sd lagasey shall go amongst there cheldren and all to be pead
    within one yeare after my decease and I do here by Inpowr my said
    executors to mortgage or sell my land on the north side of the entry lane
    to pay my just Debts Legairs and funerall expencess are pead and Discharged
    I Give all the rest of my substance to my son Michael not before
    Disposed of (except my working tools wich I give to my son John) to
    him and his heirs and assigns for ever and lastly I nominate
    and Appoint my son Michael Oldfield and my loveing friend Antho
    ny Wright Joynt Executors of this my last will and Testament and
    do hereby revoke all former wills by me mead to be voide and Declare
    this to be my last will and testament where of I have set my hand and
    seale this ninth day of Aprill yn the Therty second year of the Reign of
    his majesty King George the second one thousand seven hundred and fifty
    nine
    Signed sealed Published and Deileaved by the within                       His
    named Richard Oldfield as his last will and Testament       Richard   R   Oldfield
    in the presence of us who subscribed our hands as               Marke         and seale
    witness as ther to in the presence of and at the
    request of the Testator himselfe
    Joseph Green
    George Wild
    Sarah Green
15. Parish Register of St Michael's, Taddington includes the entry:
    [April 1759] 15^thBur'd Rich'd Oldfield Senior of Taddington
16. Inventory of Richard Oldfield (ref: B/C/11/Richard Oldfield, Taddington, 1759 @ LRO) reads:
    A true Inventory of the goods and Chattles of
    Richard Oldfield Late of Taddington Deceased and
    where apprised by us this Twenty sixt day of
    Aprill 1759

    		l		s		d
    Imprimis	his purse and apparill	1	-	4	-	0
    Goods in   the House	Three old Chears 1s: 2 Little Tables 1s6d & 3 stools 6d all	0	-	3	-	0
    	An old Cubard: 5 And three puter Dishess: 2s all	0	-	7	-	0
    	Land Iron & Tongs and a Little kettle &c	0	-	3	-	0
    Chamber	His Bed and Bedding	0	-	12	-	6
    Shop	His Working Tools	0	-	8	-	0
    	Hustlements seen and unseen	0	-	1	-	0
    	Totall	2	-	18	-	6

                                                                          Charles Heaward
                                                                          Joseph Green
17. Probate of Richard Oldfield (ref: B/C/11/Richard Oldfield, Taddington, 1759 @ LRO) reads:
    Bakewell 18^th May 1759
    Let a probate of this will be Granted to Michael
    Oldfield & Anthony Wright the executors.
    they being sworn before me
    Tho^s Grove Surrogate