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'Lindop: a family history; Volume 2' by John B Lindop"

October 2002

Reproduced below are extracts taken from "LINDOP: a family history, Volume 2" by John B Lindop. Mr Lindop has researched the history of his family, some of whose members had connections to Buckley, living at Bannel Bridge and Lane End. It is the relevant sections to Buckley and district which are noted below.

See 23.15 for an Ordnance Survey map of the Bannel Bridge area.

 

Page 4. Some Thoughts on Origins. ¶1.a copy letter was received, in response to letters to all the Lindops in the National Telephone directories from someone presumed to be a descendant of John Rowe Lindop of Chester and Liverpool………making reference to the origins of the Lindops and therein, John Lindop of Bannel Bridge tells John Rowe Lindop, our first known family historian - 'From what I heard, the Family settled in Cheshire after the Conquest, at a place called Witterance. I don't know where it is or if I spell it right, I think it would most likely be spelt Witers or in some trials I have heard, the Lindops of the Witerns but I have no accounting of it, it is only what I have heard years ago'

 

Page 7. ¶ 1. ….. many documents that were then available to him {John Rowe Lindop} that have subsequently been lost, not least of which would have been the precise location of John Lindop's farm at Bannel Bridge.

¶ 4. It is interesting that Nellie Mullock's account of the origins of the Lindops was very similar to that of her Great Uncle John Lindop of Bannel Bridge, with Wetreins replacing Gwersyllt, so evidently from a common source and John Lindop records having heard the story 'years ago' so probably from an earlier generation, possibly his Father, Samuel Lindop of Kinnerton Hall Farm, Flintshire.

 

Page 8. The Lindops of Liverpool ¶ 4. …. Brother in law Alan Quayle took a retirement interest in the Lindop history and tracked down Joshua John Lindop, a fishmonger in Liverpool and son of John and Elizabeth Lindop of Bannel Bridge.

¶ 6. …Opportunity to research the Liverpool Lindops as well as those from Buckley and N. Wales finally arrived when Grevel & Esmond Lindop appeared on the scene and serious research was commenced relating to John Lindop of Bannel Bridge and his family, as well as other closely related Lindops….

 

Page 32. The two Thomas Lindops were not the only grocers in the Buckley area: The Trap, Ewloe, Hawarden Parish. 1871 Census return notes:

 

John Lindop. Head, Widower Age 47 Grocer born Flints, Higher Kinnerton

William S Lindop Son. Age 22 Shopman [grocer] born Denbighs, Allington

 

Page 46. John Lindop of Bannel Bridge the Wedding and other Things

¶ 4. Among all the tales was a story of a Grand Wedding where a Lindop married into the Mainwaring family…..

 

Page 49. ¶6. …..Esmond obtained most of the relevant certificates and one such was the Wedding Certificate of John Lindop. When this duly arrived it was a revelation indeed as there was the name of his wife, Elizabeth Mainwaring; the wedding had at long last been found. [1847]

 

Page 52. 1841 Census return for the Township of Oxton, Birkenhead, Cheshire. Shows Elizabeth Mainwaring age 15 daughter of John [farmer] & wife Mary Mainwaring who married John Lindop in 1847.

 

Page 55. Paragraph 3. ….. [Re 1851 census]… John Lindop who was then farming his deceased Father's farm at Kinnerton Hall Farm, Flints then owned by Lord Mostyn….

 

Page 56. Census Return 1861. John Lindop & Family at Kinnerton Hall Farm.

 

John Lindop, Head. Aged 46 Farmer of 160 acres employing 4 men & 1 boy.

Elizabeth Wife " 35

Mary E Dau " 11 Scholar

Joshua John Son " 10 "

Sarah A Dau " 8 "

Martha J Dau " 6 b. 12.5.1854

Margaret. A Dau " 3

Lewis S Son " 1

 

Born 1863 so after the 1861 census:

Agnes M Dau

 

Page 58. The Last Will & Testament of JOHN LINDOP of BANNEL BRIDGE.

 

Be it known that John Lindop of Bannel Bridge, Hawarden in the County of Flint, Farmer

Who at this time of his death had a fixed place of abode at Bannel Bridge aforesaid, within the District of the Counties of Flint, Denbigh and Merioneth, died on the third day of March 1895 at Bannel Bridge aforesaid

And it be further known that at the date hereunder written the last will and Testament of the said deceased was proved in the District Probate registry of Her Majesty's High Court of Justice at St. Asaph and that administration of the personal estate of the said deceased was granted by the aforesaid Court to

Joshua John Lindop of 15 Edge Lane, in the City of Liverpool, Fishmonger and Poulterer, son of the deceased, the surviving Executor

Named in the said Will.

Dated the 24th day of March 1903. This is a true copy.

Gross value of Personal Estate £74:0:0 Resworn £200

Net value of Personal Estate £74:0:0

Extracted by the Executor thro' Inland Revenue Officer.

 

Page 59. ¶ 1 …There is no further record of son Lewis so it is presumed he died young…..

¶ 2….. locational problems start at this point as John Lindop and family disappear from the Kinnerton Hall Farm, Flints sometime after the 1861 census… searches of Cheshire Trade Directories, GPO directory, Local History Office at St Michael's Church, Chester and census returns for Dodleston and Hawarden Parishes have failed to find him.

¶ 4. John Lindop reappears on the 1881 Census Return for the Township of Bannel, Hawarden Parish with the address of Bannel Bridge:

John Lindop married aged 65, Head, Farmer of nine acres.

Elizabeth Wife aged 55

Agnes Maud Dau aged 18 Farmers Dau

 

Page 59/60.

The 1891 Census Return is interesting, with the address of Buckley Lane:

John Lindop Head aged 75, farmer

Elizabeth Wife aged 65

George Thomas Son in law aged 28

Agnes M Dau aged 28

John J Grandson aged 4

Maud Grand-dau aged 3

Amelia Grand-dau aged 4mths

John Lindop Grandson aged 12

Esther Griffiths Servant aged 10? General domestic servant.

 

Page 60

So it looks like a houseful as Agnes Maud had married George Thomas and they and their family, as well as John Lindop aged 12 were staying that Census night.

That John Lindop, aged 12 born 31.3.1879 at Liverpool, would be the son of Joshua John and Grandfather of Esmond And Grevel.

The problem now arises trying to establish which unit at Bannel Bridge was occupied by John Lindop.

The area known as Bannel Bridge consisted, during John Lindop's time, of a small group of farms, one in each corner of the road bridge over the railway plus one or two other properties close by, tho' the NE farm by the bridge has now been demolished.

Unfortunately John Lindop only refers to Bannel Bridge on his correspondence but omits a specific address so he must have deemed that adequate to find him…….

Archivist Elizabeth Pettitt at the Flints. County Record Office at Hawarden supplied maps of the area…..of the time … showing various properties around Bannel Bridge… only Brook Farm is named.

Flints. CRO searched Trade Directories to no avail….. there were no clues from the 1891 Census nor John Lindop's death certificate. The Electoral Register just shows John Lindop at Bannel……. He died on 3rd March, 1895 at Bannel Bridge…. Flintshire CRO supplied a copy of the Parish Register entry of his burial which showed that he, and Elizabeth, were buried at Pentrobin Church.

 

Page 61/62. The Last Will & Testament

This is the last Will and Testament of me John Lindop Bannel Bridge in the parish of Hawarden in the County of Flint made this seventh day of September in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and eighty eight. I herby revoke all wills by me at any time heretofore made. I appoint Elizabeth Lindop my wife and Joshua John Lindop my son to be my Executor and I direct that all my first debts and Funeral and Testamentary Expenses shall be paid soon as possible after my decease. I herby give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Lindop my wife all I am possed of or are entitled thereto for her natural life. I give to my three children Joshua John Martha Jane and Margaret Anne Fifty pounds to each of them the notes of hand I hold of Martha Jane and Margaret Anne to go as part payment of their share. And if my daughter Mary Elizabeth should make a claim within Ten years after my and my wife's decease she shall be paid Fifty pounds out of the money I leave Agnes Maud Thomas my daughter without Interest. After the above named demands are paid. I give to my daughter Agnes Maud the resedue of my Estate monies household goods out dore effects and all I am possessed of or entitled Thereto. In testimony thereof I the said John Lindop have subscribed my name this seventh day of September One thousand eight hundred and eighty eight 1888.

Signed published and declared by the said 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 hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

Thomas Lindop Alfred Everall

On the 24th day of March 1903 probate of this Will was granted at St. Asaph to Joshua John Lindop the surviving Executor. This is a true copy.

 

Page 63.

¶ 2/3 [re trip to find the grave of John Lindop at Pentrobin Church (Saint John the Baptist Church of England)]¶ ….. the church is a classic Victorian Gothic structure dating from about 1843 and John Lindop's gravestone was found without too much trouble, it reads;

 

John Lindop of Bannel Bridge who died March 3rd 1885 aged 79 years. Also Elizabeth beloved wife of the above who died Feb. 5th. 1905 aged 77 years. [the age is clearly incorrect]. Rest from Labours etc. (see entry 62.3 for photo of the gravestone)

 

¶ 4/5. …answers to the outstanding queries: Where was the farm at Bannel Bridge, where did he go after Kinnerton Hall Farm, Flints, what was the problem in his Will concerning daughter Mary Elizabeth, what, and where, is 'the old book I have, I found earlier accounts so obliterated and torn that I can make very little out of it'…. was this a family Bible, if so where is it and why does his Probate valuation increase from £74.0.0. to £200. 0.0. - a very big increase?

 

¶6 /7…..[a photograph was sent] from a distant relation, …….., descended from John Lindop's daughter, Martha Jane Ellison of himself [John Lindop] his wife Elizabeth and son Joshua John. … Advertising via the media was tried… without any reply at all … surprising as Lindops still live around Buckley.

 

Page 64.

¶2 Attempts to deduce John Lindop's Bannel Bridge address via the medium of the Census Returns, known neighbours etc…. no-one knows how the enumerator sequenced the properties and occupiers. indeed one of the farms has disappeared altogether and several new properties of various sorts added at unknown dates.

¶3 Also ownership of land was investigated in the hope that Estate records might still exist showing tenants and so forth and via the Flints Record Office evidence showed that the land at that time belonged to William Hancock from the local brick making family but, alas no Estate records are known to exist.

¶5 One distinct possibility concerning the lack of John Lindop's memorabilia is that it most probably passed to his son Joshua John and in turn, to his son John, grandfather of Grevel and Esmond and subsequently lost when John's house was bombed during the WW2 Blitz on Merseyside, the bulk of the contents destroyed.

 

Page 65. 1891 Census Buckley Lane, Civil Parish Hawarden. Ref. RG 12/2870

No. Of schedule 12 Enumerator's sheet.

John Lindop Head Married age 75 Farmer born Gwersyllt.

Elizabeth Wife " age 65 Oxton, Cheshire.

George Thomas Son in law Marr. age 28 signalman (railway) Little ? Ches.

Agnes M Thomas Daug Marr age 28 Kinnerton, Flints.

John J " Grandson age 4 Hawarden, Flints.

Maud " Grandaug age 3 Hawarden, Flints.

Amelia " Grandaug age 4months Hawarden, Flints.

John Lindop Grandson age 12 Liverpool, Lancs.

Esther Griffiths Servant age 10 General servant, dom. Buckley. Flints.

 

Page75. ¶2 … John [Lindop son of Joshua John] was at Bannel Bridge [1881 Census night].

 

Page79. ¶2 One consequence of the research into John Lindop of Bannel Bridge and the Buckley area generally was that, among others, various generations of Thomas Lindops kept appearing, much intermingled and initially presenting a confused picture. A situation not at assisted by family members…… earlier researches had revealed various Lindops in the Buckley, Caergwrle, N. Wales area so a decision was made to look into them all and see where they fitted into the Lindop genealogy.

 

¶3 The first Thomas [baptism 13/6/1813. Gresford Parish church] to be investigated turned out to be the brother of John Lindop of Bannel Bridge and Samuel Lindop of the Bridge Farm [Lower Kinnerton, Flints] …Thomas became a baker, corn and flour dealer in Chester… [Circa 1840]

 

¶4/5 [Thomas']… first marriage was to Mary Jones on 23rd November 1837 at St Martin's in the Fields, Liverpool………. Thomas' brother John Lindop of Bannel Bridge was a Witness.

 

Page 85. ¶4 Of the next Thomas Lindop we know a good deal more. It was he who was the progenitor for the Buckley Lindops, despite original thoughts that he was probably descended directly from Thomas born 1813. By virtue of his profession, location, name and age this was not so tho' the relationship proved to be very close and in actual fact he was born at 10 Fletchers Buildings, Bridge St. Row, East Chester on 21 /3/1855 to Joseph and Ann Lindop nee Davies so Thomas of Caergwrle, born 1813 was his Uncle and almost certainly due to that family connection he moved to Buckley as a grocer, met and married Sarah Ellen [nee Williams] from Buckley c1878

 

¶5 1881 Census Return for Main Rd. Buckley notes:

 

Thomas Lindop Head. Age 26 Grocer born Chester.

Sarah E " Wife Age 28 Hawarden.

Beatrice " Dau Age 2 Bistree

John " Son Age 3 weeks Bistree

Jane E Dodd Servant Age 15 Hawarden.

 

Page 88. The Lindop Family on the 1891 Census for Lane End, Buckley.

¶3

Thomas Lindop HeadAge 36 Grocer born Chester.

Sarah Ellen Wife " 37 " Buckley.

Beatrice Dau " 12 Scholar " "

John Son " 10 " "

William S Son " 7 " "

Florence Dau " 4 " "

Thomas Son " 1 " "

Jane Dodd Serv " 25 " "

 

¶4 There was a further daughter, Isabel, born after the Census Return.

Thomas was secretary for many years of The Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds and President c 1910 and co-founder of the Buckley Cricket Club in 1889.

To celebrate the centenary of the Buckley cricket club, Dave Williamson wrote a book on the Club's history entitled 'Digging In, 100 Years of Cricket at Lane End' where there are several references to the Lindops tho' Thomas is credited with being a farmer, whereas the Census returns say otherwise. Also he seems to be muddled up with his Uncle John at Bannel Bridge.

 

1901 Census, Lane End, Lord St. Buckley. RG ref 13/ 3378 PRO.

No of Schedule 137

 

Thomas Lindop Head Married Age 46 Brickworks Manager Worker b. Chester

Sarah E " Wife " Age 47 Buckley, Flints.

John " Son Unm Age 20 Pupil school teacher Buckley,Flints.

William S " Son " Age 17 " " " " "

Thomas " Son Age 11 " "

Beatrice " Dau Age 22 " "

Florence " Dau Age 14 " "

Isabel " Dau Age 7 " "

Jane Dodd Servant Age 33 General Servant [ Domestic] " "

 

Page 89. Letters of Administration for Thomas Lindop.

BE IT KNOWN that Thomas Lindop of 66 Chester Road Buckley in the County of Flint Bookkeeper who at the time of his death had a fixed place of abode at Buckley aforesaid within the District of the Counties of Flint Denbigh and Merioneth died on the sixth day of January 1913 at Buckley aforesaid intestate.

 

AND BE IT FURTHER KNOWN that at the date hereunder written Letters of Administration of all the Estate which by law devolves to and vests in the personal representative of the said intestate were granted by His Majesty's High Court of Justice at the District Probate Registry thereof at Saint Asaph to

Sarah Ellen Lindop of 66 Chester Road aforesaid the lawful widow and relict of the said intestate.

Dated the 31st day of January 1913

Gross Value of Estate £214:10:4

Net Value of Estate £214:10:4 This is a true copy.

Extracted by Messrs Keene & Kelly, Solrs. Mold.

Sureties. William Davies of Lane End Insurance Agent and Richard Merriman Gibson of Knowle House 58 Chester Road, Brickworks Manager both.

 

Page 90.

So, at some time between the 1891 Census and the 1901 Census, Thomas Snr. has ceased operating a grocers shop at Lane End and become the Manager of local brickworks.

It is supposed the Brickworks would have been that of Major Gibson who joined the already established company, Buckley Brick & Tile in 1865. [He eventually became the Chairman]. This consisted of two units, the Upper Works at Belmont Buckley and the Lower Works at Brookhill, Ewloe where the Company specialised in earthenware units for the chemical industry centred around Runcorn.

Buckley Brick & Tile also operated a ship called 'Problem'.

The business was ultimately sold to the Castle Brick Co. in 1940 and Brookhill was operating until 1961.

The Gibsons lived in close proximity to the Lindops at Lane End and there were evidently close social links between the two families and this may well account for the employment of Thomas as Manager, also Thomas' daughter married Major Gibson's son Richard to become the parents of Dorothy Howel Jones.

Thomas Snr., resident at Lane End, Buckley according to his Death Certificate died on January 6th, 1913 aged 58 and is buried at St. Matthews Parish Church, Buckley along with his wife Sarah Ellen who died January 8th, 1942 aged 89. Also buried there is an unmarried daughter Florence who died March 25th, 1974 aged 87.

Thomas' Death Certificate also notes his profession as Secretary, Gas Company, so he had moved jobs yet again to the Buckley Gas Company at Pentrobin, the Chairman of which was his son in law, Richard Gibson. [Copy of death certificate on page 91 shows that the informant of the death on January 7th, 1913 was John Lindop, son in attendance.]

 

In another nearby grave [at St. Matthews] are the parents of Donald Lindop:

John Lindop, beloved husband of Edith Feb. 12 1950 aged 68 years plus his wife, Edith Mary who died March 9th, 1968 aged 84

 

Thomas, with an address at 66 Chester Road, Buckley, profession a Book-keeper, died intestate in 1913 and Letters of administration were granted to his widow to deal with his estate of £214:10:4 [about £13,000 in 2002] ………..

p.94. The various addresses, Main Road, Lane End and 66 Chester Road all appear to be the same property, a Grocers shop and the family home.

No. 66 continued to be occupied by Thomas' widow and two unmarried daughters, Isobel and Florence as well as Thomas Jnr. until his marriage to Hilda Norton; the property was subsequently demolished and a block of flats now occupies the site.

William, born 1884 continued with his Pupil Schoolteacher training ultimately to become Headmaster of a school in Liverpool.

John born 1882, died 12th February 1950 as above, gave up the idea of being a teacher and took over his Father's job as Sec. Of the Buckley gasworks where he worked all his life and also took over the post of Sec. Of The Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherds, a Friendly society, one of a large number in Wales most of which gradually ceased to exist following the introduction of the 1911 Insurance Act, tho' the odd few are still extant today.

Thomas born 1890 appears to have trained as a builder and carpenter as several certificates from the Board of Education have survived concerning his qualifications in Building Construction and drawing.

Family tales tell that he was involved in much building work around Buckley following the industrial expansion of the town due to the coal mines and clay pits which produced the raw materials for the famous Buckley Mugs, bricks and earthenware generally, now mostly worked out.

 

As Private T. Lindop, 542299. Royal Engineers, with an address at 66 Chester Road, Buckley, he was awarded a splendid Certificate by the Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire for his service in the Armed Forces during WW1.

 

 

Author: Lindop, John B

Tags

Year = 2002

Month = October

Document = Genealogy

Event = Family

Gender = Mixed

People = Family

Extra = 2000s

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