BEARDMORE & OWEN GENEALOGY
(version 12/23/11)
Please email corrections to Mike Clark

The earliest Beardmore ancestor for whom official documentation exits is Joseph Beardmore (1746-1829), who is Generation III in the lineage that follows. However, there is a will, in the Court of Canterbury Wills collection of the British Society of Genealogists, for one Joshua Beardmore, who moved to London prior to 1750, and died there in 1775. Joshua's will mentions "Joseph Beardmore . . . son of my late brother Jonathan." This document also lists several of Jonathan Beardmore's children, as well as the children of a second brother named George. Joshua Beardmore's will is referenced below simply as 'Joshua's will', and provides the sole evidence for Joseph's father and grandfather in Generations I and II below.

1. George Beardmore is the earliest Beardmore ancestor for whom we have evidence, However, nothing certain is known about him. He is listed as the parent in the Dronfield, Derbyshire parish records of several of the children that we have tentatively assigned to him based on Joshua's will, which was written 1775 or earlier by one of George's sons. Richard Goring in his The Beard(s)more One-Name Study website shows George living during the 17th century at Woodthorpe Mills, Derbyshire and married to a woman named Rebecca, with at least two children - Jonathan and Joshua. However, the evidence for Rebecca is not known. Other children can be assigned to George based on the parish records. Dronfield is located just south of Sheffield, and about 25 miles northwest of Nottingham. There are various places called Woodthorpe in the general area of Dronfield, but it is not known which one corresponds to the Woodthorpe Mills where George Beardmore lived.

   George Beardmore is believed to be the oldest child. Joshua's will, which was proved in 1775, refers to him as deceased, and names his children. This would put George's death sometime before 1775.

   John Beardmore. The will of his brother William names him and describes him as "Brazier of St John Street, Clerkenwell." His occupation was also listed as brazier when on May 12, 1752 in London he took on as an apprentice his nephew Joseph Beardmore, the son of Joseph Beardmore, weaver, of Dronfield, Derbyshire.

   Elizabeth Beardmore (b. c.1695) was born in Dronfield, Derbyshire to father George Beardmore, and baptized there on June 9, 1695 in the parish church.

   William Beardmore (c,1698-1753) was born in Dronfield, Derbyshire to father George Beardmore, and baptized there on Oct. 5, 1698 in the parish church. He died in 1753 in Clerkenwell, and his Will (made April 19 1753, and proven May 30, 1753), left everything to his brother.

   Thomas Beardmore (b. c.1699) was born in Dronfield, Derbyshire to father George Beardmore, and baptized there on Aug. 6, 1699 in the parish church. He most likley died an infant before the 1700 birth of his brother and namesake.

   Thomas Beardmore (b. c.1700) was born in Dronfield, Derbyshire to father George Beardmore, and baptized there on July 6, 1700 in the parish church.

   Jonathan Beardmore, who follows:

   Joshua Beardmore (c. 1704-1775) was born in Dronfield, Derbyshire to father George Beardmore, and baptized there on Feb. 25, 1704 in the parish church. He moved to London prior to 1750, and lived at the Barbican, which is an area in the Cripplegate parish of the City of London that once housed the Roman garrison of ancient times. His occupation was listed as founder when on April 5, 1756 in London he took on as an apprentice his nephew Jonathan Beardmore, the son of Joseph Beardmore, weaver, of Dronfield, Derbyshire. When Joshua died in London in 1775, he left a will that is the source of much early information on the family. He was buried in the Bunhill Fields Cemetery in Islington, London at the age of 71 (Boyds London Burials), which gives him a birth year of about 1704, and makes it likely that he is the same man as the Joshua Beardmore who was baptized in Dronfield. His wife Mary died in 1784, and her will (made 1783, proven 1784), names various family members, and leaves something to "Mr. William Beardmore, hosier of Nottingham", who is likely to be her nephew.

   Joseph Beardmore (b. c.1707) was born in Dronfield, Derbyshire to father George Beardmore, and baptized there on June 22, 1707 in the parish church. When his sons Joseph and Jonathan in 1752 and 1756 were bound in apprenticeships to his brothers, Joseph was listed as a weaver in Dronfield.

    

2. Jonathan Beardmore is probably the son of George Beardmore and Rebecca, as Joshua's will (d. 1775) names him and describes him as "my late brother Jonathan (deceased)". Neither his birth nor baptism dates are known, but we can guess that he was born sometime between 1700 and 1704. Jonathan apparently married a woman named Ann, as Joshua's Will also mentions "Ann Beardmore, widow of late brother Jonathan at Nottingham." Richard Goring in his The Beard(s)more One-Name Study website refers to Jonathan Beardmore "a hosier of Nottingham, who seemingly died before 1775", but his actual death date is unknown. The fact that Jonathan's eldest son was a weaver, would indicate that Jonathan was probably one also.

   William Beardmore (1744-1809). Joshua's will (d. 1775) names him and describes him as "hosier in London". He appears at one time to have been in partnership with his brother Joseph making silk and lace goods. He died on May 2, 1809 at his house at Owen's Place on City Road in London and was buried May 9, 1809 in London.

   Joseph Beardmore (1746-1829) who follows:

   John Beardmore (d. 1814). Joshua's will (d. 1775) names him and describes him as "cooper at Nottingham". However, Samuel Wesley in a letter dated May 30, 1806 refers to him as the brother-in-law of John Owen, which is correct, and calls him a crewel manufacturer, which indicates he was involved in the making of an ancient form of raised embroidery that was stiched onto linen. He died Feb. 13, 1814 at his house in Owen's Row (Owen's Place) in Islington, London, the house having been left to John by his late brother William. The name Owen's Row has nothing to do with their Uncle John Owen, and refers instead to a school associated with Dame Alice Owen, who is no relation.

   Jonathan Beardmore. Joshua's will (d. 1775) names him and describes him as "hosier in London".

   Sarah Beardmore. Joshua's will (d. 1775) names her and describes her as "at Nottingham".

   Mary Beardmore. Joshua's will (d. 1775) leaves money to William and Joseph in trust for their "sister Mary, my niece".

    

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3. Joseph Beardmore (c.1746-1829), said to be the son of Jonathan Beardmore and Ann, was born in England about 1746. He married Mary Owen (1750-1809), the daughter of Hannah Frances Owen of Publow, on Jan. 2, 1776 at St. Giles Church in the Camberwell Parish of the Southwark Borough of London. Mary was also the sister of Archdeacon John Owen, who later became the Chaplain General of both the British Army and the British Navy. Joseph became a hosier, which meant he made and sold the knee socks what were then the fashion of the time. Apparently, he did well at this trade, and became reasonably wealthy. His home at one point was at 38 Milk Street in the Cheapside district of London, and his is known to have had his shop in Cheapside also. Later, he lived at Canonbury and Islington, both in London. Joseph was also a close frend of the Rev. John Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist faith, and he was, in fact, one of the trustees, as well as the treasurer, of Wesley's chapel on City Road in London. His wife Mary died in 1809, well before he did. When Mary's brother the Archdeacon Owen died in 1824, he left half of his fortune, said to be upwards of £100,000 to the Beardmore family, and the remainder to various charities, including the British Foreign Bible Society. This inheritance enabled the Beardmore family to buy the manor house of Juniper Hall in Dorking, Surrey, where Joseph retired to. He died at Juniper Hall Oct. 28, 1829.

   Joshua Beardmore's will (d. 1775) names Joseph and describes him as "Joseph Beardmore, hosier in London, son of my late brother Jonathan (deceased)". There is another document that surfaced on May 16, 2008 at an auction held by Bloomsbury House in London, where some of the family papers of Joshua's grandaughter Frances Mary Beardmore (b. c.1843), afterwards Mrs. Austin Dobson, were sold as Lot 215D. One of these papers appears to be a will, where her father Nathaniel Beardmore (1816-1872) writes, "My Father's name is Joshua, the eldest son of Joseph & Mary Beardmore... who came to London ... he had success in life, had a large business in Hosiery and Soldiers Crimson silk sashes... . There were three Miss Owens who lived.... in Somersetshire they three heard Charles [name crossed out and John substituted] Wesley preach, became his devoted followers so that my Father was the child of many prayers for his dear Mother was one of these Miss Owens...". This document is now in a private collection and is not available.

   children - BEARDMORE

   a girl whose name is unknown died an infant sometime before 1778.

   Elizabeth Beardmore (1778-1831) was born Aug. 23, 1778, and baptized Sept. 23, 1778 at St. Alban Wood Street in the City of London. She never married and died in 1831 at Juniper Hall in Dorking, Surrey. Elizabeth and her sister Frances are buried in their Uncle John Owen's vault at St. Martin's Church in East Horsley in Surrey, and there is also a memorial inscription to them at the Mickleham church near Juniper Hall. There is also a will for her in the Bank of England Wills Wills Extracts 1717-1845 collection of the British Society of Genealogists

   Mary Beardmore (1779-1838) who follows:

   William Beardmore (1781-1786) was born June 17, 1781, and baptized July 14, 1781 at St. Alban Wood Street in the City of London. He died a child in 1786.

   Joseph Beardmore (1783-1823) was born in 1783 and died a bachelor in 1823.

   John Owen Beardmore (1785-1786) was born in 1785, and died a child in 1786. He was named after his uncle the Archdeacon John Owen.

   Joshua Beardmore (1787-1860) was born Jan 15, 1787 at 38 Milk Street in Cheapside, London, and baptized the same day by the famous Rev. John Wesley. He married Marianne Dorothea (Dorothy) Cox in 1812 at St. Mary's Chruch in Nottingham, and had eleven children. He and his family resided for awhile at Chudleigh in Devon, then later at Belgrave House in the village of Boxmoor, Hertfordshire, which today is part of Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. When at Hemel Hempstead, he gave his occupation in the 1851 UK census as "landed proprietor from London." He died at Hemel Hempstead in 1860, and both Joshua and his wife are buried at Highgate Cemetery in North London. Joshua and Dorothea had several children, including Frederick Joshua Beardmore (1814-1853) who emigrated to Australia and has descendants there.

   Their second son Nathaniel Beardmore (1816-1872) became an engineer, who is well enough known that he has an entry in the Oxford 'Dictionary of National Biography'. This son Nathaniel also wrote a short family history that is in italics under the heading above for his father Joseph Beardmore. Another son George Lissant Beardmore (1818-1893) emigrated to Canada and established the Beardmore Tanning Company in Hamilton, Ontario in 1844. Today, this company still exists as Beardmore Leathers.

   In addition to Nathanial Beardmore's will, there exists a will for Joshua, written in 1843, that was sold as lot 853 bu Dalkeith Auctions in Britain. It is described as 'Last Will and Testament of Joshua Beardmore of Radford, Nottingham, lengthy handwritten document.'

   Frances Beardmore (1790-1868) was born June 30, 1790 in Islington, London. Like her sister Mary, she was a student of the great organ player and composer Samuel Wesley, but she does not appear to have had the talent that Mary did. With the money left to them by her Uncle John Owen, the Chaplain General of His Majesty's Forces, the Beardmore family in 1826 purchased Juniper Hall in Dorking, Surrey, a manor house sits that in a wooded valley of the North Downs chalk. The estate ultimately passed to Frances and her older sister Elizabeth, who as aging spinsters were remembered with great fondness by the many family members that visited them at Juniper Hall. Among these relatives was Frances' nephew Edmund Symes-Thompson, who owned a watercolor of the house by Thomas Dibdin (1810-1893). Frances never married, and died on August 1, 1868 at Juniper Hall, many years after her sister, who had passed away in 1831. Both she and Elizabeth are buried in their Uncle Owen's vault at St. Martin's Church in East Horsley in Surrey, and there is also a memorial inscription to them at the Mickleham church near Juniper Hall. Juniper Hall was sold after Frances died to a Mr. Richardson. Today the estate is owned by the National Trust, and run by the Field Studies Council as a Field Centre for staging nature classes.

   
   Juniper Hall - Home of Elizabeth and Frances Beardmore - Then and Now.

    

4. Mary Beardmore (1779-1838), the daughter of Joseph Beardmore and Mary Owen, was born Dec. 22, 1779 in London, England, and baptized Jan. 19, 1780 at St. Alban Wood Street in the City of London. She married a wealthy Gloucestershire clothier named Nathaniel Wathen on May 19, 1804 at St. Mary's Church in Islington, London. It is said that she was the star pupil of Samuel Wesley, who was the greatest organ player of his time, as well as the nephew of the great John Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist faith. John Wesley was also a close friend of Mary's father, Joseph Beardmore, and her father in fact was one of the trustees of Wesley's Chapel on City Road in the City of London. This, plus the fact that after Mary died in 1838 she was buried in one of the chapel vaults, makes it likely that she played organ for the Chapel. There is also a memorial window dedicated to her at her Uncle John Owen's church in East Horsley, Surrey. Please see the Wathen Geneaology for the children of Mary and Nathaniel.

    

    

    

    

The Family of Hannah Francis Owen

1. Hannah Francis Owen ran a small boarding school for girls in the village of Publow, Somersetshire, which sits about six miles from Bristol, Gloucestershire. The school was funded, at least in part, by individuals and charities associated with the Rev. John Wesley. She is mentioned several times both in Wesley's Journal and in his letters. She moved with her two youngest daughters around 1780 to London. Given that her daughters Elizabeth and Mary were already married by this time, we must assume that it was two different daughters, not documented below, that she took with her. What became of Hannah Owen is unknown.

   children - Owen

   Elizabeth Owen, the eldest daughter, was born sometime before 1750, and lived with her sister at the school/boarding house that her mother Hannah ran in Publow, Somersetshire. When Hannah left Publow around 1780, and removed to London, Elizabeth is said to have stayed behind and started a school of her own in Pensford, a neighboring village to Publow that is located on the opposite side of the River Chew.

   Elizabeth married William Pine (c.1739-1803) of Bristol on Oct. 6, 1790 at St. Mary's Church in Islington, London. Her brother-in-law Joseph Beard was a witness at the wedding. Pine, who for many years was John Wesley's chief printer and publisher, is blamed for various ommissions and errors in some of the editions he printed of Wesley's journal. Although Wesley continued to use Pine's services for awhile, when Pine espoused the cause of American colonists revolting against the crown, it was more than Wesley could bear, and the two men after 1775 ended their business relationship. Pine also published two Bristol newspapers, the 'Bristol Chronicle and Mercantile Register' beginning in 1760, and the 'Bristol Gazette and Public Advertizer' beginning in 1767. As Pine had a son, also named William Pine (c.1768-1836), who was born many years before the marriage of William, Sr. to Elizabeth, it would appear that Elizabeth was the second wife. Then at the time of William's death in 1803, he was married to a third woman, Ann Charlotte Broughton (d. c.1754-c.1822), daughter of the Rev. Thomas Broughton (1704-1774), vicar of Bedminster. This indicates that Elizabeth probably died before William.

   Mary Owen (1750-1809) was born in 1750, probably in the area of Bristol, Gloucestershire. She married Joseph Beardmore (1746-1829) in 1776 and moved with him to London, where she had at least eight children with him, before she died in London in 1809. Her children with Joseph Beardmore are listed above under her husband's heading

   John Owen (1754-1824) was born in 1754, probably the area of Bristol, Gloucestershire. Initially he aspired to be a painter, and he apprenticed under the Cornish artist and future Royal Academian John Opie (1761-1807). However, he decided instead to enter the church, which led him to begin missionary work in India in 1785 as a chaplain assigned to the military. He and John Opie remained close friends, and copies of some of Opie's letters to Owen still survive. When Owen sailed back to England in 1793 or 1794, he began theological studies at Hertford College in Oxford, where in 1797 he earned a BA, and he continued on to Christ's College at Cambridge where he earned an MA in 1801. He then became the Archdeacon of the city of Richmond in Yorkshire that same year, and the following year he also became the rector of St. Benet Paul's Wharf in London. Ultimately, he was appointed in 1810 to the prestigious post of Chaplain General to His Majesty's Armed Forces, and he gave an address to British troops on the eve of the 1815 Battle of Waterloo, where Wellington defeated Napoleon. He remained Chaplain General until his death June 4, 1824 at East Horseley in Surrey, where on June 1, 1820 he had been appointed rector of St. Martin's Church. He left behind a sizeable fortune, said to be in excess of £100,000, half of which was left to his relations in the Beardmore family, and the remainder of which was divided into two or three large legacies left to bible and missionary societies, including one to the British Foreign Bible Society. A portrait of John Owen hangs in the Museum of Army Chaplains in Amport House, Andover, North Hampshire. There, is also a portrait of him by his friend and mentor John Opie RA that is owned by the Beardmore family in Canada that descends from his sister Mary Beardmore (neé Owen). He is buried in a family vault with two of his nieces at St. Martin's Church in East Horsely in Surrey. Shown below is the inscription on their tomb.

   Rev. John OWEN, A.M. Rector of this parish & of St Benet & St Peter Paul's Wharf, London & Archdeacon of Richmond, Yorkshire, & Chaplain General to His Majesty’s Forces died 4 June 1824 aged 70 Frances youngest daughter of Joseph & Mary BEARDMORE born in London 30 June 1790 died at Juniper Hall in this county 1 August 1868 Elizabeth of Juniper Hall near Dorking, eldest daughter of Joseph BEARDMORE, Esq. of Islington, Middx & niece of Rev. Archdeacon John OWEN 1831

   There is also an unnamed daughter, who is mentioned in John Wesley's letters, but not indentified. She is one of the two youngest daughters of Hannah Owen, who moved with their mother to London around 1780. Nothing more is known about her.

    

REFERENCES:

1. Combaluzier, Pierre, A Brief History of Juniper Hall

2. Goring, Richard, The Beard(s)more One-Name Study

3. Harris, Tony, 2008, The Will of Joshua Beardmore (1704-1775) - Research by Tony Harris with contributions from Richard Gordon and Sandy Beardmore, reported in Modified Register for George Beardmore and Jonathan Beardmore, from Public Member Trees on Ancestry.com

4. UK Census Records, 1841-1901 and Parish Baptism, Marriage and Burial Records: online databases available on Ancestry.com and Familysearch.org.

Please email corrections to Mike Clark