Richard Poppleton

Richard Poppleton married Hannah Coldwell on 1st January 1824. The couple baptised their first child William on 24th March 1826. A daughter Catherine was born in 1828, Ann Maxon followed on 8th July 1829. When they baptised their third daughter Maria on 4th July 1831 at Wakefield All Saints, their address was Westgate Common and Richard was described as a land valuer. The 1841 census shows another daughter Frances, between Maria & their second son Richard, who was born on 26th October 1832.

Poppleton's Mill in 1991, just prior to demolition. Photograph courtesy of Brendan Hughes.

The entry for his baptism describes his father Richard as a land agent. This seems to have been to do with the mining industry. However, Richard became a partner in a worsted spinning company and in 1847 went into business in his own right. The 1851 census records the family living at Thornes. William was already married by this time and living at Westgate with his wife Rosa, nee Knight, from Stafford. They have a daughter, Margaret Hannah age 7 months and two servants.

The couple also had children: William Edward in 1852, Richard Riley in 1854 and Robert in 1856. William was apprenticed to Jonas Dawson, a worsted spinner of Thornes. Tragically, William died in 1858, age 32 and was buried at St James' Church, Thornes on 24th May. His address was given as Horbury, where the family had moved to after Margaret Hannah was born. The 1861 census shows a widowed Rosa and her children living at West Field House, Horbury. His brother Richard had intended to go into the mining industry but following William's premature death, he joined the family firm at Albert Mill, Horbury Bridge.

Richard Poppleton (senior) died in Horbury, age 61 and was buried at St James' Church, Thornes on 27th May 1854.

Westfield House, home of Rosa Poppleton.

Westfield House seen on an OS map dated 1854.

Catherine married Edwin Knight, son of Wakefield share broker, William Knight at St James' Church, Thornes, on 21st September 1847. The 1861 census records the couple living with Catherine's widowed mother, Hannah next door to West Field House, Horbury, where her mother Rosa is living. They don't appear to have had any children. Catherine died age 40, in 1867 and was buried at Horbury Cemetery. Edwin married again in 1871 and died in 1884. His second wife Ruth Hawker died in 1905 and is buried with Edwin and Catherine.

Ann Maxon married Joseph Walton, a priest, on 29th April 1851 at St James' Church, Thornes. The 1861 census records their address as Alverthorpe Parsonage. They have three children; Mary 8, Richard 6 & John W 1. The 1871 census records three more children; Agnes 9, Joseph 6 and Edward 3. The 1881 census shows a further daughter Adeline M 10. Joseph is still vicar of Alverthorpe.  Ann died on 17th October 1886.

Maria died age 20 and was buried at St James' Church, Thornes, on 8th May 1852.

Richard married Martha Ann Murgatroyd on 19th April 1856, at Alverthorpe. The 1861 census shows them living at Quarry Hill, Horbury. They have two children; Francis 3 and Richard 1. They also have two servants. Ten years on, in the 1871 census, the family has increased in size and now has six more children; Hannah 9, Catherine 8, Elizabeth 6, Edwin 4, Arthur Coldwell 2 and George 1. Richard's mother, Hannah is living with the family along with; a governess, a cook, a nursemaid & a housemaid. Their address is Stonecliff House, Quarry Hill. Hannah died on 20th September 1874 and was buried at St James' Church, Thornes.

St Paul's Church, Alverthorpe where Ann Maxon was buried.

St James' Church, Thornes where several family members were buried.

The next census, in 1881, shows the family are still at Stonecliff House and that Richard employs 100 hands in his worsted manufacturing business. The family has two more children; Martha Ann 9 (who died age 12) and Charles Bernard 2 (Charles died age 4). They also had another daughter Edith Mary who died age 8 months in 1873 and a son Robert Ernest who died age 2 months in 1874. As a matter of interest, the page of the burial register recording Robert's death shows 7 out of the 8 deaths were children under 6 years, the youngest is only 27 days old. In this census Edwin, Arthur & George are away at school. They attended Sandringham School, Southport. The 1891 census shows Edwin and Arthur have returned home. Edwin is a wool & worsted spinner's manager and Arthur is a mechanical engineer. When Arthur Coldwell died in 1950, he was buried with his aunt and uncle, Catherine and Edwin Knight. His widow Lilian was also interred in the same grave in 1965.

In later years Richard was known affectionately as 'Dickie Popp' and took an active part in the civic life of Horbury. He had been Chairman of the Local Board several times in the 1870s and was elected to the first Horbury Urban District Council in 1894 as a Conservative with 422 votes. He was elected a trustee of the Common Land Trust in 1895. He was also thought to have been one of the first subscribers to the new telephone service, whilst it was still privately owned.

Richard Poppleton II died age 71 on 13th October 1904 and was buried at Horbury Cemetery. His executors were his widow Martha Ann and his sons Francis, Richard and Edwin. His estate was worth £15875 4s 7d (over £1.7 million today).

Some Poppleton graves in Horbury Cemetery: Richard Poppleton, Catherine Knight nee Poppleton and father & son Richard & Guy Poppleton.

Francis Poppleton (1858 - 1933) married Mary Amelia Jackson at St Peter's Church, Horbury in 1881. They had children; Mary (1882) and Francis Hugh (1884). The 1891 census records them living at Jenkin House, Horbury. The 1901 census shows a move to 4 Westfield Park, St John's, Wakefield. In 1911 we can see that Francis and Mary have been married 29 years and only had two children. They now live at 18 Westfield Grove, a large 10 roomed house. Their son Francis, who seems to go by his middle name Hugh, is living with his parents, as is their grandson Francis Luke Wardle 9. Daughter Mary had married Frederick Darlington Wardle, a solicitor, on 30th April 1901. They subsequently moved to Bath. The 1911 census shows they have three sons besides Francis Luke; Arthur, Noel and Lancelot. There is a note on their census entry to say Francis Luke is visiting his grandparents. Francis Poppleton died on 25th April 1933. His executors were his wife, Mary and son Francis Hugh. His estate was worth £9,106 13s 11d (over £500,000 today).

Jenkin House, Horbury & Westfield Grove, Wakefield, homes of Francis Poppleton. Jenkin House was later home to Francis's brother Edwin Poppleton.

Richard Poppleton III (1860 - 1935) married Lucy Eastwood on the 14th May 1884 at St John's Church, Huddersfield. The 1891 census finds them living on Ossett Road, Horbury. They had a daughter Marjorie born in 1886 and a son Guy, born in 1891. Ten years later, in 1901 their address is West View, Westfield Road, Horbury and they have another daughter, Eileen aged 2 years. Richard's wife Lucy is visiting the Imperial Hydro Hotel, Blackpool. 

In 1911, Guy is recorded as being a functional chemist, concerned with yarn and wool dyeing. I am unable to find Lucy at all in the 1911 census. Lucy died on the 10th May 1935, to be closely followed by Richard on the 27th October that year. Lucy and Richard didn't have the same address when they died. Her address was 110 Wheel Lane, Grenoside, Sheffield, possibly the home of youngest daughter Eileen, who had married Alfred Jenkinson in Sheffield in 1924. His address was still West View House, Horbury, although Lucy was still referred to as his wife. 

Richard Poppleton left an estate worth £30,522 13s 8d (over £2000,000 today). His executors were his son, Guy and his long time domestic staff Eunice Amelia and George Marsden. Guy Poppleton was to die only three years after his parents, on 8th December 1938. 

Richard Poppleton III.

Richard Poppleton III, Eunice Amelia Marsden, George Marsden and Guy Poppleton.

Both photos courtesy of Martin Hague, Eunice Amelia Marsden's great nephew.

Hannah Poppleton (1862 - 1882) Hannah died age 20 and was buried at Horbury Cemetery on 1st August 1882.

Catherine Poppleton (1863 - 1947) married Nottinghamshire manufacturer Samuel Parr, on 30th September 1891, at St Peter's Church, Horbury. The couple moved to Nottingham and the 1901 census shows they have three children; Helena Catherine 8, Samuel Poppleton 6, and Richard Fowler 1. The census reveals Samuel Parr manufactures soda water (Ford & Parr Mineral Water). Catherine died on the 25th May 1947 at The Vicarage, North Cave, East Yorkshire, her husband Samuel had died in 1921. Her executors were her son Samuel and the Rev Harold Frederick Elgood, her son in law. Her estate was worth £16,761 8s 4d. (over £600,000 today). 

Elizabeth Poppleton (1865 - 1948) never married. She died on the 22nd December 1948, age 84 and was buried at Horbury Cemetery. Her executors were her niece Helena Catherine Elgood, her nephew Richard Fowler, a schoolmaster and bank manager Herbert Baxendale. Her estate was worth £22,156 9s 9d (over £795,000 today). 

Edwin Poppleton (1867 - 1936) married Mary Rosetta Moore at Aysgarth in 1907, when he was 40 years old. They didn't have any children and the 1911 census shows us they lived at 116 West End Avenue, Harrogate. Tragically, Mary died in 1918. Edwin married again in 1920 to Dorothea Ann Moore (who I believe was Mary's younger sister). Edwin died on 1st April 1936 and was buried at Horbury Cemetery. His address was Jenkin House, which had been his brother Francis's house. His executors were Dorothea and Albert Edward Askwith Moore, fruit merchant. His estate was worth £38,695 6s 4d (over £2.5 million today).

Arthur Coldwell Poppleton (1869 - 1950) married Lilian Grundon in Lewisham in 1905. The 1911 census shows them living at 6 Northfield Terrace, Benton Hill, Horbury, with their two daughters Ruth Martha 4 and Hannah Lilian 10 months. They also have a mother's help. Arthur is described as an agricultural implement agent and general engineering agent. Arthur Coldwell Poppleton died age 81 on 22nd February 1950. He was buried at Horbury Cemetery and his address was given as Stonecliff House, which of course had been his father's house. His executors were his widow Lilian and solicitor William Henry Coles. His estate was worth £14,877 15s (over £400,000 today).

George Poppleton (1870 -1945) The 1911 census shows George is a solicitor, is single and living at Stonecliff House with is mother Martha Ann and sister Elizabeth. However, George did marry when he was 46. On the 18th October 1917, he married Ida Landreth in Sedgefield, Durham. George died in Harrogate on the 19th June 1945 and was buried at Harlow Hill Cemetery, Harrogate. His headstone states, 'Late of Stonecliffe Horbury, died at Harrogate'. His sole executor was his widow Ida. His estate was worth £16,935 8s 9d (over £600,000 today).

References:
"Some Horbury Yesterdays" by RD Woodall
Historic Inflation Calculator

 

Helen Bickerdike  February 2018