GAWSWORTH

[Pat13]

Is anyone well up on Gawsworth history? An ancestor of mine is shown on the 1851 and 1861 census returns as living at Gawsworth Gardens. He farmed 145 acres and his will was quite extensive so he seemed quite well to do. I have been trying to track down just where Gawsworth Gardens was and the closest I could come to it from studying census returns was what is now known as The Garden House. I have spoken to the present residents of The Garden House but they say when they bought the place it was just two small cottages and they had never heard of Gawsworth Gardens, they thought the old name for where they were living was Apollo Gardens. However no trace of Apollo Gardens on census returns. Can anyone shed any light on Gawsworth Gardens please?

[danuslave]

Can you give us the census references - it might help.

Linda

[kimhulme]

Hi pat13
I would have thought that the Gawsworth near Macclesfiled didn't cover 145 acres and as 'he' farmed the acreage I would have thiought that he lived in/at a farm?  How about a name or two?
KimH

[kimhulme]

I've just looked at a 1909 map and a Gardenhouse Farm is northwest of the crossroads at 886702 on O.S. Explorer 282 (revised 2000)and  gives the name as Lane Ends Farm.
If you ancestor 's initals were W A and he died  1 Feb 1842, you might be lucky!!! - say-no-more!!!
KimH

[Pat13]

Evidently there is a book or pamphlet entitled 'A Tour Round Apollo Gardens in Gawsworth,near Macclesfield' which was published in 1802 which is held in an Australian library. If there was an Apollo Gardens in 1802 it is possible it changed it's name to Gawsworth Gardens at a later date and whatever building was there was demolished leaving just a couple of cottages.
Following the enumerators route it does lead to The Garden House. The 1851 reference is HO107/2161,page 3 and the 1861 is RG9/2586, page 14.Apologies about the acreage, it was another ancestor who farmed 145 acres, he only farmed 5. Name was Joseph Leah. He owned quite a few houses in Macclesfield and the contents of his will leads me to believe that he certainly did not live in a small farming cottage. I have his life all sorted but just wanted to confirm where and what Gawsworth Gardens was.

[kimhulme]

Hi pat13,
Also on the map I referred to(and not easy to navigate the disc) there was a Garden Wood at The Grange  (and Bell Farm on current OS map.)quite near the railway line.
The info will be around somewhere!!!
KimH

[Pat13]

Hi KimH,
The only map I have of the area is an AA Street by Street map. I've found The Grange on it but it is rather outside of the area I want. Farms mentioned on the census close to this Gawsworth Gardens are Brownhills and Deans Farm which are right in the area where the present Garden House is. I can only assume that I have got the right area but the current owners of The Garden House don't know the full history of their land. I was just hoping I might be able to find someone who knew something about the local history of the area. I tried Macclesfield Library but the young ladt there was foreign and didn't seem to know a lot about the area. I'll just have to keep searching.

[verity2]

Hi Pat13
Thomas Hammond,baptised 1748 Gawsworth,died 20/3/1828 ran a place caled Apollo Gardens or Gawsworth Gardens,north of Gawsworth near the Dale House.
Obituary of him in Macclesdfield Courier 22/3/1828 said"...many years proprietor of Gawsworth Gardens,near this town,.He was a very eccentric character,and will be long remembered for his representation of the Hermit,with which he usually entertained his visitors,and for his recitals of various addresses in that character"
One of his sons,another Thomas, was convicted of fraud and was transported to Australia for 7 years. He stayed there, made good,and I have been in touch with one of his descendants there. Hope this of some help. verity2

[Pat13]

Verity you are truly fantastic! I got a copy of the pamphlet from Australia and couldn't make sense of it, all about hermits and wild men. Now it all fits into place. I had found out the owner at the time was a Hammond but didn't get any further on him but if his son stayed in Australia that could explain the pamphlet being in an Australian library when there seemed to be no trace of a copy in England. Macclesfield Library couldn't help at all.
My Joseph Leah lived there on the 1851 census when, presumably, the gardens were long gone but maybe the house was left.
I was rather puzzled as the current owners said there were just two cottages on the site when they bought the place but from Joseph Leah's will he was obviously quite affluent and this didn't fit in with two small cottages. One day I'll find the whole story but your information has explained such a lot and I can't thank you enough.