Hawker of pots/earthenware

[Shuffy Boy]

Hello folks, my great grandfather Arthur Shufflebotham, was "a penny odd cup merchant" his words. The roots come from Horton Hay, close to Biddulph Moor, here's a message sent out requesting info:

Shuffs & Friends of Shuffs,
 
Please find attached the latest update of Shuffs, from the Hollins to the Cloughs.
It is work in progress; I hope you find it interesting. There are no photographs or copies of documents; you can find those on the Ancestry.co.uk website under “Hollins Clough Shuffs”
 
A  particularly interesting area for further research would be to confirm that William [B. 1852 in Bidulph], Jane [B. 1853 in Horton] and Hannah [B. 1855 in Horton] were born out of wedlock to James Shufflebottom and Martha Bayley [Bailey]? It seems likely as James is described as a bachelor on their wedding certificate.
 
More intruiging and quite disturbing is a question about his father Ambrose. He married Hannah Mellor in 1810 [see Wedding Cert. Ancestry.co.uk website]. In the 1841 Census he is 55 years old, living with young Hannah [his daughter] who is 35 years old born in 1806, therefore 4 years old when he married Hannah Mellor. Also living in the same house is Thomas aged 25, Ambrose aged 20, probably young Hannah’s brothers.
Who is the mother and father of our James Shufflebottom and his twin sister Mary, both aged15 and Sarah aged14???
 
Also to be researched: A reference in Rushton Spencer Notes, Ambrose “ Shoebottom” [should this be transcribed as Shufflebottom??] born to William and Hannah in 1785 [correct date for our Ambrose]  could be living at “Springs” area of Rushton Spencer. 1788 where an area called crofts at the Hollins is mentioned. See Rushton Spencer  website search for Ambrose Shoebottom.

PS someone in this strand is looking fordetails of the Swansea Gregorys, China dealers in Swansea Market. Ken Gregory was a customer of mine buying china and glass for many years, His son John is still living in Swansea, contact me for details


 
Andrew Shuff

[jean Sandra]

Hi,
your post really interests me.
My Challenor / Mellor ancestors were earthenware dealers / hawkers from Horton and Biddulph.The earliest known was William Challenor (born 1777) son of Hannah Challenor who married John Mellor at Horton in 1779. William and his family took on both the Mellor and Challenor names. Even his sons were baptised under both.
Williams son Richard was an an earthenware dealer / hawker  like his father William. He claimed at various census' to have been born Horton or Biddulph.
The names Bailey and Shufflebottom crop up at census' as fellow lodgers etc usually all earthenware dealers born in Horton / Biddulph.
I can't find a connection yet but I'm sure there will be one as they seemed to marry between families.
Do you know if some members of your family went to Macclesfield, Chapel en le Frith, Hyde, Ashton under Lyne?
Regards
Jean S

[Shuffy Boy]

Jean,
Thats really interesting, I've also found that the Mellors, Bailieys and Shufflebottoms are closely linked. Most Horton Hay Shufflebottoms are potters, there is a lot of potting going on, I know that white clay was mined there, this was "Creamware" era.
Ambrose Shufflebottom married Hannah Mellor in 1810 see my Ancestry.co.uk website for a copy certificate. Could John Mellor be Hannah's father. If so where were they living? Where could they have met?
There also seems to be a strong Macclesfield link. Arthur Shufflebotham was living in Macclesfield in 1891, his sister Jane married John Hill from there. Was there a pottery connection there?
Any info greatfully accepted.
Andrew shuff

[emmsthheight]

Hi all

I've only just seen this post.  OIn fact it started before I knew about Rootschat!

It's a bit late - to say the least today, to write much, bit I've spent a long time looking at a friend's families who were potters and earthenwre dealers in Cumberland and the north west.  they were invoved with the Millers, Lowthers etc. 

 I also started collecting data for any earthernwear dealer and similar and also gypsies and had a serction of my web site earmarked in fact I think mine would compliment quite nicely what you've done, but much filing etc is needed, then BT went and closed the siites, so I'm looking for a home - or my web site is!

I'll write more again but I didn't want to lose the post.

I'll dig my info out.

Hopefully we can swap ideas?##Best wishes

Emms

[jean Sandra]

Where were Hannah mellor and Ambrose married. Hannah and John Mellor were married in Horton 1779 so even though I havent come across a child hannah it wouldn't be surprising if she was there daughter.
John mellor's family were potsellers around Horton area.
Joseph (born Macclesfield) and Harriet (born Horton) Shufflebottom were lodgers with Jane Mellor in Macclesfield in 1851. Only have details so don't know if brother sister or married. If married harriets name would be interesting. Jane was Jane Challenor who married Joseph Mellor in Horton 19 May 1831. Another Mellor / Challinor link.
John Mellor's son Simeon Challenor was living Macclesfield from about 1837. His children were Mellors early in life but adopted their mothers name Challenor later. No idea why as Hannah Challenor (mother) married John Mellor. There was a large Challenor family in Macclesfield.
Will let you know if I find more.
Jean

[jean Sandra]

Shuffy
regarding occupations in Macclesfield.
Joseph Shufflebottom 1851 was a shoemaker.
I have Challenors who were hawkers, pedlars, earthenware dealers in Macclesfield. The older Simeon son of Hannah and John Mellor was at various times labourer, sheep skin dealer amongst other occupations.
Jean

[emmsthheight]

Hi Pam

My friend's ancestors were Berry and McKenzie and Keenan.  Loads of them were earthenware dealers and hawkers, potters etc.  Also Basket makers and besom makers.  Some were travelling hawkers and some we know were actual gypsies.

They are most ly in Cumberland and Westmorland and especially Cockermouth and Penrith and on the roads between  eg "Camping behind the Hedge"!  Some went to USA

They inter married with Youngs, Lowthers, Harrisons etc.

I have loads of info and maybe we can help each other fill in some spaces.

I've seen some hawking licence records - loads of all those families.  Also odd news  and court reports for hawking without a licence and being drunk in charge of a horse.  They are linked to the Charnley family.

Loads are buried in Cockermouth.  Loads of bmd & earely census records are missing.

I will write later when I cxome in or I can pm and I will tell my friend to look too.

Bye just now.

Emms

[Steve G]

I can imagine hawkers carrying their pots on a cart it explains a lot.

 Maybe this'll help ye see the picture more fully?

 That's not still called a " Pot Cart ", to this day, for nothing 

[jean Sandra]

Wow! How grand is that?