Seeking BEARD watermen

[penbex86]

The postcard was published as "The last trow on the river, 1905" However the "last trow on the river" is also recorded as sinking after hitting Bridgnorth Bridge in 1895.

Peter

Hi Peter

Where did you get that information from?
Because if its 1905, then it may not be my ancestors on the photograph, as they were running the General Gordon Inn in the 1901 census.

"Severn Traders" by Colin Green, p100

Thanks very much. From memory, I believe Barges & Bargeman by Barrie Trinder says different again! haha

[bristolloggerheads]

Barrie Trinder says the postcard was called "the last Shropshire sailing barge" but doesn't give a date.

Barges & Bargemen p136.

[kcegginton]

Just in case anyone is still reading this thread, here are my notes for Thomas Beard b1818 from my family tree - let me know if you spot any errors.  Sorry about my abbreviations - I'm sure you'll work them out 

bap: Thomas Beard Male 13 Sep 1818 Saint Leonard, Broseley f:Thomas Beard m:Ann C01155-4 England-Odm 992079

1841: Werps, Broseley.  Thomas Beard 69 Barge owner, Ann 55, Thomas 20, Richard 18
1841 marr. Mary Anne Vaughan Jul-Sep 1841 Montgomery 27 130
1851: Werps, Broseley. (w to Head) Mary Anne Beard 32 b:Guilsfield Montgomery. Inn Keeper, Drusilla Vaughan Beard 4, serv Emma Price 20 (Thomas must be on the trow)
1861: Werps Inn, Broseley.  Thomas Beard 43 Inn Keeper (Railway), w Mary Annie 44, Drusilla Vaughan 14, vis John Long 24, serv Mary Cullis 18, Lodgers: William Cook 35, David Johnson 34, Edward Brown 21, Thomas Jones 50, Samuel Taylor 40, John Scrogg 50, John White 30
1871: Werps nr Woodbridge. Thomas Beard 53 Barge Owner, Mary Annie Beard 54, s-i-l George Stephan 25 China Potter, Emma Morris 15, gs (George) Edward Stephan 4
1871: Trade Dir: Landlord of Werps Inn & Barge owner
1878: d of Mary Ann Beard 61 Jan-Mar 1878 Madeley 6a 488
1881:  The 'William',  Gloucester.  Thomas Beard 63 wid Master, George Stephan 15 bargeman
1891: "William Canal Boat" Lower Mitton, Stourport.  Thos Beard 73 widr, George Stephan 23
1901: 'The Gordon Inn', The Werps.  Thomas Beard 83 wid Publican (own account), gs George Stephan 34 Publican, gd(il) Hannah 25, ggd Beatrice 5m

d:Thomas Beard 84 b:abt 1818 d:Jan-Feb-Mar 1902 Madeley 6a 471

By 1911 George had retired from Inn-keeping and the 'General Gordon' was being run by 28 yr old Emily Hammond (and her husband William - a china polisher).  It was still a pub in 1927 (according to OS maps) but the building was a private residence on the death of its tenant/owner in 1937.

Thomas's father was probably:
bap:Thomas Beard Male 08 Dec 1771 Saint Leonard, Broseley f:Richard Beard m:Sarah (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J37C-329), he doesn't seem to be around for the 1851 census.

His mother was (probably) Ann Richards from Leighton:
Thomas Beard & Ann Richards 21 Jan 1812 Saint Leonard, Broseley M01155-2 (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.2/97WT-HBP/p4)

'Young' Thomas also had a younger brother, named after his grandfather, Richard. Here are my notes for him:

bap: Richard Beard Male 22 Jun 1823 Saint Leonard, Broseley f:Thomas Beard m:Ann C01155-4 England-Odm 992079 (b given as Jackfield in '51 and '81)

1841: Werps, Broseley.  Thomas Beard 69 Barge owner, Ann 55, Thomas 20, Richard 18
1851: Werps, Jackfield.  Richard Beard 28 Waterman, w Elizabeth 29, Sarah Anne 8, Winefred 6, Alice 4, Adelarde 3, Elizabeth 11m
[less likely:
1851: Barge on the Water, Tewkesbury.  Benjamin Harris 26 b:Ironbridge Boatman, William Bolding 51 ditto, Richard Beard 30 mar ditto
]
1861: Near 'Duke of Wellington Inn', Werps.  Richard Beard 38 Waterman, w Elizabeth 39, Alice 15, Adalaide 13, Elizabeth 11, Mary Ann* 9, Thomas 7, Ama 5
1871: 'The Shakespeare Inn', Upper Village Coalport.  Richard Beard 48 Inn keeper & Barge owner, w Elizabeth 49, Thomas 16, Amy 14, Lucy 8
1881: Coalport.  Richard Beard 58 wid Licensed Victualler, Thomas 26, Lucy Augusta 18, dau Sarah A. Watson 37 mar

*Mary Ann bap:8 May 1859 Broseley, d: Apr-Jun 1877 Madeley 6a 450

I'm not sure when Richard died.  There is a Shakespeare Inn is still trading at Coalport - I assume that it's the same one.

It would appear that there was an older brother, John, too - also a 'waterman':

bap: John Beard Male 20 Mar 1813 Saint Leonard, Broseley f:Thomas Beard m:Ann C01155-4 England-Odm 992079

1851: Salthouse, Broseley.  Ann Beard 64 b:Leighton wid Proprietor of houses, son John 38 Waterman

I haven't pursued John more than this.

Hope this is of some interest to someone.

There are records that a 'William' was build at Bentall in 1794 (a 70T, 66'x15'6x5'7", tuck stern trow) - did young Thomas inherit this from his father, I wonder?

Cheers,
Clive

PS. name spellings as given in Ancestry's transcriptions.

[Emjaybee]

Many thanks for your hard work posting the info. I  only wish my lot were related.LOL

My Beards are all located near to Upton on Severn, Worcestershire.

Mike

[bristolloggerheads]

Clive,

Neither the William of the postcard or the one built in 1809 at Bower Yard are tuck stern. What is the source of this description?

Peter

[kcegginton]

Hi Peter,

I wouldn't know a tuck-stern if one dropped on my head (probably wouldn't know anything).  Here's where I picked up that tid-bit:
http://www.oldcopper.org.uk/Broseley/boat_building_in_the_ironbridge_gorge.htm

Cheers,
Clive

Edit: Thinking about it a more - although the vessels listed in the link above were built in the Ironbridge Gorge, they were registered in Chepstow - so that 'William' may well have been owned by a completely different family.

[jackfieldlass]

The Beard family besides having the general Gordon pub also had the werps inn,they were also owners of barges and trows and were involved in the river trade for many years.
They also owned one of the earliest brick and tile making companys called the Holly Grove brick and tile works.
You will find grave stones for Beards in Broseley St Leonards Church,also at Benthall Church,but family vaults were at St Marys Church,known locally as the Red Church,which is no longer there but graves remain but badly over grown so not able to see many stones.
The Beards family home was on the Banks of the river severn at Coalford Jackfield,it was called The Old Hall,the last Beard to live there was an old man Lacon Beard,the family lived there for 237 years,the house was sold to the Willy estate,and was demolished by the Lord Foresters men.

[njbeard10]

Hi all,

As my username mentions, I am a Beard descent and believe it or not through Thomas Beard as well! Multiple great grandfather's (6 or 7 maybe?)

My wife and I started the family tree back in October and we came to visit the village shortly after. It was incredible to read the transcripts in Jackfield Church and learn so much.

I can't recall at what point but through our family line they had moved to Wiltshire/Oxfordshire to work on the railway, it was then in the early 20th century that my great great grandfather Edwin Ernest moved upto Birmingham, had 12 children in total and we have lived around the city ever since.

Ant questions or if people have any pictures/details to share please get in touch.

Thanks,
Nathan

[jackfieldlass]

Hi Nathan
I have one set of great grandparents x 4 who were both Beard decendants one from Thomas and one from William.
The old Red Church grave yard is presently having work to clear the site and preserve its heritage so some grave stones have been uncovered including Beard family vaults.
A list of burials can be found on Broseley local history societys website,there is also now a friends of the Red Church website too,also friends of red church is on facebook,so you may find it useful in your research,regards Mel