William Hopkinson of Furnace House, Shirland Park

[marp]

I am looking for information on William Hopkinson and his wife Hannah of Furnace House, Shirland Park.   Above the door of the house is the inscription William and Hannah 1751.

I believe that Furnace House was build on the site of an earlier house which may have belonged to Matthew Hopkinson (1682 - 1749) who bought the land on which the Meeting House of the Society of Friends (Quakers)  at Toadhole Furnace was built.  The Meeting House is just over the road from the present Furnace House.

Any information on William and Hannah would be much appreciated.

Thanks,  marp

[Derbysderek]

OK..this could get quite interesting if you want me to follow it through.
Firstly Furnace House is a Grade II listed building...."dating from 1787"........though the official description of the "Listing" says 1751..........so the date 1751 may refer to the marriage of William and Hannah..who had TEN children at Shirland from 1755 onwards......though I have yet to find a marriage..which did NOT take place at Shirland.......
William was not baptised at Shirland..the first baptism at Shirland for William Hopkinson is 22.06.1760 son of Richard and Ann.

As for Matthew Hopkinson 1682-1749..he wasn't born at Shirland either..the first baptism for a Matthew Hopkinson at Shirland was 28.12.1710 son of Richard..and the next was 10.06.1716 son of William........but the inscription on the friends meeting house does say "Matthew Hopkinson 1743"..
There were a lot of Hopkinsons in Shirland from abut 1695 onwards perhspd he is in the non conformist registers.....though the children of William and hannah are all baptised Anglicans.....
 Addition..It appears that Matthew came from Oakerthorpe ( in the Parish of South Wingfield) and it was he who purchased the land on which he built the Meeting House in 1741from one Richard Kirkham...it was completed by 1744 and in 1745 was handed over to six trustees. one of whom was Matthew Burgess son in law of Matthew Hopkinson..apparently the inscription on the Lintel of the meeting house reads Matthew Hopkinson 1745..not 1743........He was the first to be buried in the plot behind the meeting house in 1748..and there is a headstone. I hhave a copy of the instructions he left as to where he wanted burying.
If William Hopkinson was a relation of Matthew..perhaps his son..I think we will have to go to Quaker Records to find him..because early Quakers refused to be buried in Church grounds, and were often buried in their own gardens.......although, as i said..William's children were all baptised Anglicans.......and neither William nor hannah appear in the Furnace Burial ground.
I am more than happy to work this one through......

Good luck

[Samantha]

Hi Derek,

I'd be very interested in finding out how you went with this if you did follow it further.

Kind regards,
Samantha

[hanes teulu]

FindMyPast has transcribed the "Archbishop of York's Marriage Licence Index 1613 - 1839"

It includes licence details, dated 17 Mar 1751, for the marriage of William Hopkinson and Hannah Kirk. 

[marp]

Thanks for this.   The Hopkinsons are difficult to track as there are lots of them and some names occur again and again through the generations so things can become confusing.

At this point in time,  I have come to the conclusion that it will be difficult to establish the relationship between William Hopkinson of Shirland Park  and the Matthew Hopkinson who purchased the land on which the Friends Meeting House is built (and where he is buried). 

 I have a fairly direct ancestral relationship with Matthew Hopkinson and a few months ago visited the Friends Meeting House and saw his grave stone which still exists at the foot of the stairs.   I also have a copy of his will and a list of invitees to his funeral!

I have not given up on the matter by any means, it is likely to be a long term project.   Thank you for your help, I appreciate any information!

marp

[sunflower]

Hi Marp

I am also researching Hopkinsons and like you said it gets very confusing as there are so many of them with the same christian name.  For years I am been trying to put them into family groups.

I am very interested in your Matthew.  I think he may be the brother of one of my ancestors, Mary Hopkinson.

I have a synopsis of his will in which he mentions wife Catherine, son in law John Burgess and 6 Burgess children. 
Does he mention any other children in the main will ?
I am trying to eliminate another Matthew I have.

What information do you have that he was born 1683? 

I'm not sure if we have swapped information before on this

Thanks
Carol

[marp]

Hi Carol,  we may have discussed this before.   "My" Matthew Hopkinson is as follows:

Father:    Thomas Hopkinson  was christened on 20 Dec 1657 in North Wingfield, Derbys.

Thomas married (1) Mary .


Thomas married (2) Ann . Ann was buried on 9 Mar 1724 in North Wingfield, Derbys.

Thomas and Ann had the following children:

   1) Thomas Hopkinson  was christened on 5 Feb 1681. He was buried on 10 Aug 1762.

   2) ****Matthew Hopkinson  was christened on 2 Aug 1682. He was buried in 1747 (see notes below).

   3) John Hopkinson  was christened on 14 Apr 1685.

   4) Ann Hopkinson  was christened on 13 Jan 1686.

   5) ***Mary Hopkinson  was born at Coldwell, Ashover, Derbyshire and christened on 25 Mar 1689 at North Wingfield. Mary married Israel Cantrill on 1 July 1716 in North Wingfield, Derbyshire.  She died at Holmgate, Derbyshire and was buried on 26 September 1716 at North Wingfield.   Mary is my direct ancestor.   She died in childbirth, her only child Thomas Cantrill was christened on 26 September 1716 at North Wingfield.

   6) George Hopkinson  was christened on 21 May 1691.

   7) William Hopkinson  was born in Coldwell, Ashover,  Derbys. He was christened on 11 Jun 1696 in North Wingfield, Derbys.

The last will and testament of William Hopkinson dated 25 Feb 1755.
Proved 7 May 1772.

    Ellen Hopkinson  was christened on 14 Sep 1699.

   9) Dorothy Hopkinson  was christened on 30 Apr 1702.

Notes - see asterisks above.  Coldwell probably refers to Coldwell Farm, which was owned by the Hopkinsons at this time.   Coldwell farm still exists by the way.

Matthew Hopkinson   was born in Coldwell, Ashover, Derbys. He was christened on 2 Aug 1682 in North Wingfield, Derbys. He was buried in 1747 in Toad Hole, Quaker Cemetery, Derbyshire.

The last will and testament of Matthew Hopkinson of Shirland Park, yeoman
dated 10 May 1747. Proved at Chesterfield 20 Oct 1749.
Inventory appraised at 80 pounds 9 shillings.

Matthew Hopkinson's was the first burial recorded in the Quaker burial ground
at Toad Hole Furnace, and is marked by a headstone dated 1747 at the foot of
the stairs.  "Matthew Hopkinson 1743" is inscribed on the chapel door lintel.

Matthew  married Matthew married Catherine .

They had the following children:

   1) Catherine Hopkinson .

   2) Sarah Hopkinson .

   3) Rebecca Hopkinson .

   4) Anne Hopkinson .

    5) Hannah Hopkinson  married John Burgess.  The Burgess grandchildren are beneficiaries  in Matthew Hopkinson's will.

So my connection to Matthew is via his sister Mary who married Israel Cantrill.

Hope that helps!

marp

[Samantha]

Hi, I'm descended from Thomas Hopkinson christened 5 Feb 1681.  I have a family tree which I inherited - I think it was paid for - that I have been adding to where I can.  It certainly is a family where there is much repetitive name use... some even have very similar dates just to really confuse us:
eg Matthew christened 5 April 1682
    Matthew christened 2 Aug 1682

Kind regards,
Samantha

[Malcolm33]

  Coldwell probably refers to Coldwell Farm, which was owned by the Hopkinsons at this time.   Coldwell farm still exists by the way.

marp

   Ah but what about Cold Comfort Farm?    Comfortable and Well Off or Being Well have similar connotations and 'tha's allus been Starkadders at Cold Comfort Farm'.

   But seriously I wonder if any of these Hopkinson descendants made it across to East Retford where Charles Hopkinson became a renowned Ironfounder in the 1860's?    I have a connection to them.   One of their sons or grandsons became quite a military hero and was up to all kinds of mischief during his earlier days as is all related on this very interesting biographical page - http://www.paradata.org.uk/article/559/related/10150     As you will see he was well known to Monty.