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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Lancashire Lookup Requests => Lancashire => England => Lancashire Completed Lookup Requests => Topic started by: fenty on Tuesday 21 July 09 17:20 BST (UK)
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Hi there,
I have done well on my grandmother's side (Slevin) in Wigan but have come to a full stop on the Bells. Stanley was my grandfather and we know he had a brother Rowland (my late mother's information), but beyond that all we information we have is I think they were freight hauliers from the Borders. My guess is it could be Dumfries, which was a huge enclave for the Bells and made sense with the West of England line.
Any information to help me really greatfully received. I am trying to do this myself, but have hit a hurdle here.
Regards
Sarah Fenton (Margaret Bell's daughter)
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Hi Sarah,
Really not sure but I have identified a Stanley Bell with a brother Thomas Roland born 1905 (birth registration Thomas Roland Bell Dec 1905 Bolton).
Sir Stanley Bell was born 1899 according to this
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=1162-mancath_2-4&cid=-1&Gsm=2008-06-18
In Memoriam, Sir Stanley Bell, OBE, JP, DL, 1899-1972. 12 noon. Address: Rt Hon Lord Hewlett, CBE.
The same sort of records exists for a Thomas Roland Bell:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/A2A/records.aspx?cat=1162-mancath_2-4&cid=-1&Gsm=2008-06-18#-1
Memorial Service for Thomas Roland Bell, 25 Sep 1895 - 9 Dec 1976. Thursday 12 noon. Address: Rt Hon Lord Hewlett, Kt, CBE.
Checking the complete death index, it turns out Thomas was in fact born 10 years later (25 Sep 1905)
Do you have access to the 1901 census? There's a Stanley age 1 in a family headed by Thomas G(eorge) and Rebecca Bell at Manchester (RG13/3774 103 21). I don't have access to the 1911 details, but the 1911 census index seems to show that Thomas "Bowland" (sic) Hall Bell belonged to the same family.
I think the safest thing to do would be to get hold of Stanley's marriage certificate though, to check his father's name.
:)
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Thank you very much indeed - this is a huge step, and my brother is tracking down the certificate from a half sister as we speak.
If there are any other thoughts please do revert, but will keep all posted of progress.
Kind regards
Sarah ;)
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Just to add that the 1901 census for the above mentioned Stanley (please let me know if you need the census transcription) shows his birth place as Moston (Prestwich registration district), making this birth registration likely:
Stanley Bell
Dec quarter 1899 Prestwich 8d 426
Ties in with this possible death registration:
Sep quarter 1972 Preston 10f 720
Stanley Bell born 30 Oc 1899
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I had a little search this morning and that Census record shows Stanley's potential father as Thomas George born in 1871 who was a wagon builder, which would fit with the rail freight.
Cannot see any further back yet.
Thank you once again for your help.
Kind regards
Sarah
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Cannot see any further back yet.
Shame the free 1911 census index doesn't show birth places - I played around with it a bit and it doesn't appear to be Aspull.
There seems to be one only Thomas George Bell registered in Lancashire ca. 1871 (Jun 1871 Bury), the son of Joseph and Margaret. The 1891 census - in Great Lever / Darcy Lever - shows his birthplace as Elton. The 1881 census, in Elton, says he was born Walmersley.
As it happens, he's a Railway Wagon Builder in 1891 (RG12/3126 27 16), just as his dad.
:)
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Tati - I have made contact with Thomas Roland's grandson through my brother - who has let me have a wonderful lot of data on the Bell freight side - I have tried to cut and paste it back on this reply to you, as you have helped so much and thought it would be an exciting update.
However this system does not seem to like cut and pasting from emails and just bats out a copyright warning message! Do you have a direct email?
Kind regards
Sarah
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That's good news, Sarah :D
Surely you'd better copy it on here for others to see.
To paste something into these boards, using ctrl+v instead of right click 'paste' should work :)
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Update from Thomas Roland Bell's grandson, living in Gloucestershire.
Sarah, it was very good to hear from you; especially as it was "out of the blue".
It is good that you are so keen on the family tree project; herewith some further pointers.
From memory our grandparents elder sister was called Florence; she married, I think, Randell, surname Pearson; they had 2 sons: Noel who I think must be in his 80's now & Christopher who I think commited suicide many years ago. I think Florence is 2 years older than your grandfather. There was also a brother called George (I think born about 1901/3); I recall he had 4 children but I do not know much about them, as I have never met them; I am sure 1 was called John Bell (I have some recollection that your grandfather helped him when he was young) & think they lived in East Anglia.
As for Astley, it was founded in June 1935 by your grandfather (+ 3 others) as Astley Industrial Trust, & had offices at 26 Cross Street, Manchester. It was a Private Company until 1957 when it became Public.
Standard Railway Wagon Company was incorporated in April 1933, by your & my grandfathers, & in 1954 it was taken into Astley. Bell interests in wagon building started in 1880, initially with the Bolton Railway Wagon Company & then in 1910 with Central Wagon Company. There is also the Lancashire & Yorkshire Wagon works at Heywood, Lancashire which Standard took over in 1957 (from recollection our great grandfather Thomas George Bell had been involved with this in the past).
One further thought. Thomas George Bell (great Grandfather) was married to our Great Grandmother (mother of all 4; ie Florence, Stanley, George & Roland) initially; from my recollection she died when my grandfather was about 5 (circa 1910) & TGB then married again (but I can't recall her name, though I have heard her refered to as "ma Bell"). I think she lived until the 1950's/60's.
Let me know how you progress.
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There are several references to Sir Stanley Bell in The Times online archive (available via some local libraries) as chairman of companies including Astley. He also had an entry in Who's Who, and a large library should have 'Who was Who' covering the 1970s - this is also available online through some libraries.
He lived at Euxton Hall near Leyland, Lancs.
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Florence Bell was age 5 in 1901, so that ties in nicely.
Marriage Jun 1920 Leigh 8c 711
Randal Pearson - Florence Bell
The other son showing in 1901 is Fred, age 3. It seems he's not around with the rest of the family in 1911 - wonder if he died? There's George Arthur, born ca. 1902, as well. Rebecca is still alive at the time. I can't spot a death for her right away.
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Thank you Tati and Ainslie, we have some old Who's Whos around and have seen his entry but will follow The Times link, I lived at Euxton after my late ma inheirited; it is now a very upmarket cosmetics hospital!
I will carry on and slot these into the tree, interesting about the Bell wagon background - in some ways a pity to have lost this heritage, and am curious to track George's branch to East Anglia.
Kind regards
Sarah
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Hi there - last thoughts,
I have just transferred the data collated to paper as I cannot find a family tree template that is userfriendly for a number of generations and free! The Ancestry one can only do 3 tiers at one time - I need to print out the whole lot! Any suggestions gratefully accepted...
Lastly stuck with the maiden lines: Rebecca Bell's parents (she died in 1910 and was married to Thomas G Bell parents of Sir Stanley). I have used my token on Ancestry but results are not helping. On My grandmother's side - Lady Margaret Bell - is nearly done but I have dried up on her own mother's background: Francis (sp Frances?) Richards b. 1867, d. 1907 Wigan m. James Slevin 1884.
Kind regards
Sarah
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Sorry, I can't help with the templates - hope someone else can (in the meantime, try a rootschat search :D)
Rebecca Bell's parents (she died in 1910 and was married to Thomas G Bell parents of Sir Stanley).
As I said earlier, she seems to be alive and well in 1911.
A FreeBMD search for a marriage Thomas George Bell to Rebecca shows only one result :
Dec 1894 Ormskirk 8b 1233
Thomas George Bell - Rebecca Johnson
The marriage certificate would tell her father's name and occupation. In 1901, she's shown as being born ca. 1869 in Lancashire Summerseat. Let's see if we can find out where Summerseat is on previous censuses...
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Brother's Keeper used to be available as shareware, but I have no current information. Try googling it.
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Tati and Ainslie hi
Many thanks for the updates, Rebecca looking interesting, will await any further news - my searches are obviously way out. S.
Re the software: If cannot sort will try and find someone who can transfer the tree online on for me, the software looks terrifying and I am normally ok with that sort of thing!
Sarah
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Dear Sarah,
My apologies for the familiarity, we haven't been properly introduced. Indeed, I don't even know your surname. This forum has led me to you in search of information regarding Col. Sir Stanley Bell.
I am a simple man of Utah, U.S.A. I became the owner of a 1957 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud last year; once ordered for your grandfather, delivered in June of 1957 and appears to have been associated with him while he owned Euxton Hall and was chairman of Astley Industrial Trust. The car is in poor condition now, but I am confident that I will be able to return it to its former glory over the next few years.
The information I have for Sir Stanley is limited to what I have discovered here from your posts. Web resources are limited; I was hoping that you would be able to help. I would like his biography, a photo of he and his family with the car or any other photo of the car back in the day. Would you be able to help in this regard? The history of the car is a fascinating subject, think of it like the history of the Spitfire to some. I am a bit of an anglophile and am very appreciative of our joint history and the ties we hold as a culture.
Would there be any contacts or artifacts for/from the Astley Industrial Trust that would know what happened to the car after your Grandfather passed away in 1972? I presume that the company or your family had possession, then it became available for export to the U.S.A. The history of the car between 1970 and 1990 are a loss to me. I'm unable to a photo of the car, due to the limitations of this forum. Back in your grandfather's day the car was midnight blue, rather than the silver and maroon of today. According to The Rolls-Royce Foundation records, the car was delivered to Loxham Garages, Lancs. I haven't been able to confirm.
If you are amenable, would we be able to exchange e-mail addresses? I anticipate a fruitful correspondence.
Respectfully,
Rich
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Dear Rich,
Thank you for your note and indeed it is lovely to hear that the car is in such good hands. Although I obviously have photos of my grandfather, none of them feature the car which I travelled in once when I was about 6 years old. Barlow, Grandpa's chauffeur kept it in the garage most of the time and used the other car for daily use. I do remember my mother taking it to a grand ball in Cumbria after my grandfather and grandmother's death and I think there was a problem with the wheel on the way! The car was sold soon afterwards.
I have left a message with Rolls Royce regarding the dealership and any manufacturers no/ car no you have will also help them with the history of the car. I cannot see that the Lancashire dealership have a website or indeed is still trading.
I hope this helps in a small way and will send back to you any correspondence received from RR.
Yours sincerely,
Sarah
Sarah Fenton Mrs.
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Mrs. Fenton, you are very kind. Your response is a big help :)
I really do appreciate your recollections! It is fascinating to think that you remember riding in the car when a little girl. I have a daughter that age now. I wonder what her memories will be! In fact, yesterday was her 7th birthday, we rode in the car to a state park to watch the annual bison roundup and tour an historical ranch in the Great Salt Lake area.
For the query to Rolls-Royce; The car is a 1957 model year Silver Cloud (later called the Silver Cloud I series); the chasis number is SED.69; the body number is SC.2673 'S' type Saloon; "Customer, Loxhams Garages ltd. for, Sir Stanley Bell SF/SE 7.6.57" Originally Midnight Blue, the car was repainted marron over silver sometime in the '70s I believe. This guess is because the paint used was a laquer, not available in the states since the early '80s.
(http://)
May I presume to ask a series of questions?
What specific details of memory do you have, do you remember what year you rode in the car? Perhaps it was a drive in the country or was the occassion a trip to the city...with whom did you drive...accompanied by whom? ...
I wonder, would mind too terribly much if I presumed to ask for a copy of a photo with your grandfather and grandmother together? At Euxton House perhaps? Your grandfather with his business associates? Any such photo would be greatly appreciated. The biography/history I'm knitting together would be supported greatly with such photos. Scanned and e-mailed would be fine of course (as large as possible to render good detail for display with the car.)
You mention the chauffer, Barlow. I presume his family may still be about? Is it possible to track them? Perhaps a photo could be sourced there? Advice of any way to contact the family would be extremely helpful. Did Barlow serve your grandmother and mother as well?
When did your Grandmother pass away? Soon after Sir Stanley? I presume also that your mother has passed away as well? Answers to these questions would help me to patch together a time table of the change in ownership. Since you recall that your mom was able to use the car for a gala event, do you remember the year? If your mom or dad saw to the sale of the car, it would help me track one step farther. Would you perhaps have siblings or cousins that would remember the odd detail?
Are there records, a certificate of title or other odd document lying about, that could help track the sale of the car or other assets? Did Astley Industrial Trust handle the sale/transfer to a new owner or perhaps your grandfather's/grandmother's/mother's solicitor? Please believe me no detail is too small!
Whatever happened to Astley Industrial Trust?
Regards,
Rich Fewkes
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hi,this might be totally irrelevant,just googling names from my past,when i came across yours in a round about way,but i remember a Sir Stanley Bell,an imposing gentleman,being the father of Margaret Fenton who gave me my first job,at WESTFIELDS STUD,NR MORETON MORRELL,this was back in the 70's.
sadly for reasons i cannot recall Mrs Fenton left the area,if i remember correctly there were 4 children,Michael,Diana,Sarah,and David,also a Great Dane called sloopy and several yorkies and dachshunds.I apologize if this has no relevance to you.
regards john hopkins
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This has really cheered up my morning John. I do remember you a little as I was about 6. I was talking about Sloopy to my daughter the other day - you must remember her destroying all those cushions she found, all over the stableyard grass, feathers everywhere, I know it was such a mess but we loved those dogs!
David and I made the mistake of going back about 20 years ago and Phil Young had bought the yard and back fields and someone else the main house and destroyed it - a big mistake maybe to have gone back, it made us very sad.
My mother died in 2005, we left really because she could no longer make a going concern of the Stud - I think it was about 1972 and the economy was awful, but also because Grandpa had died and she had to move up to Euxton to sort out his estate. I was sent away to boarding school in Surrey. Diana I don't see anymore but Michael is in Cyprus in real estate and David married in Gloucestershire and a surveyor in Birmingham with two daughters, though we don't see them much.
Hoping you have kept well and are you still living locally - I do miss the countryside around there, although of course the motorway extension went through I think and have still put off getting a dog until we manage to get a bigger garden. My husband and I are currently in Sevenoaks as I am working as a Facilities (Commercial buildings) Director, but I am keen to move out West back to property country at some stage and finally get a dog.
Do keep in touch and let me know your news, it has made me very happy to hear from someone from my childhood when (my father is also dead), there are so few photos left.
Kindest regards
Sarah Fenton.
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hi again Sarah,it seems a bit strange talking to you,as the last time i saw you,you would of been about 5,saddens me about your mother passing away,she really had a big affect on my early working life,and it would of been nice to have spoke to her again.
Westfields is now split into about 3 parts,the house,the yard and the bottom half which belongs to George Baker the racehorse trainer.
I went down to Phil Youngs at 3gates after you left,but it was not the same,and i gave up the horses after about a year and went travelling the world,i am head designer now for a screenprinters and embroiderers,a long way from horses,still live locally,could never live in a town,
John Steele who had the top bungalow went to Shadwell Stud in Thetford,but is now general manager of Chippenham Lodge Stud in Ely,Cambs,have not been in contact with him for years though,even though he is my sons godfather,John Robson moved to Newmarket and have not heard of him since,the others i have no idea of there whereabouts,they were good days. I can still see sloopy with the cushions,she always had something to carry,she would even try to drag your brother around after she had knocked him over.I often walk my dog(choccy lab named Molly) through Westfields,next time i will try to take some photos of the place and send them to you,i have a few old ones but they were mainly of the horses in the yard.Well i wont take up any more of your time,really nice to have had the chance to talk,give my regards to your family.best wishes john
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John hi - thank you for your update. Sadly not sure whether photos of how it is now, will help.....I wonder which of the horses you had, those would be interesting photos to copy.
I remember Ma being truly inconsolable when Christina Rossetti died at Three Gates Stud (Phil Young's at the time) and could not forgive him, but also blamed herself for putting Barlow Fold in the pony box after weaning. The foals I remember best were Philipina, the Philip of Spain filly, the Pieces of Eight colt who did well and that very brassy chesnut that came back with an attitude problem. My Drifter who won the Craven Stakes at Newmarket, but failed in the 2000 Guinneas due to the ground, I think she bred by Ma in Ireland.
I am not sure if you knew Grandpa, I only saw him once in Warwickshire, but he owned Bar Point who won the Scottish Grand National in 56. He and Daddy were both NH - Daddy being in Fermoy (Fenton's big family there in Ireland), 1000 of the southern irish racing fraternity turned out for his funeral, the coffin drawn by horses - they (my parents) were both respected. Grandpa well, he WAS very intimidating, I gather even the letters from Churchill when he (Grandpa) was Northern Party Conservative Chairman, after Blackpool, were very congratulatory.
Bizarrely the only photo I have left is of Sloopy, my email is: smfenton@btopenworld.com and hopefully we can exchange photos for Christmas. Many thanks for your note and I am glad too that you have found a career that you are content with, best regards, Sarah.
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Hi all :)
Back to the original search.
So this was the family in 1881:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/07gb/
Joseph and Margaret were already married in 1871:
RG10/3948 16 2
Walmersley With Shuttleworth, Lancashire
Rowlands
Summerseat? Station
Joseph Bell, head, 24, Station Master, b. Yorkshire Hawksworth
Margaret, wife, 25, b. Lancashire Liverpool
Jane Bell, sister, unm, 20, Dressmaker, b. Yorkshire Halifax
So we're looking for a marriage sometime before 1871 but we don't know where.
Unfortunately there are too many possibles on FreeBMD - I'm afraid you'll have to get Thomas G's birth cert to find out Margaret's maiden name :-\
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Thanks so much everyone, I think were nearly done - just need to find TG's mystery wife.
If I can will try and complete all the Tree on both Grandpa and Grannies side on Ancestry. Thank you to everyone particularly Tati for their help, but also to Keith for the lovely photos of 'superstar' Jim Slevin, first captain of rugby league for Wigan; now my mother's red and white striped jockey's cap racing colours, which were chosen as a replica of the Wigan cap Jim would have worn, makes sense.
Kindest regards,
Sarah
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Thanks to the presence of sister Jane, we can trace back Joseph
1861
RG9/3578 17 28
Hessle, Yorkshire
Hessle Wood Lodge
Frances Bell, head, wid, 42, b. Newton on Ouse Yorkshire
Joseph, son, 13, scholar, b. Otley Yorks
Jane, dau, 9, b. Halifax Yorks
John Ledger, lodger, unm, 32, Gardener, b. Bishop ** Devon
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Hi all. I have found another trail for Rebecca Bell/Johnson.
There was a Rebecca Johnson who is registered around Ormskirk but was born in Southport in 1867. She was in domestic service age 14 in the 1881 census with it looks like a sister Ellen, who is 3 years older to a very large family called Goodman living in Birkdale, a smart part of Liverpool.
Sadly if you search on her birthplace Southport in 1871, I cannot see anything, so the trail has run dry. I wonder if she was 'taken in' by the family.
Would like to pin down Rebecca, and am interested how a domestic servant extracated herself to meet and marry Thomas George Bell who had started such a successful wagon company...
Have found out on a Bell family board that Margaret Reason was the maiden name of Joseph Bell's wife and she was born in 1846 or thereabouts in I think Liverpool.
Best wishes Sarah :)
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That Rebecca was my favourite candidate as well, but without any proof it's a bit hazardous
In 1871 she's with her parents Robert and Ellen
1871
RG10/3875 90 27 & 28
North Meols, Lancashire
Southport
71 Boundary? Rd
Robert Johnson, head, 35, Gardener, b. Southport
Ellen, wife, 25, b. Liverpool
Mary, dau, 10, scholar, b. Lancs Halsall(?)
Ellen, dau, 7, scholar, b. do.
Rebecca, dau, 4, scholar, b. Southport
Elizabeth, dau, 1 mo, b. do.
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And here's the only Margaret Reason born ca. 1845 Liverpool that I can see in 1861:
1861
RG9/2970 94 50
Cheetham, Lancashire
21 Whitfield St
Thomas Reason, head, 44, Letterpress Printer Compositior, b. Lincs Lincoln
Margaret, wife, 44, b. Lancashire Liverpool
John, son, unm, 22, Book Keeper, b. do.
Mary, dau, 18, Milliner, b. do.
Margaret, dau, 15, Milliner, b. do.
Ann, dau, 13, b. do.
Luke, son, 8, scholar, b. do.
Lavina, dau, 5, scholar, b. do.
Alice, dau, 3, scholar, b. Manchester
Sarah, dau, 8 mo, b. do.
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Sorry Tati, no email alerted me to a board reply on this, so I have only just seen your notes. Thank you so very much, I will plug this in and persevere.
Kind regards,
Sarah :)
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Hi Sarah, i tried to email you i don't know if you got it. My Grandfather Percy was Sir Stanley Bells cousin. They were quite close and Sir Stanley helped him a great deal when he went into politics. My Grandparents didnt know what happened to your mother beyond being married in London?(Not sure if that is correct, but thats what my mother thought). I live in Nottinghamshire now, and work in racing but my family still live in Bolton, where a lot of the family history is. I can't post on here much as it doesnt work on my wap but you can email me on (*) . My mother has loads of family history handed down the generations, and we could probably fill you in.
best wishes, Hannah Wright (mother Cynthia Bell)
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I have just happened by chance upon your entry, and can give you a great deal of information concerning the Bells going back to the late 18th century, and have some photographs dating back to the early 20th century. I am John Roland Bell, the nephew of Stanley, for whom I worked at Astley Industrial Trust from 1961 to 1964. Thomas George b.1871 and Rebecca (nee Johnson) Bell had eight children, of whom Florence b1896, Stanley b 1899, George Arthur b 1901 (my father) and Thomas Roland b 1906 were the only survivors beyond childhood. Rebecca died of influenza at the start of the great epidemic in 1917 and Thomas George remarried ? Dickinson. TG was the eldest child of Joseph b1847 and Margaret (nee Reason) Bell and was born in Holdsworth, Yorks. If you require further information please contact me.
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Sorry, I was called away for supper by my better half. However to continue the saga, Joseph and Margaret Bell had 7 children, Thomas b1871, John b1872, Mary b1874, Joseph b1875, Percy b1878, Fred b1880 and Harry b1881. Joseph and, I believe, one of his brothers (Percy) emigrated to Canada (Hamilton, Ontario) and his son, also Joseph, was still living there in 1982 although they had a second home in Florida. He had in 1982 3 children, Joseph Jnr, Bonnie Lee and Thomas. The original Joseph Bell b1847 was the son of George b1813 and Fanny Bell. George was born in Richmond, Yorks and Fanny b1818 in Newton-on-Ouse. In 1851 he was listed as being a gardener and living in Hawksworth, Yorks but later moved to Halifax. George Bell was the son of Matthew and Mary Bell, Matthew being listed as a Bookseller and Stationer in Richmond. Mary b1784 was the daughter of John Fall, a rope maker of Richmond, whilst Matthew b1776 was very probably the son of another Matthew Bell, a Sergeant and Fifer in the Richmondshire Militia, though I cannot be absolutely certain of that. The latter information was gleaned during a short visit to the N Yorks archives in 2012 in Northallerton but as I was also trying to research details of my mother's family (she died in 1939) and had only limited time, unfortunately I was unable to complete my enquires. Hope this has been of some use.
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Having read earlier entries, Florence nee Bell and Randal Pearson in fact had three sons, Noel and Christopher as mentioned, but also Randal born 22Feb 1922 who as a Sergeant Observer/Wireless Operator RAFVR, was killed along with the pilot at 11pm on 23rd December 1942 when the Blenheim bomber they were flying crashed shortly after take-off from Cranfield aerodrome in Bedfordshire due to engine failure. He is buried in Kempston Cemetry, Bedford. I have letters he wrote to his and my parents during his training as well as a photo in his full flying kit. As the eldest in my generation of Bell cousins, he was very much looked up to by we younger ones. It is perhaps ironic that he should have been flying a Blenheim, as, prior to joining the RAF, he was a trainee designer/draughtsman at the Bristol Aviation Company. A further thought, Thomas George Bell's second wife was Maggie Dickinson. She outlived him but suffered severely from rheumatoid arthritis and used a battery-powered tiller-steered bath chair to get about. She lived in Lytham St. Annes, but when she came to stay with us in Doncaster Yorkshire, it was always my job to keep it charged up.
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Having read earlier entries, Florence nee Bell and Randal Pearson in fact had three sons, Noel and Christopher as mentioned, but also Randal born 22Feb 1922 who as a Sergeant Observer/Wireless Operator RAFVR, was killed along with the pilot at 11pm on 23rd December 1942 when the Blenheim bomber they were flying crashed shortly after take-off from Cranfield aerodrome in Bedfordshire due to engine failure. He is buried in Kempston Cemetry, Bedford. I have letters he wrote to his and my parents during his training as well as a photo in his full flying kit. As the eldest in my generation of Bell cousins, he was very much looked up to by we younger ones. It is perhaps ironic that he should have been flying a Blenheim, as, prior to joining the RAF, he was a trainee designer/draughtsman at the Bristol Aviation Company. A further thought, Thomas George Bell's second wife was Maggie Dickinson. She outlived him but suffered severely from rheumatoid arthritis and used a battery-powered tiller-steered bath chair to get about. She lived in Lytham St. Annes, but when she came to stay with us in Doncaster Yorkshire, it was always my job to keep it charged up.
Just browsing and picked up your search trail. I am a great granddaugher of Joseph and Margaret Bell. My grandfather was Fred. Joseph was born in Otley (Hawksworth) and had two brothers who died in childhood. His parents were George and Frances Bell who met in Newton on Ouse. This is the estate village for Beningborough Hall, and I Suspect that both of them were estate employees. Frances father George May was a tailor, and most of their relatives seem to be craftsmen or farmers. I have tracked both the families in part to the seventeenth century. Georges father was Oliver and not Matthew. I have a copy of the marriage certificate. I have gone down that false route to the Fall family myself. The family seem to have lived mainly in Bolton on Swale and surrounding villages for as long as I can establish, and undoubtedly could be traced back to the border reiver family of Bells from Gilsland, Cumbria, and Annan as the border was remarkably fluid until the early sixteen hundreds.
Joseph worked for the Lancashire Yorkshire railway and presumably met Margaret Reason in Liverpool. Margaret's grandfather, Thomas Reason was a flour merchant from Lincoln . Her brother and her grandfather were both Mersey pilots.
Joseph pursued his railway career through Lancashire and eventually set up the Wagon Works where most of his sons also worked, although Thomas was a railway wagon agent based in Leeds with an office in Great George Street. He had a house in Street Lane. On his death, Stanley returned to the family firm, and I understand from my grandmother, probably not the most unbiased of sources, that there was a bit of a family dispute when the firm became a limited company, probably on the deaths of Joseph and son John, his right hand man.
Yes Percy went to Canada and became mayor of Beebe Quebec. They used to send us food parcels in the war.
I have huge amounts of further information, if you have any queries.
Sylvia nee Bell
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Read your post with great interest and apologies for my delay in responding. I would welcome any further information regarding George Bell and Frances May and their antecedents. We would appear to be first cousins twice removed.
Now in our eighties, though both originating from Doncaster, my wife and I live in North Norfolk near Holt where I farmed for a number of years. We still live in one of the farmhouses but sold the land some years ago as none of our three children was interested in agriculture.
John Bell.
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Hello, I am Claire Pearson, granddaughter of Florence Bell (my father was Chris Pearson who committed suicide in 1977). I believe you are actually my godfather 😊
I'd love to know more about the Bell side, especially interested in how Gertrude Bell (of Queen of the desert fame) ties in, is she a distant relative and if so how? Read your post with great interest and apologies for my delay in responding. I would welcome any further information regarding George Bell and Frances May and their antecedents. We would appear to be first cousins twice removed.
Now in our eighties, though both originating from Doncaster, my wife and I live in North Norfolk near Holt where I farmed for a number of years. We still live in one of the farmhouses but sold the land some years ago as none of our three children was interested in agriculture.
John Bell.
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This probably rather late to be replying and you may have had a reply already. But Gertrude Bell was associated with the village in North Yorkshire where I used to live, East Rounton. There is a stained glass window int he church in her honour. She is connected to Sir Hugh Bell who lived in East Rounton. These Bells owned steel works in Middlesbrough. Certainly way back we may be connected, as we all may be, but I have not identified any connection and have taken the Bell family back to 17th century in the area around Richmond.