17th Century Yorkshire

[redshank]

Hope this isn't a red herring, but it seems from Genuki that Bretton/West Bretton was in the parishes of Silkstone and Sandal Magna rather than Emley -

"WEST BRETTON, in the parishes of Sandal Magna and Silkstone, Agbrigg-division of Agbrigg and Morley, liberties of Pontefract and Wakefield, 6 miles SW. of Wakefield, 6½ from Barnsley. Pop. in Agbrigg, 154, in Staincross, 364, total, 518."

"BRETTON PARK, (the seat of Thomas Richard Beaumont, Esq.) in the township of Bretton, and parish of Silkstone, 6½ miles from Wakefield and Barnsley."

Records for Silkstone, Sandal Magna and Emley are at WYAS, Wakefield according to genuki.

All the best,
redshank

[oleonepace]

I should have made it much clearer that it is BRETTON I'm after finding out about----sorry folks.

Emley is, of course, well documented and I have pics of its lovely church.

Thank you Redshank for the parish info. I will follow that lead up.

Have a nice weekend all....
Tony

[Humf]

Bretton must I think be the nearby village of West Bretton.  This was partly in the ancient parish of Sandal Magna and partly in the ancient parish of Silkstone. There is a modern church, but also a chapel in the grounds of Bretton Hall.

I found your original post when I was trying to find out more about the British School in Emley, now Emley First School.  The land was given by Thomas Wentworth Beaumont of Bretton Hall, so there is a connection there between the two villages.  The school bears a plaque recording the founder's name.  This is partly eroded and in fancy lettering but now I realise that it is 'H LEAH ESQ'.  The date was 1846.  I have attached the relevant photographs.

[Jackie464]

Hi Tony - I checked PR for Silkstone 1558 to 1784 and came up with the following;
1701 Baptism, Aug 2 George the son of George Leah of Britton
1716 July 8 Gervase Tricket & Sarah Lea both otp by banns
1722 July 29 Gerv: Scholfield of Wakefield & Martha Lea otp. p. Banns

There are no more BMDs in any spelling of the name.  There are about 10 baptisms for Bretton/Britton in total.  There are no Lea/Leah on Bretton Chapel records 1751 to 1784.

Also check Bretton on the National Archives for details of considerable records held at Wakefield RO.  It looks as though all the PRs are there and looks like a great source for Bretton info.  Jackie

[oleonepace]

Thanks for the fresh responses to my old post.

Humf, the photos are great.....thanks for sending. Henry Leah was my 1st cousin five times removed and a bit of a philanthropist about whom I know a fair bit. I have not been to Emley so the pics are most welcome.

And Jackie........thats information I didn't have before and has certainly given a renewed 'push' to my searches. Many thanks.

Tony

[oleonepace]

Jackie

as an afterthought.....where is or was the Chapel you mention with records for 1751 to 84. Was this attached to the big house?? Which denomination was it??

thanks
Tony

[Jackie464]

Hi Tony,

Sorry but I don't know anything about Bretton Chapel other than those records are on the disc with the Silkstone ones.  Also sorry for the delay in replying - we were away - Jackie

[oleonepace]

Thanks anyway, Jackie

ragards
Tony

[Humf]

Bretton Chapel is dedicated to St Wilfrid.  It is disused, but is about to be used as a textile archive, see: http://reporter.leeds.ac.uk/465/s5.htm

For photograph and details of the building see: http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=342587&mode=adv

You might be able to find out about the records of the chapel from the University of Leeds.