Help solve the Leicestershire Stilton Cheese mystery

[Kirwan]

Can you please help, I'm new to this genealogy research. 

I am investigating the origins of Stilton Cheese, which was originally made in Leicestershire but sold in Stilton, Huntingdonshire (hence the name). 

One of the claims is that a housekeeper named Elizabeth Scarborough learnt to make a form of Stilton Cheese in the Great House where she was working.  She married a Mr Orton and moved to Little Dalby to live on his farm.  It is claimed that amongst her children she had two daughters, one of whom married Cooper Thornhill the Innkeeper of the Bell Inn, Stilton.  The other daughter supplied him with Stilton Cheese.  Can you help me trace these people and see if this is true or not.

The information I have so far is:

Elizabeth Scarborough was baptised on 16 Oct 1695 Lowesby and Cold Newton.  Parents John Scarborough (born 1669) and Ann (they married in 1694).

1)  What was the first name of Mr Orton of Little Dalby who she married around 1720?
2) What children did they have?

Cooper Thornhill was born in Leake (now called Old Leake) near Boston in Lincolnshire in 1705 and was baptised on 16th April 1710.  His parents were Joseph and Frances Thornhill.

Cooper married his first wife Mary, (two years his senior?) in 1730 in the parish church of Leake when he was 25.  She died in 1752, he in 1759. They are buried together in Stilton Churchyard.

3) What is the maiden name of this Mary Thornhill and is she related to Elizabeth (Orton) Scarborough from Leicestershire?

Thanks so much

Kirwan

[trish1120]

Hi Kirwan,

Found this;



Frances Pawlett, a skilled cheese maker, of Wymondham, is credited as the person who gave Stilton its first quality and shape standards. Her skill at cheese making and her husband’s business acumen led to the first marketing cooperative in the area for Stilton. Frances would come to set the standards other cheese makers would need to meet for “blued cream cheese” good enough to be marketed as Stilton. Along with the help of Cooper Thornhill, owner of the famous Bell Inn of Stilton, the Pawletts helped build the trade in Stilton cheese to record levels.


Trish

[trish1120]

According to Wikkipedia;
 Stilton was first posssibly discovered by Thornhill  in 1730 whilst he was visiting a House in Melton/Mowbray, Leicestershire- possibly Quenby Hall in Hungarton.

From Quenby Hall website;




Quenby’s great claim to international fame is that Stilton cheese was first made there, by the housekeeper. Her daughter lived at the staging inn at Stilton, and sold her mother’s cheeses…the rest is history. The Old Dairy is now available for functions: Stilton is on the menu, but is optional!



Trish

[Suttonrog]

I think you will find that Stilton was famous for it's cheese long before it was made in Leicestershire.

See http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9402E2D61631EF34BC4953DFB166838D679FDE

Rog

[Suttonrog]

From A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain by Burke

Henry Bigland of Long Whatton m Orme Winyates of Peterborough and they had issue:
Edward
Orme

Orme b 1708 m 1st 1732 Isaac Bailey of Chesterton and then Cooper Thornhill  of Stilton. She died 1762 leaving 2 sons by her 1st marriage.

So Cooper had 2 wives

Rog

[Necromancer]

that 1866 NY Times article you posted earlier, goes into some detail about Cooper, 2 marriages and kids names, including the fact that the local hooligans had all but obliterated Coopers MI on his and wifes stone, laid flat  ...... but doesnt seem to take Stilton cheese (served with or without maggots) before 1720 ?

[Suttonrog]

No! All the early articles  (1700s) seem to indicate that Stilton cheese was made in Stilton from 1720 but they couldn't keep up with demand by 1730 and it was subcontracted out to Leicestershire. It seems that it may have been made in 3 different places to start with - settling down to one at Old Dalby.

Rog

[Kirwan]

Thanks to you all for your help so far. T

he earliest recorded reference to 'Stilton Cheese' is 1722 and then in 1727 by none other than the celebrated author Daniel Defoe. Clearly Stilton was famous well before then.  There is a suggestion that a cheese called 'Lady Beaumont's Cheese' (from the Beaumont Family in Leicestershire - not sure which branch, the Stoughton Grange or Cole Orton branch) was sold to Stilton before 1700. 

Trish, Thanks.  Frances Pawlett was born in 1720 at Wymondham near Melton Mowbray and together with Cooper Thornhill is credited with the improvement and standardisation of Stilton Cheese.  I am aware of the suggestion of a Quenby Hall connection but Stilton was long known before 1730. 

Rog grateful to you.  I know about the two wives of Cooper Thornhill and the children mentioned in the New York Article, which I have a copy of.  In his book The History of Stilton Cheese, Trevor Hickman indicates Wymondham near Melton Mowbray as the likely origin of Stilton Cheese.  The History of Leicestershire by Nicholls 1795 predating the New York article by some 70 years suggests Leicestershire as its origin and Lady Beaumont's cheese in particular.

All the above seems to confirm

1) the need to bottom out the surname and dates for Mrs Thornhill (who was born in 1703 and who is buried (10th July 1752 aged 49) with Cooper in Stilton.

2) the need for the same for Elizabeth Orton nee Scarborough (name of husband and names and dates of children). 

The suggestion that "Quenby’s great claim to international fame is that Stilton cheese was first made there, by the housekeeper. Her daughter lived at the staging inn at Stilton, and sold her mother’s cheeses" cannot be valid as Elizabeth herself was only born in 1695.  Mary Thornhill was born in 1703 just eight years later.  Cooper Thornhill already appears to have been selling Stilton Cheese in 1730.

Thanks to you all again.

Kirwan

[trish1120]

 Only ones I could find,

IGI,

Christening;
Mary CHRISTMAS 30 Dec 1703, Biggleswade, Bedford.
Parents Robert and Elizabeth

Marriage;
Mary Chrismas to Cooper Thornhil, 11 Feb. 1731, Bigg/Bed

Children born B/B;

Cooper  c. 15 Oct. 1731
Ann       c.  4 Feb. 1733

All extracted records

Trish