Ann HALL 1740?-??

[Eyesee]

Ann HALL married William CLAPHAM at Leeds St Peter on 10 Feb 1759. They had six children all born at Call Lane in Leeds, before William died 29 Apr 1771.

On 8 October 1784 an Ann CLAPHAM, widow, married Robert WALKER, a wool-stapler of Almondbury. Is this William's widow? I believe so.

Now it gets interesting.

I believe the same Robert WALKER was previously married to Hannah CLAPHAM at Leeds St Peter on 25 Apr 1763. Now Hannah was William's sister, and she died in Honley in Feb 1783. They had four children baptised in Honley/Almondbury, and the father Robert was a wool-stapler.

Robert Walker, wool-stapler of Honley was buried there 1794 aged 54.

Can anyone find what happened to Ann. It's possible but can't find anything suitable. The Ann WALKERs are all spinsters. Would probably be buried with William in Leeds.

Thanks
Ian C

[maddys52]

I think you are right in that Ann married Robert WALKER :

"Wednesday was married, Mr Robert Walker, merchant of Almondbury, to Mrs. Ann Clapham, widow of the late Mr Wm. Clapham of this town."
   Tuesday,  Oct. 12, 1784
Publication: Leeds Intelligencer

[Eyesee]

Thanks maddy.

Found William's death notice in the Leeds Intelligencer. Said he was a Stuff-merchant.

Any idea what that is?

Ian C

[maddys52]

A thread about stuff merchants here:
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=232756.0

[Eyesee]

Thanks maddy.

Guess a wool-stapler is involved in the weaving of wool cloth.

Ian C

[BumbleB]

according to my Dictionary of Old Trades, Titles and Occuptions -

Wool Stapler - Same as Wool Sorter (grader of wool in the wool trade) but originally an export merchant in the 1500s who was a member of a group who had a monopoly on the export of wool.

[maddys52]

Yes, a wool stapler was a merchant in wool who sorted and graded:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wool-stapler

As you probably know, William was part of Clapham and Hall - stuff makers, merchants of Call Lane.

"... worsted manufacture ... Of these stuffs was formed the general dress of the lower classes of females, and the manufacture of them at Leeds was very considerable. The principal makers were Clapham and Hall ..."
"History of the Worsted Manufacture in England, from the Earliest Times; with Introductory Notices of the Manufacture Among the Ancient Nations, and During the Middle Ages"
Author James, John
Publication Date 1857

[Eyesee]

Went through the newspapers on Findmypast on the weekend just gone and found nothing relating to Ann Walker other than a notice after her husband Robert died, that she was moving from Honley back to Leeds.

Keep looking I guess.

I suppose she could have remarried, although she would have been about 56 when Robert died, so probably not out of the question.

Ian C