I have been researching some of the older gravestones on the west side of the church. Two of these memorials are for the Waller family. One for Elizabeth the daughter of William and Jane (nee Longdale) who died on the 24th March 1896 and was later joined by her mother on 19th December 1900.
The other remembers Alice another daughter of William and Jane who sadly died aged only 5 months on 21st February 1866 she was joined by William’s father, John, who died on 29th February 1868 and later by John himself who died on 13th January 1882.
William was born in Swanwick in January 1811to John and Sarah (nee Blunt). He married Jane, who was born in Calow on 28th January 1819, at Heath on Christmas Eve 1839.
They had 9 children in all John (1840 – 1913), Elizabeth (1842 – 1896), Ann (1844 – 1926), Hannah (1848 – 1926), Jane (1849 – 1933), William (1852 – 1934), Eliza (1854 – 1933), Herbert (1856 – 1942) and Alice (1865 – 1866).
According to the 1851 census the family (including William’s mother and father) were living on Holywell Street in Chesterfield and William was employed as an ironstone miner as was his father and son John.
By 1861 the family had moved to Calow, William was still an ironstone miner, his father was now a widower but still living with his son.
In the 1871 census the family were now living at the Glass House in New Whittington, William still an ironstone miner as was his 2 sons William and Herbert.
William had retired by the time of the 1881 census he his wife and daughter Elizabeth were living at 74 London Street, New Whittington. The census also records that Elizabeth had been an invalid for the past 11 years. His son John and family were living next door. John was now employed as a coal miner.
When looking further at William and Jane’s children (a number of which now lived on London Street) I noticed that William (Jnr) had married for the second time. His first wife Althea (nee Ball) died in 1881 and he married Hannah Hardy in May 1882. I noticed that Hannah’s father was Isaac and the name rang a bell.
On checking my notes an Isaac bell was mentioned alongside Albion Brickworks.
Isaac Hardy was born in Sutton-In-Ashfield in 1833 to Elizabeth Cartledge and Edward Hardy.
He married Mary Slack at St.Mary Magdalene Church in Sutton-In-Ashfield on 28th June 1852.
At the time of the 1861 census the family were living at Brunswick Street, Stonegravels. Isaac and Mary had 6 children Jane, Emma, Hannah, Herbert, James and Frank. Isaac’s employment was listed as ‘maker of earthenware’.
In 1871 the family were living in Barclay Street, Attercliffe, Sheffield. There was additional children Alice, Helena and Annie. Isaac, Mary and Herbert were all listed as ‘pot makers’.
By 1881 the Isaac, Mary, Jane, Hannah, Helena, Isaac Ernest and Ralph were living on Wellington Street, New Whittington. The only one listed as employed was Isaac again as a ‘pot maker’.
According to achesterfieldblogger.co.uk website the Albion Brick Works off Pottery Lane, (which later became Station Lane) New Whittington. The pottery was established around 1876 next to the Brick Works which was owned by George Senior with George’s brother Edward, overall manager, and Isaac Hardy being the manager.
The following advert appeared in the Derbyshire Times, Wednesday 18th April 1877
“ALBION PATENT
BRICKWORKS
NEW WHITTINGTON
NEAR CHESTERFIELD
The ALBION FACING BRICK is waterproof, being made of the celebrated Whittington earthenware clay, which is first ground to powder, then subjected to great pressure in the moulds, and afterwards well burnt in patent kilns. It preserves its bright colour in all situations, neither becoming defaced by green incrustations nor disfigured by effusion of salts on its surface, and it requires neither paint nor any other coating matter for its preservation.
The Albion Facing Brick is specially adapted for the best class of work and should be used by all builders who want their property to retain its value, and their tenants to enjoy the comfort and health which a dry house generally promotes.”
We are not sure how involved Isaac was in developing the process of enamelling bricks but we do know he wrote scientific papers on the process.
In the 1891 census the family had moved to Dukestown, Llangnidr, Breconshire. Isaac’s occupation was listed as manager in Brick Works. This may have been at the Brick Works at Aberdare because it was from there he wrote a paper that was delivered to the National Brick Manufactures’ Association entitled ‘Enamelling Brick’.
The scientific papers had come to the attention of the Tiffany Brick Company in Momence, Illinois and according to an article about the brickworks
“After much correspondence Isaac Hardy agreed to come to Momence for a year to introduce the process at the Tiffany Brick Company. He came in 1893 with three sons, Ernest” (actually Isaac Ernest), “Ralph and James. With his special formula he started up the process by means of which the face of the brick was covered with a coating of porcelain in any shade or tint desired. The Tiffany Enamelled Brick Company became even more well known world wide, winning prizes and recognition at expositions across the Country and in Europe. Isaac Hardy, who had promised to stay one year, stayed six years and returned to England without his sons.”
“Ernest was made superintendent of the company, although all three brothers were there.”
Many of the store fronts on were made of this enamelled brick. At times as many as two hundred men were employed.
According to the 1901 census Isaac and Mary were living on Derby Road, Sandiacre.
Isaac died on 27th October 1905 when he and Mary were living on Retford Road, Worksop. Mary died on the 3rd October 1910.
Isaac must have kept an interest as I found reference to another paper ‘The manufacture of Salt Glazed Brick’ written whilst living in Worksop.
Isaac Ernest married while in America and died in August 1966 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.
Ralph also married while in America, he worked for Tiffany for over forty years, became a magistrate and played the organ for his local Methodist Church. He died on 20th November 1941 again in Chicago, Illinois.
James married in America and he died in 1913 also in Chicago, Illinois.
Acknowledging;
achesterfieldblogger.co.uk
‘Memories of Momence Township 1776-1976’
A couple of buildings making use of Tiffany’s Enamelled Bricks
Split Rock Lighthouse, Minnesota
Former Momence State Savings bank
William who married Hannah Hardy
Isaac and Mary
