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A Family History

Beckett's and the link to Owd Timothy o' th' Looms

Elizabeth Beckett 1840-1914

John Grime's, wife Elizabeth Beckett, born in Bolton St on January 3rd 1840, was the eldest daughter of William Beckett and Elizabeth Lomax.

Elizabeth Beckett had an older brother James Dickson Beckett. James emigrated to Australia and took up sheep farming. He died October 23rd 1887 and is buried in Boroondara Cemetery Melbourne. His widow, Emma Beckett (née Whitelaw) went on to marry Joseph Charles Harvie who was Business Manager on a boat called the "Success" which was one of the last Australian convict ships and it toured as a "show boat".

The Success sailed from Australia to the USA via the UK, arriving in Boston on July 18th 1912.  It seems likely that Emma (by now) Harvie took the opportunity to visit her relatives during the time the ship was in England, perhaps moored in Liverpool.  My grandmother would have been aged 16 when the ship left England in 1912 and it was from her that the story of the Success and Emma's re-marriage came into the family memory.  I suppose that she met Emma during the visit.  One of Emma's descendants was kind enough to send me this postcard of the ship and a copy of the front cover of a book about the boat written by J. C. Harvie.

The Success

Joseph Charles & Emma Harvie

Returning to the evolution of the Beckett line; in 1861 the Beckett's were at 4 Lower Cross St. in Darwen. The census return shows the following details.

Of these children I have been able to trace Alfred and Eli in 1901.  Alfred was at 156 Bolton Road in Darwen and married to Ellen aged 44.  Alfred and his son William (20) were both Clog Makers and Ellen and their daughter Mary E (16), worked in the Cotton industry.   Eli became a Millwright and married Matilda (aged 44 in 1901) they had children Alfred (13), Annie (11) and Bessie (4).  At age 13 young Alfred was already working as a Bleacher in a Cotton Mill.  Whilst Mary Ann and Emily Jane were enjoying spinsterhood together at 4 Sudell Road.

Earlier, in 1851, the family were in Bolton Street in the heart of Darwen.

The Beckett grave in Darwen Cemetery bears the following inscription.

In affectionate remembrance of William Beckett born February 18th 1811 died June 13th 1888
Also Elizabeth his wife born August 8th 1811 died December 13th 1893
Also John Lomax Beckett born February 4th 1842 died June 5th 1863
Also Ann Beckett born December 9th 1849 died November 4th 1866
Also James Dickson Beckett of Melbourne and formerly of Over Darwen who died at Sydney October 23rd 1887 on his return voyage from England and interred at Boroondara Cemetery Melbourne October 26th 1887 aged 49 years.
Eli Beckett born October 23rd 1855 died December 30th 1909
Also Mary Ann Beckett born 26th ? 1844 died August ...... [rest faded]

When William died in 1888 the following notice appeared in the Darwen News.

Darwen News Saturday June 16th 1888 (page 5 col 2)

This week an old townsman has been removed from our midst in the person of Mr William Beckett of Lower Cross Street, in his 78th year. With the exception of a few years spent in Lancaster in his younger days, the deceased has spent his life at Darwen. At one time he was overlooker at the Mr Houghton Ainsworth, at Springfield; then for about twenty years he served as winding master at Woodside Mill, a position he held up to three years ago, when he resigned. The workpeople acknowledged his service by a presentation. Consistency of his life and condition won for him the esteem of numerous friends. Mr Beckett was a member of Belgrave Church. His remains are to be interred today at Darwen Cemetery.

His death certificate describes him as a retired Cotton Winding Master and gives the cause of death as "Decay of Nature". The death was reported by his son Eli of 4 Sudell Road, Over Darwen.

Elizabeth Lomax was born on August 8th in 1811. According to her marriage certificate her father was a collier called William. She married William Beckett on 4th October 1837 at Ebenezer Chapel. Her occupation is described as a Domestick Servant, while William was an Overlooker of Cotton Winders.

William was born on February 11th 1811 at Pickup Bank near Hoddlesden just outside Darwen. He was the eldest of ten children born to James Becket and Betty Jepson who married on November 7th 1808.

The Lower Chapel and Pole Lane baptism records show the following children for James and Betty.

It is possible that Betty died between 1832 and 1841 and that James re-married. The 1841 census shows the following family.

Jeremy Hunt's recollections have this to say about the Becketts.

"The third daughter of old Edward Jepson was Betty, who married James Beckett, and left sons - William, John, Edward, Robert, Eli, and James. She also had two daughters, but they died in infancy. W.E. Beckett and J.J. Beckett, both prominent men of the town to-day, are sons of John; and Christopher J. Beckett, secretary of the Industrial Co-Operative Society, is a son of Eli."

It was this same C. J. Beckett that wrote William Taylor's Obituary in the Darwen News. An article about William's brother John, who died on 20th March 1883, appeared in the Darwen News on Saturday 31st March 1883. And perhaps this explains why Thomas, James, Eli and Robert were not baptised at the Lower Chapel.

The Late Mr John Beckett

The death of this gentleman appeared in our obituary notices of last week as having occurred on the 20th inst., and his remains were interred at Darwen Cemetery on Saturday last, the mournful obsequies being conducted by the Reverend Henry Irving, pastor of the Belgrave Meeting House. Mr Irving also made a very appropriate and touching allusion to the deceased in his prayer at the morning service on Sunday. Deceased was born at Top o'th Meadows, Pickup Bank, on the 23rd September 1818 (actually 1815). In 1819 the family went to live in Haslingden Grane, and remained there until 1826, when they returned to Loll Stoops, Pickup Bank, where the deceased became a hand loom-weaver. In 1829 the family removed to Lancaster where the deceased became a power-loom weaver, and in 1833 they settled at Darwen. In 1836 he became an overlooker at Mr Houghton Ainsworth's weaving shed, and continued with them in that capacity for a period of 12 years, when he left to take charge of the packing department at Messrs. Potter's Belgrave Mills, being in fact one of their earliest hands, which post he held up to 1879, when, through failing health, he retired. Deceased was a deacon of Belgrave Chapel for a period of nearly 30 years and was also for a considerable period superintendent of the Sunday school. Possessed of more than ordinary intelligence, being of quiet and unassuming demeanour, of a gentle and kindly disposition, as might naturally be expected, he was held in the highest regard by a large circle of friends, by who his removal will be very deeply regretted.

William Beckett's mother Betty Jepson was born on the 5th May 1789, her parents Edward Jepson, born in Eccleshill and baptised 23rd August 1763, and Ann Holden, born in a place called Scotland near Darwen and baptised 3rd March 1765, both died at the ages of 27. Edward died first in July 1790 and Ann followed him in March 1792. Leaving Betty an orphan before she was three.

Edward's parents were Samuel Jepson and his wife Lettice Dewhurst. Both are listed in the Lower Chapel burial register and from this we know that Edward was born about 1724 and Lettice in 1728. They were married on January 10th 1750/51 at Blackburn Parish Church. Lettice was buried on December 21st 1790 and Samuel soon joined her, he was buried on February 2nd 1791. Edward had a brother John baptised on March 27th 1760.

It is through Betty Jepson's mother Ann Holden that the family finds its way to Owd Timothy o' th' Looms. Ann Holden was the daughter of Thomas Holden and his wife Jane, Thomas in turn was the son of Timothy "Owd Timothy o' th' Looms" Holden listed in the records of the Parish Church of Blackburn in an entry made on 22nd July 1700, as the son of James Holden, and one of a number of non conformist children that were not baptised according to the law.  His father would have been fined 6d for the offence. Owd Timothy was buried at Lower Chapel on the 21st December 1791, and he died at Laneside Eccleshill.

In the chapter on Holden's Jeremy Hunt says this of Ann Holden.

"Ann, daughter of Thomas o' Owd Timothy's, was married to Edward Jepson. Edward died and left her with three daughters, but Ann followed him home six months later, and the three orphan daughters were left to the care of their relatives. One of this interesting trio was christened by the old-fashioned name of Lettice. She became the wife of the late James Briggs, of Blackburn, mother of Edward Briggs, cotton manufacturer, and grandmother of William Edward Briggs, ex-M.P. for Blackburn, who is thus six generations removed from Owd Timothy o'th' Looms. Jane, another of the three orphan girls, married Michael Holden. Joseph Slinger, [late] organist of Belgrave Chapel, is her grandson. Betty, the third of the trio, was married to James Beckett, father of William Beckett, of Cross Street, Sudell road, represented today by J.J. Beckett and W.E. Beckett, two well known gentlemen. There were also four girls, sisters of J.J. and W.E. Beckett, but they are all dead. One of them became the wife of J.F. Leach."

James Becket was the son of William Becket, weaver, and Ann Ryley both of Pickup Bank, who married on April 17th 1770 at Blackburn Parish Church. William and Ann had at least 9 children and they were also baptised at Lower Chapel.

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