Current research the Dufton Family in Leeds

In the last few weeks I have been researching the parents of Eliza Jane Dufton who was born in Leeds on 27 June 1830. I found  her baptism ages ago in the fiche records of Leeds Parish Church at Leeds Central Library, but when I purchased Ancestry I found it there as well.

The text reads: Born 27 June 1830, baptised 14 July 1830, Eliza Jane, daughter of George & Eliza DUFTON, of Somerset Street, (Leeds), father's occupation, bricklayer. As far as I can see so far, Eliza was the third child of George & Eliza Dufton who were married at Leeds Parish Church on 25 October 1825. Eliza's maiden name was Ralph-she was born in London, her father, John Ralph & his wife Mary. That information has only just been discovered very recently. Eliza's siblings were Mary Ann, born 22 March 1827, at Bridge Street, Leeds, and John born 31 December 1828, also in Bridge Street, Leeds. So you can see a sort of pattern emerging with George & Eliza's children being named after their respective families, Their first child, a daughter Mary Ann born 22 March 1827, would have been named after her respective grandmother, Eliza Ralph's mother was called Mary, was George's mother also called Ann?  Certainly the second child, John, was named after Eliza's father John, and their third child, a daughter, named for her mother Eliza Ralph. So far I have found any more children being born to this couple, somewhat unusual you would have thought in 1830.
Somerset Street does not exist in 2015 in Leeds. I think the area in which it was situated is now covered by the central market. Looking at the 1847 map of Leeds, Somerset Street is to the east of Sheepscar Beck, which in this area was called Lady Beck, after Lady Lane. Interestingly there is an area near Somerset Street called Dufton's Yard. George Dufton, Eliza's father being a bricklayer may well have needed some sort of yard for the storage of his building materials.

By 1900 this area was particularly unhealthy and was swept away and the whole area rebuilt-by then the Dufton family were long gone from this world. 

However, in 1847, George & Eliza & family were not living in Somerset Street or Bridge Street. Sometime before 1841, they moved to the Richmond Hill area of Leeds. The census of 1841, although showing little information, shows the family living at Richmond Terrace, Leeds. Again, in 2015, Richmond Terrace doesn't exist, but a map of 1847 shows Richmond Terrace in two areas. Close by it was a flax mill.

This the entry for the Dufton family in 1841:-

George Dufton is at the foot of the left hand page, aged 30, with the letters IND in the occupation column indicating that George is of Independent Means, born in Yorkshire. So not a bricklayer anymore but living by means of an annuity/will of some sort. On the top of the right hand page is their daughter Jane Dufton, aged 11. The other children, John & Mary Ann are not at the family home in 1841, so what has happened to them? The next entry on the right hand page, below Jane Dufton is a James Dufton, aged 35, of Independent means, married to Mary Dufton, with 14 year old daughter Eliza (maybe Elizabeth) & two servants. Further down the page is an entry for Dufton Street, another co-incidence maybe? So something quite momentous has happened to George Dufton, and is this James Dufton a relation-he certainly is in the same circumstances. Dufton Street is on the map above, to the left of the flax mill, so I wonder if the two are connected in some way or other.

I now want to look at the marriage record of George Dufton & Eliza Ralph.

 They married at Leeds Parish Church, or St Peter's, on the 25 October 1825 by licence, by Thomas Furbank, clerk. Note though the witnesses, James Dufton & Mary Wood, though at first I thought it read Ward.  George in 1825 is shown as being a bricklayer, Eliza Ralph a spinster, both of the parish of Leeds. So having in the 1841 Census seen a James Dufton & his wife Mary and daughter Eliza in the next residence to George Dufton and his family, both of Independent means, this marriage entry got me thinking. 

The Marriage record reads: 

MARRIAGES solemnized in the PARISH CHURCH of LEEDS, in the County of YORK, in the Year 1825:

George Dufton, of this Parish, Bricklayer, and Eliza Ralph, of this Parish, spinster, were married in this church, by Licence (Frank Cookson Surr), this twenty fith Day of October, in the year 1825, by me Thomas Furbank, Clerk. 

The marriage was solemnized between us: George Dufton & Eliza Ralph in the presence of James Dufton & Mary Ward.  Number 876:

The record doesn't say who was the father of George DUFTON, but looking up his birth and family on my Ancestry account, I found that he, George DUFTON was born around 1807, and christened at Leeds, St Peter on 15 February 1807. His father was called John Dufton and his mother was called Elizabeth Dufton nee Scales-his mother & father married on 29th January 1798 at Leeds St Peter's church. 

No. 32: John Dufton, of this parish, Miller, and Elizabeth Scales, of this parish, spinster, were married in this church by Banns, this twenty ninth day of January, in the year 1798, by me Edward Wilson, clerk. The marriage was solemnized between us John Dufton & Elizabeth Scales's marks, in the presence of James Scales (mark) & Thos' Atkinson.

George Dufton's siblings were:

1.John Dufton born 19 May, 1802 who died  in 1803, and was buried at Leeds St John on 4 May 1803.

2. James Dufton, born 4 April, 1804, christened 27 May, 1804 and he died 11 June 1855.

3. then came George born in 1807.

 4. Thomas Dufton, born 9 October 1809, in March, 1836, he died.

5. John Dufton, born 25 June 1812 not sure when he died.

So now more about George Dufton, the bricklayer who married Eliza Ralph, and his brother James Dufton who married Mary WOOD and then when she died, he married a, Elizabeth CROSS nee BALDWIN.

Next I turned to the newspapers and found this entry.

Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 03 November 1825

MARRIAGES

Yesterday week, Mr. James DUFTON, builder, to Miss Wood, dress-maker, both of this town.

On Tuesday week, Mr. George DUFTON, bricklayer, to Miss Ralph, both of this town.

Yesterday I made a discovery-Dufton's Yard

Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 16 November 1850

ELIGIBLE FREEHOLD INVESTMENTS

To be sold by Auction, by Mr. David Holmes, on Monday the 9^th December Next at six o’ clock in the Evening, at the house of Mr. Swales, the Black Swan, in Vicar Lane, in Leeds, subject to such conditions then and there to be produced, and in the following or such other lots as may be determined on at the time of Sale.

Lot1. All that convenient and well-built JOINER’s SHOP, three stories high with sawpit and commodious Sheds and Yard attached, situate in Somerset Street, Dyer Street, in Leeds and adjoining Lady or Sheepscar Beck, and now in the occupation of Mr. James DUFTON, and the site of which contains an Area of 481 square yards. This Lot affords a valuable Site for the establishment of any business requiring Steam Power on a moderate Scale.

Marriage of Mary Ann Dufton, daughter of George Dufton

Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 13 June 1846

MARRIAGES

Woodhouse, near Leeds, June-5, at Woodhouse Church, Mr. James Kay, commercial traveller, to Miss Mary Ann DUFTON, daughter of Mr. George DUFTON, of Richmond-terrace. Also James KITCHEN to Miss Mary Ann DUFTON, daughter of Mr. James DUFTON, broker, of St. Peter’s Square.

Again the same newspaper has an advertisement inserted by the two Dufton men concerning their respective daughters being married. That's because both men had a daughter called Mary Ann who decided to get married on the same day in the same church by the same member of the clergy. It was a double wedding, it must be that the two men are linked together by  their families. The marriage record from the church is below:-

The record states:

June 5 1846, James Kitchin, a share broker, son of James Kitchin a wool stapler of Meanwood Street, married Mary Ann Dufton, daughter of James Dufton, of St Peter's Square, Leeds, a broker.

June 5 1846, James Kaye, a book keeper, son of John Kaye a builder, of Woodhouse Carr, Leeds married Mary Ann Dufton, daughter of George Dufton, a builder of Richmond Terrace, Leeds.

Even the father's of the bridegroom's occupations seem to fit the occupation of their respective brides!

Quite a Dufton celebration!

 Sadly though the marriage of Mary Ann Dufton, George Dufton's daughter to James Kaye was cut short by her death.

Deaths:

Leeds Times: Saturday 4 March 1848:-

DEATHS: Yesterday week, greatly lamented and much respected, in the 20th year of her age, Mary Ann, wife of Mr. James KAY, and daughter of Mr. George DUFTON., of Richmond-terrace, Leeds.

All these articles show that George Dufton lived at Richmond-Terrace in Leeds, and that he was a builder, even though in the census of 1841 he is shown as living on independent means.

The marriage record of Mary Ann, daughter of James Dufton, show that James & family lived at St Peter's Square, Leeds in 1846. In fact James lived there in 1842, as this newspaper announcement inserted by James shows.

Leeds Times - Saturday 11 June 1842

DEATHS Yesterday aged 38, after a long tedious illness, borne with Christian patience & fortitude, Mary, the devoted wife of Mr. James Dufton, St Peter’s Square, in this town. So Mary Wood, wife of James Dufton died on Friday 10 June 1842, at St Peter's Square, Leeds. Bearing in mind that the 1841 Census one year earlier showed James living next door to George Dufton in Richmond Terrace, Leeds, he seems to have moved to St Peter's Square shortly afterwards. 

What I have been struggling with is to find the parents of these two men, and whether they were related. It certainly appears they were from the marriage record above of their 2 daughters Mary Ann Dufton, and James & Mary Wood witnessing the marriage of George & Eliza Ralph in 1825. Then both of their marriages being inserted as an announcement of marriage in the Leeds Intelligencer.

I have found one indicator as to the father of James Dufton-John Dufton.

On Friday June 10, 1842, Mary, the wife of James Dufton died. I found this announcement in the Leeds Times:- Leeds Times - Saturday 15 March 1845

Marriages: On Thursday at the parish Church, Leeds, Mr. Councillor James DUFTON, broker, to Mrs. Elizabeth Cross both of Leeds.

So I looked for his marriage record and found this:-

March 13 1845, James Dufton, widower, a broker of St Peter's Square, Leeds, son of John Dufton a broker married Elizabeth Cross, widow, of Quarry Hill, daughter of James Baldwin, an innkeeper.
Elizabeth CROSS a widow, so she had  been married before to a man called CROSS who had died before her marriage to James DUFTON.
If her father was James BALDWIN, then her maiden name was BALDWIN; Elizabeth BALDWIN, was the daughter of James BALDWIN, an Innkeeper and his wife Ann FENTON. Her mother and father married on 4^th February, 1812, at Leeds St Peter, when her father James was a shoemaker.

Her mother, Ann BALDWIN, nee FENTON died in the year of 1842 as this article in the Leeds
Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 10 December 1842
DEATHS:
Thursday last, Ann, Wife, of Mr. James Baldwin, Globe Inn, Quarry-hill,  in this town.

Elizabeth BALDWIN married Robert CROSS, a butcher on 27 September, 1836.
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935 for Robert Cross
Leeds, St Peter 1836

So Robert CROSS & Elizabeth BALDWIN married at Leeds St Peter's Church on 27 September 1836.
NO. 962:the record above states: Robert CROSS, of this parish Butcher and Elizabeth BALDWIN, of this parish, spinster, were married in this church by licence/vicar Surrogate this twenty seventh day of September, in the year One thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty six by me Robert Taylor, Curate.
Witnessed by Christopher Pickard & Hannah BALDWIN. Then I found that Elizabeth & Robert had a son born to them called John. He died on 17th August, 1838, as this newspaper article states:
Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 25 August 1838
Deaths: Sunday last, John, the infant son of Mr. Robert Cross butcher, Duncan-street, Leeds.

So John their son was born between 27 September 1836 & 17th August 1838.

Robert & Elizabeth had another son called Robert who was born 24 December, 1840 and christened at Leeds St Peter's Church on 26 March, 1841.

I can't find Robert & his wife in the 1841 census, but he was recorded on the UK Poll and Electoral Registers as living at Duncan Street, Leeds House & Shop Duncan Street, Leeds.

Then on Thursday 25th April, 1844, Elizabeth BALDWIN's husband Robert CROSS died as this newspaper entry states.

Leeds Times - Saturday 27 April 1844

DEATHS:  On Thursday, at Kirkstall, aged 31, Mr. Robert Cross, butcher, Leeds.

So then Elizabeth his wife, maiden name BALDWIN, married Councillor James DUFTON, as it was in the record above: 

 

March 13 1845, James Dufton, widower, a broker of St Peter's Square, Leeds, son of John Dufton a broker married Elizabeth Cross, widow, of Quarry Hill, daughter of James Baldwin, an innkeeper.


George & Eliza Dufton witnessed this marriage. Unfortunately the earlier marriage records did not show the partner's parents, so George's marriage record does not show his father. I have found a newspaper article where a John Dufton and his son James, both brokers are sued for non-payment in the year 1825. The only problem with that article, is the announcement of James Dufton's marriage to Mary Wood:-
Leeds Intelligencer - Thursday 03 November 1825

MARRIAGES

Yesterday week, Mr. James DUFTON, builder, to Miss Wood, dress-maker, both of this town. Can you be a broker & a builder at the same time?
Certainly James Dufton owned a great deal of slum property in the Kirkgate area of Leeds, in 1843, when Kirgate Market was expanded the Council voted to buy land owned by James as well as a Mrs Hannah Dufton who both owned land in the Kirgate area of Leeds. He also owned houses and a flax mill in the Richmond Hill area of Leeds. Evidence for this lies with an advertisement that was inserted into the Leeds Intelligencer Newspaper on Saturdays 11, 18 & 25 November 1854.

The property was all to be auctioned at the Black Swan Inn on Wednesday 29 November 1854. It appears that all the cottages & dwelling houses were sold, but the flax mill wasn't sold, because then this advertisement was inserted into the same newspaper on Saturdays 9 December 1854 to 19 May 1855.

That marriage record to Mrs Elizabeth Cross on 15 March 1845, includes a mention of the fact that James Dufton was a political person as well. In fact both he and George were elected on to the Leeds City Council. George was a chartist, someone who wanted political reform. 

Leeds Times - Saturday 08 January 1842:-Election of Improvement Commissioners

A meeting for the election of nineteen improvement Commissioners was held on Thursday last in the vestry of Parish Church. Three gentlemen were proposed as chairman namely Mr. Cummins, Mr. James Green, and Mr. Wm. Brooke. The last-named gentleman was elected. The meeting then adjourned to the Vicar’s Croft. About 1000 people were present, of whom the great preponderance were Chartists. Mr. Brooke having opened the meeting with a few observations.

Mr. Kelsall came forward and said he had great pleasure in proposing nineteen gentlemen, who were all well known to them, and who, there could be no doubt, were eminently qualified to discharge the important duties of Improvement Commissioners. They were men whom he had frequently met in various committees in the town, and men more determined to do their duty fearlessly were not to be found in Leeds. He concluded by proposing the following gentlemen.

Messrs Horatio Wood, George Hammond, Robert Bewley, Wm. Sellers, Edward King, George Morton, Joshua Metcalfe, Benjamin Hebden, Joseph Woodhead, Thomas Otley, Charles Cummins, Richard Bissington, Hutchinson Gresham, Thomas Anderton, William Bins, James Vickerman, John Whitehead, Joseph Raper and John Wilson.

Mr. Thomas Morgan seconded the motion.

Mr. Hick, of the Northern Star office then moved the following gentlemen, including as he said, seven of the late commissioners-Messrs Horatio Wood, Wm. Binns, Edward King, Joseph English, John Ardhill, Joseph Woodhead, George DUFTON, Henry Wilks, Joseph Raper, Joseph Pickard, Joshua Hobson, William Hartley, Wm. Sellers, Thos. Otley, George Wood, Barnard Holroyd, John Whitehead & Thomas Button.

Mr. Michael Longstaff seconded the proposal.

Two other gentlemen were proposed from the body of the meeting, viz., Mr. J A Buttery, and Mr. Thomas Harrison, flour dealer.

The chairman then declared the gentlemen in the Chartists list duly elected.

Mr. Horatio Wood, solicitor; Mr. Joseph Pickard, machine maker; Mr. William Binns, cloth manufacturer, Mr. Joshua Hobson, printer; Mr. Edward King, woolstapler; Mr. William Hartley, broker; Mr. Joseph English, butcher;  Mr. William Sellers, chandler; Mr. John Ardhill, clerk; Mr. Thos. Otley, Innkeeper; Mr. Joseph Woodhead, builder; Mr. George Wood, gentleman, Mr. George DUFTON, gentleman,  Mr. Joshua Barnard, toll bar farmer; Mr. Henry Wilks, gentleman; Mr.  John Olroyd, inn keeper; Mr. Josh. Raper, builder; Mr John Whitehead, machine maker, Mr. Thomas Button, cloth manufacturer.

Note in 1842, George Dufton gives his occupation as gentleman. This was a rather loose description of his status, basically he didn't have to do any physical work, but owned a large number of houses, many of which were very sub-standard, but the occupants in them paid him rent, no doubt through several agents. His death record in 1855 shows his occupation as a proprietor of houses-so more like a slum landlord than an English Country gentleman!

In 1841, James DUFTON had already been voted onto the council

Leeds Times - Saturday 06 November 1841

The Municipal Election:Prostration of the Tories

The annual election of 16 councillors to fill up the vacancies occasioned in the Town Council by the retirement of one third of the councillors in accordance with the provisions of the Corporations Act took place on Monday last.

North East WARD

In this ward the candidates were Mr. James DUFTON, general broker, Richmond Terrace, Reformer, Mr. Benjamin Holroyd, dyer, Tory, Mr Dufton was returned by a majority of 4.

In fact there was a big celebratory dinner to welcome him back into the Council fold 

Leeds Times - Saturday 20 November 1841

So when George was elected onto the Council, James was elected to serve on the  Committee for rates & accounts: 

Leeds Times - Saturday 01 April 1843

Election of Surveyors of the Highways, Leeds

George DUFTON, gent., Richmond Terrace & Mr. John Rinder butcher, Shambles, were elected along with 17 others were elected to serve as surveyors of the Highways of Leeds.

They also both served on the committee for a local club.

Leeds Times - Saturday 16 May 1846

NOTICE:_ Grantham Arms Militia Club:- On Wednesday last, the Presidents and stewards disposed the sum of £2 3s 5d. left in their hands by the members to Reward the secretary for his labour and attention, in the following manner. Mr. Councillor Jas. DUFTON, President, Mr. William Mason, treasurer, Mr. George DUFTON, Mr. Barker, and Mr. Gill, stewards, the sum of 6s. each; Secretary 13.5d.

Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 08 November 1851

Leeds Municipal Elections

George Dufton stood for the Municipal Council as a conservative for the East Ward.

The article states: East WARD: In this ward a contest sprang up rather unexepectedly. The candidates were Edward MORGAN, (retiring councillor), Wheeler-street, a Whig radical, and Mr. George DUFTON, machine broker, a conservative. Mr. MORGAN having the advantage of being first in the field, was elected by 149 votes against 40 recorded for Mr. DUFTON.

So George Dufton ended his time on Leeds Council.

So with all this publicity, and both working for the Council, you might have expected that an announcement of their deaths in the local press, but no, I can't anything. I have sent for George's death certificate, Free BMD has him dying in 1855, in the June quarter. Yorkshire BMD http://www.yorkshirebmd.org.uk/cgi/deathind.cgi has his death record as SE/30/383.

George also made a will, so I have sent for that too from Borthwick Institute. http://www.york.ac.uk/borthwick/contact/

 I also discovered that James Dufton died in the same year, 1855, NORTH/41/233, , also in June 1855 according to Free BMD. That would account for this advertisement being inserted on Saturday 14 March 1857 for three Saturdays before the sale on 2 April 1857.

Note the property for sale, the Flax Mill in Providence Street, "late in the occupation of Mr. James DUFTON, deceased"

James DUFTON left a will, which I have sent for from the Borthwick Institute. A few years after his death, the creditors of James DUFTON were invited to attend a hearing a the chancery court in London. There was a notice in the York Herald, which I read before I realised that James had died in 1855, and this notice at first made me wonder who Elizabeth DUFTON could be.

York Herald - Saturday 01 January 1859

Pursuant to a decree of the High Court of Chancery made in the a Cause of Isaac Dods & Edward Henry PATTEN, on behalf of themselves and others the creditors of James DUFTON, deceased, against Elizabeth DUFTON.

The creditors of the said James DUFTON, late of Leeds, in the County of York, broker, who died in or about the month of June 1855, are by their solicitors, on or before the 11^th day of January 1859, to come in and prove their claims at the Chambers of the Master of the Rolls.

In fact when I read this article I wondered at first if the Elizabeth DUFTON it referred to was James's daughter Elizabeth, but then I discovered that she married a Charles Augustus FITZROY in 1843.

Leeds Times - Saturday 21 October 1843

Marriages:-On Thursday, at Holbeck Church, by the Rev. Mr. Brown, Mr. Charles Fitzroy, corn miller, Holbeck, to Elizabeth eldest daughter of James Dufton esq., of Saint Peter’s Square, Leeds.
Then when I saw the advertisement for sale above and saw where the sale was to be held, "Marquis of Granby Inn", the house of Mr. Charles Fitzroy", then I realised the connection. No of course, Elizabeth DUFTON was Elizabeth Cross, nee Baldwin, whom James had married in 1845. Mind you, I then set about researching Mr. Charles Fitzroy, and what a find I made there. 

Leeds Times - Saturday 02 December 1882: MARRIAGES LEEDS AND NEIGHBOURHOOD

DE VLASGOW-NORD Nov. 19^th at the Russian Church of the Russian Legation, Geneva, Pierre de Vlassow, Russian Consul General of Ghelenn, Persia to Madame de Nord, widow of George de Nord, Russian Consul, Rescht, Persia, daughter of the late Charles Augustus Fitzroy, Esq., and grand-daughter of the late James DUFTON, Esq., Leeds.

 Mr. Charles Augustus Fitzroy, was born in 1816 in Cosgrove, Northamptonshire, son of Henry Fitzroy, (not found his mother yet). A snapshot of his life was in this newspaper article when appeared, (as he did on several occasions), at a Bankruptcy hearing. This one was in March 1851:-

Leeds Times - Saturday 08 March 1851

INSOLVENT DEBTORS: To be heard at York Castle, in the County of York before Alfred Septimus Dowling, Sergeant-in-law, Judge of County of Yorkshire, holden at York, on Monday the 24^th day of March 1851, at the hour of ten in the morning.

CHARLES AUGUSTUS FITZROY, late of lodgings at Richmond-terrace, Leeds, Yorkshire, out of business, previously of Mexbro, near Rotherham, Yorkshire, publican, and formerly of Swinton, near Rotherham, aforesaid, clerk at the River Dun Navigation Company’s office, at Swinton aforesaid.

The "London Gazette" makes the position more clear:

The London Gazette

Publication date:4 March 1851 Issue:21188 Page:656

Charles Augustus Fitzroy, late of Richmond-terrace, Leeds, Yorkshire, Publican, out of business.—In the Gaol of York.

According the baptism records, he and Elizabeth's first daughter, Mary Emily Dufton Fitzroy was born in St Peter's Square, Leeds on 25 September 1844, when Charles's occupation is given as broker, like his father-in-law James Dufton. Their next child, Francis Frederick Dufton Fitzroy was born in the registration district of Rotherham in October quarter of 1849 and died in the same quarter in the Doncaster registration district.So that is when Charles & Mary Ann & daughter Mary are living in South Yorkshire, where Charles has first of all worked as a clerk for the Dun Navigation Company at Swinton, and then as a publican at Mexborough, before moving back to Leeds. At some time his debtors caught up with him and he was imprisoned in York Castle Gaol to await his hearing. Meanwhile, his pregnant wife Elizabeth was living in Richmond Terrace in 1851, the same place that George Dufton was living in that year. Maybe James Dufton, who owned much of the property there allowed his pregnant married daughter Elizabeth and their child Mary Emily to live in one of his many houses. What ever happened at that bankruptcy hearing, Charles must have survived it without going to prison and in April, 1851, their second son, Dufton Fitzroy was born. By census day, 1851, Charles & family are living at 14, Arthur Street, Leeds where Charles has reverted back to his old occupation as a corn miller.

He then goes back into the licensing trade, as landlord of the Marquis of Granby, Lady Lane, Leeds and living at Richmond Terrace again in 1854 as this advertisement states.

 Leeds Intelligencer Newspaper on Saturdays 11, 18 & 25 November 1854.

Lot 1:-All those Four Messuages or Dwellinghouses, pleasantly situated at Richmond Hill in Leeds aforesaid, and forming part of Richmond Terrace, together with the Outbuildings and Appurtenances thereto belonging, and more particularly delineated on the sale Plan, which said Messuages are now in respective Occupations of Mr. Mann, Mr. Waterhouse, Mr. CHARLES FITZROY and Mr. KITCHIN.

This information about him landlord of the Marquis of Granby, Leeds:-

Leeds Times - Saturday 07 June 1856

Valuable Freehold Estates, Providence Street, Bank, Leeds.

To be sold by AUCTION by Messieurs Oliver and Son at the House of Mr. Charles FITZROY, the Marquis and Granby Inn, Lady Lane, in Leeds, on Thursday the second day of April 1857, at six o’ clock in the evening.

Lot 1: All that Plot of Land, situate in Providence Street, near Richmond Hill, at the Near Bank, in Leeds aforesaid, lying the eastwardly side of Providence Street, Ten yards wide and ….and also all that FLAX MILL, erected and built upon or some part thereof and late in the occupation of Mr. James DUFTON, deceased, together with the Engine House, Steam Engine, new Cornish Boiler, and all the shafting, Going Gear, machinery, Cistern, Pump, and Piping in and about the said Mill and Premises.

 He also was a key-holder for some of the property formerly owned by his father-in-law, James DUFTON, who by the time of the below report was dead. 

Leeds Times - Saturday 06 September 1856

There had been a robbery, or what we would call now a burglary from Messrs Hardwicks in Dyer Street, Leeds and man called Thomas Belt had been charged with being in possession of some of the cloth stolen in the robbery. Police following the trail of the stolen property which had been lowered from the warehouse found some on the roof of an adjoining building and some in an unoccupied house in Somerset Street. Charles Fitzroy had to give evidence as he was the key-holder for this house which had not been out of his possession at all.
In June 1857, Charles was again in trouble.

 Leeds Times - Saturday 13 June 1857

Conspiracy to Procure Personation

Alfred Collett next applied for warrants against Richard Moat, the master of the Mendicity-office; George Wood, landlord of the Crown & Anchor, North Street, Charles Fitzroy, landlord of the Marquis of Granby for aiding, procuring and abetting Mountain in the personation of a voter. “From the evidence to be produced,”, said Mr. Collett, “we shall prove that Moat went with a cab for this man more than once to induce him to impersonate’ then Wood lent him a hat and coat to go and vote in; and then Fitzroy gave Mountain a half-crown, of which he spent 3d and the remaining 2s 3d was found upon him.”

The case all hinged around a man called Joseph Mountain, who was unable to vote, going to vote for a man called William Hartley.

At the trial, the charge against Fitzroy was dropped when no evidence could be proved.

He was acquitted.

Involved in Inquiry into Forgery at Election of Leeds Board of Guardians.

Leeds Times - Saturday 26 September 1857

There was an enquiry into some improper voting at the election of guardians of the workhouse. "The inquiry we should explain is not directed against unseating any of the Guardians, however fraudulently their election nay have been procured but to a searching investigation of the forgeries committed by a small group of Tories for the purpose of securing the ascendancy of that party at the board."  Approximately 91 forged proxy papers were made and handed in to a Mr. Cromack who kept a book in which the names on the proxy papers were entered to show who was entitled to vote. When the proxies were handed in, there were four men present in the room with this book supervising the entering of the names. They were Richard Stead, late chairman of the Guardians Mr. Middleton, present chairman of the board of guardians, Mr. Charles FITZROY, inn-keeper, Mr. L. Hicks, Guardian, Mr. Charles Sharp and others.

However, by 1859, he was no longer landlord of this public house, he was bankrupt again, as these articles show:

On the 4 January 1859, the London Gazette reported that Charles Fitzroy was in York castle Gaol for debt, awaiting his hearing.
"Charles Augustus Fitzroy, late of Richmond-terrace, Leeds, Yorkshire, Publican, out of business.—In the Gaol of York."

The Leeds Times copied this entry and the next entry in the Gazette as well.

The London Gazette

Publication date:7 January 1859 Issue:22216 Page:74

"Charles Augustus Fitzroy sued as Charles Fitzroy, late of Torre-lodge, York-road, Leeds, Yorkshire, in lodgings, out of business, my wife during this time carrying on business as a Schoolmistress, previously of the Marquis of Granby, Lady-lane, Leeds aforesaid, Licensed Victualler, and also Licensed Dealer in Wines, Spirits, and Tobacco, and also during part of such time occupying a house in Dolly-lane, New Town, Leeds, aforesaid."

Curiously also it shows the occupation of his wife, Elizabeth, who worked as a schoolmistress whilst her husband was "out of business", and in Gaol in York. So after he had been at the Marquis de Granby, he moved to Dolly-lane, Newtown Leeds. 

The area to the north of Leeds around this time was nothing like it is now. Then there was countryside, with coal seams and coal mines all over the place as this next map shows.

Dolly Lane Newtown is to the right of the large D of Leeds. Note also Black Bank Farm with a coal pit near it, just near the S at the foot of the map. There is also a road shown called Nippet Lane.
 Meanwhile Charles had a stay of execution:- Leeds Times - Saturday 29 January 1859

Yorkshire Insolvent debtors Court

At the monthly meeting of this court held on Monday at York Castle before Mr. Sergeant Dowling the following insolvents were discharged in consequence of no opposition having been shown, The following insolvents were adjourned- Charles Augustus Fitzroy, Leeds, licensed victualler.

So all this time he was in gaol in York, quite a long way from Leeds, where his wife and children were living. Just wonder who was looking after the children whilst Elizabeth was working as a schoolmistress. 

The census of 1861, shows Charles and family living at Torre Lodge, Nippet Lane. 

Note the place names on this page, at the top, Rock Cottage, then Nippet Lane, then some buildings with the word stable on them, and eventually Torre Lodge, with Charles Fitzroy, a clerk at a coal mine, born Old Shafford, Northamptonshire. Elizabeth is with him, as their children Mary & Dufton. and Charles Henry aged 9 months. So on 7 April, 1861, Charles was at home and working at a coal mine, and looking at the occupations of the other men on this page in 1861, many of them were working at coal mines. So this son Charles is named after his Charles's father Henry. However, Charles wasn't prepared to stay working at this coal mine for very long. he soon went back to his old trade of landlord of a public house. In the meantime the previous debt hearing was still hanging over him, but too his relief it was finally settled 2 years later as this article states.

Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 31 January 1863

THE BANKRUPTCY ACT 1861, IN THE COUNTY COURT OF YORKSHIRE, HOLDEN AT LEEDS:- In the matter of CHARLES AUGUSTUS FITZROY, formerly inn keeper at the Marquis of Granby, in Lady-lane, Leeds, in the county of York,, but now weighman at a Coal Pit, and residing at Black Bank Farm, York Road, in the parish of Leeds, aforesaid, a bankrupt. Whereas at a public sitting of the court held this day the court general granted an order of discharge to the said bankrupt. 

 So Charles & family didn't stay long at Torre Lodge, but moved to Black Bank Farm, where would you believe it a coal pit is marked on this map. Torre Road is the continuation of Nippet Lane passing Black Bank Farm.

So now Charles & Elizabeth had 3 children, Mary Emily Dufton Fitzroy, bn. 1844, Dufton Fitzroy bn. 1851 & Charles Henry bn. 1860. They did have another son called Charles Augustus who was baptised at Burmantofts St Stephen on 14 January 1858, and then died soon afterwards. Charles's occupation then was down as a publican.

In the next five years Charles continued to experiment with the licensing trade, becoming landlord of the nearby White Horse Inn, where he bought his beer from a brewer called Mitchell who lived on Nippet Lane. He also went into a business making sanitary tubes, moving to Seacroft to do so. This article in the Leeds Times describes these years.

 Leeds Times - Saturday 18 January 1868

BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS AT YORK

Mr. Registrar YORKE attended York Castle on Thursday and heard the following applications for prisoners for debt:- Charles Augustus Fitzroy, publican, and sanitary tube dealer, of Seacroft, stated that he formerly kept the White Horse Inn, a public house in Leeds. His judgement creditor was Mr. J. Mitchell, brewer, Nippet Lane, Leeds. The amount of debt was £26 18s 3d., for bitter beer. His total debts reached £1, 341; of which amount £1,130 was secured. Beyond that he had no assets. He was bankrupt in 1861. He attributed his insolvency to bad trade and undue pressure on the part of his creditors, who put in an execution. He was assigned for hearing at Leeds Bankruptcy Court.

So Charles was in prison again for debt in York Castle Gaol in January 1868.
The London Gazette

Publication date:13 March 1868

THIS is to give notice, that the Court acting in the JL prosecution of an adjudication of Bankruptcy, made by a Registrar attending the Castle or Gaol of York, and filed on the 16th day of January, 1868, in Her Majesty's Court, of Bankruptcy for the Leeds District, against Charles Augustus Fitzroy, of Seacroft, near Leeds, in the county of York, Publican and Sanitary Tube Dealer, did, on the 6th day of March, 1868, on the application of the said bankrupt for an Order of Discharge, adjudge the said bankrupt entitled to such Order of Discharge, and the same was allowed and granted accordingly. 

So it was all over again, and Charles was back at home again, back to working as a landlord, this time of the "Admiral Inn" as this article explains:-

Leeds Times - Saturday 23 January 1869

The members of the Court “Admiral”, of the Ancient Order of Foresters dined together on Saturday at the house of Mr. Charles Augustus Fitzroy, the Admiral Inn, Whitwell-street, York-road.

 By the time of the 1871 census, Dufton Fitzroy, a milk farmer,  names himself as head of the family, with Charles, Elizabeth, Charles Henry & another son Edward aged 6, and cousin James D Kitchin all at 2 Burmantoft Grove, Leeds, with Dufton well off enough to afford a servant.

Charles is out of business, so unemployed, his nephew James Dufton Kitchin is also out of work, but he may have had some money anyway. He was the son of Elizabeth Dufton's sister Mary Ann and her husband James Kitchin, the marriage is above, the same day as Mary Ann Dufton, daughter of George Dufton. As a young teenager, James had emigrated to Australia, and was in July 1860 in Melbourne, Victoria, maybe for the gold rush. An advertisement both in the Leeds Intelligencer & Melbourne Argus suggested he return to England.

Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer - Saturday 14 September 1867

JAMES DUFTON KITCHEN Wanted the address of Mr. James DUFTON Kitchen, formerly of Leeds, in the County of York, or the particulars of his death. Mr. Kitchen was last heard of in July 1860 when he was at Melbourne, in the colony of Victoria Australia. A reward will be given. Apply Markland & Davy, solicitors.

The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) Friday 25 December 1868

JAMES KITCHEN, formerly of Leeds, in the county of York, England, last heard of in July, 1860, at Melbourne in the colony of Victoria, Australia. A reward will be paid to any one giving such, information as will enable the advertisers to ascertain the present abode, or date and place of death, of the above named. Apply to Messrs. MARKLAND and DAVY, solicitors, Leeds, England.

So it looks like James has returned from Australia, to stay with his cousin Dufton Fitzroy. He seems to have influenced his cousin Dufton in the choice of what he was going to do in the future. 

There is a death recorded of Charles Augustus Fitzroy in Leeds in the December quarter of 1872. Nothing in the press about him. His burial yet to be found, but most likely at Beckett Street cemetery.

Now I want to get back to where I started this story. Eliza Jane Dufton, born 27 June 1830 to parents of George & Eliza Dufton. Many years ago, when I first started family history research, I discovered that my maternal great grandmother was Louisa Doughty, nee Dixon, daughter of Edward Dixon and his wife Eliza Jane Dixon nee Dufton. I have already explored the Dixon side of the family. So now lets look at Eliza Dufton, wife of George Dufton, Eliza Jane's mother. All I knew for quite some time was that she was born Eliza Ralph, in London. So George, her husband, died in 1855, quite a young age, leaving her a widow, with at least 2 married children, aged 48. Searching the newspapers for Eliza Dufton, this is what I found.

Yorkshire Gazette - Saturday 14 January 1860

On Monday, the 9^th inst., at Leeds Parish Church, Mr. John Foster of this city, wine-merchant, to Mrs. Eliza Dufton, of the former place.

Leeds Times - Saturday 14 January 1860

MARRIAGES:- On Monday, at the parish church Leeds, by the Rev. F. S. Robinson, Mr. John Foster, spirit merchant, to Mrs. Eliza Dufton of Leeds.

The marriage at Leeds Parish Church has more detail, particularly about Eliza's father, John Ralph.

The text reads: 1860 Marriage at the Parish Church, in the parish of Leeds in the County of York
75. January 9 1860, John Foster, 53, widower, a spirit merchant, of York, son of Tristram Foster, Farmer & Eliza Dufton, 52, Widow, of Park Cross Street, Leeds, daughter of John Ralph, spirit merchant.

In the four years since the death of her husband George, Eliza has moved to Park Cross Street, with runs from St Paul's Street to the Headrow. Maybe she had to as her house, owned by James Dufton was sold. So her father John was a spirit merchant-I know it doesn't say he was deceased in 1860 but you would have thought he might be given that his daughter was 52 years of age. Eliza & John move to John's town of York. You would have thought that Eliza would have known York by now-her daughter Eliza Jane was living there in Walmgate, and that's where her mother and John Foster also go to live-they are there in the 1861 Census. There was a train service from Leeds to York before 1860.

So having discovered that Eliza's father was John, & a spirit merchant, and the 1861 census records her being born in Newgate Street in London, I searched for her baptism and found that she was baptised on 10 June 1807 at Christ Church, Newgate Street, London. I then found she had a sister Mary Ann, born 1805 and her mother's name was Mary. I found a marriage at Christ Church, Newgate Street, between a John Ralph and a Mary Caffrey, who was a widow at the time of her marriage.
Grandmother Eliza would have been in York to welcome the birth of her grand children Kate in 1861, Albert in 1863, William in 1865, and may have present at his funeral in 1867 & Ada, 1866.
Eliza died on 6 April 1868 in Walmgate in York.
John, her husband inserted this announcement in the York Herald.
DEATHS: FOSTER:- On the 6th inst., aged 60 years, Eliza, wife of Mr. John FOSTER, wine and spirit merchant, of this city, Friends will please to accept this intimation.

Today, Tuesday 5 May 2015, I went into Leeds to consult the records at Leeds Central Library. I spotted a large folder/book with the name of Woodhouse Cemetery Burials upon it. It consisted several hundred pages of Xerox typed sheets. The head of each column across the page read:
Plot, Surname, Christian Name,  date of death, age at death
07805, Dufton, James,  died 11 06 1855, 051.00
11206, Dufton, George, died 00, 00, 0000, age, 00,00 
07805, Dufton, Hannah, died 00, 00, 00, age, 00.00
07805, Dufton, Maria, died 00,00,00, age 00,00
07805, Fitzroy, Charles Augustus, died, 00,00,00, age, 00,00
07805, Fitzroy, Charles Augustus, died, 27, 11, 1872, age 68.00
07805, Dufton, Mary, died 00,00,00, age, 00.00
07805, Dufton, Maria, died 00.00.00, age 00.00
11116, Dufton, John, died 00.00.00, age, 00.00
11116, Kaye, Mary Ann, died 00.00.00, age 00,00.

There had to be a connection between the James Dufton in 07805 & Charles Augustus Fitzroy 27 11 1872, but I wondered why the others didn't have any further information. In the front pages of the book was information to the effect that more information is at the Brotherton Library, Special Collections centre with a phone number to ring to gain an appointment. I rang the number, I walked up the hill to Leeds University and found the special collections centre on the fourth floor. I had to be signed in, but soon was sitting at a desk with a large volume in front of me on foam supports. The volume was entitled "Register of burials at Leeds General Cemetery, Woodhouse, in the Parish of Leeds 1855.
Turning to 11 June 1855, there was this entry, under the following column headings.
No. Burial, No. Grave, date of death, Name, Age, sex, Disease, Rank, Profession, Address, Parents, Additional details, Informant, Officiating minister. ( So a burial service took place)
10043, 7805, 11 June 1855, James Dufton, 51, male, Liver Disease, General Machinery Broker, St. Peter's Square, John & Elizabeth Dufton, he was a broker, informant Charles Fitzroy, Edward Brown was officiating minister.
So now I knew James Dufton's  parents, and his father's occupation confirmed as broker, so I had that right, (John & Elizabeth Dufton), cause of death (liver disease), his address (St Peter's Square), and there was Charles Fitzroy, his son-in-law and the informant. So if this sort of information was going to be all of those names above it was going to be a good day.

Then I turned to the burial records for Charles Augustus Fitzroy. Again I found a large volume entitled Register of Burials at Leeds General Cemetery at Woodhouse in the Parish of Leeds, 1872
Under the same column headings above I found this entry.
26248, 7805, 24 November 1872, 27 November 1872, Charles Augustus Fitzroy, 68, male, Paralysis, Gentleman, 2, Burmantofts Green, born Bucks, parents, Lord Henry Fitzroy & Emma Fitzroy, Employed as a captain, informant, E. Fitzroy, Minister, Harris.
So now I knew that Charles Augustus Fitzroy was born in Bucks, son of Lord Henry Fitzroy and Emma Fitzroy, he was a captain, and that he died of paralysis, aged 68, on 24 November 1872, being buried in grave 7805 on 27 November 1872, from 2 Burmantofts Green, Leeds, his wife, Elizabeth Fitzroy was the informant for the records. So he was born in 1804, in Bucks, just like he said in 1851.
Then I was shown some other large volumes, grave records, so looking first for 11206, I found that this was owned by Mrs Dufton of Richmond Crescent, and the only occupant was George Dufton with no other details at all. So George Dufton, husband of Eliza Jane Ralph was buried in that cemetery, but no other details such as above for James Dufton.
Then in the same book, I found grave 11116: owned by a Mr. Dyson, of West Street. Buried in that grave was Mary Dyson, Mary Ann Saville, John Ralph, Mary Ann Kaye, Eliza Brown, Mary Ann Dixon & John Dufton. So without a further details I can only assume that Mary Ann Kaye & John Dufton are brother and sister, and John Ralph was the father of Eliza Jane Dufton nee Ralph, the wife of George Dufton. Who all the others are in grave I have no idea.
In another volume I found grave 7805, owner was Mr. James Dufton, St Peter's Square. There was this caption-This belongs to Mrs Dufton, St Alba St, is not to be .....?
Persons  buried in this grave were Mary Dufton, Maria Dufton, Hannah Dufton, James Dufton June 11/55, Charles Augustus Fitzroy and Charles Augustus Fitzroy, 27 11 1872. I did go and look to see if John Ralph was in the 1841 census, but when I read that this graveyard was opened in 1835, then maybe John was buried before that census anyway.

I could think that Mary Dufton was James's first wife, but who Hannah & Maria were I don't know unless they were his sisters. Okay I know the 2 Fitzroy persons, father & son. 

More about this Cemetery can be found here. http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/spcoll/handlists/040MS421_woodhouse.pdf
http://library.leeds.ac.uk/special-collections-leeds-cemetery-collection


I need to return to the library to see if I can find anything more about those people buried in those graves without full details attached-they must have been somewhere, especially those that were buried after 1837. 

Then I found this site:http://www.yorkshireindexers.info/gallery/index.php?tabid=60

I have contributed to this site myself, photographing and surveying the gravestones in Rothwell Churchyard.

Then this page: http://www.yorkshireindexers.info/gallery/browseimages.php?c=98

In Memory Of / the late / George DUFTON of this town / who died May 5 1855 / Aged 48 Years

It's Tuesday 12 May, I have been back to the Brotherton Library, Special Collections, and looked at the records for Leeds General Cemetery, and yes I have finally cracked the problem I have been searching for quite a while now. 
Using the information above for the burial of George Dufton I found this information.
Burial No. 9976, Grave No. 11206, Date of Death 05 May 1855, Burial Date 8 May 1855, Name George DUFTON, age 48, male, Disease Bronchitis, Gentleman, Residence Richmond Crescent, Born Leeds, Parents George & Elizabeth Dufton, Father's occupation Broker, Informant Edward Dixon, Minister. Edward Brown. So there it was at last, the confirmation that George & James Dufton were brothers, both sons of George & Elizabeth Dufton, a broker. Bouyed with this new information I went looking for the burial record of Mary Ann Kaye, nee Dufton & found this.

Burial No. 5299, Grave No. 11116, death date 25 February 1848, burial date 28 February 1848, Mary Ann Kaye, age 20, female, died of an accident, wife, of Richmond Hill, born Leeds, daughter of George & Eliza Dufton, Broker, informant, John Shalson, minister, Edward Brown.

Burial No. 2607, Grave No. 7805, Death date 10 June 1842, Burial date 12 June 1842, Mary DUFTON, 38 years, female, died of Decay, wife, of St. Peter's Square, daughter of William & Ann WOOD, shoemaker,  informant James Dufton, minister Js. Rawson.

Burial No. 7990, Grave No. 11116, death date 17 May 1852, Burial Date 20 May 1852, John DUFTON, age 23, Male, of Typhus fever, a clerk, of Richmond Terrace, son of George & Eliza DUFTON, informant Edward DIXON, Minister Edward Brown.

I also looked for the burial of John Ralph, who was buried in the same grave as that of John DUFTON, but although Free BMD had a record of a John Ralph dying in the December quarter of 1846 in Leeds I failed to find his burial record, so that is still a mystery. 

So that's it for now. Just have to find the baptism of a George Dufton to a John & Elizabeth DUFTON, a broker, in 1807, in Leeds.

George was baptised at Leeds Parish Church on 15 February 1807, son of John & Elizabeth DUFTON.



Just been confirmed that George DUFTON died at his home at Richmond Crescent, Leeds on 5 May 1855 of Hepatitis & Bronchitis-the death record from Leeds Registry Office confirms this-occupation given as Proprietor of Houses. A Mary Ann BUCKTON was present at his death and informed the Registrar of his death which looks like was certified by a doctor.