Updated 26 May 2011

WIRKSWORTH Parish Records 1600-1900

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James Beeson's Cashbook 1861

With great generosity, Michael Hart donated a Wirksworth cashbook to the webmaster, instead of Ebaying it. He describes it in the following way:
The document is an old (1861) Cash Book adapted to 'Dr Brewer's Book-Keeping'. On the front cover, there is a label, bearing some very fine calligraphy with the name 'Mr J W Beeson's Academy' and then 'Coldwell Street, Wirksworth'. The label is signed in ink: ' Walter Meller'. Inside there are various cash transaction entries in a beautiful rolling script. The entries refer to 'Norwich' and begin in January 1861.
Transcription made at
Eadar dha Fhadail, Outer Hebrides, May 2006

Transcribed at

Ardroil May 06
Outer Hebrides
Anyone who can help the webmaster with any details about this mysterious little book, or the people mentioned here, please contact:

The Cashbook

size 8.25 x 12 inches

History of the Cashbook

    A label on the front of the book seems to indicate that it was used at sometime by Walter Meller, a pupil at James W.Beeson's Academy in Coldwell Street, Wirksworth. James Beeson came from Derby around 1860 to set up a private school for children after they left state education at 11 years old. Walter Meller was baptised in 1848 in Wirksworth, and at the age of 14 in 1862 he was perhaps using this old cashbook as a guide to learn book-keeping. In 1851 Walter was staying with his grandparents Joseph and Hannah in Wigwell Grange, in 1861 with his parents John and Elizabeth in Brailsford and in 1871 was lodging in Litchurch as a joiner and builder. The cashbook itself is dated 1861, and entitled "Norwich" at the head of each page. White's 1857 Directory of Derbyshire lists: Joseph Stone, (Attorney), in Market Place, Wirksworth heading: "Norwich Union & Law, Fire and Life Office". Market Place joins Coldwell Street, and the Norwich Office was close to the Academy. James Beeson and Joseph Stone were probably well known to each other, and Stone gave this old cashbook to Beeson for teaching purposes.

All 10 pages of the cashbook are written in fine copperplate script, and entries begin on January 1st 1861.

Transcription of the Cashbook (10 pages).

Page 1
29           Norwich, Jan 1st 1861
                Cash Received
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
fo of |                                   |               | fo of |
Journ | Commenced Business this day with  |   L     s   d | Ld    |
 36   | a Cash capital of                 | 1,000   0   0 | 45    |
------|-----------------5-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Share this day drawn on Phillips  |               |       |
 36   | & Co for the amount of their bill |    39   5   6 | 48    |
      | at three mos. date and they have  |               |       |
      | accepted the same No 1            |               |       |
------|----------------10-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Recd for Goods sold this day      |               |       |
 36   | Cash as P Day Bk So 5             |    21   3  10 |       |
------|----------------15-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Peek & Co              |               |       |
 36   | A Bill accepted by Smith & Payne  |    66   5  11 | 50    |
      | (Manchester) for Goods sold on    |               |       |
      | the 10th inst at 30 days date.    |               |       |
------|----------------16-----------------|---------------|-------|
 36   | Recd for Goods sold this day      |    29  14   6 | 49    |
      | Cash as Per Day So 2              |               |       |
------|----------------16-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from R.Hibbard              |               |       |
 36   | Cash on account of Commercial     |    26   3   8 | 49    |
      | Bank Per order                    |               |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
      | Allowed by Hewitt and Co          |               |       |
 36   | A discount of 5 per cent on       |        14   8 | 49    |
      | L14 8 2                           |               |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|

Page 2
               Norwich, January 15th 1861
                 Cash Paid
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|
fo of |                                   |             | fo of |
Journ |                                   |   L   s   d | Ld    |
      | Allowed Peek & Co                 |             |       |
 37   | A discount of 2.5 per cent on     |    1  13  11| 50    |
      |      67 19 11                     |             |       |
------|---------------16------------------|-------------|-------|
      | Allowed R.Hibbard                 |             |       |
 37   | In Settlement this day an         |       10   6| 49    |
      | Abatement of 10/6                 |             |       |
------|---------------21------------------|-------------|-------|
      | Accepted a bill drawn by Hewitt   |             |       |
      | & Co; Payable to their order due  |             |       |
      | Feby 14 No 1                      |             |       |
      | This with 14/4 which they allowed |   13  13   8| 49    |
      | me for discount balances their a/c|             |       |
      |      L15 18 2                     |             |       |
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|


Page 3
               Norwich, Jan 21, 1861                               
               Cash Received                                       
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
fo of |          Brought over             |  L    s   d   | fo Ld |
Journ |                                   | 1183  7  10   |       |
------|---------------23------------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from J.Browne               |               |       |
      | His cheque on Hankey & Co.        |               |       |
 36   | This, with the discount of L1,3,4 |   45 11   6   | 48    |
      | which I allowed him balances      |               |       |
      | his a/c                           |               |       |
------|---------------25------------------|---------------|-------|
      | Allowed by Smith and Co           |               |       |
 36   | A discount of 5 per cent on       |    3  6   0   | 50    |
      | L3,10,6                           |               |       |
      |                                   | 1299  2  10   |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
      |-----------February 1st 1861-------|---------------|-------|
      | To Balance from last month        | 1208 14   4   |       |
------|---------------25------------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Bunting & Fenn         |               |       |
 37   | Their bill No 8 at sights         |   20 12   6   | 52    |
------|---------------28------------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Freeman & sons         |               |       |
 37   | Cash on account                   |  100  0   0   | 51    |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
      | Allowed by Clarke and Rowe        |               |       |
 37   | A discount of 5 per cent on       |    2 10   0   | 47    |
      |     L50, 1, 1                     | 1331 16  10   |       |
------|-----------March 1st 1861----------|---------------|-------|
      | Balance from last month           | 1284  5   9   |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd for goods sold this day     |               |       |
      | Cash as Per Pay Book So 5         |   25  x   x   |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|

Page 4
               Norwich January 21, 1861
               Cash Paid
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|
fo of |                                   |             | fo of |
Journ |         Brought over              |   15 18  2  |   Ld  |
------|---------------23------------------|-------------|-------|
      | Allowed J.Browne                  |             |       |
 37   | A discount of 2.5 per cent on     |    1  3   4 | 48    |
      |   L14, 14, 11                     |             |       |
------|---------------25------------------|-------------|-------|
      | Paid Smith & Co.                  |             |       |
 37   | Cash on account of Crown Bank     |    3  6  11 | 50    |
      | per receipts L20, 8, 6            |             |       |
------|---------------31------------------|-------------|-------|
      | Balance this month                | 1208 14   4 |       |
      |-----------------------------------|             |       |
      |                                   | 1229  2  10 |       |
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|
      |---------February 28th 1861--------|             |       |
 37   | Paid Clarke & Rowe                |             | 43?   |
      | Cash in full                      |   47 11   1 |       |
------|---------------29------------------|-------------|-------|
      | By Balance this month             | 1284  5   9 |       |
      |-----------------------------------|             |       |
      |                                   | 1331 16  10 |       |
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|


Page 5
                  Norwich March 8th 1861
                  Cash Received
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
fo of |                                   |   L    s   d  | fo LD |
Journ |          Brought over             |   13   8   8  |       |
------|------------------9----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Phillips & Co          |               |       |
 38   | Cash on acct.                     |   10   0   0  | 48    |
------|-----------------11----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Howlett and Co         |               |       |
 38   | Their acceptance in my favour at  |   30  16   3  | 54    |
      | 2 mos. date No 3                  |               |       |
      | This Balances their a/c           |               |       |
------|-----------------11----------------|---------------|-------|
 39   | Rec'd from Berry and Barker       |   15  10   0  | 45    |
------|-----------------13----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd for goods sold this day     |               |       |
 38   | Cash as per Day Book fo. 6        |    3  19   4  |       |
------|-----------------28----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from J.Browne               |               |       |
 38   | An acceptance of Lloyd & Co (York)|   39   6   9  | 48    |
      | at 3 mos. date No 2               |               |       |
------|-----------------30----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd for goods sold this day     |   32  13   2  |       |
      | Cash as per Day Book fo 7         |               |       |
      |                                   | 1451  14   4  |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|

Page 6
                Norwich March 11th 1861
                Cash Paid
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|
 fo   |                                   |  L   s   d  |fo Ld  |
Journ |                                   |             |       |
 39   | Allowed Berry & Co                |             |  47   |
      | A discount of 2.5 on 15, 18, 0    |      7  11  |       |
------|-----------------21----------------|-------------|-------|
      | Indorsed to Smith and Co          |             |       |
 38   | No 2 on Gurney and Co due Apr 24th| 120 10   0  |  50   |
      |             L127, 17, 11          |             |       |
------|-----------------31----------------|-------------|-------|
      | By Balance this month             |1330 16   5  |       |
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|


Page 7
               Norwich April 16th 1861
               Cash Received
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
fo of |  Brought over                     |  L   s   d    |fo Ld  |
Journ |  Brought over                     |1398  18  3    |       |
------|-----------------20----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from J Browne               |               |       |
 39   | A bill drawn by him at 3 mos from |  36   3  1    | 48    |
      | 28th Feb on Bury & Co (Edinburgh) |               |       |
      | No 6. This with the discount      |               |       |
      | 18, 6 which I allowed him balances|               |       |
      | his a/c                           |               |       |
------|-----------------27----------------|---------------|-------|
 39   | Received from Phillips & Co       |  10   0  0    | 48    |
      | Cash on acct.                     |               |       |
------|-----------------28----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Freeman & sons         |               |       |
 39   | Cash on acct of Commercial Bank   |  15   0  0    | 51    |
      | per order                         |               |       |
------|-----------------29----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from R Hibbard              |               |       |
 40   | His acceptance in my favour at    |  65  10  0    | 49    |
      | 1 mo. No 7                        |               |       |
------|-----------------30----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Allowed by Travers & sons         |               |       |
 40   | In settlement this day an         |  2   10  4    | 47    |
      | abatement of 2 L10, 5, 4          |               |       |
      |                                   |1528   1  9    |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
      |--------------May 1st 1861---------|               |       |
      | To Balance from last month        |1450  18  2    |       |
------|------------------3----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Peek & Co              |               |       |
 41   | Cash on account 1500, 18, 2       |  50   0  0    | 50    |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|

Page 8
             Norwich April 20 1861
             Cash Paid
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|
fo of |                                   |  L   s   d  | fo Ld |
Journ |                                   |             |       |
      | Allowed J.Browne                  |             |       |
40    | A discount of 2.5 per cent on     |      18  6  | 4x    |
      | L37, 1, 8                         |             |       |
------|-----------------30----------------|-------------|-------|
      | Paid Travers & Sons               |             |       |
40    | Cash on account         L30 15 0  |  76   5  0  | 4x    |
      | A cheque on Hankey & Co L45 10 0  |             |       |
      | This with an abatement of 50/4    |             |       |
      | balances their account  L77 3 6   |             |       |
------|-----------------30----------------|-------------|-------|
      | By Balance this month             |1450  18  2  |       |
      |                                   |             |       |
      |                                   |             |       |
      |                                   |             |       |
      |                                   |1528   1  9  |       |
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|


Page 9
33              Norwich May 3rd 1861
                Cash Received
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
fo    |                                   | L    s  d     |       |
Journ |    Brought over                   |1500 18  2     |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from R.Cubitt               |               |       |
 41   | Cash in full                      |  10  2  9     | 56    |
------|----------------21-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from R.Hubbard              |               |       |
 41   | A bill accepted by F.Hope (York)  |  60  0  0     | 49    |
      | at 2 mos.from 30th March No.8     |---------------|       |
      |                                   |1571  1  0     |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
      |          June 1st 1861            |               |       |
      | To Balance from last month        |1490  5 10     |       |
------|-----------------3-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd for goods sold this day     |               |       |
 42   | Cash as per D.B. fo 12            |  18 19  3     |       |
------|-----------------5-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd for goods sold this day     |               |       |
      | as per D.B.fo 13                  |   x  x  x     |       |
------|----------------20-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Phillips & Co          |               |       |
 41   | A bill on himself due June 30th   |  50  0  0     | 48    |
      | No 9                              |               |       |
------|----------------29-----------------|---------------|-------|
      | Rec'd from Wm.Jones               |               |       |
      | A bill accepted by C.Payne        |               |       |
 41   | (London) at 3 mos. from Apr 27th  |  30 10  0     | 51    |
      | No 10                             |               |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|
      |                                   |               |       |
      |                                   |1602 18  7     |       |
------|-----------------------------------|---------------|-------|

Page 10
              Norwich May 17th 1861
              Cash Paid
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|
 fo   |                                   |  L   s  d   |       |
Journ | Allowed R.Cubitt                  |             |       |
      | In settlement this day a discount |      5  2   | 5x    |
      | of 2.5 per cent on L10,8,0        |             |       |
------|-----------------27----------------|-------------|-------|
      | Bought at a Pub[l]ic Sale goods   |             |       |
      | to the value of 80L and gave my   |             |       |
 40   | acceptance at 20 days date No 3   |  80  0  0   | 4x    |
      | Inv.Bk.22                         |             |       |
------|-----------31--L80, 5, 2-----------|-------------|-------|
      | By Balance this month             |1490 15 10   |       |
      |                                   |-------------|       |
      |                                   |1571  1  0   |       |
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|
      |       June 28th 1861              |             |       |
      | Accepted of Clarke & Rowe         |             |       |
 41   | Their draft in Favour of H.Felton |  80  0  0   | 5x    |
      | at 3 mos.date from May 26 No 4    |             |       |
------|-----------------29----------------|-------------|-------|
      | Paid Hill & Underwood             |             |       |
 42   | Cash in full                      |  33  7  0   | 5x    |
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|
 42   | Paid Clerks Salaries              | 120  0  0   | 47    |
      |                      L233, 7, 0   |             |       |
      | By Balance this month             |1369 11  7   |       |
      |                                   |-------------|       |
      |                                   |1602 18  7   |       |
------|-----------------------------------|-------------|-------|

End of Transcription.

J.W.Beeson was also a photographer. Here are 2 sides of a Carte de Visite sent by JW (see the email dated 26 May 2011). The back bears JW's icon for his surname, Beeson. Could the unidentified child have been one of his own children?

James BEESON's Pedigree

[Derbyshire unless specified]
                                               Elton DUR
                                    Richard    1782    Grace
                                    HARRISON=====v=====CLEMONTSON    
                                                 |
                                                 |
                    Hucknall NTT                Bradley
                    1787               Bradley  1798
    X               Hannah   Richard    1822    Elizabeth
    BEESON====v=====X        HENCHLEY====v======HARRISON
              |                          |
              |                          |
              |                          |
             Derby                       |
             1827                       Turnditch    
             James     Ashborne         1829
             William    1850            Anna
             BEESON=======v=============HENCHLEY
             1879         |
             Belper       |
                          |
           |----------|---|-----|--------|-------|
           |          |         |        |       |
          1852       1855      1858     1863    1869
          Harriet    Hannah    Walter   Ida     Adela
                                        1875
                                        Belper
NOTES

1861 Census
Derby St Peter, RG9/2501, Folio 63, Page 11, Schedule 74
Living at 15 Wilmot Street.  

James Beeson      Head M 34 M Private Teacher of writing, 
                              Mathematics, Drawing etc.   Derby
Annie Beeson      Wife M 31 F                             Turnditch
Harriett E Beeson Dau     8 F Scholar                     Derby
Hannah E Beeson   Dau     6 F Scholar                     Derby 
Walter J Beeson   Son     3 M                             Derby

See 1871 Census

James William Beeson died June 1/4 1879 in Belper (7b 323)
Adela May Beeson died Mar 1/4 1875 in Belper (7b 431)

Derby Mercury January 9 1861, page 4, column 2:
"Mr. JAMES BEESON begs to inform his friends and the public generally, 
that he has GIVEN UP SCHOOL-TEACHING and commenced business as a 
LAW STATIONER, Writer and Accountant, House, Estate, and General Agent 
and Collector, Architectural, Mechanical Engineering, and Artistical 
Draughtsman, Private teacher, &c., &c., and can assure those who favour 
him with their patronage, that no effort shall be wanting on his part 
to merit a continuance of the same.
Office, No. 25, St. Mary's-gate, Derby (opposite the County Hall), 
for many years occupied by the late Mr. Woodford, Solicitor."
    

Walter MELLER's Pedigree

[Much of this data thanks to Caroline Woolman (see emails)]

    | | | | Twycross | | | 1778 Whitwick 1780 1788 Ashover 1781 Joseph 1798 Hannah Joseph 1818 Sarah MELLOR=====v======TOONE SMEDLEY======v======LUDLAM 1858 | | 1851 | | |---------|-------|-------| |----|--| | | | | | | 1799 1800 1803 1805 1819 1822 William Elizabeth Maria John Mary Elizabeth | Anne | | | | | Twycross | 1805 Derby 1822 John 1847 Elizabeth [4] MELLOR===v======SMEDLEY [5] 1875 | 1885 [5] | |------------------|------|--|---| |baptised | | | |1848jun25 Manchtr Ecclesfield |at Wirksworth 1850 1854 1856 Walter John Annie Sarah Joseph Fred Maria E MELLER [5]1857 | | Bedford [1] Walter 1876 Emma MELLER======V=======DENNIS | | | |---------|----|----|------| | | | | Florence Gertrude Edith John [2] [3]

[1] Clerk of the works for the Midland Railway in Bedford.
[2] Artist/sculptor in 1901 Census.
[3] Piano teacher in 1901 Census.
[4] John MELLER's Will.
[5] see MI QC194 in Wirksworth cemetery area C
"[QC194]..... In/memory of/JOHN MELLER/who died October 21 l875/ aged 70 years/also of/ELIZABETH/
relict of the above/who died June 16th 1885/aged 63 years/also of/JOHN FREDERIC/son of the above/
who died April 28 1857/aged 7 years/He was interred/ in Ecclesfield Churchyard/Yorkshire.
(Marble headstone & Limestone kerb)"

Census entries

(thanks to Ann Brixey for much of this info)
    1841 Tansley John MELLER 30 m Y Farmer Joseph L MELLER 60 m Y Farmer Hannah MELLER 60 f Y Elizabeth MELLER 20 f Y William HOLMES 15 m Y A.Lab 1841 Wirksworth, Westend. Joseph SMEDLEY 50 m Y Mason Sarah SMEDLEY 50 f Y Elizabeth SMEDLEY 15 f Y 1851 Wirksworth, Wigwell Grange, 098 Joseph MELLOR Head M 73 M Formerly a farmer Twycross LEI Hannah MELLOR Wife M 71 F Coleorton LEI Walter MELLOR Gson 3 M Wirksworth 1851 Wirksworth, Westend, 016 Joseph SMEDLEY Head W 63 M Stone mason Bonsall Elizabeth MELLOR Dau M 29 F Wirksworth John F MELLOR Gson U 1 M Manchester LAN Isaac SMEDLEY Gson U 11 M Wirksworth 1861 Brailsford, Road for Culland, 65 John MELLER Head Mar 49 Coachman Twycross LEI Elizabeth MELLER Wife Mar 39 Wife Wirksworth Walter J MELLER Son 13 Scholar Wirksworth Annie M MELLER Dau 7 Scholar Ecclesfield YKS Sarah E MELLER Dau 5 Scholar Ecclesfield YKS Henry OGDEN Lodger 18 Gents groom Duffield 1871 Litchurch, Derby, 10 Hulland Street, 180 James COX Head Mar 39 Boiler Smith Woodham NTT Matilda COX Wife Mar 42 Newark NTT Walter J MELLER Lodger Unm 23 Joiner & Builder Wirksworth 1871 Wirksworth, West End, 1 John MELLOR Head Mar 65 Retired coachman Twycross LEI Elizabeth MELLOR Wife Mar 49 Wife Wirksworth Annie Maria MELLOR Dau Unm 17 Pupil teacher Cowley YKS 1881 Wirksworth, West End Elizabeth MELLER Head W 58 F Property owner Wirksworth Sarah E. MELLER Dau U 25 F None Cowley Manor YKS

Emails

From: MICK HART
Subject: J W Beeson
Date: Wed, 17 May 2006 20:38:21 +0100
To:

Hello John

I found your email address on the Wirksworth website.

I hope you won't mind me asking you if you have any information on a Mr J W Beeson of Wirksworth.

I deal in antiques & collectables and have a particular interest in ephemera. I was just about to eBay a document in my collection when I realised that I had no idea where Wirksworth was -- hence, looking it up on the web.

As usual, once started I became more and more interested in the background to the document and wondered if you had any information relating to it.

The document is an old (1861) Cash Book adapted to 'Dr Brewer's Book-Keeping'.

On the front cover, there is a label, bearing some very fine calligraphy with the name 'Mr J W Beeson's Academy' and then 'Coldwell Street, Wirksworth'.

The label is signed in ink: ' Walter Meller'.

Inside there are various cash transaction entries in a beautiful rolling script. The entries refer to 'Norwich' and begin in January 1861.

Do you have any information about the Academy and what the connection with Norwich would have been?

Regards
Mick Hart

=============================

From:
To: Michael Hart
Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2006 11:20 PM
Subject: RE: J W Beeson

Hello Mick,

James BEESON was a schoolmaster who arrived in Wirksworth from Derby about 1861, and set up (with his wife Anna) an Academy or Private School, situated in Coldwell Street, in the town centre. "Norwich" refers to the Norwich Union & Law (a Fire & Life Office) run by Joseph Stone, a lawyer, situated in the Market Place nearby. I can only trace one Walter Meller, who would have been 3 in 1861.

I am keen to collect Wirksworth ephemera, and will probably bid for this book on Ebay.

John Palmer, Dorset, England
Author of Wirksworth website
http://www.wirksworth.org.uk

=============================

From: MICK HART
Subject: Re: J W Beeson
Date: Thu, 18 May 2006 20:15:13 +0100
To:

Thanks for the information, John.

There's something quite awesome about tracing a document like this back through the past to the original owner.

Last night, I was side-tracked from eBay (even!) and spent a couple of hours browsing through sites relating to Wirksworth. It certainly has an interesting past and I'm hoping now that I can visit it this summer, perhaps stay for a couple of days and explore the local area.

There's no need to bid for this item on eBay. If you email your address I'll gladly post it to you - no charge. It's a piece of Wirksworth's history and belongs in the right collection.

All the best
Mick

=============================

----- Original Message -----
From:
To: Michael Hart
Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2006 9:57 PM
Subject: Re: J W Beeson

Hello Mick,

That's extremely generous of you, I don't know how to say thanks. I've been studying Wirksworth for 11 years now, and have built up a picture gallery of over 800 items, a lot of them from Ebay postcards. I like to think the website is the largest and most detailed study of an English Parish on the Internet. I don't like blowing my own trumpet, so have a look at this:
www.wirksworth.org.uk/77-FAN-3.htm

I will prepare a page for the website about the cash book, some scans, perhaps transcribe it, and try to follow any leads and names and link them to the Census, Parish registers etc. Let me know if you have a website, so I can link to it when I list my thanks to you.

My address is:

John Palmer, 29 Sutherland Avenue, Broadstone, Dorset BH18 9EB

Other websites listed on:
http://www.eyemead.com

Many thanks again,

John Palmer, Dorset, England

=============================

From: MICK HART
Subject: Re: J W Beeson
Date: Fri, 19 May 2006 08:38:39 +0100
To:

Thanks for your email, John.

[Personal data erased...]

I'll post the cash book to you on Monday, Special Delivery, to ensure its safe arrival on Tuesday.

I look forward to seeing the end result.

PS: I enjoyed your website very much. It is packed with information and obviously a treasure-trove of information for amateur and professional historians alike. I don't know about 'blowing your own trumpet', I think you qualify for the Glen Miller Orchestra!

Best regards
Mick

================================
From: CAROLINE WOOLMAN
Subject: Walter Meller cashbook
Date: Sat, 1 Jul 2006 23:43:43 +0100
To:

Hello John,

I have just discovered your website and am particularly interested in the cashbook owned by Walter Meller. Walter's grand parents Joseph and Hannah are in my family tree and I may have some more details for you. Joseph was christened on 26th July 1778 at St James Twycross Leicestershire (IGI batch no. C034861)

He married Hannah Toone on 17/9/1798 at Whitwick in Leicestershire (IGI batch no. 7903630).

Their son John was christened on 6/3/1805 at St James Twycross. (IGI batch no. C034861) (This date is closer to the 1871 census entry you quote on your site)

I am a descendant of John's elder brother William who stayed in Twycross; my maiden name was Meller, Hope this is useful,

Best wishes
Caroline Woolman
-----------------------------------
From: Caroline Woolman
Subject: Re: Walter Meller cashbook
Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2006 17:27:54 +0100
To:

Hello again John,

I'm afraid I don''t know any more about Walter. I only found him on the 1851 census living with his grand-parents. I think his parents married after his father had left Twycross. I have found IGI christening records for four children of Joseph and Hannah all christened at St James' Twycross under the same batch no., they are: John as we've said,
William 20/6/1799 (died 1875)
Elizabeth 20/7/1800
Maria 18/9/1803 (died 14/10/1803)

The only other thing I have so far is that Joseph appears to be one of at least 7 children born in Twycross to parents called William Mellor and Elisabeth(no dates). I hope to get to the Leicestershire Records office sometime soon to see if I can find more (but don't have much time available for that!) Will let you know if I find any more. I would like to know why Joseph and Hannah moved to Wirksworth - perhaps they already had relatives there, so I will keep looking when I get the chance, and will be keeping an eye on your website.

Regards,
Caroline
-----------------------------------------
From: Caroline Woolman
Subject: Re: Walter Meller cashbook
Date: Mon, 3 Jul 2006 23:55:29 +0100
To:

Hello again John,

I have just found the BMD index for Walter's parent's marriage. Their marriage was registered in the district of Derby in the first quarter of 1847. They appear to have moved around a bit. The census records indicate Walter was born in Wirksworth about 1848, his brother John Frederick was born in Manchester in 1850. Walter his mother and brother were back in Wirksworth for the 1851 census. Two sisters were born at Cowley Manor, Ecclesfield, Yorkshire in the mid 1850's and an MI you have listed for Wirksworth cemetary shows John Frederic was buried there in 1857:
"[QC194]..... In/memory of/JOHN MELLER/who died October 21 l875/aged 70 years/also of/ELIZABETH/relict of the above/who died June 16th 1885/aged 63 years/also of/JOHN FREDERIC/son of the above/who died April 28 1857/aged 7 years/He was interred/ in Ecclesfield Churchyard/Yorkshire.(Marble headstone & Limestone kerb)"

By 1861 the family was back in Derbyshire. Your Derbyshire wills site also indicates that there is a will for Walter's father John of Wirksworth 1876. and maybe one for Walter (spelt Mellor) of Glossop 1918 which may give you a bit of a story!

The later censuses show Walter married an Emma Dennis in Bedford in 1876, they settled there and he became a clerk of works for the Midland Railway. They had 4 children Florence, Gertrude, Edith and John. In 1901 Florence was shown to be an artist/sculpter and Gertrude a piano teacher.

That's all for now,
Best Wishes,
Caroline.

-----------------------------------------
From: Brett Payne
Subject: J.W.Beeson
Date: Thu 26 May 2011
To:

Dear John,
Please find attached scans of both the front and reverse of a carte de visite that I recently purchased. Although the subject is sadly not identified, you will see that the photographer is the JW Beeson that you have written about on a couple of occasions. You have written about his running a school in Wirksworth, but were you aware that he was a photographer too? I wonder whether you'ce come across any other photographs taken by him? I've been doing some of my own research on his time in Derby, but I'd appreciatre anything further that you might have on this interesting man, please. You are welcome to use these images on your web site of you wish.
Regards and best wishes, Brett

-----------------------------------------
From: Brett Payne
Subject: J.W.Beeson
Date: Thu 26 May 2011
To:

Dear John,

I feel I should correct your post a little. The carte de visite would have been taken by JW Beeson, but most likely as a commercial photographer, and least likely sent by him to anybody. The name carte de visite, although originally referring to its use in that way - i.e. as a kind of visiting card for the wealthy - in the late 1850s and early 1860s, quickly became redundant as more and more folk availed themselves of the cheap method of portraiture.

I think it very unlikely that this portrait depicts his daughter, but there is a slim chance, I suppose. It's a rather difficult one to date, because it is a pretty unusual format. However, the rounded corners at the top, in conjunction with square corners at the borrom, suggest to me that it was taken around 1873-1876. It is very rare to find rounded corners from CDV portraits taken before 1873, and their use became more popular from about 1874 onwards. They were to make it easier to insert the photographs into album slots. The square corners on CDVs died out almost completely in the late 1870s, and did not reappear until shortly before the turn of the century, just priot to the demise of the CDV altogether.

If I am correct about the date, and the child looks to me to be around a year old, then he/she would have been born around 1871-1875. From what I can tell Beeson's last child, daughter Adela May, was born in July or early August 1869 - probably a little too early, although it is remotely possible that she's the child depicted. However, if Beeson had gone to the trouble and expense of having card mounts printed, not to mention having purchased a camera and equipment capable of taking, developing and printing out carte de visite portraits, I imagine that he would at least have taken some portraits commercially to recoup his expenses.

The research that I've done on JW Beeson has unearthed a lot of material, in particular from the newspapers. I found an advertisement and article in The Derby Mercury of 29 April 1874 referring to a "panoramic view of Wirksworth, from the Gilkin: photographed by Mr James W. Beeson, Wirksworth" which was a massive print measuring "2 ft. 8in. by 7in." on sale for between 10s. and 12s. 6d., depending on finish. This date appears to correlate well with my estimate for the portrait, and I imagine by the paucity of records, and examples of his work, that he must have pursued photography only for a rather short period.

The newspaper extracts from his years in Derby demonstrate that he was quite capable of turning his hand to many skills, and make the most of opportunities that presented themselves. Perhaps his interests moved on from photography to other things. I think it more likely, however, that he found the business was not as remunerative as he had hoped. The phenomenal growth in the industry during the 1860s was not sustained through the 1870s, and many photographers either practiced photography as a sideline, or only stayed in business for very short periods, finding the competition just too stiff to sustain a regular income.

Very clever of you to have worked out the Bee-Sun motif! Yes, it is one of the more light-hearted and less pompous that I've come across.

Thank you for the offer of the PDF. I have seen some images, but probably not the ones to which you are referring, so yes please, I would be interested, and would appreciate your forwarding the file to me.

Regards and best wishes, Brett

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