Tim Wilding writes:
I came across your webpage today thanks to the wonders of google, and
enjoyed having a look around.
My name is Tim Wilding and I am related to William Pritchard Harwood who
married Susan Mary Mee in 1913 in Bakewell. Susan is mentioned on your
web pages. Maybe I can add a little information.
After her marriage Susan moved to her husband's birthplace in Higher
Walton Lancashire. Her husband died in 1953 and Susan herself died in 1965.
They are buried at All Saints Church in Higher Walton, and I know there is
a memorial. As far as I know they only had one child - Doreen Marjorie - who
is shown on Bob Mee's tree. She married late in life in 1970, to Lindon
Margerison - a widower - at St Saviour's church in Bamber Bridge Lancashire.
The couple were both local government employees. One of the witnesses is
named as Mary Elizabeth Mee but I don't know who she is - maybe you do?
Lindon died in 1977, Doreen in 2005. Although I'm a third cousin of Doreen,
I sadly didn't know her and have only become aware of her existence since
taking up an interest in genealogy about three years ago. I don't know
whether Doreen had any children before her marriage - Lindon certainly
may have had a family from his first marriage but I haven't researched
that at all.
I do have exact dates for most of the births, marriages and deaths if you
are interested.
Best wishes, Tim Wilding
Colin Potts writes:
Further to my last set of notes about William Mee, I can now update you
further. I record below the lifetime for William Mee and his wife Ellen
Walters, and details of the children - who they married, etc, etc.
I have not included anything about William Mee's parents, nor his siblings.
Here we go for WILLIAM MEE of CROMFORD.
William Mee was born at Staunton (Staunton Harold), Leicestershire.
His birth was registered at Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire in Q1 1844.
The 1851 Census shows he was living at home with his parents at Heath End.
The family consisted of:
Abraham Mee 38 - Father
Sarah Mee 31 - Mother
Maria Mee 10 - Sister
Abraham Mee 8 - Brother
William Mee 7
Thomas Mee 3 - Brother
I have not yet found William Mee in the 1861 Census, nor his future
wife Ellen Walters.
The 1871 Census shows that both William Mee (27) and Ellen Walters (16)
were working as Servants at Willersley Castle, Matlock. Willersley Castle
is a 200 year old Grade II listed building and was commissioned by Sir
Richard Arkwright. It occupies a magnificent position on the edge of the
Peak District overlooking the River Derwent, now within the Derwent Valley
Mills World Heritage site. (I'll leave you to look up Sir Richard Arkwright
and his business partner Jedediah Strutt). Today, the Castle is the
Willersley Castle Hotel, run by the Christian Guild Group, and occupies
some 60 acres on the outskirts of Cromford. In 1871 the Castle was still
in the hands of the Arkwrights, with the household headed by Mary Anne
Arkwright (85); there were 14 servants.
Clearly, this is where William Mee met Ellen Walters, and they married in
1874. (Marriage registered at Bakewell Q2 1874).
Ellen Walters was born at Buckland Hollow, and her birth was registered
at Bakewell in Q1 1856. Her parents have not yet been identified.
In the 1881 Census, William and Ellen Mee have left the Castle and are
living at the Bell Inn, Cromford Hill, Cromford. The household consists of
William Mee 37 (Inn Keeper)
Ellen Mee 26
William Mee 4
Arthur Herbert Mee 2
Thomas Mee 1
In the 1891 Census William and Ellen Mee are still at the Bell Inn, Cromford.
It is listed as in North Street. The household consists of:
William Mee 47 (Licensed Victualler)
Ellen Mee 36
William Mee 14
Arthur Herbert Mee 12
Thomas Mee 11
Ellen M Mee 9
Susan M Mee 8
Bertha Mee 6
Joseph Mee 4
May Mee 1
In the 1901 Census William and Ellen Mee are still at the Bell Inn,
Cromford. The household consists of:
William Mee 57 (Inn Keeper and Farmer)
Ellen Mee 46
Ellen M Mee 19
Susan Mee 18
Bertha Mee 16
Joseph Mee 14
May Mee 11
Abraham Mee 9
Fred Mee 7
At this point it is interesting to consider William Mee's new occupation.
He's listed as being a farmer as well as an Inn Keeper. Abraham Mee, his
father was a farmer at Heath End (Ashby de la Zouch), and died 1894. Can
it be surmised that Abraham Mee left the farm to William in his Will?
(I've not yet found his Will nor found his father's farm in the 1901
Census - so I don't know who is living there).
In total, William and Ellen possibly had 11 children - the ten listed
above, and Sarah Alice Mee (1892). Details of the children are given below:
William Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q2 1876. Unverified
is a birthdate of 2/5/1876. He married Elizabeth Clay - marriage registered
at Belper in Q4 1900. Unverified is a second marriage to Sarah Xxxxxx.
Arthur Herbert Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q2 1878.
He married Fanny Brown (born c 1873, Cromford), marriage registered at
Bakewell Q2 1899. The 1901 Census lists Arthur (22) and Fanny (27) living
in Chapel Hill, Cromford. Arthur is listed as a Shoeing Smith (Blacksmith).
Unverified information is that they had 2 children - William Mee born
c 1903 (married Maud Xxxxxx), and Ellen Mee born c 1908 (married G
Hodkinson c1935).
Thomas Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q4 1879.
Unverified is a birthdate of 12/4/1879. He married Polly Roundsfell -
marriage registered at Nottingham in Q1 1921.
Ellen Maria Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q4 1881.
Unverified is a birthdate of 17/10/1881. She married Clement Hickman -
marriage registered at Bakewell in Q1 1908.
Susan Mary Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q3 1883.
Unverified is a birthdate of 28/7/1883. She married William P Harwood -
marriage registered at Bakewell Q3 1913.
Bertha Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q3 1884. She
married Harry Spencer - marriage registered at Bakewell Q4 1908.
Joseph Walter Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q3 1886.
Unverified is a birthdate of 8/8/1886.
May Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q2 1889. Unverified
is a birthdate of 21/5/1889.
Abraham Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q2 1891.
Sarah Alice Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q4 1892.
She has not been found in the 1901 Census when she would have been aged 8,
but I have received (unverified) information that she was born 5/12/1892
to William and Ellen.
Fred Mee - born Cromford, birth registered at Bakewell Q1 1894.
Unverified is a marriage to Alice Maud Emery.
I have more (unverified) information re the descendants of William Mee
(b 1876), Arthur Mee (b 1878) and Fred Mee (b 1894) with some descendants
born as late as 1980s. So, there is a chance that one of these will read
this note.
Well, that's all I know about the life of William Mee of Cromford.
As you are possibly aware, I have a considerable list of Mees on my
database. I would be happy to help anybody who needs help.
On your website you have a message from Bob Mee (in Australia). Please
can you forward his email address as the one I have for him is defunct.
Kind Regards
Colin Potts 2 Jan 2009
---------------------
I've just read your notes on William Mee of Cromford, and might be able
to help you with earlier generations of the Mees.
I have a particular interest in the Mees, but some generations earlier -
My interest is Abraham Mee 1740 and Elizabeth Wardle and their offspring.
The relationship between William Mee and Abraham Mee is as follows
Abraham Mee b 1779 married Elizabeth Wardle in 1771 and had 8 or 9 children
- Elizabeth, Mary, Abraham, Jane, William, Joseph, Frances Ann, Thomas, and
John. Abraham's will only identifies 7 beneficiaries - William and John are
not mentioned). (I have a copy of this will). I am not convinced as yet
about William and John - I still need absolute proof.
Son Abraham (b 4 10 1779) married Elizabeth Mason 17 1 1801 and had 6
children - Thomas, Maria, Elizabeth, Abraham, George and William.
Grandson Abraham b 1811 married Sarah Richards 4 12 1838. They had 5
children - Maria, Abraham, William (i.e. your William), Thomas and Arthur
Herbert. You have shown on your Mee Family tree that the parents of these
5 children were Abraham Mee (1803) and Prudence Atkins (1804). The 1851
Census records Abraham Mee (Abram Mee) (aged 38) - Farmer of 14 acres,
Sarah Mee (aged 31), Maria Mee (aged 10) - Scholar at home, Abram Mee
(aged 8) - Scholar at home, William Mee (aged 7) - Scholar at home,
Thomas Mee (aged 3) living in Heath End, Ashby de Zouch. Perhaps we
need to correspond on this to reach some conclusion.
Changing subject slightly, I see on you an extract of the Mee Tree received
from Bob Mee of Camberra. I have a copy of the complete page - but it is
an earlier version - it has less marks on it. I shall have to contact
Bob Mee for more information. Careful study of this has shown that there
appears to be several errors.
Well that's all for now - tell me what you still need and I may be able
to help.
PS In the above I have quoted birth years and birth/baptism dates - some
are as yet unverified) - and therefore care needs to be taken with these.
---------------------
Dear John,
Please find enclosed an article from Chesterfield CAMRA magazine
regarding pubs in Cromford. Hope it is still of use & interest to you.
Still making enquiries regarding William Mee, if I come across anything
I will get in touch.
Regards
Philip Benfield
The Bell Inn
Cromford.
----------------------
Hi John,
As part of my MEE investigations I 'met' a lady on the Internet from
Shardlow (Jean Snow) whose maiden name was MEE. When I came to the UK last
year for my sisters funeral, my wife and I met up with Jean and we exchanged
items of interest. Here is what I have.
She had had around to see her Don Henderson who is a MEE researcher and of
vintage stock (aged) but a real pleasure to talk to. He had several B2 sized
sheets with all the Mee's info on. He allowed Jean to copy them and she then
copied them and gave them to me, that were relevant to my family. Now as
luck would have it I have the Mee information for Cromford 1833-1984 and I
have scanned that page for you.
Now it is all hand written and very very small. I hope you can read it, if
not may I respectfully ask you to contact Geoff Mee (geoffDOTmeeATvirginDOTnet)
he is a cousin of Don Henderson and he will advise you or even send you a
hard copy. Don is getting on in life and doesn't do anything on the computer
it is all hand written, he is still in the carbon paper era.
Jean Snow can be contacted on Derby 01332-xxxxxx or
jeansnowATbtinternetDOTcom (contact 
for this phone)
I'll tell you how good Jean is, I had heard that there was a book in the
Leicester library entitled 'Genealogy of the Mee family'. So I asked Jean if
she could go and have a look at it, it might be worth while. She did and
found it was a reference book and was not to be taken away. She used her
charm and managed to photo-copy, in the library, the whole book, and send it
out to me by e-mail. Unfortunately the book doesn't contain any info on the
Cromford Mee's.
In the book (Info gleaned from the Court Rolls of 1552) it relates to one of
my ancestors who in 1550, John Mee got fined 2p for allowing his horse
manure to pile up and block the Kings highway at Ingelby. In the book it has
a copy of his will dated 27 June 1552 and he leaves all his goods and
chattels to members of his family, hence we get a record of some of his
relations even though there is no actual births recorded at that time.
Hope this helps in someway.
Best Wishes
Bob Mee
Canberra
12 Aug 07
----------------------
Hi John,
Just looked thru' my MEE tree and I can find the following info on your
William Mee * as follows.
Born 30 Aug 1844 died 1926 in Cromford.
Children (I have 11 children)
William b.2-5-1876 married Sarah 18-5-1920
Arthur b. 5-5-1878
Tom b. 12-4-1879 married Polly
Ellen b. 17-10-1881
Bertha b. 1882
Susan b. 28-7-1883
Joseph b. 8-8-1886
May b. 21-5-1889
Abraham b. 1891 died 1980
Sarah Alice b. 5-12-1892
Fred b. 1894 died 25-3-1965
I have William Mee * born 30-8-1844 he had a sister Maria b.1840 brother
Abraham b. 11-3-1842 another brother Thomas b. 3-10-1847 and another brother
Arthur Herbert born 1853. I think he married a lass called Ellen (Also name
of first girl child) she died 28-5-1921 and this marriage William-Ellen was
the start of the Mee's in Cromford.
I can trace this family line to Thomas Le Mey of Breedon born circa 1530
whose father was Matthew Le Mey 1305 born possible in Long Whatton whose
family goes back to William Le Mey 1167 also of Long Whatton.
When you get into the Mee tree boy it is 'busy'
I have much more info, just ask me and I'll tell you.... 'if I can'.
I obtained all my info from Geoff Mee of Cheshire (geoffdotmeeATvirgindotnet)
he lives at
xxxxxxxx (contact for this address).
.
If you communicate with him please say hello from me from downunder.
Cheers for now
Bob Mee
Canberra
Australia
30 July 07
