Brimington, Derbyshire, England
Brimington is 53 degrees 16 minutes North, 1 degree 23 minutes West; south of Sheffield; 3 km NNE of Chesterfield on A619.
Extract from Derbyshire England GenWeb Project
“Derbyshire is largely hilly, culminating in the North in the Peak District, the Southern tip of the Pennine Chain. The southern part of the county is in the lowland area of the Trent River valley. Agriculture includes sheepraising in the North and dairying in the South. Coal is mined and limestone is quarried, textiles, motor vehicles and porcelain are manufactured. The chief industrial centers are Derby, Chesterfield and Alfreton. Tourism is important in the Peak District National Park and at the spa town of Buxton. The Romans occupied the area and mined lead in many of the hilly areas.”
Extract from GENUKI, Genealogical research information about Derbyshire, England
[Quoted from Bartholemew’s Gazetteer of the British Isles, 1887] Derbyshire, midland county of England . . . ; length, north and south, 52 miles; greatest breadth, 85 miles; area, 658,624 acres; population, 461,914. The surface in the south is either flat or undulating, irregular in the middle and NE., and picturesquely mountainous in the NW or Peak district. The principal rivers are the Trent, Derwent, Dove and Wye; river communication is supplemented by the Erewash and Grand Trunk Canals. The road and railway systems are highly developed. The soil in the Vale of the Trent is alluvial and very productive. In the hilly districts the land is mostly in pasture; much of it is rocky and unproductive. Oats, barley, potatoes and wheat are cultivated; and there are many excellent dairy farms. Warm mineral springs are numerous, the most popular being those at Buxton, Matlock and Bakewell. Coal is abundant; iron ore and lead are worked; among the other mineral products are zinc, manganese and barytes. There are numerous and extensive quarries of limestone and marble; fluor-spar is found in the caverns, and is manufactured into a great variety of ornamental articles. Silk, cotton, and lace are the chief manufactures, but malting and brewing are also carried on, and there are some extensive iron foundries.
Extract from Bagshaw’s Directory of Derbyshire dated 1846:
“Brimington, a parish and pleasant village on the Barlborough Road, 2 miles NE from Chesterfield, to which parish it formerly was a chapelry. By an order in council dated 3rd September 1844, it was made a distinct parish for all civil and ecclesiastical purposes. It contains 1,148 acres of land, 165 houses and 780 inhabitants. Population 1801, 503; in 1831, 759. . . . The commons were enclosed under an act passed in 1843. The church, St Michael, a neat structure with a tower and three bells, was rebuilt in 1808, partly by a rate, and subscriptions; the tower had been rebuilt in 1796, by Joshua Jebb, Esq”The Methodists have a chapel, erected 1806, and the Primative Methodists one, erected 1835. In 1840 a national school was erected by subscription….
“Tapton Grove, a large modern mansion, on the verge of an abrupt declivity, at the foot of which a brook bounds the parish; it was erected by Avery Jebb, Esq., and is surrounded with a park, 1 1/2 miles NE from Chesterfield; it is the seat and property of John Meynell, Esq., who keeps a pack of hounds.”
Bagshaw’s Directory lists several residents of Brimington with their occupations: wheelwright, corn miller, butcher, teacher, grocer and draper, shopkeeper, beerhouse, gent, shoemaker, dress and straw hat maker, blacksmith, joiner, bricklayer and mason, farmer. Also listed are the following inns and taverns: Bugle Horn, New Inn, Red Lion, Three Horseshoes.
Extract from J. G. Harrod & Co’s “Postal and Commercial Directory of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland and Staffordshire, Second Edition” (see Genealogy Resources)
Brimington is a parish and village 2 miles from Chesterfield,, east division of the county, hundred of Scarsdale, union and county court district of Chesterfield, diocese of Lichfield, archdeaconry of Derby, and rural deanery of Chesterfield. The church is dedicated to St Michael. It is a long structure, with nave, chancel, and lofty square tower, containing three bells. The living is a rectory, annual value £300, with residence, in the gift of the vicar of Chesterfield. The Rev. Frederick Arnold, M.A., is the rector. There are two chapels for the Wesleyans; ministers various. There is also a National school for boys and girls, Henry Turton master, Mrs Jane Turton mistress. The parish contains 1306 acres of land, of which the chief owners are J. J. Barrow, P. Hartley, E. V. Burnell, G. F. Meynell, and J. W. Bagshaw, Esqs., and Mr. J. Lingard. The population is about 2000. The lord of the manor is John Barrow, Esq. Post, telegraph, and money-order office; Alfred Swain, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive at 7 A.M., are dispatched at 6:30 P.M. Money orders. Post-town, Chesterfield.
General Trades
Ashmore Stephen, shopkeeperBall William, New Inn
Belfot(?) Joseph, butcher
Burrs(?) William, grocer, provision dealer, and baker
Calow John S., builder
Cook James, provision dealer
Cox Robert, brickmaker
Cropper John, bricklayer
Cropper Thomas, bricklayer
Dawson George, brick and tile maker
Doughty Henry, grocer
Fox James, builder and wheelwright (this likely was a cousin to James Fox, father of Daniel)
Furness(?) Charles, shopkeeper
Hale William, shopkeeper
Hearnshaw(?) Thomas, carpenter and builder
Hosling(?) Michael, Three Horseshoes
Lakin John, baker
Mansfield Goerge, Bugle Horn
Milner Mrs Charlotte, shopkeeper
Milner Joseph, moulder
Mycroft & Gregory, iron founders, machinists and stove grate manufacturers
Neale James, boot and shoe maker
Orwin Martha, beer retailer
Oscroft Richard, butcher and beer retailer
Richards William, blacksmith
Salmon William, victualler(?)
Sayer Stephen, coal proprietor and colliery owner, Bagshaw Colliery
Smith Mrs Margaret, shopkeeper
Steel George, beer retailer
Sturr John, boot and shoe maker
Swain Alfred, grocer and provision merchant, and sub-postmaster
Todd James, tailor
Topliss William A., draper, and iron bedstead warehouse
Turton Henry, assistance overseer and collector of poor-rates, parish clerk, and schoolmaster of the parish school
Wakefield John, miller, baker, grocer, and confectioner, Weldon Mill lane
Walters John, boot and shoe maker
Watson William, builder
Winterbottom Thomas, grocer
Witham Joseph, Red Lion Inn
Witham William, beer retailer
Farmers
Cox Robert
Cox Robert, landownerEarp Joseph
Heywood Thomas, landowner
Heywood Thomas
Holland William
Holmes John
Hopkinson John
Hoy Alfred
Lingard John, landowner
Mattam William
Purseglove John
Rodgers Mrs Ann, landowner
Steele George
Steele George, landowner
Steel Mrs Sarah
Weston George
Notes: William A. Topliss, “draper and iron bedstead warehouse” likely was William Topliss, son of Abel Topliss and Mary Anne Fox.
Extract from “Directory of Derbyshire, Leicester, Rutland and Nottinghamshire, 1891”
( University of Leicester , Historical Directories for 1890-1900, Broken link)
Brimington commercial listing includes the following:
Ashmore Herbert, iron founder
Ashmore John, butcher
Ashmore Joseph, shopkeeper, Brimington common
Fox Charles, greengrocer
Fox James & Son, wheelwrights
Fox James, farmer, Ivy cottage
Smith John, Three Horseshoes
Notes: James Fox at Ivy cottage was father of Daniel L. Fox. Charles Fox (greengrocer) and James Fox (wheelwright) may have been cousins or uncles of Daniel Fox. The 1881 census shows Daniel in Brimington and his occupation as a grocer, so he may have been working in Charles Fox’s store.
1851 Census of Eyam, Derbyshire (nearby town in same county)
Contained the following Foxes grouped by household; not known relatives, but interesting occupations
(last name, first name, relation, age, occupation, county of origin (?), town of origin (?))
YKS = Yorkshire, DBY = Derbyshire
Fox William Ap U 19 Shoe Maker’s Ap. YKS Sheffield
Fox Ann Head W 74 Charwoman Formerly DBY Lead Mill
Fox Ruth Daur U 34 Hand Loom Weaver (Silk) DBY Eyam
Fox George Son 15 Miner Lead DBY Eyam
Fox Benjamin Head Mar 46 Limeburner DBY Eyam
Fox Margaret Wife Mar 47 DBY Eyam
Fox William Son U 23 Miner Lead DBY Eyam
Fox Mary Daur U 20 Hand Loom Weaver (Silk) DBY Eyam
Fox Henry Son U 14 Silk Winder DBY Eyam
Fox Joseph Son 13 Scholar DBY Eyam
Fox Thomas Son 10 Scholar DBY Eyam
Fox Ann Daur 4 Scholar DBY Eyam
Fox Richard Head Mar 74 Joiner Employing No Men Derby
Fox Elizabeth Wife Mar 74 DBY Eyam