FROM GRETTON TO BARROWDEN - FROM CRAXFORD TO WAINWRIGHT

by Andrew Wainwright

Harriet Cotterell

The Wainwright family, of which I am a member, is descended from the union of James Davies Wainwright (my great great grandfather) and Rachel Kate Craxford. Rachel was the daughter of Robert Craxford of Gretton, Northamptonshire and Harriet Cotterell who was born in Barrowden in the neighbouring county of Rutland. I have taken the opportunity of exploring these two villages, their churches and associated graveyards to trace my ancestors back to their roots. The photographs presented here are from Barrowden.

Barrowden village, Rutland	Plaque commemorating a local worthy

Robert and Harriett married in December 1823 in Barrowden and set up home there where they had seven children. There is evidence to suggest that he converted to the Baptist faith and attended the chapel in the village which had been built in about 1819. The chapel was also known for a "splendid" Sunday School. Robert was a dealer in animal skins. Robert's oldest daughter Sarah married Charles Matkin (pictured in the banner of this page) and set up business in the county town of Oakham. The next marriage that we know of was that of his third daughter Lucy to John Wignell. Robert's older son William moved first to Derbyshire and then to Wolverhampton. His story (and the fate of the younger son, John) is recounted in "A LETTER TO HENRY CRAXFORD". The youngest daughter Elizabeth, married William Goodman from Cambridge in 1869 and subsequently settled in South Derbyshire.

Barrowden Baptist Chapel	The Baptist Chapel, interior view

Robert Craxford, who died in April 1868, was buried in the chapel graveyard. The chapelyard was not always used for this function and both before it was made into a graveyard and after it became full, baptists would be buried in St Peter's churchyard at the south west corner of the village. There is a carved red sandstone headstone erected in the churchyard which is still standing (although considerably worn). From the order of the inscriptions it would appear to have been placed there after the death of Robert Craxford's grandson John James Wignell. Also commemorated are Robert's daughter, Lucy, and the deaths of Robert and Harriet themselves.

THE INSCRIPTION: In Memorium John James, son of John & Lucy Wignell Died January 17th 1905 Aged 45 Lucy Wignell Daughter of Robt & Harriet Craxford Died December 3rd 1897 Aged 68 years Harriett Craxford (Nee Cotterell) Died January 23rd 1894 Aged 93 Robert Craxford Died April 21st 1868 Aged 68 Interred in Chapel Graveyard "Grant Them Rest Eternal"

My line derives from their fourth daughter, Rachel Kate Craxford who married James Davies Wainwright in the village in February 1862. James was the Superintendent Registrar for the Registration District of Ludlow in Shropshire. It is an interesting curiosity that he signed the birth certificates of his son Leonard and his daughter Nellie Roberta. The family lived in Church Stretton in Shropshire. Incidentally, Rachel herself holds the distinction of being one of the first births registered in the Uppingham area after Civil Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths Act was introduced in the Autumn of 1837.

Leonard Cotterel Wainwright

James Wainwright died in December 1868 after six years of marriage. Rachel was to marry again some three years later to Edmund Sharpe. The marriage was recorded in Peterborough in 1871. By the time of the 1891 census she was living with her husband and her daughter Nellie at 82 West Street, Swadlincote, Derbyshire. Edmund's occupation is described as an earthernware salesman. Nellie married Granville Chambers (a colliery manager who had been born in Nottinghamshire) in September 1893.

St Giles Church, Normanton, Derby (1)

Edmund died towards the end of the decade and Rachel moved to live with her daughter and husband in the town of Pilsley near Chesterfield, Derbyshire. She died on April 13th 1900 of chronic kidney disease and bronchitis.

Leonard Cotterell Wainwright (my great grandfather) was born in Church Stretton in Shropshire in November 1865. The census of 1901 shows that he had moved to the Chesterfield area and was living with his sister's family. He was a mechanical engineer. He married Minnie Constance Bemrose (nee Simmonds) at St Giles Parish Church in Normanton, Derbyshire in April 1905. She was the fifth of seven children born to artist Thomas Charles Simmonds. Her first husband, Frederick Edward Bemrose died in 1901.

Leonard and Minnie moved back to the West Midlands had two children. He died in 1942

Andrew Wainwright February 26th 2006 Updated: July 12th 2009

REFERENCES

(1). St Giles Parish Church, Normanton, Derby

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