Page last updated 31/05/07

John Wilson Fletcher, christened 22nd of August 1788, Society of Friends, Workington
Son of John Fletcher and Deborah Wilson
Married c1822 at Society of Friends Graysouthen, Mrs Mary Fletcher

John Fletcher, christened 24 JAN 1823 Society Of Friends, Graysouthen, Cumberland, England

Isaac Fletcher, christened 22nd of February 1827 Society of Friends, Graysouthen
Father, John Wilson Fletcher, Mother Mrs Mary Fletcher (IGI online)

Mary Fletcher, christened 30 MAY 1829 Society Of Friends, Graysouthen, Cumberland, England; buried 22 DEC 1832 Society Of Friends, Graysouthen, Cumberland, England

William Fletcher, christened 31 JAN 1831 Society Of Friends, Graysouthen, Cumberland, England

Deborah Fletcher, christened 30 SEP 1832, Society Of Friends, Graysouthen, Cumberland, England

Henry Mason Fletcher, christened 27 JUL 1834 Society Of Friends, Graysouthen, Cumberland, England (Is Mason a mistranscription for Allason?)

Memorial Inscriptions at Greysouthen

John Ostle's Journal

1879
Mar 14 Jonathan Pape of Langrigg, formally of Goody Hills, drowned himself in Ranigal Beck near Langrigg. Isaac Fletcher. M.P, one of the Society of Friends shot himself in April. Robert Edgar died at Mawbray, April. Silloth dock rushed its walls gates and near all the water got out of it (April 1879). Richard Mordant Ostle, son of Dan Glaister Ostle, Newtown died May 27, Scarlet fever

http://users.tinyworld.co.uk/peterostle/journal10.html

Fletchers

Isaac Fletcher.

Mr. Isaac Fletcher (July 9th) writes from Tarn Bank: Isaac Fletcher. “Since I received your request to examine the colours of the components of β Cygni the nights have all been cloudy except last night, when at 10 o’clock I levelled the 12-foot refractor at β, and examined the colours with various powers from 134 to 425. I make the colours as follows:-

A. Rich yellow.   B. Greenish;

and Mrs. Fletcher's independent judgment is

A. Fine yellow.   B. Bluish green.

“Afterwards on referring to the ‘Speculum,’ Mrs. Fletcher said that Mr. Dawes’s description of A as ‘crocus yellow’ was to her mind exactly specified.”

(1850; subsequent obsrvations 1857, 1864 ; http://www.geocities.com/ariane1au/Page029j2.htm)

Greysouthen

Has, during recent years, been constituted a distinct civil parish; but for all ecclesiastical matters it still remains united with Brigham. It comprises an area of 1,558 acres, which are assessed for rating purposes at £3,173, and have a gross estimated rental of £3,697. The parish lies within Derwent ward and petty sessional division; the union and rural district of Cockermouth; the county council electoral division of Brigham; and the county court district of Cockermouth and Workington. Coal is abundant in the district, and a large portion of the inhabitants find employment in the mines. The mineral has been worked here for about a century, but on a more extensive scale formerly than now. The most valuable seam is that known as Camel Band, which has a thickness varying from 5 to 5½ feet. The parish is bounded by Brigham, Dean, Little Clifton, and Eaglesfield.

Crakesothen, as the name is written in old documents, was one of the "five towns" belonging to the honour of Cockermouth, and was given, soon after the Conquest, to Waltheof, son of Gospatric, by William de Meschines, and has descended, like the barony, through various families by the marriage of heiresses, and is held by Lord Leconfield, as baron of Egremont and Cockermouth. The commons were enclosed in 1828, and an allotment of 15 acres was appropriated for the education of the poor of Greysouthen.

The village of the same name lies about 3½ miles W. by S. of Cockermouth. The Wesleyans have a small chapel here, erected in 1833, at a cost of £161; and near the village is a Meeting House and a burial ground of the Society of Friends. The National School, which has recently been enlarged, has now accommodation for 730 children. Tarn Bank and The Mansion are two handsome residences in the parish.

Bulmer's History & Directory Of Cumberland, 1901

SMYTH, Caroline Mary, Born Feb 1834, Died 25 Sep 1859 at age 25; bap ??; bur at Stone, where there is an Inscription Her father's obituary in the R.A.Soc Journal, Feb 1866 : ".. the sudden loss of a beloved and accomplished daughter a few years ago, a loss from which it may be doubted if he ever fully recovered." She is also described as having been "a special companion" of her father who wrote that she died "within less than a month of the day fixed upon for her union with my esteemed and excellent friend & correspondent Isaac Fletcher of Tarn Bank, Cumberland" d of diphtheria see The Bedford Cycle, p 304
http://lachlan.bluehaze.com.au/1860-essays-reviews/warington_familytree.html

2000
MEETING OF THE ANTIQUE TELESCOPE SOCIETY, OCTOBER 2000
ABSTRACTS OF PRESENTATIONS TO THE SESSIONS
Peter Hingley.
The History of the English Mounting.
   The term 'English' Mounting was coined by Sir George Airy in 1844 to
describe the form of the Northumberland Equatorial at Cambridge, and to
distinguish it from the 'German' mounting.  The  term has never been
particularly closely defined, and some (not the present  writer) would
apply it to the single ended 'Fork' mounting.  The talk will feature in
particular the important Shuckburgh telescope, built by Jesse Ramsden
at about the same time as, and developed from, the  famous Palermo
Circle, for Sir George Shuckburgh, Bart., of Shuckburgh, Warwickshire,
and also the work of Isaac Fletcher, of Tarn Bank, Cumberland, who
collaborated with his brother, using the facilities of the Lowca
Ironworks, Whitehaven, Cumberland, to re-design the  English mounting
in cast iron.  The talk will also present as far as possible a complete
list of major telescopes built in this form, notably many of the 'carte
du ciel' instruments used around the world for that sky survey, and the
group of telescopes of about 74" aperture built by Grubb Parsons before
and after the Second World War.
http://www.europa.com/~telscope/atsabstr.txt

Workington Parish

Like Whitehaven and the other ports on this coast, the principal export trade is conveying coal to Ireland and lime to Scotland, but some of the vessels trade to America and the Baltic. The imports consist chiefly of timber, with some hemp, &c. For five years previous to 1813, the average annual exports from the Workington collieries, belonging to Mr. Curwen, was about 28,000 waggon loads. "About the year 1816, Mr. Curwen had only four pits in working, in which about 400 persons were employed. Ten years later, 200,000 tons were annually shipped from the collieries of Mr. Curwen, Mr. John Fletcher, and Mr. Thomas Westray. In 1837, there were 15,734 waggon loads (each containing 48 cwt.) shipped at Workington, from the coal mines of Henry Curwen, Esq."

FROM Mannix & Whellan, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cumberland, 1847

The Times, Apr 18, 1868 - Election Intelligence - Cockermouth

Two candidates are in the field for the vacant seat at Cockermouth, Mr. Isaac Fletcher, of Tarn Bank (Liberal), and Major Green-Thompson, of Bridekirk (Conservative).  On Thursday night a large meeting of Liberal electors was held in the Freemasons'-hall, Cockermouth ; Mr Joseph Brown presided. Mr. Isaac Fletcher was chosen as the candidate in the Liberal interest.  Mr. Fletcher, in addressing the meeting, said he was a liberal of the true old type, and if he was so fortunate as to secure the suffrage of the electors of Cockermouth, he should give to the party of Mr. Gladstone was the leader his cordial and unswerving support.  With regard to the Irish Church, he thought that if ever there was an Establishment fraught with injustice it is the Irish Church, and he would, if elected, give his cordial support to its disestablishment.  He thought the Bill for the Redistribution of Seats, which was sanctioned by Parliament, was unsatisfactory, and he would give effect to the views of the electors of Cockermouth by voting for a Redistribution Bill founded on a broader basis.  After reviewing the political situation in Cockermouth, he asked if they would return a man to Parliament who was free and unfettered, or a castle nominee, and concluded by saying that this cause was the cause of the Liberals of Cockermouth, not his own.  In reply to questions asked, Mr. Fletcher expressed himself favourable to the ballot, to throwing open the Universities to Dissenters, and to compulsory secular education.

A meeting of Conservatives was held at the Globe Hotel on the same evening. Mr. Joshua Jenkinson presided, and the meeting was addressed by Major Green-Thompson, who announced his intention to contest the representation of the borough as a Conservative candidate.  A committee was formed for the purpose of assisting to secure Major Green Thompson's return.

The Times, Apr 27, 1868 - Election Intelligence - Cockermouth

    The nomination of a fit and proper person to fill the vacancy caused in the representation of the borough of Cockermouth by the death of the late Mr. John Steel, M.P., occurred at Cockermouth on Saturday.
    The Returning Officer, (Mr. W. Wood) having gone through the necessary preliminary form, inquired if any elector had a candidate to propose.
    Mr. JOSEPH BROWN, merchant, proposed Mr. Fletcher, F.R.S., of Tarn-bank, Workington as a fit and proper person to represent the borough, and one who would support Mr. Gladstone.
    Mr. JOHN PEARSON, manufacturer, seconded the nomination.
    Mr. JOSHUA JENKINSON, of Armfield, proposed Major Green-Thompson, of Bridekirk, as a candidate in the Conservative interest.
    Mr, GEORGE MAWSON, miller, seconded the nomination.
    No other candidate having been proposed, the two gentlemen who had been nominated addressed the people present.
    A show of hands was then taken for each of the candidates, and was declared by the Returning Officer to be in favour of Mr. Isaac Fletcher. A poll was demanded on behalf of Major Green-Thompson, and was fixed for to-day (Monday).

Major Green-Thompson won this election by 170 votes to 144, but Isaac Fletcher stood again when a new election was called in the autumn - and this time was elected.

The Times, Dec 4th, 1868 "Our New Members of Parliament"

    Mr Isaac Fletcher, who as a Liberal successfully contested Cockermouth against the Hon. H.L. [Bowke], the brother of its late member, the Earl of Mayo, now Governor General of India, is the eldest son of Mr John Wilson Fletcher, of Tarn Bank, Cumberland by Mary Allason of Beech-hill. He was born in 1827, and married in 1861 Esther, daughter of the late Mr Joseph King, of Warsell Grove, near Stourbridge. He is a magistrate for Cumberland, and his election by a majority of more than three to two over his opponent is the more striking as he was an unsuccessful candidate for the borough as recently as April last.

The Times Apr 07, 1879 "The Late Mr. Fletcher, M.P."

    On Saturday afternoon Mr. John St. Clare Bedford, Coroner for Westminster, and a jury of householders of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, held an inquest at the Vestry Hall, St. Martin's-churchyard, on the body of Mr. Isaac Fletcher, aged 52 years, described as in ironmaster and coalowner, and a member of Parliament for the borough of Cockermouth.  Among those present were Sir Henry Jackson, M.P., Mr. Whitwell, M.P., and Mr. Ferguson, M.P.
    Hannah Boulton, housemaid at Morley's Hotel, deposed that she saw deceased coming upstairs a little after 4 p.m. on Thursday.  He had his hands in his pockets, but she did not observe anything peculiar about him.  He went into his bedroom, number 86, and had been there about three minutes when she heard a noise.  At first she though he had knocked down one of the fireirons, but was induced to go to the door to listen, when she distinctly smelt exploded gunpowder.  She went and called Rice, one of the porters and told him about it.  Rice went and tapped at the door, but receiving no answer they entered the room.  They found the room full of smoke, and then saw the deceased gentleman on his back on the bed, with a revolver in one of his hands.  They raised an alarm, and Mr. James, one of the proprietors of the hotel, came, and medical assistance was at once sent for.
    Richard Rice and Charles Tyrell, porters at Morley's Hotel, gave corroborative evidence as to the finding the deceased, Tyrell, however, adding that he noticed particularly that the deceased had the revolver in his right hand, with his finger still on the trigger.  He also observed a wound in front of the deceased's forehead, from which blood was flowing.
    Mr. William Fletcher, of Brigham-hall, Cumberland, was next examined, and said, - The deceased was my brother.  He was 52 years of age, and was member for the borough of Cockermouth.  He had not been in good health lately, probably for about a year.  He had been suffering from a very great derangement of the liver. He had a great aversion to medical advice, and I do not think he had had any doctor to see him - at all events, he was not to my knowledge under any medical treatment..  Now and then he was very strange in his manner and would seem absorbed in something, as if in a dream, and would take no notice of what was passing around.  When in company, at times, he would take no part in a conversation, and if spoken to he would seem to take time to pull himself together before we could get an answer.  He exhibited this sort of manner several times during the fortnight previous to his death.  On these occasions his appearance reminded me of what I had known of him in his young days, when he was a boy, and even when he had passed the age of 20.  He then occasionally was visited with severe fits of epilepsy, and when so he had no knowledge of his acts.  He had not been in town much this Session on account of his health ; I know of nothing else which has prevented him.  He was a most genial man.  He passed a most happy married life, and his domestic relations were in every other way satisfactory, and he was at the same time an intelligent man.  Although possibly he might not have what some would have called a rich man, still his pecuniary affairs were in the most satisfactory condition.  He had plenty of money and other means for all the requirements of himself and family.  Although he participated in the general commercial depression which affected the trades in which he was personally interested, still it had but little effect upon his income, which was ample.  There was no truth whatever that the deceased was in any way labouring under pecuniary difficulties.  When I last saw him before this event I was so much struck with his manner that it brought back the remembrance of how he was at times in his younger days just before he was going to have one of his epileptic fits.  On Wednesday week he came to my house and we had a conversation about the representation of Cockermouth.  He said he had quite determined and made up his mind to retire at the next general election on account of his health.  He remarked that he had had an interview with the chairman of his committee, and they were going to call a meeting at Easter to determine as to the future representation of the borough.  His manner then surprised me, as he said that he could not bear the thought of a contest, whereas formerly such a thing was one of his greatest delights.  He seemed dreadfully nervous when anything was mentioned about it.  I did all I could to cheer him up, and I asked him to come over in the evening, and dine with me, as we lived at no great distance from each other, and he did so.  He then appeared quite cheerful, and I walked part of the way home with him. On the following Saturday he came to town, making a temporary call on a relative at Crewe.  I saw him in town on the Monday, and found him staying at Morley's Hotel.  I asked him to come to my hotel to lunch with myself and an American friend, and he did so.  He looked very anxious, pale, and ill, and I understood that he had had a severe attack of diarrhoea ; his eyes were dull and leaden.  I told him we were going home into Cumberland the following day and asked him if he would accompany us, and he said, "No, I must stay in town for the division on the Budget."  The last time I saw him was on the morning of this event, when I called on him at Morley's Hotel, and said, "As you will not come with us you may as well go with us to the station and see us off."  He did so, and appeared more cheerful, talking of public matters and some incidents of the debate, and on the platform he pointed out some two or three persons of note.  After saying " good-bye" the train started, and I arrived home about half-past 6 on Thursday evening, and about quarter of an hour after received a telegram apprising me of what had happened. He had delusions of a trivial kind when a boy, and after he became a man, while the fits were coming on ; but they were of no importance.
    The revolver, a perfectly new five-chambered one, was here produced, and the witness said he did not recognize it as the one the deceased kept at home in his house.
    Mr. S. Mills, surgeon, of 3, Southampton-street, Strand, said about half-past 4 o'clock on Thursday afternoon he received a very urgent message to go to Morley's Hotel.  On arriving there he was conducted to No. 86 bedroom, where he found the body of a gentleman lying on his back, fully dressed, outside the bed.  He felt the body and found it was quite warm.  There was an irregular lacerated wound in the front and centre of his forehead.  Blood was oozing from the wound, and there was a large quantity of blood which had run from it down the right side of the neck on to the shoulder.  On examination he found that the edges of the wound were charred, that there was an aperture entering the skull, about quarter of an inch in diameter, and that the bone was splintered and starred around it.  He examined the head carefully to ascertain if there was any other wound caused by the exit of the bullet, but found none.  He examined the mouth also, as blood was oozing from it as well as the nostrils and ears.  The deceased was was lying flat on his back on the bed, with his arms folded across his chest. He had a revolver in his right hand, with his thumb on the trigger, and the muzzle rested on his left hand, which was slightly charred and blackened with powder.  He probed for the bullet, and at the depth of about 5in he felt a rough surface which he had no doubt was the bullet resting on a portion of the base of the brain.  In order to have made the wound exhibit the appearance it did the deceased must have placed the muzzle of the revolver close to the skin of the forehead, and then have discharged it.  He had no doubt that he had committed the act himself.
    In answer to the coroner, the witness stated that, judging from the history of the case and the deceased's antecedents, he had but little doubt that the deceased's mind was affected when he committed the act.  It was well-known in medical science that persons having epileptic tendencies possessed at times a suicidal mania, and he had but little doubt that it was in one of those phases of the disease that the act was committed by the deceased.
    The Coroner having briefly summed up, the jury returned a verdict " That the deceased destroyed himself. being at the time in a state of unsound mind."

Coal mining at Great Clifton http://members.aol.com/GrtClifton/Coal.htm

Henry Allason Fletcher, Manager Lowca Engineering c1834 - 06 Jul 1884. Born Tarnbank, Cumberland, d. Whitehaven Cumberland

The Lowca Locomotive Works. Alan Earnshaw. 107-10.
The works were founded by Adam Heslop & Partners in 1763 as a general foundry with an output which included ships' cannons and steam engines for which Heslop held a Patent (1760). In 1808 the works were taken over by Messrs Millward & Co and by Tulk & Ley in 1830 with Mathewson as Engineer. In 1840 the firm built its first locomotive, a 2-2-2 for the Maryport & Carlisle Railway. In 1857 the firm was taken over by Fletcher, Jennings & Co. Following the death of Henry Allason Fletcher the company was reformed as the Lowca Engineering Co. Ltd.. The works finaaly closed in 1921. Illus.: 2-4-0WT (22/1861) Liver for Pearson, Knowles & Co., Ince Colliery, Wigan; 0-4-0ST (27/1862) for Aberdare Iron Co; 0-4-0ST (28/1862) narrow gauge (2ft 8in) also for Aberdare Iron; 0-4-0WT (48/1865) for Brassey & Co at Ampthill for MR London Extension; 0-4-0WT (82/1865) Will o'the Wisp for Ebbw Vale Iron Co.; 0-4-0ST rebuilt from Fletcher Jennings 1874 locomotive by Andrew Barclay in 1912 and sold to Kircaldy Corporation; 0-4-0ST (194/1886) Jubilee for Earl of Lonsdale Whitehaven Colliery; Lowca Locomotive Works c1895 with Harrington Colliery in backgrounf; class N 0-6-0T (260/1921) for L. Mitchell & Co for work in Africa (last locomotive built); 0-4-2ST Tal-y-Llyn (Lowca/1864) at Dolgoch in 1923.

"Fig 1f Melbourne Reflector by the elder Cooke of Yorke for Fletcher of Tarnbank; the polar ?? is of cast iron and the mounting very satisfactory and convenient, but unfortunately no detailed description has been published." 1911 Edition Encyclopedia

Charles Wyndam, second Earl of Egremont, inherited Petworth through his mother. Died 1763
3rd Earl  George O'Brien Wyndham - died 1837
Natural son George created Lord Leconfield 1859

John Wilson Fletcher 1847

John Wilson, Coal Owner, Workington

Tarn Bank, the handsome residence of J.N. Fletcher

Melgramfitz colliery.

Owners Fletcher & Co.
1932 Plan received. Ten quarter 1879, Main 1880

Workington area  Fletcher & Co

KIlled at Melgramfitz (http://www.dmm.org.uk/colliery/m025.htm#names)

William Moncrieff  m 18/5/1850   died 13/2/1877 Melgramfitz Colliery

In 1787, William Walker & Company leased the coal under a considerable portion of Greysouthen, and they and their successors carried on an extensive and profitable business for the following eighty years. In 1800, another firm, Wilson & Company, opened a new colliery in the same township.(20) One of these two firms, (probably the earlier, from the style of the engraving), is likely to have been responsible for the issue of the Graysouthen tokens of which several varieties are known, mostly with the cypher W & Co on the reverse. (Figs. 6 to 11). The numerals probably stand for bushels, but the significance of the H counter-marks and cut gussets is unclear. 

In 1823, Joseph Birbeck and J.W. Fletcher began operations in Greysouthen, when they leased a royalty on Curwen land for nine years at a yearly rent of £20 and one shilling per ton above an annual output of 400 tons.(21) They also issued a token (Fig. 12), as did the partnership of Harris and Fawcett, with a fine representation of an atmospheric engine on the obverse (Fig.13).

http://www.mining-memorabilia.co.uk/The_Tokens_%20Of_%20Windy_Hill_Colliery.htm

William Pearson, victualler Ship, Broughton Cross, Brigham 1829
Ponsonby Harris, station master, Broughton Cross, 1847
Thomas Hodgson, victualler Broughton Cross Inn, Brigham 1801

Victoria History of Cumberland 1901 (Vol2 pp379,380)

.......

In 1861 William Pit, Great Clifton was sunk by the same firm.

.....

In 1885 the Lowther Pit was abandoned.

Since then many pits have been sunk by many persons, and a large area of coal has been worked, more particularly in the Cannel and Metal Band, south-eastward to the outcrop. The most southerly workings are those that have been made from Allan pit near to Dean parish boundary, upwards of two miles from the confluence of the Marron and Derwent. The most northerly workings in the Cannel and Metal Band have been made from Melgramfitz and other pits up to an upcast east fault of 40 fathoms that runs underneath the village of Greysouthen.

In 1761 Sir James Lowther  was working the Cannel and Metal Band, in Greysouthen, at a depth of 34 fathoms at Reelfitz pit, east of the Marron.

In 1766 two small pits, 20 fathoms deep, were being worked, presumably by Mr John Cookson near the Marron, about half a mile south of Bridgefoot, for the supply of coal to the Clifton furnace.

In 1783 Mr Cookson was working Windy Hill or Linefitz Colliery, on the east side of the Marron, in the Cannel and Metal Band.

In 1787 Messrs. William Walker and Company leased the coal under a considerable portion of the township, and carried on an extensive and profitable business for a period of eighty years.

In 1800 Messrs. John Wilson and Company, in which Mr. J.W. Fletcher was a partner, opened a new colliery in Greysouthen. They obtained, in 1807, at an Assize trial at Carlisle, £16,000 damages from Messrs. William Walker and Co., who, it was proved, had worked a large quantity of coal belonging to Messrs. Wilson and Co., whose colliery they had also damaged by throwing water upon it.

Messrs. Walker and Co. were then working Agill, Walker and Moss Pits, and Messrs Wilson and Co. were working Wilson Pit.

....

From 1855 to 1863 Messrs. Fletcher did not work any coal in Greysouthen, but Messers. Harris and Co. did. In 1860 the latter had one colliery in the Cannel Band, 42 fathoms deep, where 70 persons were employed.

In 1863 Messrs. Isaac and Willam Fletcher completed Melgramfitz Pit, from which the Ten Quarters Seam and the Cannel and Metal Band were extensively worked until 1886, when the pit was closed.

....

Since the closing of the Melgramfitz pit in 1886 no coal has been worked in Greysouthen.

An agreement of 1855 allows Isaac and William Fletcher to extract their coal from Little Clifton colliery to the surface through Bridgefoot Colliery.