Cross stitch of gravestone inscription by Jacqui Clark
Thomas Ellis Smith was baptised in January 1789 when his father Thomas was a mason. Thomas Ellis seems to have spent most of his life as a builder and joiner. There was a joiner’s shop at Blackledge – was he based there?
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Thomas married Grace Stocks at Halifax Parish Church on 10th October 1810.
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Their son William initially worked as a builder but shortly after his marriage he became an insurance agent. His father-in-law John Oldfield Bates died in 1843 and his job as an agent with the West of England insurance company (which eventually became Aviva) was advertised as a ‘lucrative’ position with several applicants. It appears that William got the job as he is the agent for this company in the 1845 directory. Did his father-in-law put in a good word? From builder to insurance agent seems quite a career change.
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The family seem to have some money behind them as Thomas owned two freehold houses (18 and 19 Church Street) from at least 1832. Owning property meant that he was eligible to vote and he appears in Electoral Rolls as a Whig supporter (a Liberal party). On his death in 1859 he left the equivalent of £60,000 to William. After his father’s death, William moved his family to Blackledge where they owned property which extended from the south entrance of the Piece Hall to the grounds of the Square Chapel.
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This property included a house – 10 Blackledge – where the family lived, three cottages (known as Smith’s Buildings) and space for William to build a warehouse in 1874 for Messrs. Greenwood Bros. Machinists. He built another warehouse, stables and manure pit in 1881.
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William’s wife, Rachel Ibbetson Smith, came from a staunch Wesleyan family. Many of her family were baptised and buried at the South Parade Wesleyan Chapel. Her grandfather, Rev. John Bates was a Wesleyan preacher for more than 30 years as well as being a schoolteacher. He ran a private school in Halifax called Bates’ School. Years later his granddaughters – Rachel’s sisters – ran another Bates’ school. In some census returns, two of Rachel’s daughters were schoolteachers – did they work with their aunts?
Photograph of Ibbotson family grave at Stoney Royd Cemetery. By Jacqui Clark
Harriet Preston Smith, the last granddaughter of Thomas and Grace to live at 10 Blackledge, appeared in the 1939 register living with her niece. Harriet died in 1943 and the Smith home was converted into a fruit and vegetable warehouse in 1955.
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Although William and Rachel lost three young children, who were buried in the Square Chapel with their grandparents, they had seven daughters who reached adulthood. Jane Ellen Smith reached the age of 93. Only two of the daughters married. As shown in the census records, they clearly had financial security so did not have to marry for economic reasons.
Illustration by Christal Tillett
Researched by Jacqui Clark
Photograph of gravestone made for exhibition