The Crossley and Brearley families are from Skircoat. Buried together are Jonas Crossley, son of Squire and Mary Crossley who died on the 23 Feb 1823 aged 30 yrs, Jonas’s sister Ann and her husband John Brearley.
Their lives are a tiny potted history of Halifax Industrial prowess - tin plate /brass manufacture and high powered Steam Engines.
​
It appears that Jonas's Father – Squire Crosley was buried at Square Chapel, on 5th February 1800. He is not listed in the tombstone schedule as the family may not have had the finance for this at the time of his death.
However, the reference to him and his wife on the Jonas Cros(s)ley & Brearley Grave Stone suggests that they were known in the area.
​
There are several entries for the death of a Mary Crossley in Halifax and the wider area. Dates ranged between May 1792, the birth of Jonas, and very late 1802 or very early 1803, when Jonas begins his apprenticeship as an orphan.
There may have been other children in the family, after the birth of Ann and before the birth of Jonas. There is a single notation for two dead children of Squire Crossley, no names attached; they may have been buried elsewhere as no names usually indicates no baptism.
​
There are a number of unaccredited graves to Crossley in the Square Chapel list.
​
Jonas Crossley (6 May 1792 – 23 February 1823)
​Born in Halifax, likely Skircoat, on 6th May 1792. On February 7th 1803.
10 year old Jonas Crossley became a Tin Plate apprentice for William Bolland in Halifax. He was tenured for 10 years and 3 months, until his 21st birthday. Both Parents are indicated as dead on the Indenture. His Father died in early February 1800. We have been unable to establish exactly when the Mother died.
​
Orphaned Jonas would either be living with his sister and Mother, or just his sister, or in the Workhouse. There are no entries in the Poor Law information for Skircoat for Squire Crossley, Mary Crosley or their daughter Ann Crosley. This apprenticeship is the most likely path Jonas would have followed after the death of both parents.
William Bolland (poss 1738 -1808) – Tin Plate, Brass Foundry Owner and Man of Property.
​
He had been in business since at least 1765 as he paid his Duties for Apprenticeships for a number of years.
Previously in partnership with Mr John Wood, however things did not work out and Mr Wood gives notice on the Indenture on 24th October 1768. “hath not been carried out in the manner you and company, as by the said indenture it was agreed to be, and that you have from time to time refused or neglected……………”
​
It appears Mr Bolland did not get on well with having partners as, once again in 1780, his partnership with Messrs Milne and Taylor was dissolved.
​
A partnership with a new business was set up in Halifax in 1780 by William Bolland on the dissolving of a previous Partnership. He was a bit of an entrepreneur and property owner,
Listing from Baines Directory of the County of York 1822. Calderdale Libraries
A newspaper advert in November 1780 appeared in the Leeds intelligencer for:
‘ Brass Foundry, William Bollard, Tinplate worker, brazier and brass founder, states he makes clock and Jack work, brass and princess metal, candlesticks, bright brass pans, clock bells, hand bells, tea kettles and much more! ‘
​
There is a document in West Yorkshire Archives relating to an agreement with tenants and workshops ‘William Bolland Tin Plate Worker’ agrees further rental /mortgages on workshops to John Garland Clothier, John Hawksworth, Carpenter and Samuel Smith, stuffmaker for £400
Demise for 1000 years in mortgage to secure £400, 4 Dec 1779.
West Yorkshire Archive Service Calderdale, MISC:744/2
There is quite a history of tin plate and brass foundries in the Halifax area. There appear to be no reports of tin plate workers being at any different health risks than other workers in the 19th Century – long hours, heat, dangerous machinery without protection, no personal protection, lots of hand work, tedious repetitive actions etc.
​
A Tin Platers Union was not set up until the 1860s. However, the ‘Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers’ did set up to control the work around London as early as the 1600s.
Why Jonas died at the age of 30, 9 years after finishing his Apprenticeship, remains a mystery. There are no newspaper reports or death notices.
​
Ann Crossley (1782-1861) was 17 when her Father died in 1800. Her brother Jonas goes into an Apprenticeship 3 years later in 1803 clearly stated that both parents were dead. What happens to her for the next 18 years? Ann does not appear on any information related to Poor Law which possibly means that she was in service for one or more families in the area before marrying John Brearley.
​
Ann Married John Brearley on 1st November 1818 St John’s Halifax, at the age of approximately 35. The ages vary across the census records, however addresses in Skircoat and John’s occupation match across the years.
Interestingly, both sign with their mark 'X’; they were both illiterate. Which may confirm that Ann was sent out to earn a living from an early age and had nothing of an education. This is probably also true for John Brearley. Both he and his father (also John Brearley) worked as millwrights. As a millwright he would be a skilled worker but not necessarily a literate one!
The 1841 census has John and Ann Brearley living in Bell Hall, Skircoat. John is listed as a Millwright with an age of 45 and Ann 50, which does not match the calculated date of birth. Given the statement below about rounding down ages, it makes sense.
​
“In June 1841 The census takers were instructed to give the exact ages of children but to round the ages of those older than 15 down to a lower multiple of 5. For example, a 59-year-old person would be listed as 55. Not all census enumerators followed these instructions.” (1841 Censuscompany.co.uk)
​
In the 1851 census it has John and Ann living at Upper Spring Edge, Skircoat and confirms that both Ann and John were born in Skircoat and he is a Millwright.
​
In the 1861 census they are still living in Upper Spring Edge, Ann is 78 and confirmed born in 1783 she dies later that year, John died in 1865.
​
John and Ann did not have any children.
​
John Brearley (1791-1865) was a very skilled gentleman as a millwright and more than likely had the money to bury his brother-in law, Jonas Crosley, in Square Chapel, have the memorial made, and his wife and self buried later.
His father, of the same name, worked until retirement for Timothy Bates & Co in Wharf Street, Sowerby Bridge. A company started in 1786, they were renowned makers of high powered steam engines and became one of the oldest engineering companies in the area.
​
His father’s death notice reads “John Brearley of Bell Hall, near Halifax, a millwright, having been in the employ of the late Timothy Bates and his successor, of Sowerby Bridge, upwards of 30 years, an honest, upright and faithful servant”.
They appear to have been a very close knit family. John followed in his father’s footsteps to become a millwright. He very likely worked for the same company. His brother James also worked as a millwright. The brothers, John and James, lived on the same street/next door to each other for many years. James had two wives Mary and Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s maiden name was Crossley so it is also possible she was related to Ann!
​
​​​​​​​​
Researched by Heather Neilson Cox
Photograph of gravestone made for exhibition