In celebration of International Women’s Day 2023 we are taking a look at women in business in the 19th century. You may have heard of Martha Crossley of Crossley Carpets, but did you know just how influential she was? And what about all the women you never hear about who ran small, local businesses. We took a look through a few trade directories and found plenty of entries. Here are just a handful:
Baines Directory of Yorkshire 1822 lists:
Martha Simpson – Circulating Library, Crown Street
Eliza Metcalfe – Boot and Shoe Maker, Old Market
Elizabeth Thomas – Brazier and Tinsmith, North Bridge
Margaret Crabtree – Rope and Twine Manufacturer, Northgate
Mary Lewthwaite – Pawnbroker, Woolshops
White’s Directory 1837 lists:
Mrs R Coates – Butcher, 47 Silver Street
Mary Ann Bales – Cabinet Maker, 14 Southgate
Alice Mudd – Cheese and Flour Dealer, 44 Silver Street
Mary Bairstow – Horse and Gig Letter, Wards End
Amelia Lawson – Plumber and Glazier, 23 Southgate
The list goes on! We did a bit of digging to see what we could find out about the lives of just a few:
Rachel Aspinall/ Green – Quarry Owner, Stone Merchant and entrepreneur?
Rachel Green was born in 1802/3 in the Northowram area to parents Samuel and Hannah Green. She married Thomas Aspinall in 1821, a stone merchant from Southowram.
With permission from West Yorkshire Archive Service Wakefield WDP53/1/3/19 Accessed via http://www.ancestry.co.uk 25/02/2023
Between 1823 and 1838 she gave birth to at least 9 children, 2 of which died in childhood. In 1839 her husband Thomas Aspinall died when she was just 35. They were living at Stone Lodge in Northowram; she remained in this house as a widow with her children and was described in both the 1841 and 1851 census as a ‘Stone Merchant’.
1841 Census of England and Wales. Accessed via ancestry.co.uk 25/02/2023
She is an interesting character as she is apparently carrying on the family Stone Merchant business. In Walkers Directory of Halifax 1845 (p124). Mrs Rachel Aspinall listed as a Stone Merchant at Stone Lodge, Northowram, and by 1847 in White’s Directory of Leeds & The Clothing Districts 1847 (p465) Rachel Aspinall is listed under Quarry Owners in Northowram.
Rachel appears a few times in local and regional newspapers. On a couple of occasions she is selling property, sometimes in conjunction with Isaac Green, her brother, as can be seen in the Leeds Mercury from October 24th 1840. They are selling a new pub and 6 new houses (with tenants) in Southowram, the old Travellers Inn and 14 new houses in Southowram (with tenants), 5 cottages and 3 parcels of land in Bailey Hall Bank Southowram (with tenants) and in Barkisland, a large number of plots of land.
Leeds Mercury 24/10/1840
In October 1847 in the Halifax Guardian she is advertising the opportunity to let a Malt Kiln close to the Calder and Hebble navigation on the Halifax and Elland Turnpike road. Any interested parties should contact her (Mrs Aspinall, the Owner) at Stone Lodge, Northowram.
Halifax Guardian October 1847
It is fascinating to hear of a woman who not only carries on her husband’s trade/business after he dies, but finds other avenues of income too. She died in 1855 at the age of 53 and was buried in the family plot with her husband and some of her children in St Anne’s Church in Southowram.
Susannah Holden/ Ogden
Susannah Ogden was born in 1770 in Birstall. She was the daughter of Grace (Robinson) and the Reverend Reuban Ogden. As the daughter of a Vicar it is likely she had some education.
In 1803 she married Thomas Holden of Halifax in Birstall St Thomas’s. they moved to Halifax together where Thomas had an Iron Monger business
With permission from West Yorkshire Archive Service Wakefield WDP5/1/3/4 Accessed via http://www.ancestry.co.uk 25/02/2023
Thomas died just two years later in 1805.
Susannah decided she would carry on her late husband’s business and placed an advert in the Halifax Journal
Halifax Journal August 1805
Susannah is listed as an Iron Monger at Old Market in a trade directory dated 1809 – 1811 however, her name is crossed out. This is usually because the business is no longer trading. We couldn’t find any listings for her in later directories.
Holden’s Triennial Directory for 1809, 1810, 1811
Unfortunately Susannah’s life as an independent business woman seems to have come to an end when she re-married in 1808. He was a card maker called Hartley Murgatroyd.
Details of her life are much harder to find as a married woman and in fact in most of the mentions we find she is just called Mrs Murgatroyd or Mrs Hartley Murgatroyd.
One interesting snippet of information we found were in the Parish Rates books held by West Yorkshire Archives. These rates were paid to support the poor, maintain roads and churches and other Parish expenses. Interestingly in Susannah’s case both her and her husband appear to be paying rates which seems unusual with Susannah paying nearly double her husband. We’re not sure why this is!
1814 Poor Relief Assessment With permission from West Yorkshire Archive Service Calderdale OR:13. Accessed via ancestry.co.uk 25/02/2023
Highway Composition Rate 1819. With permission from West Yorkshire Archive Service Calderdale OR18. Accessed via ancestry.co.uk 25/02/2023
The next record we find of Susannah is the 1841 Census. She is living at 12 Bedford Terrace off Hopwood Lane with Hartley and someone called Hannah Murgatroyd. We don’t think she is their daughter as we can’t find any record of them having children and she is a little young. The notation under her occupation appears to say F S which usually stands for Female Servant. It could be she was a niece looking after them..?
1841 Census of England and Wales. Accessed via ancestry.co.uk 25/02/2023
The next and final record we have for Susannah is a record of her death. Her death notice is rather sad as it only identifies her as Hartley’s wife
Halifax Guardian January 1843
She died on 24th Jan 1843 aged 72 and is buried at Luddenden St Marys
There is a picture of her gravestone on Malcom Bull’s Calderdale Companion
http://www.calderdalecompanion.co.uk/ph2428.html
The inscription reads: Sacred. To the Memory of Susannah the Wife of Hartley Murgatroyd of Halifax and Daughter of the late Revd Reuben Ogden M.A. Curate of Birstall, who died the 24th Day of January 1843 aged 72 Years Also the above mentioned Hartley Murgatroyd who died December 7th 1848 AGED 74 Years
Ann Camotta/ Brier
Ann Camotta was born Ann Brier in 1807, her parents were Robert and Mary Brier who lived in Halifax. Ann married Richard (AKA Rocco) Camotta in 1834 in Halifax. Roccos first wife was Amelia with whom he had a child Margaretta (1831). Rocco was described in 1832 (at a bankruptcy hearing) as French basket vendor, barometer and thermometer maker, carver and gilder, toyman and picture dealer. (Leeds Patriot and Yorkshire Advertiser – 10/03/1832). After they married , Ann joined the business and they made barometers and other equipment. Her first child was born in 1835, Sarah Swaine Camotta, a second daughter Josephine was born in 1837, and a third, Mary Ann, in 1840. Sadly, their first daughter Sarah Swaine died in 1839. Margaret, Roccos child from his first marriage also lived with them.
In 1840 they place an advert in the Halifax Express detailing the magnificent items they are selling and making at their premises at 12 Bull Green, Halifax
Halifax Express 22/08/1840
Rocco dies in March 1841 when he is 34. He leaves a will. We find that in the 1841 Census, the occupants of the house attached to the shop are Ann Camotta, Margaret her stepdaughter (10) Mary Ann (1) and a servant Mary Brier. Ann herself has the profession of Carver and Gilder. She has carried on the business and in the 1843 Whites Directory and Topography of Leeds and the Whole of the Clothing District of the West Riding she is listed at 12 Bull Green as a looking glass, barometer &c manufacturer and is listed under Carvers and Gilders.
Whites Directory 1843 (page 403)
She is again listed as a Carver and Gilder in the 1847 directory.
There seems to be a momentary problem for Ann in 1847 when she had to file for bankruptcy on 31st January 1847. We’re not sure what happened but by 1851 she is still at 12 Bull Green and trading so it must have gone well for her. In the 1851 census she is listed as both a widow and a Carver and Gilder. She is 44. She has 1 child living with her, a daughter Mary Ann (11) and they are still living at 12 Bull Green.
In fact, she is doing well enough that she is advertising in the Halifax Guardian in 1854
Halifax Guardian 22/04/1954
And again in 1855 she is advertising a periodical sale in the Halifax Courier
Halifax Courier 28/07/1855
The 1861 Census shows Ann Camotta (54) is at 12 Bull Green. She is listed as a Carver and Gilder employing 1 man. Her daughter Josephine and a nephew Isaac Birk/Bull are living there with her. She is listed in local trade directories as a Carver and Gilder up to at least 1866.
However, by 1871 she seems to have moved on! In 1872 her daughter Mary Ann marries in Blackpool, and Ann Camotta herself begins to be listed as running a Boarding House at 27 Queens Square in Blackpool.
In the 1880s she is advertising her boarding house in the Birmingham and Aston Chronicle 05/07/1884.
Birmingham and Aston Chronicle 05/07/1884
The 1891 census shows Ann is now 84 and living in Blackpool as a Boarding House Keeper advertising Select private apartments, with home comforts and sea view at 27 Queens Square. Also living with her is her daughter Josephine Camotta. In 1896 Ann died in the Fylde district aged 89.
In 1912 (Halifax guardian 20/01/1912) she was mentioned in an article called Halifax Trade in the ‘40s saying “and of Carving and Gilding of the best could be said of Abraham Baldwin and William Braithwaite – business surviving still – and of Ann Camotta – another member of the Italian colony located in the town”
Ann Camotta must have been a remarkable woman. She learned the craft of Carving and Gilding, she ran a business for at least 25 years selling a wide variety of items. She later moves on to the seaside where she runs a Boarding House until she passed away at a grand old age. Being remembered in the 1912 article shows she might have played up on the Italian family ties too!
Her daughters also seem like interesting characters. Ann ran the guest house with daughter Josephine who remained unmarried until a few years after Ann’s death. Age 63 she married for the first time a widower 13 years her junior and they ran a boarding house together in Blackpool until her death age 87
Mary Ann/ Marian – Married Edward Riley in 1872 at Christ church, Blackpool
On 1871 census Mary Ann is listed as National School Mistress working at Clayton Le Moor (near Blackpool) In 1872 she marries Edward Riley at Christ Church Blackpool Her sister Josephine was one of the witnesses. They settled in Accrington. Presumably she had to give up being a school mistress when she married as she doesn’t have an occupation listed on later censuses. She lived to age 88.
Martha Crossley
Martha is the best well known of our featured women. As well as official document such as marriage banns and censuses, there are brief writings about her and most interestingly she wrote a short memoir of her early life. We’re not sure who holds the original document is but you can read a full transcript here: http://josephcrossleyhomes.org.uk/the-almshouses-1
She sounds like quite a character!
Portrait of Martha Crossley held by Calderdale Libraries.
“I was born at Folly Hall Farm, near Ambler Thorn, 23rd February 1775. From five years old I could knit a stocking as long as myself, did from that time knit all the stockings for my father and all the family – nearly killed by a horse kick in field when five years old – also soon after by falling downstairs at 3 o’clock in the morning. I went to three schools – got my head badly beaten at Catherine Slack School, because of bad spelling – taken away to school at Booth Town. I went to service at 13 ½ years old to Miss Oldfield’s, Stock Lane..
When I first went to Stock Lane I had 1/3 a week for two years. When Miss Sally died my wages were raised to 1/6 a week and there was no advance until I had been nine years and then my mother came and said if I had not £6.6s.0d a year she would take me away, and it was with difficulty that my mistress was induced to give me so much, but out of these wages I saved £30 during the period I was at Stock Lane Farm”
She describes meeting John Crossley who pursued her for several years until she agreed to marry him. The married in 1801 at Halifax Parish Church and went on to have nine children, seven of whom survived to adulthood.
With permission from West Yorkshire Archive Service Wakefield WDP53/1/3/10 Accessed via http://www.ancestry.co.uk 25/02/2023
When Martha and John first married they were living at Lower George Yard and John was working for Mr Job Lees. It was several years before he leased and eventually bought Dean Clough.
Martha tells of their somewhat turbulent first few years in business and describes how she was directly involved in the manufacturing:
“I also made and stitched with assistance, all the carpets that we sold retail – and formerly warped Scotch warps. By getting up by 4 o’clock and being very diligent I have earned 2/- before breakfast by the time my neighbours were coming downstairs”
As well as Martha’s own testimonial, we also have accounts of her from other people. In his book Thrift Samuel Smiles wrote:
‘Mr. Crossley never did a better day’s work than in marrying his excellent and noble wife. From that day forward she was his helper, his co-worker, his consoler. She assisted her husband in all his struggles, and in a certain sense she was the backbone of the Crossley family.’
As well as being influential in the running and success of Crossley Carpet’s; Martha is also credited for her philanthropic values. In his speech at the opening of People’s Park, her son Francis said how she made a vow ‘If the Lord does bless us at this place, the poor shall taste of it He goes on to say ‘My mother was always looking how best she could keep this vow. In the days gone by, when it was a difficult thing to give employment to a large number of people, the advice that she gave to her sons was “Do not sell your goods for less than they cost, for it would ruin you without permanently benefitting any one, but if you can go on giving employment to some during the winter, do so, for it is a bad thing for a working man to go home and hear his children cry for bread and not be able to give them any”
Martha lived at Dean Clough House. On the 1851 census, aged 76 she is living with two servants – Martha Dyson and Sarah Chatburn, her grand daughter Catherine Hanh Garnet and a lodger Augustus Ameline who is 16 and listed as a carpet designer from Paris.
1851 Census of England and Wales. Accessed via ancestry.co.uk 25/02/2023
Francis describes how she continued to take an interest in the business in her old age ‘One of the greatest treats she had in her old age was to fix a mirror in her room, so that while lying in bed she could see the happy countenances of those who were going to work or coming back’.
She died on 26th November 1854, aged 80 and was buried at Square Chapel. Dean Clough closed for the day at her request and workers were paid a full days wage.
Obituary Halifax Courier 2nd December 1854
Memorial to John and Martha Crossley at Square Chapel. Image by Sarah R, Calderdale Libraries
