There are several Robinson family members buried in the same grave; Sarah and her husband Dan Robinson, three of their children, William, Joseph and Amelia, and Amelia’s son, John George.
Dan Robinson is born in 1770 (possibly in Bradford). He grows up and marries Sarah Wade in 1790, he is employed as a Currier (leather worker) and they both appear to be living in Hipperholme. Dan and Sarah have their first son Joseph Robinson in February 1792, sadly he died 11 months later. Their second son William was born in Sep 1793.
Marriage of Dan Robinson and Sarah Wade, Halifax St John the Baptist, 3 Feb 1790. With permission from WYAS Wakefield, WDP53/1/5/1. Accessed via www.Ancestry.co.uk [15/10/2024]
In 1794 we have records showing that Dan Robinson takes on an apprentice.
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Sarah and Dan have a daughter, Amelia on 2nd May 1795, 10 days later their son William dies.
We have a gap in the records up until June 1816 when Amelia Robinson has a son, John George Robinson. This child is born out of wedlock and no father is given on the birth/baptism records.
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In January 1817 Dan Robinson dies and is buried, aged 47. He is buried at the Square Chapel, Halifax.
In June 1818 Amelia Robinson gives birth to a second child, Dan Alexander Robinson on 25 June. No father is given on record again. Two years later, Amelia’s first born child, John George Robinson dies in May 1820 at the age of 4 yrs 2 mths. In 1822 (June and November) we get 2 bastardy records from Amelia Robinson, the father is recorded as a John Alexander of Halifax. He is ordered to pay a sum of money.
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In January 1826 Sarah Robinson, Amelia’s mother dies, aged 62. She is buried with Dan Robinson, Joseph and William, their two children, and their grandson John George at the Square Chapel in Halifax.
At the age of 31 and with two children, Amelia marries Richard (aka Rocco) Camotta in Manchester in September 1826, he is possibly only 19 years old and his occupation is given as Optician. 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).
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In 1829 Dan Alexander Robinson, age 11, is apprenticed to Rocco Camotta to learn the trade of Carving and Gilding.
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Amelia and Rocco have a child, Margaretta, in February 1831. But in March 1832 Amelia Camotta dies aged 38 yrs. The month after Amelia dies, Rocco has Margaretta baptised in Halifax. Amelia is buried with her parents and siblings at the Square Church, Halifax.
Baptism of Margaretta Camotta, Halifax St John the Baptist, 13 Feb 1831. With permission from WYAS Wakefield, WDP53/1/2/5. Accessed via www.Ancestry.co.uk [15/10/2024]
Rocco marries again to Ann in 1834 in Halifax and after he dies in 1841, age 34, she successfully carries on his business in Halifax. 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. However, Ann Camotta has a brief financial problem in 1847 before recovering. Did this lead to Margaretta moving out to Bradford, maybe she temporarily lived with Dan Alexander? Sadly Margaretta dies in Bradford Dec 1846, aged 15.
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Dan Alexander had married Eliza Holgate in 1839 and was living in Bradford. In the 1841 census they are living together and by 1843 their first child, Dan Robinson Jnr. was born. They have at least seven more children together. In 1851 Dan Alexander employs four men. He must have learned enough from Rocco Camotta to be able to set up shop with such a wide variety of skills.
Lund's Bradford Directory 1856. Calderdale Libraries
However, by 1861 Dan Alexander is in trouble and can be found in the newspapers as bankrupt. In the census at 1861 Dan isn’t at home with the family, where was he? In an article in the Leeds Times, he has a long list of business interests still.
In March 1866 Dan Alexander Robinson appears in the Bradford Observer and Halifax Guardian. The article alludes to Dan Alexander being in financial trouble, there is a court case over ownership of property/shop goods.
Halifax Guardian 10th March 1866
In 1871 Census Dan Alexander is 53, a Carver Gilder, his wife Eliza is also 53. They have three children living with them still. At some point in the 1870s Eliza dies, as by 1881 census Dan Alexander is living in 12 Townley St, Poulton Barre and Torrisholme.
A widower, he is living as a boarder, age 63. He is a retired Carver and Gilder. Dan Alexander Robinson died June 1888, age 70.
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Researched by Anna Roe