Personal Record
Hugh was born, lived and died at Wensley. He had four surviving sisters: Ellen, Ann, Rebecca and Dorothy. He learnt the trade of cooper, probably taught by his father John, and eventually became the village cooper. To find out more about the the cooper's trade press the button below.
Hugh married Mary Bestal, a widow, in May 1773. The marriage does not appear in the Darley Parish Register but a Marriage Licence was recorded in the Diocese of Lichfield Marriage Allegations and Bonds 1636-1893. They did not have any children and Mary died in 1790 aged 52.
In 1784 Hugh appeared at the Derby Quarter Sessions charged with ‘forcible entry’ and was remanded to the High Court of Justice in London. The outcome of his case is not known but it could have been serious as at that time the sentence for burglary was a public hanging.
In September 1792, Hugh married Ann White, aged 31, who was also from Wensley. On the 7th January 1793 she gave birth to a son who, of course, was also named Hugh. The baby was christened on the 10th January at St Helens Church, Darley. Tragically, Hugh the father must have known that he had not long to live, for on the 19th January he set out and signed his Last Will and Testament. He died a few days later at the age of 49 and was buried at St Helen's on the 7th February.
Hugh's extensive will reveals many interesting facts. It tells us that he was the owner of three properties in Wensley: his own dwelling, a dwelling in the possession of one Henry Taylor and a cooper's workshop. The dwellings had kitchens, stables, outhouses and gardens and other land. He bequeathed these properties to his wife Ann and, on her death, to his son Hugh and his heirs. If Hugh died before the age of 21 with no lawful children, the freeholds were to pass to Hugh's four sisters to share as tenants-in-common.
Hugh left all his cooper's tools and the wood in the workshop to one Joseph Knowles - his 'journeyman' (a tradesman employed by the day) - on the condition that he payed Ann the sum of £30 within six months. (This was a large amount - equivalent to £4,000 today.) Hugh also gave Joseph possession of the workshop provided he continued to work there as a cooper and paid Ann a yearly rent of 20 shillings. See the full transcript of Hugh's will below.
After Hugh's death Ann soon found another husband: she married Isaac Flint (aged 47) on the 2nd July 1793! He was also a widower, his wife Hester having died in March 1793. There were no children.
Isaac Flint came from a large family living in the Bridgetown area of Darley Dale (now called Darley Bridge) close to the River Derwent. The Flints were mostly lead miners and some branches of the family became quite wealthy. Isaac had shares in several mines and owned three houses and some land. He and Ann had no more children so young Hugh was raised on his own.
Isaac died in 1816 and left Hugh the family home at Bridgetown and left Ann his other properties, which were to pass to Hugh on her death. They received joint ownership of the mining shares. See the transcript of Isaac's will below.