Bradford or Broadford [Bradeford in D.B.] lies between the Aire and Calder valleys about equal distance from Leeds and Halifax in what was known as Bradford Dale. Flowing through Bradford from Thornton and Clayton,
[ early Midgley
residences ] is Clayton Beck which flows into the River Aire
by a devious route through Bradford centre. This Beck drains what
was called in the past, Bradford Dale.
A manor is mentioned in Domesday Book at 'Bolling'
[Bowling].
Bolling Hall was owned
by the Bolling family from about 1165 until the end of Derek notes that Coats of Arms at Bolling Hall
date from 1645, the ones in the small lead-light windows vary in
date and may represent Arms of those who married into the Bolling
family. Some of the window examples were brought from Bierley Hall8.
Bierley Hall was built by the Richardson's in 1676 the most relevant connection between Bolling Hall and Bierley Hall is probably Bowling Iron Works. Bierley Church was built by the Richardson's8. Returning to the Domesday Book, Bolton [Bodeltone]
Manor held:
The Ilbert mentioned here is Ilbert de Laci
[Lacy], a member of one of the branches of the Earls of Lincoln.
It is probable that there was a motte & bailey castle established
at Bradford, later a manor house for de Laci was built on the site. From
at least the time of Robert de Laci , "Blackburnshire" on the west of
the Pennines, was held in lordship. Thus the Hundred of Blackburn had
strong connections with the Honour of Pontefract through ownership by
the de Lacis which later evolved into the Duchy of Lancaster.
In 1277 the first first woollen weaver in Bradeford
had been recorded and by 1311 the population has been estimated
from the number of households to be about 650, dyeing of cloth
being recorded in 1342. Gaunt & Hastings During Edward III's reign, John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster & Earl of Richmond held the manor of Bradford. The Northorp family was granted the keeping of the manorlands in return for protective and hospitality services given to Gaunt on his regular travels from "Blackburnshire" to his castle seat in Pontefract. There is also a reference by Carlisle which "entitled
the Free Grammar School at Bradford On Blanche's father's death in 1362 John became
the Duke of Lancaster and the greatest landholder in England.
Blanche died from the "Great Pestilence" at the early age of 29 in
1369 after giving birth to three children the second eldest of whom
became Henry IV [Lord Bolingbroke] of England and another, Elizabeth
Plantagenet [b.1364], the eldest, who married John Hastings, 5th
Lord Hastings, 13th Earl of Pembroke [his first marriage]. The marriage
was annulled in 1383, Elizabeth died in 1425 at the age of 61. Secondly,
Lord Hastings 5th Baron married Philippa Mortimer. Thus, the Midgley family of Thornton Manor were supplying wool to Lord Hastings at Bradford Manor from the Pennine slopes. Part of this wealth generation would have been passed on to John of Gaunt who held the Duchy of Lancaster and ultimately, before his death, in 1377, to King Edward III. England at this time gained 45% of its wealth from wool, such that Edward could raise enough money for the wars with France and further the establishment of an off-shore wool staple at Calais. The income from Calais was for his own royal coffers, thus Edward by-passed the need to make requests from Parliament which always came with a conditions. Edward was thus able to wage wars on his family branches in France. Wool essentially fuelled the "Hundred Years War". Incidentally, Geoffrey Chaucer wrote an early poem [1369] to Blanche Plantagenet, wife of John of Gaunt, entitled "The Deth of Blaunche the Duchesse" to commemorate her early death from the third "Great Pestilence" [Black Death] of Edward III's reign. There is little doubt that the first appearance of the Black Death had so reduced the working population from 1347 that many landowners turned to sheep farming.
LINKS FROM EDWARD III TO MIDGLEY OF BRADFORD DALE:
The link from Hastings to Midgley has four pieces of evidence: 1. The crest on the Midgley Coat of Arms is an
heraldic tyger which indicates the family were followers of Lord Hastings.
In 1471 William Hastings was a Lt.-General at the Calais Wool staple
and it would appear from the tyger crest on the Midgley Arms that a
Midgley was a pursuivant of Lord Hastngs. The link from Hastings
to Midgley is not filial as far as is known. Within the various genealogies
of the Hastings family, one particular branch which led to William Captain
of Calais was recorded as resident at "Allerton, Yorkshire". If this
is a reference to Allerton near Bradford then we have direct evidence of
their early sojourn here [Thomas Hastings born ~ 1165 at/of Fillongley
Warwickshire and Allerton, his son Hugh d~1208 and his son Thomas d. ~1246].
Bradford parish Church of St. Peter became in time, the City's cathedral. The cathedral dates mainly from the 1400's, built no doubt as the towns economy grew. By 1479 Bradford along with Almondbury, Halifax, Leeds, Pontefract & Ripon were described as centres for woollen production. By the time of Thomas Moule's maps in 1579, Bolton
had lost its importance, Bowling Hall, and to the west Denholme Park
were ascendant.
1. MIDGLEY of Allerton & Horton, Bradford One of the earliest Midgleys recorded holding land in Bradford was Edward Midgley in 1536, found in the subsidy roll of 1516 as constable of Bradford.
2. Joseph Midgley and others. 3. Sarah Jane Midgley b. Bradford 1865 married James Hargreaves Bland of Idle. They migrated to America 4. Mary Midgley married in Bradford on 11th August
1851 to James Eamonson, they had several children born in Bradford
John Midgley b. 1900 in Bradford, his parents
were John Midgley and Florence Parker, whose father was Joseph Midgley
and mother possibly Sara. Joseph was the son of John born abt. 1847,
John's father was Joseph. Both John and his father Joseph were stonemasons.
5. Frederick Midgley b. 8th June 1891, Bradford. May have had a brother John. Frederick married Gertrude Brook b. 24th December 1898 Bradford. Migrated to Canada 6. William Midgley born about 1835 Horton married
3rd August 1861 Mary Holmes [daughter of Jonathan Holmes] born abt.
1840 at Horton. The marriage was solemnised by William Holmes, the
parish clerk and a Christopher Gibson. They had at least one child,
Mary Ella Midgley born Camden 1880 New Jersey,
U.S.A. 7. Walter Midgley was born 30th October 1895 in Lonsdale Street,
Barkerend, Bradford. Walter
resided at 16, Lonsdale
St. Street, Bradford during the 1901census with parents
Hermann and Ann (nee Maddison) and sister Elsie. Other siblings of Walter were
Nellie, Jim and John. Grandad Hermann worked
for the post office and in later years resided in Manningham Lane, Bradford. Jim,
who married Lil Smith of Queensbury is Martin's father. Herman(n) is shown on
the 1881 census as being the grandson of William Midgley (b. 1818 in
Bradford) and Ann (b~ 1827). Walter's father, Hermann, was a postman. Hermann, born 15/5/1874, was the only child of Sarah Jane Midgley born 5/11/1850. Sarah Jane died of TB in 1875 when Hermann had just turned 1.
At some point in the 1870’s Sarah Jane met the man she planned to marry. He was John Sanderson, who emigrated to the USA in the 1880’s. He lived in Lawrence, Massachusetts and became a naturalized
American citizen on 8th October 1892. 8. 1988-1989 Smith Midgley was mayor of Bradford Council in this year.
9. Francis
Midgley and Mary Swaine were married in Bradford 1857. Their
son John Henry Midgley was born 1858 at the Raggalds
,Thornton which is near Queensbury. They can be found
on 1861 census living in Barton-upon-Irwell Eccles John
Henry was 2, Francis 27,and Mary 31. This gives Francis as
being born at Bradshaw Lane Ovenden. Francis was born on the
6th June 1834. His Father was also called Francis born 5th
Feb 1792 and his mother was Sarah Attack they were married
in Bradford in 1819.
The grave of Francis and Sarah is at
Mount Zion Chapel Halifax. Francis died 1882 age 90 and
Sarah died 1870 age 74. John Henry's father Francis was born
6th June 1834 and was christened at Mount Zion Methodist New
Connection on 1st March 1837 along with his sister Sarah
born 10th July 1829.
This ties in with the census of 1881
showing Francis age 89 retired Royal Guards Blues living
with Sarah Priestley widow age 51 at Ovenden.
Francis (1792) was christened on the
5th February 1792 his father was John Midgley born 1759
married to Hannah Stansfied in Bradford 16th March
1783.
It is believed that John's
parents were David Midgley born 1739 and Elizabeth who were
married in 1758. John Henry Midgley married Hannah Isabella Simpson.
They had at least 4 children maybe six.
Henry Midgley b. 26th Oct 1891 d. 10th April
1961. His brother Ernest b 1887 d. 1952 is buried in Lymme Massachusetts
USA. They had a sister Selina b. 1895 d. Nov 12th 1969 she became a Bartle
and is buried in the same grave as her mother Hannah Isabella in Undercliffe
cemetery. There was also a brother The reason why Ernest went to the USA was to find
his father this he did only to find he had changed his name to Mason.
Ned (Edward) a cousin to Derek, found a piece of paper with
some information on it. It referred to a grave site purchased on Nov 21st 1852 by
a Henry Midgley in Bierley Church. This has been located
by Derek and it contains only Henry Midgley who died May 1860
age 67. Also with these papers were a list of Midgleys as follows :
The gravesite mentioned above, purchased in 1852 by Henry Midgley, appears to be the same Henry who died in 1860 who occurs on Rob Midgley of South Africa's pedigree which can be downloaded here:
Rob appears to be descended from John Midgley father of Henry Midgley [b. 1761, Bierley d. 1830] who married Mary Ellis [1760-1837].
10. Midgley of Great Horton from the 1881
census: See Migrants to America
page 11. Norman Lesley Midgley born in Bradford late 1800's - early 1900's. His
father William was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. Norman had a
daughter, Eleanor Midgley born 19th May 1929, she married Arthur Henry
Lang. 12. Edward Midgley born 7th August 1818 at Bolling,
Bradford was, according to family tradition, a seaman at the Battle
of Trafalgar. His occupation was listed as Steam Engine Maker. An inscription
on a snuff box reads "Presented to Edward Midgley for his services as
secretary for 10 years to the Steam Engine Maker Society Bradford Branch
23 Sept. 1854" 13. Sue McPhee is searching for the mother of Annie Midgley Taylor. Annie's father was Thomas Taylor, plumber, deceased at the time of Annie's marriage to James Warburton Jackson in 1879. James' father William Jackson is listed on Annie's marriage details as a grocer. Sue suspects that Annie's mother's maiden name was Midgley. Annie is found in the 1881 census : Dwelling: 161 Priestman St See : Midgley I.G.I. for Bradford and Environs. [Word 2000 document] The earliest I.G.I. references are The 1851 census for Eccleshill mentions -
The 1851 census for Bradford mentions - Rob Reuss' ggg-grandfather, Thomas Christian Killip took papers to the US with him in 1855
including a letter of reference from a Joseph Migley [sic] or Midgley, a
'carpenter, joiner and builder' located in Bradford, Yorkshire written for him late in 1854. Thomas' sister, Ann Christian
Killip, immigrated to the US with possibly a different Midgley family of
Almondbury. Contact: Rob Reuss
Midgley Of Allerton and Horton
A list of gentry of about 1719, subscribers to a map of Yorkshire, lists a Mr. John Midgley, attorney of Horton.11 See Midgley of Horton and Scholesmoor
Jacob Midgley born about 1838 at Allerton is recorded
in the 1881 census with his family as follows: Low Moor
It was at this church between 1678 and 1680 that
a total of 51 people were buried not in coffins but wrapped in woollen
shrouds. That was a response to an Act of Parliament passed during
the reign of Charles II to encourage the wool-textile industry, which
had been in the doldrums for some time.
LINKS: The Bradford Timeline Main Page The Bradford Timeline 1066+ Midgley of Thornton, Clayton and Scholesmoor. Midgley of Haworth Arms of Midgley John of Gaunt Hastings Line Geoffrey Chaucer The Knightes Tale Edward III References: 1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names, O.U.P., 1991. 2. Faull M.L., & Stinson M., Domesday Book for Eurvicscire, Phillimore, 1986. 3. Leeds and Bradford Ordnance Survey map, 1958. 4. Treasures of Britain, Drive Publications, 1968. 4. I.G.I. 1994 version, extracts for Midgley surname. 5. 1881 Census for England. 6. Skeat Walter, The Complete Works of Geoffrey Chaucer, O.U.P. 1912. 7. E-mail contacts as shown. 8. E-mail contact Derek Midgley 9. Former resident of Park House. 10. History of Bradford. James, John. 1866, p.47. 11. Ibid., p. 83. 12. Ibid., p. 166.
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© Tim Midgley 2002, revised 13th June 2024..
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the English Civil War when the Parliamentarians dispossessed
them of their property. The hall stands opposite Bowling Park on the
Bradford - Bierley road. 
During the early reign
of King Henry VIII, Edward Midgley is shown in a subsidy roll
of 1516 as constable of Bradford.10 
to send a candidate for the exhibitions of 
It was the availability of wool on the Pennine slopes,
coal, waterpower and soft water from the abundantly fed streams and
rivers which helped to lead to the development of the wool processing
industries of the West Yorkshire woollen towns. Scouring, carding,
weaving and cloth finishing evolved with each entreprenurial spark.
The skills which were required for these industrial evolutionary advances
were initially begun with the settling of persecuted Flemish weavers
in England during Edward III's reign. This was probably the result of
the influence exerted by his wife, Philippa of Hainaut [Hainault].
MIDGLEY
of North Bierley, Bradford and South Africa
