Jowett House was originally called Oakenthorpe
Mill. For many years it was the seat of the Lindley family12 In 1379 Robert Jouet and Cecilia Jouet were charged 4d poll tax
in Cawthorne 12 This poll tax led to England being "set on
fire" from coast to coast, not much had changed in 700 years!
In 1587 the house first appeared in local deeds. A survey of
1638 shows that Joshua Butterworth and John Lindley each had a part of
the Jowett House lands. 12 John Lindley is recorded as owning
Jowett House in 1649 12
An indenture dated 25th November 1650 shows that a William
Hewet of Beccles, Norfolk sold to Robert Hartley for 2,900 pounds the
Manor, farmland and Cannon Hall with Rowroyd, Jowet-House, Broadgates,
five small cottages at Cawthorne,Wilmroyd Close and tithes thereof 12.
In 1654 & 1659 there were two separate deaths of Lindley's
of Jouet-House. 12
The oldest part of the house still extant was built, according
to the dated stone over a doorway, in 1690.
.
There are memorial inscriptions to the Wood family of Jowett-House
begin in 1692 in the church. 12 The house may have been rebuilt
in 1763. 14
By 1807 there were 1100 inhabitants in Cawthorne, mostly employed
by the Stanhopes, the Thorpes and the Wilsons. (Thorpes & Wilsons
were colliery owners 18).
According to a pew award 12, John Lindley was at Jowet-House
in 1816. By 1843 a George Shirt was living at Jowett House 12.
About 1844 William Walter Midgley, a farmer and Sarah (nee Peace)
moved from Normanton [where they already had six children] into Jowett
House, being hired by John Spencer-Stanhope (the Greek scholar and later
agricultural scholar following his marriage to Elizabeth Coke of Holkham).
William W. Midgley brought his wife and six children to
Cawthorne which is where his wife, Sarah's family, the Peace family
lived at Pease Hall, next to Thimble Hall, Cawthorne.
William's seventh child, Thomas Midgley, was born at Jowett House,
being christened at the Cawthorne Church in 1845.
In 1848 Susannah Midgley the eighth child was born here.
Susannah later gave birth to Abel Hold a reknowned local
artist who was patronised by the Spencer-Stanhopes and exhibited
at the Royal Academy.
In 1853 a drill hole was sunk on the Jowett House lands in search
of coal, and an unfailing supply of sulphurous water was found 12.
By 1859 Jowett House had been purchased by the Cannon Hall Estates
12. There was a very dry summer in 1868, water was brought
from the Jowett House bore hole to Cawthorne village, the moors were burning
in many parts and older people compared this drought with that of 1826
12
In 1871 Thomas Midgley married Elizabeth Hill (daughter of a cousin
to Sir Rowland Hill) all their children were born at Jowett House, the
sixth child, William, being born in 1884.
One of the severest winters was experienced from 1874-512.
In the autmn of 1876. A railway line was proposed from the Midland Main
line at Barnsley to Halifax, passing between Cawthorne and Barnby Hall.
In 1878-9 there was a severe winter with a snow storm from November to
February.
By 1879 British trade was greatly depressed due to the late and
poor harvest which was down 40% on normal. On Sunday 28th December 1879
there were gales in which the Tay Bridge collapsed.
. 
Jowett
House in 2006 on the right
. 
Jowett House on the left 2006
The 1881 census 20,21 shows the following living at "Jowet
House":
| Name/Age | comment |
| Thomas Midgley (35) | head of household |
| Elizabeth Midgley(32) | wife |
| Rowland Hill Midgley (8) | eldest son |
| Thomas Bernard (6) | second child |
| Herbert (4) | third child |
| Sarah(2) | fourth child |
| Joseph Hill (71) | Elizabeth's father, widower, formerly a farmer of Whitwell Derbyshire, cousin to Sir Rowland Hill. |
| Sarah Hill (20) | Elizabeth's sister. |
| John Fish (16) | indoor farm servant. |
At the same census, the Kitson Family were also resident in another part
of the Jowett residence:
Michael KITSON, Head, Married 58 born Cawthorne. Occupation,
Farmer Of 20 Acres.
Mary Ann KITSON his wife, aged 49 , born at Marske Cleveland.
Joseph P. KITSON, batchelor, their son aged 20, born at Cawthorne
Occupation, Stone Mason.
William KITSON , batchelor, aged 18, born at Cawthorne, farmer's
son.
Elizabeth A. KITSON unmarried, aged 16, born Cawthorne, farmer's
daughter.
James KITSON , aged 13, farmer's son, scholar born Cawthorne.
Arthur J. KITSON, aged 8, farmer's son, scholar, born Cawthorne.
Mary Jane KITSON, aged 6, farmer's daughter,scholar, born Cawthorne.
Later, the Kitson family included Flora E. Midgley in their headstone in Cawthorne
Churchyard so it is likely that their was a strong link here between
the two families.
. 
Jowett House farm from
New Road, 2006.
The church in Cawthorne noted that in 1882 the burial rates were low due
to the mild winter, health was generally good amongst the village people.18
In the 1891 census, the following were living at "Jowit House":30,20,21:
| Name/Age | Comment |
| Thomas Midgley (46) | head of household |
| Elizabeth Midgley (43) | wife |
| Rowland Hill Midgley (18) | first child |
| Herbert Midgley (14) | third child |
| Sarah Midgley (12) | fourth child |
| Reginald Waller Midgley (9) | fifth child |
| William Midgley (7) | sixth child |
| Garnet Midgley(4) | seventh child |
| Annie, Ethel Midgley (2) | last child |
| Sarah Hill | Elizabeth's sister, unmarried |
Between 1900-1910 a J. Milnes was living at Jowett House. In May 1916
Douglas Charlesworth recorded:
| "In the afternoon at Penistone to the Appeal
Court. Tom Milnes of Spring House (of another Milnes branch), Wilf Milnes
of Jowet House and myself all got four months exemption" (from military
service).18 This occurred again on the 25th October 1917 and 31st January 1918, they were told to "grow more corn and produce as much food as possible" (for the war effort).18 |
In 1918 Thomas Midgley died after contracting Spanish influenza epidemic
during the epidemic of that year.
In the same year, at the end of the First World War, the Midgley family
bought and moved into Thimble Hall in
Tivydale, opposite Dale House. After 1918 James Charles Wemyss was living at Jowett House. Charles
had been second in command to his father, Charles Wemyss, who worked as the
estate agent for the Cannon Hall Estates5
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