Horrobin Fold Farm

1901 at Horrobin Fold Farm

My great-grandmother, Mary Elizabeth Davies, (on the extreme left) was an assistant teacher at Hoghton School from 1881 - 1885.  In  1888 she married Thomas Miller-Crook of Horrobin Fold Farm, Riley Green.

Photo circa 1901. Left to right, Mary Elizabeth, Anne, Great Grandfather Thomas with little May, Ralph (standing), my Grandfather Thomas, his sister Rachael (sitting on the ground),  - behind her, I presume, Great Great Grandma Sarah. Sarah born 1842, was married aged 17, and had fourteen children, Thomas being the eldest.

Old Horrobin Fold Farmhouse (2008) 

Horrobin Fold Farm is now in a derelict state. It is located behind the present Horrobin Farm which is on Bolton Road at Riley Green, Hoghton.

My Great Great Grandfather Ralph was born at Brimmicroft Farm in 1838. His father Thomas (born 1798) had founded the Boatyard at Riley Green.  After finishing school Ralph  began work there as an apprentice boatbuilder. In 1859, he married Sarah Elizabeth Bickerstaffe, of Pleasington, Blackburn.   After their marriage they lived at Horrobin Fold.  When Ralph's father Thomas died in 1864 (aged 66), Ralph took over the running of the boatyard and coal wharf and the business prospered.   Ralph was involved in the building of a completely new farm and outbuildings nearer the roadside and the new farm was named Horrobin.

Horrobin Farm, Bolton Road circa 1900

   As it was built with the aid of the De Hoghton estate workers an agreement was passed that  Ralph could live there for his lifetime rent free while he farmed the land and ran the coal wharf and boatyard.  After his death the farmhouse would become the sole property of the De Hoghton Estate. In 1881 Ralph was employing 12 men at the boatyard, sawmill and coal wharf and farming 27 acres.

Great  Great Grandfather's five sisters circa 1900

Sarah Rachael b 1862 (38),
Nancy b 1864 (36)
Jane b 1877 (23)
Maud b 1879 (21)
May b 1882 (18)

Of the nine brothers, two died in infancy but unfortunately I have only two photos, one of my direct ancestor Thomas, and one of Eli, (born 1866) the fourth child.

Thomas Miller-Crook (born 1860)

 Ralph had many children with Sarah, fourteen in total, twelve surviving into adulthood of which Thomas, the eldest born 1860, was my Great Grandfather (see above photo).  Sarah effectively, had a child every two years' from the age of 18!

The photo below is Eli, Thomas' younger brother. He was born in 1866. It seems he got into some trouble as a young man, hitting a policeman, which in the 1880's,  was a very serious offence indeed. The story goes, that his father paid for his passage to Australia and he wasn't heard of again!  However, we think possibly he went to New Zealand instead, as I found his name on a passenger list to Auckland on the Arawa. In the photo below he is wearing a bush hat and unknown army uniform.  My Uncle has done some research which has proved inconclusive, for the uniform. Perhaps he fought in the Boer war, but this cannot be confirmed.  In later years we did find trace of a Harry Miller-Crook (abode New Zealand), could this have been his son?

Eli (born 1866), fourth son of Ralph

Two of Ralph's son's, James aged 32 and John aged 28 formed the partnership J & J Crook to continue the boatyard and coal wharf. (See separate post The Boatyard)

Ralph retired from work in 1903, aged 65, dying at Horrobin Farm 17th August 1908, aged 70. His widow, Sarah, moved to  a cottage at Brimmicroft, where she died ten years later, on the 19th April 1918, aged 76 years.

Horrobin Farm 2008

All photos courtesy of Herbert Miller-Crook.

Sir Bernard de Hoghton

Sir (Richard) Bernard Cuthbert (b born on 26 January 1945) - Sir Cuthbert's and Lady Philomena's only son is the present and 14th Baronet.  Sir Bernard succeeded Anthony, his half brother in 1978.

Sir Bernard was educated at Ampleforth College, Ampleforth, Yorkshire.  He graduated from McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, CanadaG, with a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and also from Birmingham University, with a Master of Arts (M.A.) He later succeeded in gaining  a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from Lancaster University.

He was awarded the Knight of Honour and Devotion, Sovereign Military Order of Malta in 1980 and the Knight Grand Cross, Constantinian Order of St George in 1984.

He held the office of Deputy Lieutenant (D.L.) of Lancashire in 1988 and the office of U.N. Special Ambassador in 1995.

Sir Bernard married Rosanna Stella Virginia Buratti, daughter of Terzo Buratti, on 14 September 1974.

Sir Cuthbert de Hoghton

Sir Cuthbert de Hoghton on Coronation Day 2nd June 1953. He was accompanied by his second wife Lady Philomena,(née Simmons) but unfortunately I do not have a copy of that photo. I believe her ermin robe was  on show at Hoghton Tower -  I did see it many years ago.

Sir Cuthbert de Hoghton, 12th Baronet (b 1880– d 1958).   He was succeeded by his son (from his first marriage) Sir (Henry Philip) Anthony Mary de Hoghton, 13th Baronet (b 1919– d 1978). 

Sir Cuthbert de Hoghton died on 5th December 1958

Lady Philomena was very popular and well respected in the village. A very smart, elegant lady, always kind and with a smile.  These newspaper clippings come from a family scrapbook collection, donated by my Uncle - Herbert Miller-Crook. I may as well share them with you before they disintegrate completely - they've only been in an envelope for 60 years!

Sir Anthony 13th Baronet died on 20th February 1978.  The present and 14th baronet, of course, is  Sir (Richard) Bernard Cuthbert (b born on 26 January 1945) - Sir Cuthbert's and Lady Philomena's only son.  Sir Bernard succeeded Anthony, his half brother in 1978.

Mill Workers - Amateur Dramatics 1912

Mill Workers - Amateur Dramatics 1912

Click to enlarge the photo

Some of the mill workers must have been appearing in a play.  Unfortunately I cannot identify them all, only my grandmother Mabel Miller-Crook (née Windle) middle right wearing white, and her sister Marion Windle, front row extreme right. Please let me know if you can put a name to any other faces.

Grandma Windle lived at the Barracks, Chapel Lane, Hoghton, and married Thomas Miller-Crook on Christmas Eve 1924 at Holy Trinity Church, Hoghton.  Until that date she had been a cotton weaver at Hoghton Bottoms Top Mill and at Mill Hill, Blackburn.

Mabel was born at Vale House Farm Cottage in Hoghton Bottoms, 23rd October 1894.  She was the daughter of William James Windle of Bolton Hall Farm, Hoghton and Margaret Ellen Harrison of Weasel Farm, Hoghton.

After their marriage, they lived at N°5 Bell Villas, Gib Lane, Hoghton.

See also Wheelwrights Shop post for more information on Thomas Miller-Crook.