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Settle Graveyard Project
Thomas Leeming, clock and watchmaker Watch and clockmaking were specialist trades, usually the preserve of the rich until the industrial revolution enabled greater scale production. The need for accurate clocks became more critical with the introduction of railway timetables. Greenwich Mean Time and a nationwide railway timetable were eventually introduced during the 1880s.
Thomas Leeming, born in 1822 on the coast of East Yorkshire, was the son of John Leeming, a watchmaker. By 1826 the family had moved to Bentham, for some reason. There are several Leeming families in Bentham and perhaps their ancestors came from Bentham?
Thomas met Hannah Gardner, an innkeeper’s daughter from Thornton in Lonsdale. They married in Bentham in 1848, just before just before the birth of their daughter Jane who died as a toddler. They moved to Settle in 1853. Jane is commemorated on this stone with four siblings who are buried in this grave. This gravestone is very close to that of their close neighbours George Johnson and family.
In memory of Jane Leeming, who died March 12th, 1850 aged 1 yr and 10 mo, and was interred at Bentham. Also of Mary Jane Leeming who died June 15th 1855 aged 10mo. Also of Richard Leeming who died Nov 10th 1860 aged 5mo. Also Henry Gardner Leeming Born 17th April 1856, died 27th April 1878. Also of Margaret Leeming who died at Skipton Nov 28th 1890, aged 38 years and was interred at Waltonwrays cemetery, E6
Like his dad, Thomas worked as a clockmaker and watchmaker in Duke Street and Kirkgate in Settle [SC]. However Thomas and Hannah left Settle after the death of their fourth child, Henry and what appears to have been an ongoing altercation with John Atkinson - these reports [1] in 1881 and 1882, explain that Thomas was ordered not to touch John’s property after an argument over where to place a water butt. The judge said that if ever there was a case where there ought to be an amicable arrangement, this was it. Hannah and Thomas retired to Hornby and died at the ripe old ages of 74 and 80.
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Son Henry followed in his father’s footsteps as a clockmaker but died aged 22, and daughter Margaret worked as a schoolmistress in Skipton until she died aged 38, but is commemorated on this stone. Son John became a successful bank manager in Kendal but there were no children to his marriage to Agnes Beadle. Daughter Elizabeth remained single, in each census describing herself as a ‘gentlewoman’ visiting well-to-do ladies. She lived until she was 78. There were no heirs to this family.
Neighbour, John Atkinson, plumber, glazier and confectioner John Atkinson, born in 1821 in Settle, was the only child of Emma Huddlestone and her first husband Robert Atkinson. Robert died when John was six. Emma died when John was 20 and John continued to live with his step father Thomas Harling. Emma, her parents and second husband Thomas are buried in unmarked grave BX7/8.
Thomas Harling was a plumber and glazier in the Market Place and John Atkinson learnt his trade. John married Ann Jennings and they embarked on a family of two sons and two daughters. Ann worked as a confectioner [SC] while John worked as a plumber and glazier, but later John joined her in the confectionery business.
Their daughter Annie married Storer Clement Peberdy, a farmer’s son from Leicestershire, in 1879. They married in Leicestershire, but returned to Settle where Storer initially found work as a railway signalman. Later he became an Ale and Porter merchant at the Town Hall [LSA, CH]. Annie died in 1888, aged 31, possibly with issues related to childbirth. Annie is buried in the Old grave A35. For some reason John Goddard Barker, an exceptional church organist is buried with her. He died some thirty years later in 1927 without any other relations in the graveyard but has a fine stone to commemorate his life.
John and Ann died in 1889 and 1892, just a few years after Annie. They are buried in the unmarked grave Old BX35 which lies directly behind that of Annie. One has to wonder why they weren’t buried with Annie? Their infant son Thomas, who died in 1856, and daughter Agnes who died in 1877, aged 25, are buried in unmarked graves in the Ancient graveyard, hopefully together. There were no heirs to this family either.
What happened to Annie’s husband Storer Clement Peberdy? It’s not good. After Annie’s death he returned to Leicestershire to live with his parents and work as a labourer. In 1895 he married Eliza Mason and they moved to Nottinghamshire. Unfortunately this really didn’t work out and they separated. In 1906 Eliza took
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Storer ‘of no fixed address’ to court for an assault which had left her ill for six weeks [2]. Storer had only just left prison after a previous assault on Eliza.
In 1910 Storer found himself in more trouble for the violent and felonous assault on Harriet Tissington, a single charwoman, which resulted in rape. He had previously been convicted four times for drunkeness and assault. His charge was reduced to ‘misdemeanour, indecent assault’ following a medical assessment, which would not have made poor Harriet feel any better [2]. By the next census he was working as a labourer in the Nottingham gas works. Storer lived to the age of 78.
This account has been compiled as part of the Settle Graveyard Project which has recorded gravestone inscriptions, updated church records and researched the lives of those buried. Life stories can be found on dalescommunityarchives.org.uk, ‘settle graveyard project’. The ‘Old Settle’ family tree on ancestry.co.uk includes the families buried in the graveyard. The project is ongoing and welcomes queries and information on [email protected]. Latest news and events are on the Facebook page ‘Settle Graveyard Project’.
The life stories of people with italicised names have been researched as part of the graveyard project
Newspaper cutting with the kind permission of the British Newspaper Archives: 1 — Lancaster Gazette, 2 — Nottingham Evening Post
SC — Settle Chronicle, with the kind permission of the North Craven Buildings Preservation Trust
CH - with the kind permission of the Craven Herald and Pioneer
