The Mellors 

                            My Line

David Mellor (my g-g-g-g grandfather) was born about 1778, he died 9th October and was buried 13th October 1823 at St Wilfrids, Calverley. He married Mary Wright 19th September 1803 at St Peters, Bradford then the parish church and now the Cathedral. Witnesses were William Roberts and William Wright and the ceremony was conducted by Samuel Redhead. He was a corn dealer and in 1817 he leased Buck Mill, a corn mill, which was near the River Aire at the edge of Buck Woods from Joshua and Anna Maria Crompton. He also leased thirty seven acres of land, various outbuildings, a barn, cowhouse, stable, pigarth and the house next door to the mill where the family lived. The yearly rent was £220 per year with various clauses for breach of covenants and to deliver  free of charge thirty horse loads of coal every year from the coal pits to Esholt Hall. The 10 year lease is dated 1st March 1818 and the indenture is between Joshua Crompton of Esholt Hall, Esquire and his  wife Anna Maria Crompton and David "Meller" of Idle, corn miller. The mill and the adjoining fulling mill, was only allowed to run between 6 o'clock in the evening until 6 o'clock in the morning unless the water which was used by the mills ran over the dam stones, at which time they could work the mills in the daytime as well. During the day the water was used by the scribbling mill which was owned by Joshua and Anna Maria Crompton. David died before the lease was up and the properties were leased to Isaac and William Rowntree on Ist May 1824. Buck Mill was demolished in the 1920s. On the parish records for William Wright Mellor's christening in 1804  and George Mellor's in 1809, it says David Mellor corn dealer of Buck Mill so they must have been there for several years.

Mary Wright was born about 1780, she died 6th April 1841 and was buried at St Wilfrids, Calverley. We visited the church a couple of years ago but were unable to find the graves as part of the graveyard was badly overgrown. We found the entries for David, Mary and Ellen, one of their daughters, on the Blackburn Registers, they were listed as "Miller" but it was too big a coincidence not to be them. I checked the parish registers in the library and it was definitely "Mellor" The same happened with some of their children's christening records on "IGI" listed as Meller and some of the census records but on checking the original records it is clearly "Mellor"

William Wright Mellor (my g-g-g grandfather) was born in Shipley, was christened 12th September 1804 at St Peters, Bradford and died 3rd June 1858. He married Sarah Greenwood 4th September 1826 at St Wilfrids, Calverley. Rev. Samuel Redhead conducted the service and witnesses were John Greenwood and William Bannister. He was a shopkeeper at the time of his marriage, having a grocers shop in Idle but by the time he died he was a coal dealer. In 1829 they lived at the top of High Street, Idle. How strange would that be if it was the very old house (now demolished) where some relatives lived in the late 1950s.

Sarah Greenwood was born about 1808 in Calverley and had a sister Martha who married Benjamin Bird, they were shoemakers. We think they also had brothers called John and Joseph as John Greenwood was a witness at Sarah's wedding and Joseph at Martha's.

In 1841William 35, a grocer lived with his wife  Sarah 35 and their children Mary 14, Elizabeth 11, David 7, Ellen 4 and Sarah 6 months. The adult ages of course were rounded up or down so are not correct. They lived in Rawson Square, Idle, some of the houses are still there but as we don't know which one they lived in we don't know if theirs survives.

By 1851 William 46 lived with his wife Sarah 43 and their children, Mary now 23 and a weaver, David 17, painter and guilds, Ellen 13 a factory worker, Sarah Ann 10 and Asenath 6. Sarah's niece Elizabeth Bird 16,  a factory worker was visiting. They now lived at 28 Portland Street, Bradford, which is very close to Bradford Interchange, but the houses are now demolished.

The family moved again to 6 Lower Back William Street and were there by the time William died in 1858

David Mellor (my g-g grandfather) was born in Idle and was christened 1st September 1833 at Upper Chapel Independent, Idle and married Hannah Barber 1859 in Otley. He was a master painter. 

Hannah Barber was born about 1840 in Ilkley.

In 1861 David 27 a paint and paper hanger lived with his wife Hannah 21, his widowed mother Sarah 55, his  sisters Mary 30, a worsted weaver, Sarah Ann 20, a worsted spinner and Asenath 16, a worsted weaver. They had a lodger Charles Gomersall 21, a tinner's clerk and lived at 6 Lower Back William Street.

By 1871 David now 37 and a master painter lived with his wife Hannah 31 and their children Walter 9, Mary Ellen 7, Frederick Albert 5, Elizabeth 4 and Herbert Wright 8 months. They also had a general servant Alice Bootham 15 and a boarder Martin Stott 31 who was a journeyman painter. They lived at Little Moor, Rawdon, but when their son Herbert Wright died aged 1 the local newspaper said he was the son of David of Cordingley Street, Bradford and formerly of Rawdon.

In 1881 David now 47 a house painter and a widower lived with his children, Walter 19 a warehouseman, Mary Ellen 16, a pattern card maker, Frederick Albert 14, an errand boy and Sarah Louisa 9. His sister Mary now 53 was housekeeper. They lived at 1 Upper Park Street, Bradford but in a trade directory for 1881 David was living at 8 Green Street, East Parade, Bradford so must have moved sometime that year, whether before or after the census remains to be seen. On the Burgess Rolls for 1881 - 1882 both addresses are listed for him in the same entry.

 Walter Mellor (my g grandfather) was born 1862 in Bradford and married Naomi Senior in 1883 in Bradford, he was a stuff warehouseman.

Naomi Senior was born about 1866 on one census in Normanton and another Bradford and on checking on 1837 online I only found only one Naomi Senior born in Castleford in 1865. We could find no record of her on the 1881 census but since I first wrote this we have found Naomi, I asked a contact named John, who I had contacted about someone else, if he had come across her as he had some Seniors on his tree. I was delighted to get an email back saying he had and would I like details - oh would I? I was ecstatic when he sent me her census details for 1871 and 1881 and her parents and family on the 1851 and 1861. She was born in Whitwood, which is near Castleford and Normanton! Her mother remarried in 1874 and for some reason Naomi and her sisters are listed under her stepfather's name McKnight - but Hamoury McKnight? Is it any wonder we couldn't find her? I have been told that she wore long black skirts and insisted her name was Nay-oh-my.

In 1891 Walter 29 lived with his wife Naomi 25 and their daughters Edith 5 and Lizzie 3 at 4 Smithson Place, Bradford.

By 1901 Walter now 39 and a stuff warehouseman lived with his wife Naomi 35 and daughters Edith 15 , Lizzie 13, both worsted spinners, Annie 7 and Ethel 6. They lived at 36 Orange Street, Bradford.

Ethel Mellor (my grandmother) was born 4th January 1895 in Bradford and died 4th February 1970 in Bradford. She married Edward Quinn who was born about 1895 in Bradford, he died aged 49 in 1944 four years before I was born. He was buried at Undercliffe Cemetery, Bradford They lived at 41 Holme Top Street for many years and when the houses were demolished in the late 1950s she moved with her daughter Betty and son-in-law Ernest to Buttershaw. She lived with various children and their families and when she died she was living with her daughter Mary and her family.. My nan used to tell my cousins and me stories about her family but we can't remember most of it unfortunately. I do remember she said she had a sister who died young but I don't know who she was. She always called my grandad " My Teddy". She had several lifelong friends and I don't think she ever considered remarrying.

They had six children Albert born about 1916, Mary born 1920, Alice (Joyce) born 1924. Alan born 1926, James born 1930 and Elizabeth born 1932.

 Alan Quinn (my father) was born 8th October 1926 in Bradford and married Gladys Hamilton  6th September 1947 at All Saints, Little Horton, Bradford. He only did 6 months of his National Service before he ruptured his spleen in an accident and spent several weeks in hospital in Porthcawl before he was invalided out. He worked in the textile trade all his life, working for over 30 years at Thomas Henry Shaw's where he was a foreman technician until the mill closed down in the early 1980s. He suffered with arthritis, was taken ill with pancreatitis  and had an accident to his hand at work in 1967 but sadly died after a short illness from meningitis on 11th April 1986 aged 59. He was cremated at Scholemoor crematorium, Bradford after a service at St Michael and All Angels, Shelf on 18th April 1986. He was devoted to his family and where his grandchildren were concerned "no" wasn't in his vocabulary (I remember it wasn't where my brother and myself were concerned either). Sadly my brother's oldest daughter was only 11 months old when he died and his youngest wasn't yet born.

Gladys Hamilton was born 1st March 1927 in Bradford and is the daughter of Charles (Charlie) Hamilton and Mabel Williams. She met my Dad when they both worked at Brigella Mills, Bradford, they had gone to the same school, All Saints, but didn't know each other. By coincidence my mother-in-law went to the same school   I was an only child until when I was nearly 14 in 1962 my brother made his entrance in. In the early 1980s they bought a children's wear shop but she sold it after my dad died as she couldn't drive and it was difficult running it alone. By then my children were growing up and I was working full - time so couldn't be much help.

After they married they lived with my grandparents Charlie and Mabel Hamilton  in Canterbury Avenue Bradford where I was born in 1948. When I was 4 we moved to a prefab in Birdforth Grove, Buttershaw where we lived until they were demolished in the early 1960s. We then moved to Kelmore Grove, Woodside and my brother was born when we lived there. In 1967 we moved to Greenacres, Shelf, I was married in 1976 and my parents lived there, my mother alone, after my father died until she had to go into a nursing home, where she still lives.

                          Other Children of David and Mary

Sarah Mellor was christened 1st January 1806 at St Peters, Bradford and she married Thomas Rycroft 27th July 1828 at St Wilfrids, Calverley. Witnesses were George Mellor and Mary Craven.

George Mellor was christened 8th March 1809 at St Peters, Bradford and he married Mary Briggs 26th December 1831 at St Wilfrid's, Calverley. Witnesses were Thomas Tillotson and Mary Skirrow.

+ + +Elizabeth Mellor was born 2nd April 1832 in Shipley

+ + +Hannah Mellor was born 7th May 1836 and christened 16th October 1836 at Provident Wesleyan, Shipley

+ + +Martha Mellor was christened 17th February 1839 at Wesleyan Methodist, Windhill

Mary Mellor was christened 23rd January 1811 at St Peters , Bradford and married William Rhodes, who was a cabinet maker 26th May 1828. Witnesses were George Mellor and Mary Craven

Harriet Mellor was christened 31st May 1815 at St Peters, Bradford and she married John Parker 27th October 1834 at St Wilfrids, Calverley. Witnesses were George Mellor and Elizabeth Mellor

Ellen Mellor was christened 24th September 1817, she died aged 12 and was buried 21st September 1829 at St Wilfrids, Calverley

Maria Mellor was christened 11th July 1819 in Idle and she married John Mawson at St Wilfrids, Calverley.

Lydia Mellor was christened 13th May 1821 in Idle and married John Skirrow at St Wilfrids, Calverley.

                           Other Children of William and Sarah

Mary Mellor was born 1827 and does not appear to have married as she was in 1871 housekeeper for her brother David who was a widower. In an 1850 trade directory she is listed as a coal merchant and dealer living at 28 Portland Street, probably working with her father William.

Elizabeth Mellor was born about 1830

Harriet Mellor was born 17th June1836, christened 8th September 1836 at Upper Independent, Idle and died the same year.

Ellen Mellor was christened 24th September 1837 and died in February 1860 aged 22, she was a mill hand.

Sarah Ann Mellor was born in 1841 and died in July 1861 aged 20, she was a spinner.

Asenath Mellor was born in 1845

                           Other Children of David and Hannah

 Mary Ellen Mellor was born 1865 in Rawdon, in 1901 she was a domestic servant for Robert Nutter, the brother of her aunt Elizabeth.

 Frederick Albert Mellor was born about 1867 in Rawdon and married Elizabeth Ellen Nutter in 1889 in Bradford

In 1901 Frederick Albert 34 lived with his wife Elizabeth E 32 and their sons Albert 10, Ernest 4 and Robert 3. Elizabeth's brother William Nutter also lived with them at 15 Nuttall Road, Bradford.

+ + + Ernest Mellor was born about 1891He was a private in the 8th Green Howards, enlisting on 23rd February 1916. He died in action age 26 on 16th October1917 and is named on the Tyne Cot Memorial. A certificate and picture of Tyne Cot can be seen on the war graves commission web site

+ + +Albert Mellor was born 1897, he enlisted  in the army in May 1916 and was a driver.

+ + +Robert Edmondson Mellor was born 1898 and enlisted as a private with the First Sherwood Foresters in May 1916.  I remember meeting him and his wife in the late 1950s and at the time he was a member of Bradford Council.

 Elizabeth Mellor was born in Rawdon in 1868 and married George E Woolham

+ + + Mary Elizabeth Woolham was born 1889

+ + +Florrie (Flora) Woolham was born 1891

+ + +Annie Woolham was born 1894

+ + +Lily Woolham was born 1896

Herbert Wright Mellor was born about 1870 and died age 1. In the Bradford Observer on 5th January 1872: Herbert Wright Mellor (1yr) son of David Mellor of Cordingley Street, Bradford, late of Rawdon. In the Burgess Rolls for 1872 - 1873  a Mary Mellor lived at 1 Cordingley Street.

Sarah Louisa Mellor was born 1872 in Bradford and married William Ambler 1897 in Bradford.

+ + +Alice Ambler was born 1898 in Bradford

+ + +Olive Ambler was born 1900 in Bradford

In 1901 Sarah Louisa and William lived with their children Alice 3 and  Olive 1 in Bradford