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Turton Hall
New Hall 1739, click to expand.
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The name Turton Hall came from the Turton family who owned it during the latter half of the eighteenth into the early part of the nineteenth centuries. At that time it was variously called Gildersome Hall or New Hall. The name 'Turton Hall' wasn't used until the 1860s when it became the Turton Hall Academy. The New Hall was supposedly built around 1705 and has been one of Gildersome’s finest properties. It can clearly be seen as on the 'Eye Map of Gildersome 1739', #2 (left). Today, the Hall has been divided into several units and is located at Turton Green and College Rd. The building to the immediate right of the Hall still exists with some modifications (see drawing above).
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1767 Sale
John Turton must have bought the Hall and its property from James Maude. In Philip Henry Booth’s 'History of Gildersome', Gildersome Hall was put up for sale by James Maude in or around 1767, as found in the following estate agent's advertisement:
“In the St. James’s Chronicle or the British Evening Post for June 23rd, 1767, the following advertisement
appeared:"
“To be sold together or in Parcels, situated in the several Parishes and Places hereinafter mentioned.
In Gildersome, in the Parish of Batley, in the West Riding of the County of York, a capital Mansion House, called Gildersome Hall, with extreme good and convenient Stables, Granaries, and other Out-buildings, Courts, Yards and Gardens planted with the best kinds of Wall-Fruit, thereunto belonging; and also a large Paddock adjoining to and lying in the Front of the said Mansion-House, beautified by a large Fish-pond full of Tench and divers Plantations standing dispersedly in the same, and several Closes of land, occupied with the said Mansion-House. The Whole is in the possession of James Maude, Esq., and consists of sixty acres of Ground or thereabouts.
“N.B. - The Purchaser may enter on this Estate immediately, and, if he chooses to do so, the Grass and Corn now growing thereupon, with a large stock of very good old Hay, will be sold to him at reasonable prices.
A Farm in the possession of Michael Broadbent.
Another in the possession of Robert Watson.
Another in the possession of William Hopkins.
Another in the possession of John Stephenson.
Another in the possession of John Hodgson.
And another in the possession of Richard Gaunt.
Several closes of land in the possession of Samuel Booth.
A Close of land in the possession of Mr. Hudson.
Another in the possession of - Royds, Widow.
And another in the possession of Mr. Elijah Cordingley.
A House in the possession of Mr. Priestley and Richard Linsey,
and another in the possession of James Hartley.
N.B. - All the above estate is Tythe-free, and there is very good coal in all or most of it, and it is situate about five measured miles from Leeds, eleven from Halifax, nine from Wakefield, and six from Bradford, and very near to the great Turnpike Roads leading to the said several Towns.”
What year Turton purchased the property, I have yet to find out, but I think it was around 1775 when Mary Bosanquet removed to Cross Hall.
John Turton must have bought the Hall and its property from James Maude. In Philip Henry Booth’s 'History of Gildersome', Gildersome Hall was put up for sale by James Maude in or around 1767, as found in the following estate agent's advertisement:
“In the St. James’s Chronicle or the British Evening Post for June 23rd, 1767, the following advertisement
appeared:"
“To be sold together or in Parcels, situated in the several Parishes and Places hereinafter mentioned.
In Gildersome, in the Parish of Batley, in the West Riding of the County of York, a capital Mansion House, called Gildersome Hall, with extreme good and convenient Stables, Granaries, and other Out-buildings, Courts, Yards and Gardens planted with the best kinds of Wall-Fruit, thereunto belonging; and also a large Paddock adjoining to and lying in the Front of the said Mansion-House, beautified by a large Fish-pond full of Tench and divers Plantations standing dispersedly in the same, and several Closes of land, occupied with the said Mansion-House. The Whole is in the possession of James Maude, Esq., and consists of sixty acres of Ground or thereabouts.
“N.B. - The Purchaser may enter on this Estate immediately, and, if he chooses to do so, the Grass and Corn now growing thereupon, with a large stock of very good old Hay, will be sold to him at reasonable prices.
A Farm in the possession of Michael Broadbent.
Another in the possession of Robert Watson.
Another in the possession of William Hopkins.
Another in the possession of John Stephenson.
Another in the possession of John Hodgson.
And another in the possession of Richard Gaunt.
Several closes of land in the possession of Samuel Booth.
A Close of land in the possession of Mr. Hudson.
Another in the possession of - Royds, Widow.
And another in the possession of Mr. Elijah Cordingley.
A House in the possession of Mr. Priestley and Richard Linsey,
and another in the possession of James Hartley.
N.B. - All the above estate is Tythe-free, and there is very good coal in all or most of it, and it is situate about five measured miles from Leeds, eleven from Halifax, nine from Wakefield, and six from Bradford, and very near to the great Turnpike Roads leading to the said several Towns.”
What year Turton purchased the property, I have yet to find out, but I think it was around 1775 when Mary Bosanquet removed to Cross Hall.
Mary Bosanquet, a devoted follower and friend of John Welsey, moved to Gildersome in 1769 and resided at what was then called Gildersome Hall; whether she purchased it or leased is unknown. According to Wesley's diary, he never visited Gildersome during the time she lived at the Hall but they did correspond. By 1775, she had removed from Gildersome and purchased Cross Hall which was located on the present Bruntcliffe Rd; Wesley stayed with her at that time. In 1786, when Wesley preached at the Cloth Hall in Gildersome's Nook, he most likely stayed the night at Cross Hall in Bruntcliffe. As far as is known, Wesley neither stayed or preached at Turton Hall.
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Turton's Hall
The Turton family lived at New Hall for twenty five to thirty years. Around 1800, the family decided to lease and or sell the Hall and its surrounding properties. On the right, is a typical newspaper 'To Lett' add from the Leeds Intelligencer 6 April 1801. In another typical 1815 advert from the same paper which contains a very good description of the property. (click on the three images to the right to see a larger version) : "GILDERSOME NEW HALL. To be SOLD by Public AUCTION.......... The Fee Simple and Inheritance, free from Incumbrances, (except the Payment of the Yearly Sum 20s. unto the Poor of Gildersome.) of and in All that Capital MANSION, called GILDERSOME NEW HALL, with suitable Offices, excellent Stabling, Coach-House, Granaries, Yards , Gardens, Enclosed with Brick Walls, Plantations, Pleasure Grounds. - Also, a most excellent CORN WIND-MILL, Drying-Kiln, Granary, Stable, a small House, and two Cottages or Dwelling-Houses, fronting the Turnpike-Road leading from Wakefield to Bradford, and 103A. 1R. 30P. of thereabouts of rich Meadow, Pasture, Arable and Wood Land, standing, lying and being at Gildersome, near Leeds, in the County of York, - And Also, The several extremely valuable Beds or Seams of Coal, Iron-Stone, and other Minerals, in and under the same and very Part thereof, in the following Lots, and subject to such Conditions as shall be agreed upon at the Time of Sale: A. R. P. Lot 1. New Hall, Outbuildings, Gardens. Occupying a site of................................................... 0 3 14 Plantations and Fish-Pond ................................... 2 3 27 Fold-Yard, &c. .............................................................. 1 0 0 Paddock ...................................................................... 2 2 34 Park-Hill ...................................................................... 5 1 30 Low Park ..................................................................... 8 2 20 Lot 19. Wind Mill, Drying-Kiln, Granary, Stable, Cottage and Garden occupying the site of Mill Field .................... 5 0 19 Including the 2 lots mentioned above, the sale encompassed 21 parcels that stretched all the way down to The Street (Bradford- Wakefield Turnpike) for a total of 103 acres. See the map to the left. By 1820 the Turton Family had sold 98% of its holdings in Gildersome. |
Click to enlarge a full sized view of the 1815 sale.
Turton Land for sale. Red are lots I could identify. Lot names change over time so I had to guess; in orange.
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Joseph Bilbrough's Occupation circa 1815
My family records show that for a time, Joseph Bilbrough (1784-1839), born at Harthill House, occupied Turton Hall as an owner. William Radford Bilbrough, around 1900, wrote the following about his great uncle: "Their mother, Martha, now controlled the families considerable assets. She gave her sons, Joseph and Samuel, a sizable amount to invest, and they used it to buy spinning “jennies”, broad looms and other new manufacturing equipment. They hired employees to run the machines and needing space, leased New Hall . The property contained out buildings that provided sufficient factory space and a sizable pond for water needs. And, as the Hall was one of Gildersome’s finest homes, Joseph moved in. Business did well and prospered."
In 1814, Joseph returned to Gildersome from the USA via Canada, where he had been detained as a “belligerent alien”. He had gone to Philadelphia as a merchant, hoping to set up a trading network but the war between England and the USA interfered. Joseph's partner was his younger brother Samuel Bilbrough. Joseph sent Samuel back to Philadelphia, again via Canada, in hopes of getting a jump on the competition when hostilities ended. Joseph purchased the Hall along with some outbuildings in 1817. Around the same time, manufacturers in England had built up an enormous supply of finished cloth and the market fell. Partners Joseph and Samuel were no exception, they had borrowed heavily to finance their scheme and were left holding a warehouse full of worthless product. Bankruptcy proceedings began in 1818. Their names appeared in newspapers and periodicals throughout England, asking creditors to step forward for a reckoning. It was hard times for the brothers. Samuel, still in Philadelphia, carried on as a merchant, buying and selling what he could and opened up a warehouse. Finally in 1819 the brothers were ordered to settle. Samuel returned to Gildersome and together with Joseph they faced the bankruptcy proceedings in person. The court ordered all the brother’s equipment in Gildersome, personal items and an unspecified amount of cloth sitting in a warehouse in London be sold at auction. The next year, notices were posted stating that the brother's creditors had been satisfied. Their reputations were salvaged at quite a cost but they managed to hold on to their warehouse in Philadelphia. Joseph was forced to sell New Hall in 1820.
Joseph eventually chose to live in Philadelphia and for a time owned and operated the largest woolen mill in the state of Pennsylvania. Later, he moved to New York City as a wealthy cloth merchant and died in 1839 by accidental drowning in New York Harbor.
My family records show that for a time, Joseph Bilbrough (1784-1839), born at Harthill House, occupied Turton Hall as an owner. William Radford Bilbrough, around 1900, wrote the following about his great uncle: "Their mother, Martha, now controlled the families considerable assets. She gave her sons, Joseph and Samuel, a sizable amount to invest, and they used it to buy spinning “jennies”, broad looms and other new manufacturing equipment. They hired employees to run the machines and needing space, leased New Hall . The property contained out buildings that provided sufficient factory space and a sizable pond for water needs. And, as the Hall was one of Gildersome’s finest homes, Joseph moved in. Business did well and prospered."
In 1814, Joseph returned to Gildersome from the USA via Canada, where he had been detained as a “belligerent alien”. He had gone to Philadelphia as a merchant, hoping to set up a trading network but the war between England and the USA interfered. Joseph's partner was his younger brother Samuel Bilbrough. Joseph sent Samuel back to Philadelphia, again via Canada, in hopes of getting a jump on the competition when hostilities ended. Joseph purchased the Hall along with some outbuildings in 1817. Around the same time, manufacturers in England had built up an enormous supply of finished cloth and the market fell. Partners Joseph and Samuel were no exception, they had borrowed heavily to finance their scheme and were left holding a warehouse full of worthless product. Bankruptcy proceedings began in 1818. Their names appeared in newspapers and periodicals throughout England, asking creditors to step forward for a reckoning. It was hard times for the brothers. Samuel, still in Philadelphia, carried on as a merchant, buying and selling what he could and opened up a warehouse. Finally in 1819 the brothers were ordered to settle. Samuel returned to Gildersome and together with Joseph they faced the bankruptcy proceedings in person. The court ordered all the brother’s equipment in Gildersome, personal items and an unspecified amount of cloth sitting in a warehouse in London be sold at auction. The next year, notices were posted stating that the brother's creditors had been satisfied. Their reputations were salvaged at quite a cost but they managed to hold on to their warehouse in Philadelphia. Joseph was forced to sell New Hall in 1820.
Joseph eventually chose to live in Philadelphia and for a time owned and operated the largest woolen mill in the state of Pennsylvania. Later, he moved to New York City as a wealthy cloth merchant and died in 1839 by accidental drowning in New York Harbor.
Matthew Bateson
In 1820, Matthew Bateson, a clothier from Wortley, bought quite a bit of Turton's properties, including New Hall from Joseph Bilbrough. However, he died in 1822 or 1823 and the properties passed to his heir, so far only identified as the Devisee of Matthew Bateson.
In 1820, Matthew Bateson, a clothier from Wortley, bought quite a bit of Turton's properties, including New Hall from Joseph Bilbrough. However, he died in 1822 or 1823 and the properties passed to his heir, so far only identified as the Devisee of Matthew Bateson.
Turton Hall Academy
Gildersome Times April 10, 1869
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As far as I know, the only school to ever be located at Turton Hall is the Turton Hall Academy. Originally called the New Hall School, it began operations around 1853 and was a boarding school for boys that advertised in local and regional newspapers, usually at the beginning of each session.
In the 1851 Census for Gildersome, the occupants of New Hall (as it was called) were William Newell and his family. Newell's occupation was listed as "coal proprietor". By the 1861 Census, Turton Hall Academy was in full swing. The headmaster was John Sargent, he is recorded along with his wife and children. The academy had 45 "Scholars", all boys mostly in the range of 11-16 years old and nearly all were from Yorkshire or Lancashire but a few were from other counties. John Sargent appears as headmaster again in the 1871 Census with pretty much the same number, ages and locations. In 1873, John Haslem, who had been minister at the Gildersome Baptist Church for over two decades, became proprietor and headmaster of the Academy. In the 1881 Census, the enrollment at this time was about 70 students, all of the same demographics as above. This must have been near the peak of the academy's success for by 1891, enrollment was again down to around forty. With the termination of the Hall's lease in 1898, the school was abandoned and Haslam purchased land in Harrogate. There, he built 'New College' and became Principle; his son William John Haslem became headmaster. Rev Haslam continued on as Principal until his death in 1917 when he was buried at Harlow Hill Cemetery. |
Rev. John Sargent
John Haslam married John Sargent's daughter, Emma Jane.
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