Woodhouse Varney

[ruthy]

Hi,

 I am looking for info on the above person, and his parents.  He was born in 1761, and married in Eckington to an Elizabeth Nightingale in 1789.  She was fron Beighton (sometimes referred to as Derbyshire, sometimes Yorkshire). I don't know where he was from, but they established a family in and died in Belper. I guess he would be from one of the three places!!  Any help would be most welcome.

Thanks

[spendlove]

Hi,
This is not an answer to your question, but thought you may be interested in
the following link, which is for the Strutt's Mill School at Belper the records commence
1818.  As you will see the records for the boys are excellent, however the girls records
are not so good.

There is a Woodhouse Varney listed born abt 1823, with such an unusual name
thought this may be a Grandson of your Woodhouse, you may also find other relatives
attending school.
Click here: very long link

When did your Woodhouse Varney die?

Regards
Spendlove



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[ruthy]

Hi

A Happy New Year to you, and thank you for your info - very interesting records, and I feel sure the Woodhouse on the school records you mention must be a grandson, although I haven't researched it yet.

My Woodhouse Varney died in Oct 1832 and is buried at St Peters Church, Belper. He worked in Belper as a nailor.
I think it most likely that he was born in Belper, but I haven't had chance to get to the records office.  If any friendly chatters happen to be going I would be very interested to see if there was someone of this name listed in Belper born 1761,and any parents.  In the meantime I will add it to my list of Resolutions to get there myself!!

Thanks again

Ruthy

[Bovar]

I have read your messages re Woodhouse Varney, who died in Belper in 1832.

I am a direct ancestor of Woodhouse, and was born in Belper in 1946.

I have been unable to find any record of his birth, certainly not in the parish records of Duffield ( of which Belper was a part in the 18th Century).  The Varney family seems to have settled in Belper around 1700....there are records of Varneys (or Verneys) in nearby places in Derbyshire from 1400 onwards....they seem to have been yeoman stock at that time.

He was actually buried in the grounds of the St Johns Chaplaincy, since St Peters was not built until after his death.  The records were transferred when St Peters was opened.

I have looked up the record of his marriage in Eckington.  He must have been working there since the wedding banns were called there.  He was a nailor at the time of his marriage....I think that it was not unknown for nailors to move around for work at this time.  Virtually all the Varneys were nailors in the 1800-1880 period....there were about 3 families at the time, I guess they probably had a common ancestor.  Belper was a very small...and quite widespread...community until Strutt built his cotton mills in the late 1700's.  This also seems to have led to a big upsurge in the nailing trade in the town in the late 1700's, when the town expanded from 700-800 to over 10,000 in the space of a few years.

The other Woodhouse Varney was a grandson of Woodhouse senior.....the only son of Samuel.  After some time as a child in the cotton mill he seems to have escaped on to the canal.  He married in Lincolnshire....perhaps into a barging family?  His father Samuel may have been a 'bad lot', he may have been before the magistrates for assault and theft, and possibly even transported to Australia. 

Robert Varney

[spendlove]

Hi,
St. Peter's Church in Belper was opened & consecrated by Bishop Ryder in
1824, so it is more than likely that Woodhouse varney was buried there in 1832.
Spendlove.

[ruthy]

How exciting - a distant link I think there Bovar.

Very interesting reading about the Nailors - quite a raucous lot I hear! The Grandson Woodhouse was on a vessel on the Humber in the 1860's. The Vessel was called the Good Intent, and he was a Mate waterman, with the Master waterman being a George Fish. His son lived in Hull. I am interested to learn more about his father.

I actually have a family tree descended from the 1761 Woodhouse Varney which was kindly sent to me by a researcher in New Zealand. I think I can see you on it, but  no detail. I'm sure the researcher would be pleased for you to fill her in.  If you go to www.Belper-research.com (it is on the resources page too) and go to links there is a Varney family tree, and I think there is an email there. The tree there is from a Henry Verney, and our Woodhouse links into it tenuously via a marriage of Robert Varney (parents Samuel Varney and Mary Walker ) on that tree to an Elizabeth Boot whose mother was Marianne Varney of our tree.

Of our tree - we are descended from Woodhouse Varneys youngest son Joseph b1814 as I think you are. Then my line is through his son Samuel (married to Jane Groves) - (yours seems to be through another son Alfred) and on to Charles b.1874 who was my gt.gt. grandfather. My mothers maiden name was Varney, but as she was one of 3 girls the name has gone.

I am happy to forward the family tree, but I don't know how to - if anyone could advise - I have it as an email.  Also I have an email for the NZ researcher, but I would ask them first if I could pass it to you. They would be pleased to have the tree updated if there is anything to add as would I.

Do let me know any further info you find, and also if you would like the tree.

Ruthy

[spendlove]

Hi
Little more information.
The following is Land which was owned by various Varney people living in Belper in 1791, this information is take from the 1791 Inclosure Award of Belper.  The plot numbers given refer to Ancient Enclosed Land Holdings, these holdings gave them rights to graze there live stock on the Common.  This Common land 'Belper Ward' was enclosed and those with rights to common i.e. holders of ancient enclosed land were all awarded their share of the Common according to the size of the land they already held.
( Hope you all understand)

                                             Ancient Enclosed  Plot No.                    Area of Land
John Varney  Junior                                   59                                    1 Rood 13 Perch
John Varney Snr & Samuel Hunt  }              89                                                 22 Perch
                                                   }            200                                    1 Rood 04 Perch
John Varney Snr                                         60                                                04 Perch

Plot 60 is probably where John Varney Snr Lived as it is described as
Homestead, next door John Junior Plot 59 described as Orchard. 
This information I transcribed from the Belper Enclosure Award 1791, held at County Record
Office, Matlock.
Spendlove

[ruthy]

Thanks Spendlove,

 This is all fascinating, I understand your description of how the land was allocated - gradually building a picture of the Varney lives.  I am keen to get to Belper when I get chance.  I never would have thought to look at the Enclosure Act though so thanks for sharing this with me.

Ruthy

[waterloo]

My Mother was Alice Varney I believe a direct decentant of Woodhouse Varney Her father was  Walter Varney and he was a Blacksmith in Hull  He Married Anne Elizabeth Goulding in 1894 I have been trying to trace my family for a while now it would be nice to swap findings with someone on same line