Unusual First Names

[IgorStrav]

In doing some location research in my (relatively) new Sheffield home, I came across the first name “Enos” which was new to me but is a Biblical name meaning “man” or “mankind”.

In my case, it belonged to a 19th century man bearing the name Enos Furness (seems to be a very Yorkshire name to me) who was a spring knife manufacturer who had a workshop on the hilly site above the Rivelin Valley, where there were many (cutlery) grinding mills.

My house now stands on the site.

[Annie65115]

Re Curry - I've found a few Bacons, including an Avery Bacon Brooks (a distant great-aunt) and there are no other incidences of the name Bacon anywhere in my tree, so who knows how a little girl got it as a middle name.

On a modern note, my little granddaughter was playing with a group of children over the weekend which included a Juniper and a Zephyr.

[Gillg]

My granddaughter has friends called Ruby and Elsie.  These old-fashioned names seem to have made a comeback.  Mabel is another one. 

[MollyC]

Reply #459  Enos Furness... spring knife manufacturer who had a workshop on the hilly site above the Rivelin Valley, where there were many (cutlery) grinding mills.

Was Enos a descendant of Enoch Furniss who was a tenant of the Grogram grinding wheel on the Rivelin from 1741?

My reference is:
Crossley, David (ed.)  Water Power on the Sheffield Rivers, 1989, p. 68
(I am looking at the 1st ed. but there is a 2nd ed. of this publication.)

[IgorStrav]

From my limited research on the Furness family I believe Enos’s parents were Matthew and Eliza.

The Furness family are well known for their manufacture of spring folding knives, I understand.

My interest was sparked by the fact that I now live in Liberty Road just above Rivelin and my neighbour explained to me that the area was created in the mid 1860’s as an early Building Society arrangement where people could subscribe for one or more of plots on the very hilly land to build houses, grow food, or erect workshops to manufacture on their own behalf rather than having to work for larger employers in the valley itself.

Apologies I seem to have taken over this thread at a complete tangent - will message MollyC directly!