Robert Plant (b. 1841 - d.1902)

[MPlant-Staffs]

Hi,

I'm looking to find information about the descendants of Robert Plant (1841-1901), he was originally from Cheadle, Staffordshire but he and his family moved down to London in the late 1800s.

He was married to Martha Mellor in 1860 and had 11 Children (I believe):

Hannah Maria (b. 1862)
Lizzie (b. 1867)
Minifred J. (b. 1868)
Annie Roberta (b. 1869)
Frances A. (b. 1871)
Sarah Elizabeth (b. 1871)
Edward James Robert (b. 1872) (1)
Gertrude E. (b. 1874)
William B. (b. 1878)
Alfonso (b. 1880)
Henry J. (b. 1880)
Kate J. (b. 1882)
Violet Christina Kate (b. 1883)

(1) Edward James Robert went onto marry Patty Canning in 1895 and have at least two children.

Gertrude Martha R. (b. 1896)
Robert A. Plant (b. 1897)

--

I'm interested in the family as they are a branch of my own, if anyone has any information about any of the people listed I'd be happy to hear it.

Robert Plant is often mentioned as been Lord of the Manor of Cheadle, I'm very interested in this fact as the title is something of a tall tale still mentioned in the family!

[jennifer c]

Hi, I take it you have both these families in the 1901 census?

Jennifer

[MPlant-Staffs]

Hi, thanks for the reply

On the 1901 cencus Robert and Martha are listed in Fulham living with some of their children (Hannah, William and Violet).  In the same cencus Edward James Robert is living with Patty and their children in Fulham at a different address.


By 1911 Edward and Patty's family are living in Richmond Surrey and I believe Edward's sister Hannah is a Housekeeper working in Leominster Herefordshire.

Many thanks for any help anyone can give.

Mike

[Dave Francis]

Hello Mike,

You may have this information already, but browsing through The Times...

Monday, Dec 08, 1879; pg. 13; Issue 29745; col A
Advertisement in the classified section mentions a "Robert Plant, Esq,. Cheadle-park" as one of the patrons of the Householder's Pure Milk Supply Association (Limited). Item was repeated on Thursday, January 15 1880.

Saturday, Jan 14, 1888; pg. 17; Issue 32282; col A
Advertisement in the classified section mentions one "Robert Plant, Esq., Chairman of Majors Barn Colliery Company Limited, Cheadle, Staffordshire" as one of the directors of the Cheadle Railway Mineral and Land Company (Limited). Item was repeated three times during the following week.

Dave

[snowball]

Hi -
Robert Alfonso Plant (b1897) appears to have become a postman in London - here's him being appointed in 1913 as a "temporary assistant postman": http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/28770/pages/7698
...and as a sorter in 1920: http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/32009/pages/8199

There are a few references to Robert Plant, coal proprietor, in his Cheadle days:

Here in 1873, as chairman of the Cheadle Colliery Company, that is being wound up: http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/23981/pages/2651

Here a reference to a land sale in Cheadle in 1874: http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/24062/pages/515

And this is probably a reference to an earlier business interest, in 1863: http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/22759/pages/3920

Regards
Rob

[MPlant-Staffs]

Monday, Dec 08, 1879; pg. 13; Issue 29745; col A
Advertisement in the classified section mentions a "Robert Plant, Esq,. Cheadle-park" as one of the patrons of the Householder's Pure Milk Supply Association (Limited). Item was repeated on Thursday, January 15 1880.

Thanks for this information Dave, this is one business concern I hadn't known Robert was involved in. During my research of the family and Cheadle in general his name crops up all the time and it's always good to get another piece of the puzzle!

[MPlant-Staffs]

And this is probably a reference to an earlier business interest, in 1863: http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/22759/pages/3920

Thanks for those links Rob, this last one refers to either Robert's father James or his brother (whom my line is desended from), this business deal goes some way to explain where Robert got his early money from.

[pat d]

Robert Plant was my Gt. Grandfather - I am descended from Henry Vincent (1878) his son.  In 1874 he opened the Birches Colliery which then ran into difficulties in 1881 due to geological problems.  In 1887 he formed the Cheadle Railway, Mineral and Land Co. Ltd. - the company planned to build a railway which left the main line at Cresswell, continued to Totmonslow and then terminated in the southern outskirts of Cheadle.  Support for the new line was gathered and £100,000 raised and the first sod was cut on 22.3.1888 by Edward James Robert (son of Robert).  However very soon the company ran out of money and it was not until November 1892 that the first section of the line (Cresswell to Totmonslow) was opened and Draycott got its second station.  I'm not sure when exactly he became bankrupt but he was certainly living in Hornsey in the 1891 Census. 
My brother visited Cheadle in the 1970's shortly before Robert's Mansion was demolished and have a couple of photographs in my possession.
pat d

[MPlant-Staffs]

Robert Plant was my Gt. Grandfather - I am descended from Henry Vincent (1878) his son. 

<Snip>

 I'm not sure when exactly he became bankrupt but he was certainly living in Hornsey in the 1891 Census. 
My brother visited Cheadle in the 1970's shortly before Robert's Mansion was demolished and have a couple of photographs in my possession.

Hi Pat, I'm very pleased to meet you. I'm your second cousin a few times removed!

Robert was declared bankrupt in August 1881, news by the way which made The New York Times not just the local papers! By 1884 he was back on his feet (somewhat) and a director in the Majors Barn Colliery, I'm not sure of the circumstances that lead him to move down to London as my research hasn't got me that far.

My family is desended from James Plant, Robert's brother and early business partner. Our family stayed in the Cheadle area as did the line desended from Septimus Plant, his branch and mine have stayed in contact over the years and his great grandaughter is helping me to fill in the blanks from that line.

While Robert's mansion was demolished the estate they built is called Mansion Close and there is a Plant Street in Cheadle which is named in his honour.

I'd be very interested in any information you can give me, to that end I'll send you a private message.