Local & Community History Month: The People of Church Row, Middleton Village

Middleton Hall Trust received an enquiry asking whether it was true that the residents of the Church Row Cottages in Middleton Village had been farm workers on the Middleton Estate, maybe circa 1840. The answer is complicated as, yes, they were often inhabited by farm workers who worked on the various farms around the Estate but they were also Estate woodsmen, an Estate carpenter, gardeners, servants, a shoemaker, washerwomen, Chelsea Pensioners and more.

St John's Church, Middleton, with the Church Row Cottages visible behind and to the left of the Church, 1922. Courtesy of Philip and William de Hamel.

When the Middleton Estate was sold at auction in 1924, Lot 61 contained all the six cottages of Church Row in Middleton Village. Sometimes these cottages were known as Church Row but more often as New Row in the records. The tenants of the six Cottages at the time of the auction were: George Ball; Leonard Dixon; David Wood; Charles Butler; John William Ball; and Arthur Dixon.

George Ball was born in Middleton and was baptised 8th April 1849 at St John’s Church, Middleton. He was the son of William and Charlotte Ball. George, a labourer, married Ann Vyse on 1st November at Middleton Church. He died in 1933 and was buried at Middleton Church.

Leonard Dixon was born 15th March 1885 at Church Row, Middleton, the son of John and Uram Dixon. He was baptised at Middleton Church on 12th April 1885. In 1913, Leonard married Kate Banks of Kettlebrook, Tamworth. He died in 1948 and was buried at Middleton Church.

David Wood was born on the 26th December 1884 in Tamworth and was baptised 10th June 1890 at St Editha’s Church, Tamworth. He married Louisa Jane Edge née Simpson in 1916.

Charles Butler was born 25th January 1870 in Amington, Tamworth. In 1924, he was a farmer on the Middleton Estate with multiple tenancies with not only this property in Church Row but also Upper House Farm and another cottage on Church Lane in Middleton Village. Charles married Mary Ann Deakin on 3rd December 1893 in Wishaw and he died in 1958.

John William Ball was born at Middleton on 12th July 1876 and he was the son of the aforementioned George and Ann Ball. He was baptised on 13th August 1876 at Middleton Church. He married Emma Maria Dixon, the daughter of John and Uram Dixon, on 26th April 1899 at Middleton Church. He died in 1957 and was buried at Middleton Church.

Arthur Dixon was born at Middleton and was baptised at Middleton Church on 12th October 1879. He was also the son of John and Uram Dixon. Arthur, a labourer, married Kate Elizabeth Tilling, a domestic servant, on 28th September 1902 at Middleton Church. He died in 1946.

The 1921 census gives the residents of the six Cottages as:

• Aforementioned, George Ball and his wife Ann. George was an Estate labourer for Lord Middleton but was out of work due to disability.

• Aforementioned, John William Ball, his wife Emma Maria and their six children Rosina Olive, Victor John, Leonard William, Cyril George, Dorothy Emma and Thomas Gerald. John was a horse driver for the Birmingham Tame and Ray District Drainage Board at Minworth. Rosina undertook household duties for Mr Cooper, a farmer, at Wishaw and Erdington. Middleton Hall Trust have been told that Rosina was also a waterlily picker at Middleton Hall. Victor was a farm labourer for Frank Stephenson and Leonard was an apprentice stone mason to Charles Mitchell in Tamworth. Dorothy Emma was baptised at Middleton Church on 3rd September 1911, the address was given as “New Row” and her father was a labourer.

• Aforementioned, Leonard Dixon, his wife Kate and their son Kenneth. Leonard was described as a ploughman at Ash End Farm, Middleton for Hampton Cordukes Lock.

• Aforementioned, David Wood, his wife Louisa Jane and his stepdaughter and daughter Ida Ann Edge and Lilian Elsie Wood. He was described as a general labourer at George Skey & Co. at Wilnecote, which specialised in clay-based products such as drainage pipes, chimney pots, “rustic ware” etc.

• Aforementioned, Arthur Dixon, his wife Kate Elizabeth and their children Elizabeth Amy, John Thomas, Samuel Edwin, Arthur Leslie, Daisy, Albert and Sidney. Arthur was described as a ploughman at Church Farm, Middleton for William Henstock. John was a ploughman for H. Williams & Sons at Hill Farm, Middleton and Samuel was a farm boy at the same farm. Albert was baptised at Middleton Church on 4th February 1912 and Sidney on 18th May 1913, the address given in both as “New Row” and their father was a labourer.

• William Aulton, his wife May and their children Frederick, Charlotte Mary, Violet and Norman Eric. He stated that both Violet, aged 2, and Norman, aged 2 months, had been born at Church Row. William was described as a farm hand at Coneybury Farm, Middleton for Mr Arthur Tidy. He was born in 1888, at Weeford, Staffordshire and he married May Dixon, the daughter of William John Dixon, on 30th March 1913 at Middleton Church.

On 6th September 1914, Albert Edwin Fish, a carpenter aged 27, married Ethel Mary Hull at Middleton Church. His residence was given as “New Row”. Albert was born at Bretby in Derbyshire and on the 1921 census was described as a carpenter to the Right Honourable Lord Middleton on the Middleton Estate. In 1924, he was a tenant in Lot 53 off Coppice Lane.

On 12th October 1913, Walter Harry Allgood, the son of Harry and Jane, was baptised at Middleton Church and the address given was “New Row”. His father was a labourer who died on 10th June 1915 in the First World War.

On 11th May 1913, Gertrude Nellie Nield, the daughter of Walter and Nellie, was baptised at Middleton Church. The address was given as “New Row” and her father was a labourer. Walter had been born in about 1890 in Hampton, Warwickshire and in 1911 he was living and working at Upper Farm, Middleton, where his father was the tenant farmer.

The 1911 census gives the residents of the six Cottages as:

• Sarah Walker, her grandson Ernest Frederick Walker and a boarder John Woodshaw. Sarah was the widow of Charles Walker. She had been born Sarah Gilbert in Drayton Bassett and was baptised on 10th January 1841 at St Peter’s Church, Drayton Bassett. Sarah died in Erdington and was buried at Middleton Church on 19th June 1911. John Woodshaw was described as a farm labourer and on the 1921 census it stated that he was employed by Mr Tidy, a farmer at Middleton. John was born in 1862 at Middleton, the son of Thomas and Sarah Woodshaw, and was baptised at Middleton Church on 8th June 1862. He never married and died in 1922.

• Aforementioned, Arthur Dixon with his wife Kate Elizabeth and his children Elizabeth Amy, John Thomas, Samuel Edwin, Arthur Leslie and Daisy Elizabeth. Arthur was described as a farm labourer. Elizabeth Amy was baptised at Middleton Church on 22nd March 1903, Samuel Edwin on 13th January 1907, Arthur Leslie on 14th June 1908 and Daisy Elizabeth on 13th March 1910. The address given on all was “New Row” and their father was a labourer.

• Benjamin Davies and his wife Emily Alice. Benjamin was described as an Estate woodsman for Lord Middleton. He had been born in about 1879 in Shropshire and he had married Emily Alice Cooper in Shropshire in 1906.

• Uram Dixon, the widow of John Dixon, and her son, the aforementioned Leonard Dixon who was described as a farm labourer. Uram was born Uram Statham and had been born on 24th December 1843 at Wigginton, Staffordshire, and baptised at St Editha’s, Tamworth on 7th January 1844. She had married John Dixon on 3rd November 1864 at St Editha’s Church and she died in 1919.

• Aforementioned, John William Ball, his wife Emma Maria and their children Rosina Olive, Victor John, Leonard William and Cyril George. John was described as a waggoner on a farm. Cyril George was baptised at Middleton Church on 21st March 1909, as was Leonard William at Whitsun 1905, Victor John on 5th June 1904 and Daisy Elizabeth on 12th January 1902. The address given on all was “New Row” and their father was a labourer. Daisy was buried, aged 5 months, on 1st April 1902, the address also given as “New Row”. They additionally had a boarder in 1911, Charles James Nock who was 15, a farm boy and he did not know where he was born. On the 1939 census, he was living at Hunts Green, Middleton and he gave his date of birth as 25th October 1894.

• Aforementioned, George Ball and his wife Ann. George was described as an Estate labourer.

On 5th January 1910, Joseph Dixon was buried at Middleton Church and his address was given as “New Row”. He was born in Middleton, baptised at Middleton Church on 14th October 1832 and he was the son of Thomas and Catherine Dixon. Joseph had married Mary Hall on 6th April 1858 at Middleton Church and the census indicates that for most of his life he lived on Church Lane in Middleton Village and began working as an agricultural labourer but then entered service as a domestic gardener and coachman.

The 1901 census used the name New Row and it gave the residents of the Cottages as:

• Aforementioned, George Ball, his wife Ann and their daughter Annie. George was again described as an Estate labourer.

• Aforementioned, John William Ball, his wife Emma and daughter Rosina. John was described as a labourer on a farm. Rosina Olive was baptised on 22nd April 1900 at Middleton Church, the address given as “New Row” and her father was a labourer.

• Aforementioned, Uram Dixon and her sons Arthur, Charles and Leonard. Arthur was described as a labourer on a farm, Charles as the vicar’s outdoor man and Leonard as a waggoner on a farm.

• William John Dixon, his wife Mary and their children May, Dennis and Ellen. William was a waggoner on a farm. He was born 4th August 1865 at Drayton Bassett, was also a son of John and Uram Dixon, and was baptised on 27th August 1865 at St Peter’s Church, Drayton Bassett. William married Mary Walker, the daughter of Charles and Sarah, on 15th June 1890 at Middleton Church. Ellen was baptised on 21st October 1895 at Middleton Church, Lilian Uram on 2nd May 1897 and Violet Mary on 1st January 1905. The address given on all was “New Row” and their father was a labourer or a waggoner. Lilian Uram was also buried at Middleton Church, aged 8 months, on 10th December 1897 and the address given was “New Row”.

• Thomas James, his wife Maria and their granddaughter Maud James. Thomas had been born in Shenstone in about 1830 and was described as a labourer on a farm. Maria had been born in West Bromwich and she was buried at Middleton Church on 27th September 1902, aged 76, the address given as “New Row”.

• Aforementioned, Sarah Walker and her son Frederick Walker, her daughter-in-law Beatrice Jane Walker and her grandson Richard Baylis. Frederick was described as a labourer on a farm. On 3rd February 1902, Ernest Frederick Walker, the son of Frederick and Beatrice Jane, was baptised at Middleton Church as were his brothers Horace Edward on 3rd May 1903 and Eric on 15th June 1909. The address on all was given as “New Row”.

On 19th January 1898, Emily Birch, the daughter of William and Elizabeth Ann, was baptised at Middleton Church. The address was given as “New Row” and her father was a labourer. The 1901 census indicates that William was a coal hewer from Edingale, Staffordshire and his wife was from Macclesfield, Cheshire. Out of all his children, before and after 1898, only Emily was born in Middleton.

On 9th August 1896, Rose Ellen Ball, the daughter of George Henry and Alice Jane, was baptised at Middleton Church. The address was given as “New Row” and her father was a labourer. George Henry was the son of the aforementioned George and Ann Ball.

On 15th July 1894, Joseph Elijah Hopkins, the son of William and Mary Jane, was baptised at Middleton Church and he also was buried there on 2nd September 1896. On 30th October 1892, William Frederick, another son of William and Mary Jane, was also baptised at Middleton Church. The address was given on all as “New Row” and their father was a labourer.

The 1891 census also called it New Row and the residents of the Cottages were:

• Aforementioned, George Ball, his wife Ann and their children George, Emily, Annie, Ellen and Arthur. George senior was described as a woodman labourer and his son George was a cowman. Arthur was baptised at Middleton Church on 4th August 1889 and his brother Joseph on 29th April 1888. Arthur was also buried there on 7th October 1895 and Joseph, aged 4 months, on 5th August 1888. The address on all these records was “New Row” and their father was a labourer.

• Jonathan Hemming, his wife Eliza and their children Tom, John, Elizabeth and Harry. Harry was three years old, the only one of their children to have been born in Middleton and he was baptised at Middleton Church on 22nd April 1888, the address given as “New Row”. Jonathan was described as a farm labourer. He had been born in Keresley, Coventry and was baptised on 2nd December 1855. Jonathan married Eliza Dale in 1882 and he died in 1906.

• Aforementioned, John and Uram Dixon and their children Amos George, Arthur, Charles and Leonard. John was described as a farm labourer and Amos and Arthur as farm servants. John had been born in Middleton, his mother was Elizabeth Dixon, and he was baptised on 10th March 1839 at Middleton Church. He was buried at Middleton Church on 11th February 1894, the address given for the latter as “New Row”. Leonard was baptised at Middleton Church on 12th April 1885, the address given as “New Row” and his father was a labourer.

• John Evans, his wife Sarah and his sons James and John. All of them had been born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. John was 36 years old and described as a woodman.

• Aforementioned, Thomas James and his granddaughter Fanny James. Thomas was a farm labourer.

• Elizabeth Garland. She was the widow of Joseph Garland and in receipt of parish relief. She was born Elizabeth Coton in Lea Marston and was baptised there on 15th May 1814. She married Joseph at Aston juxta Birmingham on 25th August 1833 and she was buried at Middleton Church on 23rd April 1895.

On 3rd July 1887, Charlotte Annie Pegg, the daughter of William and Fanny, was baptised at Middleton Church. The address given as “New Row” and her father was a labourer. Furthermore, Elizabeth Pegg was buried at Middleton Church on 11th April 1886, aged 5, the address given as “New Row”. William had been born in Leicestershire but his wife, Fanny Owen, had been born in Middleton, being baptised at Middleton Church on 3rd May 1863.

The 1881 census once again called it Church Row and the residents of the Cottages were:

• William Ball and his wife Charlotte. William was an unemployed agricultural labourer. He was born and died in Middleton, being baptised on 9th October 1808 and buried on 5th January 1885 at Middleton Church. Charlotte was born about 1813 in Castle Bromwich and she was buried at Middleton Church on 14th February 1887, the address given as “New Row”.

• John Colloby, his wife Catherine and their children Thomas, Joseph, George and Harry. John was an agricultural labourer from Brackley in Northamptonshire and he died 23rd July 1898, aged 80, in Wilnecote. All of John and Catherine’s children had been born in Middleton.

• Aforementioned, John and Uram Dixon and their children James, Thomas, Joseph, Emma Maria, Amos George and Arthur. John was an agricultural labourer.

• Sarah James, an unemployed washerwoman. She was the widow of William James and she died on 9th November 1890, aged about 90 years, and was buried at Middleton Church on 13th November, the address given as “New Row”.

• Aforementioned, Thomas James, a farm labourer, his wife Maria, his daughter Maria and his granddaughter Fanny James. None were born at Middleton. He also had a lodger, Walter Cotterill, who was a shepherd. Walter had been born in Shirley, Warwickshire and in 1883 he married Sarah Collins at Wilnecote and on the marriage record he gave his father’s name as John Colloby. He died at Wilnecote on 6th July 1931, aged 75 years.

• Joseph Garland, the husband of the aforementioned Elizabeth Garland. Joseph was an agricultural labourer who was born in Middleton, the son of James and Mary, and was baptised at Middleton Church on 28th January 1810. He died in the Union Infirmary on 12th December 1886 and was buried at Middleton Church on 16th December.

The 1871 census does not give the address to be able to identify with certainty who was living in Church Row at that time, although, under the address of Church Lane the aforementioned Sarah James, John and Uram Dixon and William Ball are almost sequential in the schedule.

The 1861 census gives the name as New Row and the people living in the Cottages were:

• Aforementioned, William Ball and his children Emma, George and Joseph. William was an agricultural labourer.

• Catherine Dixon and her aforementioned grandson John Dixon (who married Uram). John was an agricultural labourer and Catherine was described as a shoemaker’s widow. Catherine was the widow of Thomas Dixon and she had been born in Hailsford, Hampshire in about 1792. She died in Middleton and was buried 22nd December 1861 at Middleton Church.

• Samuel Garland and his children Ruth and Henry. Samuel was described as a widower, an agricultural labourer and a Chelsea Pensioner. Samuel was born in Middleton, also the son of James and Mary, and he was baptised at Middleton Church on 25th December 1797. He had served in the 2nd Regiment of Dragoon Guards between 1816-1821. Samuel had married Johanna Collier at St Editha’s Church, Tamworth on 15th October 1835. He was buried at Middleton Church on 4th September 1866.

• William James and his wife the aforementioned Sarah and their grandson William James. They were an agricultural labourer, washerwoman and plough boy respectively. William senior was born and died at Middleton, being baptised William Woodshaw James at Middleton Church on 21st February 1802 and buried there on 12th April 1866.

• Alexander Brown, his wife Betty, son Charles and grandson James Hinks. Alexander and Charles were agricultural labourers and Betty was a charwoman. Alexander was born about 1795 in Sutton Coldfield and he had married Elizabeth James, of Fazeley, at Middleton Church on 21st June 1818. Betty and Alexander both died at Middleton, respectively being buried at Middleton Church in 1870 and on 13th January 1875. Charles had been born at Middleton, baptised at Middleton Church on 21st March 1835, and in 1871 he was a gardener still living in Middleton with his father.

• Esther Shakeshaft, who was described as an infirm labourer’s widow. She was the widow of Robert Shakeshaft. She had been born Esther Tipper and was baptised on 11th March 1781 at St Peter’s Church, Yoxall, Staffordshire. Esther married Robert on 6th June 1803 at St Peter’s Church, Drayton Bassett and she was buried at Middleton Church on 7th December 1863.

The 1851 census gives the address as New Row. There were only five on the schedule at that address and one cottage was described as being vacant and shut up, the residents of the other Cottages were:

• Thomas and his wife the aforementioned Catherine Dixon, their son Joseph and their grandson John. Thomas was described as a Chelsea Pensioner, Joseph an agricultural labourer and John as a plough boy. Thomas had been born in Middleton, being baptised at Middleton Church in April 1780 and he was buried at Middleton Church on 2nd April 1854.

• Aforementioned, Alexander Brown, his wife Betty and their children Sarah and Charles, their daughter-in-law Sarah Brown and grandson Charles Brown. Alexander was described as an agricultural labourer, Betty as a washerwoman and Charles as a gardener.

• Aforementioned William James, his wife Sarah, their children Mary, Henry and Fanny and their grandson William James. William was described as an agricultural labourer, Sarah as a washerwoman and Henry as an agricultural labourer.

• Sarah Crabtree, a married woman, and her son Abraham. Abraham was baptised at Middleton Church on 3rd June 1849 and his parents were Richard, a servant, and Sarah. Richard had married Sarah Rochford at Middleton Church on 29th July 1846 and they were both servants. Sarah had been born 22nd June 1821 in Sutton Coldfield and baptised on 18th July 1821 at Holy Trinity Church there.

The 1841 census does not give addresses and it is thus uncertain who was residing at Church Row at that time and we are not currently in possession of any records that give any further earlier information on the inhabitants of Church Row.

Further reading:

1921 Census of England, RG15 366 1 28 12915 61, RG15 366 1 28 12915 62, RG15 366 1 28 12915 63, RG15 366 1 28 12915 64, RG15 366 1 28 12915 65, RG15 366 1 28 12915 66.

1911 Census of England, RG14 366 1 29 16855 62, RG14 366 1 29 16855 63, RG14 366 1 29 16855 64, RG14 366 1 29 16855 65, RG14 366 1 29 16855 66, RG14 366 1 29 16855 67

1901 Census of England, RG13 2653 113 11 72, RG13 2653 113 11 73, RG13 2653 113 11 74, RG13 2653 113 11&12 75, RG13 2653 113 12 76, RG13 2653 113 12 77

1891 Census of England, RG12 2211 101 5 31, RG12 2211 101 6 32, RG12 2211 101 6 33, RG12 2211 101 6 34, RG12 2211 101 6 35, RG12 2211 101 6 36

1881 Census of England, RG11 2771 65 2 11, RG11 2771 65 3 12, RG11 2771 65 3 13, RG11 2771 65 3 14, RG11 2771 65 3 15&16, RG11 2771 65 3 17

1861 Census of England, RG09 52 5 28, RG09 52 5 29, RG09 52 5 30, RG09 52 5 31, RG09 52 5 32, RG09 52 6 33

1851 Census of England, HO107 2013 495 13 50, HO107 2013 495 13 51, HO107 2013 495 14 52, HO107 2013 495 14 53, HO107 2013 495 13 51

Parish Registers of St John’s, Middleton, Warwickshire

Parish Registers of St Editha’s, Tamworth, Staffordshire

Parish Registers of St Peter’s, Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire

Parish Registers of Holy Trinity, Sutton Coldfield, Warwickshire

Parish Registers of St Peter’s, Yoxall, Staffordshire

Question provided by: Janet Arrowsmith.

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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