Gilbert Hall ( 1796 - 1870 )


Gilbert Hall, born on 9th December 1796, the son of John Hall and Ann Goodall, was baptised at St. Mary's Church, Wirksworth on Christmas Day 1796.

Gilbert married Elizabeth Slack at Wirksworth on 18th April 1816. Elizabeth, born in Middleton on 30th October 1797, was the daughter of John Slack and Grace Spencer. Gilbert and Elizabeth had a very large family:
  • Ann Hall, born on 27th September 1816 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, married Holehouse Storer a lead miner (born in 1822 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth) on 10th October 1850. They had three daughters, Ann, Sarah who married Joshua Handley and had a son named Bernard Handley, and a daughter Alice Ellen whose married name was Hague. The Storers later moved to Sheffield and Holehouse became a silversmith.
  • John Hall, born on 3rd October 1818 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, died on 11th December 1868 in Sheffield, married Mary Spencer (born around 1821 Middleton-by-Wirksworth, Derbyshire) on 24th January 1844
  • Ebenezer Hall, born on 18th November 1820 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, died on 28th June 1911 in Dore, married Sarah Ann Wilkinson (born around 1835 in Middlesex) on 17th February 1876
  • Joshua Hall, born on 22nd April 1823 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, died on 12th June 1861 in Sheffield, married Elizabeth Moore (born 9th September 1815 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth) on 20th December 1847
  • Job Hall, born on 11th March 1825 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, married Harriet ?? (born around 1823 in Doncaster)
  • Joseph Hall, born on 15th July 1827 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, married Mary ?? (born around 1826 in Ible, Derbyshire)
  • Daniel Hall, born on 3rd December 1829 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, died on 4th March 1848 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth
  • Stephen Hall, born on 28th November 1832 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, died on 31st May 1862 in Sheffield, married Amy Davison (born around 1835 in Sheffield) in 1859
  • Sarah Hall, born on 6th November 1834 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, married (1) John Brooks and (2) ? Hall
  • Benjamin Hall, born on 19th August 1836 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, married Amy Davison, his brother Stephen's widow, on 22nd April 1871
  • Samuel Hall, born on 8th January 1839 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth
  • David Hall, born on 23rd October 1842 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth, died on 16th July 1861 in Middleton-by-Wirksworth
The 1841 census reports Gilbert as a lead miner, living in the Alley, Middleton-by-Wirksworth; his household comprising himself, his wife Elizabeth, Ann (a cotton spinner), John (a lead miner), and Job, Joseph, Daniel, Stephen, Sarah, Benjamin and Samuel. Also Hannah Hall (aged 3), described in the 1851 census as Gilbert's grand-daughter. The house may be the one pictured, in any event it was small and must have been a very tight squeeze. Ebenezer had left for his apprenticeship to John Roberts in Sheffield in 1836.

In 1851 Gilbert and Elizabeth's household had shrunk, only the schoolboys Benjamin, Samuel and David remaining at home. Hannah was now working as a cotton spinner and Gilbert was still a lead miner. By 1861 Gilbert and Elizabeth were living by themselves, Gilbert now being described as a farmer.

Hannah Hall is a mystery, she appears to have been a grand-child of Gilbert and Elizabeth and to have been born around 1838, but who were her parents? Ann or John are the most likely candidates, Ebenezer was old enough (born 1820) but left Middleton for Sheffield in 1836 at the age of 16. Although Gilbert Hall was a lead miner for most of his life, he was also a small-holder and elector (he is recorded as a Freeholder in the 1832 and 1865 Poll Books for the Belper area). The 1841 Tithe Apportionments (IR/29/8/147) record that he owned a house, brewhouse and pigstye, and two fields totalling three acres in all. He also owned a further 4˝ acres jointly with John Doxey, who had been married to Gilbert's sister in law Hannah Slack. Hannah had died in childbirth in September 1826 and John Doxey subsequently married Mary Buckley on 22nd Decemner 1828. Gilbert is listed amongst the private residents of Middleton in an 1860s Directory of Derbyshire as Hall, Mr. Gilbert.

The Alley, Middleton-by-Wirksworth in 1998
The Alley, Middleton
Elizabeth Hall died aged 65 years on 17th March 1863 and was buried in the churchyard of Holy Trinity, Middleton-by-Wirksworth with two of her sons, both of whom had died of tuberculosis at the age of 18. Gilbert Hall died aged 73 years on 23rd May 1870 and was buried in the same grave. Their gravestone reads:

Gilbert Hall, died 23 May 1870 aged 73. Elizabeth Hall died 17 Mar 1863 aged 65. Daniel Hall son of Gilbert and Elizabeth Hall, died 10 Mar 1848 aged 18. Also David Hall son of the above, died 16 Jul 1861 aged 18.
Appendix: The family of Gilbert and Elizabeth Hall

Born Baptised Baptised at Died Buried at
Gilbert Hall 9 Dec 1796 25 Dec 1796 Wirksworth 23 May 1870 Middleton
Elizabeth Hall (nee Slack) 30 Oct 1797 1 Jun 1798 Wirksworth 17 Mar 1863 Middleton
Ann Hall 27 Sep 1816 20 Oct 1816 Wirksworth ? ?
John Hall 3 Oct 1818 22 Nov 1818 Wirksworth 11 Dec 1868 Sheffield
Ebenezer Hall 18 Nov 1820 11 May 1823 Wirksworth 28 Jun 1911 Sheffield
Joshua Hall 22 Apr 1823 11 May 1823 Wirksworth 12 Jun 1861 Sheffield
Job Hall 11 Mar 1825 1 Apr 1825 Wirksworth ? ?
Joseph Hall 15 Jul 1827 5 Aug 1827 Wirksworth ? ?
Daniel Hall 3 Dec 1829 17 Jan 1830 Wirksworth 4 Mar 1848 Middleton
Stephen Hall 28 Nov 1832 16 Dec 1832 Wirksworth 31 May 1862 Sheffield
Sarah Hall 6 Nov 1834 30 Nov 1834 Wirksworth ? ?
Benjamin Hall 19 Aug 1836 25 Sep 1836 Wirksworth ? ?
Samuel Hall 8 Jan 1839 20 Nov 1842 Middleton ? ?
David Hall 23 Oct 1842 20 Nov 1842 Middleton 16 Jul 1861 Middleton
? denotes an unlocated event

Sources:
  1. St. Mary's Wirksworth, baptism, marriage and death registers
  2. 1841 Census of Middleton-by-Wirksworth (HO 107/198/17 folio 20)
  3. 1841 Tithe Apportionments (PRO IR/29/8/147)
  4. ‘Ebenezer Hall’ by Joan Lacy-Hatton, Local History Section, Sheffield Central Library
  5. 1851 Census of Middleton-by-Wirksworth (HO 107/2146 folio 667-8)
  6. 1861 Census of Middleton-by-Wirksworth (RG 9/2524 folio 113V)
  7. Memorial inscription in the churchyard of Holy Trinity, Middleton-by-Wirksworth
  8. Daniel and David Hall's death certificates
St Mary's Church, Wirksworth in 1998
St. Mary's, Wirksworth


This document is © Chris Newall 2003 and is freely available to members of the Hall family.
It is not for sale or general publication.

Author : Chris Newall
File created : 22nd January 2000
Last modified : 26th July 2003