I really must say a BIG public thank-you to Claire .. lots of interesting information .. and a big help to me.

CRAWSHAWS OF LANGLEY BROOK  / HERBERT WATSON CRAWSHAW
Submitted by Claire Pearson

I have some information on this family. "My" family of Crawshaws lived at Langley Brook Farm for a while, but were not closely related to this family.

Herbert Watson Crawshaw was baptized at Bradfield on the 11th August 1861, the son of John Crawshaw and Ann. John was born in 1832 and Ann c1835 at Allcar, Pitsmoor, Sheffield. Herbert was still at Langley Brook in 1881 aged 19, but by 1891 had taken over Holly Hall Farm, which had briefly been occupied by his father’s cousin, also called John Crawshaw. He had also got married, to Annie Elizabeth, and they had a son, Priam Colin aged 6 months (named after one of Herbert’s brothers John Priam). Herbert was a farm bailiff.

Herbert and Annie also had a daughter Gertrude, born 1895, who died in 1917 aged 22 years. She is buried at Bolsterstone with her father (died 1933 aged 72) and mother (died 1936 aged 73). Other children were: Ernest (1891), Ada (1892), Ellen (1894), Avis (1896), Ethel (1903) and Herbert (1904). Herbert Watson and his son Ernest (“Jim”) were experts at “Knur and Spell”:

“Herbert Crawshaw…was a great player and it is said that he could drive a knur (potty) from Green Moor Top (Pennine) into Station Road at Deepcar. Jim’s career was lived in a different era to his father, Jim’s record knock was 262.5 yards. Then came the “Knur and Spell” challenge to the world from Stocksbridge, “Yorkshire Sport” staked £200 for anyone who could beat Jim, but there were no challengers so Jim Crawshaw became the World Champion. Our new world champion was filmed by the Pathe Gazette at Green Moor before a large crown on the 1st April 1929, drinks flowed freely. Yes! It was the 1st of April but Jim was no fool” [Fox Magazine 1959].

I hope this helps!
Claire Pearson

Note from Jane .. Herbert Watson CRAWSHAW was my uncle Herbert's Grand-father.

Census 1881:
Dwelling: Langley Brook
Census Place: Bradfield, York, England
Source: FHL Film 1342116 PRO Ref RG11 Piece 4620 Folio 60 Page 6
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
John CRAWSHAW M 48 M Bradfield, York, England
Occ: Farmer Of 116 Ac
Ann CRAWSHAW M 46 F Pitsmoor, York, England
Rel: Wife
Wallace H. CRAWSHAW U 21 M Green, York, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Farmers Son
Herbert W. CRAWSHAW U 19 M Green, York, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Farmers Son
Amanda R. CRAWSHAW U 18 F Green, York, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Farmers Dau
Ada B. CRAWSHAW U 12 F Bradfield, York, England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Farmers Dau
John P. CRAWSHAW 10 M Green, York, England
Rel: Son
Occ: Farmers Son

A while ago you asked about a VIOLET CRAWSHAW, who was on the 1881 census index for Outseats, Derby, with a family of Crosslands.

She was baptised Violet Elizabeth Crawshaw at Bradfield on the 24th March 1878. She was the daughter of John Earnshaw Crawshaw and Mary Elizabeth CROSSLAND. John was baptised in 1841 and farmed 100 acres at Onesacre and in 1881 employed 12 people including a nurse and a domestic servant. Mary was born in Attercliffe, Sheffield c1853. They married at Hathersage in 1874 and later moved to Derbyshire - John Earnshaw Crawshaw made his will in 1915 and was living at Rock Lea, Hathersage. He was a retired farmer.

Violet married Sam Atkins and was left £100 in her father’s will. In 1927 John added a codicil to the will revoking the appointment of Sam Atkins as executor, the reason being that he was “now residing in South Africa and intends to remain there”. In 1917 John was living at 331 Barnsley Road, Pitsmoor, Sheffield and he died at Ivy Cottage, Woodhouse, Sheffield in 1924 aged 82. He left £3,080.8s.6d.

Hope this helps!
Claire Pearson

A while ago someone posted a query about the Ploughing competitions. I don’t have anything on the 17th or 24th events, but I do have a report of the 31st Annual Bolsterstone Ploughing Competition, reported in the “Parish Kalendar of Special Events in November 1910”.  “In spite of the unfavourable weather the Bolsterstone, Wigtwizzle, and District Farmer’s Association held its 31st Annual Ploughing Match at Bolsterstone, on Oct. 19th." Crawshaws mentioned include one of the judges, Mr. John Crawshaw. Mrs J. Crawshaw of Woodhouse was judging butter and eggs.
Prizes for produce:
Brown Eggs – W. Crawshaw (2nd place):
Swede Turnips - H. Crawshaw (3rd place).

This magazine has survived because it lists the marriage of my great-grandmother Clara Crawshaw of Horner House to Thomas Marsh Crossley of Haywoods Park on October 10th 1910.

Claire Pearson

In answer to a previous query about a John Crawshaw son of Thomas & Theresa Crawshaw.

This Thomas Crawshaw was the brother of John Crawshaw of Langley Brook (see above).
Thomas was born at Woodseats (Bradfield) in 1826 and he married Theresa Ibbotson of New Laithes in 1850.
Theresa’s sister Elizabeth married Thomas’s brother Jonathan in 1852. They lived at New Laithes /Low Laithes/New Hall (Hunshelf) but between 1856 and 1859 they left to settle at Water Hall, Penistone. They later moved to Roughbirchworth. Thomas died in [1901/1908?] and left £1,693.4s 10d. I am in contact with someone who is descended from Thomas and Theresa’s daughter Clara Crawshaw (b. 1859), sister of John (b.1851).

Claire Pearson

MORE TO COME