1754 – 1836
Jonathan Sanderson was baptised 9th June 1754 in Bradfield Church to Jonathan Sanderson and Mary Bramall. He was the second of four children born at Mill Lee Bradfield. His siblings were Martha 1751, Joseph 1758, and Mary 1759.
When he was five years old, on 22nd March 1759, and three days before the baptism of his youngest sister, his father was buried in Bradfield churchyard.
Joshua Hartley & Mary Bramall – Sanderson – Hartley
His mother remarried on 4th November 1760 to Joshua Hartley. (born c1735).
The family remained at Mill Lee, Joshua was a farmer and cutler, and took the four Sanderson children on as his own. Mary and Joshua went on to have five further children. Anne, baptised 20th June 1761, (so Mary was probably pregnant at the time of marriage). Rowland 1763, Elizabeth 1766, Hannah,1771 -1783, and William 1775.
A fellow researcher, Diane Wragg, descended through the Bramhall/Sanderson – Hartley marriage, has helped with some of this information, and has come to similar conclusions with regard to this family.
Jonathan and Joseph Sanderson were apprenticed to Joshua Hartley (information; Cutlers register of apprentices and freemen)
Sanderson, Jonathan s. of Jonth., Mill Lee, Brdfld, c, dec: to Hartley Joshua,c; 3, 1772 F 1775.
Sanderson, Joseph s. of Jonth., Mill Lee, Bradfield, dec: to Hartley Joshua, Bradfield, c; 5, 1772 F 1780.
“c, dec” “F” stands for “cutler, deceased” “Freeman”
By 1778 Jonathan had completed his apprenticeship as a cutler. He married Elizabeth Barnes at Bradfield church, on 8th February 1778. With first child, Joseph, baptised 25th July 1778. They set up home in Bradfield, by 1788 records show they were living at Fair House.
The first reference we have to Jonathan Sanderson being at Fair House, was 1st January 1788, with the baptism of Hannah Sanderson, the sixth of Jonathan and Elizabeth’s thirteen children. The previous five children, Joseph 1778, Jonathan 1779, Mary 1781, Martha 1783 and John 1785, were all described at living at Low Bradfield in the baptism records. Did Jonathan and Elizabeth move into Fair House on their marriage and the vicar omitted the house name, for these baptisms, or did they only move into Fair House prior to the birth of Hannah?
Further children – William 1790, George 1792, Joshua 1794, Benjamin 1796, Isaac 1798, Thomas 1800 and Sarah 1803 were born to Jonathan and Elizabeth Sanderson. Amazingly, of these thirteen, only John, died before adulthood, at the age of ten.
Jonathan was operating a successful cutlery business at Fair House. One of his knives was found in one of the barns, perhaps in the 1960s or 70s when the barn was being renovated, unfortunately, it is not known where this is now.
He was joined in the family cutlery business, by various members of his family over the years. Sons, Joseph, Jonathan, William and Benjamin, became cutlers and married. Joshua never married, he took on the farm at Fair House, at least until 1864, when he put in a Flood Claim for property lost, due to the ‘Sheffield Flood‘. He was granted £139 12s 6d in 1865. Particulars of the claim
George appears at different times to have been a Blacksmith, farmer and labourer, before moving to Manchester, possibly via Chesterfield. In 1836, his family put in a settlement claim to the Bradfield Poor Law in the name of Jonathan Sanderson his father for George’s daughter in law and twin grand daughters.
BRADFIELD 60-289 George Sanderson 1836/2/24 Father of Charles Sanderson deceased, who was examined for the settlement of Charles’ widow Martha. George stated that his late son belonged to Bradfield in the right of the examinants late father (Jonathon) who rented and occupied a house and small farm from Mr. Hawkesworth and Mr. Fenton for which he paid above £10 a year for many years and died there a few weeks ago. Charles did not rent a house nor was he apprenticed. Martha stated that she was married to the late Charles at Eccles Old Church on 3 August 1834 and has two children (twins Sarah and Louisa ) now about 5 months old. She and her two children are now sick, and not fit to be removed, and are now chargeable to Brinnington, Stockport(SE). Heard by Jus. Newton and Jonathon Thornhill JP’S.
Isaac married and operated as a farmer at Bolsterstone into old age.
Thomas became a Woodsman, at Bradfield Dale, and is also my ancestor.
Joshua Hartley died in 1803, leaving a very informative will. Both Sanderson and Hartley children inherited as if they were all his natural children. Mary Hartley was buried 24th November 1807. In 1807, following the death of his mother, Jonathan inherited £100 (approx. £10,000 in 2021), from Joshua Hartley’s will. Perhaps this enabled Jonathan to move up a notch, or invest further in his business or house.
WILL PROVED 5 APRIL 1804 (WRITTEN 21 JULY 1803) I Joshua Hartley of Mill Lea Bottom Bradfield, Cutler, I give to my son William Hartley all my houses, barns, smallholdings, smithies, lands etc situated at Mill Lea Bottom. I devise to my son in law Joseph Sanderson my house at Nether Bradfield together with land etc. under the name of Gillott Fields (and he is to pay rent to Joshua' s wife). (After death of Joseph land etc to be divided equally between his children, Joseph Helliwell to have an equal share with the rest of the children of Joseph). Also I give and bequest to my daughter Martha Green £100. I also give and bequest to my son Jonathan Sanderson £100 after the death of my wife. I also give and bequest to my daughter Mary Bagshaw £100. Also to my daughter Elizabeth Thompson £100. I also bequest to my son Rowland Hartley £100. (Rowland Hartley is his eldest son and heir) I also bequest to my grandson William Howe £50 and grandson James Howe £50. I bequest to my son Rowland my pew seat in the church at Bradfield. Executors to the will John Howe and Jonathan Thompson. After all expenses rest of residue to be divided among the four children of Rowland (John Joshua Elizabeth George).
Both Jonathan and Elizabeth appear to have had long and successful lives. I get the impression they had a happy marriage and were respected parents. Jonathan was buried 25th January 1836 in Bradfield Churchyard, having died at Fair House, aged 81 years. Elizabeth died within the year, at Fair House and was buried 20th December aged 77 years.