Shotley Bridge 1881
Shotley Bridge is on the border of Durham and [bold on ]Northumberland and gets its name from the Anglo Saxon word SHOT meaning A PLACE and the old English LEAH meaning a CLEARING. Much of its history is due to the German Sword makers who arrived in the beautiful Derwent Valley 1667.
Idustries such as Iron Foundries Flour and paper mills were to follow.
There have been many books written on the Shotley Bridge Sword Makers, some agreeing with rhe myth surrounding thier arrivall in the Derwent Valley, and some destroying these myths.
As i am a romantic i like to believe they escaped persecution in Germany and found the piece and tranquillity they craved in our beautiful Valley.
There is no doubt they did not have an easy time setting up thier industry with many trials and tribulations befalling them through the years.
My interest and research begins in 1881 when Joseph Oley, the last of the Sword Makers is in his Seventies and is still in his current employment as an Auctioneer and seems to be the only Sword Making family left in Shotley Bridge.
The other families seemed to have vanished.
The Sword Makers mill had now become a Paper mill, then latter became a Flour mill
Joseph is living at 10, Wood Street, Shotley Bridge with his son, who according to the 1881 census is an imbercile [no politically crrectnees in those days]; living at the same address is his niece Sarh Bell, who is employed as a housekeeper domestic.
At 10a, Wood Street is Nicholas Oley, he is employed as Sadler & Auctioneers Clerc, his wife Phoebe is Straw bonnet maker, his son Richard is tailor's apprentice.
Nicholas has two other sons, William and Emmerson, both are attending school at this time.
William Oley his nephew is living at 17, Oak Street Elswick and is employed as a Shipbrokers clerk and is in his 64th year.
Fanny Oley a niece is living at The Quarries Elswick,she is working for Charles H Merz as a house maid domestic servant.
Christopher Oley is employed as an Engine Fitter, he lives at 39, Cuttlers Hall Road, with his wife Jane and daughter May.
Joseph Oley was born on the 27 August 1806.
He died on the 7th of January 1896,and is buried at St Ebba's Church Ebchester.
In the eighteen hundreds industry had grown in the Valley, with the coming of the railways. Mines and Mills of one form or another were a common site in the valley.
The mines and Mills attracted people from various parts of the world looking for work.
Quite a number of Irish immigrants settled in Consett, most working in the Iron works.
Three streets in Consett were fully occupied with Irish families.
Queen Street no one to Fifty Two.King Street no one to Fifty Eight. Princess Street one to Sixty Three, and most of Trafalgar Street all Irish immigrants.
There were the odd exception of Immigrants not working in the Mills and Iron works.
One such person was Eliza Griffin from Jamaica, she lived at 7a Messenger Street and was discribed as an out door pauper.
How did she arive in Consett, and what unfortunate circumstances led her to become a pauper.
Owen McNally was a Fiddler Musician living at 32 Trafalgar Street
Joseph Hirrison was a Chimney Sweep living at 3a Messenger Street. He would always have work.
Owen McEnroe, Joseph Gilney both from the same address as McNally worked in the paper mills and as masons labourers.
There were many trades and skills needed in Shotley Bridge at this time, some seemed very strange indeed.
Jane Thirwell who lived at 12,Front Street,at the age of 63 was a mangle keeper.
William Bullerwell 26 Front Street was a Common Carrier and Beer retailer.
william Goude from Dunrassnes, Shetland,living at 4, Melbourne Street was a Colporterer,[booze seller].
All in all there were a fair amount of strange and wonderful people living in our beautiful valley at this time.
John P Blueitt
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