• Miscellaneous Information Home
• Transport In Somercotes
• Local Councils
• Featured Articles

Joseph Bown (1844-1915) was born at Hognaston, Derbyshire in 1844. His father, also named Joseph (1789-1855) was a farmer. Joseph senior owned a small farm in the Hognaston area and passed on his love of farming on to his son. His mother was Sarah, nee Ashmore (1800-1877).

Joseph was just 11 years old when his father died in 1855. At the census of 1861 he still lived at Hognaston and was recorded there with his mother (who was described as a “farmer’s wife”). He married Annie Douglas Hill (1850-1937) at Hognaston Church on 11th March 1869, and gave his occupation as Yeoman. Whether or not Joseph had already made the move to Somercotes is not known, but he is recorded as living in the village in 1871.

Initially Joseph appears to have lived at Lower Birchwood, but had already moved to Somercotes Hill by the census which was taken on 2nd April 1871. His occupation was listed as a baker. By 1881 Joseph was described as a Master Baker and ten years later as a farmer and baker, implying that by then he owned Moss Farm. Around 1898 he gave up the bakery business, passing this on to his son, and he concentrated his time as farmer. His occupation was listed as such in both the 1901 and 1911 census returns.

Joseph was very well-known in Somercotes and beyond. He was a member of many organisations, and became a Justice of the Peace. There would have been very few people in the village who did not know him. He was a Methodist in religion and a Liberal in politics. His strong political leaning can be seen in a report printed in the Derbyshire Courier on 3rd September 1892, regarding the recent Parliamentary election results and the return of the Liberal MP Mr James Alfred Jacoby for mid-Derbyshire. “… Tea was provided in a tent which was erected in Councillor Bown’s quarry field, and upwards of one hundred and forty persons sat down and refreshed the inner man with dainty viands to a satisfactory degree…”. This small extract contains one of the few references to “Quarry Field”, which later became part of Quarry Road. Joseph’s land ownership within the village seems to have been initially substantial, although over the years much of it was sold for development.

Somercotes took many years to develop, and even in the early 20th century there were many small farms scattered throughout the village, including Moss Farm. It is not known exactly how large the farm was, but it is believed to have included Bown’s Yard, part of what became Quarry Road, Bank Street, part of Brenden Avenue and the land where the Secondary School was built in 1933. The farm was certainly in the possession of Joseph Bown before the 1891 census, and that year there was also a reference to it published in the Derbyshire Times & Chesterfield Herald, dated 25th July. In part, the article read: “On Saturday the Somercotes and District Band of Hope Union held a demonstration and gala in Mr. J. Bown’s field, adjoining the Moss Farm buildings, kindly lent for the occasion.”  A procession which included the Band of Hope started at the Birchwood Chapel and made its way to the field.

Joseph and Ann had three daughters and one son:

• Hannah Douglas Bown (1869-1944) was the eldest of the children. She became a Certificated Teacher and was recorded as the Head Teacher of the Somercotes Council School on Victoria Street on the 1911 census. She married Dr. Nelson Sclater at Matlock, Derbyshire in 1926. Dr. Sclater already knew the Bown family very well, as he had previously had a practice in Somercotes. In January 1893 Dr. Oswald Dykes Robson purchased the practice of Dr. Sclater, and he moved to Liscard, near Liverpool. However, at the time of the marriage to Hannah he lived at Matlock, where the couple settled. The couple were known to have travelled and appear on a passenger list for the SS “Kaiser I Hind”, arriving at the Port of London on 9th October 1931, having embarked from Marseilles. Hannah died at Matlock on 13th June 1944.
• Joseph Bown (1872-1936) was born at Somercotes, like his siblings. He was at least the third generation to be given the name Joseph. After leaving school Joseph worked for a lace manufacturer, but eventually trained as a baker under his father, and continued to work with him until around 1898, when he took over the business entirely. His name appears in several trade directories as a baker. Joseph inherited land at Somercotes from his father, and sold the land on which the Somercotes Secondary Modern School would be built in 1933. He retired from business in 1931, and moved to Lower Birchwood. He died in August 1936, and an obituary was printed in the Ripley & Heanor News the following week: “DEATH OF BIRCHWOOD RESIDENT. Somercotes and district has lost by death one of its best known tradesmen in Mr. Joseph Bown, at 64 years of age, after two days' illness, on Wednesday morning. Deceased was the only son of the late Coun. Joseph Bown, J.P. He commenced business as a boy in the lace trade at Nottingham, but on the death of his father in 1915 he took over the bakery and confectionery business, retiring five years ago. Deceased in his younger days was an exceptionally good cricketer, being a most reliable bat. He had a life-long connection with the Methodist Church, Birchwood, and was a trustee up to the time of his death. Deepest sympathy goes out to his mother, who is 86 years of age and resides at Matlock, also to Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Bancroft (Alfreton) and Mrs. F. Hames, daughters and son-in-law. The funeral takes place tomorrow (Saturday) at Birchwood.” (Note that the date for Joseph taking over the bakery business from his father is not accurate).
• Helen Bown (1876-1943). Helen was born on 4th April 1876. She married Ernest Elliot, a warehouseman at a hosiery factory from Swanwick on 15th August 1901 at the Church of St. Andrews. By 1939, it appears that Ernest worked as an accounts clerk, possibly for the same company.
• Sarah Ann Bown (b.1881). Sarah was born on 1st July 1881. She appears in the 1911 census, living with her parents and sister Hannah. She was 29 years old, single and possibly looked after the family home as her occupation on the census document simply states “At home”. In early 1933 Sarah married James Cooper, who was a dairy farmer. At the time of the 1939 Register, they are listed as living at Low Farm, Matlock. She died in 1954 at the age of 72 years.

Joseph Bown died in August 1915. There was a long and interesting obituary published in the Belper News on 13th August 1915, which summarises his life and details some of the organisations and associations to which he belonged. A full transcription of the obituary follows:

 

“DEATH OF JOS. BOWN, OF SOMERCOTES

By the death of Mr Joseph Bown, J.P., of Somercotes, which we regret to announce took place somewhat unexpectedly on Thursday, Alfreton and district has lost its oldest public representative and Mid-Derbyrhire one its best known men. It could be truly said that Mr Bown died in harness, despite the fact that his health has not been good for some time, while he has required careful nursing for some public work recently as Tuesday fortnight, when he attended a meeting at Riddings in regard to the excusal of rates. During the last few days, however, a decided change came over the deceased and it was apparent he had come to the last stage of this life, Dr. Corkery, of Alfreton, being called in. The possessor of an indomitable will, and aided by excellent nursing, he seemed to rally and actually came downstairs on Tuesday week. The improvement was only temporary. His old friend, Dr. Sclater, who formerly resided in Somercotes, and his associate in many a political contest, who now resides at Liscard, near Liverpool, was apprised of his condition, and he came post haste to Somercotes, and remained with him to the last. The deceased had spent three weeks at Skegness in the spring and had derived some benefit from the change, while only just previous to his final illness he had arranged a return visit to that East Coast resort. Mr Bown had for years suffered from asthma and bronchitis in the winter months and in consequence had taken great care of himself. He died in his chair in the bedroom, heart failure being the primary cause of death. The deceased was 71 years of age. He leaves a widow, one son, and three daughters, one the latter being Mrs Ernest Elliott, of Swanwick. The deceased was born at Hognaston, near Derby, being the son of a farmer. It was this fact doubtless which caused him to retain a keen interest in farming right up to the end of his life. About fifty years ago he came to reside in the Birchwood locality with a Mr Chas. Bown, and from that time he has remained in the Somercotes district. About 45 years ago he commenced a bakery in Somercotes, from which he retired 17 years ago, when he was succeeded in the business by his son, who still carries it on. Since 1882 the deceased has devoted himself largely to farming the Moss Farm at Somercotes, which became his property, and this provided a beneficial relaxation from his multifarious public duties. It was through the land of this farm that he constructed Quarry Road, a street in Somercotes which provided many excellent sites for small freeholders. HIS PUBLIC OFFICES. It is now close upon 40 years ago since Mr. Bown began to take an interest in public affairs. That was in the days when local government was administered at Belper, and long before the incorporation of the district as it exists today. The late Mr Wm. Shaw, of Riddings, was an intimate friend of his and they were drawn together in lasting friendship by their similar individual inclinations politically and otherwise. For years they ploughed the same furrow in public and political affairs and both were in association as members of the Alfreton Urban Council. They were in harness, of course, long before most of our present-day civic administrators had even aspirations to public honours. In those early days which we write Alfreton had its Local Board but the outlying wards, Somercotes and Riddings, Swanwick and Ironville, were still under the jurisdiction of the Belper Rural Sanitary Authority. Mr. Bown was first elected a member of the Belper Board of Guardians and the Rural Sanitary Authority in 1882 for the Somercotes and Riddings Ward, and he has been a member the Belper Board of Guardians continuously since his first election. Of that Authority he was elected the Junior Chairman April 15th, 1904, and promoted to Vice-Chairman on the same date, 1905, and acted in that capacity until April 14th, 1909, when he was selected the Chairman. He held that office for four years. He has thus completed more than 33 years as a member of the Belper Board of Guardians. When the outlying wards of the rural parish of Alfreton were incorporated in 1888 and left the Rural Authority Mr Bown became a member of the old Alfreton Local Board, which in turn was succeeded by the Urban Council as we know it to-day. In fact, he was the “father” of the Urban Council. It is worthy of note that like his connection with the Belper Board of Guardians he was also continuously a member of the old Alfreton Local Board and Urban Council up to his death. Besides being ex-Chairman of the Belper Guardians he was ex-Chairman of the Alfreton Urban Council, his membership being contemporaneous with that of the late Mr Fitz-Herbert Wright, J.P., who built Swanwick Hayes, the late Mr C. R. Palmer-Morewood, J.P., of Alfreton Park, Mr Frank Hall, now one of the chief officials of the Derbyshire Miners’ Association, Mr William Watson, of Hall Street, Alfreton, and several others who rendered notable service to the district. He was the Chairman of the Belper Isolation Hospital and in that capacity the great services he had rendered to that institution can scarcely be over-estimated. Other posts which he filled were the Chairmanship the Belper Assessment Committee, Chairmanship of the Water Works Committee of the Alfreton Urban Council, while he was an ex-overseer and a School Manager for the Somercotes Council School and the Church of England School, and a member of the Alfreton District Education Committee. He was also secretary of the Alfreton and District Cowkeepers’ Association, of which he was the joint founder with Mr C. R. Chamberlain, the father of the present treasurer of the Association. Mr Bown has been connected with almost every organisation, public and otherwise, in his immediate locality, which pertained to the municipal and social welfare of the district.

COUNTY COUNCIL HONOURS.

Mr Bown had a rather short career as a member of the County Council, and he had some lively elections in the early days of that authority. On the first election in the Alfreton No. 2 Division the deceased opposed Mr. James Oakes and was defeated. In the Alfreton No.1 Division the late Mr. Joshua Roberts had an opponent in Mr. Smedley, of Belper, the latter being knocked out. Subsequently when Alderman of the Council were appointed, Mr. Roberts was elevated to the Aldermanic Bench, and there was a By-election in which the combatants were the late Mr. Geo. Cressy-Hall and Mr, Bown. The latter was again defeated. On Mr. Cressy-Hall’s death Mr. Bown was selected his successor without a contest, and he remained a member of the County Council for two and half years as a representative of Alfreton No.1 Division. In 1895 the deceased was defeated in a contest by Mr. W. Mortimer Wilson, who held the position until he was elected an Alderman some years ago. When Mr. James Oakes, who had represented the Alfreton No.2 Division since the formation of the County Council, was made an Alderman there was a by-election on February 4th 1902, Mr. Beastall and Mr. Bown contesting the honours, the former winning with 701 votes to the deceased’s 636. The deceased did not make a further attempt for County Council honours.

The deceased was a member of the Alfreton Sessional Bench, having been made a magistrate in 1907. But it is a long time since he took his seat.

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES.

He was a non-conformist and was a liberal supporter of all religious movements. He was attached to the Birchwood United Methodist Chapel, of which he was a trustee. In fact he was one of the original Board of Trustees, 19 of whom were elected in 1875. He evinced his interest in religious affairs by accepting the office of Trustee at various chapels, including the Somercotes Salem, Pinxton, Swanwick and others.

A STAUNCH LIBERAL.

The deceased was a staunch Liberal of the old school, and by his death the mid-Derbyshire Liberal Association have lost one of its bulwarks. He was the treasurer of that association, and for years his sane views and devotion to the Liberal cause have been factors in the success of Liberalism in the constituency. He had no sympathy with the “progressive” views of today, and remained a Liberal as he was thirty and forty years ago to the end.

He was instrumental in bringing the late Sir James Alfred Jacoby to the constituency, and the deceased espoused Sir Alfred’s cause right up to his death. What Sir Alfred owed to the late Mr. Bown the world will probably never be able to tell. He was the deceased members guide, philosopher and friend in all political affairs that concerned Sir Alfred and mid-Derbyshire. The former made Mr. Bown’s house his quarters in the old days when electioneering had to be done by the aid of horses and carriages. That was before the advent of motor cars. Sir Alfred’s horses and carriage were often stabled on Mr. Bown’s premises when Sir Alfred’s stay in mid-Derbyshire was necessary or desirable. Mr. Bown and the late member had a sincere affection for each other, and the utmost mutual confidence too. Sir Alfred always entrusted the distribution of certain generous charities to Mr. Bown, and that confidence in the latter’s discrimination was never displaced. We believe the present member, Mr. J. G. Hancock, MP, has continued the late members practice, and Mr. Bown undertook the same duty. Mr. Bown kept a watchful eye over the needy, and unostentatiously carried relief to the deserving. Mid-Derbyshire Liberalism is a good deal the poorer by his demise.

In latter years he has not taken an active part in the contest, largely because his health would permit of his engaging in the turmoil of contest, and also because he had not the same sympathy is in the old days, when the issue was a clear one between the Liberal and Conservative parties.

PUBLIC WORK.

The deceased was a popular public man, and his service locally was of an enduring character. He was not swayed by the whims and dictates of the electorate, but pursued a steady even course when he knew he was on the right track. He was a man of sane views and eminently good judgement. In council debates he rarely spoke, and then it was to interpolate with some sensible idea or to bring back discursive discussion to the main point. He was a person of few words, but of logical ideas, and these always carried weight with his fellow councillors. He has rendered valuable service to the public, and his example is well worthy of emulation. We believe firmly that he served the public for the good of the community, and without any thought of personal reward.

A few years ago he was the gratified recipient of a handsome 18-carat gold watch from the Alfreton and District Cowkeepers’ and Milksellers’ Association in recognition of 10 years eminent service to that society. Ald. Oakes made the presentation in very appreciative terms of the services which Mr. Bown had rendered to the community. In a personal reference to the deceased at the presentation gathering, Ald. Oakes remarked that ‘during the whole of the years I have worked with Mr. Bown I have never known him to introduce the least feeling into his public work.’ That was true in every detail of the services of which Mr. Bown had rendered to Alfreton and district, and which constitute the finest monument to his memory. The internment took place on Sunday at the Lea Brooks cemetery.”

 

Joseph was survived by his wife and children. After his death his widow Ann continued to live at the family home but after the marriage of her daughter Hannah to Dr. Nelson Sclater moved to Matlock to live with them. She died on 16th February 1937.

The family still owned property in Bown’s Yard which seems to have been passed to Hannah. An auction notice was printed in the Ripley & Heanor News on 29th September 1948, some four years after Hannah’s death, regarding the property: "Devonshire Arms" Inn, Somercotes, at 7 p.m. - To Close a Trust - Re Mrs. H. D. Sclater, deceased. Four Freehold Dwelling Houses, Nos. 5-8, Bown's Yard. Somercotes Hill, also Freehold Dwelling House, No. 95, Somercotes Hill. Solicitors concerned: Messrs. Blakesley and Rooth, Alfreton.”