A SELECTION OF INTERESTING "BITS AND ' PIECES" TAKEN FROM OLD RECORDS

(42)

1. From the Index Nominum to the Churchwarden's Accounts of St. Mary's-on-the-Hill 1536-65:

"Rogerson, Thomas, tiper for the ley of the parishioners of Chester, Upton etc. 24 May 1555."

2. (a) From the Churchwarden's Accounts of St. Mary's-on-the-Hill, 1657, we learn that included in a list of parishioners who contributed towards repairs to the steeple etc. of St. Mary's were 19 names from Upton and Mollington. Among them were W. Brock, T. Brown, T. Ythell and John Barlow.

(b) From the above accounts.

"Recd. for a leastall for John Barlow of 'Upton £30/3/4 for the year 1659-1660".

Taken from copies of the Cheshire Sheaf.

3. In the Hearth Tax returns for the Hundred of Broxton in 1663 is recorded:-

"Upton (£1 - 5s.). Among the eight names is "William Broke, Eqre."

4. Two Chester Apprentice Indentures taken from a Volume in possession of the Corporation of Chester:-

(a) 16th November and 20th April 1732. Thomas, son of John Whiteside of Upton, co. C. yeoman, P. to Samuel Pemberton of Chester, goldsmith.

(b) 26th Sept. and 25th Mar. 1748, Robert, s. of Wm. Jones of Upton, co. C. labourer, dec;  P. to Wm. Quoy of C., mason.

5. Cheshire houses and land to be let or sold in 1751.

(a)   Aug. 13. To be let. The manor house and demesne lands of Upton within 1 mile of Chester. Enquire of Wm. Shone of Broxton Hall.

(b)   (43) Nov. 12. To be let. About 100 acres of land, lately enclosed on Upton Common, within 1 mile of Chester.
Enquire at Broxton Hall.

6. Found, among records of St. Oswald.'s Parish:-

(a) Alecksander, soone unto Thomas Craball
was Bapt. the 25th day of Oct. 1690.

(b) A Certificate of Settlement of 1767. - "Record of the sold overseer of the Poor of the Township of Upton nigh Chester, acknowledging the Hallmark family (parents & 3 children) to the inhabitants legally settled within the Township of Upton nigh Chester.  Acknowledged by 2 J.P's of Chester
Overseer - Alexander Crab - (Crabbe)."

There are references to Alexander Crabbal, Overseer of Upton in 1746-7 and 1759 and 1766 in the Vestry Minutes Book.

7. From the Parish Registers of St. Mary' s-on-the-Hill, found on the first page of the oldest reglster:-

(a) 1630 Daniell sonne to William Hastns of Upton, the 25th day of June.

(b) Mr. Thomas Barlow of Upton was buried 7th day of Sept. 1683.

(c) Samuell Garratt of Upton and Margret Priace were married with a licence the 10th day of Dec. 1700.

(d.) Richard Sefton & Anne Barrow, both of Upton, were married with banns askings the 31st day Dec. 1707.

(e) 10 Aug. 1755, Thomas, son of Thomas Whitle of Upton Hall and Ailes his wife.

(44)   8. From the Vestry Minutes Bk. 1741 - 1893.

(a)   May ye 21 1741 Janes Jones her pencion 2s per week.

(b)   May 1748 To Old Nelley pay £1 / 6 / 0d

(c)   To widow……house rent       £1 / 0 / 0d

(d)    Meetings for the Township of Upton, May 1744 to be held at the house of Th. Ithell at Bache Pool.

(e)   1752 – For ……Coffin……….£- / 9 / 0d

(f)     A poor person was allowed – 4/- for 10weeks; 3/- for 31weeks; 5/- for coals

(g)   March 1826. Sparrows – Pd for 18doz. Sparrows 6/0; for 22doz – 7/6;
for 13doz – 4/4; for 13doz of eggs 3/3; for 4doz of eggs 1/0.

This killing of sparrows dated from an Act of Elizabeth's reign by which sparrows were classed as vermin and were to be destroyed, probably due to the damage they caused to the thatched roofs.

(h) In 1840 Mr. C. Potts offered to give £5 to be laid out on the road from the turnpike Rd towards his house - also £5 for the road from his house to Mr. Axe's.

9. From the Chester Courant, Wed., 26th November,1851:-

(a)   In a case of trespass with a gun in pursuit of game the defendant was directed "to pay 5/- to the poor of Upton."

(b)   (45) June 16th 1801.

Tuesday was married Mr. Ambrose Brittain, of this city, woollen draper, to Miss Brittain, of Upton, near this city.

 

(c) Tuesday, Feb. 19th 1805. To be let.
A house, with a good garden and croft adjoining, situate in the village of Upton, 2 mls. from the city of Chester. Immed. possessn. may be had. The house consists of 2 parlours, 4 bedrooms, a good kitchen, cellar and other suitable conveniences fit for the residence of a genteel family, with a 2 stalled stable. The tenant may be accommodated with land for a cow and horse if required.
Apply to Mr. Rathbone, Watergate St.

10. Some weather observations from Mr. R. Ithell's scrapbook:-

(a) "In Jan. 1881 there was the greatest snow storm of centuries, when the snow (in Upton) lay 10, 15 and 20ft. deep.

(b) April, 1917. There was a great April frost and heavy snowfall. Ploughing had to be suspended. Dicksons recorded heavy frosts at their Nurseries - Sunday 9 degrees, Monday 10, Tuesday 1, Wednesday 4 degrees.

(c) Jan. 1940. Great snowfall and severe frost. Thermometer readings lowest ever recorded in Cheshire.

11. In the church papers was a description of an Industrial and Art Exhibition held in the New Schools at Upton on Monday, 27th May, 1885. Surrounding villages joined with Upton and enough material was brought together to form an exceedingly Interesting display. "The spacious new schoolroom.... was well filled with entries of nearly all descriptions from the child's first dressed doll and the little boy's first raid on birds' nests up to more pretentious works of art."