Major Barber and Barber Walker & Co


Recommended Posts

Hi. I'm researching for a biography on my great-grandfather Sir Philip Barber (known to pretty much everyone as Major Barber) chairman of colliery company Barber Walker & Co in Eastwood, Harworth and Bentley in Yorks until nationalisation in 1947. If anyone has any information or memories or anecdotes on either him or the company I'd love to hear from you. Thanks! Tom

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • Replies 157
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Posts

Further to the above 1881 Census , the marriage of Robert Barber and Elizabeth Catherine  Baker occurred at Biggleswade in Sept Qtr 1874 .   The death of Canon Barber's father Robert Barber

This is him in 1939 .   The Vicarage , Hucknall Thomas G Barber DOB 18 Jun 1875 Occupation  Clerk In Holy Orders Wife : Gertrude Barber , born 1879   Daug

This is Thomas G Barber with parents on 1881 Census at  3, Avenue No 10 Sherwood Rise, Nottingham  Robert Barber Head Married Male 32 1849 Solicitor Greasley, Nottinghamshire,    Eliz

Hello tombarber,

There is a short article it "Transactions of the Thoroton Society" volume LXXXII(82) Pub 1978

Entitled: Robert Harrison & the Barber Walker Company a study in colliery Management 1850-1890 by Colin P Griffin

Also of Interest "The Miners of Nottinghamshire(2 volumes) By Alan R Griffin(Colin's father)

Coal Mines Remembered (2 volumes) booklets featuring mines in Nottingham & Derbyshire.

Produced by

AD Newspapers Ltd

PO Box 7196

Kirkby-In-Ashfield

Nottingham

NG17 9AA

Hope this information is of use

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Presume you have seen all the articles in the British Newspaper Archive about Barber Walker & Co

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?ContentType=Article&FreeSearch=&PhraseSearch=barber+walker+%26+co&SomeSearch=&AnySearch=&NotSearch=&SortOrder=&FrontPage=&Region=&County=&Place=&NewspaperTitle=&PublicTag=&IssueId=

Unfortunately you have to pay, to access the full articles :-(

I can only see one story specifically on Phillip Barber when he was a plain Mister .

Scroll down to the story entitled War In South Africa, it says he has just returned from the front , fighting with the South Notts Yeomanry.

http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/search/results?basicsearch=%22phillip%20barber%22&exactsearch=false&contenttype=article

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Wasn't Underwood Colliery once known as Barber-Walker pit? ISTR my late father-in-law referring to it when he worked there in the 60s.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I took this from Philip Healey's site.

The Selston (or Underwood) pit also went back centuries, being taken over in 1728 by Barber Walker & Co when it was probably just an opencast or outcropping site.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 4 months later...

I have an interest in the Barber-Walker mining history, mainly because I was raised in Bilborough.

Bilborough housing estate is built on land that was mainly part of the OLD Wollaton Park before 1588 when Wollaton Hall was built, hence the name of the farm which used to be by Graylands Rd - Old Park Farm. A lot of the land upon which Bilborough was built (especially towards Beechdale Rd) was outcrop coal mined by the primitive Bell Pit system. The old Bilborough Cut followed the 200 ft contour and ended near where the stadium is now at what is recorded as being Walkers Pit. I don't know when the Barber and Walker came together but I know that both families lived in the area in the 18th century, notably in Bilborough Village and Chilwell Dam Farm. I also know that they were associated with the use of Bilborough Cut along with the Edges of Strelley and the Lords Middleton of Wollaton. By the early 19th century shallow mines in the Bilborough area were all worked out and the Barber Walker company had begun to move their interests to the Eastwood area.

There is a book in existence about the Barber Walker company but the place to go to enquire about this is at Eastwood Library. One day, when I have time, I will be having a look too.

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...

My partner, Richard, was brought up by his grandmother (born Ruth BARBER 1899-1995). Ruth was the daughter of Dr Robert David Barber of Eastwood and his wife Alice Georgiana Strelley (her second marriage).

After much research, we still can't work out how Dr Robert David Barber (son of Samuel Barber) is related to the Barber family of Moorgreen, colliery owners. There is also Canon Barber (Hucknall) who, in old age, bore an uncanny likeness to Ruth in old age...but that's another story.

What I would like to ask Nottstalgians is this: does anyone have any images of a house named The Grange, which stood near to Eastwood Hall (the former home of the Walker family)? This property was the home of Mr Fryar who was the colliery manager and who died in 1915. We have many photos left by his niece, Caroline Isabella Fryar (who also left many slides of her visits to the Barber home at Moorgreen) among which are two, taken around 1900, possibly of The Grange. it would be interesting to see a known image of this house in order to establish whether I am barking up the right tree. The house, of course, is long gone.

I have trawled through the reference books in Eastwood Library, having lived for some years in Brinsley, but have never come across any images of The Grange.

Any ideas, anyone?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Sorry can't help on the The Grange but Alice Georgiana Strelley looks very interesting !

I can't spot her wedding to Mr. Barber but her 3rd marriage to a Charles Louis DeSeilan shows up at Burton in 1892 .

Found a few news reports of him going by the name of Isadore Deseilan a doctor and plenty of mentions of The Grove at Etwall , could this be in the pictures ?

Link to post
Share on other sites

My partner, Richard, was brought up by his grandmother (born Ruth BARBER 1899-1995). Ruth was the daughter of Dr Robert David Barber of Eastwood and his wife Alice Georgiana Strelley (her second marriage).

After much research, we still can't work out how Dr Robert David Barber (son of Samuel Barber) is related to the Barber family of Moorgreen, colliery owners. There is also Canon Barber (Hucknall) who, in old age, bore an uncanny likeness to Ruth in old age...but that's another story.

What I would like to ask Nottstalgians is this: does anyone have any images of a house named The Grange, which stood near to Eastwood Hall (the former home of the Walker family)? This property was the home of Mr Fryar who was the colliery manager and who died in 1915. We have many photos left by his niece, Caroline Isabella Fryar (who also left many slides of her visits to the Barber home at Moorgreen) among which are two, taken around 1900, possibly of The Grange. it would be interesting to see a known image of this house in order to establish whether I am barking up the right tree. The house, of course, is long gone.

I have trawled through the reference books in Eastwood Library, having lived for some years in Brinsley, but have never come across any images of The Grange.

Any ideas, anyone?

I can't help with any pictures of the Grange yet but I remember it very well as a ruin. I live on the estate in Eastwood adjacent to it, (often wrongly called Newthorpe Grange Estate). The Grange was eventually demolished to make way for Thorntree Gardens - a sort of annex to the estate that I am on (lived ere since 1959). Grange Cottage which also stood abandoned for many years still survives and had been converted into a respectable home. The people that own and live in it have incorrectly titled the property 'The Grange' - but it isn't - it is Grange Cottage. I remember the Grange quite well as it was quite a good 'playground' in the early 60's. :laugh:

Link to post
Share on other sites

Apologies back to my message #12 . I made an error .

Looking on the internet at some old messages , I think you already know of the Dr. De Seilan connection and in my haste , I said that he was her third marriage , whereas he was her first marriage in 1892 but he died young aged 42 .

She married Dr Robert Barber in 1894 after Dr De Seilans death in Christchurch .

Her third marriage was to a Reginald Christian still in Christchurch in 1902 . All of which I expect you know .

This De Seilan looks interesting though , he was the son of the same named Count Isadore De Seilan also a doctor who died in 1887.

Count Isadore De Seilan senior had been married to a Susannah Gatliff .

Then it seems to get complicated as in the news reports of his will in 1888 he left £16000 to his "wife Lady Howe" and a bequest of £100 to his brother Mr. John Randall ????

None of this is any good for your search , but all looks interesting !

Link to post
Share on other sites

I had a quick look last night and can't see any connection in the mid / late 1800s with the Barbers of Heanor and the Barbers of Eastwood . Could have been an earlier connection of course . There is mention of a Reverend Henry Barber is that Canon Barber ? "married Miss Grace Barber, youngest daughter the Rev. Henry Barber,"

(Thomas) Phillip Barber ( later Major T.P. Barber) can be seen on the 1881 aged 5 on his fathers farm of 240 acres at Moorgreen . Is this the land that became the mine ?

I note the original poster said he was writing a book about him . Looking at some of the news clippings there is plenty to go at and could make a series like Downton !

Theres a tragic accident when his 12 year old brother Kenneth Forbes Barber dies.

This story was used by D.H.Lawrence in Women in Love....notes here

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=pO3UpBES710C&pg=PA459&lpg=PA459&dq=%22kenneth+forbes+barber%22&source=bl&ots=QK3zKHG5Ko&sig=qTW6XN07bZuLlGBfGt9q_Na2cHo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7kYsUueICILs0gXMvIHwCQ&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22kenneth%20forbes%20barber%22&f=false

There is the setting up of the mine where there are accidents and controversies. etc,

Major Barber was a hero in the Boer War , He marries a Beatrice Merritt whose brother , one of twins , wins

a V.C. in the second World War in the Canadian Army .

Later Major Barbers son T.C.BARBER who was well

known as a Notts Rugby Player is killed when his car runs into the back of a "dray" at Annesley IN 1930

Major barber becomes leader of Notts County Council IN THE 1930S .

Clips of some stories here :

NOTTS. COMFORTS FUND

COMFORTS FUND Major Barber's £50 Cheque For "Treasure Sale" The Notts. Comforts for Troops Fund organisation put up a new record yesterday, when 144

individual parcels were dispatched The contribution from Local Government Officers on the penny-a-week basis has

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

07/08/1940

VALUABLE WORK FOR COUNTY.

felt that Major Barber had at all times endeavoured to be fair, and if some of them might have questioned his methods they had never doubted his sincerity.

Major Barber, in returning thanks, remarked that there was some very important business in front of, TRIBUTES TO MAJOR BARBER'S SERVICE. RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL.

Appreciative tributes to his valuable work for the county were paid to Major T. P. Barber, when he was to-day re-elected chairman of the Notts. County Council at the

meeting of that body, held, said that Major Barber had been chairman during no easy period. Many difficult questions had arisen, but everyone must realise that the

ability and fairness with (which he had performed his duties had earned the approbation of the whole Council. SINCERITY, vice-chairman, Major Barber recalled that he had

been a member of the council since 1898, and had been a very loyal and hard-working vice-chairman. Mr. J. R. Anderson seconded the motion, and in replying to the

unanimous vote of his colleagues, Aid. Lewin said

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

05/05/1936

Article

welcomed by Major Barber on behalf of tho directors of the colliery company and others at a social gathering in the Church Hall. Major Barber said that

Mr. Earle had very great reputation Notingham. knew that the people of Bircotes would give him every assistance

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

13/12/1937

A MISUNDERSTANDING.

lordship. Major Barber, of Lamb House Close House, was sued as the surviving lessee, and the Company as the assignees of the lease. The defendant company denied that

they had abandoned coal, or that payment had been improperly withheld. .Mr. John T. Archer, the

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

02/02/1928

PEER'S ACTION AGAINST BARBER. WALKER- AM, CO.

said Major Barber was sued as the sole survivor of the original lessees, and the company a.s the assignors 1918 of lease. The plaintiff said that at. some time

before 1926 an arrangement was made with adjoining owners, whereby a certain area minerals

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

31/01/1928

'SOLEMN FOOLS' OUTRAGE.'

game on Major Barber s land at Moorgreen on Apr.l lZth. Defendants were Leonard Fisher (19), Samuel W. Edwards (22. Ala* (21), of Kimberloy, and William Parker (23),

of , Eridence was given to the effect that polioe Mrgeant, gamekeeper, farmer, and workmen

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

30/04/1927

Arti

SOCIETY WEDDING AT GREASLEY.

case. Major Barber's gifts took the form motor-car and cheque, while Mrs. Barber gave her daughter a diamond and sapphire brooch, a fur coat, linen, and motor-rug.

Her present to the bridegroom was a fitted bathroom. The officials of Messrs. Barber, Walker

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

25/01/1934

Il

SON OF MAJOR BARBER, EASTWOOD. BISHOP OFFICIATES. Two pipere belonging to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders piped a bridal couple to their car after the

wedding ceremony yesterday. The bride was Miss Diana Lloyd, daughter of Lieut.-Col. and Mrs. T

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

29/10/1936

Article

MARRIAGE OF MISS H. AND THE REV. A. HANBROOK.

and Mrs. T. P. Barber, linen and eider down quilt ; Master Tom Barber, gold brooch set with pearls ; Mrs. Barber (Barnby Moor House), cheque, table linen,

handkerchiefs in case, two silver-mounted hair brushes, and leather hand-bag ; Mr. Norman Barber, cutlery

Derby Daily Telegraph

East Midlands, England

11/04/1907

RUGBY PLAYER KILLED IN MIDLANDS

son of Major T. P. Barber, of Lamb Close House, Eastwood, Nottingham, head of Messrs. Barber and Walker, the well known firm of Notts and Yorkshire colliery proprietors,

was killed at Annesley, last night, when his car ran into the rear of a h

Derby Daily Telegraph

East Midlands, England

11/01/1930

RUGBY PLAYER KILLED

dray Annesley. Mr Thomas Barber, eldest son of Major J. P. Barber, of Lamb House, Eastward. Notts, was killed. He was a well-known Rugby footballer.

Evening Telegraph

Tayside, Scotland

13/01/1930

Article

SEQUEL TO RUGBY PLAYER'S DEATH. DRIVER OF DRAY SUMMONED AT MANSFIELD. NO REAR LIGHT. The accident near Annesley on Friday

accident near Annesley on Friday right, which Mr. T. C. Barber, the wellknown Notts. Rugby player, was fatally injured through his car colliding with the back

of dray, had a sequel Mansfield Police Court to-day, When Tom Scothern, Hodgkinson-street, Kirkby, groceries in Annesley and was returning to Kirkby. The

dray was fitted with two lamps showing a white light the front and a red light to* the rear, and on the tail board was tacked red reflector. This arrangement

complied with tho iaw up to April 1928, and, and Mr. Barber's .......for the patrol was the first to reach the scene of the accident. Declaring that the

local police were trying their utmost to see that every driver conformed to the new lighting regulations, Supt. Neate pointed out that during

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

16/01/1930

Illustr

HARRINGTON HUNT AT BREADSALL

Major T. P. Barber, of Lambclose House, Eastwood, and his daughter, Miss Naomi Barber, were also in the held, with Mr. Spencer Rooke, West Hallam Hall; Mr. and Mrs.

George Compton, Quarndon; Mrs. Eardley Simpson; Mr. Price Abell, of Duffield; Messrs.

Derby Daily Telegraph

East Midlands, England

01/02/1930

Article

BISHOP OFFICIATES AT GREASLEY WEDDING

Miss Naomi Barber, and Miss Honor Barber. They were dressed georgette having large cherry pink flowers on white ground, with green sashes, draped bodices and short,

puff sleeves. The skirts had deep, sun-ray pleating, and the headdresses were of real

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

30/04/1936

Article

and Miss Naomi Barber were among the helpers. Music provided by Lievers BaTd, and Miss *'* responsible for an excellen

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

17/04/1936

Arti

Honor and Naomi Barber, sisters of the bridegroom. Miss Biddy Nelson, and Miss Yvonne Shenton. They wore Empire dresses of white moire, and their headbands

matched that of the bride's. Bronze carnations beech leaves formed their bouquets. Mr T. Lloyd was

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

29/10/1936

Art

SOCIETY WEDDING AT GREASLEY.

Naomi and Honor Barber (her sisters), Miss Mary Kinder (niece of the bridegroom), Miss Cecilie Mellor and Miss Moya Wynne-Edwards (th.c bride's cousins).

Miss Betty Birkin and Miss Rosemary Hanson (friends of the bride). The maid of honour was Miss Susan

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

25/01/1934

Illustrated

THIS DAY'S PARLIAMENT.

T. P. BARBER, OF EASTWOOD. This afternoon, at St. Peters Church, Earl's-court. London, was solemnised the marriage of Mr. Thomas Philip Barber, the son Mrs. Barber,

Lamb Close House, Eastwood, Notts., and Miss Beatrice Mary Merritt. daughter of Lieut, Ingersoll Merritt, 7, Longridge-road, Earl's-court, London.

The ceremony took place the presence of a large number of friends of the contracting parties, the church being crowded. The officiating were the Rev. Ernest Chapin Wilson,

vicar of Hornby. Lancashire, Ro??? Barber, sister to the bridegroom, Muriel Gmett, Mitford. Norah Newport Popham. and M. Barwell. and the bride was attended

Master Ormond Adams, as page, and Misses Kathleen Touael and Norah Creamers Javal, who carried the train. Miss who was given, honeymoon. Mr. Barber was one the first

fco respond to the call for volunteers at the commencement of hostilities in South Africa, going out as a trooper in the South Notts. Hussars original contingent,

which formed a company the 3rd Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, . Mr. Barber took part in a good engagements during bis first twelve months* service, and was offered,

and accepted, a commission the Imperial Yeomanry. When the South Notts. Hussar.* returned remained in South Africa, and leaving Cape Town too, and Mr. Barber was made the

recipient of several illuminated addresses in recognition of his patriotism to his country.

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

17/04/1902

Arti

Naomi and Honor Barber (sisters), Mrs. W. I. Merritt, Mrs. Barber, Barnby Moor (grandmothers). Dr. and Mrs. E. Hodley (father and mother-in-law),

Colonel W. D. Barber, the Rev. and Mrs. E. C. Wilson, and Mrs. G. Mellor, Miss Grace Barber, Mr. and Mrs. Spreeman

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

14/01/1930

CANADIAN V.C.

Barber at Eastwood. ¦ . Mrs. Barber stated that Lt.-Col. Merritt is a son of her twin brother. He has wife and two young children in Canada.

His brother, Capt. William Merritt, is serving with the Canadian Seaforth Highlanders, and his sister, Mrs. McMillan, T. Pi Barber of Lamb Close, Eastwood. ...... is one of the

two recipients of the Victoria Cross announced to-day in connection with the Dieppe raid. He is Lt.-Col. Charles Cecil Ingersoll Merritt, of the Canadian Army, and the award,

states the London Gazette, Col. Merritt, who hails from Vancouver, and is a barrister in civil life, came over with the first contingent of Canadians.

He was twice wounded and is now a prisoner, having been captured Dieppe. During his leaves he has stayed with Major and Mrs. Barber, -Col. Merritt joined the

regiment, but was later transferred to the unit he led at Dunkirk.

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

03/10/1942

Art

FASHIONABLE MARRIAGES.

married Miss Grace Barber, youngest daughter the Rev. Henry Barber, chaplain Hospital, Ashby de-la-Zouch. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. G. O. Vandeleur, M.A.,

and the chancel of the Church was specially decorated with white flowers. The bride waa

Grantham Journal

East Midlands, England

19/10/1895

WEDDING OF THE REV. E. C. WILSON, OF ALFRETON.

Miss Grace Barber (sister of tbe bride). Miss Wilson (sister of the bridegroom), Miss Plumptre, Miss Dorothy Hutton, and Miss Dorman. The bridegroom was accompanied

by his best man, Mr Hu-t, of Harrogate. Later in the afternoon the Rev. and Mrs Ernest

Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald

East Midlands, England

10/10/1896

to Misa Grace Barber, youngest daughter of the Rev. Henry Barber, chaplain of the Ravensrone Hospital, Ashby-de-la* Zouch, Leicestershire, The choral aervice

was per- formed by she Rev. G. 0. Vandeleur, M.A.

Nottinghamshire Guardian

East Midlands, England

19/10/1895

Article

NOTTS. COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION.

Thomas Phillip Barber, Lamb Close House, Eastwood, colliery proprietor.

Nottinghamshire Guardian

East Midlands, England

12/03/1898

Article

LADY ROBINSON AMONG NEW NOTTS. J.P.s

MiSs Grace Barber, Barnby Moor House, Retford. Mr. W. J. H. Perry, School House, Edwin-6txywe. THE NEW J.P.S-SOCIAL WORKERS MANY SPHERES. Mr F. Perry,

Nottingham High School boy, was ft niembor of the firm of J. M. l'erry and Co., Ltd., blouse manufacturers

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

03/03/1934

Miss Grace Barber, who is sister of Major P. Barber, chairman of the Notts. County Council and chairman of the Notts. Education Committee,

saw extensive nursing service in Serbia during the war. She was with the Serbian and the British Armies, and was

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

03/03/1934

Article

Illustr

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Mill and Eastwood were en fete on the occasion of the home coming of Mr. Phillip Barber, head of the firm of Messrs. Barber, Walker, and Go., colliery proprietors.

Mr. Barber, who has been the front with the South Notts Yeomanry, was met at the station by

Sheffield Daily Telegraph

Yorkshire and the Humber, England

28/10/1901

AGBICULTUBAL SHOW AT MOORGREEN.

MiSs Grace Barber. Lamb Close House, being first, Miss Gladys Holden. Nuttall Rectory, second, Miss F. M. Carey, Lamb CIo»9 House, third, Mrs. A. T. Wallis.

Moor-green. fottrt-, and Miss Elsie Holden. Nattall Rectory." fifth. A seoord baking competition

Nottinghamshire Guardian

East Midlands, England

08/09/1900

LEICESTER INFIRMARY.

Alice Grace Barber,- youngest daughter of the Rev. Dr. Barber, master of Ravenstone Hospital, to Mr. Wm. (Wilfred) Frederick Perry, only son of Captain Wm.

Frederick Robert Perry, of Willington, Derbyshire. The event was looked lorw ard to by a large

Leicester Chronicle

East Midlands, England

19/10/1895

Article

Articl

OPENING OF THE HIGH PARK COAL PITS.

were Mr. Robert Barber, 30i ?? Greasley 'Castle, and Mr. John Barber, of Stainaby t Halna Derby, both of whom possessed extensive is landed estates in the counties

of Nottingham and Derby, ....and were embuied with a noble spirit of mining enterprise. OP

Derby Mercury

East Midlands, England

23/10/1861

Article

DISTRICT NEWS.

House, Greasley, the residence Mr. Thos. Barber, one of the members the well-known firm of Barber, Walker, and Co., colliery proprietors, Eastwood, touching the

death of Kenith Forbes Barber, aged 12 years and six months, son of Mr. Barber, who was on, Mr. Robert Barber (Nottingham), uncle of deceased, identified the body,

also the gun.Dr. Forbes stated that deceased was his nephew. was called in about one o'clock. Deceased had received a gun shot wound on the left side of the neck

and the jaw, which

Sheffield Daily Telegraph

Yorkshire and the Humber, England

25/04/1890

Article

THE EASTWOOD MIS A MISADVENTURE.

the boy Kenneth Forbes Barber, son Mr. tHOS Barber, of Lamb Close House, near ...... Thursday.it transpired that the gUn .... the deceased was killed had noT

been, used for 16 years, and the elder brother had no idea it was loaded. verdict accidental...

Derby Daily Telegraph

East Midlands, England

25/04/1890

Articl

THE SHOOTING FATALITY AT EASTWOOD.

the body Kenneth Forbes Barber, aged 12years, who was accidentally shot by his brother Philip the previous day.Mr. Robert Barber, solicitor, of Nottingham,

after identifying the body as his nephew, said he knew the gun with which the deceased was killed was rusty neglected

Nottingham Evening Post

East Midlands, England

25/04/1890

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Everyone

Sorry for silence - I haven't logged in for a while! Some fascinating new entries of late, plenty I can help out with, and hopefully some great new leads for my book. Thank you all!

Starting with Bilbraborn - you're absolutely right about Bilborough being home to the Barbers (and Walkers) for a time, and this is where the company was created. My 5th and 6th great grandfathers were both buried in Bilborough church. I also spent a good couple of months in Eastwood Library a couple of years back researching and it is, as you say, as treasure trove of information on the company and my family. The Eastwood & Kimberley Advertiser copies dating back to 1890 or so are particularly interesting about the growth of the town and its inhabitants. Thanks for the information, and I'd always be fascinatined to hear about any Barber/Bilborough connections

Next - Jill Sparrow - hi! I've also done a huge amount of Ancestry.com research on the family so am pretty clued up! As to Ruth Barber and Robert David Barber, those are all family names, but I'm afraid I can't find a link either. I can't believe there isn't a link somewhere, so they must be cousins. That's fascinating about Ruth looking like Canon Barber at Hucknall - he definitely IS related to the Lamb Close Barber's, in fact he was Major Barber (my g-grandfather's) first cousin. Their fathers were brothers, and one ran Barber Walker & Co, and the other started Robert Barber & Sons the law firm. Canon Barber was called Thomas Gerrard Barber and he was the Canon who opened up Byron's tomb in Hucknall Church to prove once and for all that he's buried there. He wrote a book about it called Byron and where he is buried. With regards the Grange, I have a photo of it, but not sure how I attach it!?

And finally to DavidW - thank you for the information. The land you mention was indeed where most of the collieries were built, and some of the Greasley estate is still a functioning farm. Re the stories, tragedies and highs and lows, the family history does indeed read like Downton Abbey sometimes, so hopefully some people will want to read it!

Thank you all again, and I look forward to hearing any more info on the family/mines/Major Barber, and to hopefully answering any questions you may have!

Tom

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for that Tom. For me the interest will always be Bilborough. I know that there was a 'Barbers' pit situated at the end of the Bilborough Cut. This would be somewhere near where the old Early Bird pub was situated. When I was a kid there were remains of Bilborough Cut in the Roughs on Glaisdale Drive, in a curved shape from Old Coach Road train bridge to the back of what was originally the SPD warehouse, and more importantly, in the woods (now maybe playing fields) at the rear of Glenbrook school and Haddon Park High (then Glaisdale) School. On my old large scale map of the area from about early 20thc, the is a building called the machine house near what is now the junction of Beechdale Road and Strelley Road. I believe this housed an engine which hauled wagons up the slope on rails from the end of the canal. The footpaths shown all fit in. When I used to take my kids on King George VI playing fields on Beechdale Road, there was a long mound of earth covered in grass. This was in the right place for the embankment leading up to the machine house. If it is still there, it is all that is left of the colliery system and the transportation of coal in the Bilborough area.

I remember my mum once telling me what her own grandfather said when they started building houses in the area. He said," Don't be surprised if the whole lot doesn't fall into a B---y great hole one day.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Tom, I don't have full access but glad you found some of the newspaper info useful but obviously you will check the stories yourself from the newspaper archive , as I am sure they will reveal more and also dates can be confirmed . I have to rely on the info the OCR software reader gives and that often jumbles up numbers and sometimes leaves out essential words or combines other unrelated stories .

I tried to tone down some of those reports as some of it might have come as shock if you weren't aware of it .

However , Major Barber must have been quite a remarkable man to come through that early boyhood tragedy as well as the horrors of 2 wars , the loss of his son and yet still be able to lead a large business and at the same time lead the county council !

His sister Grace Barber looks worthy of a chapter too as it appears she was saw extensive nursing experience in Croatia , was a J.P. ( I think ) and yet still had time to win prizes at garden shows !

Look forward to the book and the Sunday night TV series :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone for all the information relating to Barbers. Ruth and her father Dr Robert David seem to defy all effort to link them to the Lamb Close Barbers, yet she always said they were related.

The chap whose name I couldn't think of (Manager of Barber-Walker's) and who resided at the Grange in Eastwood was John William Fryar- a brilliant mining engineer who was way ahead of his time and who died tragically young. Ruth recalled spending Christmas and New Year with John William Fryar at Eastwood Hall in 1913/14 when she was 14 years old.

I shall keep a close eye on future posts on this subject.

Yes, DavidW, Alice Barber's first husband was Dr Charles Isidore de Seilan...who was literally on his death bed when she married him. Dr R D Barber was, apparently, a good doctor but a hopeless alcoholic who also died tragically young, leaving her with a young daughter (Ruth). I believe she kept in touch with her father's side of the family but most of them appeared to live in London.

Thanks again!

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 2 years later...

Hi Tom,

I just found this forum and read your post and the replies with some interest. You may (or may not) remember Gil Williamson who worked at the Barber family solicitors, Robert Barber & Sons late of Castle Gate. She was my sister and, when I retired in 2001 I joined together two family trees for the Barber Family: one dated earliest 1870 to the present day, and the other from around 1700 to 1850. She needed this work done to be sure of certain relationships for her legal work dealing with the family trusts.

She, sadly, died in 2008 but before that in about 2004 I made sure that Sir David Barber at Inskip had copies of the tree downloaded onto his home computer.

I doubt if I can find any of the original work that I did, but she certainly left spare copies of the tree in the files of Robert Barber & Sons who may find it if you ask hard enough!

Failing that, ask Sir David if he or his wife can find it on the computer that they still own.

And if that fails I'll dig a little deeper. I not only joined the two trees together as requested, but also took it back another 100 years to the Derbyshire plague village of Eyam where the family started. Strangely, they all survived the plague - in fact, they vanished from the local BMD records one month before the Black Death arrived and returned a couple of months after it ended!!

Best wishes with your research - do let me know if I can be of any direct assistance.

Robin

  • Upvote 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Welcome to Nottstalgia Robin King. You may not have realised that tombarber has not logged on to this site for over a year (September 2014) so he may not see your message. You seem to have a lot of information which would interest him so I suggest you use the PM system to contact him directly, and with any luck he might see it.

To send a PM, scroll back up to his last post, hover your mouse over the name tombarber, and you will see a box marked 'PM this member'. Click on the box.

Link to post
Share on other sites

After reading the stories about the Barber family at Eastwood who owned the pits, I can relate to some of the info from my late grandad who came from Newthorpe, born in 1886 and moved to Greasley after he married...........He was related to Greasley Castle Farm which once belonged to my Great grandad Joseph Housley and his family back in the mid 1800's......They were very friendly with the Barber and Walker family ...............I wish I had listened more now when they told their stories, but I was only a small child then................My dad if he was still alive would have been able to fill you in with what you needed to know.............Good luck in your research............

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 5 weeks later...

Hi Robin! Just logged in for the first time in a while. Would be great to catch up, and I know the family tree in question! Can you email me on thomasebarber at hotmail.co.uk? (Trying to avoid spam, hence not putting the email address as it actually appears!) Tom

  • Upvote 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Wow Heather, you give me hope of still finding a few of the men who taught me my trade who could still be alive, what pit/s did your FIL work at, never know, I might have worked with him.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...