John Percival Beet 1815-1882
John Percival BEET was the father of my 3rd great grandmother Jane BEET. When Jane was baptised in Thurgoland on 13 July 18451, John and Mary BEET were living in Ramsden Row, Thurgoland. His occupation is given as “wire drawer”. A wire drawer was a term for a worker who would make wire by drawing metal through holes. There were 3 Wire Mills in Thurgoland in the 19th Century.
The later censuses will show that John BEET lived at Ramsden Row for most of his life, making the research easy to follow. However, there was another John & Mary BEET living in Thurgoland during the same time period and the other John also worked as a wire drawer so care needs to be taken in evaluating records to make sure that the correct person is being researched. (They even had some children with the same names!).
| Date | Child’s Name | Parent’s Christian Names | Surname | Abode | Quality, Trade or Profession |
| 13 July 1845 | Jane daughter of | John & Mary | BEET | Thurgoland Ramsden Row | Wire Drawer |
Baptism
John Percival BEET was baptised at the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul on 03 March 18152. This is the only record where his middle name is given. I have confirmed that this is the correct baptism record for John BEET by finding his mother Elizabeth BEET living at Bowden Street in 18513, which the address that John gives at the time of his marriage.
| Date | Name | Parent’s Christian Names | Surname | Residence | Occupation |
| 03 March 1815 | John son of | John & Eliz[abe]th | BEET | Sheffield | Cutter. Born 25 January 1815 |
1841 Census
In 1841, John BEET was living in Deepcar in the house of Thomas HAIGH, a publican4. John was already working as a wire drawer at the age of 25. He was living in the same household as his future wife, Mary EARNSHAW who was working as a female servant.
| Names | Age | Profession, Trade or Employment | Born in County? |
| Thomas HAIGH | 55 | Publican | Yes |
| Ellen HAIGH | 50 | Yes | |
| Mary EARNSHAW | 15 | F[emale] s[ervant] | Yes |
| John BEET | 25 | Wire drawer | Yes |
| Edmund KENTON | 26 | Traveller | No |
| Maria KENTON | 25 | No | |
| Tho[ma]s SUTLIFFE | 71 | Saddler | Yes |
Marriage
John BEET and Mary EARNSHAW were married the following year at the Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Paul in Sheffield, 19 September 18425. John’s address was given as Bowden Street, Sheffield, and his father John was a labourer.
| When Married | Name and Surname | Age | Condition | Rank or Profession | Residence | Father’s Name and Surname | Father’s Rank or Profession |
| 19 September 1842 | John BEET | 27 | Bachelor | Wire drawer | Bowden St[reet] | Jo[h]n BEET | Labourer |
| Mary EARNSHAW | 19 | Spinster | W[illia]m EARNSHAW | Joiner | |||
| Witnesses: J HUDSON & J KIRK |
1851 Census
In 1851, John and Mary had moved to Ramsden Row in Thurgoland6, presumably between the birth of their children William, who was born in Deepcar (abt. 1843) and Jane, who was born in Thurgoland (abt. 1846). The other children they have listed on the census are Hannah (born abt. 1848), and Sarah (born abt. 1850).
| Name and Surname | Relation to Head | Condition | Age | Rank, Profession or Occupation | Where Born |
| John BEET | Head | Married | 36 | Wire Drawer | Sheffield, Yorkshire |
| Mary BEET | Wife | Married | 26 | Sheffield, Yorkshire | |
| William BEET | Son | 8 | Scholar | Deepcar, Yorkshire | |
| Jane BEET | Daur. | 5 | Scholar | Thurgoland, Yorkshire | |
| Hannah BEET | Daur. | 3 | Thurgoland, Yorkshire | ||
| Sarah BEET | Daur. | 1 | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
1861 Census
In 1861, John & Mary BEET were living at Ramsden Row, Thurgoland7. John and Mary had 3 more children by the time the 1861 census was taken: Mary Ann (born abt. 1855), Joseph (born abt. 1858), and John (born abt. 1860).
| Name and Surname | Relation to Head | Condition | Age | Rank, Profession or Occupation | Where Born |
| John BEET | Head | Married | 46 | Wire Drawer | Sheffield, Yorkshire |
| Mary BEET | Wife | Married | 36 | [??], Yorkshire | |
| William BEET | Son | Unmarried | 18 | Wire Drawer | Deepcar, Yorkshire |
| Jane BEET | Daur. | Unmarried | 15 | Thurgoland, Yorkshire | |
| Hannah BEET | Daur. | Unmarried | 13 | Thurgoland, Yorkshire | |
| Sarah BEET | Daur. | 11 | Thurgoland, Yorkshire | ||
| Maryann BEET | Daur. | 6 | Thurgoland, Yorkshire | ||
| Joseph BEET | Son | 3 | Thurgoland, Yorkshire | ||
| John BEET | Son | 1 | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
1871 Census
In 1871, John and Mary BEET were still living at Ramsden Row, Thurgoland8. Their eldest son William BEET, his wife Emma, and their 3 boys John (aged 6), William (aged 4) and Horatio (aged 3 months), lived in the household next to theirs on the census.
| Name and Surname | Relation to Head | Condition | Age | Rank, Profession or Occupation | Where Born |
| John BEET | Head | Married | 56 | Wire Drawer | Sheffield, Yorkshire |
| Mary BEET | Wife | Married | 46 | Penistone, Yorkshire | |
| Mary A BEET | Daur. | Unmarried | 16 | Servant (domestic) | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
| Joseph BEET | Son | Unmarried | 13 | Labourer at Wire Mill | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
| John BEET | Son | Unmarried | 11 | Scholar | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
| Elizabeth BEET | Daur. | 8 | Scholar | Thurgoland, Yorkshire | |
| Christopher BEET | Son | 5 | Scholar | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
1881 Census
In 1881, John and Mary BEET were still living at Ramsden Row, Thurgoland9, with 3 of their children: Joseph, John, and Christopher, who were now employed in various labouring positions.
| Name and Surname | Relation to Head | Condition | Age | Rank, Profession or Occupation | Where Born |
| John BEET | Head | Married | 66 | Steel Wire Drawer | Sheffield, Yorkshire |
| Mary BEET | Wife | Married | 56 | Penistone, Yorkshire | |
| Joseph BEET | Son | Unmarried | 24 | Steel Wire Drawer | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
| John BEET | Son | Unmarried | 21 | Labourer in Coal Mine | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
| Christopher BEET | Son | Unmarried | 15 | Labourer at Iron Works | Thurgoland, Yorkshire |
Death
John BEET died on 25 October 1882 at the age of 67, and he was buried at Holy Trinity Church in Thurgoland.
| Name | Abode | When Buried | Age |
| John BEET | Ramsden Row | 28 October [1882] | 67 |
In Memoriam John BEET of Ramsden Row who died October 25th 1882 aged 67 years.
Also of Mary, wife of the above, who died October 20th 1907, aged 82 years. “At rest”.
Headstone Transcription. Holy Trinity Church, Thurgoland.
Family Members:
| Wife: | Mary EARNSHAW 1824-1907 |
| Daughter (my direct ancestor): | Jane BEET 1845-1908 |
| Father: | John BEET |
| Mother: | Elizabeth PASS 1791- |
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Sources:
- Baptisms (PR) England. Thurgoland, Yorkshire. 13 July 1845. BEET, Jane. Collection: West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1910. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 18 December 2021.
- Baptisms (PR) England. Sheffield, Yorkshire. 03 March 1815. BEET, John Percival. Collection: England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N5JT-4CM : accessed 20 September 2021.
- Census Records. England. Ecclesall Bierlow, Yorkshire. 30 March 1851. BEET, Elizabeth (head). PN 2337. FN 238. SN 104. p. 24. http://www.findmypast.co.uk : accessed 20 September 2021.
- Census Records. England. Bradfield, Yorkshire. 06 June 1841. HAIGH, Thomas (head). ED 19. FN 26. p. 10. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 27 November 2020.
- Marriages (CR) England. RD Sheffield, [Yorkshire]. 19 September 1842. BEET, John and EARNSHAW, Mary. Entry no. 350.
- Census Records. England. Thurgoland, Yorkshire. 30 March 1851. BEET, John (head). ED 1a. SN 90. PN 2334. p. 24. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 20 September 2021.
- Census Records. England. Thurgoland, Yorkshire. 7 April 1861. BEET, John (head). ED 1. SN 88. PN 3453. p. 12. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 20 September 2021.
- Census Records. England. Thurgoland, Yorkshire. 02 April 1871. BEET, John (head). Ed 1. SN 81. PN 4652. p. 18. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 20 September 2021.
- Census Records. England. Thurgoland, Yorkshire. 03 April 1881. BEET, John (head). ED 3. PN 4611. FN 43. p. 15. http://www.ancestry.co.uk : accessed 20 September 2021.
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