Mark Green, ironstone miner (c.1775-1853)

Overseers account entries for 1833 (top) and 1836 (below)



Carol Beadle has sent us some details of her family tree and would like to know more about her ancestor Mark Green who was was born in Totley in about 1775. He married Helen Linney at St. Peter's Church, Old Brampton on 16 February 1802 and went to live in the Brampton area for the rest of his life. Mark and Helen had four children: William (bap. 1804), Charlotte (bap. 1806), Mary Ann (bap. 1808) and Martha (d. 1809). Helen died in 1810 at the age of 33 and was buried at Old Brampton on 9 May. 

Mark married again to Alice (possibly Hailes or Witton). They had at least four children: Elizabeth (bap. 1814), Ann (bap. 1817), Catherine (bap. 1820) and John (bap. 1828). In the census for 1841 Mark was an ironstone miner and was living in Red Row, Brampton with Alice and their children Elizabeth and Catherine, both cotton winders. Also living with them were their daughter Ann and her husband Joseph Haslam who were married the previous year.

From fragmentary accounts of the Totley Overseers of the Poor, it appears that Mark Green received an allowance of 2 shillings per week from 1832, a sum that was increased by 6d. following a visit to him by the Overseers in February 1836. The accounts for 1842 mention that this was because he was disabled and unable to work. Alice Green died in 1845 at the age of 59 and was buried on 28 June. In the 1851 census, Mark was a widower living in Red Row with his daughter Ann, son-in-law Joseph Haslam and their two sons Henry (b. 1842) and William (b. 1848). Mark Green died at Red Row, Brampton of "gradual decay" on 22 February 1853, aged 77, and was buried on 24 February. 

Carol is descended from Mark Green through his eldest daughter Charlotte (1806-1880) who married Thomas White at Old Brampton on 1 January 1829. There is a baptism for a Mark Green of Totley at Dore Chapel of Ease but this was in 1763 and cannot be Carole's ancestor. Green was, of course, a common name in Totley at the time with at least two Williams, Stephen, John and Jonathan among the most prominent members of the village, but the Christian name Mark was certainly unusual.