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This site contains family history about the Ordish and Brailsford families who lived in Derby in the 19th century.
How John Henry Brailsford and Patience Ordish got together.
This is a commentary on the inside of the cover of the Ordish Brailsford family - see below.
bible inside cover.pdfThomas Brailsford and his wife Elizabeth lived in St. Alkmund’s parish in Derby, with their four sons and daughters, Charlotte and Ellen.
Arthur Ordish (1) was born 1 November 1823 (see bible entry below); he lived with his widowed father Joseph and his elder sister Patience.
Arthur married 5 June 1852 Charlotte Brailsford, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Marsden Brailsford.
The marriage record index for 1852 Q2 has Arthur Ordish entry in volume 7b page 654;
the marriage record index for 1852 Q2 has Charlotte Brailsford entry in volume 7b page 654. (There is an entry for Ellen Brailsford (sister of Charlotte) in volume 7b 651. Here is the spouse of Ellen, Jeffrey Chandler volume 7b 651) .
These entries are all for Derby district.
The marriage certificate of Arthur Ordish and Charlotte Brailsford of 5 June 1852, confirms Charlotte's father is Thomas Brailsford. They were married in the Brookside Chapel, Derby. One of the witnesses was Patience Ordish, Arthur’s sister.
On the next day, 6 June 1852, Charlotte gave birth to Arthur.
Following Charlotte's death in 1860,
a year later on 2 July 1861 Arthur re-married; it was assumed Charlotte's younger sister Ellen: but this is incorrect.
The marriage certificate of Arthur Ordish and Ellen Brailsford, shows her father was John Brailsford (deceased) - Warehouseman. Her age at the time of marriage is 27, making 1834 her year of birth.
Her birth record confirms she was born on 30 Dec 1834 and baptised on 5 April 1835 at the King Street Chapel. Her mother is Sarah (Wheeldon/Weedon).
Therefore Ellen is the younger sister of John Brailsford born 1831, our Great,Great,Great Grandfather.
Further confirmation of Ellen's link to this side of the family is the 1891 Census record where it is stated Maria Johnson (widow) is the sister in law of Arthur and sister to Ellen.
Maria Brailsford born in 1822, is the older sister of Ellen and John Brailsford and married Francis Johnson in 1848, he died after 1881.
This might explain why Ellen's oldest son John has the middle name of Francis? But why does her second son George have the middle name of Freeman? The possible answer is the 1861 Census record where Ellen was a visitor to Elizabeth and Mary Freeman unmarried sisters living at 8 Brick Street, St Werburghs, Derby.
All were workers at the Derby Silk Mill.
Up to 400 people, many of them children, worked at the Silk Mill. Built in 1717 the six-storey brick building was situated on an island on the River Derwent, where a large water wheel powered the machines inside. Conditions in the Silk Mill were harsh. The children, some under nine years old, were used to tie the threads, which were wound onto bobbins. The looms and machinery were in operation for long hours and the mill was hot, noisy and dusty. In 1833, the employment of children under nine was prohibited and there was a campaign for the eight-hour day. The Silk Mill locked out workers who refused to sign an employment contract. A city-wide general strike resulted, which lasted five months. Unfortunately, the workers were forced back to work on the terms of the owners.
Today the Silk Mill has been restored as an industrial museum, art gallery and is a heritage building. It has a virtual online website: https://www.derbymuseums.org/museum-of-making/about/
Andrew Colleran set up this website with contributions from Alan Pope. We are both descendants from the people featured in this site.
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