1808 Info 1 for William Crompton
William and Sarah's early life

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William's christening was registered at Bridlington in 1808.

Source: IGI v.4
William  Pnts: Richardson/Martha  Male Christening  02apr1808  Bridlington

William CROMPTON (M)  C: 2 Apr 1808                         Ba: C105873
Father: Thomas Richardson CROMPTON  Bridlington, Yorkshire  So: 919162
Mother: Martha

Bullen‘s Hill Farm - 1841 census

The 1841 census records a William and James Crompton living at Bullen‘s Hill Farm located north east of North Newbald, SE940375 OS 1:50 000 Landranger 106, on a rolling arable hillside. Given that James and Fanny‘s family match known facts then it seems that William, the tenant or farm owner, employed brother James as his agricultural labourer.

Bullen's landscape - 25Kb-jpg


Aerial photograph of Bullen's Farm 2007 - 69Kb jpg

Above: Aerial photograph of Bullen's Farm in 2007
©2007 Google Imagery ©2007 DigitalGlobal, Infoterra Ltd & Bluesky, Map data ©2007 Tele Atlas - acknowledged

1808info1, sheet 2
1841 Census Sun/Mon  6/7 June 1841
Source:      FHL Film PRO Ref HO107      
             Piece 1219 Book 9 Folio 21 Page 13
Dwelling:    Bullons Hill
Place:       North Newbald, York, England

Name             Age Occupation     
William Crompton  30 Farmer
James Crompton    32
Fanny             25
Thomas             2
William            2mth
Charles Jackson   25 Foreman
Elizbth Smelt     18 Serv

In the earlier days there had been two farms - the farm house further down the farm road had stood, open to the sky, to first floor height before falling down in the 1980s. According to the owner the present farmhouse was Edwardian. It was, however, possible that the original Bullen‘s Farm house had stood on the site of the Edwardian building. Many of the out buildings appear to be ‘original‘ with the lower courses built of stone courses, now surmounted by red brick, and could have dated from William and James‘ day.

Edwardian farm house 25Kb-jpg

Around the back of the modern grain store is a red bricked building which is believed to be an original "one up-one down house" with barn and a twelve horse stable attached. The copper, to heat the water, is still inside the down stairs room. The upper floor has been converted into a hay loft. It is equally possible that the bachelor William lived there with his brother and sister-in-law as house keeper. But note that the census also records a 'foreman' and 'servant'. The original farm house? 38Kb-jpg

1808info1, sheet 3

In 1841, after the census of 6 June, William married Sarah Hornsey, daughter of Richard and Sarah Horney, farmers of North Newbald.

Source: GRO marriage
 William Crompton GRO: Beverley 4th quarter 1841 vol.23 p.25
 Sarah Hornsey GRO: Beverley 4th quarter 1841 vol.23 p.25

The IGI records shows several Crompton children born to William and Sarah in North Newbald. Their second child, Richard hornsey, kept his mothers maiden name.

Source: IGI
Sarah Crompton C: 29 May 1842 Ba: C109291
 Father: William Crompton, North Newbald, Yorkshire So: 991078
 Mother: Sarah Crompton

Richard Hornsey Crompton C: 19 Nov 1843 Ba: C109291
 Father: William Crompton, North Newbald, Yorkshire So: 991078
 Mother: Sarah Crompton

William Crompton C: 29 Jul 1945 BA: C109291
 Father: William Crompton, North Newbald, Yorkshire So: 991078
 Mother: Sarah Crompton

The 1851 census confirms William's status as a farmer / tenant of the 104 acres on Bullens Hill and introduces his new daughter Martha. There is no mention of Richard hornsey nor of Naomi. Whilst brother James had left for Scarborough, William or his wife or his wife's family were wealthy enough to employ two male farm servants and an indoor servant.

At the time of the census Sarah, William's eldest daughter, was living with her grandparents in North Newbald. She is recorded as an eight year old scholar. It is suggested that the farm was too far from the village for an eight year old to walk twice a day. This census record confirms the parentage of William's wife. With 292 acres Richard Hornsey had a considerable farm. Did William Crompton manage Bullen's Farm for Richard Hornsey?

IGI also records another child, Joseph, born to William and Sarah Crompton, being christened in Nafferton in 1854.

Source: IGI
Joseph Crompton C: 30 Oct 1854                 Ba: C106381
 Father: William Crompton Nafferton, Yorkshire So: 919220
 Mother: Sarah Crompton

The birth of Joseph, in Nafferton, confirms William's returned to Nafferton.

Later census show Joseph to be a shepherd visiting his sister Mary and her husband Richard Chaplin. See 1808info3 relating to the Chaplin family. William, his 'imbecile' and lame brother, lodges with his sister, perhaps in her care because his parents are dead or infirm. 'Imbecile' is a generic term for any one with a disability.


1808info1, sheet 4

His death

Source: GRO death
William Crompton Driffield vol.9d p.229 - GRO 3rd quarter 1872

An inquest report records:

Crompton Wm, 64, Nafferton
20ft up a ladder when a horse moved and caught the ladder with a wagon. He fell and lingered three days
August 31 1872

This confirms the family hearsay of William dying when falling from a corn stack.

Driffield Times
Saturday 31 August 1872

On Tuesday afternoon, a melancholy accident occurred at Nafferton. A man named William CROMPTON was ascending a ladder to get on to a corn stack, when having got about 20 feet from the ground, a horse yoked to a waggon standing near, started on, and drew the waggon onto the ladder,

causing it to slip out at the foot; the man consequently fell to the ground and was quite insensible. Dr SAVILE was sent for and on examining him, pronounced the injuries so serious a nature as to preclude all hopes of recovery. He lingered until Thursday morning, when he died. Deceased was 64 years of age.

William Crompton was buried in Nafferton, it is said, on 31st August 1872, age 64.

Source: Driffield and Wolds Genealogy


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and maintained by Chris Glass
Version E3
Updated 05 January 2008