| Administrative History | Samuel Joseph Sheldon was born in 1849 at Middleton by Wirksworth to Joseph and Elizabeth Sheldon, nee Sheldon, of Middleton and Bonsall respectively. His parents were second cousins.
The Allsop family are connected through the marriage of Hannah Wright to Anthony Allsop, lead merchant/smelter of Wensley, brother of John Allsop, lead merchant and smelter of Lea. Anthony's daughter Lydia married her cousin Luke German Allsop, son of the John Allsop whose diary is included in these papers. Out of this marriage came marriages between Allsop, Miller and Wass. Edward Miller Wass was a friend of Samuel J Sheldon and he sold the freehold and mineral rights of Upper and Nether Golconda Lead Mines and Chariot and Chance Mines near Brassington to Sheldon in the 1870s. Samuel Sheldon worked them up to 1915 when he sold out to George Henry Key whose grandsons still have a local business on the land concerned.
Samuel J Sheldon was also Deputy Barmaster for Crich Liberty and parts of The Soke & Wapentake of Wirksworth. He also owned Snake Mine, Hopton Wood and Bold Pit Mine, Middleton Moor. He kept both mines until the 1930s when he sold the mineral rights to Hopton Quarries which bordered the mine. Sheldon was also General Manager into his late 70s of Bradley Mineral Works, Middleton Top, which comprised a quarry and a mine, although he only worked the quarry.In the 1920s, in his 70s, Sheldon was walking down the incline from Middleton Top Engine House when he fell under a loaded truck on the down rope. His foot was so badly damaged by a wheel that it had to be removed where he lay. He spent some weeks in Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, but was back at work within two months, sporting a wooden club foot.
Samuel J Sheldon was also Secretary to Middleton Old Friendly Society , Treasurer to Wirksworth Old Age Pensioners Sub-Committee (Hospital Fund), a member of The Board of Guardians of Ashbourne Union and a Trustee of Middleton Main Street Wesleyan Methodist Church. |