George Staniforth and Ann Barker

Ann Staniforth's Mark on her will

For the most part, when looking into the Staniforth family of Beighton and Hackenthorpe, establishing the various connections and family lines is quite straight forward. However there are a couple of family members that seem to appear out of nowhere. The most notable of which is George Staniforth of The Boot and Shoe (Modern day Bluebell Pub).

George Staniforth married Ann Barker on July 2nd, 1772.

When Rosamund Du Cane published her book, Sicklesmiths and Spear Carriers, it is interesting to note that she recorded George Staniforth as being a son of Thomas Staniforth, the famous sicklesmith of Hackenthorpe, however there is no record of this on the Beighton Parish Register, and she fails to give an exact baptism date in the book. I was fortunate enough to be in contact with Betty Staniforth, another descendent of George Staniforth and Ann Barker, and she explained that when Rosamund was researching, a woman by the name of Mave Calvert from Mansfield convinced her that George was a son of Thomas Staniforth.

Some older Staniforth researchers believe George was the son of Thomas Staniforth of Beighton, which makes sense as there is a record for George son of Thomas, baptised June 3rd 1751 at Eckington. This Thomas Staniforth was baptised June 26th 1726 at Beighton, the son of Robert Staniforth and Esther, grandson of Robert Staniforth, Tanner of Ford, Eckington. This is quite probable as we know Robert had links to Hackenthorpe as he is mentioned o the Brook Lane Deeds that were in the possession of the Heaton Staniforth family at #1 Brook Lane.

What is interesting is the Heaton Staniforth family has links to both Thomas Staniforth the sicklesmith and George Staniforth and Ann Barker, as Stephen Staniforth married Ann Heaton in 1850, after Ann’s first husband Charles Heaton passed away. Ann Heaton was born Ann Clayton and was the daughter of Samuel Clayton and Sarah Staniforth, Sarah was a daughter of George Staniforth and Ann Barker, and of course Stephen Staniforth was the great grandson of Thomas Staniforth.

Another interesting piece of evidence for George being linked to Robert Staniforth the Tanner of Ford, is the fact ‘Robert’ was passed down to later generations, with Robert Staniforth, born 1822, being the son of Mark Staniforth and Julia Booth. Mark was another son of George Staniforth and Ann Barker, and even more remarkable, Julia Booth’s mother was also named Ann Barker, she married Joseph Booth on the 24th November 1782 in Eckington.

It should also be noted here, that this is the same George Staniforth involved in the firearm incident at Brampton-Le-Morthen in 1852. We have written about this incident here.

George passed away in 1807, and he was buried in Beighton Churchyard on May 18th. Ann followed on the 19th March 1828, in the notes of her burial record it states Hackenthorpe 78 years.

It seems highly likely that George was indeed the son of the younger Thomas Staniforth, and was baptised in 1751, what is unclear exactly is why Rosamund Du Cane was swayed in the other direction, this is something we may never know the answer to.