Mark Bilbrough

  General Notes:

Mark had witnessed the marriages of both his sisters. Mary's baptism entry makes it clear that Mark and Elizabeth were living at Norton at this time. Norton was then a community of 479 souls, whereas Campsall itself only had a population of 317. Mark was at this time slowly improving his position in Norton. His description changed from being described as a labourer in 1814 to being called a farmer in 1816. Certainly he had been important enough to pay Land Tax from 1809. This assessment was 12½p assessed and not exonerated for the first half dozen or so years, rising to 30p assessed and exonerated by 1818.

There is a hint as to the land occupied by Mark and against which they levied the tax. On 17 June 1814 Parliament passed An Act for inclosing Lands in the Manors or Townships of Campsall, Norton and Askern, in the County of York (54 Geo III Chap 136). It appointed Commissioners to inclose the open lands in these areas and from then all rights of common were to cease. Some three years later the Incumbent made a file note, now among the parish papers in Doncaster Archives:
"NB find from Joseph Leven what land went with Bilbroughs house before Inclosure. Qy if it was the land on Barnsdale [listed?] as 1a 3r 24p together with Green Gate Close 1r 36p which were given to me in exchange to W Yarborough for the 2a 2r 10p my present Church field."

The Doncaster Archives also hold a letter dated 17 April 1817 from the Rev A C Campbell to the Rev A B Wrightson who was about to take over the living at Campsall. This letter [ref P15/2/A6] accounted for the annual value of the living and so far as is relevant is as follows:
“[To A B Wrightson] Pontefract, April 17, 1817: Sir, I have transmitted to you the accounts of the living of Campsall first stating the annual value and next the sums which are due to me at present, and what will be due to me the 17th of June when my time in the living expires. If the terms which I mentioned to you yesterday are agreeable, I am ready for your accommodation immediately to send in my resignation to the Archbishop upon the money being paid into Leatham's Bank at Pontefract. I remain, Sir, Yours most respectfully
A C Campbell
Annual value of the Living of Campsall: Mark Bilbruck - Norton £32 16s 0d....
Of the Lady Day Rents there remain due from - Mark Bilbruck £16 8s 0d...

Moving on to 1832 the Norton lands were at that time drained to prevent the flooding that had been such a curse in the past. The works were authorised by a local Act of Parliament of 1831 (1&2 Will 4 Chap 36) entitled: "An Act for draining and improving certain Low Lands situate within the several Townships of Norton, Campsall, Askren, Moss, Fenwick, Little Smeaton, Stubbs Walden, Womersley, Whitley, Balne, Pollington, Snaith and Cowick and Sykehouse: in the several parishes of Campsall, Womersley, Kellington, Snaith and Fishlake all in the West Riding of the County of York." This Act recited that there were "certain low lands, which now are and for some years past have been subject to be overflowed with water in wet seasons, so as to be wholly unfit for the purpose of agriculture but the same, as well as other low lands within the same townships, are capable of being rendered productive and of greater value to the proprietors thereof, if the same were drained and improved" and appointed William Pilkington of Thorne as Commissioner for draining and improving the low lands and executing any necessary works. The Commissioner could charge each proprietor of such land "not exceeding five pounds per acre, according and in proportion to the benefit to be derived by each such proprietor; as the said Commissioner shall deem just and reasonable…"

Returns of the owners and occupiers made in connection with these works [in Doncaster Archives at P/15/3/A1] show that in 1832 Mark rented some eleven hectares from the Vicar indicated as Number, Particulars and Quantities, as follows:
No 157 Albt Low Common 5a 3r 37p: No 193 Common Closes 4a 1r 32 p: No 194 Ditto 4a 1r 26p: No 195 Ditto 3a 1r 24p: Allt 1r 35p for a total holding of 27a 1r 36p.

During the period around 1830 Mark's Land Tax records identified a house and land or garden (depending on the return) having a rental of £8. 45 Evidently at around fifty Mark had a holding that while not large (a medium sized farm then was one of between 120 and 200 hectares) must have been very satisfying. Certainly it will have been a great help in supporting the large family who shared Mark and Dorothy's life.

Possibly with increasing age Mark began to do less. It is likely that he was unable to keep up with his responsibilities. Certainly the 1841 census describes him as an agricultural labourer. Yet by now he and Dorothy only had Martha, Joseph and John Hepworth living at home so the family needs had also grown less. A decade later the census showed that Mark was still an agricultural labourer, now living with only his wife and John Hepworth. ^{5 6 7}

Mark married Elizabeth Garner on 17 May 1803 in Campsall, S. Yorks.¹ (Elizabeth Garner was born about 1780, died in Sep 1810 and was buried on 3 Sep 1810 in Campsall, S. Yorks ⁸.)

Mark next married Dorothy Elliott (Hepworth), daughter of Richard Elliot and Mary Raddins, on 4 Aug 1811 in Campsall, S. Yorks.² (Dorothy Elliott (Hepworth) was born on 12 Apr 1779 in Kirk Smeaton, N. Yorks ⁹, baptised on 17 Apr 1779 in Kirk Smeaton, N. Yorks,¹⁰ died in Dec 1859 and was buried on 14 Dec 1859 in Campsall, S. Yorks ¹¹.)