Clarkson family

Obituary of Robert Clarkson. as it appeared in the Grewelthorpe Parish magazine March 1931.

Friday January 30th 1931. The death of Robert Clarkson. just after completing his 85th year. [born 1846]. Grewelthorpe has lost one of its most respected Parishioners whom all will mourn.
Born in Ellingstring he never wandered far afield, and finally settled 55 years ago at Grewelthorpe, shortly afterwards moving into the home which he now has quitted only at death.
His late wife and he being childless, adopted the present Mr.J.Clarkson of Camp Farm in 1883 at the age of 3weeks. They tenderley cared for him as a son and the most affectionate relations have always existed between foster Father & adopted son, who took the name of Clarkson. Both he and his wife were with him when he passed away, mercifully, in his sleep.
By profession Robert Clarkson. was a woodman, well versed in forestry, but was an adept at all estate work such as planting, fencing etc. His work was thorough and beautifully neat. He was most conscientious [no “ca’ canny” about him] he even grudged minor interruptions by his employer asking his opinion on some other matter not immediately connected with the work in hand.
Some 50 years ago he was taken into the service of the late Bishop Gott, who as vicar of Leeds had bought the estate of “The Hutts”, which he further beautified by planting all present timber [except the old Beech Wood] so that Clarkson may be said to have been in at the birth of all The Hutts plantations, which he took a Fatherly interest and loved.
On Bishop Gott’s death about 1907 the property was purchased by the present owner who had known it in his youth when it was mostly whins and arable land. The writer takes liberty of quoting from a letter he has received from Mrs Frank Gott. of Leeds:
“I do not think there are many of us of whom it could be said as truly as of him, “well done thou faithful servant” he always put the interest of those he worked for before his own, and had the happy gift of making his work his chief happiness in life. he was at The Hutts when I first went over when engaged to be married, and I associate many happy hours spent with him, showing my husband what he had done in the woods since our previous visit.”
He was a Churchman and a God fearing man, and the trusted friend of his employer, leading a simple honourable life, never known to say ill-natured word about anyone. He might with all reverence be described as “a man without guile” and “One of nature’s noblemen.” Surely his straight forward hard working, simple, temperate life has now got its reward.


Robert was buried at Grewelthorpe on Feb. 2nd 1931.


Information taken from census records. Last update Dec. 2011.


ANN CLARKSON. Born 22.10.1738. Kirkby Malzeard. Died 116 Skelton on Ure. Dau of James. Married Robert Inchbould. in 1760. He was Blacksmith in Kirby Hill, Boroughbridge.
ANN CLARKSON. Born 12.6.1796 Winksley. Died after 1891. Married 1817 to Edward Nelson. of Kirkby Malzeard.
DOROTHY CLARKSON. Born 1758 Grewelthorpe. Died 13.10.1797 Kirkby Malzeard. Dau of Jeffery Clarkson & Margaret Horseman. Married William Lambert. of Kirkby Malzeard.
ELIZABETH CLARKSON. Born 1735 Kirkby Malzeard. Dau of James. Sister of Jane, Jeffery & John.
ELIZABETH CLARKSON [Nee ?]. Born 1803 East Witton. Married to Robert of Thornton Watlass. 1871 she was a poor widow woman living with her son Robert an unmarried Ag. Lab.
ELIZABETH CLARKSON. Born C.1877 East Witton. Dau of Raper & Mary.
ESTHER CLARKSON. Born C.1849 Bedale. dau of William & Salley. married * ? Snow.* had son Frank. [b.1875].
JAMES CLARKSON. Born C. 1710. Lived Kirkby Malzeard. father of Ann, Jane, Jeffery, Thomas, Elizabeth. & John.
JANE CLARKSON. Born 23.1.1731 Kirkby Malzeard. Dau of James.
JANE F.CLARKSON [NEE?]. Born C1847 Walden Head, Wensleydale. Married to Robert of Ellingstring.
JEFFERY CLARKSON. Born 21.8.1732 Kirkby Malzeard. Son of James. Brother of Jane. Married Margaret Horseman.
JOHN CLARKSON. Born 1733 Kirkby Malzeard. Son of James. Brother of Jeffery & Jane.
JOHN WILLIAM CLARKSON. Born C1883 as John William Thorpe. Adopted son of Robert & Jane. In 1901 he was a cattleman at Littlethorpe.
JOHN CLARKSON. Born C1873 East Witton. Son of Raper & Mary.
MARY CLARKSON. Born C1838 Ellingstring. Dau of Robert of Thornton Watlass & Elizabeth.
RAPER CLARKSON. Born C1839 Ellingstring. Died 1900. Son of Robert of T.Watlass. & Elizabeth. Married Mary of East Witton. In 1881 in East Witton. Had 5 children.
ROBERT CLARKSON. Born C1799 Thornton Watlass. Died before 1871. Married to Elizabeth of East Witton.
ROBERT CLARKSON. Born C1846 Ellingstring. Died 1931 see obit. above. Son of Robert [b1799] of Thornton Watlass & Elizabeth [b.1803] East Witton. Married to Jane of Walden Head. Had adopted son John Wiliam Thorpe. b.C1883 Grewelthorpe. he took the name of Clarkson.


1911 census entry.CLARKSON Robert. Head Widower age 65 born 1846 General Labourer On Estate born Ellingstring.
SMARTHITT Grace. Single age 54 b.1857 Domestic Housekeeper born Healy.


SARAH CLARKSON. Born 1670 Kirkby Malzeard. Died in Lancashire. Married Leonard Burniston. of K.Malzeard.
THOMAS CLARKSON. Born 1737 Kirkby Malzeard. Son of James.
Brother of Jane, Jeffery, John, Elizabeth & Ann.
THOMAS CLARKSON. Born C. 1811 Fingall. Married to Mary [b.1834] of Craven. He was a Medical Practitioner in Pateley Bridge in 1891. had a son William born C1857 in Bradford.
TOM CLARKSON. Born C.1880 East Witton. Son of Raper & Mary.
WILLIAM CLARKSON. Born C.1819 Bedale. Married to Salley of Colsterdale [b.1820]. Had dau Esther [b.1849]. He was a farmer.
WILLIAM CLARKSON. Born C1875 East Witton. Son of Raper & Mary.


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