Update of the past NEWS ........ 18th June 1898.......

 

 Catch up on the full story of last weeks NEWS.............
 

*Samuel Burkitt –

Samuel Burkitt was named in the DEATHS last week. 

His main obituary described the man most favourably “his name was a household one in Chesterfield, where he was born, where he lived, and where he was respected by all classes of society”. 

Samuel Burkitt was a Justice of the Peace in Chesterfield and had suffered recently from influenza from which he had never really regained full strength afterwards.

He was a very energetic and enthusiastic gentleman though and on the Saturday before his death he had been at the Bench at the Chesterfield Petty Sessions.  On Sunday he accompanied his wife and a guest Mrs Byron to Chatsworth Park to visit the Sheffield Artillery who were camped there.  The evening went much as usual, Samuel dined with his family and then they retired to bed having had a day full of country air. 

In the early hours of the morning however, Samuel took ill and sadly Samuel passed away before Dr Symes of Chesterfield and Dr Court of Staveley could even attend him.   So sudden was the illness that Samuel’s son William who had earlier dined with the family was not able to get there quick enough from his home at St Helens House in Chesterfield.

Samuel was the second son of the late William Burkitt and was born on 8^th October 1830.  He was married twice, firstly to Helen Creswick Hewitt with whom he bore son William.  The couple married on 10^th December 1863.  William was born a year later in November 1864.  Helen died in 1885 aged 56 years old.    

 

Marriage Register showing Samuel's marriage to Alice Dickenson
www.ancestry.co.uk London marriages and banns 1754 - 1921

 

Samuel then married Alice Mary Dickenson of Kings Lyn, Norfolk. he pair married on 22^nd July 1886 at All Saints Church, Marylebone, Middlesex.    

Samuel was a maltster and corn factor.  He ran a very successful business “known the world over” with his elder brother William; named W & S Burkitt of Chesterfield.   The business became so large that William resided at Kings Lynn, Norfolk to run that side and Samuel lived at Stubbing Court, Wingerworth to run the Chesterfield branch.

In leisure Samuel was a fine horseman and keen huntsman, he was a regular participant at the Rufford Hunt.   He was a notable agriculturalist whose farms were model establishments, up to date in the latest practices to produce the top grade produce. 

Samuel began his Court service in 1878 when he was joined into the Commission of the Peace in Chesterfield and later in 1891 he also covered the area of the County of Derby.  He was a staunch conservative. 

The funeral took place at Wingerworth Parish Church and Samuel was laid in the family vault, where his first wife Helen was already laid.  The service was set for 2.30pm but the Churchyard and roads were full with persons wishing to show their respect much earlier.

Probate was granted on 31^st December 1898 to William Burkitt maltster, William Brining Chartered Accountant and John Naylor Bank Manager.  His effects were £129446 17s 9d.  Using the convertor on the National Archives website (1) this amount equates to approximately  £7,386,239.40 (based on prices in 2005).  Samuel was a very rich man, he had worked hard and gained such a well known reputation in Chesterfield and beyond.  I do wonder what the persons who were gaoled by Samuel for; in todays standards -  such minor offences felt of the man.

 

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(1) http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/