Nat Gould

James Gibbs Bestwick 1842-1925

James Gibbs Bestwick was born in 1842 at Wetton in Staffordshire, the son of James Bestwick 1797-1866 and his wife née Hannah Gibbs 1811-1879. She was the daughter of James Gibbs (born in 1761) and his wife Elizabeth Baker of Wetton 1771-1856 (1).

In 1851 James Gibbs Bestwick was living at home with his parents in Alstonefield village. His father was farming a hundred acres by 1861, and died in 1868. His widow and sons continued to run the farm until at least 1871. They lived at The Green Farm in the centre of Alstonefield village.

The Green Farm

On 30 December 1879 he married Ellen Elizabeth Adams. She was born in Alstonefield in 1855, the daughter of William Adams 1813-1898 and his wife née Hannah Wood.

In 1881 the farm was being jointly run by James Gibbs Bestwick and his elder unmarried brother William Bestwick. With them at the farm was five-year-old Martha Adams, the niece of Ellen Elizabeth Bestwick. Working there as a general domestic servant was Elizabeth Austin aged fourteen (born in 1867). William Bestwick died in 1887 aged only 46 years.

When the Census was taken in 1891 with James and Ellen Elizabeth Bestwick at the Green Farm were her nephews Charles Adams and Herbert Adams. Their father had been killed in an accident in 1886. Charles Adams was aged 21 and was working on the farm, while thirteen-year-old Herbert Adams was at school. The Adams brothers were still there when the 1901 Census was taken, although Herbert Adams had by then joined his elder brother in working on the farm.

Neither of the nephews was there when the 1911 Census was taken, and James Gibbs Bestwick and his wife were running the farm with the resident assistance of one female servant and two men, one of whom was widower John Phillips of Warslow (aged only 28 and born in 1883).

James and Ellen Elizabeth Bestwick had one child, Frederick Bestwick who born in 1878 and died in the following year.

They had intended to bequeath their farm to Charles Adams, their nephew who had worked for them. However he married without their approval, and they disinherited him.

James Gibbs Bestwick died on 27 May 1925 aged 82 years, and was buried at Alstonefield. His Will was proved on 27 June 1925 (2).

His widow Ellen Elizabeth Bestwick née Adams died on 8 December 1940 aged 85 years. She was buried with her husband at Alstonefield, where there is a gravestone inscribed to their memory.

(1) In 1851 the widowed Elizabeth Gibbs was living with the family of her son-in-law James Bestwick 1797-1866 and daughter Hannah Bestwick nee Gibbs.
(2) "BESTWICK James Gibbs of The Green Farm Alstonfield Staffordshire died 27 May 1925 Probate London to Ellen Elizabeth Bestwick widow and John Adams joiner.
Effects £587 17s 5d." England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1925) page 250. John Adams was the brother of the widow.