Nat Gould

Richard Gould 1809-1882

Bank Top Farm in 2007

Richard Gould was born in 1809 at Sheen in Staffordshire, the son of John Gould 1786-1860 and his wife née Jane Alsope 1782-1884, and was baptised there on 1 January 1810.

On 18 January 1849 he married Jane Wild at Alsop-en-le-Dale in Derbyshire. She was born in 1810 at Cold Eaton in that parish.

They lived at Bank Top Farm in Hartington parish, situated on the Derbyshire bank of the river Dove, between Pilsbury Grange and Hartington village.

The size of their farm varies in the Census Returns. In 1851 it was 164 acres and he employed one man. In 1861 204 acres requiring six men and a boy. In 1871 200 acres with two men and a boy. In 1881 206 acres with three men and a boy.

Richard Gould died on 28 June 1882 at Bank Top Farm. He was buried at Hartington on 2 July 1884, where there is a gravestone inscribed to her memory and that of his wife. Administration of his estate was granted on 28 September 1882 (1).

His widow Jane Gould née Wild died at Bank Top Farm on 28 June 1884, exactly two years after the death of her husband, and was buried at Hartington. Her Will was proved on 6 October 1884 (2).

(1) "GOULD Richard. 28 September. Administration of the Personal Estate of Richard Gould late of Bank Top Hartington in the County of Derby Farmer who died 28 June 1882 at Bank Top was granted at Derby to Jane Gould of Bank Top Widow the Relict. Personal Estate £6,069 14s 11d." England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1882) page 340.
(2) "GOULD Jane. 6 October. The Will of Jane Gould late of Bank Top Hartington in the County of Derby Widow who died 28 June 1884 at Bank Top was proved at Derby by John Burnett Gould of Bank Top Farmer the Nephew and Joseph Henry Cooke of Ashborne in the County of Derby Gentleman the Executors. Personal Estate £4,086 19s 7d." England and Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1884) page 365.