WOODHEAD OF SHELF
The Halifax parish registers show the 1692 marriage of “Wm: Nowell & Martha Woodhead de Shelf”. This appears to be the marriage of William Newel of nearby Great Horton in the parish of Bradford as Martha Newel, widow, of Great Horton, was buried at Bradford in 1731.
The will of Joseph Woodhead of Shelf, written in 1709, names “Martha my Daughtr now wyfe of William Nowell”. The other children in the account below are also mentioned in Joseph’s will. There may have been additional children who died young but there seems to have been more than one Joseph Woodhead in the area, so the full details are not immediately clear.
Joseph, the testator of 1709, is stated to have been aged sixty-four at his death, giving a birth around 1645. He was therefore probably the one of that name baptised on 12 December 1647 at Halifax, son of Joseph Woodhead of Shelf.
A chancery case of 1731 relates to the Woodheads of Shelf. I have not yet seen the documents but the
catalogue entry gives the plaintiff as Joseph Woodhead, blacksmith, of Shelf, “son
and heir of Joseph Woodhead, coal miner deceased late of Upper Brackenbed, Shelf, who was son and heir of Joseph Woodhead,
coal miner deceased late of Cow Wood, Shelf, who was son and heir of Martin
Woodhead, coal miner deceased late of Cow Wood, who was second son of Herbert [sic
in catalogue but should perhaps be Robert] Woodhead, clothier deceased late of Cockhill, Shelf”.[1]
The testator of 1709 is described as a yeoman but his will mentions various coal
mines and he was clearly involved with mining. Joseph is named first when his sons
are listed.
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WOODHEAD
JOSEPH WOODHEAD of Shelf, Yorkshire, yeoman, was born ca 1645[2] and buried on 9 December 1709 at Halifax.[3] He married on 7 May 1667 at Halifax, SUSAN ROYDS.[4] She was buried on 14 September 1720 at Halifax.[5]
Children of Joseph and
Susan (Royds) Woodhead:
i MARTHA WOODHEAD, bap 14 Nov 1669,
Halifax,[6]
bur 6 Sep 1731, Bradford;[7] m
6 Sep 1692, Halifax, WILLIAM NEWEL[8]
(see here).
ii ESTHER WOODHEAD, bap 1 Oct 1671,
Halifax;[9]
m(1) 16 Apr 1688, Halifax, JOSEPH JAGGER;[10]
m(2) 14 Jun 1692, Halifax, DANIEL STOCKS;[11]
m(3) 22 Feb 1714/15, Halifax, JOHN TIDESWELL.[12]
iii JOSEPH WOODHEAD.
iv JOHN WOODHEAD.
v WILLIAM WOODHEAD.
vi SUSAN WOODHEAD, bap 22 Jan 1677/78,
Halifax;[13]
m 29 Jul 1706, Bradford, JOHN SMITH.[14]
[1] National Archives, catalogue entry for C 11/1814/23.
[3] Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); will dated 25 Jun 1709, proved 2 Jan 1709/10 (Borthwick Institute). One of the witnesses to Joseph’s will was a Jonas Woodhead.
[4] Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
[5] Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
[6]
Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com);
Halifax bishop’s transcripts (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).
[7]
Bradford parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
[8]
Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
[9]
Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
[10]
Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
The abbreviation “Josh:” in the entry is interpreted here as Joseph but could possibly
be Joshua or Josiah.
[11]
Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
[12] Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
[13] Halifax parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).
[14] Bradford parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).