Snaith Blue Signs: SHARPE OTTLEY

SHARPE OTTLEY AND HIS FAMILY

In 1841, JOHN OTTLEY (aged 45) was in business in Snaith as a tailor. His wife was Susanna (aged 40)

They had five children. The oldest was John Sharpe Ottley aged 14. His middle name was his mother’s maiden name. The other children were Joseph (12) , Henry (10) , Ann (8) and Elizabeth (2).

In the 1851 census, Sharpe is aged 23 and is listed as an assistant to his father. He has dropped the name John and is now known as Sharpe Ottley.

In quarter two 1857, he married Harriet Sykes (6 years older than him) and in 1860 (3^rd March), at the age of 39, she gave birth to their daughter, Sarah Elizabeth

In the 1861 census Sharpe (34) is listed as a grocer and maltster. His father, John is listed as a tailor aged 67. His wife Susanna was 61.

On the 1863 Electoral Roll, Sharpe is listed as having a freehold dwelling house and shop. John is listed as having a freehold house, shop AND GARDEN.

In the 1871 census Sharpe (45) the grocer’s shop is listed as being on Beastfair.

There used to be a row of buildings, to the left of the white coloured building.

Although they were called Thornton Row, it is possible they were part of

BEASTFAIR and that one of the buildings housed the grocery store owned by

SHARPE OTTLEY.

In the 1881 census Sharpe is 54 and Harriet is 60. Also in the house was a married visitor called Ann Turner aged 42 ( It could be their daughter- BUT she would be 48 ? ) She is listed as an ANNUITANT.

Harriet died in March 1886 aged 65. She is buried in the centre of the graveyard at the front of Snaith church

On 22^nd December 1887, Sharpe married Mary Hannah Wickham (born Thorne) in York. He was 60, she was 62

In the 1901 census Sharpe is listed as a retired grocer aged 73 on Beastfair

On 30^th April 1906 Sharpe Ottley died at the age of 78. His widow, Mary Hannah lived another 17 years’ She continued to live in Beastfair.

SHARPE OTTLEY'S GRAVE Snaith Priory Church

MARY HANNAH'S GRAVE Snaith Priory Church

SHARPE OTTLEY'S CHARITY

The board above is displayed on the wall in Snaith Methodist Church.

Here is the wording on the board

The late Mr Sharpe Ottley of Snaith, Gentleman, by his will dated 10^th November 1905 and probed at Wakefield on 6^th July 1906, bequeathed to the parish council of the township of Snaith & Cowick and the Guardians of the poor of the same township, the sum of £500, to be invested on Government Securities and the income thereof applied in the purchase of coals to be distributed yearly in or about the first week of October, amongst such of the most deserving poor people, either male or female, of the said township, who shall have resided and been householders in that township for at least twelve calendar months and shall be the age of sixty years or upwards, in such proportions as the said parish council and Guardians shall in their discretion think proper.

The above sum is not represented by £517 4 shillings and 9 pence of 2.5% consolidated stock invested in the names of the official trustees of charitable funds

R.B.Shearburn Chairman of the parish council

E.T.Clark Guardian

R.B.Shearburn Guardian

H. Thompson Clerk

AUGUST 1907

Records and accounts of the charity show a very robust governance with prominent local men making up the trustees (usually 12 at a time)

Here are some of the records of the coal distribution:

YEAR	Number of recipients of coal	Number of bags of coal distributed
1940	73
1941	69	128
1942	72	126
1943	63	112
1946	59
1954	57	51

One of the coal merchants that was used was PEPPER who were based at Snaith Lodge

CHARITY BOARDS IN SNAITH PRIORY.

There are two large boards on the south wall of the consistory court in the church. They were installed in April 1890.

They list several charities, some dating back to the 17th century and they give details of the purpose of each charity.

They also list the then current vicar of Snaith Priory and the church wardens as well as landowner Roderick Bryant Shearburn of Snaith Hall.

Also there are two overseers listed whose task was to oversee the legitimate distribution of the various charities.

One of those overseers was SHARPE OTTLEY.

In the 1980's, the charity of SHARPE OTTLEY was merged with the other Snaith & Cowick charites to form a new charity called SNAITH & COWICK RELIEF IN NEED CHARITY.

THE PURPOSE OF THE CHARITY

TO RELIEVE EITHER GENERALLY OR INDIVIDUALLY PERSONS RESIDENT IN THE BENEFICIAL AREA WHO ARE IN CONDITIONS OF NEED, HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS BY MAKING GRANTS OF MONEY OR PROVIDING OR PAYING FOR ITEMS, SERVICES OR FACILITES CALCULATED TO REDUCE THE NEED, HARDSHIP OR DISTRESS OF SUCH PERSONS.

This charity is in operation in 2023.

OTTLEY COTTAGE HOMES

SARAH ELIZABETH OTTLEY married JOSEPH A PARKINSON( born 1856). He was a farmer and they lived in Boston Lincolnshire..They were living at Witham Park, Londis Lodge, They employed a female housekeeper( aged 38) Joseph died in October 1939 at the age of 83.

Sarah Elizabeth Parkinson was the daughter of Sharpe Ottley (died April 1906) and Harriet Ottley (died March 1886).

Sarah Elizabeth was aged 74 when she embarked on a project to create something in Snaith (her birthplace), which would honour her parents and would help women in need, thereby carrying on the charitable legacy created by her father, Sharpe Ottley.

Firstly, she purchased a parcel of land in June 1934 from Rowland Harrop Fish. It was part of a larger piece of land called “Pinfold Close” situated off Butt lane in Snaith.

In 1935, she employed, local builders Durham and Ramsey to build two cottage homes on the land. The business of Durham and Ramsey was originally started by Makin Lee Durham in 1904 and was transferred to Fred Ramsey (his son in law) and Lawrence Ramsey (his grand son) on 1^st January 1929. In 1931 they also became funeral directors, when they acquired another business.

On 5^th February 1936 a charity was set up with the name THE OTTLEY COTTAGE HOMES TRUST. Sarah Elizabeth transferred the sum of £400 in 2.5% consolidated stock to the trustees. (NB £400 equates to £36,000 in value in 2023)

Its express purpose was to find, provide and endow cottage homes for poor-aged widows and spinsters of the parish of Snaith & Cowick.

At that time there were two other charitable groups of houses in Snaith.

BEDE HOUSES A row of three individual homes on Pontefract Road for poor men and ALMSHOUSES (Lord Downes) on Beastfair.

Two more Ottley cottages were built in 1936, followed by a further two in 1937. Durham and Ramsey were instructed to build all of them to the same specifications as the original two.

This plaque was unveiled on the two cottages built in 1936.

Sarah Elizabeth Parkinson ( nee Ottley) died in 1945 aged 85.

In 1966 (2nd March) the trust was renamed OTTLEY COTTAGE HOMES TRUST.

In 2023, Ottley Cottage Homes Trust continues to provide affordable accommodation in line with the wishes of Sarah Elizabeth and in the spirit of the philanthropy of her father, SHARPE OTTLEY.

EARLY TRUSTEES

William Howdle Dickson The Cottage West Cowick

Leonard Holmes Holmlea Snaith

Walter Newell Marsden- Sub Post Master

William Ward Smithson -Grocer, Beastfair

Joseph Elleson – Draper, Market Place

Leonard North- Solicitors Clerk, Shearburn Terrace

Lawrence Ramsey- Builder and Contractor, Mitten Avenue

Samuel Bertram Cooper-Farmer-Little London

William Horncastle-Greengrocer, West Cowick

Annie Mary Dickson

Minnie Barratt Daughter in law of Joshua Barratt (Quack Salesman)

Jane Shearburn Wife of Roderick of Snaith Hall

Dorothy Isobekl Holmes- wife of Leonard

Albert Kenneth Dean-Farmer-Cherry Tree Farm East Cowick

Muriel Violet Bean Beech Grove

George Herbert Purchon Retired Rehabilitation Instructor

Ernest Samuel Leslie Cooper Top House Farm West Cowick

George William Ramsey Educational Social Worker

SHARPE OTTLEY

BLUE SIGNS