Nat Gould

James Austin 1835-1903

Hanson Grange

James Austin was born in 1835 at Hartington in Derbyshire, the son of Humphrey Austin and his wife nee Sarah (maiden surname unknown). He was baptised there on 6 December 1835.

When the 1851 Census was taken he was working for the widowed Mary Buxton (born in 1785) farming 258 acres at Alsop-en-le-Dale in Derbyshire, alongside John Austin aged 25 a single man born in 1826 at Alstonefield in Staffordshire, who may have been his brother.

By 1861 he was working as a farm servant for Thomas Gould at Hanson Grange in Staffordshire. Working there with him were a shepherd Humphrey Austin (who may have been another brother) and William Askey a groom aged sixteen (1).

Milldale Village

In 1866 he married Mary Berisford. She was born in 1842 at Stanshope in Alstonefield parish, the daughter of Elizabeth Berisford. They had a daughter Sarah Hannah Austin 1885-1950, born at Milldale in Alstonefield parish in Staffordshire. Mary Austin died in 1879 aged only 37 years.

In 1888 James Austin married Mary Hambleton. She was born in 1854 at Milldale, the daughter of Samuel Hambleton and his wife nee Rachel Beresford.

They lived in Milldale, and had no children.

James Austin died in 1903 aged 67 years.

His widow Mary Austin died in 1928 aged 75 years.

(1) James Austin and his fellow worker William Askey were to become relatives in 1888 when James Austin married Mary Hambleton 1854-1928. She was the cousin of William Askey. Her father Samuel Hambleton was the brother of Hannah Hambleton the mother of William Askey.