Nat Gould

John Gould 1818-1904

John Gould was born at Sheen in Staffordshire in 1818, the son of Richard Gould 1780-1843 and his wife Alice.

His parents farmed at Crowdecote in Derbyshire, but in 1842 the family moved to Biggin Hall near Hartington in Derbyshire when his father inherited the property from Margaret Goodwin, the last of the resident Goodwin family.

However in the following year his father died. During her long widowhood his mother continued farming at Biggin Hall with her three bachelor sons John Gould, Richard Gould and Edmund Gould. The farm grew in size from 65 acres in 1851 to 84 acres ten years later and to 250 acres by 1881. After her death in 1887 her unmarried sons continued farming at Biggin Hall until the death of the last of them in 1915.

John Gould was unmarried.

He died on 7 January 1904 aged 85 years, and was buried at Hartington on 12 January 1904, where there is a gravestone in the churchyard inscribed to his memory and that of his brother Richard Gould.

Probate of his Will was granted on 18 February 1904 (1).

(1) "GOULD John of Biggin-hall Hartington Nether Quarter Derbyshire died 7 January 1904 Probate London 18 February to Richard Gould farmer Effects £114." England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1904) page 249. Richard Gould was his brother.