Nat Gould

Richard Gould 1828-1915

Richard Gould was born in 1828 at Sheen in Staffordshire, 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, Richard Gould, in 1915.

Richard Gould was unmarried.

He died at Biggin Hall on 17 January 1915 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 elder brother John Gould.

Probate of his Will was granted on 7 April 1915 (1).

(1) "GOULD Richard of Biggin Hall Hartington Nether Quarter Derbyshire died 17 January 1915 Probate London 7 April to Robert Williams solicitor. Effects £3174 16s 9d." England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) 1858-1966 (1915) page 359.