Nat Gould

Samuel Berisford 1827-1903

Samuel Berisford was born in 1827 at Ballidon near Bradbourne in Derbyshire, the son of Samuel Berisford and his wife nee Jane Webster. His father was a farmer of 120 acres at Ballidon Moor Farm.

When the 1841 Census was taken he was aged 14 years, living at home with his parents at Ballidon.

In 1849 he married Thomasin Greensmith 1823-1853. She was born at Thorpe in Derbyshire on 2 August 1823, the daughter of Thomas Greensmith 1785-1876 and his wife nee Thomasin Goodwin Gould 1787-1853.

They had a son William Berisford born in 1850 at Thorpe.

When the 1851 Census was taken Samuel Berisford was trading as a druggist and grocer trading in Macclesfield, Cheshire. He lived with his wife and son there, and also in the household was his unmarried brother William Berisford working as assistant in the business. The premises were at 46 Mill Street, a main shopping street in the town.

Thomasin Berisford died on 21 March 1853 (1), and was buried at Thorpe where there is a memorial gravestone.

When the 1861 Census was taken, Samuel Berisford still had his unmarried brother William Berisford with him in the firm S&W Berisford (2), then described as a grocer, together with an assistant grocer and two apprentices. His maternal aunt Hannah Webster was his housekeeper.

By 1871 Samuel Berisford had a thriving business trading as a wine merchant and grocer with two assistants and four apprentices. His brother William Berisford was no long with him (3). By 1891 the business had expanded to include premises next door at 44 Mill Street, and there were seven assistant grocers. In addition to his housekeeper aunt there were three female domestic servants in the household, two of whom were probably his cousins, both unmarried and born at Parwich in Derbyshire. They were Hannah Webster aged 20 born in 1871 and Sarah A. Webster aged 37 born in 1874.

When the 1901 Census was taken Samuel Berisford had moved to a large villa called Devonshire House in the Park at Buxton in Derbyshire. Although he was recorded as being a sugar merchant, he had presumably retired aged 74 years. With him then was his widowed sister Maria Brindley and three female domestic servants, one of who was Elizabeth Webster aged 22 years and unmarried born at Parwich in 1879.

Samuel Berisford died at Buxton in 1903 aged 76 years.

(1) Derby Mercury 30 March 1853.
(2) The business begum in Macclesfield by the brothers Samuel Berisford and William Berisford under the name S&W Berisford was further developed by William Berisford 1850-1920, son of Samuel Berisford and incorporated in 1910.
In 1968 it diversified into commodity trading. In 1982 S&W Berisford acquired British Sugar and further diversified into property and financial services. British Sugar and other businesses were later sold, but in the 1990s more acquisitions were made. In 2000 the company changed its name to Enodis, and concentrated on the food equipment business. In 2008 Enodis was acquired by The Manitowoc Company, an American conglomerate.
(3) His brother William Berisford went to live in Barton-upon-Irwell near Manchester, and appears to have concentrated on the Manchester side of the S&W Berisford business.