Person:Joseph Banks (4)

Notes by Gil Easby Joseph was born in 1807, the fourth child but first son of William Banks, woolen manufacturer of Keswick and his wife Sarah. When his first 2 children were born his occupation was given as weaver, but by the time Sarah Pearson was born in 1834 he was a pencil manufacturer. In 1841 their address was given as Front Street, but in the 1851 census the family lived at 37 Main St, Keswick, with 2 house servants, This census also records that was a black lead and sealing wax manufacturer and that he employed 42 men, 17 boys, I woman and 4 girls. He died of apoplexy in 1860, and his obituary in the Cumberland Paquet on June 5th 1860 reads as follows: 'At Keswick on Saturday morning last, Mr. Joseph Banks of the old established and well known firm of Banks, son & Co. Greta Pencil Works, near that town in the 54th year of his age. The deceased was a man of frank and generous disposition and being ever ready to befriend such of his neighbors as might be suffering under adversity or affliction, he lived respected and his death is lamented by a large circle of friends and acquaintances, as well as by his own sorrowing family to whom his removal from them is necessarily a grievous bereavement. In his will (signed 20th March 1860), he left everything to his wife Anne for her lifetime, provided she didn't remarry. Upon her death or remarriage everything was to be sold and the proceeds divided between his children (or if any of them had died their share passed to their children). All bequests were to remain in trust until the legatees came of age, though the proceeds could be used for maintenance, education or other benefits. His eldest son William was in debt to Joseph to the tune of £200 which was to be subtracted from his share of the estate if it was still owing on Anne's' death or remarriage. In order to ensure that his wishes were carried out Joseph appointed as executors and trustees Robert Gibson of Whitehaven (gentleman), William Banks of Wigton (his brother) and William Kennedy of Keswick (draper). However, when the will was proved Anne was granted letters of administration, the three executors having renounced, and Josephs' effects were given as under £4000. Anne subsequently fell out with Robert Gibson and sued him for misusing the name of Banks (more of that under Anne's notes). One wonders what went wrong as Robert Gibson must have been a close family friend, they did after all christen their daughter born in 1847 Elizabeth Gibson. Joseph and Anne are buried in Crossthwaite churchyard, the grave is just on the left as you enter the gate. The tombstone reads as follows: - Joseph Banks, pencil manufacturer, June 2nd 1860, age 53 Anne Banks, Aug 16th 1871, age 60 Elizabeth, Oct 24th, 1837, age 1 Sarah Pearson, 22nd Jan 1839, age 5 Mary, 20th March, 1839, infant Amy, 23rd May, 1859, age 2 3/4 Alfred Kidd (grandson), 19th Sept 1859, age 15 weeks Ann (daughter), 28th May 1862, age 30 Dinah Hetherington Cochrane, 20th Sept 1862, age 27, (interred Cathcart, Nr Glasgow) William (son), 18th Aug 1873, age 43 Helen Adamson Kidd, 12th July 1879, age 41 Hodge appears as a middle name in both Joseph and Williams' families. There is a plaque in Wigton Church which reads: - Joseph Hodge, AD 1846 left £900 for the purposes of clothing and education (Benefactor Stone). Joseph was a close family friend and business associate of the Banks family. He lived at Highmoor House, a mansion on the South East side of Wigton "which stands on a gentle eminence commanding extensive prospects about half a mile south of the parish church", quote from the History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cumberland 1847, This estate was purchased from a Mrs. Campbell of London by Mr. John Hodge in 1817 who began building the house but it was completed by Joseph his son, The Directory quoted above also states that "the late Joseph Hodge began a check manufactory in Wigton in 1793", His father and Uncle Jacob had apparently originated the production of gingham and other types of cloth before him. In 1846 on 27th March when Joseph died he left £1500 bearing interest at 3 1/2 % for the education of poor children of the parishes of Wigton and Westward viz £900 to the former and £600 to the latter and directed the residue if any to be given in clothing to poor women. The money was left to Messrs Banks, Henderson and Banks as the main trustees, who were listed in the Directory as William Banks of Highmoor House (previously the Hodge residence, haven't seen Josephs' will but wonder if he left it to William), John Henderson, John Banks, John Pattison of Wigton, Joseph Rook of Rosely, William Rook of Tracentree and Jan and Jane Pattinson (cousins) of Wigton. The 1847 Directory also says "The benevolent donor also left several small sums varying from 2 - 8 shillings a week to sundry of his old workmen. The trustees bad to elect a new member when one of them died and he directed that "the trustees are not to be ministers, curates or parish clerks either of the established church or dissenters, schoolmasters or teachers (be obviously didn't have much faith in authority). So William Banks would appear to have had a more lucrative career than his brother Joseph, though both were very successful by the standards of the time. Grave Stone Joseph Banks Pencil Manufacturer of Keswick who died June 2nd 1860 in the 53rd year of his age. Also of Ann his wife who died August 16th 1871 age 60 years. Elizabeth the daughter of Joseph and Ann Banks of Keswick who died Oct 24th 1837 aged 1 year. also Sarah Pearson who died Jan 22nd 1839 aged 5 years. also Mary who died in infancy March 20th 1839. also of Amy who died May 25th 1839 aged 2 years 5 months also of Alfred Kidd Grandson of above AJoseph and Anne Banks who died sept 19th 1852 aged 15 weeks. also of Ann their daughter who died May 28th 1862 aged 30. Also Dinah Hetherington Cochran their daughter who died September 20th 1862 aged 27 years Interred at Cathcart near Glasgow. Also of William their son who died August 18 1873 aged 43 years Also of Helen Adamson Kidd their daughter who died July 12th 1879 aged 41 years. .