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- William and Maria Bassett
I would like to give some further information about the Bassetts and in particular William Bassett (b. 1831) and Maria Jones, his first wife, which we find interesting and was our starting point of our research.
Firstly, I wanted to show that the economic situation in the area around Tamworth during this period was centred around the canal waterway system with the main canal running from Birmingham, via Curdworth through to Tamworth. Also around this area there were two significant natural clay deposits, one at Cliff and one at Dosthill and these deposits gave rise to brick manufacture in the area. On closer inspection of the canal system it becomes clear that thousands of bricks were used in the construction and maintenance of the system. I believe that the Bassett's exploited this potential as Charles, Thomas, William and others in the family were directly involved in the use of bricks either in the canal system or on major house building projects.
To one side of the canal system in this area lie the villages of Wishaw, Middleton, Drayton Bassett and Hints. All of them, apart from Hints, are within half a mile of the canal itself. Dosthill, Kingsbury, Coton and Lea Marston are located on the opposite side of the canal, all within a distance of half a mile of the canal.
Country lanes linking all these villages that had been there for centuries criss-cross the area and there existence gave rise to bridges being built when the canal system was being constructed. These bridges were to maintain easy transport links for local inhabitants. At some sites, where bridges allowed cross over points for those on foot, this allowed for quick cross-country links by use of the canal tow paths (which were brick covered) being used as easy walking routes between local villages.
It is at the main crossing point where Dunton Lane meets the canal at Marston Bridge that there are several locks (called Curdworth Locks) and here we find two lockkeepers cottages (still in existence). In the 1851 census, William, born 1831, was found completing a bricklayer's apprenticeship in Coton Hall with the Langley family. Edward Langley born about 1811 we believe was a friend or colleague of William's father, Thomas (b. 1795), who was also a bricklayer and was at this time living in Wishaw. William would have had to use Dunton Lane and cross Marston Bridge at the lockkeeper's cottage on route to Coton Hall, whish is less than a quarter of a mile on the other side of the canal. It is at Marston Bridge that we find Benjamin Jones, the lockkeeper, his wife Sarah and their children, one of whom was daughter Maria. It is here, on his journey to Coton Hall where William obviously first met Maria and within a few years married her and moved to Birmingham. We assume that this was due to the massive increase in housing requirements and the Industrial Revolution. William, at this point was a fully skilled bricklayer.
Later Maria died in 1866 not long after Thomas (b 1865) was born. William continued as a bricklayer working in Birmingham and soon married Ruth Worley in 1867 and thereafter lived in Guildford Street, 63 Outdoor Beer House (Mansfield Road) and James Street all in Birmingham.
Phil Bassett
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Bassett Family Association Database
1838 - 1866 (28 years)