The Bells of Blaco Hill

Colourised in Photoshop

My grandad Robert Bell’s family: the Bells of Blaco Hill, Mattersey. That’s grandad, back row on the right.

diary, Christmas Day 1972

According to my diary (above) Grandma gave me the photograph 50 years ago today when we called at Sutton-cum-Lound on Christmas Day 1972. My dad’s elder brother, Uncle Fred, was also there.

Robert Bell
Robert Bell

Grandad and Grandma had such large families that my father claimed that he could never sort out who all his aunties and uncles were. Somewhere I’ve got a key to the photograph but until I put my hands on it I’m as clueless as my dad was.

At least I know that this is my great grandfather, John Bell, born 1842, an agricultural labourer, later working as a groom at Blaco Hill.

Elizabeth Bell

And this is great grandma Helena Bell, born in 1845.

Look forward to finding out more about the Bells and my grandma’s family the Bagshaws as I’ve been so involved with the other side of the family, the Swifts and the Trueloves of Sheffield.

Link

Blaco Hill

Blaco Hill Cottages – looks like the perfect location for a Bell Family reunion!

2 comments

  1. Hi

    A came across your post by accident whilst looking for information about Mattersey. The Bells of Blaco Hill caught my eye, we live in a house previously owned by Mr Lawrence Bell which is in sight of Blaco Hill, just a coincidence or was Lawrence Bell another relative of yours. Though we didn’t know Mr Bell, we are told that he was the Gardener for Mattersey Hall.

    1. Hi Allan,

      Thank you, the surname and the job as gardener would surely be too much of a coincidence. I’ll see what I can find out about Lawrence.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.