This work forms part of the ‘Who Lived Where’ research project. The information provided below was researched by Anne Kirker and Julian Carr from Census and conveyancing materials, Ruth Beazley and Damside residents.
The Damside area is the oldest settlement in Mill Bank adjacent to the ford, before the bridge was constructed across the Lum beck.
The earliest recorded corn mill in the area, in the 12th century, called SOYLAND/MILNBANK was described as having been at the confluence of two steams. It is believed that these were the Blackshaw and the Lum Beck which join through a culvert twenty metres up the path to Wood End.
In the early 17th century, the name Damside referred to a collection of cottages, mills and outbuildings on the South of the Lum Beck, before Foxen Lane rises to Soyland Town. Included are references to ‘Smawler Kiln’ which was at Bridge End.
Damside (a collection of cottages, an Inn, a mill, barns and outbuildings)
The Inn was originally at Homestead Cottage with through access to Dan-y-Coed.
1675
JOHN HOLROYD: Owner of Kebroyd and Soyland Mills, Hyefield, Horsefield, Brownhill and Damside. Same listed in 1693.
1708
RICHARD FIRTH (gent), THOMAS MARTIN and KATHERINE WILKINSON of Ripponden (spinster) rent Damside, Knowsley 1 Cottage, and Smawler Kiln land to ELY GLEDHILL.
1722
ELY GLEDHILL (gent) and wife HANNAH sell Damside, Knowsley and Smawler Kiln to Samuel Hill.
1759
SAMUEL HILL: Fabric Manufacturer and trader. See Sam’s property list valued at £2170. The list includes Soyland Mill and kilns, Aufhole Farm and 5 cottages.
JOHN GREENWOOD: Owner of Knowsley & 2 cottages.
WILLIAM CRABTREE, JOHN WEST and THOMAS KNUTTON: tenants.
1760
Samuel Hill’s handwritten property list circa 1760.
1782
ABRAM CLEGG, JAMES BATES and RICHARD LEAROYD. Samuel Hill’s estate is sold off by Trustees. Damside Public House, cottages at George, croft at Knowsley and smithy at Bridge End. Deeds stipulate new owners must allow owner of Kebroyd Mills access to goits and dam.
1785
CHARLES and AMELIA VINCENT: (Amelia heiress of Richard Holroyd Hill) sells Damside to REV. W DOWNES: Vicar of Harworth, Notts.
1796
MRS ELIZABETH GARSIDE: Innkeeper.
1805
JAMES and BETTY CLEGG: Innkeeper bought New Mill (Corn Mill) in Soyland, Upper and Lower Dam fields (4 acres) for £1660 at an auction of Sam Hill’s properties.
1822
(BAINS Owner?) JAMES CLEGG: Victualler.
1837
MRS CLEGG sold Damside.
1841
ELY SUTCLIFFE 30 and MARY: Innkeeper at Sportsman Inn.
1845
(Owner WHITES?) ELY SUTCLIFFE 41: Victualler and farmer of 8 acres employing 2 men.
1849
GEORGE HINCHCLIFFE: Damside, Homestead and Damside Mill.
HORATIO LUM: Soyland Mill.
1851
Damside Cottages listed as 4 households including:
JOSEPH and MARY HINCHCLIFFE and daughter ANN; master cotton spinner employing 66 people.
WILLIAM SUTCLIFFE: Assistant overseer and wife listed with his family, a visitor, a lodger and one servant.
Documents from Old Bridge End show that Damside was separated into six individual lots and eight households at this time. The names refer to owners, tenants and trustees. It is not clear in some cases the status of the people named.
1854
GEORGE HINCHCLIFFE: Bequeaths Damside Inn, cottage garden and brewhouse garden, Nab End outbuildings, the mill and machinery to JOSEPH HINCHCLIFFE.
1861
JOSEPH HINCHCLIFFE 40: Cotton spinner employing 262. Died 1864 aged 63.
Wife MARY ANN, daughter ADA 16, born USA but British subject, son ORLANDO 14, born Sowerby. Ada married ARTHUR WILSON in 1865.
MARY SUTCLIFFE: Innkeep of The Sportsman Inn and farmer of Nab End.
1863
JOHN HINCHCLIFFE sells Lot 3 to GEORGE BUCKLEY.
1871
Damside lists 6 households:
Lot 1: Damside includes cottages and the Inn. MARY A HINCHCLIFFE age 52: Widow. Cotton spinner employing 90. GEORGE FIRTH Innkeeper.
Lot 2: Bridge End Cottages.
Lot 3: Nab End Now Clough Side and field.
Lot 4: Damside House below Severhills Mill.
Lot 5: HENRY MITCHELL and THOMAS CRABTREE – Trustees?
Lot 6: Field ARTHUR WILSON: Damside Mill: Cotton Spinner. H LUM: Soyland Mill and dam.
1871
Damside map from Old Bridge End papers circa 1871.
1881
HENRY MITCHELL and THOMAS CRABTREE sell to RAMSDENS BREWERY.
People living in properties:
WILLIAM LUM age 39: Widowed Publican. Born Soyland. Sons JOE 17, HARRY 14: both Silk Piecers, daughter LILY ANN 16, FRED 12 and ELIZABETH 8: Scholars.
EDWARD GLEDHILL 56: Widowed Cotton Mill Engineer.
JANE GLEDHILL 79: Warper’s widow, daughter FRANCES 26: Silk drawer and neice SARAH 18: Cotton Maker-upper.
JOHN MITCHELL 44: Silk twister. Wife ANN and family.
JOSEPH MITCHELL 30 and family at Wood End.
WILLIAM MITCHELL 57: Farmer and family.
One property empty.
Other people associated with Damside about this time were GAMERLAN SUTCLIFFE, JAMES MELIN, JOHN WATERFALL and GEORGE TAYLOR.
1881
HENRY MITCHELL and THOMAS CRABTREE relinquish Inn to Ramsdens.
1904
GEORGE SUTCLIFFE and JOHN TAYLOR: Tenants.
1910
CHARLES and LAVINIA ROUNTREE: Licencees.
1913
Sportsman Inn owned by THOMAS RAMSDEN and Sons.
1927
Sportsman Inn closed.
The Inn was well known for having a visiting fair in its grounds with a small hand cranked roundabout, a few swings and a man selling meat pies and peanuts.
1929
JOHN and MALINDA GLEDHILL (from No. 3 Aufhole) bought the Sportsman Inn unlicensed.
1939
Compensation awarded as property is relinquished from the Wakefield Manor control.
1940
FRANK HALSTEAD (previously of 5 Victoria Terrace); Silk dresser. Children HELEN, TONY and BRENDA.
JOHN E GLEDHILL: (previously from Aufhole); Carder.
Homestead Cottage
1941
DOUGLAS and DORA GLEDHILL inherit Homestead, the previous Inn and barns from Douglas’ father JOHN. Children LAURENCE and ARTHUR; poultry farmers. Also ADA, JOHN and MELINDA GLEDHILL.
CONSTANCE BARRON (sister of Douglas Gledhill and daughter of John Gledhill).
1960s
JACK and BILL ADLEY: Blind brothers.
1972
JOHN GORDON and HAZEL LEWIS separate the three properties Homestead Cottage, Dan-y-Coed and Old Bridge End.
1981
Homestead Cottage sold to the JOHNSONS.
1986
JEFF and ROSALIND JONES buy all three and sell Homestead Cottage and Old Bridge End.
1992
GARRY McCALL and LESLEY PATRICK: Marketing Agency Owner and Commercial Director for Opera North. Children MATILDA and INDIA.
2022
Photograph of Homestead Cottage and Dan-y-Coed, Foxen Lane, Mill Bank taken in 2022.
Dan-y-Coed (previously The Homestead)
Ros and Jeff changed The Homestead to Dan-y-Coed which is Welsh for ‘Under the Woods’.
1910
CHARLES and LAVINA ROUNDTREE with PATSY BALM, barmaid at the door of Sportsman Inn, now Dan-y-Coed.
Photograph taken about 1910. Contributed by HAZEL WHITELEY.
Hazel Whiteley’s great aunt CAROLINE CARTWRIGHT lived here about 1910 with her daughter ADA who later married WILLIAM ROWNTREE.
1986
JEFF and ROSALIND JONES: Regeneration & Housing Director and HR Manager. Children CERYS and SIAN.
Old Bridge End (originally the chicken farm barn)
Originally 2 stories, third added in 1980s.
1986
JEFF and ROSALIND JONES.
1992
PETE and PENNY GODFREY: Highways Engineer and University Lecturer in Landscape Architecture. Children ROWAN and LUKE.
Damside House
Damside House is a Grade II listed building. Previously known as Brookside House.
June and Ernest Hall changed its name to Damside in the 1980s however, the old stables (now a summer house) and part of the grounds are still listed as Brookside.
It is believed that the house was divided at one time into two, possibly three separate residencies.
UNKNOWN
ARTHUR and ADA WILSON both 36: Retired Cotton manufacturer. Ada born in USA but a British subject.
1911
WILLIAM STEPHENSON 53: Unemployed stoker. Wife MARTHA and niece SUZANNA WEBSTER.
1920
JOHN THURLEY and JUNE THURLEY. June’s maiden name was CARTER. She grew up at Aufhole Cottages in a large family. The Thurleys donated the playing fields to the village.
UNKNOWN
KERSHAWS.
1960s
Sir ERNEST and JUNE HALL and family. June died in 1994.
1981
GORDON and HAZEL LEWIS: Owned all Damside properties. Sold to the JOHNSONS.
2003
JOHN and LUISA WIMBLETON. Luisa was Spanish and they had three children.
2007
JOHN and SALLY CROSSLEY: Property Company Director and Retail Manager. Five children: GEORGINA, DAISY, LUCY, ABBIE and MOLLY.
