John Kirk 1801 & Mary Ann Cooper 1803

JOHN KIRK born c1801 in Cossington, Leicestershire &

MARY (ANN) COOPER born 1803 in Brinklow, Warwickshire.

John was born in Leicestershire around 1801, probably at Cossington or possibly Mountsorrel. He is my 4x great grandfather. He was a Boatwright (Boat Builder) by trade, building canal boats for transporting goods around the country. He was baptised in Cossington on the 23rd January 1801 under the Anglican faith, his sister and all his brothers were baptised at Cossington by their parents John and Ann Kirk. At that time the current monarch on the throne is George III and the Prime Minister at the start of the year is William Pitt the Younger.

Many local people were finding work as both boat hands and boatwrights as more goods were transported on the rivers and canals of industrial Britain. The River Soar had been made navigable from the River Trent all the way through to Loughborough by 1778. This enabled heavy goods, particularly coal from Derbyshire to reach Loughborough and later Leicester. It was cheaper at this time to send some goods even from London to Leicester by way of the Humber, the Trent and the Soar. From this area it particularly allowed the cheap transportation of coal to other parts of the country. The Kirk's exploited this becoming coal merchants as well as boatbuilders and running the wharf.

John is noted as working as a labourer on his children’s baptism records, but he must have helped in building up the family business situated at the wharf at Mountsorrel, on other documentation he is working as a boat builder in the family firm. By the time the boatyard and wharf is sold later on in 1860 it appears to be quite a large business, the property containing the boat yard, coal & timber business and wharf is around an acre in size. It was situated on York Road or Sileby Road as its called now, adjacent to the Waterside Inn or Duke of York as it was known, this was also owned by the Kirk family.

He married Mary Cooper who originated from Brinklow, Warwickshire, they married in Brinklow on the 2nd of June 1825. Mary was born on the 19th October 1803 and baptised on the 23rd in Brinklow, born to Thomas and Alice (nee Griffith). Thomas was a boatman and coal merchant like the Kirks. John Kirk and Mary went on to have four boys, William, John, Charles and Alfred, they had one girl called Ann Cooper Kirk, she died aged only one year old, all the children were born in Mountsorrel. In 1841 John is living in Main Street Mountsorrel with his wife and children, Mary is noted as Ann in this census. One of the sons, John was my great-great-great grandfather, he was born in 1830 and baptised in St Peters Church, Mountsorrel. You can see a picture of the house in the associated images link at the bottom of the page. Also on the 1841 Census is a Joseph Osbourn aged 15, Joseph was an apprentice in the boat building business and went on to work in Birmingham.

While John may have had a reputation for building great boats, he was also prey to the evil drink and would today be probably be described as an alcoholic. His father & wife Mary made many attempts to curb his habit for the Gin. This is visibly brought to life in a series of newspaper articles regarding a local Loughborough court case. His father John Kirk (Senior) took the local landlord of the Black Swan to court to try and stop him serving alcohol to his son John Kirk (junior), the case was held on the the 26th July 1838. Originally George Green, the landlord was found guilty and he was fined £5, but he later successfully appealed against this judgement. In the original case John Kirk (Junior) was described as being a perfect madman when excited by drink. You can see the details of the case in the 'Newspaper Articles' link.

It appears that John became ill in the early 1840's and made provision for his family by making his last will and testament, this was made on the 21st February 1842. I am sure he would have been worried that provision be made for his wife Mary and his children. The 1840s became known as the hungry forties, problems affecting food production resulted in millions suffering from hunger all over Europe. In the early 1840s the UK was relatively less affected than the rest of Europe but there was still thousands of working-class people that had starved to death.

In his will he leaves his real estate to his wife and if she deceased, then to the children. He appointed two gentlemen he trusted to be his executors, John Wale and John Ellis who were the village bakers. ~ 'i give and bequeath all my stock in trade tools devise monies personal estate chattels and effects whatsoever unto John Wale of Mountsorrel aforesaid Baker and John Ellis of the same place' ... 'do and shall sell and devise of such parts there of as are saleable'. They were instructed to sell John's trade tools, his chattels & effects and then pay off any debt owes. The money left over would provide Mary with some security and pay her annual income.

On the will a note has been added later stating the deceased died on the fourteenth day of March last (1842). John was buried in Cossington on the 19th March 1842 aged 41. It is noted he had been living in Mountsorrel's North End.

John had obviously chosen his executors well, there is another added note on the will dated Loughborough 4th August 1842. John Wale had done his duty and had now sold at least some of the goods and the remaining amount left after deducting any debts was left to Mary. His brother Zaccheus Ducket Kirk is noted at this time in the trade Gazetteers as a coal and salt merchant at Mountsorrel Dock, Mary Kirk, John's wife is noted as a boat builder at Mountsorrel Dock, presumably as the business has passed to her, she is also noted as a boatbuilder in the 1851 Census. There is another newspaper article stating that on the 19th April, 1842 the Mountsorrel Dock is still very much open for business and being supervised at the time by Mr Wm. Tingle, the experienced foreman. John and Mary's sons William and John would go on with the boatbuilding & coal business at Mountsorrel Wharf for many years to come. You can see a picture of the wharf at the top of this page and further details in the associated images link at the bottom of the page.

The family business would go on until 1860 when the railways and illness led to the wharf being sold off. Another son Alfred Kirk briefly ran the Duke of York pub with his wife Sarah Ann Whittaker, her father John Whittaker would become Mary Kirk's (née Cooper) second husband, they married on Christmas Day 1854 at the Baptist Chapel in Quorn. The Duke of York was sold off in 1869. Mary passed away on the 13th November 1884 in Barrow Upon Soar, at the age of 84.

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JOHN KIRK born c1801 Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Baptism John Kirk 23 Jan 1801. Cossington.

Father - John Kirk. Mother - Ann.

Marriage. 2 June 1825.

John Kirk Junr to Mary Cooper at Brinklow, Warwickshire.

Denomination Anglican

Place Brinklow

Spouse's residence Mountsorrel, Leicester

By licence

First witness John Cooper

Second witness Hannah Cooper

County Warwickshire

Baptism (son) William Kirk 6th Aug 1826.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Baptism (daughter) Ann Cooper Kirk 11 Jan 1829.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Baptism (son) John Kirk 7 Feb 1830.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

1828-29 Pigot & Co.'s National Commercial Directory - Kirk, Jno.

Boat Builder, Mountsorrel.

Baptism (son) Charles Kirk 20 Jan 1833.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

1835 Pigot & Co.'s National Commercial Directory - Kirk, John.

Boat Builder, Mountsorrel.

Baptism (son) Alfred Kirk 11 Aug 1839.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Census 1841. John Kirk Age 40. Profession - Boat Builder.

Born - In Leicestershire

Address - Main Street, Mountsorrel North

Parish - Barrow Upon Soar

Living with :-

Ann Kirk (35)

William Kirk (15), John Kirk (10)

Charles Kirk (5), Alfred Kirk (2)

Joseph Osbourn (15), Matilda Antill (15)

Will : Made on the 21st February 1842.

Death : 14th March 1842

Buried : Cossington 16th March 1842. Obode : Mountsorrel North End. Age 41.

Grave at Cossington Parish Church.

affectionate remembrance

John Kirk

who departed this life March 16th 1842

aged 41 years

Children of JOHN KIRK and MARY (ANN) COOPER are:

i. WILLIAM KIRK

b Aug 1826, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
bap. 6 Aug 1826 St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary
Father's Occupation - Boatbuilder.
mar 21 Feb 1855 to Louisa Brown at Belgrave, Leicester.

ii. ANN COOPER KIRK

b Jan 1828, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
bap 11 Jan 1829 St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary.
d March 1829 Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
bur 18 Mar 1829 St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

iii. JOHN KIRK

b 1830, Mountsorrel, Leics
bap 7 Feb 1830 St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary
mar 31 Dec 1860 to Catherine Oswin
at Parish Church, Sileby, Leicestershire.
d April 1865 Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
bur 18 Apr 1865 Christ Church, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

iv. CHARLES KIRK

b 1833, Mountsorrel, Leics.
bap 20 Jan 1833. St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary.
d 23 July 1859 at King William's Town, Cape of Good Hope
aged 27 years, of consumption, Charles Kirk, third son of the late Mr. John Kirk, boat builder, of Mountsorrel.
He volunteered from Her Majesty's 2nd Regt of Foot, into the Cape Mounted Rifles.

v. ALFRED KIRK

b 1839, Mountsorrel, Leics.
bap 11 Aug 1839. St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary.
mar Sarah Ann Whittaker.
d bet Jan-Mar 1915 Leicester.

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MARY (ANN) COOPER born 1803 Brinklow, Warwickshire.

Born. 19 Oct 1803 Brinklow, Warwickshire
Parents Thomas & Alice Cooper (nee Griffith)

Baptism. 23 Oct 1803 Brinklow, Warwickshire

Parents Thomas & Alice Cooper

Mary was 4 days old

Marriage. 2 Jun 1825. By Licence.

John Kirk Junr to Mary Cooper at Brinklow, Warwickshire

Denomination Anglican

Place Brinklow, County Warwickshire

Spouse's residence Mountsorrel, Leicester

First witness John Cooper, Second witness Hannah Cooper

Baptism (son) William Kirk 6th Aug 1826.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Baptism (daughter) Ann Cooper Kirk 11 Jan 1829.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Baptism (son) John Kirk 7 Feb 1830.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Baptism (son) Charles Kirk 20 Jan 1833.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Baptism (son) Alfred Kirk 11 Aug 1839.

St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

Census 1841. Ann Kirk - Age 35.

Born - Not In Leicestershire.

Address - Main Street, Mountsorrel North

Parish - Barrow Upon Soar

John Kirk - Age 40 - Boat Builder

William Kirk (15), John Kirk (10),

Charles Kirk (5), Alfred Kirk (2)

Joseph Osbourn (15), Matilda Antill (15)

Census 1851. Mary Kirk - Age 42 - Boat Builder

Born - Brinklow, Warwickshire

Address - Main Street, Mountsorrel,

Parish - Mountsorrel South

Ecclesiastical Parish - Mountsorrel South end

Living with Sons John Kirk - Age 21 - Boat Builder

Born Mountsorrel

William(24) - Boat Builder & Boat Merchant. Born Mountsorrel

Alfred(11) - Scholar. Born Mountsorrel.

Marriage2. 25 Dec 1854. General Baptist Chapel, Quorn

John Whitaker. Widower - Age 50 - Coal Agent. Sileby.

Father Thomas Whittaker (deceased)

to Mary Kirk. Widow - Age 49. Barrow Upon Soar.

Father - Thomas Cooper (deceased)

In the Presence of John Sleath & Sarah Bradshaw

Census 1861. Mary Whittaker - Age 57

Born - Brinklow, Warwickshire

Address - King Street, Sileby

Parish - Sileby. District - Barrow Upon Soar

Living with 2nd Husband John Whittaker(56).

Born Cossington

Census 1871. Mary Whittaker - Age 68

Born - Brinklow, Warwickshire

Address - Bond Lane, Mountsorrel

Parish - Mountsorrel North. District - Barrow Upon Soar

Living with 2nd Husband John Whittaker(67) - Quarryman. Born Cossington

Census 1881. Mary Whittaker - Age 78

Born - Brinklow, Warwickshire

Address - York Street, Mountsorrel

Parish - Mountsorrel North. District - Barrow Upon Soar

Living with 2nd Husband John Whittaker(77).

Born Cossington

John's Daughter & Mary's Daughter-in-Law

Sarah Ann Kirk(41) - Seamstress

Sarah's Children Edith Ellen Kirk(11) - Born London

William Alfred Kirk(9), Charles(8) - Born Mountsorrel

Children all Scholars

Note: Sarah's Husband Alfred Kirk - deceased

Mary Whittaker Died 13th November 1884. 84 years

Registration District : Barrow Upon Soar

Where : Barrow Upon Soar

Occupation : Widow of John Whittaker, Stone quarry man

Cause : Old age, Heart Disease

Informant : Alfred Kirk Son. Barrow

Registered : 1st December 1884

Children of JOHN KIRK and MARY (ANN) COOPER are:

i. WILLIAM KIRK

b Aug 1826, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
bap. 6 Aug 1826 St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary
Father's Occupation - Boatbuilder.
mar 21 Feb 1855 to Louisa Brown at Belgrave, Leicester.

ii. ANN COOPER KIRK

b Jan 1828, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
bap 11 Jan 1829 St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary.
d March 1829 Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
bur 18 Mar 1829 St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

iii. JOHN KIRK

b 1830, Mountsorrel, Leics
bap 7 Feb 1830 St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary.
mar 31 Dec 1860 to Catherine Oswin
at Parish Church, Sileby, Leicestershire.
d April 1865 Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.
bur 18 Apr 1865 Christ Church, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire.

iv. CHARLES KIRK

b 1833, Mountsorrel, Leics.
bap 20 Jan 1833. St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary.
d 23 July 1859 at King William's Town, Cape of Good Hope
aged 27 years, of consumption, Charles Kirk, third son of the late Mr. John Kirk, boat builder, of Mountsorrel.
He volunteered from Her Majesty's 2nd Regt of Foot, into the Cape Mounted Rifles.

v. ALFRED KIRK

b 1839, Mountsorrel, Leics.
bap 11 Aug 1839. St Peters, Mountsorrel, Leicestershire
Father John Kirk. Mother Mary.
mar Sarah Ann Whittaker.
d bet Jan-Mar 1915 Leicester.

Go to associated images - John Kirk (1801) & Mary Cooper (1803)

Go to Johns's Father - John Kirk (1770)

Go to John & Mary's Son - John Kirk (1830)

Go back to the Kirk Family Tree Page