William Hoodless 1776-1855

William is baptised on 10th December 1776 at St Kentigern Church, Caldbeck not far from the family home at Parkhead. Eldest son of William Hoodless and Isabella Atkinson.

William marries local girl Elizabeth Gill at Castle Sowerby on 20th April 1800. We know they relocate to Workington shortly after the marriage because their children, starting with Sarah on 20th April 1801, are baptised at St Michael’s Church, Workington. He disposes of the Parkhead property in 1837 being the sole heir.

William-Hoodless-1776-1855

After moving from Parkhead to Workington what was William doing for a living during the 40 years before we can pinpoint him in the 1841 Census? We know he was living in Portland Street by then, at which point he describes himself as of “independent” means. And in the 1851 Census he is living on Elizabeth Street a hop step away and is describes as a “land surveyor”.

There is evidence that William was employed as a land agent by John Christian Curwen and was involved closely with the Curwen family his whole working life in Workington.

According to a book by William Nicholson published in 1805, A Journal of Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, and the Arts William Hoodless was employed by Curwen as early as February 1805, as he certified the superior design of Curwen’s drains as his farming agent.

In 1808 John Christian Curwen Esq. published a book entitled Hints on the Economy of Feeding Stock and Bettering the Condition of the Poor. In the book he promotes the feeding of steamed potatoes to improve the condition of horses and offers evidence via observing their deterioration when they they were switched to eating a mash of carrots, oats and steamed straw. Once the potatoes were introduced again, the horses were restored to health. A declaration as to the truth of this evidence is made by Curwen’s employees and appears on pages 263-264. There, William Hoodless is described as a land agent clearly in the employ of Curwen of Workington Hall.

In the Cumbria County Archives there is correspondence about an interesting event from 1810-1811 involving William, John Christian Curwen and a missing/beached 160 horse power steam engine that had been ordered for Isabella Pit, Workington, from Fenton Murray Wood & Co, Leeds.

The engine, insured at £2400, was shipped on board the sloop ‘Providence’ under Captain Wright from Leeds to Workington via the ‘Scotch Canal’ in December 1810 and was reported to be at Dunbar on 19th December but was then reported to be on shore on the east coast of Ireland near Donaghadee in January 1810, and William Hoodless was despatched from Workington to investigate on behalf of Curwen. In a detailed letter from the site of the stranding, 24 Jan 1811, Hoodless reported to Swinburn that the cargo would likely be damaged unless the engine could be suitably stripped, oiled and recovered. Fenton, Murray and Wood despatched one of their engineers to advise in February 1811. He found the piston, cylinder and other parts much damaged by salt water and requiring new castings. In March 1811, Curwen ordered that the engine be abandoned and that the underwriters recompense him. Murray responded by stating that it was their intention that the ‘Providence’ be repaired in dry dock at Belfast, then sail to Leeds for repairs to be carried out to the engine which would then be despatched to Workington. A dispute followed between the ship’s owners, the underwriters and Curwen regarding payment for ship repairs amounting to some £400. The result was that the Providence remained beached at Donnaghadee, and plans were made for recovery of the engine by construction of a temporary road on the beach in June 1811. New parts were despatched on the ‘Volunteer’ from Leeds to Liverpool on 27 June 1811, with the expectation that the rest of the engine would be despatched from Ireland to Workington at around the same time. It seemed that both shiploads did not make it to Workington until some weeks later, as Fenton & Co were advising that their engineers would come to Workington to assemble the engine in August and September 1811. Murray in his letter of 18 Dec 1811 pleaded that he could not advance Curwen some £500 on security of Clark’s insurance policies as the financial position of Fenton & Co was ‘extremely critical’ due to the death of their partner Mr [William] Lister but advising that although they were stock taking at present ‘one of us will come over in January to see how the men is going on with the engine’.

William was acting as agent for Curwen, in an highly expensive and critical business transaction gone wrong. It illustrates that he was a capable agent and in a position of trust. On 6th July 1814 this is confirmed by a lease conveyancing transaction on behalf of Curwen in which he acts as trustee.

Indenture of Conveyance by Lease and Release Thomas Gaff and William Hoodless trustees 1st part John Christian Curwen 2nd part to Henry Crosthwaite tenement at Turdum Street, Lowca. Consideration £21.17.1. Dated 6 July 1814

Cumbria Archive and Local Studies Centre, Whitehaven

John Christian Curwen died in December 1828 and his son Henry succeeded him as owner of Workington Hall and his other estates. In 1829 Parson & White’s Directory of the Principal Inhabitants of Cumberland & Westmorland lists William Hoodless, land agent, residing on Ramsay Brow, a location literally facing the Curwen seat at Workington Hall. His eldest daughter Sarah runs a ladies boarding/day academy from the same address.

There are many other examples of William continuing to act as trustee for Henry Curwen and the Curwen family in lease conveyancing, collection of ground rent, and in the enfranchisement of leaseholds (tenants purchasing the property freehold) through to 1837. In June 1845 William Hoodless surveyed Priestgate Marsh in an area owned by Curwen, known as Clay Flatts. Various quays and wharves had been built and developed into the Port of Workington since the 1680’s and the district had become known as Marsh and Quay. At the time of William’s survey, there were just a few fishermen’s cottages huddled close to the quayside. The survey William conducted formed the basis for Curwen’s development of the area where he built houses for working class labourers beginning with Henry Street, Swinburn Street and Harbour Place.

The map above shows Clay Flatts to the lower left, an undeveloped area. The Priestgate marsh surveyed by William Hoodless is to the upper right of that space and shows where the first streets were built. Close by is the Ship Inn. Isabella Pit is marked at its upper left, but was disused by this time.