I would dearly like to know more about people reading this website? What is your interest? I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has a family connection to the Fairfax-Cholmeley’s or the Estate.
Who are you?
I would dearly like to know more about people reading this website? What is your interest? I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who has a family connection to the Fairfax-Cholmeley’s or the Estate.
The Last Squire of Brandsby: Agricultural & Social Reformer 
Hi Patsy
I’ve been using the latest lockdown to delve deeper into my family history, in the course of which I came across your very interesting site regarding Brandsby. My 5x gt grandfather, Thomas Maskill, was a farmer in Brandsby at the end of the 18th century (his wife was a Wiley, though I haven’t researched any connection to Samuel Wiley yet). Their son Robert Maskill farmed at Brandsby and also had the Cholmeley Arms for a while. I was interested to read of the moral code enforced by the landowners which saw girls with illegitimate children banished from the village; this appears to have been the fate of my 3x gt grandmother Jane Maskill, who ended up having her baby in Craike. Her brother John Maskill is referred to in HCFC’s text as a slovenly farmer at Warren House in 1890! In his defence, he was nearly 70 at that time.
Best wishes
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Hi.
I’ve been researching a Thomas Horsley shotgun that I bought. After a little digging into the records I believe it belonged to Francis Cholmeley. If you have a photo of the gentleman I would really love to see!
Matt
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Hello Matthew, do you have any dates for Francis Cholmeley? this was a common name down the cholmeley family, so i need an idea of dates to be able to identify him. Thanks.
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He bought the gun in 1872 if that helps at all?
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Hello Matthew, That would have been Francis Cholmeley (1850-1876). He inherited the estate at the age of 6 years old in 1856.
He was only active as Squire from 1871. When he came into his majority to 1876, he set to work on the estate improving farm buildings and built two cottages at High Side, in the village. He set his sign in the form of a plaque on all his buildings. They can still be seen in places today.
He died in Malta in 1876 and the estate then went to Captain Thomas Cholmeley. Captain Thomas is the first one of the Squires for whom we have a photo, I afraid there is no photo of Francis Cholmeley as far as I know, I don’t know what he was doing in Malta!
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Fancy inheriting all that at such a young age. I wonder if my gun was passed down to the Captain at all? I don’t suppose you happen to have any photos of him shooting etc do you?
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