Arborfield
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 Families - Hargreaves family

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Death of Mrs. Hargreaves, 1918

The main link we now have with the Hargreaves family is the 'Hargreaves Pews' in the Chancel of the Victorian Arborfield Church. However, they were major landowners of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Here's the family's Coat of Arms:

Arborfield Hall was bought by Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Hargreaves from the Conroys in 1855. Thomas was the son of a Cotton Spinner from Accrington, Lancashire. His father rose from office cleaner boy to a large manufacturer, amassing a large fortune. He called himself “Captain Hargreaves”, on the strength of his being a Captain of Volunteers, or a Militia, in a trading town.

Shortly after moving in, Mrs. Hargreaves discovered that she was related to the Dawson’s, through an American branch of the family. The 1901 Census shows that Sarah herself was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in about 1834.

The Conroys looked down on the Hargreaves because they were considered “trade”.

Captain Hargreaves died in 1891.

Mrs. Hargreaves enlarged the house and put in electric light using the old Mill for making electricity. The Hargreaves made the Hall one of the centres of village life, as can be seen from extracts of Parish Magazines, plus Mrs. Hargreaves was a generous benefactor. The Reading Room was a great asset.

After her death in early 1918 (for the Obituary, click here), her son John R. Hargreaves was the new owner, but he didn’t like Arborfield. In 1919 and in 1924 he put the Hall up for sale, but unsuccessfully. However he finally succeeded in 1926, after which he moved back to Lancashire.

The Rev. Peter Ditchfield, Rector of Barkham and a noted local historian (he edited the Victoria County History and wrote over 100 books), had a weekly History column in the Reading Mercury. In the 14th June 1930 edition, he made a plea:

“Several years ago, I wrote for the late Mr Hargreaves of Arborfield Hall “The History of the Dawson Family of Ferreby, in the County of York, and of Arborfield Hall, Berkshire”. It was published privately by Messrs. George Allen & Sons, Ruskin’s publishers. Unfortunately, all the copies have been dispersed. I should be grateful if anyone who possesses a copy will allow me to purchase it. The last one I inadvertently sent to America in response to an urgent request.”

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