In 1800 Christopher inherited his father's property at Redmire, and under the conditions of the will paid his brother Richard £1,000 from the Redmire estate. The furniture and household goods (with the exception of those taken by his mother), stock, implements of husbandry etc. were also willed to him.
In or around 1802 Christopher married Ann Houseman, the daughter of Dr John Houseman. The 1807 "Poll for Knights of the Shire" recorded "Christopher Ellerton, butterfactor" as a voter residing in Downholme with freehold property in Redmire.
Harry Speight's 1897 book Romantic Richmondshire records that Christopher was one of the founders [in 1814, along with his brothers Richard and Edward, paying a ground rent of 6d per year to Lord Bolton] of the Free School in Downholme.
He lived at Ellerton Lodge, Downholme, and managed the business there, but the farm at Redmire may well have been managed by someone else. He continued the business of butter and bacon factor handed on by his father, and when he died in 1839 ("at Downholme ... aged 60" per the Leeds Mercury) his wife Ann and son Richard continued farming at Downholme.
Details of Christopher's will are not known, but it is
thought that the farm at Redmire was sold and an estate bought at Oxque, just
over the River Swale from Ellerton Lodge. It seems likely that he purchased the
Oxque estate circa 1814, as an advert for its sale appeared in a November
1814 edition of the Leeds Mercury:
"To be sold by auction, by Mr Porter, at the Bolton Arms in
Leyburn, on the 10th day of November 1814 ... all that capital and valuable
estate situate at Oxque ... containing two dwelling-houses, with suitable
outbuildings and 130A or upwards of rich arable, meadow, and pasture land,
inclosed within a ring-fence (the greatest part thereof is tythe-free) late the
property of George Wray, Esq. of Thoralby, deceased. A valuable common
right is attached the above property on Marrick and Downholme Moors, the former
of which is now enclosing, under an Act of Parliament lately obtained for that
purpose ... Christopher Peel, one of the tenants at Oxque, will shew the
premises ..."
Christopher must
have left the Oxque estate to his children Ann and Richard, as Ann's
1847 will states: "I bequeth to my brother Richard (who received my interest in the Oxcue
[sic]
estate) £5".
A notice in The Hull Packet reported that Christopher's widow Anne died "at Ellerton Lodge" on 21st July 1860 aged 75 years. The NBI shows that "Ann" was buried at St Michael's, Downholme, on 25th July 1860
The photo opposite, courtesy of Judith Brown, is believed to be that of Christopher Ellerton ("my mother said she thought it was").
Details of Christopher's daughters:
Catherine - see her own page
Mary - b. in Downholme 1806. Married Thomas Harland and lived at Vauxhall
Street, Lambeth, Surrey. Their daughter Jane Ann (1832-1873)
married Matthew Whitelock of Cogden Hall in May 1856. Mary died in Norwood,
London on 15/10/1851, and was interred at Norwood Cemetery
(per MI).
Ann - baptised in Downholme on Christmas Day 1809. Unmarried. Lived at Ellerton Lodge with her
mother and brother Richard until she died there in 1847 (as per a notice in the
Newcastle Courant). Her will was proved
in Richmond Court in 1849 (executor: William Lodge of Middleham) and she made bequests to her
sister Mary and to her nieces (children of Mary and Catherine). Her brother
Richard received her half-share in the Oxque property. The inscription on her
tombstone shows: "Annie Ellerton daughter of Christopher and
Ann of Ellerton Lodge died 7th August 1847 aged 37 yrs. This tomb
is erected Apr 1874 by her nephew
and nieces D F Alderson, M
A Alderson, C Gibbes and E
Reed". The NBI shows that she was buried at St
Michael's, Downholme, on 12th August 1847.
Elizabeth - born 1820, died on 23rd April 1821.
Shown in the NBI as "inf" buried on 25th April 1821 at St Michael's.
Click here for a picture of the five Ellerton table tombs at Downholme church, and here for the full transcriptions from the tombs.
Click here for the schematic "Richard 1678" family tree
* I am indebted to Judith Brown for providing
some of the above information *
Page last updated:
April 2008
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