X20    STE c.1865 PLA

Plan of a freehold estate in the Township of Steeton

Size: 13”*19”: Material: Paper

Scale: 6 chains to 1”

Condition: Good

This sale plan is undated but states that the estate described was ‘late the property of William Sugden’. Sugden is a very common surname in the Keighley area, but I think that it is reasonable to assume that this William Sugden was the man of the same name who was the owner of Damems Mill. This factory on the river Worth was built as a cotton mill, but was converted to worsted weaving in 1824. The logical time for the estate to be offered for sale would be shortly after the owner’s death. William Sugden (1786-1834) married Mary Ann Greenwood in 1806 and died in the mid-1830s. His mill was considered by the Factories Enquiry in 1834.

The drawback to this theory is Steeton Hall, which features prominently on this plan. This house is known to be originally early 17^th century in date but was rebuilt on several occasions. It was purchased by the Sugden family in 1819 and William Sugden was known to be living there by 1822. If the estate was indeed sold on his death then 1835 would be a reasonable date for both sale and plan, but the Bradford Observer, in various advertisements around 1842-1845, records the fact that William’s son, John Greenwood Sugden (1818-1864), was living there. Moreover he was located at Steeton Hall at the time of the 1851 census. Possibly the whole estate was offered for sale on his own death in the mid-1860s but, if so, why link the property with his father who died 30 years previously? I know nothing like enough Keighley history to resolve this problem. Can anybody help me?