Burley In Wharfedale Census
Family Histories
Village Blacksmiths, The Rayners of Burley
Contributor: David Keith Rayner, Bradford
"Our first reference to
Rayners in the village of Burley is the baptism in 1808 of Joseph, son of
William Rayner, blacksmith. Various censuses (and Guiseley Baptismal Registers)
confirm William as being born 1781, the son of James and Mary of Yeadon.
Unfortunately, conflicting data have not allowed earlier accurate details to be
found. Thus began an un-broken period of 150 years during which the Rayners
faithfully served the local communities as blacksmiths and farriers - the
last in Burley being Charlie Rayner (blacksmith striker) died 1961.
Among ten children
William and his wife Charlotte had three sons, Joseph (later of Timble forge),
James (Burley forge) and Thomas (Woodhead forge). It is believed that the
income at Burley was insufficient for all these families and that they started
forges elsewhere in consequence.
Joseph had a son,
George, who escaped the net and became a noted headmaster at Hutton Cranswick
near Driffield and who in turn fathered two pharmacists - Horace Thorley who
emigrated to Canada 1911 and George Lancelot who was in business as a pharmacist
in Middle Street South, Driffield until 1948. His descendants are now mainly in
Canada
James had descendants
who became forgemasters and farriers both atIlkley and at Burley. The Ilkley
forge being situated near the present junction of Brook Street and New Brook
Street. This forge later moved to Little Lane, the last of this line of
blacksmiths being Samuel who died 1978.(whose son, a noted musician, was both
solo pianist at the Ritz and also accompanist to Vera Lynn). James was
succeeded at Burley by his son William (born 1852)and later by his grandson,
Samuel (born 1871).
Thomas, my
G.G.Grandfather started Woodhead forge about 1858 and was, in turn, succeeded by
his son William about 1873. When William died in 1911 the forge ceased trading
and was sold to Burley Urban District
Council. William's eldest son, Thomas Henry, worked as a stoker at Greenholme
Mill and William's second son Ernest John (blacksmith) became a coachman in
Ilkley, dying at the early age of 33 in 1908, so ending the succession of
blacksmiths at Woodhead.
Of the original
smithies, most are now demolished or are used for different purposes. The
Rayners have run smithies at Bradford, Leeds, Burley, Woodhead, Denton, Bolton
Bridge and Timble.
The one in Little Lane,
Ilkley, is the only one still to carry a sign 'Rayner blacksmith' as a reminder
of that long line of faithful service. Two local residents in the Burley area
retain their descent from the above -- my namesake, David Rayner, farmer of
Denton, and Margaret(Amy)Barker,of Burley, together with other descendants, now
spread
across eight countries worldwide."
N.B. An expanded edition of the above
(with photographs) was published in the Bradford Historical and Antiquarian
magazine 'The Antiquary' (Third Series No 4 1989) and is available in full on
their
website.