Joseph Stell, the son of John Stell was baptized on October 29, 1721 in Keighley Parish, Church of England.

The Stell Family of Fell Laneane, Keighley Parish, Weavers/Woolcomber, and Members of the Independent Church of Keighley

It can be shown through a combination of records that Joseph Stell and his father, John Stell, belonged to that branch of the Keighley Stells that:

1. Lived in the hamlet of Fell Lane
2. Were weavers or woolcombers
3. Were connected to the Independent Church of Keighley.

   Notes:

   • The Independent Church connection is very important because it was a small congregation and all the Stells whose children were baptized in the congregation were related to one another.
   • While baptisms occurred in the Independent Church, marriages and deaths were recorded in the Church of England. This was a common practice in England at the time.

The Marriage of Joseph Stell and Mary Sharp

Joseph Stell married Mary Sharpe on January 25, 1749 in Keighley Parish (Church of England Keighley Parish records).

The Children of Joseph Stell and Mary Sharp

1. George Stell (1752-1809) and Isabelle (Tabytha) Lawson

   Baptism: George, the son of Joseph Stell of Fellane, was baptized in the Independent Church Keighley on February 30, 1752.

   This baptism occurred three years after the marriage.

   • How old was George when he was baptized?
   • Was George the first child of Joseph Stell and Mary Sharp?

   Note: George's was the fifth baptism listed in the Independent Church of Keighley. The four preceding baptisms were for the children of Mary Stell and her husband, John Rishworth. Mary Stell Rishworth was the sister of Joseph Stell.

   Marriage: Isabelle Lawson 1785 Birstall Parish

   Children:

   1. Joseph Lawson Stell (1786-1841) Hannah Brook?? and Lydia Scholefield??
      Birth: Joseph, the son of George Stell of Gomersall, woolcomber, was baptized on May 2, 1786 in Birstall parish (BiBT).
      Note: In the early 1800s there were not a lot of Stells in Bristall parish. Most of the records can be connected to George Stell and his children. HOWEVER, George Stell was literate and had a beautiful had writing as evidenced by a note book he kept starting in 1785. See George Stell. I am skeptical that he had a son who could not sign his name. However, his daughter, Anne, did NOT sign her name at her marriage in 1817. See George Stell.
      Marriage: Joseph Stell married Hannah Brook "both of Cleckheaton" on October 26, 1800 in Birstall. Both made their mark. (BiBT).
      Death of Hannah Stell: ???
      Second marriage of Joseph Stell: Joseph Stell married Lydia Scholefield in Birstall parish on February 9, 1807. Both of Heaton. Both made thier mark.
      Children: Joseph Stell and Lydia Stell, of Cleckheaton, had the following children baptized in Independent Chapel in Cleckheaton in Birstall parish:
      1. Martha born on June 11, 1807 and baptized on July 20, 1807 (Independent Chapel Cleckheaton)
      2. Betty born on October 26, 1808 and baptized on February 1, 1808 (Independent Chapel Cleckheaton)
      3. Mary born on March 10, 1811 and baptized on April 14, 1811 (Independent Chapel Cleckheaton).
         Marriage??? : Mary Stell married William Haley July 21, 1828 both x'd witnesses John Hunsworth and Thomas Parsey, Batley Parish
         Note she would have only been 17 years old.
         Children:
         1. Note: There was a William Healy and Mary combination in the parish before the marriage in 1828

      Death of Joseph Lawson Stell:

      • Parish Record: Joseph Lawson Stell was buried in Adwalton on July 23, 1841, age 53.
      • Civil Record: STELL, Joseph Lawson, Bradford, 23, 93 September 1841

   2. Samuel Stell

      Baptism: Samuel, son of George Stell of Great Gomersal, was baptized on ---- 2, 1787 (BiBT).
      Further Records: He married twice and had children. See George Stell

   3. Nathan Stell

      Baptism: Nathan, son of George Stell of Gomersal, woolcomber, baptized June 25, 1790 (BiBT).
      Further Records: He married and had children. See George Stell

   4. Benjamin Stell

      Baptism: Benjamin, son of George Stell of Gomersal, baptized March 24, 1793 (BiBT).
      Further Records: He married and had children. See George Stell

   5. Ann Stell (1796-) and John Sykes

      Birth: Ann Stell, the daughter of George and "Tabby" Stell of Gomersal, woolcomber, was baptized on December 18, 1796 (BiBT).

      Marriage: Ann Stell married John Sykes in Batley Parish in 1817. For more information on Ann Stell Sykes and he family go to John Sykes

   6. Mary Stell 1799 Birstall Parish

      See George Stell

   7. Betty Stell (1802-) and Joseph Barraclough

      Birth: Betty, of George and "Isabelle" Stell of Great Gomersal, woolcomber, was baptized December 17, 1800 (BiBT).

      See George Stell

   Further Records for George Stell and his family: See George Stell now or at the bottom of the page

   Break of six years

2. Nathan Stell (1758-) and Ann Wood

   Baptism: Nathan, the son of Joseph Stell of Fell Lane, was baptized on May 30, 1758 in the Independent Church Keighley .

   Note: Nathan was an unusual name in the parish. This is the first time the name Nathan was used in the Stell family. It was used for several generations.

   Occupation: Weaver 1803 Muster Roll*, Nathan Stell, Weaver, Class 4

   Marriage: Nathan Stell married Anne Wood on July 27, 1779 (Church of England).

   Residence: Nathan Stell lived in Fellane as indicated by the baptismal records of his children.

   Children :

   1. Joseph Stell (1780-) Sarah _____, and Hannah______
      Birth: Joseph born on February 1, 1780 and baptized on March 12, 1780 (Church of England records)
      Occupation: Woolcomber
      Marriage: Sarah
      Children:
      1. Cain twin of Abel
      2. Abel 05 March 1823 (IGI)
         Death of Abel Stell: Dec Qtr 1858 Bradford
      Death of Sarah Stell:
      Marriage: Hannah, not in Keighley
      Death of Joseph Stell: Dec 1854 Bradford Free BMD
      1851 Census: in Bradford, Wapping (?) Street: Joseph Stell, age 65, wool comber, born Keighley, Hannah wife age 55, born Ireland, Abel son age 31, idiot, born Bradford
   2. Molly, of Nathan Stell of Fell Lane and his wife, Anne, the daughter of Joseph Wood, was born on October 23, 1781 and baptized on January 20, 1782 (Church of England records).
      Note: Molly is a nickname for Mary.
   3. George Stell (1784-) and Mary Franland
      George, the son of Nathan Stell of Fell Lane and his wife, Anne, the daughter of Joseph Wood, was born on January 26, 1784 and baptized on March 21, 1784 (Church of England records).
      Marriage: George Stell married Mary Franland in 1808 in Lintin in Craven.
      Children: None in Keighley.
      1. Elizabeth 18 April 1810, Lintin in Craven
      2. Richard 13 Sept 1812, Lintin in Craven
      Censuses: No
   4. Nathan Stell (1786-1859) and Mary Smith
      Birth: Nathan, the son of Nathan and Ann Stell of Fell Lane born on July 9, 1786 and baptized on August 13, 1786 (Church of England records).
      Occupation: Weaver, Muster Roll 1803*, 1841 comber,
      Marriage: Nathan Stell married Mary Smith 19 December 1816 (Parish Index)
      Children:
      1. Sarah Ann, 9 May 1817 (Parish Index)
         Death: Another Sarah born in 1828
      2. Joseph Rushworth Stell, 23 February 1819 of Nathan and Mary Stell, Fell Lane, Wooler (Keighley Parish Record)
      3. Leah 18 March 1821 (Parish Index)
      4. Eden 16 March 1823 (Parish Index)
      5. Nathan Stell (1824)
         Birth: Nathan 17 October 1824 (IGI and Parish Index)
         Further Records: Nathan Stell was listed in the 1841 through 1901 censues in Keighley: 1841 (blacksmith), 1851 (engine smith), 1861 (blacksmith), 1871 (worsted machine maker), 1881 (machine maker employing 100 hands), 1891 (retired blacksmith) 1901 (retired machine maker) These censuses indicate that:
         • He married twice: Maria _____ and Sarah _____ (1856)
         • Had one daughter Leah born circa 1852.
         • Sarah was still alive in 1901
         • There was one servant in 1881, 1891 and 1901
         • Leah was living at home age 28 unmarried in 1881
         Death: March 1902 Keighley Free BMD
      6. Mary 1 July 1827 (Parish Index)
      7. Sarah 22 June 1828 (Parish Index)
      1841 Census: Calers-ke Hill, Keighley, Nathan Stell, age 55 comber, Nathan age 15, blacksmith, Eden age 15, weaver, Mary age 20, spinner, all born Yorkshire.
      Death of Nathan Stell: September 1859 Keighley Free BMD
   5. Anne, the daughter of Nathan and Ann Stell of Fell Lane, born on November 12, 1790 and baptized on January 5, 1791 in the Independent Church in Keighley.
   6. Paul Stell (1793-1863) and Mary King
      Birth: Paul, the son of Nathan and Ann Stell of Fell Lane born on July 1, 1793 and baptized on July 29, 1793 Independent Church in Keighley
      Occupation: Hand loom weaver
      Marriage: Mary King 30 July 1810 Keighley (Parish Index)
      Children:
      1. Ann born 17 Dec 1810 baptized 24 Feb 1811
      2. Joseph Stell
         Birth: Joseph born 22 June baptized 26 July 1812
         Marriage: Single in 1851
         Residence:
         Occupation:
      1851 Census: Exleyhead, Keighley: Paul Stell, age 58, widower, hand loom weaver, Joseph, son, age 37, unmarried, hand loom weaver, Ann, daughter, age 39, house keeper, Mary, granddaughter, age 15, power loom weaver, Betty Scott lodger, parish relief, all born Keighley.
      Death: June 1863 Keighley Free BMD

   Other Records: LDS microfilm #1952083 includes, Papers from Keighley Library, West Yorkshire Archive Service, Bradford. Among these papers is the indenture form for Susan Waddington to Nathan Stell of Keighley on June 6, 1799. The types of indentures listed were mostly for court appointed indentures for orphans. This was a common practice to reduce the numbers of children who would have to be supported by public subsidy.

   Break of eight years

3. Mary, the daughter of Joseph Stell of Keighley, was baptized on February 26, 1766 in the Independent Church in Keighley.

Note: Although there are large breaks in the baptismal records and the mother of the children of Joseph Stell was not listed on any of the baptismal records, I assume that Mary Sharp was the mother of George, Nathan, and Mary, as there is no death records between 1749 and the birth of Mary in 1766 for either "Mary Stell" or the "wife of Joseph Stell".

Occupation

All the known children of Joseph Stell were baptized in the Independent Church of Keighley where the occupation of the father was not listed in the baptismal records.

However, his brothers were weavers and his son, George Stell, was a woolcomber . Since occupations in this part of England tended to run in families it is highly likely that Joseph Stell was also a weaver or woolcomber.

Stells in Fell Lane in the 1950s and 60s

You may be interested to know that my mother's cleaning lady was "Mrs. Stell", and she lived on Fell Lane. There was also a mill on the North Beck (Stell's Mill), which was burned down around 1950. One of my school-friends married a Jean Land, so there were still Stells and Lands in Keighley in the 1950's-60's.

John Newhill

For more information on John Stell, the father of Joseph Stell, click on the photo of Fell Lane, Keighley Parish

For more information on George Stell, the son of Joseph Stell, click on the picture of Newsolme Dene

For more information on the Independent Congregation in Keighley, click on the photo of Fell Lane.

For more information on the parish of Keighley and the village of Fell Lane, click on the photo of Fell Lane.

To view photos of Fell Lane and Keighley, click on the photo of Newsolme Dean

One of the Stells of Keighley was a counterfeiter who was captured tried and convicted. He was hung for his crimes. For more information on Joseph Stell, coiner, click on the photo of Fellane, Keighley Parish