History

We are still exploring and learning about previous occupants of Pear House (sometimes referred to as Pier House in the records and in the memory of some current Gunnerside residents). For many years in the 19 century it was a lead miner’s dwelling. There is a stone marked “R Harker 1882” in the east wall of Pear House and a descendant of his, John Bowman, has a very interesting website including many historical photographs of the Harker family. Visit

http://www.pbase.com/bowman/the_joseph_harker_family_photographs&page=all

for more information and to view his gallery.

Additional information is available at the Gunnerside village archive

http://www.gunnerside.info/Archives/Joseph_Harker_Bible.html

The archive also contains transcripts of census returns from the middle years of the 19th century recording a number of families living at Pear House over 60 years (Pear House is in the Melbecks area of the parish)   http://www.gunnerside.info/census.html

Other census returns are available at http://www.dalesgenealogy.com/census/

the census from 1891 shows Pier (Pear) house unoccupied and it is not mentioned in the census of 1901

 

There are several reasons why houses were being left empty in the last 2 decades of the 19th century. There is a really interesting essay available on line describing these changes and pressures

http://www.johnhearfield.com/Swale/Migration_1880s.htm

 

 

6 thoughts on “History

    • Hello John. It is good to have your comment and interest… you will be welcome to visit Pear House and we would be able to offer accommodation at our cottage in the village (see http://www.anvilcottage.me.uk). I’m sorry that it has taken so long to respond, but I am finally now getting to grips with understanding and managing the website, and will bring the blog about the field and wood and orchard up to date and keep it as a record of progress. It will be good to hear your family story and learn your family’s experiences of life in 19th century Swaledale; Andrew

  1. I m researching my family tree and my three times great grandfather Samuel Brunskill lived at Pear House in the 1830’s (from church baptism records) and in the 1841 census with his wife Phillis and the first 6 of their children. By 1851 Samuel had died and Phillis had moved into Gunnerside. We visited Gunnerside two years ago, but this was before I discovered this address, so an excellent excuse to return post lockdown. Thank you for sharing your lovely home on the net

  2. Dear Ian. Thank you for this post, and very glad if it has encouraged you to come back to Gunnerside. You will be welcome to explore up at Pear House.

  3. My great grandfather Joseph Cottingham married Dorothy Brunskill (approx 1860) and they lived in Pear House raising a family of 8. Joseph died in1881 of ‘lung complent’ and they moved back down to the village.
    I have the full family story plus a recent painting of the home.

  4. Dear Sam. Thank you very much for this post – I am sorry that I have overlooked it until now. I read you article in The Dalesman, January 2022 with great interest … its lovely to hear the cottage brought to life through your description of Joseph and Dorothy’s life, the growing family, and the picture of the scene as in 1875. Please feel free to visit the property (you can see from the website that we have planted an area of woodland, and an orchard of 20 mixed fruit trees) any time. We live in Anvil Cottage in the centre of village, where you can get in touch with us. With best wishes, Andrew

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