William Hargrave Caldicott was born in Leominster to Edward and Caroline (nee Hargrave), his second wife, in 1824. William had just one younger sister Elizabeth Hargrave Caldicott who was born in 1827 and who later married John Hatfield Marshall on 22 May 1852 in Epworth, Lincolnshire. However, he had three half-brothers and one half-sister from his father’s first wife , Anne Alford Smith – Anne Hull, Edward, Richard and John. He was christened in Leominster on 14 April 1824.
William married Eliza Newball on 12 September 1850 at the pretty St Paul’s Church, Hyson Green, Nottinghamshire and shortly afterwards moved to Gainsborough.
Eliza was from a very highly esteemed Nottingham family. Her father, Thomas Newball was a property developer in Hyson Green and her brother, Thomas Ayre Newball was a successful manufacturing chemist who was a partner of Newball and Mason in Nottingham, which is also where Boots Chemists originated. They developed many products includingB coffee, fruit essences and flavourings, household chemicals, culinary and medicinal herbs which they made from ingredients grown on their own fruit and herb farm. But most noteworthy was their Botanic Beer,B a concentrated essence that could be made up into the non-alcoholic beverage.
William Hargrave Caldicott made his living in a bookselling and publishing business. Established in a premises in Market Place, Gainsborough he became newspaper proprietor of the Gainsborough News (See Gainsborough Caldicotts – Prominent Newspaper Publishers for the full story of this successful business).
William was an upstanding member of his community, serving as a churchwarden at Gainsborough Parish Church for many years and he also held a position on the Board of Health.
William died early at the age of 54 of consumption at his home in the Old Rectory, Gainsborough after suffering from failing health for some time. He left under £8000 to Thomas Ayre Newball, his brother-in-law, Eliza his wife and James Braithwaite.
Eliza and William had six children, William Hargrave, Jane, Charles, Edwin Tearle, Thomas Newball and Kate Hargrave.
William Hargrave Jr was born in 1852, but sadly died aged just 4 on 17 July 1856.
Jane was born in 1854, but also died young aged 16 on 27 July 1871.
Charles was born in 1857 and, following in his father’s footsteps, became a successful publisher and chair of the Gainsborough football club. He died on 1 June 1914.
Edwin Tearle was born on 22 February 1859 and became a lithographic artist working in many places around the country, including Westminster, London.
Thomas Newball was born in 1862 and became an ironmonger.
Kate Hargrave Caldicott was born in 1865 and married James Long in January 1906 in Scarborough. The couple did not have any children together and Kate died at the age of 75 on 13 Jan 1941 in Scarborough.
See also
Edward Caldicott 1846 – 1911 – Miller and family man who died in a tragic accident
Charles Caldicott – 1857 – 1914 – Gainsborough News Publisher and Gainsborough Trinity FC Chairman
Thomas Newball Caldicott – 1862 – 1935 – Successful Ironmonger
Edwin Tearle Caldicott 1859 – 1946 – Lithograph Artist
Gainsborough Caldicotts – Owners of Trinity Football Club
Gainsborough Caldicotts – Prominent Newspaper Publishers
This article has been produced largely because of research undertaken by Gainsborough Heritage Association. I would like to give warm and sincere thanks to the volunteers who committed their time to discovering a treasure trove of stories and information.
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