Gledhill Odds & Ends from Around the World (and beyond)
Let me have your contribution to Gledhill trivia.
Gledhill Library of the Santa Barbara Historical Society - dedicated 1967. The minutes of the Society provided "That in view of the long and dedicated service of W. Edwin and Andriette Gledhill, the library should be known as the 'Gledhill Library'". William Edwin Gledhill b 29 Nov 1888 was a native of Toronto, Canada, and went to Santa Barbara, California, as a teenager. He married Carolyn Even and they had son Keith (see below) and operated a prominent photographic business. After Carolyn's death in 1935 he married Andriette Bowen and became interested in historic preservation. They owned the baronial manorhouse "Glendessary", a sprawling Tudor mansion located in Mission Canyon which was later designated an official historical landmark. His mission in life became to protect the Spanish heritage of Santa Barbara and his efforts were eventually rewarded with the city's enactment of a protective ordinance creating two "El Pueblo Viejo Landmark Districts". This enabled the City to enforce the use of Hispanic architectural styles and to preserve and control the remodeling of the older buildings. He was for some years curator and museum director of the Historical Society. Edwin also claimed to have water divining powers. He died in 1976.
Keith Gledhill (1911-1999), son of the above W. Edwin Gledhill, was a prominent American tennis player who competed in the Davis Cup in the 1930's. He won the U.S. Open Doubles Championship in 1932 and the Australian Open Doubles Championship in 1933, each time partnering Ellsworth Vines. He took up tennis after his retirement and in 1986 won the National Senior Hardcourt Doubles Tournament which won him a place in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest span of time (60 years) between his first National championship in 1926, the National Boys Doubles Championship, and his last (1986). Keith's son David has contributed the tree of this family.
Percy W. Gledhill (1890-1962), the author of the article on the origins of the Gledhills and their name, was a prominent
local historian in Sydney, Australia. A park, a lookout and a waterfall, the
Upper Gledhill Falls, in the Northern Beaches area of Sydney are named after
him. Click here to view an article on the life
and work of Percy W. Gledhill. Visit Ken Duncan's magnificent Gallery
Online to view a photo of Upper Gledhill Falls (enter this name in
the “Product Search” box).
Gledhill Crater
on Mars (google to view) - named
after a British astronomer named Joseph Gledhill who lived from 1836 to 1906.
The Gledhill Museum of
Jerseyville, Illinois, which is operated by the Jersey County Historical
Society, was named in honor of the Gledhill family of Jerseyville. The
museum is located in the former home of the Gledhill family and sets on Lots 1
& 2 in the original Town of Jerseyville. This property came into the
hands of Dr. H.R. Gledhill and Cornelia W. Gledhill in 1908. With
the Gledhills occupying the 14 room house, it soon became the center of social
activity for the town. The Gledhills were very gracious hosts and, if
they were not entertaining their friends, the Medical Association, or local
business people, Mrs. Gledhill would have a group from their church there
working on a project. In those days it was usually a money-making project
for something needed at the church. The heirs of Dorothy Gledhill, the
last surviving Gledhill, gave the house to the Jersey County Historical Society
in 1991 to be used as a museum. (These details have been kindly provided by
the Society).
Joseph Gledhill, grandfather of the above-mentioned Dr. H.R. Gledhill
of Jerseyville, Illinois, and five of his brothers were members of the
famous Black Horse Cavalry of the Battle of Waterloo of 1815. Click here for fuller family tree details of this
Gledhill family.
Ruth Gledhill is the Religion Correspondent for "The
Times" of London. She was Highly Commended in the John
Templeton European Religion Writer of the Year award for 1997. Ruth
and her partner Andrew Daniels are dedicated and accomplished dance sport
competitors. See her impressive website at http://www.ruthgledhill.com for
more information on this most versatile and talented Gledhill.
Laurence Gledhill, expert on lion-tailed macaques: Laurence Gordon
Gledhill, a bus driver and former drill-team coach, parlayed his love for
animals into a career as an expert on lion-tailed macaques.
After becoming a keeper at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo in 1964, he rose to
senior primate keeper, sharpening his computer research skills until he became
knowledgeable about the macaques indigenous to India's Western Ghats
Mountains.
For more than 20 years he was an international stud book keeper and
international species coordinator for the Species Survival Plan, a
captive-breeding project of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. He appeared on the television show
"Nova" and was invited to India and Iran to work with zoos and
breeding programs.
" 'Laurie' was like a solitary, lovable uncle or grandpa to
everybody," said zoo director David Towne.
He said Mr. Gledhill "loved the idea of breeding macaques and
getting them back into the wild in India and Tibet. Animals break down some barriers that people
can't."
Mr. Gledhill died June 27 1998, aged 65.
He retired [from Woodland Park Zoo] in 1996 but was hired back as a
consultant. Early on he volunteered to
keep the stud book for every lion-tailed macaque in zoos in North America,
developing programs detailing the animals' ages and relationships, improving
the gene pool.
"He is totally revered by wildlife people," said Towne. "For an animal keeper, he became quite a
well-known figure around the world. He
was diligent, and he was devoted."
(Excerpt from obituary in the Seattle Times
of Saturday, July 4, 1998. Laurence Gledhill was Jeff Gledhill of Seattle 's father's cousin.. Through this website Jeff found he was a
distant relative of the Santa Barbara Gledhill family in the first item on this
page).
Sir Samuel E Gledhill, born 1677, lieutenant-colonel of foot and
lieutenant-governor of Placentia, Newfoundland 1719-1727 had a colourful career
( for memoirs of his life see E.R. Yerburgh "Some Notes on our Family
History" 1912 p.127). He was one of the sons of Robert Gledhill of Haigh
Hall near Wakefield and afterwards of Horbury who served in
the Parliamentary army, had 13 children, died 1703, and was buried at Tingley
near Morley.
Roger Gledhill has been undertaking a One Name Study on
the Gledhills. He has compiled a large database of Gledhill births, marriages,
deaths and wills for the UK up to 1900, with 30,000 records at this stage.
Roger is willing to do searches over, say, 10 years for a Christian name or
location. He would appreciate any help with this work in UK or overseas.
Contact Roger at Roger_Gledhill@tesco.net
In the October 1997 journal of the Huddersfield and District
Family History Society an article entitled "Nineteenth Century Coal Miners
in Kirklees" refers to a Report of the Royal Commission
on the Employment of Children (Mines) of 1842. It includes a summary of Medical
Examinations of Children in Dewsbury Colliery which lists the
following Gledhills:
Henry Gledhill (age 10, already worked in colliery 4 years 3 months, Stature: 3
feet 9.25 inches, Health: respiration impeded),
James Gladhill (age 11, already worked 2 months, 4 feet 2", healthy)
Joshua Gledhill (age 12, already worked for 6 years, 4 feet 1",
chicken-breasted),
Sarah Gledhill (age 8, already worked for 2 weeks, 3 feet 5.25", dwarf,
but healthy),
Martha Gledhill (age 14, already worked 8 years 6 months, 4 feet 3.5",
head affected considerably with the damp) and
Mary Gledhill (age 16, already worked 10 years 6 months, 4 feet 6.5", has
been rendered insensible with the damp and her head is bad at times).
[Notes: The height of the works from the floor to the roof where the children
"hurry" the coals is 28 inches. Kirklees is a district of
Huddersield]
Gleadalls in Trouble - Yorkshire Lent Assizes,
Castle of York 19 March 1814:
Joseph Gleadall (aged 28), late of Tickhill, in the west riding (Yorkshire),
committed the 17 day of January 1814, charged upon the oath of James Rhodes, of
the parish of Sprotbrough, in the said riding, carpenter, with having
feloniously robbed him of a new pocket knife, one key, and a quantity of silver
coin, yo the amount of about eighteen shillings, ...on Saturday evening, the 8
day of January instant, upon the highway.
Gervas Gleadall (aged 25), late of Awkley, in the west riding, labourer,
committed the 18 day of January 1814, charged upon the oath of Joseph Tweedale
of the parish of Tickhill, in the west riding, with having been concerned in a
burglary, committed by him upon the property of the said Joseph Tweedale, and
for divers other offences.
Gervas (Jarvis) Gleadall was sentenced to 7 years and was transported as a
convict to New South Wales. He arrived 25 April 1815 on the
"Indefatigable". His age then was 27, and he was
described as 5' 10 1/2" tall, ruddy complexion, light brown hair and blue
eyes. He was eventually granted Ticket of Leave 1792 and settled at Baulkham
Hills near Sydney.
George Gledhill born Leeds 1819 - highwayman in England,
transported as convict to New South Wales where he was convicted of bushranging
(=highwayman), later freed, changed his name to Gleadhill, married and produced
a respectable family of Gleadhill descendants. See
his family tree.
William Gledhill received a 7 year sentence in Yorkshire and was sent as a convict to New South Wales on the "Neptune" in the notorious Second Fleet in 1790 i.e. two years after the new penal colony was established. Six ships were in the fleet and the convicts endured terrible suffering on the voyage, with 278 dying. We have yet to search the records to determine if William was one of the survivors.
From the 1787 Directory of Sheffield:- "A LIST OF THE
CARRIERS (SHEFFIELD TO) GAINSBRO' From the ROYAL OAK, KING-STREET, GLEDDALL's
CART, through Tickhill and Retford, every Tuesday and Saturday. Returns on the
same Days."
Elland Parish Registers - Keith Pitchforth is transcribing
these registers. Elland is the heart of Gledhill country. If you want to know
more about your Gledhills of Elland and nearby for the period 1555-1650 approx,
contact Keith at keith@harbottle.demon.co.uk
The crook in the 1945 movie "Along Came Jones"
starring Gary Cooper bore the noble name of Gledhill. The review of the
film by Leonard Malin in Cinemania reads "Three stars are most
ingratiating in very low-key, leisurely Western spoof, with Cooper (who also
produced) mistaken for a notorious outlaw".
Mr Keith A Gledhill MBE CStJ DL was appointed by Her Majesty
Queen Elizabeth II as High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1992. Armorial Bearings were created prior to this
appointment and the shield forming part of these Bearings was hung in the
Shield Hall of Lancaster Castle by The Earl of Derby in June 1992,taking its
place alongside the shields of High Sheriffs and Monarchs which date back in
that Hall to the year 1109. The Shield Hall at Lancaster Castle is open to the
public. Keith Gledhill is President of Gledhill Water Storage Ltd of
Blackpool, UK, his brother Houghton is Chairman and sister Norma a
Director, with another six members of the family currently active in the
day-to-day running of the company which has been a leader in thermal water
storage since 1926. Their family hails
from Slaithwaite and Halifax in Yorkshire.
Oliver Gledhill, born 1966, is a distinguished English cellist.
Julius Oliver Horatio Napoleon Sydney Percy Gled-Hill left an endowment
to the Adelaide Central Methodist Mission (South Australia) in the 1970s.
[I have searched for, but never found, another example of this spelling of
the surname Gledhill and I have not been able to trace JOHNSP Gled-Hill's
origins- LRG]
Thomas S Gleadhill, a Scotsman, wrote one of the tunes for the Scottish
ballad "Thou
bonnie wood of Craigie-lea" in about 1851. This air was the basis of
the tune later used for the much-loved Australian national song "Waltzing
Matilda".
Are all Gledhills descended from just
one Gledhill ancestor?
George Redmonds in his 1973 book
"Yorkshire West Riding" argued that many of the distinctive names of
the West Riding - such as Ackroyd, Barraclough, GLEDHILL, Murgatroyd and
Sykes - each started with just one man in the Middle Ages.
I'd love some more contributions to this page. Send them to me at Contact Details.
Lloyd R Gledhill
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