Grindon 1600 onwards – Uncle John the Joiner

In 1684 a group of Grindon villagers complained that the value of the tithes had been set too high.  One of the villagers bringing this legal action was a John Titterton. A formal inquiry was held and leading knowledgeable people of the village were asked to testify as to what was custom and practice.  One of the witnesses was a George Titterton who  gave his age as 27.

That George was only aged 27 when called to give evidence tells us two things about him.   Firstly, despite his young age he must hold a leading position in the village society and hierarchy.  Secondly his father is dead otherwise it would have been the latter who would have been summoned.  There is no clue to the relationship between John and George in this document but clearly George, even if younger than John. is of a higher social standing.  George’s father can be identified with reasonable certainty as the William Titterton who paid tax on three hearths which was one of the highest hearth taxes for the village in 1665/6.  As one of the wealthiest in the village, after the vicar, he was a leading member of village society, a position which George had inherited when he gave evidence in 1684.

John Titterton and George  are both having children christened in the Grindon parish registers in the 1680s from when the registers start.  John dies in 1699 and his will is very informative.  He is a Joiner by profession and bequeaved ‘two trees’ in John Johnson’s wood.  This must be stock for his occupation.  He names four sons and two daughters.  He names his brother George as executor.

This brother is not ‘George the Founder’, born about 1654 and son of William.  (He has this nickname because this George is the founder of the Grindon family.)  To sort out the family it is necessary to look at the wills and administrations of three other George Tittertons.  That is the wills of George Titterton of Ipstones, d. 1715, and George (the founder) of Grindon d.1718 and the administration of George of Grindon d.1715.  The result is that George of Grindon, d.1715 is John’s son and George of Ipstones is John’s brother.  In turn the will of George of Ipstones shows that George the Founder is a nephew of both John and George.  William of the hearth tax return must be the eldest brother of George and John.

The family of John the Joiner

thos grindon jpeg

John the Joiner four sons. One son, Daniel, moved to Cheadle and had two sons but nothing more has been established.  George and Thomas both died in 1715.  George had six children under 10.  One of these, another Thomas Titterton of Grindon,  left a bequest to the poor of the village and this is still recorded on a benefaction board.  in Grindon church. Thomas’ will,1745, also refers to his brother John who has left the area. It is not known if he is alive or dead.   John the Joiners fourth son is Joseph.  Nothing more is known of him but he is a possible candidate for the founder of the Shirley, Longford and yeaveley branch.  No descendants of John the Joiner have been traced beyond his grandchildren.
Click here to open up The relations of John the Joiner pedigree.