Papers of Ann Reynolds and Margaret Hannah Reynolds, née Twiss

Ink and pencil sketches, watercolours, letters, and photographs relating to the Reynolds family; principally Ann Reynolds of Heslington, near York, and the family of John and Margaret Hannah Reynolds, née Twiss, of Denfield House, Altrincham, Cheshire. Includes family portraits; sketches and paintings of Yorkshire scenes; sketches of flora and fauna; studies of classical, theatrical and religious subjects, 19th century; and letters, 1836-1894, with transcriptions, c.2014, concerning family news, Denfield House School, and the emigration of Charles Alfred Barlow and his wife Annie, née Reynolds, to California in the 1880s.

The Reynolds family were associated with Heslington, near York, Millington in Cheshire and Ravenglass in Cumberland. Ann Reynolds was born c.1791 and was living in Heslington with her elder sister Elizabeth (born c.1781) by the time of the 1841 census. From her surviving papers it is evident that Ann was a talented artist who maintained a close relationship with her cousins George, John and Jane Reynolds. Elizabeth Reynolds died in 1851 and Ann subsequently lived with a companion, Bessie Smith, until her own death in 1859 at the age of 71.
Ann’s cousin John Reynolds was born in Wykeham, Yorkshire, c.1816. In 1841 he married Margaret Hannah Twiss, daughter of William and Frances Twiss, who was also a keen artist. Margaret and her sister Sarah were already the proprietors of a boarding school for young ladies at Denfield House in Millington, Cheshire. Following their marriage, John moved into Denfield House and is listed as a ‘schoolmaster’ in 1851 and 1861, with Margaret described as a school mistress and Sarah Twiss as a teacher of music.
John and Margaret had at least nine children: Sarah Jane, born 1842; William Francis, born 1844; John, born 1846; George Frederick Edward, born 1847; John Thomas, born 1849; Anne, born 1851; Jane Elizabeth, born 1853; Alfred Henry, born 1855; and Margaret Hannah, born 1856. George later became a Professor of Music at Denfield House school.
Their daughter Anne, or Annie, married Charles Alfred Barlow, a consulting engineer, in 1880 and briefly emigrated with him to Arcata, California, where their daughters Lilian and Gladys were born. They had returned to England by 1887 when their daughter Edith was born in Bradford and in 1891 the family were living in Crosthwaite, Westmorland.
Ann’s cousin Jane Reynolds was born in Wykeham c.1818 and married another Reynolds cousin, Frederick, who was born in Escrick, Yorkshire, to John and Maria. Frederick gained a position as an Excise Man in 1850 through the patronage of Lord Wenlock, who owned a large estate in Escrick. In 1861 he was described as an Officer of Inland Revenue. Jane died in 1867 and Frederick died in 1905, by which time he was living in Ravenglass in Cumberland with his second wife, Ann.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws. Please note that parts of this archive are awaiting conservation work and access may be limited until this work is completed. 24 hours' notice is required to access photographic material.

The archive was deposited at the Borthwick Institute in 2014 by the Reynolds family.

The Reynolds family were associated with Heslington, near York, Millington in Cheshire and Ravenglass in Cumberland. Ann Reynolds was born c.1791 and was living in Heslington with her elder sister Elizabeth (born c.1781) by the time of the 1841 census. From her surviving papers it is evident that Ann was a talented artist who maintained a close relationship with her cousins George, John and Jane Reynolds. Elizabeth Reynolds died in 1851 and Ann subsequently lived with a companion, Bessie Smith, until her own death in 1859 at the age of 71.
Ann’s cousin John Reynolds was born in Wykeham, Yorkshire, c.1816. In 1841 he married Margaret Hannah Twiss, daughter of William and Frances Twiss, who was also a keen artist. Margaret and her sister Sarah were already the proprietors of a boarding school for young ladies at Denfield House in Millington, Cheshire. Following their marriage, John moved into Denfield House and is listed as a ‘schoolmaster’ in 1851 and 1861, with Margaret described as a school mistress and Sarah Twiss as a teacher of music.
John and Margaret had at least nine children: Sarah Jane, born 1842; William Francis, born 1844; John, born 1846; George Frederick Edward, born 1847; John Thomas, born 1849; Anne, born 1851; Jane Elizabeth, born 1853; Alfred Henry, born 1855; and Margaret Hannah, born 1856. George later became a Professor of Music at Denfield House school.
Their daughter Anne, or Annie, married Charles Alfred Barlow, a consulting engineer, in 1880 and briefly emigrated with him to Arcata, California, where their daughters Lilian and Gladys were born. They had returned to England by 1887 when their daughter Edith was born in Bradford and in 1891 the family were living in Crosthwaite, Westmorland.
Ann’s cousin Jane Reynolds was born in Wykeham c.1818 and married another Reynolds cousin, Frederick, who was born in Escrick, Yorkshire, to John and Maria. Frederick gained a position as an Excise Man in 1850 through the patronage of Lord Wenlock, who owned a large estate in Escrick. In 1861 he was described as an Officer of Inland Revenue. Jane died in 1867 and Frederick died in 1905, by which time he was living in Ravenglass in Cumberland with his second wife, Ann.

This archive has not yet been catalogued. Please contact the Borthwick Institute for further information.

Created by S. A. Shearn, 17.08.16.

A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the document. Copies are supplied in accordance with the Borthwick Institute for Archives' terms and conditions for the supply of copies, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of documents in the custody of the Borthwick Institute must be sought.

Further accruals are not expected.

Entry papers for Frederick Reynolds' service as an Excise man are held by The National Archives (Reference: CUST 116/31/145). His will is held by Cumbria Archive Service at their Carlisle record office (Reference: PROB/1905/WCOD743).

Published

GB193