Champion family of Edale

The records of the Champion family of Edale, together with the Creswell and Needham families to which they were related by marriage, can be described as typical of a farming family of the Derbyshire High Peak. Here can be found records relating to the ownership of land and property in Ashford, Tofts in Cambridgeshire and as far away as Manitoba, Canada, but their chief strength lies in the extensive financial records. The bank and cashbooks reveal the difficulties of farming in the High Peak while the stock and inventory books provide a fascinating glimpse of the farms' day to day activities dating from the early nineteenth century. Bills and receipts show a more personal aspect of life in the High Peak, including records relating to doctor's bills, the building of houses and wage receipts for casual labour employed during the harvest. Together with a small amount of personal correspondence the Champion Family of Edale records paint a vivid picture of a farming community that is no longer with us.

<p>For title deeds relating to the estates of the Champion family of Edale in Castleton and elsewhere in Derbyshire, see D4757.</p>

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These records were deposited with Derbyshire Record Office in November 1985.