John Hargreaves

John lived at Bank Hall, and was the second son of James Hargreaves of Goodshaw.

He became a Lieutenant Colonel of the 3rd Royal Lancashire Militia, and was a J.P., and Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of the County of Lancashire.

John became rich because he inherited coal mines in Burnley - whose prosperity was rapidly increasing during the industrial revolution - from an uncle, the Rev. John Hargreaves. He, in turn, had acquired them by marrying the widow of their original owner.

Further coal mines passed to John on the death of his brother, James.

It was John Ormerod who extended Ormerod House and surrounded it with trees.

The old Ormerod House was sketched in 1811 by George Ormerod, the historian, but was later turned into a Victorian monstrosity, which still encased the ancient family home, by John Hargreaves. George Ormerod's sketch can be seen here to the left.

The house became unsafe because of mining subsidence and was pulled down in 1947 after a sale in which valuable wooden panelling went to America.

Another ancient timber framed building still stands at Ormerod.

This was encased in stone by John Hargreaves who put an 1830s' date stone on it.

All that remains of the buildings associated with the original Ormerod House is a very old stone lined ice house below ground level on the east side of the site of the original house where the ground falls away steeply to the river Brun.

John and Charlotte had three children: Eleanor Mary, John and Charlotte Ann.

Eleanor married the Rev. William Thursby, and details of this branch of the family can be found by clicking on the link to the Thursby Family.