Bassett Family Association Database

Richard Bassett[1]

Male Abt 1838 - 1906  (~ 68 years)


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  • Name Richard Bassett 
    Born Abt 1838  Polesworth, Warwickshire Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Christened 23 Sep 1838  Polesworth, Warwickshire Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Died 1906 
    Notes 
    • Richard Bassett - christened 23 Sep 1838 in Polesworth, died
      1906, married the daughter of a Tamworth laborer.

      My great grandfather was Richard Basset (1838-1906) and they were married on the 29th May 1863 at Tamworth. He had many occupations in his time including gardener at Bolehall in 1863, gas works stoker at Fazeley, gas works stoker at Tamworth, shop keeper at 6 Colehill St. Tamworth, and famer at Birchmoor.
      Richard and Mary had 16 children between 1863 and 1882, my grandfather George Charles Basset (1882-1957) being the youngest born 4th Janaury 1882 at the Game Cock Inn, Birchmoor, Polesworth, where his father had become landlord in 1875. Along with William Gilliver they continued a life long indulgence in the cock fighting world. The Gilliver family were world famous, William's ancestor, also William, trained and supplied fighting cocks to George III, and in the 1880's William and Richard met Edward Prince of Wales at Newmarket as he was also into cock fighting or so the family story goes.
      When my brother and sister and I were young we would sit around, with our mouths wide open, listening to grandad telling us many stories about his dad and how he went to cock fights all over England with the Gilliver clan and others. He told us of the fights that they used to hold in the attic of the Gamecock Inn, and of the police raids on the pub and the escape route they had through the adjoining attics, out of a window in the apex and down a ladder to run like hell across the fields. This window can still be seen to this day. Cock fighting was outlawed in 1849.
      It may be plain to you that Richard did not take to working for a living as grandad said they used to win very large sums of money. His life was not all money and roses. Richard and Mary buried 8 of their children, one at Tamworth, one at Fazeley, the rest are at Polesworth and four were born dead.
      To go back to the cock fighting it is an irony that Richard died by accidentally falling down and fracturing the base of the skull on the 29th January 1906. A coroner's inquest was held on the 3rd of January 1906 and I am in the process of trying to obtain the coroner's report from Warwick Records Office. Perhaps the details from this will be worthy of another instalment!
      Pete Bassett



    Person ID I329  33B Bassetts of Blore, Hints, Staffordshire & Warwickshire
    Last Modified 21 Apr 2008 

    Father William Bassett,   b. 31 Jul 1806, Polesworth, Warwickshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1845  (Age 38 years) 
    Mother Mary Ann Wooten,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married 1837  St Martin, Birmingham Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F57  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Mary,   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Married 1863 
    Children 
     1. Sarah A Bassett,   b. Abt 1863, Tamworth, Staffordshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     2. Thomas Bassett,   b. Abt 1865, Polesworth, Warwickshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     3. Mary J Bassett,   b. Abt 1868, Tamworth, Staffordshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     4. William Bassett,   b. Abt 1870, Tamworth, Staffordshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     5. Richard Bassett,   b. Abt 1871, Fazeley, Staffordshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     6. Betsey Bassett,   b. Abt 1873, Tamworth, Staffordshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     7. Alice E Bassett,   b. Abt 1875, Shuttington, Warwickshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     8. Joseph Bassett,   b. Abt 1879, Birchmoor, Polesworth, Warwickshire Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
     9. unknown Bassett,   d. Yes, date unknown
     10. unknown Bassett,   d. Yes, date unknown
    +11. George Charles Bassett,   b. Abt 1891,   d. 1957  (Age ~ 66 years)
    Family ID F139  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Sources 
    1. [S1] GEDCOM file imported on 4 May 2009.