The Joseph Stone Trust History
Who Was Joseph Stone?
Joseph Stone was born in 1639. His father was Nicholas Stone of Hemsworth Hall, a rich industrialist, merchant and landowner with lead mines in Hope and Castleton and land in and around Norton.
This was a time just before civil war broke out (in 1642) when Charles I ruled as absolute monarch. The House of Lords existed mainly of the nobility nominated by the King, looking after their own self-interests, currying favour in the right quarters, selling land to fund their lavish lifestyles and fearing the King taking displeasure with them on a whim, confiscating their lands, fining them and even beheading!
During the civil war Nicholas Stone increased his wealth, supplying musket shot to both sides and crude iron balls for cannon. He was one of ten lead merchants approached to loan £10,000 to King Charles II in 1662, although there isn’t any evidence this went ahead, it was an enormous sum of money for the time.
Joseph continued his father’s legacy, purchasing his own lead mines in Aston and Dronfield and extensive forestry rights in Ecclesall Woods. He bought Mosborough Hall and the estate lands in 1662 and married Ruth Gill of Oaks Park, Norton in 1664, who brought additional wealth to the relationship. They had five children, but sadly two died in infancy.
His father died in 1676, leaving the majority of his estate to Joseph and his father-in-law died in 1677, leaving him additional mines and land around Staveley. In 1678 his wife Ruth died aged just 38 and Joseph himself died in 1680 aged 41.