Gell Baronets
Encyclopedia
The Gell Baronetcy, of Hopton
in the County of Derby, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 29 January 1642 for John Gell
, Hopton Hall
, Derbyshire
, chief barmaster
in the wapentake of Wirksworth from 1638–1644. The family gained importance and wealthy through their lead mining interests near Wirksworth
. Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet
received the baronetcy on the eve of the English Civil War
, but fought for the Parliamentary
side. The second and third Baronets both served as Members of Parliament
for Derbyshire
. The male line of the family became extinct on the decease of the 3rd Baronet in 1719. However, his nephew John Eyre (d. 1739) took the name of Gell upon inheriting the estate. His son, Philip Eyre Gell (1723–1795) may have built the Via Gellia
to serve the family lead mines; another son, John Gell
(1740–1806), became an admiral. Philip Eyre Gell had two sons, Philip Gell (1775–1842), who inherited the estate, and Sir William Gell
(1777–1836), an antiquarian. Philip left only a daughter, Isabella, who died in 1878, ending the line.
The Via Gellia
, a wooded valley road running from Wirksworth, was named after the Gell family, in mock Latin style. It is most likely that it was named after, or possibly by, Philip Gell (1723–1795), who was ultimately responsible for its construction.
Hopton, Derbyshire
Hopton is a hamlet in the English county of Derbyshire.It is south west of Wirksworth and at the northern end of Carsington Water.The village had a long association with the Gell family who had extensive lead mining interests in the Wirksworth area and lived at Hopton Hall...
in the County of Derby, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 29 January 1642 for John Gell
Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet
Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet was a Parliamentarian politician and military figure in the English Civil War.-Background:...
, Hopton Hall
Hopton Hall
Hopton Hall is an 18th century country house at Hopton, near Wirksworth, Derbyshire. It is a Grade II listed building.The Manor of Hopton , anciently the seat of the de Hopton family, was acquired by the Gell family in 1553 by Ralph Gell who also purchased lands at Darley Abbey and Rocester.John...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, chief barmaster
Derbyshire lead mining history
This article details some of the history of lead mining in Derbyshire, England.- Background :On one of the walls in Wirksworth church is a crude stone carving, found nearby at Bonsall and placed in the church in the 1870s. Probably executed in Anglo-Saxon times, it shows a man carrying a kibble or...
in the wapentake of Wirksworth from 1638–1644. The family gained importance and wealthy through their lead mining interests near Wirksworth
Wirksworth
Wirksworth is a small market town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of over 9,000.The population of the Wirksworth area including Cromford, Bolehill and Middleton-by-Wirksworth is about 12,000. Wirksworth is listed in the Domesday Book in 1086. Within it is the source of the River...
. Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet
Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet
Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet was a Parliamentarian politician and military figure in the English Civil War.-Background:...
received the baronetcy on the eve of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, but fought for the Parliamentary
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
side. The second and third Baronets both served as Members of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Derbyshire
Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Derbyshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
. The male line of the family became extinct on the decease of the 3rd Baronet in 1719. However, his nephew John Eyre (d. 1739) took the name of Gell upon inheriting the estate. His son, Philip Eyre Gell (1723–1795) may have built the Via Gellia
Via Gellia
Via Gellia is a steep sided wooded 'dry' valley and road in Derbyshire.It is probably named after Phillip Eyre Gell in a mock Latin style; he was responsible for building the road through the valley, and the Gells claimed Roman descent...
to serve the family lead mines; another son, John Gell
John Gell (Royal Navy officer)
Admiral John Gell was from the Gell and Eyre families of Hopton Hall in Derbyshire. He served with the Royal Navy, fighting in India and taking part in the occupation of Toulon.Gell was a commander in the Royal Navy for over...
(1740–1806), became an admiral. Philip Eyre Gell had two sons, Philip Gell (1775–1842), who inherited the estate, and Sir William Gell
William Gell
Sir William Gell was an English classical archaeologist and illustrator.-Life:Born at Hopton in Derbyshire, the son of Philip Gell and Dorothy Milnes...
(1777–1836), an antiquarian. Philip left only a daughter, Isabella, who died in 1878, ending the line.
The Via Gellia
Via Gellia
Via Gellia is a steep sided wooded 'dry' valley and road in Derbyshire.It is probably named after Phillip Eyre Gell in a mock Latin style; he was responsible for building the road through the valley, and the Gells claimed Roman descent...
, a wooded valley road running from Wirksworth, was named after the Gell family, in mock Latin style. It is most likely that it was named after, or possibly by, Philip Gell (1723–1795), who was ultimately responsible for its construction.
Gell Baronets, of Hopton (1642)
- Sir John Gell, 1st BaronetSir John Gell, 1st BaronetSir John Gell, 1st Baronet was a Parliamentarian politician and military figure in the English Civil War.-Background:...
(1592–1671) - Sir John Gell, 2nd BaronetSir John Gell, 2nd BaronetSir John Gell, 2nd Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1654 and 1689....
(1612–1689) - Sir Philip Gell, 3rd Baronet (1651–1719)