64 SOME OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE SOCIETY. 
In 1700 John Charlesworth was a master mason, that is, an 
architect and contractor combined, at Halifax, and was succeeded in 
liis business by a son John, who was father of Joseph Charlesworth, 
born in 1749, and who came to Wakefield in 1780, and commenced 
working collieries, indeed commenced the business, which has been 
in the family ever since. He died at Kettlethorpe Hall in 1820. In 
1814 this Joseph Charlesworth purchased the Lofthouse Estate, and 
gave it to his son Joseph, who was born in 1778, and died in 1845, 
and is the Joseph Charlesworth, senior, you mention. His eldest son, 
Joseph, is the one called junior by you. He was born in 1817 and 
died in 1 858. I am the second son of Joseph, senior, and brother of 
Joseph, junior. They both lived quiet, retired lives, took no active 
part in politics, and did not indeed place themselves before the 
public, but enjoyed the repose and pursuits of a country Hfe, and 
promoting a kind feeling and good understanding between themselves 
and their workmen and others in the neighbourhood. At the death 
of my brother in 1858, it was considered by all in the district that 
the workmen had lost their best friend. They worked four collieries 
between Leeds and Wakefield, and two in the neighbourhood of 
Rotherham. 
Yours very truly, 
J. B. Charlesworth. 
