| Description | In 1748, Matthew Bell, clothier & merchant adventurer, of Newcastle Upon Tyne, purchased the Woolsington Hall Estate from James Dagnia. John Dagnia, a glassmaker of South Shields, father of James, had purchased the estate from the Jenison family in 1741 and following the death of his father, James Dagnia bought out his brothers' share of the estate. Fifteen years later, in 1763 Matthew Bell purchased the estates of Dinnington, East & West Brunton, Fawdon & Hazlerigg which were sold following a Chancery case after the death of Sir Arthur Hesilrige n 1768. The family consolidated their holdings in West Brunton: by 1825 they had purchased those lands bought by Thomas Dawson & Jonathan Ormston in 1768 & now owned all of the township.
A pedigree of the Bell family can be found in vol. XIII pp. 207-210 of the Northumberland County History. |