Blackah Family
It is said that the Blackah family, or Blackey as they were originally called, were originally from Scotland, but I have seen no evidence to support this.
The family name changes with time and location, the early form is BLACKEY, the first recorded of such is Maria, wife of Thomas Blackey who is recorded as being “of Greenhow” when she died in 1697.
The BLACKAH variant started on Greenhow with Joseph Blackey, born at Greenhow in 1794 to Joseph Blackey & Ann Ward of the same place. Joseph (1794-1873) started calling his self BLACKAH and all his descendants use the same spelling; this variant seems confined to them only. The photo on the left is of Joseph Blackah (1794-1873) and his wife Ann (1797-1870), nee Dunn.
Their main occupation was lead mining. It was the closure of the lead mines that caused the Blackey’s/Blackah’s to move away from Greenhow. Some mines were becoming worked out and the price of lead fell to an uneconomic level. Most moved to the major towns of Leeds & Bradford, but some finished up at Portsmouth. Thomas Blackah (1826-1895) moved to Leeds and it was here that the variant BLAKEY appears to have been used.
Other name variants occasionally seen are BLACKHAY and BLACKER.
One branch of the family starting with Francis Blackey, born 1791 at Grassington moved down to Todmorden via Barnoldswick, this branch of the family started using another variant of the name – BLACKA.
Some members of the Blackah family had other talents as well as mining and farming.
One, Thomas Blackah (1826-1895) was an accomplished poet, writing in his native Yorkshire dialect. See Poems by Thomas Blackah.
Musicians in the Blackah family
They were all very musical, at least three of them were members of the Greenhow Hill Victoria Brass Band which used to play in Greenhow Chapel. When the Chapel got an organ, they could not play, which caused a great deal of trouble. The band was thought to be very good and was much sought after on festive occasions in the area. There were 17 in the band:
| Joe Mackwell | 1st Cornet |
| John Green | 2nd Cornet |
| Ann Green | Bass |
| Thomas Blackah | Bass Instrument (Bruff says French Horn) |
| Richard Blackah | A Horn going right round his body |
| Jossie Blackah | Bass Instrument |
| Maw Simpson | Single Bass |
| Will Green | Big Drum |
| Thomas Wilkinson Marshall | Little Drum |
| R Mackwell | A round Instrument |
| Duncan Mackwell | 1st Fiddle |
| Jackie Green | Double Bass |
| ? | Trombone |
| 4 others | String Instruments |
Nathaniel Grainge was also in the band according to William Longthorn. This information was from Henry Newbould via Harald Bruff.
Thomas Blackah wrote many poems and prose, mainly in the Yorkshire dialect, but some also in English. He was a constant contributor to the local papers; some of his prize poems he had printed and sold for a few pence.
A collection of his poems was published under the title “Songs and Poems in the Nidderdale Dialect” in 1867. He also wrote and published for some years a dialect almanack “T’ Nidderdill Oliminac” under the pseudonym of Nattie Nydds.
In 1937 Harold Bruff, with the help of some of his descendants published some of his works in a book called “Dialect Poems and Prose” together with a short biography.
Thomas Blackah emigrated to America in 1857, but found that he had been deceived by the emigration agent and soon returned. He wrote and circulated a description of his experiences still extant, which is a terrible indictment of which was allowed on board the passenger sailing vessels.
Inscription engraved in Cockhill Level in the second shale band from the entrance reads:
BLACKAH
A.32
1858
This inscription is likely to be that of Thomas Blackah (1826-1895) as his birth year from above would be 1826.
See also:
- A Biography of Thomas Blackah
- Poems by Thomas Blackah
- Voyage to America in 1857
- 5 generations of Blackey/Blackah from Thomas Blackey 1711-1781 as either a chart or text
You say some of the family moved to Portsmouth. Was this Portsmouth down south or Portsmouth on the outskirts of Todmorden? I am descended from the Blackas of Todmorden, James Blacka being my g-g-grandfather.
Follow the “Greenwood” links on my website.
The Portsmouth I referred to is the one “down south”.
The Todmorden Blacka’s originate from Greenhow Hill & Grassington. The Todmorden branch started with Francis Blacka born 1791 in Grassington.
The Portsmouth (Hampshire) Blackah’s start from the brothers Alexander Blackah was born 1829 in Hardcastle (No 50) and Joseph Blackah was born 07 Nov 1831 in Greenhow Hill (No 51)
There is a website dealing with the Todmorden branch at https://sites.rootsweb.com/~todmordenandwalsden/blacka.htm
My great grandma married a blackah. Hannah Maria blackah I wonder if this is the same family. Also a great uncle called Harry blackah who had a tailors shop in Leeds, they also lived in Leeds.
I am researching my family history and my antecedents in the early 19C include Mackwells and Marshall families, the former living in the hamlets of Bewerley and Greenhow Hill. I noticed that on the 1901 and 1911 censuses for George Marshall Mackwell, there is a cousin mentioned called Charles Blackah. Three of your correspondents on this website make reference to this surname.
My mother was Joan Blackah, her father was was George Blackah of Portsmouth. I am hoping to come up to North Yorkshire to the Village that Thomas Blackah lived in and have a look around my ancestors home!
I recently visited the grave of my gt gt grandparents Hannah & Alexander Blackah. If anyone would like to record on their own family history where this grave is situated it is as follows:
Highland Road Cemetery Portsmouth, Plot E, Row 11, Grave 42
Unfortunately the grave is now hidden under a large shrub. Also buried in this cemetery is his brother Joseph. I would like to thank the Friends of Highland Road for the help they gave me in finding the grave.
I am his great great great grand daughter
I am descended from William Blacka (brother of Francis mentioned above) who migrated to Australia with his wife Sarah Louise (nee Pickles) and children in 1840-1841.