A Family of Stonemasons (Revisited)

This photograph, from the Bewcastle page of the Geograph website, was taken by Peter McDermott. It shows the "Round House" at Roanstrees Farm.

The Bewcastle Journal tells us, "The Shawhead Storys built the 'Round House' in the yard at Roanstrees farm, said to be a great achievement in architecture at the time."

Robert Story, my 2xgreat grandfather, and his sons were "The Shawhead Storys". His eldest son was Thomas, my Grandma's father, who died in 1898, aged 44 years.

Christopher Story (left) and Robert Story (2nd to the right), Robert's 4th and 3rd sons, respectively

As I have previously written on this blog, there have been many generations of Story stonemasons. An earlier ancestor was Thomas Story, born 1757, who was a stonemason of the Row Mains. At that time there was a lot of stonemasonry work in Bewcastle. The Story family is said to have been very much involved in the building of farms, houses and stonedykes that were being erected in the parish. Records show that his son, John Story, born 1787, was a stonemason of Mains. Shawhead Robert was John's son.

This tradition has continued into the present. My uncle Frank Rogers, the son of Maggie Goodfellow Story, became a stonemason, as did his son, my cousin Ian Rogers.

This adds up to six known generations of stonemasons in the Story line. There was a gap in my grandmother's generation, as her brother Willie worked in the grocery business and Robert became a farmer.

Thomas Story born 1757
John Story born 1787
Robert Story born 1821
Thomas Story born 1855

Frank Rogers born 1930
Ian Rogers born c. 1962