Gell Baronets
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Gell Baronets were from the Gell family of Derbyshire which became important 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 1st Baronet was chief barmaster in the wapentake of Wirksworth from 1638–1644, and his son the 2nd Baronet from 1644–1661. Both the 2nd and 3rd Baronets served as MPs 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, Sir Philip Gell, who was ultimately responsible for its construction.
[edit] Gell Baronets, of Hopton, Derbyshire (1642)
- Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet (1592–1671)
- Sir John Gell, 2nd Baronet (1612–1689)
- Sir Philip Gell, 3rd Baronet (1651–1719)
