John Hall (1751-1840)

John Hall was born in Stillington, a small village, some twelve miles north of York, on 13^th December 1751. His father, also John Hall was, according to the church register, a bricklayer, who married a local girl, Mary Sowray. They had four children, Mary born in 1744, Elizabeth born in 1748, John born in 1751 and Christopher born in 1757. The Sowrays were a large family and one constantly sees mention of them in local records. In  1754 John was recorded as living in Sycamore Cottages, Main Street and then he bought in 1783 Wandell House, a few houses away, which he rebuilt in 1785.

John Hall senior was also one of the churchwardens in 1769 and 1770. In the Cash Book, that he had to keep, for 26^th December 1769, he records that he paid “myself & sons one day & a half paynting for lime & hare” sic  5s 6d., and on the 12^th February 1770, he  “paid for 2000 Bricks Leading 12s 0d”, also “Paid Thos Newstead for 8 Bushels of Lime 4s 0d” and then “myself 8 days and a half laying floor & whitewashing 

The John Hall Arithmetic Book

A fascinating look at John Halls arithmetic from the 17th century including examples of his work