First Posting. Looking for information on William and Martha Leigh (nee. Lane)

[shuttleman]

Hello Everyone, I am new to the site. I am looking for further information on my ggggrandparents William and Martha Leigh (nee;Lane) who married in Manchester in 1815. They had two children, Samuel in 1820 and Elizabeth in 1824. (Samuel is my gggrandfather)

William appears to have abandoned his wife before possibly turning up in Leyland near Preston were he is shown on the 1841 Census, but cant be sure its the correct William. I am eager to prove the link and equally keen to establish what happened to Martha Leigh. (her last known reference was living alone in Poland St Ancoats Manchester in 1830).

Samuel definately moved to Preston after 1841 and married Rachel Webster there in 1849.

Any help to solve the mystery of William would be appreciated. I have been trying to solve this for 20 years. An old family story indicated he may have been involved in the "Peterloo Massacre" in 1819.. He was a Handloom Weaver

[Maiden Stone]

Have you eliminated these as possible candidates for William Leigh in Leyland on 1841 census ?
William Lee. weaver, bachelor of Leyland married Elizabeth Mackral at St. Andrew, Leyland 1820;
William Leigh, weaver, widower of Leyland married Ann Gregson at St. Andrew, Leyland 1821.
William Leigh, weaver, widower of Leyland married Jane Platt at St. Andrew, Leyland 1835;
(Lancashire Online Parish Clerks)
Other men in Preston area named William Leigh/Lee/Lea included:
William Lee, bachelor, Manchester who married Ann Davidson at St. John, Preston 1835.

[shuttleman]

Hello Maiden Stone

Thanks for the reply. I have eliminated those individuals yes, but thanks for the info.

[ThrelfallYorky]

Have you tried putting this on the "Lancashire" board?
Think also of the online "Lancs Parish Clerks" - wonderful resource.
And, looking at some of the locations, "Wiganworld" - an entry / query under "People" may come up with a lot of help - it's free to register and post, and there are a few people on there who really do know their stuff!
Good luck - OH had a William Leigh, and he was a real pest to locate, given spelling variations among illiterate / semi literate weavers of the time! And there was a Martha - but sadly not yours.

[trish1120]

There is a Burial of a William Leigh 14 Jul 1825 St John - Deansgate, Manchester.
Age 37
Abode Lever St
(Source FreeREG)

This is not on LancsOPC I noted.

William/Martha may ave had a Son WILLIAM Leigh Bapt 1 Jan 1823, Father a Weaver

[ThrelfallYorky]

I've found several Samuels born to Williams and Marthas Leigh in the Manchester / Cheshire area since I first read this. Are you sure that your Samuel is the one b 1820 and baptised in M/C cathedral? You know yours was in Preston in 1841, and married Rachel Webster (there?) in 1849, so lets see where that takes us. Is the one in the 1851 census with wife Rachel and son John Wm (William) Leigh, aged one, a shuttlemaker, yours? That confirms his approximate birthdate.

[ThrelfallYorky]

.... and I assume that the "Sam Leigh, shuttlemaker, 21 in the 1841 census, on Oldham Road in Manchester / Salford is the same chap?
If so, he seems to have gone by 1861, when Rachel in Preston and several children are back with her parents....

Are we on the right lines?

[ThrelfallYorky]

(I must be careful not to confuse Manchester Lancs, with Mancetter in Warwickshire, I see)