1861/71 lookup please-Solomon Longworth

[jinks]

This is another LONGWORTH Grave
from St Marys and All Saints Whalley

Sacred to the memory
of
THOMAS LONGWORTH
who died November 25th 1904
Aged 56 years
also JULIA his wife
who died June 22nd 1937
Aged 86 years
also GEOFFREY infant son of the above
who died September 9th 1889 Aged 2 days
also ERIC TALBOT son of the above
who died August 11th 1897, Aged 4 years & 10 months
also HAROLD eldest son of the above
who died September 7th 1937 Aged 52 years.


Jinks

[canniffe]

You have discovered more in two messages than I have in six months.  Thank you Jinks.
Elaine

[jinks]

Hi Elaine

If you do not live near Lancashire,

Try getting hold of the book published by
the Lancashire Family History and Heraldry Society
I think it is still in print.

It was published in 1987
Title: A survey of the Graveyard of Saint Mary
        and All Saints Whalley in the county of
        Lancashire.

Carried out by Members and Friends of Wiswell
Women's Insitute during the year 1982.

(Credit where credit ids due)

It was £3.50 when I purchased it.
(From 2005 A couple of years ago)


Jinks

[canniffe]

Thank you Jinks.  I will try their website.
Regards,
Elaine

[Nigelew]

Hi
I’m replying to what looks like a very old post.  Amy Longworth nee Birch, who married William Clarkson Birch, is my wife’s great grandmother.  Amy was the daughter of Solomon Birch, a mill owner and pattern designer from Darwin, Lancashire.  I have photographs of both Amy and William.
Cheers
Nigel

[Cworswick]

Hi Nigel,
Your wife comes from quite a family.
Amy Longworth was the daughter of Solomon Longworth. He came from very humble beginnings, but left today’s equivalent of £25,000,000 when he died. He started out as a stone mason, but became a cotton mill owner. He owned Judge Walmsley mill in Billington. There is a terraced street named after him, which was built next to the mill for the mill workers.
In the 1841 Census, he was 20 years old and living with the Thompson family in Blackburn. They were builders, and they built his mill in Billington.
Solomon and his family lived in Clerk Hill Hall in Whalley, which is now Whalley Golf Club.
Solomon erected a footbridge over the River Calder inbetween Whalley and Billington, and to this day it is known as Old Sol’s bridge.

William Clarkson Birch was a schoolmaster. His father was a wealthy calico printer.

[Nigelew]

Hi
Really appreciate your response.  My wife’s grandmother (Amy’s daughter) had silver given to her which is inscribed from Whalley church.  I have photographs of Amy Longworth and her husband  William Clarkson Birch, who became head of St Paul’s school, Westminster where my wife’s grandmother went to school.  She was taught piano there by the resident music teacher, who happened to be Gustav Holst.
I am intrigued by the link in my wife’s family to Lancashire, being a Lancastrian, born in Blackpool and brought up in the Fylde, before moving South in 1974.
Thanks once again for your message.
Cheers
Nigel

[Cworswick]

No problem Nigel.

I’ve researched Solomon Longworth and his family, so please let me know if you want to learn more about them.

Google will provide you with lots of information, including images of his mill and bridge. Longworth Road in Billington is quite topical at the moment, because of recent flooding from the river. Google maps shows Harrison’s Engineering where Solomon’s mill used to be.

My email is cnworswick@gmail.com if you need it.

[Cworswick]

William Clarkson Birch grew up in the village next to me. I live in Hoghton, Lancashire.

In the 1861 Census, his father was a calico printer and employed 80 men and 40 boys. They lived in Woodville, which is the adjacent property to Bannister Hall Printworks in Higher Walton near Preston, Lancashire.

This mill became famous for making khaki uniforms for the army, but this was after William’s time there.

In the 1911 Census, William lived at 22 Glazbury Road in West Kensington. Look on Streetview, this is a beautiful 12 room house.