Ellen Charnley, nee Smart

[Gibel]

There are reports of James Woodger’s suicide in the newspapers on FindMyPast. He killed himself the night before his stepdaughter’s wedding July 1889. Some suggestion he didn’t approve of his step daughter’s husband to be.

The reports state that James Woodger lived/worked on Standishgate Wigan. That was the main road going through Wigan.

It was 55 Standishgate, there’s a list of the stock and contents for auction in the paper.

James left a will, his executor was his brother Mark of Roxburgh.

[Maiden Stone]

 According to 1901 census Lawrence Charnley was born in Preston estimated year of birth 1857.
 .... 5 year-old in Wigan on 1861 census with parents John (60) & Mary (40) ....    John's birthplace was Walton. There are several places called Walton in Lancashire. Walton-le-Dale is near Preston.

St. Mary, Brownedge, Bamber Bridge was founded 1764 and served Walton Catholics. 2 Catholic churches were built in Walton-le-Dale in 19th century. Charnley name appears in Brownedge St. Mary registers from its' foundation. Lawrence was forename of a couple of children. Chandley may be a transcription of Charnley in some of the registers.
www.lan-opc.org.uk/Bamber-Bridge/stmary/index.html
GEN UKI
https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/WaltonleDale/StMary 

[Maiden Stone]

an address in Wigan - Ellen is 6 months old - so may well have been born at this address ??   

Ellen Smart ....  appears as the daughter of her house in the 1861 UK Census.
LAST NAME:   Smart
FIRST NAME:   Ellen
RESIDENCE:   1, Caroline St
hope the address helps 

Photo of a pub in Caroline Street on Wigan World website + comments. These include: Landlord was an Irishman; St. Joseph's R.C. church was nearby and there were a lot of Irish; 1891 census 35 Caroline St. Richard Watson, draper.
 

[Maiden Stone]

There are reports of James Woodger’s suicide in the newspapers on FindMyPast. He killed himself the night before his stepdaughter’s wedding July 1889. Some suggestion he didn’t approve of his step daughter’s husband to be.

The reports state that James Woodger lived/worked on Standishgate Wigan. That was the main road going through Wigan.

It was 55 Standishgate, there’s a list of the stock and contents for auction in the paper.

James left a will, his executor was his brother Mark of Roxburgh.

James' business at Standishgate was in Wigan Directory 1881. A James Woodger, upholsterer, Pagefield was in 1869 Directory.
Grace's Guide website (historical information about industry & manufacturing in Britain) has "Who's Who in Business". I don't know publication years.
Was James from a Scottish family? Presbyterian?   

Added. I've answered my first question by finding James on census returns. Born Scotland. He was a draper's assistant 1861 boarding with a couple of dozen other draper's assistants, both sexes; 2 more from Scotland + some from other places in Lancashire.
Information about textile manufacture in the Scottish Borders.
"Textile Industry Migration 1750-1950" by Andrew Armstrong on Relatively Scottish website. Handloom weaving decline by 1860s.  Mentions Roxburgh  other places.
https://relativelyscottish.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Textile-Industry-Migration-1750-1950.pdf
There's a Borders family history society.

[Maiden Stone]

1881 Ellen was living with her step father, James Woodger,

James was a widower. Ellen was the housekeeper.
Death registration Wigan 1878 Ellen Woodger age 42.
Birthplace of James on 1881 census is Roxburgh.

[Harlem]

Oh my goodness! I said I wanted a story, didn't I? Be careful what you wish for. I would love to see the contents of that draper's shop. Suddenly the fact of the quilt being unfinished, and made with furnishing fabrics and braids from James Woodger's shop, seems very significant. Oh dear. All kinds of possible scenarios are in my head, but in my report I can only put the facts, i think. But they are powerful enough.

Maiden Stone, I am glad that helping me and the Guild has enabled you to solve a problem in your own tree.

Thank you all. Any other shocks, and other info,  are welcome, I think.

Harlemswife

[Gibel]

I’m sorry but I have no idea how to do links to the newspaper however if your local library has access to Find My Past or the British Newspaper archive you could find them there.

Her father’s will which could make interesting reading can be bought for £1.50 but again I don’t know how to do the links to the right place. I usually just google something like”probate index uk”.

[Harlem]

Thank you, Gibel. Please don't apologise! You have given us a clue to a story that makes that quilt really poignant. I have asked other volunteers if anyone can get access to that newspaper. I might also contact Wigan archives, so there are other possibilities.  Yes, wills are very cheap to get, and I have ordered James Woodger's. It's best to use the 'gov.uk' address because others may be agents who will charge more.

[Gibel]

Long article on the death in Wigan Observer and District Advertiser 12 July 1889 and then about the auction in the same paper 20 July 1889.