The Family of Thomas Battersby

FAMILY HISTORY: SWARBRICK

THE FAMILY OF THOMAS BATTERSBY

John Battersby and Catherine Unsworth, who were married in Walton-le-Dale, near Preston, in 1844, and by 1851 had the first three of their five children:

	James Battersby, born 27 September 1845 Ellen Battersby, born 10 October 1847 John Battersby Jr, born 23 March 1851

1851 CENSUS OF SAMLESBURY, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
John Battersby	Head	Married	M	37	Wheelwright	Preston, Lancashire
Catherine Battersby	Wife	Married	F	34	Wheelwright's Wife	Brindle, Lancashire
James Battersby	Son	-	M	5	-	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Ellen Battersby	Daughter	-	F	3	-	Samlesbury, Lancashire
John Battersby	Son	-	M	1 wk	-	Samlesbury, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at New Hall, Samlesbury, Lancashire. (HO107-2268, folios 254 & 255, pages 50 & 51)
2:	The above information is taken from the census returns on microfiche at the Lancashire Archives.

Between 1851 and 1861 the family grew with the addition of two more sons:

	Thomas, born in 1853 Richard, born c. 1856

Thomas, born 18 March 1853, was baptized on 20 March 1853 at St Mary's Catholic Church in Samlesbury. His Godparents were Thomas Battersby and Margaret Woodhouse.

1861 CENSUS OF SAMLESBURY, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
John Battersby	Head	Married	M	47	Wheelwright	Preston, Lancashire
Catherine Battersby	Wife	Married	F	44	-	Brindle, Lancashire
James Battersby	Son	-	M	15	Wheelwright's Ap.	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Ellen Battersby	Daughter	-	F	13	Scholar	Samlesbury, Lancashire
John Battersby	Son	-	M	10	Scholar	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Thomas Battersby	Son	-	M	8	Scholar	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Richard Battersby	Son	-	M	4	Scholar	Samlesbury, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at New Hall, Samlesbury, Lancashire. (RG9-3141, folio 88, page 4)
2:	John Sr was listed as a 'Wheelwright employing 1 man and 1 boy'.
3:	James was listed as a 'Wheelwright's Ap.', which I believe is an abbreviation for Wheelwright's Apprentice.
4:	The above information is taken from the census returns on microfiche at the Lancashire Archives.

By 1871 John Battersby had moved his family and his business to the Gamull Lane area of Fulwood, on the outskirts of Preston:

1871 CENSUS OF FULWOOD, PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
John Battersby	Head	Married	M	55	Wheelwright	Preston, Lancashire
Catherine Battersby	Wife	Married	F	54	-	Brindle, Lancashire
Ellen Battersby	Daughter	-	F	23	Dressmaker	Samlesbury, Lancashire
John Battersby	Son	-	M	20	Wheelwright	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Thomas Battersby	Son	-	M	18	Wheelwright	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Richard Battersby	Son	-	M	14	Scholar	Samlesbury, Lancashire
Edward Mullineax	Lodger	-	M	27	Wheelwright	Scarisbrick, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at Gammer (sic) Lane, Fulwood, Preston. (RG10-4218, folio 29, page 9)
2:	The above information is taken from the census returns on microfiche at the Lancashire Archives.

Thomas' father John died in somewhat mysterious and tragic circumstances on 13 May 1872, and a report of the inquest into his death was reported in local newspapers:

	"A MAN DROWNED AT FULWOOD - On Wednesday afternoon, an inquest was held on the body of John Battersby, 56 years of age, at the Railway Hotel, Fulwood, by the coroner Miles Myres, Esq. - From the evidence it appears that deceased was a wheelwright and was last seen alive by his son Richard, on Monday at half past twelve o'clock near to his house. The same day he was missed, and was found in a pit near the railway station, with all his clothes on except his cap. He had not been drinking. - The jury returned an open verdict."

(From The Preston Chronicle, Saturday, 18 May 1872)

John Battersby was buried in a private grave, B-471, in the Catholic section of Preston Cemetery on 16 May 1872. His was the 4th interment. (Number 12422) After John died it would seem that his wife carried on the family business, almost certainly with the help of her sons, who were all now married with families of their own. By 1881 Catherine's sons were running the business and Catherine had taken in 2 boarders, who were almost certainly employees in the family business:

1881 CENSUS OF FULWOOD, PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
Catherine Battersby	Head	Widow	F	65	-	Brindle, Lancashire
Joseph Rickerby	Boarder	Unmarried	M	25	Blacksmith	Preston, Lancashire
Robert Walmsley	Boarder	Unmarried	M	24	Wheelwright	Lancaster, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at Gannell (sic) Lane, Fulwood, Preston. (RG11-4247, folio 72, page 37)
2:	The above information is taken from the census returns on microfiche at the Lancashire Archives.

By 1891 Catherine had moved in with her son Thomas:

1891 CENSUS OF FULWOOD, PRESTON, LANCASHIRE:
NAME:	RELATION:	CONDITION:	SEX:	AGE:	OCCUPATION:	BIRTHPLACE:
Catherine Battersby	Mother	Widow	F	75	-	Brindle, Lancashire

NOTES:
1:	Living at 2 Fern Bank, Fulwood Row, Fulwood, Preston. (RG12-3448, folio 42, page 7)
2:	An 1880 Directory of Preston has a listing for Thomas and John Battersby under 'Battersby Brothers' Wheelwrights and Blacksmiths, Gammer (sic) Lane, Fulwood.
3:	For the full census entry see Thomas Battersby's census page.
4:	The above information is taken from the census returns on microfiche at the Lancashire Archives.

Catherine Battersby, aged 78 years, was buried on 4 June 1895 in the family grave at Preston Cemetery where her husband had been buried 23 years before. It was the 6th burial in the grave. (Number 33287).

NOTES:
1:	Gamull Lane, which is the name of a road and an area of Fulwood, seems to have been spelled in a variety of ways over the years and I'm not sure whether these variations were due to poor spelling or whether the name actually changed over time. Today, it is spelled 'Gamull Lane'.
2:	The above information is taken from transcripts of the registers of St Mary's Catholic Church, Samlesbury, the various census returns, and Preston Trade Directories - all held at the Lancashire Archives; microfilmed copies of Preston newspapers held at the Harris Reference Library in Preston; and on-line indexes of births, marriages and deaths at www.lancashirebmd.org.uk

Marriage Page	Baptism Records	Census Returns	Burial Records	Probate Records
Margaret's Family	Thomas' Family		Surname Index	Home