A DUNKERLEY Family of Oldham in the 19th century
NORTHGATE FARM AS IT IS TODAY It is to be found on Sholver Lane opposite the side of St. Thomas' churchyard, Moorside.
On November 9th 1809 James Dunkerley of Maygate Lane, weaver, married Mary Knight of Littlemoor Lane, spinster. Previously James’ family had lived at NORTHYAYE in Sholver. For generations they had been weavers. They took their time to start a family, which was unusual in those days, but I have noticed that this pattern was also repeated in the next generation, and sometimes there was only one child born to a family. They were nonconformist, all their children were baptised at Manchester Road Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Oldham. The baptismal registers do not always give an address, but it is clear that by the time the youngest members had arrived, they were living in Watersheddings. This is where both James and Mary died, within months of one another in 1840.
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JOHN DUNKERLEY was born in September 1813. It was a tradition in this family to call the eldest son John. He married Betty Taylor at St. Mary’s Church Prestwich in about 1839. It became almost a tradition for members of the family to marry at Prestwich. I have been told that because they were nonconformist they did not want to marry in the parish church, but at that time they had no alternative but to marry in the Church of England. John and Betty had one son called James Dunkerley, who was born in January 1842, but who died a year later. After the death of John’s parents, he and Betty must have become the focus for the whole family. The 1841 census shows them together at Knuckett, where they were all working as cotton weavers, except for the youngest one, Daniel. In 1851 John and Betty were living at Moor Hey with only Daniel for company. They were all working as power loom weavers. After that John disappeared. He probably died, but John Dunkerley is a relatively common name in Oldham and as ages were not given at that time in the GRO Indexes, it is difficult to tell. Betty may have survived him, a Betty Dunkerley, widow, aged 46, appeared in the 1861 census, living at New Bank, Waterhead, with a nephew Merlin Elden, who was a coal miner. After that she too disappeared. I have checked the burials for both John and Betty at Greenacres Congregational Chapel, St. Peters, Oldham, Holy Trinity Waterhead and St Thomas, Moorside, but, so far, without success.
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BETTY DUNKERLEY was born in December 1815. She married Jonathan Sweeting on June 9th 1843 at Prestwich. He had been married before and there were older children. Jonathan and Betty had just one child, James Sweeting, who was born at the end of 1843 at Ashton under Lyne. Betty died in June 1846 and Jonathan married Martha Bott the following year. They had quite a large family together so James must have been brought up with a number of step brothers and sisters.
James Sweeting married Sarah Priestley in 1866 at St Mathew’s Church, Chadderton. James died in 1891. The 1901 census, however, showed Sarah, still living, with both her unmarried daughters.
James and Sarah had the following children.
Sarah Elizabeth Sweeting. Born 1867. Married William McIndoe 1887
St. Mathew’s Church Chadderton.
John William Sweeting. Born 1870. Died 1872.
Mary Alice Sweeting. Born 1870.
John William Sweeting. Born 1873. Married Mary Elizabeth Orcher 1896 St. Mathew’s Church Chadderton.
Herbert Sweeting. Born 1877. Married Jessie Walton 1901 in St. Mary’s Church Oldham.
Clara Sweeting. Born 1881. Married Harry Walker in 1906 at Christ Church Chadderton.
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WILLIAM DUNKERLEY was born in Oldham in 1818. He is the only one to have moved away. In 1850 he married Harriet Kenton in Manchester which is where he appears to have spent the rest of his life. In 1851 they had their only known son, who was called John Dunkerley. I have been unable to find this family in either the 1851 or the 1861 census, so it is just possible that they did have other children. The 1871 census shows William as the head, aged 52, and working as a lurryman, whatever that was. In subsequent censuses he was a carter. Harriet, at 59, was 7 years older, she was born in Manchester. John was aged 19 and was described as an entry clerk. Harriet died in 1876.
John Dunkerley married Margaret Allen in 1873 at Manchester. They had one son, George William Dunkerley who was born on July 30th 1875. At some point after this Margaret disappeared. The 1881 census showed William and John living together at 26, Ash Street in the New Cross area of Manchester, John working as a merchant’s clerk, still saying that he was married. George William was staying at 11 Charles Street Manchester, with his other grandmother, who was also called Margaret Allen. John Dunkerley died in 1890. The 1891 census showed George living with William. William Dunkerley died in Manchester in 1898. George William Dunkerley married Kate Hill in Barton on Irwell in 1899. In 1901 they were living at 62, Albert Grove; George William was described as a commercial clerk.
HANNAH DUNKERLEY was born in 1821. She married Henry Windle at St Mary’s in Prestwich on Christmas Day 1842. Her husband was born in Ecclesfield in Yorkshire in 1826. I have a copy of their marriage certificate which states that they were both ‘of full age,’ but if the census records are accurate he could only have been 16. Henry was a spindle maker as was his father, George, before him. Henry and Hannah had 4 children together before his early death in 1858.
Their eldest child they called by the curious name of Asa Windle. According to subsequent census records he was born in Manchester in1847, but I have been unable to find a record of his birth in the G.R.O. Indexes, nor for that matter have I found a record of his death. It is possible that his birth was never registered, although all the other children were. I also wondered if ‘Asa’ could be a nickname. Windle is quite unusual and I thought that I had found the solution to the mystery in the 1881 census, there was no Asa Windle, but there was a George Windle with wife Sarah, and son James. I should really have known better, apart from Sarah, who was born in 1846, the ages were not quite right; this George was an iron turner whereas Asa was a self actor minder in a cotton factory. I sent off to Salford for the birth certificate but I was kindly informed by the Superintendent Registrar that I had got it wrong; Hannah Dunkerley was not the mother. Asa certainly existed however. In 1866 he married Sarah Ellen Rothwell in Oldham. They had 2 children, Henry Windle who was born in 1867 and James Windle who was born in 1869. I have no information concerning Henry but James married Martha Needham at St Mark’s in Glodwick in 1886, and they in turn had two boys, George Windle, born in 1887, and Charles Windle, born in 1889.
Asa Windle may have died after 1871, as this was the last census in which he appeared, although I have been unable to find any of them in the 1881 census and only James reappeared in the 1891 and 1901 censuses.
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The second of Henry and Hannah Windle’s children was born in 1849, she was called Sarah Windle. In 1871 she married Benjamin Ashworth at Oldham Registry office. They had 8 children.
The eldest was Elizabeth Hannah Ashworth who was born in 1871. She married William Schofield in 1894 at St. Thomas, Werneth, Oldham in 1894.
The eldest son was Thomas Ashworth who was born in 1874. He married Annie Taylor in 1895 at Oldham St Mary.
The other children were –
Sarah Ashworth, born 1875. Harry Ashworth, born 1878.
Daniel Ashworth, born 1880. Died 1883. Mary Ashworth, born 1883.
Hannah Ashworth, born 1886. Julie Ashworth, born 1890.
The 1901 census showed the remains of the family still living with their parents at 35, Chelmsford St. Oldham. They were Harry, now called Henry, Mary, now called Mary Alice, and Hannah, now called Annie, only Julie and Daniel were missing.
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The third of Henry and Hannah Windle’s children was Elizabeth Windle, she was born in 1853 in Chadderton. She married Alfred Goddard who was a blacksmith, in St James Church, Oldham in 1874. They also had 8 children. They were –
James Goddard, born 1875. Annie Goddard, born 1876.
Sarah Ann Goddard, born 1879. William Goddard, born 1880.
Amy Goddard. born 1884. Bertha Goddard, born 1886
John Goddard, born 1889. Alfred Goddard, born 1890.
There is no information in the 1891 or 1901 censuses concerning this Goddard family. It is possible that they may have emigrated.
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The fourth and last of Henry and Hannah Windle’s children was named after his father, Henry Windle, he was born in 1857, but I know very little more about him.
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Henry Windle senior died in 1858, he would have been aged only 32.
Hannah Windle nee Dunkerley married Samuel C. Hardy 2 years later in 1860 in St. John’s Church, Oldham. He was 2 years younger than she, a labourer in an iron works, but he took on the whole of the Windle family. Samuel and Hannah had a daughter of their own 3 days before the census was taken in 1861. I cannot read the name, it was possibly Helener Hardy, but she disappeared before the next census was taken, as did Samuel Hardy himself, although I have been unable to find his death. Hannah Hardy died in 1871.
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MARY DUNKERLEY was born in 1823 in Oldham. She has been the most difficult of all James and Mary Dunkerley’s children to find. The last certain record that I have for her was on her Brother James’ death certificate in 1843, she was present at his death.
I have tried the following possible marriages for her – all without success.
William Rae 1841 Oldham St James.
Samuel Crabtree 1845 Saddleworth St. Chad.
Thomas Duckworth 1845 Oldham St. Mary.
Joseph Ashton 1846 Oldham St. Mary.
Lawrence Holt 1846 Oldham St. Mary.
Edward Blackburn 1850 Prestwich St. Mary.
James Kershaw 1851 Prestwich St. Mary.
John Greaves 1856 Oldham St. Mary.
James Smith 1857 Oldham St. Mary.
Joshua Shredgould 1850 Manchester Cathedral.
Amos Hunt 1857 Oldham St Mary.
James Haughton 1860 Oldham St Mary
JAMES DUNKERLEY was born on April 24 1826 at Watersheddings Bar, Oldham. He died in 1844 at Cow Lane Oldham. The cause of death was given as “fever on the brain.”
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ELIZABETH DUNKERLEY NEE ARMSTRONG -This photograph was copied from a larger tattered photograph which must have been taken towards the end of her life. It is the oldest Dunkerley photograph that we possess.
DANIEL DUNKERLEY was born on May 2nd 1828 at Watersheddings Bar Oldham. He married Elizabeth Armstrong on August 22nd 1853. They were cousins. Elizabeth’s grandmother was Betty Dunkerley who also came from Northyate in Sholver. Both Dunkerley families lived there together in the latter part of the 18th century until Daniel’s grandfather, John, moved to Maygate Lane. Both Daniel and Elizabeth were power loom weavers and like Daniel’s parents before him they were in no hurry to start a family. Indeed Daniel, their firstborn, was not born until 1864, more than 10 years after they were married. By 1871 their family was complete and for many years they lived at the same address. 597, Ripponden Road. 
597 Ripponden Road. 
340 Ripponden Road.
The family only moved down the road to 340, Ripponden Road, after 20 years. By 1881 Daniel was no longer working as a weaver; he was working as a labourer in an iron foundry, possibly the same one where his eldest son, Daniel was training to become a tinsmith. In 1884 Daniel was a mechanic, in 1891 he was out of work altogether, ‘living on his own means,’ although three of his children were still living at home, and presumably putting money in the pot, as they did in those days. In 1901 he was living at 22, Turf Pit Lane, a ‘retired iron driller.’ He died in 1902. Elizabeth Dunkerley died in 1911.
Daniel and Elizabeth Dunkerley had 4 children. I have never found Daniel’s baptismal record, but the next two sons had a joint christening at St Thomas Moorside in 1884 when they were aged 17 and 15 respectively. In some respects they were not an orthodox family.
22, Turf Pit Lane. Daniel's grandson Tom Dunkerley was still living in this house until his death in 2003 and Tom's daughter Maureen continues to live next door at No. 24.
Daniel the son of Daniel and Elizabeth Dunkerley was born on October 16th 1864.He married Kate Isabel Holme on August 27 1891, at Christ Church, Friesland. She was the daughter of the Rev. Thomas Holme, the vicar of St Thomas, Moorside.
Agnes Maud Dunkerley was their eldest child. She was born in 1892, at Grasscroft Clough, but died in the same year.
Thomas Ward Dunkerley was born on January 8th 1894 at 27, Herbert Street. Oldham
Norman Dunkerley was born on August 12th 1895 at 34 Counthill Road. Oldham
Edward Selwyn Dunkerley was born on August 14th 1898 at 34, Counthill Road. Oldham
Walter Dunkerley was born in March 1900 at 10, Whitcroft Street, Oldham.
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The second of Daniel and Elizabeth’s children they named Edom Dunkerley. He was born on November 2nd 1866, at Moorside. Edom is a very curious name, I have never come across it before and I imagine that poor Edom was sometimes confused with a dutch cheese. He was the first of his family to marry. He married Sarah Jane Barnes on January 14th 1891 at St. Thomas Church Moorside. He seems to have been employed as a twister in a cotton mill all his working life. He and Sarah Jane had one child, Ida Dunkerley who was born in 1893.
Edom died in 1947, having been a widower for over 20 years. He was buried at Moorside.
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William Dunkerley or Billy, as he was more commonly known, was born on August 6th 1868, when the family were living in the Ripponden Road. He stayed at home with his parents until after his father’s death. In 1902 Billy married Sarah Prince at St. Thomas’ Church, Moorside. They had 5 children. Billy died in 1947.
Twins Joseph and Louise Dunkerley born in 1902 in 44 Afghan Street, Oldham.
Elizabeth Ellen Dunkerley (Ella) born in 1903 in Swindell’s Buildings, Oldham.
Tom Dunkerley born on March 6th 1906, at 619, Ripponden Road, Oldham.
Rebecca Dunkerley born in 1909, at 42, Sholver Lane, Oldham.
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BETTY DUNKERLEY
Betty Dunkerley was the youngest of Daniel and Elizabeth’s children. She was born on September 3rd 1870 at 340 Ripponden Road. She never married and as far as I know she worked as a weaver in a cotton mill for most of her life. She and Edom lived together after Sarah Jane’s death. She died on 13th September 1962, aged 92.
THE FOUR SONS OF DANIEL AND KATE DUNKERLEY
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TOM DUNKERLEY
NORMAN DUNKERLEY
SELWYN DUNKERLEY
WALTER DUNKERLEY
JOSEPH DUNKERLEY was the youngest of James and Mary’s 8 children. He was born in 1830, but died in 1831.
SOURCES.
The marriage Register of St Mary’s Church, Oldham 1809 – April 1828.
The Burial Registers of St. Mary’s Oldham, up to 1848.
Manchester Street Wesleyan Methodist Chapel Baptisms Oldham
1791 -1837.
Oldham Churchyard Burials Series transcribed by Manchester & Lancashire FHS. - Oldham St. Peter, Moorside, St. Thomas,
Waterhead, Holy Trinity. On CDROM.
PRINCIPALLY THE FOLLOWING INTERNET SITES.
www.ancestry.com This provides all the censuses from 1841 – 1901.
www.freebmd.org.uk
www.lancashirebmd.org.uk This site, which is free, is particularly good for Lancashire marriages and provides a form which can be sent directly to local Superintendent Registrar’s who, in my experience, are extremely helpful.