This site has been visited times.

To contact me click here

A Family History

The Whittakers

James Tomlinson's wife Margaret Whittaker was born on the 10th March 1841 and died on April 16th, 1911. Her obituary was published on the following Wednesday.

Margaret Whittaker 1841-1911

Death of Mrs James Tomlinson

We regret to announce the death, which occurred at Blackpool early on Sunday morning, of Mrs, Tomlinson, wife of Alderman James Tomlinson, J.P., of Church-terrace.

Mrs. Tomlinson had not been in the best of health for some few months past. About three weeks ago she attended, along with her husband, a gathering at the house of a Blackpool friend, and the same evening she was taken ill. Fortunately she was staying with relatives at the time, because so serious did her condition become that removal home could not be entertained. Complications ensuing, jaundice developed, and she passed away as already stated at the age of seventy years. Her body was conveyed to Darwen in the early hours of Monday morning, and it lies at her late residence in Church-terrace, awaiting the interment, which will take place at noon to-day, at the Darwen Cemetery, the Rev. S.A. Parsons, M.A., officiating.

The deceased lady was highly esteemed by all who knew her and had been associated with her homely and kind nature. She was a devoted mother and wife, and Alderman Tomlinson and his family have suffered a great loss by her death. Mrs. Tomlinson was a daughter of the late Mrs. Sanderson, a member of an old Lower Chapel family, whose death only occurred three years ago, at the ripe old age of eighty-nine years. In her early life she was a member of the choir at Lower Chapel, and married Alderman Tomlinson forty nine years ago, the ceremony taking place at Duckworth-street Congregational Church, with the late Rev. Thomas Davies the officiating minister. Over thirty years ago the family commenced to worship at the Belgrave Independent Meeting House, and have done so ever since, Mrs. Tomlinson being a regular worshipper there, and along with the family a prominent supporter of the Chapel and Schools.

In 1904-5, when Alderman Tomlinson was Mayor of the Borough, deceased lady fulfilled the duties of Mayoress, and perhaps at this period more than any other was her kind and friendly disposition revealed by the gracious manner in which she discharged engagements associated with the Mayoral office. Mrs. Tomlinson leaves a husband and seven children to mourn their great loss, namely, three sons - Messrs. J.T., Lawrence, and Joseph Tomlinson, and four daughters - Mrs. William Grime, Mrs. John Bentham, and the Misses Maggie and Connie Tomlinson.

Margaret was the daughter of John Whittaker and Mary Duckworth. John and Mary married on October 5th in 1840 at Blackburn Parish Church. The marriage entry shows no details for Mary's father and thus it seems she was an illegitimate child. . She must have been born about 1819 at Harwood Fold, Eccleshill.

Mary lived a long life surviving her husband John by many years. She re-married some time after his death to a William Sanderson, a general labourer. She features in the photograph, shown at the front of this book, taken in Bold Venture Park Darwen, along with Margaret her daughter, Mary Hannah Tomlinson (Margaret's daughter) and my grandmother Phyllis Grime (Mary Hannah's daughter). Four generations in all. My grandmother would have been perhaps twelve years old at the time - making the grand old lady about 88. She died on the 20th February 1908 aged 89.

The death was announced in the Darwen News on Saturday 22nd February in the following article. Details of the funeral appeared on the following Saturday.

DARWEN NONAGENARIAN'S DEATH

"The death took place on Thursday last of one of Darwen's oldest inhabitants, in the person of Mrs. Mary Sanderson. Mrs Sanderson, it may be remembered, was, as the oldest person present, presented with a bouquet on the occasion of the old folks' treat, given in September last by Mr. and Mrs. Johnson Green. Born nearly ninety years ago at Harwood Fold, she married John Whittaker, son of a farmer of Fatten Houses and Hoddlesden. She was brought up to farm work and weaving. Early left a widow, with five children she for some time had a hard struggle. Later in life she married again, her second husband being William Sanderson. She had seven children, five of whom (one son and four daughters) are still living, three of them being over sixty years of age. The eldest member of the family is the wife of Councillor James Tomlinson, and the son is Mr. George Whittaker, of Peabody Street; another daughter married Mr. F. J. Nuttall, of Gas Works cottage. Her descendants at present living consist of 5 children, ?? grandchildren, and 15 great grandchildren. Mrs. Sanderson was all her life a worshipper at Lower Chapel, and at one time was in the choir, and she was at the time of her death probably the oldest member of that church. Her maiden name was Duckworth. The deceased lady appeared to be in her usual health on retiring to rest on Wednesday evening, but during the night she was taken ill, and death ensued on Thursday morning as stated."

FUNERAL OF THE LATE MRS. SANDERSON

The funeral took place on Saturday, at the Darwen Cemetery, of the late Mrs. Mary Sanderson, of Peabody street, whose somewhat sudden death on Thursday last, at the advanced age of nearly ninety years, we announced in our Saturday's issue. The service was conducted by the Rev. A. Bond, of Lower Chapel, at which the deceased lady was a worshipper all her life. The following is a list of the mourners:- 1st carriage: Mr. and Mrs. Whittaker, Miss Whittaker, Mr. J. R. Whittaker, and Miss C. Whittaker. 2nd carriage: Mr. and Mrs. G. F. Whittaker, Miss P. Whittaker, Mr. and Mrs. Jas Tomlinson. 3rd carriage: Mr. and Mrs. T. Yates, Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Nuttall, Miss Butterworth. 4th carriage: Mr. and Mrs. Hunt, Mrs. Kirkham, Miss E. E. Whittaker, Miss Waddicor. 5th carriage: Mr. and Mrs. Ainsworth, Mr. and Mrs. R. Whittaker. 6th carriage: Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Tomlinson, Miss M. A. Nuttall, Miss Hunt, Rev. A. Bond. Wreaths were sent by Mr. and Mrs. G. Whittaker, Mr. and Mrs. Yates, Mr and Mrs. Hunt, grandchildren at home; Mr. and Mrs. Tomlinson and family; Mr. F. Nuttall and the Misses Nutall, grandchildren; James and Annie Tomlinson, Miss Bentham and Master Jack Tomlinson, great-grandchildren; Miss Phyliss and Willie Grime, great grandchildren; Miss Waddicor and Mrs. Longworth.

In 1901 Mary Sanderson was living with her son George Whittaker, a Lamplighter for the Gas Works and his wife Esther (née Catlow aged 47) at 48 Peabody Street, Darwen.  Also in residence were daughters Betsy A. (24), Margaret A. (20), Mary (15) all in the Cotton trade.  Sons John A. (20), and George Frederick (18) were also there.  John A. was a book keeper and George was a Winder both involved in Cotton.  As well as looking after his mother George had the pleasure of his mother-in-law Alice Catlow, a widow aged 76.   

Returning to Margaret Whittaker wife of James Tomlinson.  By 1851 Margaret had been joined by two sisters Mary A., born about 1843, Martha born about 1848 and brother George born about 1850. The family were then living at 154 Hoddlesden.

John was the eldest son of John Whittaker, Farmer of Hoddlesden and his second wife Peggy Cook. The 1841 census shows John the younger with Mary Duckworth and a 3 month old Margaret (Peggy). Nearby were John's parents and their extensive family.

John the elder's age is very approximate. Ten years later in 1851 the census return shows him at age sixty. The families were still living in Hoddlesden and old John is described as a farmer of 11 acres.

By 1861 the family has spread out a little more in Hoddlesden and the census shows old John has aged by twelve years rather than ten, and acquired another 5 acres of land. John the younger, Margaret's father, was probably dead by this time, he is shown as deceased on Margaret's marriage certificate in 1862.

The inaccuracy of old John's age and the record of his birthplace as Lower Darwen opens up an interesting possibility. It seems most likely that his real age in 1861 may actually have been 73 since, the death certificate shows John Whittaker, Farmer of Hoddlesden died aged 80 on the 18th of October 1868.

If this is the case then he was probably baptised in February 1788 the son of Robert Whittaker and Ellen (née Haworth) of Lower Darwen. This Robert was the son of Lawrence Whiteaker and brother to John Shorrock's wife Margaret. Thus when my grandparents Arthur Taylor and Phyllis Grime married, they were fourth cousins once removed.

Old John was a widower when he married Peggy Cook on July 14th 1816. The marriage was at Blackburn St Mary and the entry reads as follows.

John Whittaker of the parish, weaver and widower and Peggy Cook of this parish, spinster were married in this church by Banns with consent of _________ this 14th day of July 1816. By me N. Dobson curate.

This marriage was solemnised between us John Whittaker and Peggy Cook [John signed and Peggy made her mark]. In the presence of George Whittaker and James Harwood.

George Whittaker and James Harwood do not appear as witnesses to other marriages and so we may conclude that George, was a relative. Old John's first marriage was to Peggy Duxbury on December 3rd 1809 at the Parish Church in Blackburn.

The marriage entry, shown below, adds weight to the probability that the family descended from Lawrence and Mary of Lower Darwen.

John Whittaker of the parish of Blackburn, bachelor and Margaret Duxbury of this parish, spinster were married by banns. In the presence of Jas Radcliffe and James Whittaker.

Robert and Ellen had a son James, baptised in february 1790, brother to John born in 1788. This presence of a James makes the connection to Lawrence Whiteaker of Lower Darwen even more likely.

The complete record of Old John's children by both marriages is shown in the Lower Chapel registers.

By Peggy Cook:

And by Peggy Duxbury:

Peggy Cook lived to a good age. She was shown in the 1881 census return, still living at Fatten House in Hoddlesden along with others of the family.

End of page