La Mancha and Hattersley Family c. 1887- 1901
John Mitchell Hattersley MNLH-9MR was a Yorkshire man. He ventured over the border into Lancashire in the late 1800s, having decided to retire to La Mancha Hall, Shirdley Hill, Halsall.
In the 1891 census we can see that he was living there with his wife Agnes, three of his daughters and just one servant, local lady Margaret Marshall 9JN9-R33. His son, Richard was away at boarding school in Sedbergh at the time, which explains why he is not included in the 1891 census for Halsall.
John Mitchell Hattersley was born on 9th June 1822 in Keighley, Yorkshire. His parents were Elizabeth Mitchell LCR3-P7C and George Hattersley LK5Z-3WR , a whitesmith (a person who finishes and polishes metals particularly tin plate and galvanized iron). John was baptised at St. Andrew’s Church, Keighley on 22nd June 1822. By the time John was 19 years old, his mother had died and his father, George had remarried twice more.
According to the 1841 census for Keighley, George’s occupation is described as ‘machine maker’ while his son John’s occupation is that of ‘mechanic’ – a mechanic at that time meant a skilled worker who built and repaired machinery. If we look forward 10 more years to the 1851 census, we are provided with more detailed information as to the nature of their work.
George was a spindle, powerloom and worsted (a high quality type of wool yarn) loom manufacturer who employed 60 men, 40 boys, 39 women and 29 girls. John was a mechanic journeyman and his brother, Edwin managed the family’s factory.
In fact, George had inherited this business from his father, Richard Hattersley L6QD-NR1, who in 1789, with his wife and family had moved to Keighley from Ecclesfield, Sheffield. Richard was a specialist whitesmith who introduced skills to the town of Keighley which led to the foundation of the engineering companies that were to become world leaders in the machine making and machine tool industries.
In 1793, grandfather Richard had set up his business at the North Brook Works in a former cotton mill. Power was generated from the North Beck and forged steel would have been bought from the Kirkstall Forge at Leeds, which conveniently, would have been brought to Keighley via the Leeds and Liverpool canal. Richard died in 1829, which was when George actually took over the business.
By 1861, George had been widowed for a third time, however in 1863, John Mitchell Hattersley, at the age of 40 married Agnes Sutcliffe GM2R-4YD, aged 23 years. She was the daughter of Ann and William Sutcliffe, a painter from Chorley. The newlyweds lived in Peel Place, Keighley.
Professionally, John alongside his father George and brother Edwin led the family business from strength to strength. They were specialists in the manufacture of power looms and were celebrated worldwide.
Then, in 1867 they created a major breakthrough for the textile industry in the form of the ‘Dobby’ which permitted weaving of more intricate patterns on any loom to which it was fitted. Quarry Bank Mill, Styal in Cheshire was fitted out with Hattersley Dobby Looms, as in the photograph. They can still be seen there today.
Sadly, two years later, in 1869 George Hattersley died so John continued to run the business. In 1871, his occupation was described as ‘Mechanic Maker’ on the census. In addition, the couple had been blessed with four daughters: Annie, Charlotte, Martha and Caroline plus 5th daughter Agnes in 1872. On 9th April 1875, a long awaited son came along: George Edwin Hattersley GTCT-MCJ, named after John’s father of course. Unfortunately, baby George passed away on 12th November of the same year at only 7 months old. Then in 1877, Richard Edwin Houghton Hattersley entered the world – at last a son and heir for the Hattersley empire!
Furthermore, business continued to prosper under the directorship of John; the company received many awards and accolades between the years 1867 and 1888. By 1881 the family had moved house to Guard House in Keighley, still living there when the Electoral Register was taken in 1887 when John
would have been 65 years old.
However, shortly after that time, the family ‘upped sticks’ again and moved into La Mancha Hall.
Shirdley Hill, with its own railway station as well as the peace and quiet of the countryside and the serenity of La Mancha’s gardens, would have been difficult to resist for John, Agnes, their daughters and young son Richard – especially after living in the busy, industrial town of Keighley.
John Mitchell Hattersley lived the rest of his life at La Mancha Hall and died on 4th March 1893. He was buried in his hometown of Keighley at Utley Cemetery, with his baby boy, George.
His probate records indicate that his effects totalling £618 16s were left to his widow, Agnes. According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, this equates to approximately £66,565 in today’s money.
Agnes continued to live at La Mancha Hall after John’s death. We can see her name on the Electoral Register for Halsall in 1895. Agnes Hattersley did eventually return to Yorkshire. Accompanied by all of her adult children, she was living a life of luxury in ‘Shaw Royd’, Halifax.
In 1901, son Richard, 23 by this time, was an Engineer toolmaker; his sisters were all ladies of leisure – Annie, Charlotte, Martha,
Caroline and Agnes were all single.
In her twilight years, Agnes had spent some time in Warrington Lodge Nursing Home in Paddington, London and on 29th December 1917 she died at The Manor House, Ruskington, Lincolnshire. Her effects totalled £184 0s 3d and were left to her youngest child and only son, Richard Hattersley.
Richard Edwin Houghton Hattersley GM2R-416 was born on 13th January 1877 in Keighley, Yorkshire. The only living son of John and Agnes Hattersley and a little brother for his 5 sisters. He spent his teenage years living at La Mancha Hall and being educated at Sedbergh School as a boarder.
After the death of his father, Richard moved to Halifax with his mother and sisters. In 1897 at the age of 20 years, he started a small tool making business of his own. Four years later in 1901 his occupation was described as an engineer when he was initiated into the Freemason’s Probity Lodge on 4th March of that year at the age of 24 years old.
On 11th February 1902 Richard married Sarah Potter of Moor Hall, Aughton (now the Michelin starred restaurant) who was 10 years his senior. She was the daughter of William Potter, a stationer and bookseller, originally from Liverpool. Richard and Sarah lived in Asmall House, Asmall Lane, Ormskirk for all of their married life.
Professionally, Richard decided to join his company ‘Hattersleys’ with three other engineering companies including Newman Hender & Co. of Woodchester to form ‘United Brassfounders & Engineers’. In 1915 this company answered the national call for increased production capacity to support the war effort. Again throughout WW2, manufacture of munitions, valves and brass rods for
military purposes was stepped up by the company.
Richard Edwin Houghton Hattersley died on 2nd May 1949. Probate was granted to his widow Sarah, Thomas Heap, brassfounder and Cecil Nicholson, chartered accountant. His effects totalled £981,685 4s 4d, the equivalent of £29,078,087.14 today! Richard’s wife Sarah died less than three years later on 8th January 1952.
The Hattersley factory in Ormskirk continued to thrive after the deaths of Richard and Sarah. It eventually became part of the multinational Tomkins Group and made cast iron valves for industrial and commercial use. Sadly, the factory closed down circa 2003 and some 250 people lost their jobs.
For further information about the company George Hattersley & Sons, see Wikipedia link
The site is now ‘Hattersley Retail Park’, Hattersley Way, Ormskirk, Lancashire – named after Richard Hattersley, born in Keighley and formerly of La Mancha Hall and Asmall House.
The Hattersley Sisters of La Mancha
Annie Elizabeth Hattersley GM2R-7P5 was born on 14th December 1863 and was baptised on 10th January 1864 at St. Andrew’s Church, Keighley. Like 2 of her other sisters, Annie remained single all her life. In 1918, just after their mother died, Annie, Charlotte & Martha bought Buckminster Hall in Lincolnshire. During WW2 they hosted numerous evacuees in their substantial home and in 1951/2 Annie and Charlotte sold Buckminster and moved back to Lancashire but this time settled in Southport. Annie died on 13th September 1952. Her address was given as 18 Scarisbrick New Road and her effects totalled £21,703 9s 7d.
Charlotte Longden Hattersley GM2R-4YK was born on 17th October 1865 and was baptised on 26th November 1865, also at St. Andrew’s Church, Keighley. Charlotte was very close in age to her older sister Annie – they seemed to be inseparable – still living with their mother at La Mancha Hall, then buying Buckminster Hall and 18 Scarisbrick New Road, Southport together in later life.Charlotte died on 24th August 1956 and was buried with her sister Annie and her maternal grandparents William and Ann Sutcliffe at Duke Street Cemetery, Southport.
Martha Jane Hattersley GM2R-4YL was the third child of John and Agnes. She was born on 25th September 1867 and baptised, as her older sisters were, at St. Andrew’s Church in Keighley on 26th October 1867. Also used to the high life, after leaving La Mancha and moving to Halifax with her mother, Martha purchased Buckminster Hall with her two older sisters. Although the youngest of the 3, she died before them on 10th January 1946 at Myland Court, Severals, Colchester which was an asylum. Her effects totalled £386 10s 7d according to the Probate records.
Caroline Ellen Hattersley GM2R-7P1 was daughter number four. She was born and baptised in Keighley on 14th October and 14th November 1869 respectively, again at St. Andrew’s. However, Caroline, unlike her three older sisters, did marry. The ceremony took place in Ormskirk in 1916 and Patrick Green, an ironmonger was to be her husband. Caroline was very close to her younger sister, Agnes (who also married) and in 1939 when the Register for England and Wales was taken, we can see that Agnes was living with her sister Caroline and brother-in-law Patrick at ‘The Limes’, Chelmsford Road, Essex. The Greens then moved to Laughame Lodge, 56
Warren Road, Guildford where Caroline passed away on 6th June 1951. She remembered her younger sister Agnes in her will.
Agnes Sutcliffe Hattersley GM2R-4X9 was the youngest daughter of John and Agnes, being born on 12th August 1872 and baptised on 11th September the same year at St. Andrew’s Church, Keighley. She was the first of her siblings to get married – this was to Frederick Potter, a stationer and bookseller. He was the brother of Sarah Potter who married Agnes’ younger brother, Richard Hattersley. The Hattersleys must have met the Potters whilst they were living in La Mancha Hall as the Potter siblings were not too far away at Moor Hall in Aughton. It was not long after the recently widowed Mrs. Agnes Hattersley had moved her family out of La Mancha Hall to Halifax, when the younger Agnes married Frederick on 23rd July 1901 in St. John the Baptist Church in Halifax. Initially the young couple lived in Aughton but then circa 1910 they moved to The Firs in Lathom, Lancashire. By the time the 1911 census was taken, they had 4 young children and employed a cook, 2 housemaids and a laundry maid. Eventually they took up residence at The Fir Cones, Ruff Lane, Ormskirk where Frederick died on 13th July 1945. Agnes lived to the grand age of 94 years old and passed away in 1967 in Berkshire.
La Mancha - The Next Chapter
On Sunday 31st March 1901, the census record for La Mancha Hall was marked as ‘uninhabited’ but ‘in occupation’. Does this mean the Hattersleys still owned the Hall and had moved to Halifax for the winter? Or had it already been sold to the next occupant, Miss Blundell……?
