Reuben Hiley

John Travis

The following is a story from John Travis’s ‘Notes: (Historical and Biographical) mainly of Todmorden and District’, published in 1896.

Among his many accomplishments, Travis, born in Walsden in 1822, was an author, antiquarian, architect, handloom weaver and master in an iron foundry. His ‘Notes’ were the culmination of a lifetime spent observing the towns of Walsden and Todmorden and their inhabitants.

Reuben was born at Stoneswood Bottom, Walsden and baptised on 7th April 1805. He married Betty Hudson, also of Walsden in 1830 at St Chad’s Parish Church in Rochdale. They had 5 children – Hannah, Sally, John, James and Mary. Reuben and his family lived at Nicklety in Walsden. The census records mainly show his occupation as a Labourer. 

Reuben's household at Nicklety was one of the 13 described in the last Blog (26 April 2019).

The Todmorden Centenary Way passes along Foul Clough Road and over the part of Inchfield Moor where coal used to be mined. The walk notes say that that the path passes ‘…….the Moorcock pub which flourished for 50 years or so in the mid 1800s thanks largely to the miners who worked the pits……this former mine is clear evidence of coal working in the 19th century. It was a well organised trade with its own access road, a mineral tramway and several sites were in use……This continued well into this century (20th)……’

Nicklety on Inchfield Road

Foul Clough Road - the road to the Coalpits

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