The Unitarian Church in Todmorden

There are Hileys/Highleys buried in most of the graveyards of the churches around Todmorden and Walsden. There is just one Hiley family grave in the Unitarian Church in Todmorden.

The Unitarian church, with its tall spire, overlooks the town and can be seen for miles around. The Todmorden Unitarians built their first chapel in 1823. One of their prominent members was John Fielden, 'Honest John', a local mill owner, social reformer and later Radical M.P. for Oldham. John is buried in the churchyard.

In 1865, the building of a new church was started and this was built in memory of John Fielden and paid for by his 3 sons, Joshua, John (junior) and Samuel. Money was no object to these brothers. Joshua and Samuel are also buried in the churchyard. The cost of the church on Honey Hole Road was over £35000, well over £3m in today's money.

The Unitarian church in Todmorden

David Hiley, his wife Ellen (nee Stansfield), his daughter Annie and her husband Frank Gibson, are all buried in the single Hiley grave in the churchyard. David was a direct descendant of Mark Highley who married Mary Law in Cross Stone church in 1754. 

David's father was John Hiley who met his end in a disastrous boiler explosion in Todmorden in 1875. A Blogpost about this incident is in the pipeline.

The Hiley grave in the Unitarian churchyard

David Hiley lived to the age of 93. Of all the Hiley/Highley members currently recorded in the family tree, where we know the years of birth and death, he is the longest lived.

If you know of Hileys who have survived to a more advanced age, please get in touch!