Victoria Street gang

Another photo from the archives.......

This photo was taken in about 1922, most likely in Victoria Street in Littleborough.

On the front row, 3rd from the right is Henry Hiley. Next to the back row are Henry's sisters Edith (5th from the right) and Agnes (7th from the right). Henry's other sister Mary may be on the far right on the front row. Their older brother Sam is not in the photo.

The Hileys lived at 72 Victoria Street, Littleborough.

Another medal and some prize money

The last post of 2020 (18th December) featured the seven war medals of Henry Hiley.

Another one needs to be added to the list because in 1991 Henry received a medal called the '40th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War Medal', popularly known in the UK as the Russian Convoy Medal. It was awarded to all military and civilian personnel of the USSR Armed Forces who took part in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, to partisans of the War, and it was also made available to sailors who had taken part in the Arctic Convoys from Britain to the Soviet Union.

Participant in the War 40 years of victory in the great patriotic war 1941-1945

Union of Soviet Socialist Republics
Certificate
for the Jubilee medal
'40 years of victory
in the great patriotic war
1941-1945'

Certificate
HILEY H
Presented with the Jubilee medal 
                                                             Participant in the War                                                               
31 JULY 1991

On this day... Birth of John Walter Hiley

This is the first in a new monthly series featuring an event or story about a family member from a particular day in the past.

John Walter Hiley was born on this day 13th January 1874.

John's father was Charles Joseph Hiley, Professor of Music, piano and music seller, and organist at Heptonstall church. Charles featured in the posts of 19th August and 2nd September 2020. 

John, born in Todmorden, was the third of Charles and Sarah's eight children. He showed early signs of  the skills required for his future career when he passed examinations at school, aged 11, in freehand drawing and geometry.

Todmorden Advertiser and Hebden Bridge Newsletter
11th September 1885

Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. 

With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive 

(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

At the time of the 1901 census John Walter was living at 22 Rochdale Road, Todmorden with his parents and his sisters Mabel, Amy Elizabeth and Edith Hannah. His occupation was given as Draughtsman. Tragedy struck three years later:

Todmorden & District News
16th December 1904

Newspaper image © The British Library Board. All rights reserved. 

With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive 

(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Tomlinson's of Rochdale 'Moser Raiser'
Soho Street, Rochdale
Machine for raising the nap of woollen cloth c 1904-1908
(Grace's Guide to British Industrial History)

Part of the inscription on the family grave at Christ Church, Todmorden
(full photo in the post about Charles Joseph Hiley, 19 August 2019)

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to all our readers - and welcome to the first post of the year.

A reminder that this Blog is for anyone who is a Hiley (or Highley), or who is related to one, or who has an interest in family history and genealogy. I would be pleased to include anything that others would like to contribute, either about Hileys or about a related topic.

This year, look out for posts featuring some history of  early Hiley families from near Halifax, and of Hiley families from further afield. And also more about Henry Hiley's service in the Royal Navy in WW2.

And a new regular feature:  On this day... An event or story about a family member from a particular day in the past.

This year I will continue to include occasional posts on the following:

Alfred Hiley

Notable Hileys

Already in this series:

Alfred Hiley (1831-1911) - a clergyman, mathematics teacher and writer of text books.

Wilfred Hiley (1886-1961) - a forest economist of world fame.

Thomas Alfred (Tom) Hiley (1905-1990) - an accountant, politician and public servant.

Joseph (Joe) Hiley (1902-1989) - Member of Parliament for Pudsey in Yorkshire from 1959 to 1974.

Hileys killed in WW1

Already in this series:

John Clifford Hiley's grave

Thomas Edward Hiley - his steam trawler struck a mine in the North Sea.

Herbert Hiley - his ship was torpedoed and sunk by a German U Boat off the Dutch coast.

Frank Hiley - killed in Italy when an enemy shell he was inspecting exploded.

James Highley - a Rifleman from Halifax, killed in action on the Somme.

John Clifford Hiley - a Bombadier in the Royal Horse Artillery, killed in action in Belgium.

Albert Edward Hiley - an errand lad from Sheffield, Albert was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

James Joseph Hiley's grave

Horace Highley - from Halifax, Horace fought on the Western Front, was wounded and died three days later.

Leonard Hiley - fought with the Salford Pals and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

Norman Hiley - the youngest of seven children from Shipley, Norman was killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Joe Hiley - a Lance Corporal with the York and Lancaster Regiment 8th Battalion which suffered very heavy losses including Joe on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

James Joseph Hiley - from Halifax, James was killed in action whilst fighting with the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment.

Families connected with the Hileys

Henry Heap

  Already in this series:

  The Heaps of Cornholme

  The Parsonses of Sabden 

A few reminders

You can contact me directly at christopherhiley@hotmail.com.

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Let me know if you want to include an article or have a suggestion.

Looking from Hathershelf across to High Lee Green and High Lee. In the distance on the left is the Warley hillside across the Calder valley.

The Yorkshire Hileys came from this area.