Some Hiley memorabilia

We have already met Charles Joseph Hiley ('Professor of Music') several times in this Blog. Type 'professor' in 'Search This Blog' to read more about him.

In his shop, 'Beethoven House' in Todmorden, Charles Joseph sold pianos, organs, other instruments, sheet music, gramophones and records.

The pieces of memorabilia pictured below appeared for sale on Ebay recently - a 78 rpm 12" inch card gramophone record sleeve and a postcard from 1910.

On this day... Marriage of Charles William Highley and Mary Carr

Charles William Highley and Mary Carr were married in St Peter's Church, Walsden on 20th March 1915.

Charles William was one of the twelve children of John and Mary Ann Bray Highley. Mary Ann Bray (nee Wills) was born in Cornwall and had moved up to Lancashire some time between 1871 and her marriage to John in 1874. 

Charles William was baptised on 8th September 1889 in the Wesleyan Chapel, Inchfield Bottom, Walsden. In April 1911 he was working as a Cotton Weaver and living at 16 Throstle Street with his parents and younger siblings. He married Mary Carr of 9 Cedar Street on 20th March 1915. Mary was a Weaver and the daughter of William, a Cardroom worker.

The Todmorden and District News said that Charles William was ‘well-known throughout the district, having many and varied interests. He was a member of the Male Voice Choir, and he assisted them at the winning of many of their trophies. He was also in the choir at Lanebottom Wesleyan Chapel.’

Charles William (regimental no. 27557) joined the 15th Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers on 25th January 1917 and was killed in action less than 5 months later, on 22nd June 1917. He was buried at the Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery in West Flanders, Belgium. The cemetery is at Nieuwpoort between Dunkirk and Ostend. His body was identified by the number 27557 stamped on his boot.

From 18th June until 23rd June the 15th Battalion had been in the trenches at Nieuwpoort Bains. The 15th Lancashire Fusiliers were known as the 1st Salford Pals. They were part of XV Corps who held the front line in Belgium between June and November 1917. Nearly all the burials at Ramscappelle Road are men who died during the British tenure of this sector.

Charles William died at the age of 27. His address at the time was 33 Rock Nook, Summit, Littleborough. Charles William and Mary had one daughter Miriam who was born in 1916. Miriam and her grandparents John and Mary Ann Bray were buried at Calderbrook church in Littleborough.

In the 1911 census John and Mary Ann Bray are shown as having had 12 children, 7 of whom were still living and 5 of whom had died. As well as Charles William, his brothers Ernest Jackson and John Henry were also killed in WW1. So only 4 of the 12 children survived into later life.

Charles William Highley
The Todmorden Advertiser 20 July 1917

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

With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive 

(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

Ramscappelle Road Military Cemetery Left: Charles William's gravestone 27557 PRIVATE C.W. HIGHLEY LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS 22ND JUNE 1917 AGED 28 OH REST IN THE LORD GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN (Included with the permission of C. and J. Cosgrove)

Edgar Morris and his family

Today's post is about Edgar Morris and his connection to the Hiley family, and includes contributions from his family to 'An Edwardian Album' featured in the last post. Thanks once again to Ray White for permission to use these excerpts.

Betsy Hannah Hiley was one of the eleven children of Charles and Betty (nee Harrison) Hiley. Charles and Betty have already featured in a number of posts in this Blog. You can use the 'Search This Blog' feature to find references to them.

Betsy Hannah was born in Walsden in 1862 and married Frank Morris in 1888. Eleven years previously Betsy Hannah's older sister Alice Ann had married Frank's brother George Richard, a Weaver. Betsy Hannah and Frank had three children - Sam (b 1889), Edgar (b 1893) and Aquilla (b 1898). Sam died at the age of only 3.

At the time of the 1911 census, Edgar and his family were living at 134 Bacup Road, Todmorden. Frank was a Foreman at the Stoneswood Picker Works and Edgar worked there as well as an Apprentice Picker Maker.

Edgar joined the 2nd/6th Lancashire Fusiliers in September 1914 and went with them on training to Southport and Tunbridge Wells serving as a cook in the sergeant’s mess. Whilst on leave in January 1916 he married Martha Agnes Williams from 3 Bridge End Buildings, Shade, Todmorden. Following illness Edgar was in hospital for about a month and died in Tunbridge Wells on 20th March 1916. The press report referred to the illness as double pneumonia resulting in a weak heart. Edgar was actively connected with the Walsden Wesleyan Sunday School and Church where he was assistant organist. 

Edgar Morris
The District News 31 March 1916

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

With thanks to The British Newspaper Archive 

(www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk)

The contributions to 'An Edwardian Album' below are from Edgar, his wife Martha Agnes, Martha Agnes's parents John James and Mary Alice Williams, and her sister Edith.

Whoever you are, be noble
  Whatever you do, do well
Whenever you speak, speak gently
  Give joy where ever you dwell
Pte Edgar Morris - Nov 2/1915

It’s a very good world to live in
  To spend, or to lend, or to give in
But to beg or to borrow or get a man’s own
  It’s the very worst world that ever was known
M A Williams - Nov 2/1915

Make new friends but keep the old

  One is silver the other is gold
Brows may wrinkle hair turn grey
  True friendship never knows decay
J J Williams - Nov 2/1915

True gentleness is in the heart
  No matter how you’re dressed
It is the things you say and do
  That show what you are at best.
Mrs Williams - Nov 2/1915

A diamond may glitter
  And flash like a star
But the smile of a friend
  Is brighter by far
Edith Williams - Nov 2 1915

…courtesy of The White Files at whitefiles.org/aed

Edgar was buried at Mankinholes Wesleyan Church graveyard along with his parents and Sam. His grandparents Charles and Betty and other family members are buried in the neighbouring grave.

 

An Edwardian Album

I am grateful to Ray White for giving me permission to use the introduction below and the excerpts which follow.

In Edwardian times it was common practice for families and friends to create albums of material that they may have created themselves or developed from other sources. This particular album, from Walsden in West Yorkshire, was started in 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, probably as a result of needing a distraction from the horrors of war, and was completed by 1923. It illustrates the high moral standards expected in these times, as well as the creative skills, albeit sometimes naive, of the individuals involved. 

There are a number of contributions from Hiley family members or from members of families connected with Hiley or Highley families.

Mr & Mrs J Hiley and family

Joseph and Bertha (nee Harrison) Hiley were mentioned in the last post. They had three children - Amy (b 1901), Percy (b 1903) and Clarice (b 1905). In the census of 1911 the family was living at 142 Hollins Road, Walsden. Joseph worked as a Cotton Weaver.

Try to B sharp,

never B flat,
  & Always B natural                                  

J Hiley

You never can tell when you do an act,

  just what the result will be,
But with its every deed,

  you are sowing a seed,
  Though its harvest you may not see.        

Mrs J Hiley

Dear Jesus ever at my side

  How loving Thou must be
To leave Thy home in Heaven to guard
  A little child like me                                 

Clarice Hiley

We may write our names in albums

  We may trace them in the sand
We may chisel them in marble
  With a firm and steady hand:

But Dear friend there is an album
  Full of leaves of snowy white
Where no name is ever tarnished
  But for ever pure and bright:

And in that book of Life, God’s album,
  May our names be penned with care,
And may all who here have written
  Write their names for ever there.                

Amy Hiley

Mrs H Highley and Ruth

Harrison Highley was the son of James and Ellen (nee Harrison) Highley, mentioned in the last post. In the census of 1911, Harrison, his wife Mary Alice (nee Watson), and their two children Ruth (b 1902) and Jack (b 1903), were living at 7 Hollins Street, Walsden. Harrison worked as a Picker Maker.

If you’ve a mother with silvery hair,
  Love one another, trust her with care.
As you grow older the least you can do
  Is to do unto mother as she’s done for you

Mrs H Highley

When through the woods your roaming,
  And there you chance to see,
A little flower forget-me-not,
  Pluck it and think of me.
Ruth Highley - Nov 13/1915

…courtesy of The White Files at whitefiles.org/aed

Next post: more extracts from An Edwardian Album