THE PARKINSON FAMILY



Joseph Parkinson, my 2g-grandfather, born in Blackburn around 1829 married in 1846 Mary Whalley, daughter of William Whalley, a farmer of Pleasington to the west of Blackburn. Joseph's father was also called William. According to the marriage certificate he was also a farmer. It is possible that the the family is the one at Whalley Bank, Blackburn in the 1841 census but the William of this household is described as a grocer. The 1841 census is in such poor condition that many pages are unreadable and it impossible to be sure that all possible Parkinsons have been considered.

Joseph Parkinson and Mary Whalley had at least 6 children:-

  • William 1847 Pleasington
  • Elizabeth 1850 Pleasington/Blackburn m Henry ASHWORTH 1869 St James, Waterfoot
  • Mary 1853 Blackburn
  • Joseph 1855 Cloughfold, m Alice Ann CRONKSHAW 1877
  • Paul 1857 Newchurch m Betsy Ann COLLINGE 1879
  • John?
Elizabeth and Henry Ashworth had 3 children
  • Edmund b~1869
  • Mary b~1871
  • Elizabeth b~1881
  • Joseph is given as a 4th child in 1901 census but as he was born in about 1896 there is a possibility that he was the illegitimate child of Mary or the younger Elizabeth.
Paul Parkinson and Betsy Ann COLLINGE had at least 4 children:
  • Joseph b~1879 Rawtenstall
  • James Collinge b~1882 Rawtenstall
  • Paul b~1885 Rawtenstall
  • Harry b~1890 Burnley
Betsy Ann was probably the grand-daughter of James Collinge, born about 1815 in Lower Booths township, and his wife Alice. They had 6 children: Alice 1835, Ann 1838, John 1840, Elizabeth 1843, James 1846, William 1849
I believe Betsy Ann to be the illegitimate daughter of Alice.
In the 1851 census Joseph is at Throstle Street in Blackburn and in 1861 at Cawl Terrace in Newchurch. By 1871 William has left to form his own household nearby, Joseph is a "shopman" and Joseph jnr, age 15, is a cotton weaver. By the 1881 census Joseph snr is a sharebroker living with his wife in Newchurch and Joseph jnr (my great-grandfather) is living with his wife not far away. They had a large family:- In the 1891 census Joseph and Alice Ann are at Stubbins Lane in Ramsbottom but the family later moved to Fern Street. Joseph and Alice Ann are buried in Ramsbottom Cemetery.

Their son Fred worked as a draughtsman and became a director of a small engineering firm in Radcliffe which produced printing and other machinery for the textile and wallpaper industries. He will be mainly remembered for his work with the East Ward Allotment Association and Ramsbottom Cricket Club. For much of his later life he lived in Peel Brow. His sister Maggie and especially her husband George Burgess were also great supporters of the club.

Last update 15/11/2004