Numbers 23 – 25 Cocker Hill are pretty special. The cottages pre-date the Industrial Revolution and are among the oldest homes remaining in Stalybridge. I have not yet managed to find out exactly when they were built; 23 and 25 are recorded as being sold in 1750 and I’m guessing the others were in existence then too.
Forty five years later in 1795 the census recorded just thirty-four houses in the whole of Stalybridge
By 1831 this had risen to 2,357 houses
Census Returns – Cocker Hill – 1901
Address
|
Nam
|
Relation to Head
|
Age Next
|
Occupation
|
23 Cocker Hill | Jesse Parkside | Head | 56 | Cotton Yarn Merchant |
Sarah C Parkside | Wife | 56 | ||
John K Parkside | Son | 19 | Yarn Merchants Clerk | |
Geo Ed Parkside | Son | 14 | ||
25 Cocker Hill | Robert W Saxon | Head | 41 | General Property Repairer |
Mary Saxon | Wife | 45 | ||
Harriet Saxon | Dau | 7 | ||
27 Cocker Hill | Joseph Grims | Head | 52 | Fitter, Cotton Machines |
Elizabeth Grims | Wife | 52 | ||
Sarah Anne Grims | Dau | 25 | Worker, Cotton Mill | |
Percy Stanley Grims | Son | 20 | Hanson Driver (Groom) | |
29 Cocker Hill | Fred Sinkinson | Head | 25 | Drapers Assistant |
Bertha Sinkinson | Wife | 25 | Overlooker, Cotton Mill | |
31 Cocker Hill | George W Newton | Head | 34 | Railway Agent |
Elizabeth Newton | Wife | 31 | ||
Norman Geo Newton | Son | 2 |
Census Returns – Cocker Hill – 1891
* Note there are two separate returns for 23 Cocker Hill on the 1891 Census
Address
|
Name
|
Relation to Head
|
Age Next
|
Occupation
|
23 Cocker Hill* | Edward Buckley | Head | 52 | Mechanic |
Betty Buckley | Wife | 52 | ||
James Buckley | Son | 23 | Agent | |
23 Cocker Hill* | James Cook | Head | 46 | Mechanic |
Eliza Ann Cook | Wife | 40 | ||
George Harry Cook | Son | 22 | Mechanic | |
Elizabeth A Cook | Dau | 20 | Cotton? | |
Roland Cook | Son | 18 | Mechanic | |
Jane Cook | Dau | 16 | Cotton yarn realer | |
Stanley Cook | Son | 15 | Cotton Piecer | |
Edgar Cook | Son | 13 | Cotton Piecer | |
Ernest Cook | Son | 11 | Plate Printworks | |
Frederick Cook | Son | 7 | Scholar | |
Clara Cook | Dau | 5 | Scholar | |
Herbert Cook | Son | 2 | ||
Sarah Cook | Mother | 71 | ||
Hannah Cook | Sister | 50 | ||
25 Cocker Hill | Robert W Saxon | Head | 31 | Living on his own means |
Mary Saxon | Wife | 31 | ||
27 Cocker Hill | Jane Hawkins | Head | 49 | |
John Hawkins | Son | 26 | Blacksmiths | |
Harry Hawkins | Son | 22 | Carter | |
George Hawkins | Son | 20 | Steam Fitter (Apprentice) | |
James Hawkins | Son | 15 | Cleaner/ locomotive | |
Emily Hawkins | Dau | 9 | Scholar | |
Thomas Thompson | Lodger | 22 | Corn Miller | |
29 Cocker Hill | Alexander Robertson | Head | 44 | Draper |
Ann Robertson | Wife | 49 | ||
George E Petric | Step Son | 25 | Draughtsman | |
Helena I Petric | Step Dau | 22 | ||
Richard Robertson | Son | 15 | Clerk | |
Euphemia Robertson | Dau | 14 | ||
Alexander Robertson | Son | 9 | Scholar | |
Elizabeth Dewhirst | Mother in law | 81 | ||
31 Cocker Hill | Uninhabited |
Census Returns – Cocker Hill – 1881
Address
|
Name
|
Relation to Head
|
Age Next
|
Occupation
|
23 Cocker Hill | Dan Woffinden | Head | 42 | Draper |
Delia Woffinden | Wife | 40 | ||
Annie Woffinden | Dau | 15 | Scholar | |
Fanny Woffinden | Dau | 13 | Scholar | |
Mary Woffinden | Dau | 11 | Scholar | |
Mark Woffinden | Son | 9 | Scholar | |
Charlotte Woffinden | Dau | 7 | Scholar | |
Delia Woffinden | Dau | 5 | Scholar | |
Lucy Woffinden | Dau | 3 | Scholar | |
Hannah Woffinden | Dau | 1 | ||
25 Cocker Hill | John W Marsland | Head | 31 | Veterinary Surgeon |
Louisa Marsland | Wife | 31 | ||
Gertrude Marland | Sister in Law | 24 | ||
27 Cocker Hill | James Ellis | Head | 64 | Agent |
Harriet Ellis | Wife | 27 | ||
Annie Ellis | Dau | 4 | ||
Edward Son | Son | 2 | ||
Roshannah Ellis | Dau | 11 | ||
29 Cocker Hill | Charles Baker | Head | 45 | Alderman J.P. Linen Draper |
Jayne Baker | Wife | 47 | ||
Bertha Baker | Dau | 21 | ||
Mary Baker | Dau | 20 | ||
Kenneth Mininak | Apprentice | 17 | Drapers Apprentice | |
Fredrick Cooper | Apprentice | 16 | Drapers Apprentice | |
Elizabeth Potts | Servant | 24 | Domestic Servant | |
Mary A James | Servant | 21 | Domestic Servant | |
31 Cocker Hill | John Boradill | Head | 60 | Lodge Keeper (Cotton Mill) |
Jane Boradill | Wife | 45 | Card room Cotton Mill | |
Elizabeth Boradill | Dau | 18 | Card room Cotton Mill | |
Annie Sugden | Niece | 5 | Scholar |
Census Returns – Cocker Hill – 1871
Address
|
Name
|
Relation to Head
|
Age Next
|
Occupation
|
23 Cocker Hill | John Lawton | Head | 72 | Corn Dealer |
Mary Lawton | Wife | 72 | ||
Annie Lawton | Dau | 43 | ||
George Lawton | Son | 38 | Corn Dealer | |
John Lawton | Son | 32 | Bookkeeper | |
Margaret Lawton | Dau | 29 | ||
25 Cocker Hill | Richard Batty | Head | 42 | Cotton Spinner |
Elizabeth Batty | Wife | 38 | Housekeeper | |
John W Batty | Son | 13 | Piecer in Cotton Mill | |
Harry Batty | Son | 11 | Scholar | |
Edwin Batty | Son | 4 | Scholar | |
Mary E Batty | Dau | 1 | ||
27 Cocker Hill | Joseph Chadwick | Head | 51 | Master Bobbin Turner – (Employing 9 men & 19 boys) |
Grace Chadwick | Wife | 43 | Wife | |
Joseph W Chadwick | Son | 16 | Manager of Bobbin Shop | |
Luke Way Marsland | Boarder | 19 | Solicitors Articled Clerk | |
29 Empty | Uninhabited | |||
31 Cocker Hill | Joseph Conway | Head | 46 | Manager of Cotton Mill |
Jane Conway | Wife | 41 | ||
Mary Dean | Relative | 38 | ||
Elizabeth Sykes | 16 |
Census Returns – Cocker Hill – 1861
House numbers not properly indexed – only number 31 available – others described as “Cocker Hill Brow” etc
Address
|
Name
|
Relation to Head
|
Age Next
|
Occupation
|
31 Cocker Hill | Matthew Lawton | Head | 58 | Painter (Mill Machinery) |
Sarah Lawton | Sister | 62 | ||
Henry Cook Lawton | Nephew | 21 | Assistant Pawnbroker | |
Charles James Buckley | Nephew | 28 | Waste Packer |
Census Returns – Cocker Hill – 1851
Address
|
Name
|
Relation to Head
|
Age Next
|
Occupation
|
23 Cocker Hill | Edward Hunt | Head | 22 | Cotton Spinner |
Sarah Hunt | Wife | 30 | ||
25 Cocker Hill | John (?Hatherford) | Head | 29 | Tailor |
Mary (?Hatherford) | Wife | 24 | ||
27 Cocker Hill | Henry Heap | Head | 48 | Auctioneer & Agent |
Betty Heap | Wife | 48 | ||
Robert Heap | Son | 24 | Auctioneer & Agent Assistant | |
Ann Heap | Dau | 22 | Dress Maker | |
Edward Heap | Son | 21 | Druggist Assistant | |
29 Cocker Hill | Joseph Worsnip | Head | 33 | Mechanic |
Sarah Worsnip | Wife | 33 | ||
Ann Worsnip | Dau | 9 | Scholar | |
James Worsnip | Son | 4 | Scholar | |
Richard Worsnip | Son | 2 | ||
(Hamilton) Worsnip | Son | 1 | ||
31 Cocker Hill | James Sidebottom | Head | 26 | Cotton Masters Son |
Margaret Sidebottom | Wife | 22 | ||
Mary A Wilkin | Servant | 24 | House Servant |
hi steph regarding the 1901 census 27 cockerhill on the census return looks like grimes but ancestry says the name is grims. 29 is fred sinkinson. 23 looks like parkside but ancestry say it is gartside. hope that has been some help. will look at the 1851 census later. is there anyone else you would like me to look up, its no problem jacquie
hi steph 1851 census 25 john ratherford and 29 yes it is hamilton worsnip jacquie
Thank you so much for all your help Jacquie. I really appreciate it. I’ll make a cake when you come to visit in return for your research!
I saw I photo today with 19 and 21 Cocker Hill on it. I’ll try and get a copy to scan and put it on here in honour of your Great Grandad
Steph
The map of 1874 show what is now 39 Cocker Hill, and opposite was Clive House before Carter Street was erected. Do you know the History of these houses; 39 and Clive House.
As a boy living at 39 I was facinated by the Bell system that led to the Basement. Clive House was also a large property (now demolished) it was situated up the steep cobbled path that led to the back entrance of 39. The Thames archive show 39 (described as a stone house, and the rear as dog in the window. Carter street has also been demolished. I played in some of the weavers cottages with the local children, however I cannot remember their names.
I have a few photos of 39 I can email you. I also have some census reurns. I’ll email you what I have collected so far.
All the best
Steph/
Hello, Ron, my family lived in Clive House from about 1948-1967 when we moved to Anglesey, N Wales. My parents were Jack and Elsie FARICY and were active members of St Peters RC church. We were 6 children, Winifred, BERNARD, Gerard, me Catherine, Anne and Joan. When did you live at #39? I remember Lorna Cooper, the Edmundsons, Blodwells, Ashton’s, Mrs Pollitts shop, the Morts, the ballet school, old Ms Smith. My two oldest siblings remember a lot more people who lived around Cocker Hill.
Do you know when it was built and who for?
Thank you, Catherine nee Faricy.
Many thanks. 39 Cocker Hill was a defining moment in my life.
Although a member of St Peters RC school, I was very fond of Old St Geoges Church, and sometimes helped with a duster (for a few pence of course). For us local kids one of the empty crypts was our local meeting point. Steps decended into it, and it was located at the corner nearest to the viaduct.
Looking at Google Earth I see that 39 has been given a makeover. I nearly purchased it some years ago, but received a warning from my Surveyor with regards to the old railway tunnel brickwork, and the dumping of Manure at the other end. However the view is magnificent.
Yes, the view is great, I have loved living on Cocker Hill.
Beautiful blog – amazing picture for me (here in Australia) of my ancestors’ life and times. My ggggfather was James Heap, auctioneer, Chapel Inn publican, brother of Henry Heap who lived in 27 Cocker Hill in 1851. Both brothers were the trouble-causing churchwardens and someone told me it was James who actually coined the phrase “Two into one etc.” Joseph Heap was his father and I think his mother Martha was one of the Hall family. Joseph (“owd Joe Heap of ‘Bygone Stalybridge’] was landlord of “Heap’s Vaults”. Would you know if this building is now Whitehouse Hotel? My daughter is visiting Manchester briefly for work in the next fortnight and I’d like to be able to tell her what to check out in the way of family history. James, Henry and other Heaps are interred at St George’s. Thomas (James’ second son) was father of Sarah, my ggrandmother who migrated with husband and family to Australia in 1889. She requested my own father have the Heap name and so my Dad was named Thomas Heap Cooke. After looking at your pictures and reading about the landscape and people, I will certainly encourage my daughter to visit Cocker Hill. Very grateful, Carole
Thank you for your comment, great to hear from you. I will do some investigating about the pub for you and let you know asap. I will private email you with my contact details.
All the best
Steph
From the book – Stalybridge pubs 1750 – 1990 and their licensees by Rob Magee – I have found that you are correct; the pub that Joseph Heap was licensee of is now called the White House and is a short walk from Stalybridge Station – let me know if you want directions or a photo. Steph
I live in Australia and a friend sent me your website for which I am very grateful
our ancestors date back to the early 1800’s so it was a joy to see the old cottages. Jenny S
Hi Jenny
Thank you for your comment. Glad you like it. If you have further details of your ancestors addresses I’ll have a look to see if I can find any more pictures for you – I have lots of old photos of stalybridge but only usually put the the Cocker Hill ones on the blog. Email me if you are interested cockerhill@hotmail.com