22 - Matthew and Sarah Robinson

Household 22 brings us perhaps the most shocking and tragic tale as any I found on Romiley Road in 1871.

At the taking of the census, Matthew and Sarah Robinson (nee Mellor) had been married for 5 years. They were yet to have any children but lived with a 70 year old housekeeper named Sarah Cooper.

Matthew was the son of Thomas Robinson and Martha Swindells but had mostly been brought up by his stepmother Eliza after his mother died. Eliza had been the servant in the household and she and Thomas never officially married but they did have children together.

Matthew and Sarah wouldn't bring their first child into the world until 14 years after their marriage - a rare situation for a Victorian family. The house wasn't quiet though as they took in two of Matthew's nephews after their father died and Sarah's mother Harriet also lived with them.

By 1883 things were going very well for the couple. They had 2 young sons, Albert and Frank, and were living next door to Thomas and Eliza at Greenfield Terrace. This was close to the old hatworks, where Matthew had begun his own hatting business, focusing on the forming of hat bodies. Thomas worked for his son, along with an engineer and a young man named Ramah Garlick.

On 7th June 1883 Matthew wanted to check that one of the machines was running. Whilst attaching a strap to the machine, Matthew's scarf was caught on the shaft and he was pulled into the air, spinning around the machine multiple times whilst the other workers ran to switch it off. He survived, but his leg was severely lacerated and he was taken to the infirmary.

The whole village of Romiley were in shock at what had happened and hoped that he would pull through. His wound was not healing however and it was decided to amputate his leg. Once again he survived but his health deteriorated and he passed away on 24th June.

Sarah was left almost penniless with 2 young boys to look after. She found work as a cotton weaver and after the death of Thomas Robinson she moved back to her birth town of Denton. Both of her sons worked in the hatting industry.

You can find out more about the Robinson family in the book "Residents of Romiley Road" which will be coming soon.