39 - The Hadfield Family (Mary and Sons)

Living next door to Henry and Sarah Jane Hadfield was Henry's widowed mother Mary and his brothers Benjamin and Joseph, both working as labourers. They had moved to Romiley in the 1860s, possibly when Henry found his job as master colour mixer at the Chadkirk Printworks.

Mary Hadfield was born Mary Harrop in 1807 in Chapel-en-le-Frith. She married John Hadfield in 1834 and they settled in Hayfield where Henry was born. They then moved to Hollingworth, Cheshire and had sons John, Benjamin and Joseph.

Mary's husband John worked as a bleacher. He isn't listed on the 1861 census with the family but Mary is still shown as being married at this point. Eldest son John was working full time as a labourer at the printworks aged 14 whilst his younger brothers were scholars. Henry was married by this point but his 3 year old son was also staying with the family.

Just before the 1871 census Mary's son John had married Dinah Hulme Osbaldiston, the daughter of a gardener from Offerton. She died just 5 years later in New Mills, Derbyshire having had one child named Joseph.

When Henry Hadfield and his family moved to Furness Vale, Mary went with them and lived with them until her death.

Benjamin Hadfield married a widow named Sarah Fowden (Sarah Brown from her first marriage) in 1881. The marriage record says that Benjamin was already widowed by this point but it's unclear who his first wife was. Possibly an Eliza Coterel. They lived in New Mills and had 3 children; James, Mary Elizabeth and Annie. In 1891 Benjamin appears to have been working as a Soap Boiler and they have a 60 year old named Henry Hadfield working as an assistant soap boiler. By 1901 Benjamin was the foreman at the soapworks. The lived at Bridge Mount in Whaley Bridge. In 1911 Benjamin was working as a carter for a gelatine works and by 1921 he was a horseman.

Joseph Hadfield seems to have passed away in the 1870s.