48 - The Bardsley Family

The story of Judah and Mary Ann Bardsley can be read in full in my book "The Residents of Romiley Road", which is available to order now.

I will give some brief details of the pair here.

They were both arrested on 13th June 1873 when it was discovered that Judah had been sneaking hat bodies (the unfinished felt forms) underneath his clothes and then passing them in a bundle for his wife to move. Mary Ann was released but Judah was given 4 months of imprisonment with hard labour at Knutsford Prison. He was 65 years old.

Judah was from Denton and came from a hatting family. His brother was repeatedly arrested for theft and eventually transported to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) for 7 years.

Judah and Mary Ann had not been together long when the crime was committed. Judah had married in 1828 and had 3 children, but his wife passed away when the youngest was 1. He married again and moved to Oldham, where he had 2 children, one surviving. The family moved back to Stockport, but Judah then left his wife and daughter to move to Newcastle. He then moved to Nuneaton where he married Mary Ann Joynt in 1868.

After Judah's sentence the couple moved to Stalybridge. Mary Ann died in 1877 and Judah spent his final years in the workhouse.