61 - The Platt Family

It's impossible to know if the Platt family were happy during the 1871 census, but we know that by the 1881 census Amelia Platt had left the family.

Amelia was born Amelia Moores and was brought up by her widowed mother Mary. At 13 Amelia lived at Cooper's Court in Stockport and she was working as a hat trimmer.

She married John Platt in 1868. He lived at Oakwood Mill Lodge in Romiley with his parents and siblings. The couple moved to Romiley Road and in 1869 had their daughter Emily. Hannah followed in 1871. John worked as a hat finisher whilst Amelia worked as a hat trimmer. Amelia's sister was also living with them.

By 1881 the family had moved to 46 King Street in Brinnington, living with John Platt's mother and brother. John was listed as being married on all of the subsequent censuses and I was unable to track down Amelia, so we must assume that she left.

Whilst John worked as a Nightwatchman in a mill, his daughters attended St Paul's Day School in Portwood. I find an interesting article from The Stockport Advertiser on the 23rd June 1882. The newspaper had a "Children's Corner" and a group called the "Band of Kindness". Children could make the pledge to "promise to be kind to all living things" "to feed the birds in the wintertime" and "to not take pleasure in hurting (domestic animals)". Emily and Hannah were numbers 2155 and 2158 on the list.

By 1891 the family were living at Lawton Place in Stockport. Hannah lived with her father John whilst Emily lived with her husband William Price, a cotton yarn gasser.

Emily and William had 6 children, 5 surviving to adulthood. By 1901 they were living at 6 Mary Street and Emily's sister Hannah also lived with them whilst John boarded with other relatives.

John died in December 1909. His daughters put an announcement in the newspaper thanking their friends, neighbours and employees at Chestergate hat works.

In 1911 the Price family, along with Hannah Platt, were living at 84 Churchgate in Stockport. Hannah was working as a towel weaver for Mills Mackay & Co, a job that she continued until her retirement.

William Price died in 1925 but despite living together for all of their lives, the sisters were living separately by the 1939 register. Emily was at 105 New Bridge Lane living with the Bradburys and Hannah lived on Brinksway alone.

Emily died in 1948 followed by Hannah in 1954.