Welcome to the Aldcroft family web pages that I have compiled to record the information I have gathered about my piece of the Aldcroft family. My name is Eileen Bennée (nee Aldcroft) and please feel free to email me eileen@lucidata.co.uk if you have any information that can be added or if you want more detail on any of the persons mentioned on these pages.

Other Names connected with this family

Rather than try and present the family tree graphically which can make web pages very slow and cumbersome, I have chosen to write it as normal text starting with my grandfather and working backwards. This makes it simple to print and search for a name or place using your browser’s search facility. (This will be found under the Edit menu if you are using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.)

These pages were last updated in December 2007

Grandfather with wife Annie & sons George Frederick & Kenneth Hurle

GRANDFATHER Frederick ALDCROFT (27 November 1883 - 3rd May 1962 ) Previous Occupation Manager of Shipping Office. Married July 22 1907 to Annie HURLE (1882-28 Dec 1940) We have a copy of the Marriage Certificate of Frederick and Annie. Frederick’s parents Thomas Henry and Emma were present as was Annie’s father George Byron Hurle. Maybe her mother was already deceased. We have the original Death Certificate for Annie who died aged 58. Frederick Aldcroft lived in Cheadle Heath, Cheshire and worked as a shipping agent for Richard Goodair Limited, 8 Mosley Street, Manchester. Before the Second World war he moved to Ruislip, Middlesex and his gave his occupation as Storekeeper Royal Air Force on the marriage certificate of his son.

Emma Aldcroft nee Robinson

GREAT GRANDFATHER Thomas Henry ALDCROFT 25th June 1862- 17 December 1928 Thomas Henry was born New Chester, Sale. Page 61 Entry No. 302 in Birth Register Book No. 22 in the district of Altrincham in the county of Chester. Dated 27th August 1883. I have a copy of his birth certificate found amongst our family papers. At the time of the 1881 census Thomas Henry was 18 years old and living at 1 Benton Cottages, Stretford, Lancashire with his brother William Aldcroft (b. 1852) a coachman, William's wife Elizabeth Ann (b. c 1854) and their two young daughters Asenath Amy (aged 2) and Minnie Amelia(aged 1). At this time Thomas Henry’s occupation was listed as Groom Domestic. We know he married Emma ROBINSON on 24th August 1883. At the 1881 census, Emma was living in Clyne House Stretford with George and Elizabeth Benton. She was down as their neice and housekeeper and the family story goes that she was not treated well. Presumably this was how she met Thomas Henry who was the Benton's groom. She was 34 years old when she married Thomas Henry, and he was only 21. It appears to have been a "shotgun marriage" as their son, Frederick was born shortly after. Thomas Henry’s occupation was given as a groom on the marriage certificate, but he advanced to coachman by the time of his son Frederick's marriage to Annie Hurle. From the 1881 census records we know that Thomas Henry had the following brothers and sisters. John C. ALDCROFT (prob. b. 1851) William ALDCROFT (b. 1852) Coachman (Domestic) Arthur ALDCROFT (b. 1854) Gardener (Domestic) Eliza ALDCROFT (b. 1855) Henry ALDCROFT (b. 1857) Mary ALDCROFT (b 1859 ) Washerwoman James ALDCROFT (b. 1863 Farm Labourer Robert ALDCROFT (b. 1868) Martha ALDCROFT (b. 1872)

Unidentified silhouette from family papers

GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER Thomas ALDCROFT (b. c 1824) married Amelia BROOME (b. 1832) Thomas Aldcroft married Amelia Broome aged 19 on 26 June 1850 in the parish of Ashton upon Mersey. His occupation was given as labourer At the time of the 1851 census, Thomas and Amelia have a 1 month old son John C. Aldcroft and are living next door to their parents John and Mary Aldcroft and the younger siblings. From these records we know that Thomas had the following siblings. James ALDCROFT (b. c 1827) Agricultural labourer John ALDCROFT (b. c 1829) Agricultural labourer Samuel ALDCROFT (b c. 1837) Martha ALDCROFT (b. c 1840) Robert ALDCROFT (b. c 1842) At the time of the 1881 census, Amelia was head of the household living at 67 Washway Road, Sale, Cheshire with two daughters, two sons and a grandson. Amelia was working as a washerwoman and Thomas had been registered as a patient in the Cheshire County Lunatic Asylum Macclesfield on 19 September 1872 (aged 47). His occupation was listed as a jobbing but he was absent from the household on census night.

During John's life the Industrial Revolution dawned

GREAT GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER John ALDCROFT (b. c 1799) married Mary (b. c 1798) On the marriage certificate of his son Thomas (in 1850) John’s occupation is given as Labourer. At the 1851 census he was described a farmer with 13 acres.

SIBLINGS OF MY GREAT GRANDFATHER

John C. Aldcroft was born c. 1851 is Sale, Cheshire. He is probably the eldest child of Thomas Amelia Aldcroft. He married Elizabeth Hazeldine in 1875 at at the 1881 Census he has 3 daughters, Margaret A. b. 1877, Ethel b. 1879 and Ada b. 1876. Later records show 2 more daughters, Emily Louise b. 1882 and Lydia b. 1884. It appears that the family emigrated to the USA in 1886 and appear on the 1900 census at Honey Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana. At the 1910 census John Charles is a florist living in Terre Haute, Vigo County. In 1901, the UK census shows John C. living/staying with his younger brother Thomas Henry at Brooklands Road Coach House. His occupation is given as Gardener. One can only assume that he was visiting his brother at that time.

William ALDCROFT was born in Sale, Cheshire in 1852. In 1881, William is a coachman aged 29 and married to Elizabeth Ann aged 27, born Gainsborough, Lincoln and they are living at 1 Benton Cottages. He maiden name was probably Elizabeth Hunt and they married in 1874. They have four children: Asenath Amy b 1878, Minnie Amelia b. 1880, William b. 1882 and Lydia Caroline b. 1883. In 1901 we find Asenath, aged 24, working as a servantin the household of Benjamin A Robinson and Ada A Robinson, Minnie A, aged 21, as a servant in the household of Jannie & William Sauter and Lydia Caroline, aged 17, as a servant in the household of James and Mary Hodcroft. I have not found any record of William in the 1901 census, and I believe he died in 1909.

Arthur ALDCROFTwas born in Sale, Cheshire in 1854. Arthur appears on the 1861 census aged 7 living with his parents. He is not in that household in 1871 but he would be 17 by then and almost certainly have left home. At the age of 23 he married Mary Robinson (27) on 8th April 1877 at the Methodist Ebeneezer Chapel, Hulme, Lancashire. He was a gardener resident in Hulme and she was living at Preston Street, Hulme. Her father was John Robinson a deceased coppersmith. I have not found him on the 1871 census but he appears on the 1881 census with his wife Mary and a son Arthur age 1. We find Arthur again, aged 37 on the 1891 census living in Didsbury, Withington in Lancaster County. He is a domestic gardener and has a wife Mary aged 42, born Salford Lancashire. They have children: James, 13, William Robert, 6, John H, 4, and Arthur aged 1. If this is indeed the same Arthur we have to assume that his first son called Arthur died and that they gave a subsequent son the same name.

Eliza ALDCROFT was born in Sale, Cheshire in 1857. She marries John Moore, a joiner who was also born in Sale.They have two children Sidney b.c. 1878 and Harold in 1880. She appears to be on the 1891 census and she is living next door to her brother William and his family. In 1901 they are living at 126 Florence Street with sons Harold, age 19, cab driver, b Sale, Cheshire and Thomas, age 17,

Henry ALDCROFT was born in Sale, Cheshire in 1857. He is living with his parents in 1861 but we cannot find him on the 1871 census or any death recorded.

Mary ALDCROFT was born in Sale, Cheshire in 1859 and appears on the 1861 census. although we believe she is working as a servant in the household of Edward Dean in Ashton upon Mersey at that time. In 1881 she is living with her mother Amelia and John W. who is down as Amelia's grandson. In 1891, she is still living with Amelia and her marital status is single. By 1901 she is widowed and working as a laundress and living at 24 Darley Street, Sale with children John W. (b. 1880, Sale Cheshire, Carpenter, Gertrude (b. 1883, Sale), Harold (b. 1888, Sale) and mother Amelia now aged 69. The only possible marriage I have found is with a Henry Royle in 1895 who died aged 64 in 1889.

James ALDCROFT was born in Sale in 1863.In 1881, James is a Farm Labourer, aged 17, living with Amelia at 67 Washway Road.In 1891 He is still single and living with his mother, occupation Gardener. In 1892 there is a marriage recorded to Emma Faulkener which may be his. On the 1901 Census, aged 37 as a Gardener Domestic and head of the family, living at 43 14 North View, Sale with his wife is Emma, aged 36, daughter Amelia, age 7 and son John A, age 3.

Robert ALDCROFT was born in Sale in 1868. In 1881, Robert is still at school. In 1901 he is a Coachman, Domestic living at 21 Stockport Road. His wife is Susan b. c 1868 Salop, Wellington and they have three sons Robert (b. c 1896 Sale), Bertram A. b. c 1898 Sale and Thomas B. b. 1900 in Timperley which is where they now live.

Martha ALDCROFT born Sale in 1872. She married Benjamin BRUNDRIT in 1896. The name also appears as BRUNDRETT in some records. In 1901 they are living at 18 Albion Grove. He is described as a Gardener (not domestic) and they have 4 chidren, Edith M, age 4, Nellie A, age 3, George W, age 1 and Maud, E, age 4 months.

SIBLINGS OF MY GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER

Josiah ALDCROFT born before 1819. Josiah signed the death certificate of his brother William who died in 1842. He does not appear on the 1841 census but would most likely have left the family home by then.

William ALDCROFT born Chester c 1820, died of Typhus 29/10. 1842

Anne ALDCROFT born Chester c 1822. It has not yet been determined whether she married or not. William Andrew or Joseph D Cantrell are possibilities.

James ALDCROFT born Chester, Sale c 1827. In 1841 James appears with Margaret and a young child John living next door to James Darbyshire, aged 48. James died on 11/07/1845 aged 29. Margaret Aldcroft married James Darbyshire in 1846 and in 1851 the family is listed as :
James Darbyshire, 34, an agricultural labourer born Ashton upon Mersey
Margaret Darbyshire, wife aged 35 born Woolston, Lancashire
John Aldcroft, son a farm boy aged 10 born Ashton upon Mersey
Eliza Aldcroft, daughter age 8 born Ashton upon Mersey
Mary Aldcroft, daughter age 6 born Ashton upon Mersey
Henry Darbyshire, son age 4 born Ashton upon Mersey
James Darbyshire, son age born Ashton upon Mersey
So it seems that Margaret was widowed with 3 young children and married the man next door who was a similar age and presumably a friend of her late husband. Margaret Darbyshire died 1/11/1871 aged 55 and James Darbyshire 12/03/1909 aged 92. The fact that they were all buried together would seem to confirm the story.

John ALDCROFT born Chester, Sale c 1829. In 1851 John is aged 22 and an Agricultural Labourer. In 1881 John is a Domestic Gardener and is living a few houses up the road from Amelia's (Thomas') family and Samuel's family. He is married to Emma J. Holker(b. 1839) and they have two sons William (b. 1869) and Ernest (b. 1874). Emma was born in Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, Lancashire.

Joshua ALDCROFT born Chester, Sale c. 1829

Samuel ALDCROFTborn Chester, Sale c. 1837) In 1851 Samuel is aged 14 at home. In 1881 Samuel is already a widower and is living with his daughter Janet aged 14 at 65 Washway Road, Sale next door to his brother's wife Amelia and her family. His brother Thomas is in Macclesfield Lunatic Asylum at this time. I have found a marriage (CE5/4/202) of Samuel to Ann Davenport in 1864. There is an Anne Davenport on the 1851 census records aged 13 living with her parents Thomas and Jane in the parish of Ashton upon Mersey. She would have been born c. 1838 so it seems likely that she was Samuel's wife. There is a record of the death in 1870 of Ann Aldcroft in Altrincham.

Martha ALDCROFTborn Chester, Sale c.1840 In 1851, Martha is aged 11 and I have not found Martha on the 1881 census but she has probably married and changed her name by then.

Robert ALDCROFTb. c 1842 I have not found Robert on the 1881 census.