Robert, son of Samuel Oakley and Ann Bayley was born in Bunbury, and baptised on the 23 of Jun 1794. I have not been able to find anything about Robert's early life except that he was a builder. Family stories mentioned he was an architect others that he was a land surveyor. His death certificate listed him as an inspector of buildings.
In 1821 Robert married Elizabeth Thomas in Tregynon, Wales. Fortunately a cousin of my mothers had Robert & Elizabeth's marriage record, one of the items Sam brought with him when he moved to Canada. Without this document I would never have been able to connect Sam to Robert & Elizabeth.
Tregynon is a small village in Montgomeryshire. I am not sure how they met as the distance from Bunbury to Tregynon although only 1 ½ hours by car, in 1821 that would be quite a trek. Did Robert meet Elizabeth in Tregynon, or just return there for their wedding? Robert and Elizabeth eventually settled in Manchester.
I have found the following mention of Robert in a few records but can't account for his time between his marriage and the birth of his son Samuel:
-
Marriage 1821Tregynon, Wales
-
1833 birth of son 13 Thomas Street, Chorlton Row
- In the 1841 census they were living in Ardwick Township, Chorlton which is part of the greater Manchester area. Coincidentally they were living on Robert Street
- In the 1851 census the Oakleys are living at 37 Chapel Street, New Accrington, again part of the greater Manchester area:
Robert 54 b. Bunbury inspector of buildings
Elizabeth 56 b. Tregynon, Montgomery
Samuel 17 b. Manchester joiner
Trying to figure out Robert's movements proved more challenging than I expected. Still puzzling over the marriage in Wales I used the Manchester tax lists to see if I could piece together his arrival in Manchester. There appears to be at least 2 if not 3 Robert Oakley's in the Chorlton area. When Sam was born, the family was living at 13 Thomas Street. This would eliminate the Robert on Mansell St. I am not sure if he is the Robert that moved every couple of years or not.
I have many times discarded a re-added the newspaper article of a bankruptcy of a builder in Shrewsbury in 1834. Could this be our Robert? Did he move his family to Manchester in 1833 and lose the business he had in Shrewsbury?
He is probably the Robert living at 4 Thomas St in 1836 but the next official address is the 1841 census when the family was living on Robert St in Ardwick. In the 1851 census they were living at 37 Chapel St, New Accrington and they remained there until Roberts death in 1854.
I imagine with Roberts death this changed the financial circumstances for Elizabeth and Samuel, thus necessitating a move to Blackburn St. in Old Accrington.
Another puzzle is the gap between Robert and Elizabeth's marriage and Sam's birth, about 12 years. Were there other children that did not survive? I will write more about this in another post, but one of the paintings Sam brought to Canada was of a young girl, possibly his sister.
Also puzzling is who the older couple were in two of the paintings Sam brought with him. Robert and Elizabeth's granddaughter Sarah (Powell) referred to the portrait of the female as "Great Grandmother Melting". This would make them Elizabeth's parents.
Robert died the 26th of August 1854 from effusion into the cavity of chest. His wife Elizabeth passed away December 21st from ulceration of the stomach. Elizabeth and presumably Samuel were now living at 123 Blackburn Road in Old Accrington.
I did find a short obit for Robert in The Guardian (Preston, England Sept 2, 1854)
On Saturday Inst, Mr. Robert Oakley, of Accrington, aged 60
Robert and Elizabeth are buried in the Christ Church graveyard in Accrington. Mom's cousin Betty Brault provided a copy of the inscription on their grave:
To the memory of Robert Oakley of Chapel Street, New Accrington
who departed this life the 26th day of August 1854, age 60 years,
also of Elizabeth his wife who departed this life the
21st day of December 1854, age 62 years.
Be warned by my sudden call that for you for death prepare lest it should come to you know not the manner how or where.
(the sacred is in Old English) With his parents deaths Samuel packed up and emigrated to Canada in May of 1855.
No comments:
Post a Comment