My mother gave me a number of family photograph albums that haven’t made it on to here because of other jobs-to-be-done, but I did promise my cousin Hamish I would try to scan/photograph them and post them on here. Have finished my first 5K Park Run today as part of family Couch to 10K fundraising (see more here), the DIY is going to be shelved this afternoon as running always gives me shin splints.
There was also a box of photographs from the Victorian era that are named on the back so they are easy to identify, including Mr and Mrs Astley above (you can read more about their connection to my mother’s Birtwistle family here).
She was born Mary Hartley in 1834, the eldest daughter of Ralph Hartley and Inn Keeper in Blackburn and Ann (née Cunliffe). The photograph has no date but was taken by J.Frankland Photograher of 115 Fielden Street, Blackburn.
She married James Astley of Beardwood Hall, Blackburn, whose family had made their fortune from a mixture of textiles and groceries. His photograph was taken by Silas Esatham Photographer of 217 Lord Steet in Southport.
My mother’s grandmother (Annie Hartley aka Annie Astley Bell) and her (half?) brother Henry Bell appeared to have lived with their Aunt Mary and Mr Astley who don’t appear to have children of their own. That’s probably why my grandfather was named James Astley Birtwistle and why so many of his descendents including myself have Astley as a middle name.
a tale of downward social mobility 