William Thomas Ashton
William Thomas Ashton (1832-1894) of W. T. Ashton and Son
Born at Blackburn the son of William Ashton and his wife Susannah Barker
1860 Marries at Shropshire to Lydia Grace Deakin
1861 Living at Barton House, Over Darwen: William Thomas Ashton (age 29 born Blackburn), Cotton Manufacturer employing 426 hands. With his wife Lydia Grace.[1]
1871 Living at Ferramonds, Over Darwen: William T. Ashton (age 39 born Blackburn), Cotton Manufacturer 149 men, 96 men, 57 boys and 52 girls. (Total 354). With his wife Lydia G., two daughters and sons Henry D. Ashton (age 9 born Darwen) and Sidney A. Ashton (age 2 born Darwen).[2]
1891 Living at Ashdale, Over Darwen: William T. Ashton (age 59 born Blackburn), Cotton Manufacturer and Employer. With his wife Lydia G. Ashton, three daughters and sons Sidney A. Ashton (age 22 born Darwen), Cotton Mill Manager, and William Ashton (age 20 born Darwen), Cotton Mill Manager.[3]
1894 Obituary
We regret to announce the death of Mr. Wm. Thomas Ashton, J. P., of Ashdale, Darwen. For the last three years Mr. Ashton has enjoyed but indifferent health, and he has spent a great portion of his time at his country seat, Wem, Shropshire, where the air was more agreeable to his health. It was not generally known in Darwen that he was dangerously ill, and when the news of his death, which took place at Wem, on Monday, reached the town on Tuesday, it created great surprise and pain.
Mr. Ashton, who was sixty-two years of age, was born at Blackburn, being the youngest of the three sons of Mr. William Ashton, formerly a cotton manufacturer. The family was well known in the neighbourhood of Blackburn, and in Mr. Abram's History of Blackburn Parish Mr. Ashton's ancestry is traced to one Richard Ashton, of Blackburn, who on August 1st, 1665, married Ann Howarth.
The line of descent runs through three other Ashtons of the same christian name, the last of whom had two sons, the elder, William, being born on October 4th. 1790, and the younger one, Thomas, on February 13th, 1798. The elder of these brothers was the father of Mr. W. T. Ashton; the younger went to Darwen, and took up his residence at Darwen Lodge, and by his first marriage became connected with the family of Eccles Shorrock, Mr. W. T. Ashton, who was educated privately at Blackburn, went to Darwen in 1847 as manager of the Brookside Mill of Messrs. Eccles Shorrock. In the following year he was appointed cashier at the Bowling Green Mill of the same firm, and in 1857 he commenced partnership with Mr. Samuel Nicholls as cotton manufacturers, and they became tenants of Hope Mill.
In 1867 the partnership was dissolved, and subsequently Mr. Ashton purchased the mill. About ten years ago he took over aa additional mill at Whitefield. and in recent years the firm has been known as W. T. Ashton and Sons. In 1860 the deceased gentleman married Lydia Grace, eldest daughter of Mr. Henry Deakin, of Soulton Hall, Wem, Shropshire, whom he now leaves a widow, the surviving members of his family being three sons and three daughters......(more)