A family gathering

Right: John Harper and family taken after the death of Sarah Jane - between 1930 and 1935 Source: Jim Keron, Ontario, Canada
	Back row, left to right: Harper CROMPTON, ?, Esther, Whyrill (1882), Lily Birchenough Middle row: John Harper, Flo BOOTE Front row: Nellie with her son John at his christening, ?.

However, Nellie married in 1945, 10 years after John Harper's death. This may be the 1933 christening of John, first child of Harper CROMPTON, born 1906, and Florence BOOTE. At the moment John is the only child known to be born between the deaths of Sarah Jane and John Harper. The photograph of the proud father resembles his image in 1937 - see 1852info5a

Their daughters

In the photograph on the next page, Alison Warner suggested it may be: Cissie, Aggie, Jessie and Lottie. Florrie was quite a bit older and wore glasses by this stage. In pictures of Lottie and Maggie, Maggie has a slightly heavier jaw than Lottie, but they looked very similar as teenagers.

Above, from left to right: The sisters Maggie, Aggie, Cissie and Florrie circa 1910 Source: Jim Keron, Ontario, Canada

1852inf01c, sheet 2

Florrie, Aggie, Lottie and Cissy - the unmarried sister - John Harper and Sarah Jane's second, ninth, tenth and eleventh children

Above: John Harper and Sarah's daughters in the Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Chapel baptism register. Source: Manchester City Archives: Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Baptism Record - 1909-1953 Ref: Box C22/5 C22/24 (Accessed: 29 February 2020)

Alison Warner comments: If it is Flo it would be have been most likely taken by her father and printed at home. She has a family look to her a little like Grandpa Boote Right: Florence Boote 1927 aged 21 Source: Alison Warner

Alison Warner reports that the single aunts, minus Lottie, who worked for Crompton brothers, ran a guest house in Bispham before and during the Second World War, called something like 'Wave Crest', Bispham to the north of Blackpool. It is suggested that their nephew, Geoffrey Boote, had been evacuated to Bispham from Hyde. Bipsham was considered more respectable than Blackpool. In 2019 this was still a substantial if slightly run down property, which may have extended to the dormer above the shop. Right: 2 Beaufort Avenue Blackpool 2019, now Beaufort Lodge Hotel

1852info1c, sheet 3

'A photograph of Aggie and her fiancé Jack (sic) hung on the wall of Fanny's Canadian home.' Source: Pat RYDE, 39;[Staff Sgt] Julian WALKER, Aggies's fiancée was killed in the war. [08 December 1917 - Peronne, aged 33]. Her sister, Maggie BOOTE, had the bronze medal for him, presumably it had come from Aggie'. Source: Alison WARNER It is likely that Maggie BOOTE had what the troops referred to as "The Dead Man's Penny". During World War One, the next of kin of service personnel killed as a result of the war would be presented with a Memorial Plaque, cast in bronze and approximately five inches (125 mm) in diameter. On the plaque itself no rank was recorded as the intention was to show equality in their sacrifice. Right: an example at the approximate actual size In addition the Memorial Pack contained an official letter, the commemorative Scroll, from the King and country, and a "personal" letter from the King.

1939 England and Wales Register 29 September 1939
ED Area code:     NCA
ED District code: J
Sched no:         85
Dwelling:         2 Beaufort Avenue, Bispham (Beaufort Lodge Hotel FY2 9HQ)
Borough,UD,RD:    Blackpool, Lancashire

Names              Sex    D of B   Status  Personal Occupation        Others
Crompton, Florence  F   18may1877    S     Boarding House Proprieties
Crompton, Agnes     F   07dec1887    S     Cook
Crompton, Mary C    F   06sep1890    S     Housemaid
Boote, Geoffrey     M   20dec1930    S     At school

The National Identity Number devised from this Registration would have been: Enumeration Area code+Emuneration District code+Schedule number+position in house

'The four unmarried girls Florence (Florrie, Agnes, Mary Cecelia (Cissie) and Lottie lived together in 16 Knott Lane, Hyde.' Source: Pat RYDE, Fanny CROMPTON's grand daughter Apparently it had a big wash house out the back where they housed the washing machine they'd bought before the war. Maggie BOOTE used to walk round with her washing and do it on the machine there. That machine kept going into my childhood as it went to [Maggie's] after all the aunties died. Not many washers run for 3 decades now. Source: Alison WARNER, Maggie CROMPTON's grand daughter

Above: 16 Knott Lane, Hyde in 2009. This house and the rest of Knott Lane, was built by Crompton Brothers. Source: Author

Note: The Post Office directory of Post Codes does not list a 116 Knott Lane. Neither is there a 116 on the ground. Edith WARNER (Maggie BOOTE's daughter) reported that the sisters lived at 16 Knott Lane - see above. Source: Sheila CROMPTON

'Florrie died first with Agnes and Cissie dying on the same day: the second dying as a result of a stroke.' Source: Pat RYDE

It is also interesting to note that the service at the crematorium was conducted by the clergyman from Glossop, who also featured in John Harper's obituary. Glossop was the home of Miss C Darlington.

'The family 'heard [Cissy] hit the floorboards as they were nursing Aggie; the sisters became intestate as each had left everything to the other. It was a complex estate involving the remaining rented properties and freeholds from their father. Letters of Administration must have been granted to all surviving siblings equally hence Fanny coming over from Canada.; Source: Alison WARNER.

Jim KERON recalls 'a really complicated the estate as they each had their wills made out to the other. My grandmother, Fanny, ended up going back to help sort it out. She had some kind of share in it but divided it amongst her four children and kept none for herself.'

The obituary gives a limited insight in to the sister's lives.

1852info1c, sheet 4

The mourners were: Mrs and Mrs Henry John CROMPTON (brother); Mr and Mrs W BOOTE (sister Maggie); Mr E BARLOW husband of the late Jessie CROMPTON; Mrs and Mrs Richard Harper CROMPTON (nephew); Mrs and Mrs Walter CROMPTON (nephew); Mr and Mrs Henry John CROMPTON jnr (nephew; Miss Edith and Mr Malcolm BOOTE (children of sister Maggie); Miss M BARLOW - a friend Miss C DARLINGTON and Mrs G DERBYSHIRE also attended John Harper's funeral in 1935; Mr and Mrs George SHAW, who may be related to the family of Nellie CROMPTON, daughter of Whyrill, and Alec SHAW; Mrs Stanley BURROWS was a family friend: as a young man Stanley appeared in many photographs with William BOOTE; Miss B ANDREWS became Beryl BOOTE after her post 1954 marriage Mrs Cyril MORRIS lived in King Edward's Road. Cyril was a delight. He was blind from the First War but was always chatty and interesting. He told of seeing the first ever motor car attempting to get up Joel Lane. When he ran back home to tell his mother the car was stuck, she replied “Good and I hope it never gets up there!”. And so he was late for school. Source: Alison WARNER

Right: Map locating: 113 Knott Lane, where Nellie and Charlie lived. Frank lived next door; 16 Knott Lane, where the spinster sisters lived; 213 Dowson Road where Maggie BOOTE lived; Joel Lane Methodist Church, where the sisters worshipped (see below); 17 Primrose Avenue, home of their brother Henry John lived at the time of his death; 5 King George Road, where HJ's wife Lily Birchenough died; Auburn Street, built by John Harper; in relationship to Thornley Street.

1852info1c, sheet 5

At the end of Knott Lane and across the Stockport Road was Joel Lane Primitive Methodist Chapel 1 where the sisters were able to continue their non- conformist worship, sing in the choir and fulfil their roll as Sunday school teachers. Above: A 1932 map locating Joel Lane Chapel marked yellow - scale 1:10560

Lottie CROMPTON - John Harper and Sarah Jane's tenth child

1921 Census:      Sun 19th June 1921
Source:   RG15;  Piece: ; 
          RegDist number: 443; SubDist: 2; ED 16; Sched: 122;
          Reg District: Stockport;  Parish: Hyde
Dwelling: 18 Thornley Street
Place:    Hyde, Cheshire   
Rooms:    5
Children under sixteen: none 

Name                 Rel    Age   Mar  Occupation      Employer  Work place  Birthplace 
                           Yrs Mn       
John Harper Crompton Head  69  1   M   Builder Retired Employer              Yorks Bridlington
Sarah Jane Crompton  Wife  79  8   M   Home Duties                           Yorks, Newbald
Florence Crompton     Dau  44  1   S   Home Duties                           Yorks, Market Weighton 
Lottie Crompton       Dau  31  9   S   Home Duties                           Cheshire, Hyde
May Cecilia Crompton  Dau  30  9   S   Home Duties                           Cheshire, Hyde

Alison Warner describes Lottie as an unmarried sister who worked for Crompton brothers. This is substantiated by the 1939 Register.

1939 England and Wales Register 29 September 1939
ED Area code:     LFC
ED District code: C
Sched no:         68
Dwelling:         213 Dowson Road
Borough,UD,RD: Hyde, Cheshire

Names            Sex   D of B   Status  Personal Occupation                   Others
Boote William     M   12oct1900    M    Mechanical engineer (Chief Draftsman) ARP Head warden
                                        Steam & Hydraulic
Boote Maggie      F   13jul1894    S    Unpaid domestic duties
Redacted
Boote Lottie      F   26sep1889    S    Builder's clerk

Names are redacted because of the 100 years rule.
Lottie Boote's names was ruled through because the Register was kept up to date until 1953. Lottie BOOTE's name is ruled through with the name CROMPTON added as a correction.
The National Identity Number devised from this Registration would have been: Enumeration Area code+Emuneration District code+Schedule number+position in house

Fanny CROMPTON - John Harper and Sarah Jane's seventh child

Fanny married John Robert (Jack) NIXON and died in Canada in 1975. Her family remains in Canada. See 1852info4a.

1852info1c, sheet 6

Jessie CROMPTON - John Harper and Sarah Jane's eighth child

Her marriage is recorded in the GRO for the second quarter of 1916
Ernest Barlow was born in the fourth quarter of 1885 ...
and died in the fourth quarter of 1967 aged 82.

Above: Jessie CROMPTON and Ernest Barlow in the Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Chapel's marriage register. Source: Manchester City Archives: Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Marriage Record 1847-1971 Ref: GB127.C22/5 (Accessed 29 February 2020)

It is possible that Jessie and Ernest had a daughter, 'Miss M Barlow', who attended the funeral of the sisters.

1921 Census:      Sun 19th June 1921
Source:   RG15;  Piece: ; 
          RegDist number: 464; SubDist: 2; ED 21; Sched: 215;
          Reg District:  Chorlton;  Parish: South Manchester
Dwelling: 1 Siddall Street            
Place:    Longridge, South Manchester, Lancashire
Rooms:    6                
Children under sixteen: none 

Name             Rel    Age   Mar  Occupation  Employer  Work place                                  Birthplace 
                       Yrs Mn      
Ernest Barlow   Head   36  5  M   Chartered Acc. Clerk Arnold Williams 6 John Dalt Street Manchester Lancs, Manchester
Jessie Barlow   Wife   34  7  M   Home Duties                                                        Yorks, Holme

1939 England and Wales Register 29 September 1939
ED Area code:     NJK
ED District code: L
Sched no:         74
Dwelling:         191 Kings Road (M21 0XX)
Borough,UD,RD:    Manchester, Lancashire

Names            Sex   D of B   Status  Personal Occupation   Others
Barlow Ernest     M   04jan1885    M    Bookkeeper
Barlow Jessie     F   05nov1886    M    Unpaid domestic duties

The National Identity Number devised from this Registration would have been: Enumeration Area code+Emuneration District code+Schedule number+position in house

Left: 191 Kings Road M21 0XX, Jessie's home in 1939 Source: Author

1852info1c, sheet 7

Margaret CROMPTON - John Harper and Sarah Jane's twelfth child (Maggie)

Above: John Harper and Sarah's children recorded in the Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Chapel baptism register. Source: Manchester City Archives: Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Baptism Record 1909-1953 Ref: Box C22/5 C22/24 (Accessed 29 February 2020)

John Harper and Sarah's youngest child, Maggie, married William BOOTE, an engineering draughtsman, on 31 March 1926 in Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Church, Hyde (GRO ref: Stockport 8a 147).

Above: Maggie CROMPTON and William BOOTE's marriage in the Hoviley Brows wedding register. Source: Manchester City Archives: Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Marriage Record 1847-1971 Ref: GB127.C22/5 (Accessed 29 February 2020)

There is no obvious record of Margaret (Maggie) Crompton in the 1921 census, however her husband to be is recorded.

1921 Census:      Sun 19th June 1921
Source:   RG15;  Piece: ; 
          RegDist number: ; SubDist: ; ED ; Sched: 78;
          Reg District:  ;  Parish:
Dwelling: 16 Higher Henry Street            
Place:    Hyde, Cheshire                
Children under sixteen: 2 
BL=Both parents alive; FD=father dead; MD=mother dead
 
Name              Rel   Age   Mar  Occupation              Employer                   Work place           Birthplace 
                       Yrs Mn      
Joseph Boote     Head  49  6   M   Felt Hat Dyer           James Higinbothan          Mount St             Derby, Ludworth
Mary Jane Boote  Wife  49  4   M   Home Duties                                                             Cheshire, Hyde 
William Boote    Son   20  8   S   Apprentice Draughtsman  Daniel Adamson & Sons      Engineering Works,   Cheshire, Hyde
                                                                                      Dunkinfield
Florence Boote   Dau   14 11   S   Assist. in Sample Room  Jacobsen Welsh Stationery  Newton Mills, Hyde   Cheshire, Hyde
Fred Boote       Son    8  9   S   Whole time school                                                       Cheshire, Hyde

Source:          GRO Birth Records
Name             Registration
                 District    Folio   Page   Date
Boote Edith m    Stockport     8a     24    3rdQt1927
Boote Geoffrey   Stockport     8a     29    1stQt1931
Boote Malcolm    Stockport     8a     23    3rdQt1933

1852info1c, sheet 8

Above: Maggie and William's children recorded in the Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Chapel baptism register. Source: Manchester City Archives: Hoviley Brow Primitive Methodist Baptism Record 1909-1953 Ref: Box C22/5 C22/24 (Accessed 29 February 2020)

Maggie's home at 213 Dowson Avenue would be at the limit of the photograph and Primrose Avenue about a mile up on the left. This picture, of unknown date, shows Dowson Road, built in the 1930s to bypass Gee Cross, at its junction with Stockport Road. The bus is Stockport bound. Stockport Road sweeps in from the right following the tramlines from Gee Cross. There is a clear view of Hyde Chapel and a group of men are sitting on a bench by the finger post sign. Right: Dowson Road in the 1930s

Right: A general view of Dowson Road at the Stockport Road end Source: Author

1939 England and Wales Register 29 September 1939
ED Area code:     LFC
ED District code: C
Sched no:         68
Dwelling:         213 Dowson Road
Borough,UD,RD: Hyde, Cheshire

Names            Sex   D of B   Status  Personal Occupation                   Others
Boote William     M   12oct1900    M    Mechanical engineer (Chief Draftsman) ARP Head warden
                                        Steam & Hydraulic
Boote Maggie      F   13jul1894    S    Unpaid domestic duties
Redacted
Boote Lottie      F   26sep1889    S    Builder's clerk

Names are redacted because of the 100 years rule.
Lottie BOOTE's names was ruled through and correct name Crompton was added because the Register was kept up to date until 1953.
The National Identity Number from this Registration would have been: Enumeration Area code+ Emuneration District code+Schedule number+position in house

William BOOTE died in 06 November 1971 at Dowson Road, leaving £8188 (Probate and GRO ref: Hyde 10a 882) and Maggie on 26 December 1983 (GRO ref: Thameside 39 1781)

Maggie told of:

• an old lady, a relative of John Harper, who lived in a cottage in Partington, near Hull - Mary Agnes Tibbits;
• a Lily [Elizabeth Linsley - John Harper's niece] who had a drapers shop in Driffield and married Alan Bebbington the postmaster in Nafferton;
• visits being made to Market Weighton and her mothers family, the Kneeshaws. However, she never mentioned her own Grandfather James, born 1807, even though she was up to 5 years of age when he was alive.

Additional information supplied by Ian BOOTE and Alison WARNER, whose grandma was Maggie CROMPTON.

1852info1c, sheet 9

John Harper and Sarah Jane's sons

Source: GRO death records
                              Registration
Name                    Age   District        Folio Page Date
Crompton William harper   0   Pocklington      9d    57  4thQt1875
Crompton Richard harper  23   Stockport        8a     6  13oct1901
Crompton Wyril           57   Hyde             8a   113  3rdQt1938
Crompton Henry john      75   Hyde             10   265  ..jul1957
Crompton Francis         12   Stockport        8a     9  24dec1894 aged 10

John Harper and Sarah Jane had five sons, one off whom died before their first birthday, one aged 12 and one at the age of 23. Their two remaining sons Whyrill and Henry John took over the building business as Crompton Brothers and lived in a large attractive Georgian house called Silverdale, at 47 Stockport Road, Hyde. These are detailed in separate information pages.

Joel Lane Primitive Methodist Chapel Joel Lane Primitive Methodist Chapel was first organised in the 1870's in an old room at the bottom of Joel Lane in Gee Cross. The rent was £4 per annum. Prior to this services were held in a cottage situated lower down than the Werneth Hotel. The Room at the bottom of Joel Lane was really a loft over a stable that was heated by a coal stove in the centre of the premises. It was not uncommon for the services to be interrupted by the grunting of pigs or braying of donkeys. Abraham Lee from Compstall used to lead the singing and accompany it with his cello playing. The foundation stones were laid on the 29th May 1875 by Mrs Horsefield of Slack House and Mrs Thomas Beeley both of Hyde, Mrs Ellis of Grimsby and Mrs John Lee's Buckley of Woodley. The first minister, the Reverend J. Hall, held opening services on 27 February and 05 and 12 March 1876. New classrooms were added in 1884 as the congregation grew and further improvements were carried out in 1904. The Chapel was finally closed in the late 1960's and, after its demolition, a new Close named Buckley Close was built on the site named after one of the layers of the Chapels' original foundation stones. Source: Hyde Name Origins

This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass			Version A18 Updated 07 October 2025