Page 59 - Just another English family (Sep 2019)
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David Hartley
Son
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Jane
Daughter- in-law
Thomas Hartley Soothill (1812-1873) married Ellen Barrett (1805-?) on 14 February 1831 in St John, Halifax. Ellen was around seven years older than Thomas. Thomas is described as a weaver living in Northowram, while Ellen was living in Halifax at the time of the marriage. The descendants of Thomas and Ellen are among the most famous of the Soothills in the first half of the 20th century. However, in the middle of the 19th century - as shown in the 1861 census - they seem a bit sparse in terms of numbers. In brief, by 1861 this important grouping had only eight members of whom just five are identified in the 1861 census. It seems David Hartley and his wife, Jane, are missing from the census. Of the parents, Ellen is, sadly, known to be in an institution, while Thomas Hartley – without evidence to the contrary – is perhaps still around. Including these four, all but three were actually born as a Soothill. Assuming that David Hartley and Jane are living as a different household, perhaps with David’s parent, then these eight members are probably distributed between two addresses – the one shown in the census is in Halifax and another one elsewhere. Does it seem likely from what is known at the time of the 1861 census that this small grouping will soon disappear or become a thriving grouping by the time of the next century? Two (Abraham and William Edward) are youngsters under 21, while there are four males in the reproductive window of 18 to 50 years. The average age of around 28 years of this grouping is quite low so there certainly seems scope for expanding the numbers in future years.
Following Thomas Hartley and Ellen’s marriage, they had three children – David Hartley (1833-1900), William (1836-1893) and Abraham (1841-1925). David Hartley married Jane Garth in 1854 and had two boys – Sam Greenwood (b.1876) and William Soothill (1864-1920). There is no evidence that Sam married; however, William married Mary Elizabeth Hirst, but there is no evidence that they had any children.
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