The Skirrows

John Skirrow the son of Thomas Skirrow and Sarah Akroyd was born about 1811. He married Lydia Mellor in 1843 and then Martha Abbot in 1856 at All Saints, Otley. H e d

Lydia Mellor was born in 1820 and married John Skirrow in 1843 at St Wilfrids, Calverley. She died before 1856 and is buried with John, his second wife Martha and some of their children at St Johns Church, Baildon.

+ + +Thomas Skirrow was born 1844 in Baildon and died 5th July 1850

In 1851 John, 40, a hand loom weaver and Lydia, 30 a housewife lived with their sons David 4 and William Wright, 2, in Charlestown, Baildon.

By 1861 Lydia had died and John now 50 was married to Martha, 36, and they lived with children David, William Wright, John and Sarah. After this John disappears and Joshua makes an entrance so it is probable that they were the same person and John was a nickname. The row of 8 houses where they lived is referred to as "Skirrow houses"

In 1871 John, now 60 and retired and Martha and their family, David, William Wright, Joshua, Sarah, Mary, 7, Martha, 6,and John Thomas,2 are living in the same house but the "Skirrow houses" are now called Ada Row and they live at number 5

In 1881 John now 70 is working again as a cotton warp loomer and lives with Martha now 57 and a worsted weaver and family Mary 17, Martha 16, both also worsted weavers and John Thomas 12 , a worsted factory hand. Also living with them are boarders Sarah Emsley, 23, a worsted weaver, Clara Emsley,1 and John S Emsley 7 months. They are still living at 5 Ada Row.

+ + +Sarah Skirrow she married Alfred Emsley in 1879 in Bradford

+ + + + +Clara Emsley

+ + + + +John Skirrow-Emsley

By 1891 John and Martha must have died and Sarah Emsley now a widow is head of the household and lives with her children Clara 11 and John Skirrow - Emsley,10. Also living there is her sister Martha so she must in fact be Sarah Skirrow, John's daughter.

+ + +David Skirrow was born about 1847 in Baildon and married Jane

In 1881 David, 35 a woollen warehouseman and Jane,38 born in Horsforth and a domestic housekeeper, were lodging with James Whitaker 65 and his son William, 23, both of these were also born in Horsforth. There is a marriage on FreeBMD in 1877 for David Skirrow and one of the two possible brides is Jane Whitaker so James is probably her father, uncle or even grandfather.

In 1891 David 45 and Jane 48 lived with their daughter 8 and boarder William Skirrow 33, a woolcomber born in Horsforth. They lived at 29 Low Baildon.

+ + +William Wright Skirrow was born 1849 in Baildon, he married  Mary Elizabeth Garth in 1872 in Wharfedale, she died aged only 20 on 23rd December 1863. He then married Elizabeth Hardaker in 1876 at St Wilfrids, Calverley. He worked first as a stuff wool sorter and then as a life assurance agent. He seemingly did quite well but there was little money left when he died.

In 1881 William Wright 33 and a stuff wool sorter lived with his son John E K Skirrow 8 at 6 Ada Row, Baildon.

His second wife, Elizabeth and her son Albert Ernest are not listed on the census record. There is an Elizabeth Skirrow 25, listed as visitor (head) Albert E, 3 and Mary E. listed as visitors with William Hardaker,60 and his wife Jane and their family Thomas 30 a widower, Mary 27, Hannah 21, Emma 19, Martha 17, Sarah A 15, grandchildren Sarah E 8, Joseph 6 and Charlie 3. There is also Benjamin Steele 18 listed as stepson. It is confusing as William and his family are listed as the previous household but at the same address so Elizabeth is probably at her parent's house, they lived at 47 Cockshott Lane, Idle.

In 1991 William Wright 43 now a widower and an insurance agent lived with his son Ernest 13 a bobbin pegger.

They were Methodists and William Wright and his first wife are buried in Charlestown cemetery and the memorial inscription reads

                Mary Elizabeth the beloved wife of 

                          wILLIAM wRIGHT sKIRROW

               JANUARY 13TH 1843 - DECEMBER 23RD 1863

                   SHE WAS TOO PURE A GIRL TO STAY

                      SO GOD HAS TAKEN HER AWAY

        WILLIAM WRIGHT SKIRROW DIED SEPTEMBER 30TH 1891

+ + + + +John Edmund K Skirrow was born about 1873 orphaned at 18 after his father died in 1891 he was left with Ernest who was 13 and Mary Elizabeth.

+ + + + + + +Fred Skirrow

+ + + + +Albert E Skirrow was  born known as Ernest

+ + + + +Mary Elizabeth Skirrow

 + + +Joshua Skirrow married Mary Wade in 1878 , moved to Shipley and then to America. and worked in the weaving industry until he died aged 78 in Celeron, New York State.

In 1881 Joshua 28 a stuff wool sorter lived with his wife Mary 23 and daughter Mary H 1 at 16v Union Street, Baildon

+ + +Sarah Skirrow was born 1858 in Baildon

+ + +Mary Skirrow was born 1864 in Baildon

+ + +Martha Skirrow was born 1865 in Baildon

+ + +John Thomas Skirrow was born in 1868 in Baildon