Ancestorium Family Tree Collaboration

Annie Mary Astley (Hartley) Bell

Annie Mary Astley (Hartley) Bell

Female 1858 - 1944  (86 years)

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  • Name Annie Mary Astley (Hartley) Bell 
    Born 5 Jan 1858  52 Montague Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Female 
    Died 3 Mar 1944  Blackburn, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I000247  Ancestorium
    Last Modified 5 Dec 2022 

    Father William Henry Bell,   b. 1828, Blackburn, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1885, unknown Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 57 years) 
    Mother Priscilla Hartley,   b. 1836, Blackburn, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Jun 1916, Blackburn, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 80 years) 
    Married 5 Nov 1863  St John the Evangelist, (Poulton-Le-Fylde?), Blackpool, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F00205  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Albert Birtwistle, of Springfield House, Blackburn,   b. 1849, Lower Fold, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England. Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Feb 1921, Cheadle Royal, Cheadle, Cheshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 72 years) 
    Married 22 Sep 1881  St Leonard, Balderstone, Lancashire Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Gertrude Mary Birtwistle,   b. 25 Oct 1882, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Feb 1960, Old Cottage, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 77 years)
     2. William Birtwistle, of Withnell. DSO,   b. 18 Jul 1884, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Jan 1974, Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 89 years)
     3. Madge Birtwistle,   b. 12 Feb 1886, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 May 1962, Blackburn, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 76 years)
     4. Hilda (Twin) Birtwistle, of Nothcote, Langho,   b. 23 Aug 1887, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1975, unknown Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 87 years)
     5. Amy (Twin) Birtwistle. of Nothcote, Langho,   b. 23 Aug 1887, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. UNKNOWN, unknown Find all individuals with events at this location
     6. James Astley Birtwistle,   b. 19 Feb 1889, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1974, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 84 years)
     7. Henry Oscar "Ocky" Birtwistle,   b. 10 Oct 1890, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Sep 1972  (Age 81 years)
     8. Mary Birtwistle,   b. 22 May 1892, Blackburn, Lancashire, England (or 1880) Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1891, unknown Find all individuals with events at this location
     9. Albert Ernest Birtwistle, of Nothcote, Langho. MC,   b. 5 Jan 1894, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1973, (or 1979?) Darwen, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years)
     10. Norman Birtwistle, MC,   b. 1896, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 8 Oct 1918, Killed in WW1, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 22 years)
     11. Gilbert George Birtwistle,   b. 1900, (or 1898) Great Harwood, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Mar 1975, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 75 years)
     12. Doris Birtwistle,   b. Jun 1902, Lancashire, England Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Dec 1974, England Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 72 years)
    Family ID F00203  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Annie Astley Bell (Annie Mary Hartley).jpg
    Annie Astley Bell (Annie Mary Hartley).jpg



  • Notes 
    • See also "The Astley Connection?" http://descentfromadam.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/the-astley-connection/
      and
      "The Astley Connection Revisted" https://descentfromadam.wordpress.com/2011/07/03/the-astley-connection-revisted/

      Northcote Manor
      http://www.northcotemanor.com/history.htm
      Northcote Manor (now a Hotel) has this at its web site under Northcote Manor A Brief History:

      Annie Mary Birtwistle took up residence in 1929, and was the widow of Albert Birtwistle, a prominent local business man who was a cotton spinner and manufacturer. The house was bought for the pricely sum of £4,550. Northcote remained in the hands of the Birtwistles for 50 years, during this time ownership changed hands from Hilda to Amy Birtwistle and then finally to Albert, who passed away in 1979.
      http://www.northcotemanor.com/who_we_are/the_manor.htm

      Below is a marriage of Albert Birtwistle, the dates and names raise some questions about his wife being Annie Astley Bell or Annie Mary Hartley it seems these are the same person.
      Marriages at the Church of St Leonard in the Parish of Balderstone
      Marriage: 22 Sep 1881 St Leonard, Balderstone, Lancashire, England
      Albert Birtwistle - Full Cotton Spinner Bachelor of Osbaldeston & Great Harwood
      Annie Mary Hartley - Full Spinster of Witton (Parish of)
      Groom's Father: William Birtwistle, Cotton Spinner
      Witness: James Astley; James Porter
      Married by Licence by: W.Haslewood
      Register: Marriages 1838 - 1900, Page 47, Entry 94
      Source: PR3072/1/1
      http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Balderstone/stleonard/marriages_1838-1900.html

      Generations 1-3: Biographies,Obituaries, etc
      https://descentfromadam.wordpress.com/2020/02/07/generations-1-3-biographiesobituaries-etc/
      February 7 2020 -Justin Kirby
      I have written previously about how Annie Mary is probably the natural daughter of Priscilla Hartley and possibly William Henry Bell. We know she was the daughter of Priscilla Hartley and was born on 05/01/1858 at 52 Montague Street, Blackburn. But no father is named on the birth certificate, and Annie`s marriage certificate (to Albert Birtwistle) has no father named either. As Priscilla didn’t marry William Bell until 1863, I suspect that he was not Annie’s father. But who knows, and maybe Geneaologial DNA may yield some answers one day. We do have some great photos of her, Albert and their large family though. And I am guessing my mother has some fun anecdotes.

      From Justin Kriby December 2011 I had the following through from Mandy Grimshaw:
      Annie Mary Hartley was the daughter of Priscilla Hartley. She was born on 05/01/1858 at 52 Montague Street, Blackburn. No father named on the birth certificate. Annie’s marriage certificate (to Albert Birtwistle) has no father named either. As Priscilla didn’t marry William Bell until 1863, I suspect that he was not Annie’s father. But who knows?

      Below from
      The Astley Connection?
      http://descentfromadam.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/the-astley-connection/
      July 1, 2011
      by Justin Kirby, her great grandson

      I have a theory that Annie Mary Hartley was the illegitimate daughter of Priscilla Hartley (Seems even more now, Dec 2011, since no father is mentioned on her birth certificate). In the 1861 census, there’s an Annie Mary Hartley aged 3 living with her Victualler grandmother Ann Hartley at the Navigation Inn in Blackburn. Anne Hartley’s daughter Priscilla is also living there unmarried aged 25. Now maybe Annie Mary Hartley was the daughter of her uncles Ralph, John, William or even the illegitimate daughter of her aunt Mary, but it seems more likely she was the daughter of Priscilla.

      According to an email to cousin Hamish from Debbie Hughes, it seems Priscilla Hartley (b: 1836 Blackburn) married William Henry Bell (b:1828 d:1885) in 1863 Fylde, Lancs. If Priscilla was born in 1936 this would tally with her being 25 in the 1861 Census. She would have been 27 when she married William Henry Bell … and possibly 22 when Annie Mary was born.

      According to Debbie, William Henry Bell and Priscilla Hartley had the following Children:

      Albert William b: 1864 Blackpool
      Ralph b: 05/11/1865 Accrington
      James Cunliffe b:1867 Accrington
      Henry* b: 1870 Accrington
      Berth Ann b:1872 Accrington
      Florence Sarah: b:1874 Accrington
      Mabel Priscilla b: 1876 Accrington

      There’s no mention of an Annie although Debbie Hughes had heard of her back when she was in contact with cousin Hammish in 2008, but didn’t know where she fitted in. I looked at Debbie Hughes’ family tree last night and she now seems to have Annie Mary Hartley as the daughter of Priscilla Hartley and unknown father, which is the same conclusion I’ve come to. I’m trying to contact Debbie to see whether she has any sources like a birth certificate or whether this is based on deduction from the census records.

      What’s interesting is that Annie Mary Hartley is living with (her brother?) Henry Bell at the house of her aunt Mary (née Hartley) and her husband James Astley in the 1881 census. Perhaps this is why our great grandfather was christened James Astley. I can’t find out where Annie Mary Hartley was living in the earlier 1871 census. Her siblings William A, Ralph, James and Henry Bell were living with their parents William H. Bell and Pricilla. The sisters Bertha, Florence and Mabel Bell hadn’t been born yet. 10 years later in 1881 census there’s only Albert W (probably same person as William A in earlier census), Bertha, Florence and Mabel still living with their parents William H. Bell and Priscilla. Ralph and James are boarding at Sandringham School in North Meols District of West Lancashire, and as mentioned Annie Mary and Henry are staying with their Aunt Mary. So maybe there is some truth to John Grayling’s story about some of the Bell Children living with an Astley Aunt and my guess is that it was their aunt Mary Astley (neé Hartley) as she doesn’t appear to have children. I’m also guessing that Annie Mary Hartley was known as Annie Astley Bell to avoid questions about her illegitimacy.

      Note from Hamish
      There is still the possibility Annie Mary Hartley b Abt. 1858 may have been the daughter of Ralph Hartley (b 1840) or William Hartley (b 1830) shown here as her uncles. Although I think Justin's theory that she was Priscilla's daughter is the most likely. Even more now (Dec 2011) since no father is mentioned on her birth certificate.

      In the 1861 census she appears in her grandmother’s house:
      RG9 P. 3100 Fol 125 Pg. 25
      69 Eanden (?)
      Navigation Inn, Blackburn
      Ann Hartley Head Wid 54 Victualler B. Lancs Oswaldtwissle
      Priscilla ~ Dau Un 25 B. Lancs Blackburn
      Annie Mary Hartley Grand daughter 3 B. Blackburn
      John Cunliffe Father Wid 80 b. Lancs Oswaldtwissle. Blind
      Hellen Cunliffe Serv. Wid 52 Servant B. Lancs Accrington
      ++++++++++++++++

      England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995
      Name Annie Mary Birtwistle of Northcote Lodge, near Blackburn, widow
      Death Date 3 Mar 1944
      Death Place Blackburn
      Probate Date 7 Jun 1944
      Probate Registry Llandudno
      7 June William Birtwistle, James Astley Birtwistle, and Albert Ernest Birtwistle cotton spinners and manufactures. Effect 24245(pounds) 13s 3d
      https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1904/images/32858_611411_1971-00253?ssrc=pt&treeid=169193647&personid=352195554387&usePUB=true&usePUBJs=true&pId=17054744
      &
      https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/17054744:1904?ssrc=pt&tid=169193647&pid=352195554387