Ancestorium Family Tree Collaboration
Annie Mary Astley (Hartley) Bell

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Name Annie Mary Astley (Hartley) Bell Born 5 Jan 1858 52 Montague Street, Blackburn, Lancashire, England Gender Female Died 3 Mar 1944 Blackburn, Lancashire, England Person ID I000247 Ancestorium Last Modified 5 Dec 2022
Father William Henry Bell, b. 1828, Blackburn, Lancashire, England , d. 1885, unknown
(Age 57 years)
Mother Priscilla Hartley, b. 1836, Blackburn, Lancashire, England , d. Jun 1916, Blackburn, Lancashire, England
(Age 80 years)
Married 5 Nov 1863 St John the Evangelist, (Poulton-Le-Fylde?), Blackpool, Lancashire, England Family ID F00205 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family Albert Birtwistle, of Springfield House, Blackburn, b. 1849, Lower Fold, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England. , d. 10 Feb 1921, Cheadle Royal, Cheadle, Cheshire, England
(Age 72 years)
Married 22 Sep 1881 St Leonard, Balderstone, Lancashire Children 1. Gertrude Mary Birtwistle, b. 25 Oct 1882, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. 2 Feb 1960, Old Cottage, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England
(Age 77 years)
2. William Birtwistle, of Withnell. DSO, b. 18 Jul 1884, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. Jan 1974, Warwick, Kent, Rhode Island, USA
(Age 89 years)
3. Madge Birtwistle, b. 12 Feb 1886, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. 21 May 1962, Blackburn, Lancashire, England
(Age 76 years)
4. Hilda (Twin) Birtwistle, of Nothcote, Langho, b. 23 Aug 1887, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. 1975, unknown
(Age 87 years)
5. Amy (Twin) Birtwistle. of Nothcote, Langho, b. 23 Aug 1887, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. UNKNOWN, unknown
6. James Astley Birtwistle, b. 19 Feb 1889, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. 1974, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England
(Age 84 years)
7. Henry Oscar "Ocky" Birtwistle, b. 10 Oct 1890, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. Sep 1972 (Age 81 years)
8. Mary Birtwistle, b. 22 May 1892, Blackburn, Lancashire, England (or 1880) , d. 1891, unknown
9. Albert Ernest Birtwistle, of Nothcote, Langho. MC, b. 5 Jan 1894, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. 1973, (or 1979?) Darwen, Lancashire, England
(Age 78 years)
10. Norman Birtwistle, MC, b. 1896, Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. 8 Oct 1918, Killed in WW1, France
(Age 22 years)
11. Gilbert George Birtwistle, b. 1900, (or 1898) Great Harwood, Lancashire, England , d. Mar 1975, Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England
(Age 75 years)
12. Doris Birtwistle, b. Jun 1902, Lancashire, England , d. Dec 1974, England
(Age ~ 72 years)
Family ID F00203 Group Sheet | Family Chart
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Photos Annie Astley Bell (Annie Mary Hartley).jpg
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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
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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
- See also "The Astley Connection?" http://descentfromadam.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/the-astley-connection/