PHOTOGRAPHS RELATED TO THE FAMILY OF ESTHER MILLETT

Oldham Local Interest Centre (originals) complete collection.

Thomas Freeman (born 26 March 1826, died 5 January 1903) married Elizabeth Brierley (born 1 May 1828, died 7 March 1909). They had two children, John and Amelia (born January 1856, died 2 June 1904). Thomas Elizabeth and Amelia are all buried in Taxal Church in Whaleybridge. Thomas was possibly employed as a carder in Oldham. He lived in Oldham but retired to Whaleybridge. He went to Cawnpore in India in 1865 to supervise the erection of cotton machinery and teach the local population to operate it. He kept a diary of this trip, now in the Oldham Local Interest Centre. John Freeman, son of Thomas, was born 29 April 1854 and died 24 September 1902. He married Mary Barker (born 7 August 1851, died 4 December 1924) in the Methodist New Connexion Chapel, Hurst on 7 June 1876. John worked as an accountant, was an early member of the Liberal Club in Oldham and an active member of the Methodist Church. John and Mary had 5 children: William, Elizabeth, Thomas, James and Maboath. Thomas (born 27 September 1881, died 1 March 1969) married Leah Buckley Shepley (born 18 July 1879, died 11 January 1961) on 10 July 1907. He worked for a time as an accountant at Bradburys (Sewing Machines) Oldham. He then moved to Gorton Local Authority as a clerk on 25 February 1901. When Manchester Corporation took over, he transferred in 1909 and stayed at Manchester till his retirement on 30 September 1941 as chief accountant in the City Treasurers Department. He was an active member of Nalgo. Thomas and Leah had 3 children, John (born 21 March 1908), Esther (born 22 May 1911) (the donor), and William Leslie (born 8 October 1913).

Leah Buckley Shepley, the donor's mother was the daughter of William Henry Shepley (born 3 November 1850 and died 26 February 1933) and Esther, nee Buckley (born 25 September 1850 and died 29 July 1918). William Henry Shepley originally worked as a minder and later became a doctor's agent in Oldham. He was one of 10 children born to Robert Shepley (born in 1807, died in 1890) who was a wood turner. Esther Buckley was one of 12 children born to James and Mary Buckley. James was a 'willower'. William and Esther had two daughters, Mary Crovetta (born 8 May 1877 and died 29 January 1921) and Leah Buckley Shepley.