The Roles of William and John Henry Royle in the Development of ...

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Michael’s Parish Church can be found the gravestone of Job and Alice Royle, next to
their son John’s gravestone, which reads,
“Here resteth the body of Job Royle of Flixton who died March 15 th 1830 Aged 66
Years. Also Alice his wife who died Octobr.16 th 1839 aged 72 Years. Also Job Royle of
Stretford who died June 20 th 1856 Aged 38 Years. Also Mary his wife who died May
12 th 1882 Aged 68 Years.
Also Mary Alice daughter of Job and Mary Royle who died January 3 rd 1845 Aged
9 months. Also Booth their son who died August 13 th 1846 Aged 6 months. Also Ellen
their Daughter who died September 12 th 1850 Aged 27 Yrs. Also Sarah Ann their
Daughter who died May 19 th 1876 Aged 36 Years.”
Job Royle Senior was baptised on the 3 rd October 1763, at Flixton, to James and
Elizabeth Royle. His grandson, Job Royle ‘of Stretford’ was baptised on the 19 th
January 1817, also at Flixton, to John Royle Senior and Ann Royle. Job Royle Junior is
the brother of John Royle Junior of Limehurst, Irlam Road and as he does not feature
on the 1841 Census it was originally thought that he had died in the intervening period,
as noted in Royle, Booth and Walkden Connections in 19 th and early 20 th Century
Flixton. Part Two (Dickens. 2010 p. 330) However, further research has led to him
being noted on the 1851 Census (HO107 2218/597 No.28) at King Street, Stretford,
where he is the head of the household, aged 33 and a provisions dealer, of Flixton,
having entered the same trade as his father. He is with his wife, Mary, aged 35 and of
Flixton and their children, William and John Henry’s cousins - Timothy, unmarried,
aged 13 and a scholar, of Flixton; Sarah Ann, aged 11 and a scholar, of Manchester;
John J., aged 10 and of Manchester; and Emma, aged 9 and a scholar, of Manchester;
Ann Royle, a widow, is their servant, aged 23 and of Flixton. We can trace this family
onto the 1881 Census (RG11 3888/111 No.26) at 51 King Street, Stretford. Timothy
Royle is the head of the household, married and aged 43, a baker and provisions dealer,
of Flixton. His wife, Elizabeth, is aged 42 and of Crumpsall. Their children are Emma
Thorp Royle, single and aged 16; Fred Walter, single, aged 14 and a scholar; Marrion,
single, aged 13 and a scholar; Caroline, single, aged 11 and a scholar; Elsie, single,
aged 7 and a scholar; and Florence Lillian, single and aged 4 months. They are all of
Stretford. With them is their servant, Elizabeth Ann Robinson, who is single and aged
16, of Stretford. By this time there would appear to be an extensive trade and business
oriented family across a large area of what is now central and north Trafford. Job and
Timothy Royle left Flixton to fill a ‘gap’ in the Stretford market, in response to the
increased pace of urbanisation in the area. Their grandfather, Job Royle Senior, a
weaver of Flixton, had laid the foundations for his descendant’s business security and
success through Flixton, Urmston and Stretford.
Job Royle Senior’s parents, James Royle and Elizabeth Shaw, were married on the
17 th April 1744, at Flixton. Their children were all born and baptised at Flixton,
beginning with Joseph, who was born on the 25 th October 1752 and baptised on the 17 th
November 1752; James was born on the 12 th October 1754 and baptised in September