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

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beloved husband of Annie who died Feby. 8 th 1977 in his 80th year also of Muriel
Royle beloved wife of James above who died June 1982 aged 89. Also of Gillian Royle
eldest daughter of the above James and Muriel Royle who died June 13 th 2007 aged
79.”
The significance of this family is revealed on the 1881 Census (RG11 3945/99
No.12) which was previously discussed in Royle, Booth and Walkden Connections in
19 th and Early 20 th Century Flixton. Part Two (Dickens. 2010 p. 331) in relation to the
appointment of trustees for Peter John Walkden the Younger’s will in 1900, which was
proved in 1911. They are of 45 Gardner Street, Pendleton. Not only do the Royles,
therefore, have business and trade links to Flixton and Stretford, which are discussed in
‘Part Six’ but they also have them in Pendleton, Salford, too. James Royle, who is the
brother of John Royle Junior, of Limehurst, is aged 49 and a master baker, employing 3
men, of Flixton. Jane, his wife, is aged 40 and of Cheshire. Louie, their daughter, is
single, aged 23 and of Winton, Yorkshire. Thomas, the subject of the above memorial
inscription, is single, aged 21 and of Pendleton. Alfred is single, aged 19 and also of
Pendleton. Thomas Royle, William and John Henry Royle’s cousin, married Susannah
Beardmore, at Salford, in the December quarter of 1887. Their son, James, was born in
the December quarter of 1888, registered at Salford, although there is also one
registered in the March quarter of 1888. Alfred, their second son, was born in the
September quarter of 1891, registered at Salford, although there is also one registered
in the December quarter of 1893. Their youngest son, Thomas Edgar, was born in the
March quarter of 1898, also registered at Salford. They are well established in the area
as businessmen, with Alfred eventually taking over the Pendleton branch of the
‘empire,’ at Gardner Street, into the 20 th century. Thomas establishes his own branch at
89 Bolton Road, Pendleton, Salford, where he is noted on the 1901 Census (RG13
3715/9 No.9) Thomas is aged 41 and a baker and confectioner, of Pendleton; Susannah,
his wife, is aged 39 and of Salford; James, their son, is single and aged 12; Alfred, their
son, is single and aged 9; Thomas E., their son, is single and aged 3. They are all born
in Pendleton, Salford. Finally, Zipporah Wilcockson, their servant, is single and aged
34, of Werneth Hyde, Cheshire. The 1911 Census (RG14 23955/24) lists the same
occupants, although they are, of course, a decade older. Both James and Alfred are now
“assisting in the business,” with Thomas Edgar at school. Zipporah Wilcockson
provides some further detail on his place of birth, which is given as Gee Cross,
Cheshire. They remain at 89 Bolton Road, Pendleton, Salford. However, the Royle
influence does not stop here and they continue their trade expansion with William and
John Henry Royle’s decision to move into property conveyance and development in the
Flixton area.
The purchase of land was becoming increasingly common amongst business and
tradesmen, who were realising its potential, especially immediately post - First World
War, as the promise to build ‘Homes fit for Heroes,’ under the provisions of the
Housing Act of 1919, was soon to be realised, with “a massive public initiative in
house - building.” (Marwick.1979 p. 275) This rhetoric also fuelled Manchester