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

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Haslemere Road. The Papers also contain a Copy Draft Conveyance, of the 1 st
November 1878 (E/SHAW/5/55) between Messrs. Whitehead and Barlow and William
Flitcroft, relating to a plot of land in Flixton known as Tree Hey. This document places
Tree Hey in the Shaw (sic) area of Flixton, with the marriage of John Royle and
Elizabeth Shawcross potentially explaining the long term connection between the
families and the eventual appearance of Tree Hey amongst deeds and documents
pertaining to the Royles and dated 23 rd September 1952 (E/18/61)
It becomes apparent that once we begin to look at the history of the Pool Plat area,
the families involved with its sale and purchase and the extended connections to the
Royles, we can see that a vast social network has been created. This does not affect just
Flixton but influences the family into Urmston and further east still into Stretford, at
Hole House Farm, Urmston Lane, Lostock, and King Street, Stretford. It is noticeable
that the occupations of farming, trade and land ownership and conveyance are very
skilfully combined. This combination has led to the establishment of a very influential
family, which up until the latter quarter of the 20 th century maintained a major
influence upon the district. The added occupation of property development, particularly
in the 1930s, helped to maintain this influence. ‘Part Six’ of this article will further
examine the dealings of the Royles in relation to Pool Plat and their business partners
and look at some further suggested family links, which will provide us with yet more
examples of how closely integrated was Flixton Village with its farming and trade
community.
Bibliography.
Census of Lancashire, 1881 (RG11 3889/22 No. 37) (RG11 3889/48 No. 31)
Census of Lancashire, 1891 (RG12 3160/36 No.22)
Census of Lancashire, 1911 (RG14 23623/1)
Crossland, Alan. Looking back at Urmston, including Flixton and Davyhulme
(Altrincham: Willow Publishing. 1983)
Dickens, Steven. The Missing Years, 1645 - 1690. A Comparison of the Hallsworth,
Platt and Widdowes Families in 17 th Century Manchester and Salford. The Manchester
Genealogist. Vol. 45. No. 2. 2009 pp.119 - 125.
Dickens, Steven. The Booths of Flixton. The Development of Ancient Origins. 1332 -
2009. The Manchester Genealogist. Vol. 45. No. 4. 2009 pp. 303 - 310.
Dickens, Steven. Royle, Booth and Walkden Connections in 19 th and Early 20 th
Century Flixton. Part One, Irlam Road, Flixton and its related inhabitants. The
Manchester Genealogist. Vol. 46. No. 2. 2010 pp. 112 - 116.
Dickens, Steven. Royle, Booth and Walkden Connections in 19 th and Early 20 th
Century Flixton. Part Two, Irlam Road, Flixton and its related inhabitants: William
Royle’s Statutory Declaration. The Manchester Genealogist. Vol. 46. No. 4. 2010 pp.
329 - 333.
Greater Manchester County Record Office, 56 Marshall Street, Newcross, Manchester.
M4.5FU. Catalogue of Archives of the Harper, Fielden and Royle Families of Flixton