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

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Manchester County Record Office (E/18/57) possessing a record, dated 10 th January
1939, between the Rector and Wardens of St. Michael’s Parish Church, Flixton and the
executors of Mr. William Royle, for a new grave. Their legacy, however, carried on
into the 1950s with both property and land, notably at number 33 The Village, Flixton.
Here again, Greater Manchester County Record Office hold a tenancy agreement, dated
27 th July 1920 (E/18/50) between William Royle, John Henry Royle and David Wright,
relating to premises consisting of a house and a shop at number 33 The Village, Flixton,
for a rent of £30 per annum. This property is the former business premises of William
and John Henry Royle, who are aged 60 and 54 respectively in 1920 and are obviously
looking to retire from their bakery and grocery trade, whilst funding it through the
profits on their rental property and land. This is further confirmed when the occupation
of retired rent collector is given on the death certificate of John Henry Royle, in 1937.
Number 33, The Village was located on the section of Church Road which was
opposite the Church Inn and Greyhound Hotel. It was demolished in 1963 to make way
for the widening of Church Road (Crossland. 1983). The original route of Church Road
remains, in front of St. Michael’s Parish Church, the grass verge and trees between it
and the new section marking the original spot of the now demolished shops and
cottages. The shop, however, survives and is now located on Flixton Road, closer to
Urmston. Further property was owned at numbers 2 - 7 Eden Terrace, which is located
at Brook Road, Flixton (E/18/59) and land at Tree Hey (E/18/61) which is located at
Shawe Town, Flixton.
M. Scott Peck in his book The Different Drum (1990) believes that, “In and through
community lies the salvation of the world.” (p. 17) I believe that his words have
relevance for all family historians, searching for meaning in their work. Of course, at
the personal level, it is important that we do not feel we are working in isolation,
furthering only our own selfish research needs. We are surrounded by a family of like -
minded researchers who are more than willing to share their experiences. But what of
the wider question? By this I suppose I am asking what relevance has our work in a
modern, fast - moving and increasingly self - centred world, which daily appears to be
moving away from the ideals of society, welfare and ultimately community.
Undoubtedly, in the world of William and John Henry Royle, there were business
needs which had to be catered for, in order to facilitate the daily tasks of life. However,
we only have to briefly view the proximity of extended family to realise that this was a
community which believed firmly in family support, be it through direct action, or
business and trade links. P. J. Gooderson believes that, in the late Victorian and early
Edwardian eras, “Families imposed strong moral constraints on their members. High
moral standards were a defence against economic disaster and a guarantee of social
respectability…,” thus producing “a strong sense of honesty and neighbourliness…”
(1980, p.165) Whilst I am not suggesting a return to ‘Victorian Values’ I believe it is
important that, in the punitive society we have become, we do not lose sight of at least
some of these values, or community will remain a fleeting ideal. However, despite our
apparent widespread modern day rejection of community, it is the dealings of William
and John Henry Royle which stand as the family’s lasting monument of their