ROBERT STANLEY 1721-1798

Due to the fact that the Parish Registers for Dukinfield Old Chapel are missing between the years 1713 and 1764 I am unable to find our earliest proven ancestor's date of birth. I have, however, found a mention of a family called STANLEY in James Hickey's book 'Dukinfield Past and Present'. He mentions a farm situated at the top of Pickford Lane which previously abutted the road at an awkward angle with a date inscribed on a stone at the front gate of 1749. He states that at one time this farm was owned by a family called Stanley. The fields around here extending as far back as The Lakes Residential Home were once called 'Stanley Fields'.

I have also found entries for a John and Eliza Stanley of Dukinfield buried at Manchester Cathedral in 1768 and 1772 respectively. I am extremely tempted to speculate that this John Stanley could be the father of our Robert born circa 1721. This could also have been the first family farm in Dukinfield and descendants of Robert Stanley 1721-1798 were still farming this same land as late as 1851.

We know that Robert Stanley married twice. His first wife Mary Kelsall born 1727 the daughter of John Kelshall and Mary Hodson on 26th April 1751 at Ashton Parish Church. He then married Ann Gee at Stockport St Mary's Church 27th June 1764. He had eleven children by Ann Gee and at least five by Mary Kelsall. He may also have had two children by a third wife for whom we have no knowledge.

"The Children of Robert Stanley 1721-1798"

Mother	Name	Born/Bapt	Place	Married	Died
Unknown Mother	Robert*	circa1748	---	Sarah Smith	---
	William*	circa1750	---	Hannah	25 May 1825
Mary Kelsall born1727 married 26th April 1751 at Ashton St Michael	George*	circa1751	---	Mary Ashworth	27 Jan 1837
	John*	circa 1752	---	Lexcey	31 July 1827
	Thomas*	circa1754	---	Alice	23 Jan 1835
	Amy*	circa1756	---	Thomas Saxon	---
	Matthew	1757	---	---	25 July 1758
Ann Gee married 27 June 1764 at Stockport St Mary's	Hannah	1764	DUK	---	8 Sept 1765
	Sarah	1765	DUK	---	---
	Nathaniel*	16 Dec1767	DUK	Betty Winterbottom	---
	Matthew*	13 Nov 1769	DUK	Elizabeth Hughes	20 May 1835
	James	6 Dec 1771	DUK	---	14 Oct 1772
	Hannah*	24 Aug 1773	DUK	William Beckett	---
	Abraham*	21 Dec1775	DUK	Alice Cook	13 Jan 1811
	Ann	27 Feb 1778	DUK	---	9 Nov1800
	James*	8 Aug 1781	DUK	Betty	---
	Jenny	23 Jan 1783	DUK	---	6 Dec 1806
	Samuel*	25 Jan 1785	DUK	Sarah Etchells	---
* I have continued to follow these lines and so far have traced 75 grandchildren, 40 great grandchildren, 65 great, great grandchildren and 93 great, great, great grandchildren.
Where dates of birth have been estimated these have mostly been from gravestone inscriptions

Until the birth of Ann in 1778 the family lived at Wood End Farm in Dukinfield. This no longer exists, but was right next door to Plantation Farm where Mary Moffat the famous missionary lived as a child.

From 1778 we find Robert Stanley living at Dukinfield Hall see engraving. This would be after John Astley Esq. moved out, after he had built his new manor house at Dukinfield Lodge. According to the 1780 Land Tax Register for Dukinfield, Robert Stanley was paying the highest tax in Dukinfield and was farming the lands of the Old Manor Hall. He was about 65 years of age when his last child Samuel was born and from about this date left Dukinfield Old Hall to buy land and properties in the Cross Gates area of Audenshaw.

In his will he comes under the title of Yeoman of this Parish and there is mention of his loom and the occupations of his tenants (details can be supplied). It is tempting to think of him as a sort of 'middleman' or 'putter out of work' in the embryonic Cotton Industry.

I believe that all of his children were educated since he leaves provision in his will for the education of his two youngest children Jenny aged 15 and Samuel aged 13.

Gay J Oliver © 2001 - all rights reserved