Kings Stanley, Gloucester 1870s

[neddyw]

One branch of my husbands family moved from Saddleworth, West Yorks to King Stanley during the 1860/70's. Today I met someone at a local heritage day and he thinks that maybe one of the wealthy families from Saddleworth had some sort of business interest in the Gloucester area as he has come across several families who had moved there during the same period.

Saddleworth was, upto quite recently a big producer of woollen cloth. I wondered if Gloucester had a similar industry as the relatives I found continued in the weaving industry when they got there. I'm afraid I know nothing about Gloucester but I live in Saddleworth so if anyone has any theories I know some local history.

Many thanks

[dotty.]

certainly there could have been some kind of canal based trade in that area using bristol port. what occupations have you found for the village on the census returns?

[dotty.]

from genuki:
KING'S STANLEY, Gloucestershire - Extract from National Gazetteer, 1868
[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer (1868)]

"KING'S STANLEY, a parish in the lower division of Whitstone hundred, county Gloucester, 1½ mile S. of Stonehouse railway station. The village is situated on the Thames and Severn canal, and is included in the borough of Stroud. A portion of the inhabitants are employed in the manufacture of woollen cloths, introduced here in the time of Elizabeth. The soil is of a sandy nature, with a subsoil of clay. There are quarries of freestone and ragstone. The living is a rectory* in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol, value £312, in the patronage of Jesus College, Cambridge. The church is dedicated to St. George. The parochial charities produce about £34 per annum, of which £6 go to a school. There is a National school for both sexes, also a British school. The Baptists have a chapel. Stanley Park is the principal residence. W. Leigh, Esq., and the trustees of the late Joseph King, are lords of the manor."

[dotty.]

plus this is interesting
http://www.genuki.org...Stroud/Pigot1830.html

[neddyw]

Thanks for info. I think there must be a connection with the wool trade. Looked through the directory list. There's no names that are familiar Saddleworth names but it's 30years before people move down there. Quite a lot of wool dealers etc. it sounds like the people only stayed in Gloucester for around 10 years and didn't think of it as home as they brought there families back to Saddleworth for marriages, baptisms and burials.