BEAUTIFUL BLACKLEY

July/August

1871, - Another ten years have passed. Samuel Wilkinson, still a clay miner, has married Nancy and they have a family of four, Arthur, Betsy, Fred and Emma. We are now entering an era where names are beginning to sound familiar. People living today can actually remember children who were born then. Fred Wilkinson lived to be 93, dying in 1960. Four policemen were on point duty directing traffic to Blackley Chapel. The brickyard was swept clean, cars parked there, in the Chapel field, the farmer’s field and all along the road. There was no car park at the Chapel, it was still The Elms occupied by the Inghams.

Nancy Dearden has moved away, perhaps squeezed out by the Heppenstall’s, who by now have nine children. Or maybe she had a better offer. Families have come and gone but one name remains constant, - Dyson.

In 1841 there were two families, Humphrey and William who possibly were related. By the l890’s only William and his family remained. Their occupations were varied, weavers, warpers, spinners, sanitary pipe and brick makers, dressmaker, joiner and cabinet maker and painter and decorator

William’s son, James built Olive Mount, which was occupied by the families of James, Stephen, two Josephs and a Henry who carried out a grocery business from the house. Stephen’s two sons lived in the first house from birth to death. Eddleston died in 1965 and Frank in 1986 although the last months were spent in a retirement home. He was very fond of camellias and had a magnificent specimen growing along the back wall in a lean-to.

All the Dyson’s were keen cricketers, Frank left the club Ł 100 in his will which was a considerable amount when it was written. Their names were continually mentioned in the club’s minute’s book as ground’s men, players, vice-presidents and for organizing events. One was a talented musician and played at a cricket club concert. An amusing entry reads ‘E Dyson to wash the celery.’

Addison Dyson, a descendent of James died in 1958 and members subscribed to a Memorial Cup. Alice, his wife, ran the weekly whist drives and organized the tea rota for many years. June, their daughter, was first team scorer. Alice was the last Dyson to leave Blackly, moving to Ainley Top to be nearer her son Norman but now residing at Norton House.

Stretching over 140 years, the Dyson’s achieved a record, which will probably never be broken.