OTHER PROBABLE RELATIVES
William Makinson of Bolton Lancashire
There is some evidence to suggest that William Makinson may be a brother or
cousin to my 3rd great grandfather, John Makinson Senior, of Blackburn.
A family tree developed in 1952 by a genealogist in England, claims to show
that John Makinson, of Manchester and a Attorney at Law, is a son
of this William Makinson. This is not true for a number of reasons; (1) John
lists his birth as in Blackburn in the 1861 and 1871 census. (2) His brother,
Thomas, also an Attorney, names him as his executor to his will in 1822 just
before he died in Jan 1823. In this same will he mentions his father John of
Blackburn and his brother John as an Attorney and also another Brother,
Joseph, also an Attorney. (3) John's father, also named John, mentions him in
his will which was written in 1823 and this father later died that same year.
He named his son John, an Attorney at Manchester, as one of his
Executors.
The evidence suggests that the children of William and Hannah Mason were
closely associated with John and Mary Makinson and their family in Manchester
during the early to late 1800's. One of William's sons lived on an adjoining
next street from John and Mary Makinson, in a fashionable part of town. His
name was William, like his father, and he was a schoolmaster. William, had a
daughter named Sarah, who married a young man named Edward Boothroyd on Apr
8th 1852 in Manchester Cathedral, where most of the Makinson families attended
church. In John Makinson's grave plot in Cheetham Hill Wesleyan Cemetery, in
grave 3821, there lies Sarah Boothroyd buried on Aug 10th, 1852, having died
of consumption. I believe that John Makinson let his "possible
cousin", William bury his daughter in his cemetery plot. At that time,
there was only one grave in the plot. John had buried a baby daughter, Mary,
in 1839, when the child was two weeks old.
In the old letter sent to my grandfather, Leroy Albert Makinson, in 1895 by
Joseph Makinson, son of James Makinson of Blackburn, there are references to
the Makinson's of Manchester and of the three sons of John and Mary
Makinson who are listed in the letter. The parents of these three
children having died 20 about years earlier. The writer also talks about his
grandfather, who mortgaged the family fortunes and left for Australia about
1862 and returning in 1876, just before he died. We don't know the name of his
grandfather, but we suspicion it to be James, another brother of my 2nd great
grandfather.
Another puzzling part of the story is why did Charles Makinson, a son of
John and Mary Makinson, of Manchester decide to go Australia in 1857, just
after finishing Law School? He stayed for seven years, marrying the daughter
of a local magistrate, and practicing law, before returning to Manchester in
1864. You will find this mentioned in Charles's obituary of 1895.
I think the reason that "Uncle James, and his Nephew Charles"
went to Australia was from the letters and stories from Thomas Cooper
Makinson, a grandson of William and Hannah, and a son of Joseph Makinson
(William's son), and his wife Sarah Cooper. Joseph and his family also lived
in Manchester at this time. Thomas became a priest for the Church of England
and was sent to Australia in 1839 by the Church board. He returned in 1854 and
then turned around and went back to Australia in 1855 and died there in 1893.
In a book by J.A. Venn titled "Alumni Cantabrigiensis", the
following is recorded:
THOMAS COOPER MAKINSON-admitted sizar at St. John's July 8,1831, son of
Joseph, commission merchant, of Manchester, School, Manchester Grammar
matriculated Michelmas 1831; B.A 1835. Ordained deacon (Chester) Aug 16,1835;
priest, July 17,1836 Church of St Anne's, Manchester. Went to Sydney
Australia, on the recommendation of the S.P.G.;1839 appointed to the charge of
the Church at Mulgoa. N.S.W. Seceded to the Church of Rome. Came back in very
straitened circumstances in 1854, and supported his family by tuition,
residing a Leige Belgium. Returned to Australia in 1855 and was appointed
Secretary to the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, which post he held until
1874.
FAMILY OF WILLIAM MAKINSON AND HANNAH MASON OF BOLTON
