St Wilfrid's Catholic Cemetery, Preston

FURTHER INFORMATION:

[Infant] VALENTINE:

A John Valentine was baptized on 10 Jun 1821 at St Wilfrid's Chapel. He was the son of Elizabeth Valentine, and the sponsors were John Parkin and Bridget Sagar. He was the only child called Valentine baptized at St Wilfrid's Chapel between 1813 and the 1821, with the next child with that surname being baptized in 1839.

Note: Valentine was not a common name amongst Preston's early Catholic community. There are only 17 listed in the surviving baptism records for St Wilfrid's Chapel, and the 1810 Catholic census lists only two families by that name. James and Mary Valentine (ages not recorded) were living in High Street with Margaret, aged 2; and Richard Valentine, husband, aged 22 and Betty, wife, aged 22, were living in New Street. They may have been the Richard Valentine and Betty Perkin who were married at St John's Parish Church in Preston on 6 Sep 1809.

The 1820 Catholic census lists Elizabeth, aged 32, living at 46 Fishergate; and Margaret Valentine, aged 12; and Richard Valentine, aged 10 living at 23 High Street. They may have been the children of the James and Mary Valentine listed in High Street in 1810.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Alice VALENTINE:

At the time of the 1810 Catholic census of Preston Alice Valentine was living at 22 Mount Street. Her age was not recorded. The 1820 Catholic census lists Alice Valentine, aged 77, still living at 22 Mount Street.

On the night of the 1841 census a Mary Valentine, of independent means, aged c. 65, was living in Mount Street. In 1851 she was still living in Mount Street, at number 32. She was listed as unmarried, formerly a house servant, aged 77 years, and was born in Kirkham.

On the night of the 1861 census Mary Valentine, a house proprietor, aged 86, was living at 37 Mount Street with her unmarried sister Catherine Valentine, a housekeeper, aged 76. Also staying with them were an unmarried servant, Catherine Hodgkinson, a nurse, aged 60; and an unmarried lodger, Anna Hodgkinson, a cotton winder, aged 48. The Valentine sisters were listed as born in Salwick, their servant was born in Inskip, and the lodger was born in Brockholes. It was noted that Mary was blind.

Mary Valentine died on 3 Jan 1862, aged 88 years.

Death Notice:

"DEATHS...On the 3rd inst.,...Mary Valentine, Mount-street, aged 88;"

Published in the Preston Chronicle, Sat., 8 Jan 1862

Note: It is not know how - or if - Mary Valentine was related to Alice Valentine, and the fact that they both lived in Mount Street may be a coincidence.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Ellen VARLEY:

Ellen Varley, the daughter of John and Margaret Varley, was born on 7 Jun 1845 but was "injured in birth" and lived only 5 minutes. She was probably given an emergency baptism at the bedside, and these were rarely entered in baptism registers.

John Varley, son of William and Ellen Varley of Bradford, Yorkshire, and Margaret Dilworth, daughter of John and Mary Dilworth of Goosnargh, were married on 27 Jul 1844 at St Ignatius Catholic Church in Preston. They were married by Henry Walmsley and the witnesses were William Carr of Chipping and Mary Dewhurst of Preston.

Marriage Notice:

"MARRIED...at the Catholic Church of St Ignatius,...on Saturday last, Mr. John Varley, to Miss Margaret Dilworth, all of this town."

Published in the Preston Chronicle, Sat., 3 Aug 1844

The Varley-Dilworth Marriage

Margaret's sister Mary Dilworth married James Carr on 3 Jun 1822 at St Bartholomew's Parish Church in Chipping, and on the night of the 1851 census Margaret Varley, a railway porter's wife, aged 36, was staying with her sister and brother-in-law. James Carr, a watchmaker, aged 49, was living at 114 High Street, Garstang, with his wife Mary, aged 48, and their son John, a scholar, aged 27. James Carr was listed as born in Keighley, Yorkshire, and the rest of the household were born in Chipping. John Varley was not staying with his wife on the night of the census, but his work as a railway porter may have taken him away from home at the time.

I can only find the record of John and Margaret having one other child. Mary Ann Varley, daughter of John and Margaret (Dilworth) Varley, was born on 1 Apr 1853 and baptized on 3 Apr 1853 at St Mary and St Michael's Catholic Church in Bonds, Garstang, by Father Michael Hickey. Sadly, she did not survive infancy and died on 23 Feb 1854, aged 10 months.

I can find no further record of John and Margaret Varley after the death of their daughter Mary Ann.

Note 1: John Varley, son of William and Ellen Varley, was born on 9 Sep 1819 and baptized on 10 Sep 1819 at St Mary and St James Catholic Church in Scorton. The sponsors were John Wharton and Elizabeth Lupton. According to the baptism register, his father was a Protestant and his mother was a Catholic. His parents, William Varley and Ellen Sandwell, were married on 24 Nov 1814 at St Helen's Parish Church in Churchtown, Garstang. They were married, by licence, by John Pedder, Vicar, and the witnesses were John Tatham and John Cornthwaite. William signed the register with an X and Ellen signed her name Elling Sandwell.

Note 2: I am grateful to a descendant of the Dilworth family for providing the details from Ellen Varley's death certificate.