Towers - Generations of shoemakers

Generally speaking, the name TOWERS has one of three origins.

 

1. “Of the Tower or Torr”

 

2. “Tawyer…a dresser of skins and leather”

 

3. From the word “Tours”…French.

 

Given the occupation of the Towers family over the 100 years from 1790 to 1890 it is quite likely that the family were originally “Tawyers” and that this craft of Shoemaking and working with leather had passed from generation to generation from the time that surnames were instigated, possibly 700 years previously.

 

Our earliest connection is JOHN TOWERS, Shoemaker, born around 1790.  He could be the JOHN TOWERS baptised Liverpool in 1791 to JOHN and HANNAH, or, more likely he could be the JOHN MEREDITH TOWERS, son of JOHN TOWERS a shoemaker of HARDSHAW, St. Helens, baptised 1787.  Either way, his own fathers name was JOHN.

 

JOHN TOWERS (Son of John)

Born St. Helens 1790-

Our JOHN had married an ELIZABETH, a BOOKBINDER, by 1815, and 9 children sprung from this union.

 

According to the 1851 Census our JOHN was actually born in ST. HELENS whilst Elizabeth was born at PRESCOTT.  Their first children, Daniel & Sarah were born at St. Helens, and the next 6 at Liverpool, being Anne, John, JOSEPH, Elizabeth, Margaret and William Holmes Towers.  Finally, James was born at Warrington.

 

In 1851 JOHN, given as aged 61, Shoemaker, and wife Elizabeth, given as aged 59, Bookbinder, were living at HORSEMARKET, WARRINGTON.

JOHN & ELIZABETH TOWERS.

 At this time only son James is at home, aged 19 and carrying on the tradition of a Shoemaker.  He was not alone in this as another son, John, now aged 29 was living nearby at Dallam Lane, Buckley Buildings, Warrington and he too was a Shoemaker.  Strangely enough he had married a lady who like his mother was a Bookbinder.  Perhaps he met her at his mothers place of employment.

 

It was son JOSEPH however that requires our own attentions.

 

JOSEPH TOWERS

Baptised 13^th September 1824 at Liverpool St. Peters.

To JOHN & ELIZABETH

 

The fifth child of JOHN and ELIZABETH, JOSEPH would be aged around 10 when the family moved from Liverpool to Warrington.  By this age he would already have received instruction, along with brother John two years his elder, in the art of SHOEMAKING, and this was the profession he followed for his lifetime.

 

Aged 23 our JOSEPH married NANCY RICHARDSON on 28^th December 1847 at Warrington St. Paul’s Parish Church, after Banns.  Nancy’s father was JOSIAH RICHARDSON who appears to have lived around Warrington since the late 1790’s at least.

 

Both JOSEPH and NANCY give PINNERS BROW as their place of abode on marriage, and this is where Nancy’s father Josiah died in 1849, two years after the marriage.

JOSEPH & NANCY TOWERS

 

The 1851 Census for Warrington shows no trace of Joseph & Nancy, so they must have moved away for work purposes, but in 1854 they are back in Warrington for the birth of son JOSEPH, on 19^th December, giving SCOTLAND RD. as their address.  Father JOSEPH is described as a “CORDWAINER” which is really another word for Shoemaker.

 

 

 

JOSEPH TOWERS
Born 19^th December 1854 to JOSEPH & NANCY

Born at Scotland Rd Warrington JOSEPH, like generations before him, became a SHOEMAKER, or, as he describes himself a “Cordwainer”..  When he was old enough to leave home, he did so and by 1876 he was living in RUNCORN.  It was here at the age of 21, (although the certificate says 20),  he married SARAH BESWICK aged 19, spinster, at RUNCORN PARISH CHURCH.

ANCESTRY OF

SARAH BESWICK (Nee BOOTH)

Married Joseph Towers in 1876

 

JOHN BOOTH  was born around 1802 at Appleton, Cheshire.  John was an Agricultural Labourer, who appears to have remained in the same area, just South of Warrington.  He had children born at Thelwell and Latchford, both on the outskirts of Warrington and the 1851 census shows him with his wife Elizabeth (Born Haydock around 1800) living at Stockton Heath which faces Warrington across the Manchester Ship Canal.  At that time three daughters, Sarah, Ellen and Margaret were living at home and all working, aged 19, 17, and 15 respectively.  As the eldest of these, Sarah would have been born when John was aged 30, it is possible that there were other, older children, who would have left home before 1851.

 

ELLEN BOOTH was the daughter of John and Elizabeth above.  At the age of around 22 she married EDWARD BESWICK, bachelor at the Church at Stretton just south of Stockton Heath and Appleton (where both parties to the marriage were living). They were married after Banns on 21^st December 1856.

EDWARD BESWICK was probably born at Appleton, illegitimate, in 1834. ( His father is not named on his Marriage Certificate.)  In 1851, aged 17 he appears to have been living at Birchdale, Appleton, and to have been a labourer at the Quay

 

EDWARD BESWICK & ELLEN BESWICK (Nee BOOTH)

 

At the time of his marriage to ELLEN BOOTH in 1856 Edward is described as a ‘Stonegetter’.  In 1857 he is a ‘Quarryman, In 1876 he seems to have changed tack and is described as a ‘Brewer’.  A ‘Brewer’ was often a small operator from a room in a private house’

 

Eight months into their marriage, 0n 7^th August 1857, Ellen produced a daughter, SARAH BESWICK.  They were still living at Stockton Heath, Appleton.

 

We have yet to trace the movements of the Beswicks after 1851, but when SARAH married  JOSEPH TOWERS on 24^th July 1876, just short of her 19^th birthday, she is given as living at RUNCORN, so does not appear to have traveled far.

JOSEPH TOWERS (Born 1854 to Joseph/Nancy) &

SARAH TOWERS (Beswick) Born 1857 to Edward/Ellen)

After their marriage in July 1876 JOSEPH & SARAH lived at WALTON (Cheshire), close to Stockton Heath where Joseph continued his occupation as Shoemaker, (Cordwainer per marriage certificate)..  It was here that five children at least were born, four daughters and a son:-  Ellen 1877, Sarah 1881, Elizabeth 1883, Daniel 1885 and Annie 1888.  The family then moved to WARRINGTON, where ALICE TOWERS, the last child was born in 1890.

 

The 1891 Census shows the family at 26 BOSTOCK ST WARRINGTON.  Father JOSEPH is still a Journeyman Boot & Shoemaker, whilst eldest daughter Ellen is a General Servant aged 14, and young ALICE is just 11 months old.

Other members of the TOWERS family also lived at Bostock St.  A Samuel Towers lived variously at no 6, no 14 and no 23, whilst a William Towers lived at no 65 in 1895.  They appear on the voting register.

 

Around 1893 Joseph’s wife, SARAH is believed to have died and as soon as they were old enough the children left home as father was a very hard taskmaster.  The children frequently missed school to deliver shoes or attend to other demands of his.  He is reputed to have had quite a temper.  When they made their own way in the world, the children drifted towards the Rochdale, Manchester and Prestwich areas.

 

Two of the children of Joseph & Sarah married into the same family.  Annie married a Peter Bramah, whilst her sister Sarah married Peter Bramah’s father.  Dan, who, unsurprisingly, was a Shoemaker, married and lived near Rochdale, and, later, Castle Gardens Blackpool.  Lizzie worked in “Service” at Lovely Lane Warrington and later at an asbestos mill at Shawclough.  She married Arthur Dutton and lived Rochdale, having two children Edna & Ida.  Ida still lives in Shawclough, Rochdale (1997).  (The Dutton family themselves spent a considerable time on their family tree in an unsuccessful attempt to link themselves to the Dutton’s Brewery Inheritance.)