Nat Gould

Alfred Needham 1847-1908

Alfred Needham was born in 1847 at Earl Sterndale in Derbyshire, the son of Joseph Needham 1786-1868 and his wife Rachel (maiden surname unknown) 1815-1894. When the Census was taken in 1851 his father was employed as a "Butter Hugster". Both parents were born in Hartington Middle Quarter parish, probably at High Needham near Earl Sterndale where they farmed.

Joseph Needham died in 1868 aged 82 years, and was buried at Earl Sterndale on 8 January 1868. His widow Rachel Needham went to live at Flagg in Derbyshire. She died in 1894, and was buried at Earl Sterndale on 23 September 1894.

Their son Alfred Needham married Mary Harrison in 1865. She was also born in Hartington parish. They lived in Manchester, in 1871 at 8 New Street in the Deansgate area, Alfred Needham then being employed as a police constable. By 1881 kept the Strangeways Inn at 4 Mary Street, Cheetham in north Manchester (1). When the Census was taken in that year, Alfred Needham was a beer retailer. In 1891 they were living at 70 Upper Dale Street in Hulme, Manchester and Alfred Needham was recorded as being a carter. However by 1901 he had become a property repairer and builder on his own account, and they had moved out to the southern suburbs. They lived at 9 Oswald Lane in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, where Alfred Needham remained for the rest of his life.

Alfred Needham and his wife Mary nee Harrison had the following children:

John William Needham. He was born in 1868 at Earl Sterndale. By 1890 he was working as a carter, like his father. However in that year he enlisted in the army, and served in the Royal Field Artillery for over 22 years until 1912. He rose through the ranks to became a Regimental Sergeant Major, and served in the Second Boer War. He volunteered his services also when the First World War broke out in 1914. he married Catherine Bratby 1862-1937 of Congleton in Cheshire. He died on 15 August 1945 at Lostock Graham near Northwich in Cheshire.

Rachel Needham. She was born in 1870 in Manchester. When the Census was taken in 1881 she was working as a packer in a factory. She was married to George Jackson on 27 May 1896 at Chorlton in Manchester.

Julia Ann Needham. She was born in 1872 in Manchester. In 1881 she was a corset maker. She was married to Joseph Hinchcliffe Foote on 16 June 1897 at Chorlton in Manchester. He was born in 1871, and was a railway lorryman. They had the following children: Joseph Foote (born in 1898) and John Foote (born in 1900).

Alfred Needham. He was born in 1876 in Manchester. In 1881 he was a "nipper" in a factory.

Emma Needham. She was born in 1878 in Manchester.

Esther Needham. She was born in 1880 in Manchester. She was married to Frederick Cliff on 9 September 1899 at Chorlton in Manchester.

Ellen Needham. She was born in 1883 in Manchester.

Their father Alfred Needham died at Chorlton in 1908 aged 61 years.

His widow continued to live at 9 Oswald Land in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, and was working at home as a handkerchief hemmer in 1911. She died at Chorlton in 1913 aged 72 years.

(1) They evidently left the Strangeways Inn by 1886 when it was being kept by Mr and Mrs Boyd who become innocently involved in a notorious child abduction case; The Tablet 18 December 1886 page 23; http://archive.thetablet.co.uk/article/18th-december-1886/23/child-stealing-at-salford