The cover picture of Issue 1 was an engraving of the handsome property belonging to Mr. Marsden of Manchester. I asked whether anyone knew anything about the family but strangely, I had part of the answer in my possession all the time. This prompted me to do a little more research and so I can now tell you a little about this wealthy merchant and his family.
Some time ago, Colin Wood (058/142) kindly loaned me a number of Marsden documents for copying. Among these were several wills. Although I read them at the time, it was only later, after publishing MFHN 1, that I realised that two were directly relevant to the Mr. Marsden who possessed the mansion in Market Street Lane. These were the wills of James Marsden (Mr. Marsden himself) and of his son, also James. From the information in the wills, together with some further details found in the publications of the Chetham Society, it is now possible to draw up a pedigree of the family and say a little about its origins and connections.
James Marsden was the son of Thomas Marsden and Sarah Croxton of Bolton in Lancashire. The family was seriously wealthy. James' grandfather, also called Thomas, was a textile merchant who established a trading house at Lothbury in London during the latter part of the 17th century. The success of this venture can be measured by reports that during one three year period his dealings exceeded £50,000. Thomas acted as a banker in London for other Lancashire merchants and no doubt made further profit from this business. He subsequently in 1670 purchased the Lordship of the Manor of Little Bolton and lived at Little Bolton Hall until his death in 1696. One of his bequests was the sum of £150 to found a charity school for poor children..
His grandson James was born in 1684 at Bolton. James pursued the family's mercantile path but appears to have inherited much of his wealth on the death of his mother in 1716. It was perhaps at this time he moved into the house which brought him to our attention. He is certainly recorded as a juror in the records of Manchester Court Leet (the governing body for the city of Manchester until well into the 19th century) as early as 1731. James was clearly a prominent citizen. The journals of John Byrom of Manchester record him as entertaining some of the titled visitors during a royal visit to Manchester. Marsden Square in the city (now called Marsden Street) was named after him. His will made on 7 July 1750, less than six months before his death, refers specifically to his house in Market Street Lane but it appears that by this time he was no longer living there. He left this house "wherein my son-in-law Henshaw Thorneycroft Esquire now lives" to Henshaw and his wife Mary. The remainder of his estate, which includes several other properties, he left to his only son James.
James junior was not long to enjoy his inheritance. It appears that he married shortly after his father's death. His wife was called Sarah Sedgwick but the record of their marriage has yet to be found. He died on Christmas Eve 1758 aged just 29 years leaving a six year old daughter, Sarah and a three year old son, James. His will, which he made on 3 May 1757, left his estate to his widow with provision for his children when they reached the age of 21. This provision totals £6000, a further indication of the family's wealth. His son was, however, to die less than a year after his father leaving Sarah as the sole heiress. If Sarah survived to inherit the estate she would have become a very wealthy young lady. Her story still remains to be discovered, perhaps for a future issue.
References
Genealogical Memoirs of the Family of Marsden by B. A. Marsden, J. A. Marsden & R. S. Marsden, Published 1914
Will of James Marsden, proved Chester 1751
Will of James Marsden, proved Chester 1759
The History of Bolton School, Brown & Poskitt
Publications of the Chetham Society volume 44 (Remains of John Byrom)
Manchester Court Leet Records 1731-86
History of Manchester to 1852, W. H. Thompson, Published 1967
Modified 1 April 2002