Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1930 & 39

Mary Emma Bailey (1874 - 1933)


 Mary Emma Bailey owned and ran Bailey's Restaurant on Cross Lane, Salford for over thirty years.

 

She was born Mary Emma Greatorex in the third quarter of 1874 at Charlesworth, Derbyshire (registered at Hayfield, Derbyshire) and baptised on 7th December 1874 at St John the Evangelist Church in Charlesworth. Her father was William Greatorex, (born 1834 at Grindlow, Derbyshire), a Police Constable, and her mother was Grace (nee Hall), Greatorex (born 1843 at Little Hucklow, Derbyshire). In 1881, the family lived at 6, Samuel Street, Manchester. Mary Emma was aged 7 and her father's occupation was Grocer. She had five siblings. In 1891, the family lived at 24 Phoebe Street, Salford, where Mary Emma was aged 19 and a Machine Hand for a Furrier. Her father William was a Baker.

 

In 1895 Mary Emma married Isaac Harry Bailey at The Albert Memorial Church in Collyhurst, Manchester. Isaac was born in the second quarter of 1875 in Holywell, Flintshire, Wales. His father was George L Bailey (born 1844 in Long Bennington, Lincolnshire) who was a Land and Mining Surveyor. His mother was Eliza (nee Spriggs) Bailey (born in 1841 in Haddington, Northamptonshire). By 1891 Isaac lived at 34 Lord Byron Street, Salford, where he was a 16-year-old Lithographic Apprentice and his father was a Merchant Tailor's Clerk. In 1896 Doris May was born (in Salford), but sadly she died on 28th February 1901 aged 5.

 

In 1901, Mary Emma and Isaac lived at 153 Cross Lane, Salford, where Isaac was a Theatrical Poster Designer. In 1911, still at Cross Lane, Isaac was an Artist Porter Designer and Mary Emma was a Confectioner and Caterer/Cook. They had two sons Eric Leighton (born 1903 in Salford) and Leslie Gordon (born 1910 in Salford). In the 1921 census Mary Emma is Head of the household at 153 Cross Lane, Salford and is a Confectioner and Caterer. Son Eric is aged 19 and Assistant in Confectionery Work and son Gordon is 11 years old.

 

The Salford City Reporter of 1st December 1933 ran the headline "Death of Mrs M.E. Bailey, popular restaurant proprietress". It continued "We regret to announce the death of Mrs M.E Bailey, which took place after a short illness at Hope Hospital on Saturday (25th November 1933), at the age of 59. Mrs Bailey was a well known figure in the district and was the proprietress of Bailey's Restaurant, Cross Lane, Salford, where she had carried on business for over thirty years. She was held in high esteem by her numerous friends and by all with whom she came into contact."

 

The funeral service was held at St. John's Methodist Church, Weaste on Wednesday 29th November and was conducted by the Rev F.N. Mitchell. The cortege made a special detour in order to pass along Cross Lane where many of Mrs Bailey's friends paid a last tribute. At Weaste Cemetery, Rev F.N Mitchell conducted the committal service and she was interred in the grave of her daughter Doris May, who died in 1901 aged five years old, in plot F of the Church of England portion.