Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1890 & 99

Oliver Yates (1813 - 1897)


 BURIED AT WEASTE CEMETERY

OLIVER YATES (1813 – 1897)


Oliver Yates was a Cotton Yarn Agent/Merchant in Manchester, who later returned to his roots at Woodhead, near Belthorn, in the Yate and Pickup Bank area, near Blackburn, Lancashire.  Later he retired to Southport, Lancashire, where he died.


He was born in 1813 (probably at Woodhead, Belthorn, near Blackburn). There is no record of his early life. However, his nephew, (i.e. his brother John's son), also named Oliver Yates, who was the major beneficiary of Oliver's will in 1897, had an obituary in the Blackburn Times of 29th May 1920. This says "Mr Yates (the nephew) was a member of the well-known Yates family of Pickup Bank. The family were flourishing yeomen on the eastern side of Darwen so far back as the time of Edward III." It goes on to say, "An ancestor named Oliver Yates saw an advertisement in a Blackburn shop window for a Salesman at Manchester. Oliver applied for the job and was engaged. Eventually he married his employer's daughter, who is said to have been very beautiful, succeeded to the business, and when he died left a fortune of over £160,000. This Mr Oliver Yates was born at Woodhead. He built the house at Woodhead, Belthorn, at which his nephew, the deceased Mr Oliver Yates lived, until his removal to Southport about ten years ago."


In the third quarter of 1841 (at the age of 28), Oliver Yates married Mary Shimwell (aged 34) in Manchester by Registrar. Mary was born in 1806 in Youlgreave, Derbyshire, the daughter of Isaac Shimwell, Fringe and Smallware Manufacturer, of 11 St Mary's Gate, Manchester, and his wife Hannah. In 1851, Oliver and Mary lived at Gordon Terrace, Cheetham, Manchester. Oliver's occupation was Merchant. Also in 1951, Oliver's business address was 11, New Market Lane, Manchester Township. Sadly in 1859, Mary died aged 52, and was buried at Weaste Cemetery A5/DISS/398 on 16th April. They had no children. In 1863, Slater's Manchester Directory recorded Oliver as a Yarn and Cloth, Commission Agent.


It would appear that Oliver was quite generous as various newspapers recorded his donations to worthy causes. In August 1850, a guinea to the Manchester Monument to Sir Robert Peel fund; in March 1852, £5 to the Distress Fund at Holmfirth; January 1859, £1 to the Tyldesley Colliery Explosion Relief Fund; February 1862, 2 guineas to the Hartley Colliery Accident Fund; November 1862, £25 to the Manchester Infirmary Building Fund; and August 1865, £5 to the Manchester City Mission;


By 1871 Oliver's address was Woodhead House, Yate and Pickup Bank, Blackburn. He was 58 years old. Also in the house was Eliza Agnes Tillery, Housekeeper, aged 37, born in Scotland. In 1881, still at the same address, aged 68, his occupation was Farmer of 22 acres. Eliza Agnes Tillery, Housekeeper, was aged 45. By 1891, Oliver lived at Sandhurst, Cambridge Road, North Meols, Southport. He was aged 78 and Living on his own means. Eliza was still his Housekeeper.


Oliver Yates died on 5th October 1897, aged 84 and was buried with his wife in Weaste Cemetery. The main beneficiary of his will was his nephew Oliver Yates, and amongst other bequests, he gave £500 to his faithful Housekeeper Eliza Agnes Tillery.