Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1857 & 1869

George Collier (1800 - 1866)


 George Collier was a Clerk and Bookkeeper and was a member of the Hulme Bible Christian Church (BCC).


He was born in 1799 and baptised on 12th May 1799 at St Mary' Church, Stockport, Cheshire. His parents were James and Catherine Collier. On 22nd December 1823 George married Margaret Gaskill at St Mary's Parsonage Church, Manchester. She was born in 1806 and was the daughter Peter Gaskill (b.1777), Cotton Spinner of Horwich, near Bolton (and BCC founder member) and Elizabeth Fletcher (b.1772).


Margaret's brother James Gaskill (1800 – 1870) was an intimate friend of Joseph Brotherton (Minister of the Salford BCC and Salford's first MP), and a keen member of the church. When in 1923 the Minister of the Hulme chapel opened another chapel in Ancoats, James Gaskill was appointed Minister of the Hulme chapel, a position he held until he died in 1870. James was buried at Weaste Cemetery.


The 1841 census shows that George and Margaret lived at Lloyd Street, Hulme, Manchester with their 15-year-old daughter Cordelia (b.1826 in Manchester). Their 14-year-old son Edwin (b.1827 in Hulme) was at the home of his grandfather (Peter Gaskill) at Gorton Fold, Deane, Bolton. In 1850 Margaret Collier died in Hulme aged 48. There appears to be no census record for 1851.


In 1854, George's daughter, Cordelia married Rev James Clark, Minister of the Salford BCC. James was born on 18th October 1830 in Bolton. His early work was in a shipping warehouse where he became a buyer. He became the Minister of the Salford BCC in 1857 and remained until his death in June 1905. James was General Secretary of the Vegetarian Society and played a role in Temperance movement. He was also a Liberal member of the Salford School Board and Salford Board of Guardians.


Cordelia and James' children were Ernest Collier (b.1856 in Hulme), Bertha (b.1857 in Hulme), Maud Helen (b.1860 in Hulme), Harold (b.1862 in Salford), Ethel (b.1864 in Salford), Arthur James (b.1866 in Salford) and Alfred Cyril (b.1870 in Salford), who died aged 1 year and 11 months and was buried in George Collier's grave at Weaste.


George Collier's son Edwin married Sarah Bennett on 25th May 1854 at Holy Trinity Church Horwich. Sarah was born in 1832 and was the daughter of William Bennett. Edwin and Sarah had one son and four daughters. Edwin was an Accountant, Deacon of the BCC and Vice President and Treasurer of the Vegetarian Society.


The 1861 census shows that George Collier aged 62 was a widower and was living at his daughter Cordelia and son-in-law James Clark's home at 10 King Street, Salford. As well as their children also present were: James's sister Margaret Clark (b.1843 in Bolton) aged 18, visitor Sarah Collier (b.1822 in Bolton) aged 39 and Dora Collier (born.1860 in Yorkshire) aged 1.


George Collier died on 4th February 1866 aged 66. After a service at the Bible Christian Church he was buried in the Dissenters portion of Weaste Cemetery.