Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1857 & 1869

John Lowe (1815 - 1857)


 John Lowe was a Slate Merchant of Salford. In 1855 he was declared bankrupt and a number of creditors made fraudulent claims against him, which may have contributed to his early death two years later.

 

He was born in Salford in 1815. (I have not been able to find any information about his early life). On 25th May 1836 he married Alice Howard at Manchester Collegiate Church (which later became Manchester Cathedral). The only information given was John Lowe, Engineer, bachelor of this parish, and Alice Howard spinster of this parish. In 1840 their first child Ralph was born and registered at Salford Greengate. He was baptised on 19th September 1841 in Manchester. The 1841 census shows the family lived at Bury Street, Salford. John and Alice were both aged 25 and Ralph was aged 1. In 1844 their daughter Hannah was born and registered in Greengate, Salford. She was baptised on 22 September 1844 at St Philip's Church, Salford. And in 1848 another daughter Mary Ann was born in Salford Greengate.

 

The 1851 census shows that the family lived at Rigby Street, Salford. John was aged 36 and his occupation was Slater. Alice was 36, Ralph was 10, Hannah was 6 and Mary Ann was 3. In the 1853 edition of Whellen's Directory John Lowe was a Slate Merchant and Slater of Charles Street, Lower Byrom Street, Manchester and house at 10 Rigby Street, Salford. Also in 1853, John's second son John was born in Salford.

 

The Manchester Courier of 21st July 1855 has a subheading: Fraudulent Assignments to Accountants and Others. "Yesterday (Friday), John Lowe, Slate Merchant, Charles Street, Byrom Street, applied at the Manchester District Court of Bankruptcy for his certificate. Mr Marriott, his Solicitor, said he thought it his duty to inform the Court of some proceedings which had led to Mr Lowe being made a bankrupt. He said one of the creditors, Thomas Ball, Accountant of Princess Street had claimed £175, when in fact Mr Lowe said it was actually £6 or £7. Another creditor John Pemberton, Slate Merchant, of Charles Street, Lower Byrom Street had claimed £207 and another had claimed £400. None of the parties had proved their claim. Mr Lowe had become so excited and anxious that in January he was seized with a paralytic stroke which confined him to his bed for several weeks." The dispute continued for two years.

 

John Lowe died in November 1857 of disease of the heart at Rigby Street, Salford. He was only 41 years old. He was buried at Weaste Cemetery in grave B18/CE/2059 on 8th November. The following year John's widow Alice married John Tattersall at Manchester Cathedral. In the 1861 census Alice was a boarder at 2 Everton Street, Salford, the home of Sarah Chorlton, widow, aged 67, Beerhouse Keeper. Also in the house were her children: Hannah aged 17, Mary Ann aged 13 and John aged 8. In 1864 Hannah married William Chorlton at Manchester Cathedral. In 1871 Alice was back to using the surname Lowe and lived at Nelson Street, Manchester with Mary Ann aged 23 and young John aged 17. In 1881 Alice was back to Tattersall, widow, aged 65 and an Annuitant. She lived at 92, Ellor Street, Pendleton. Alice died in 1883 aged 68 and was buried with John at Weaste Cemetery on 22nd May.