Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1857 & 1869

Ralph Ratcliffe Kilvert (1820 - 1860)

Ralph Kilvert was a House Painter in Salford and was buried in a common grave. He inherited his unusual middle name from his paternal grandmother, Sarah Ratcliffe.

He was born in 1820 in Manchester. His father was John Kilvert (born 1771 in Over, Winsford, Cheshire, died 1856 in Salford), whose occupation was Weaver, and then in 1839 he was a Brewer. Ralph's mother was Martha Dod and they were married in 1811 at Tarporley, Cheshire. John was married twice before: to Mary Garnett in 1795, then Elizabeth Garnett in 1805 (both at Tarporley), and Ralph had five half siblings. He also had four full siblings all born in Tarporley: Thomas Ratcliffe born 1812, Maria born 1814, Ellen born 1815 and Martha born 1819. Ralph was the youngest born 1920.

Ralph married Mary Preston (born 1824), the daughter of Daniel Preston. There doesn't appear to be a marriage record for the couple. However, there is a record for a Ralph Gilforth, Painter, of full age (father is John Gilforth, Weaver) and Mary Preston (father Daniel Preston, Cooper), who were married on 19th December 1841 at St Mary the Virgin Church, Prestwich, Manchester. (There is no other record for a Ralph Gilforth anywhere in the country, so it could actually be Ralph Kilvert and his bride).

Ralph and Mary had three children: Eleanor or Ellen (born 2nd June 1843 in Salford), who married Joseph Whitaker, Coachman of James Street, Salford, (son of Charles Whittaker, a Confectioner/Shopkeeper), on 31st August 1863 in Salford; Martha (born 1847 in Salford), baptised on 20th June 1847 at St Philip's Church, Salford, and who sadly died of measles and consumption on 2nd June 1850 aged 3, at 11 Coburg Street, Salford; and Ralph Ratcliffe jnr (born 30th April 1853) at 11 Coburg Street, Salford, and died there in the fourth quarter of 1853, only a few months old.

The 1851 census reveals that the family lived at Coburg Street, Salford. Ralph was 29 and a House Painter/Journeyman. Mary was 28 and Ellen was 8. Also in the house was Ralph's father John, born 1771, aged 80 and formerly a Weaver. However, John died of climacteric disease on 20th August 1856 at 11 Coburg Street, aged 85. Ralph's sister Martha (who lived at 96 St Stephen's Street), was present at his death.

Four years later in August 1860, Ralph Ratcliffe Kilvert snr died of disease of the heart at 39 Rigby Street, Salford, aged only 39. He was buried in a common grave at Weaste Cemetery on 28th August 1860. A few months later, Ralph's widow Mary married again to James Pollitt (born 1830 in Salford), the son of Thomas Pollitt. They married at St Simon's Church, Salford and lived in Broster Street, Salford.

In 1871, Ralph's daughter Ellen and her husband Joseph Whittaker lived at Turners Fold, Salford, with their children Ellen (born 1866) aged 5 and William (born 1869) aged 2. The 1881 census shows that Ellen was a widow and lived at 24 George Street, Salford. Her children were: Mary Elizabeth aged 18, who was a Cotton Weaver; Ellen aged 15, who was a Paper Bag Maker; William aged 13, who was a Nipper (A Boy Who Goes with a Lurry in Addition to the Guard); Martha aged 5; and Joseph aged 3. Ellen died in 1892 in Salford, aged 50.