Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1857 & 1869

William Boyce Webb Lindley (1801 - 1869)


 William Lindley was a distinguished musician, specialising in the cello, and also a Professor (i.e. private Music Teacher) of music. He came to Manchester in the late 1830s and lived in Salford in the late 1840s until his death in 1869.


He was born on 10th October 1801 in Marylebone, City of Westminster, London, the eldest son of Robert Lindley (1772 – 1885), born in Rotherham, Yorkshire, who was also a distinguished cellist and was quoted as the finest cellist in Europe. William's mother was Hannah (nee Taylor) Lindley (1780 – 1815), who was born in London and baptised on 23rd August there. They were married in 1800 at St George the Martyr, Holborn, London. Sadly she died in 1815 when William was only 14 years old.


William was taught the violin at an early age and then the cello, by his father. As a young man he performed in most of the major orchestras, and at most of the musical events of that time in London, usually alongside his father.


On 26th August 1832, William Lindley married Elizabeth Sims at Pamber, near Basingstoke, Hampshire. William was aged 31 and Elizabeth was 18. She was born on 13th February 1814 and baptised on 15th June 1814 at Tadley Independent Chapel nearby. Her parents were Jacob and Sarah (nee Stroud) Sims who had a Rake making business in Pamber.


William and Elizabeth's children were John William (born 1834 in Hampshire, married 1857 to Sarah Ann Grimshaw and died in 1903 aged 69), Emma Hannah (born 1836 in Droitwich, Worcestershire, married 1866 to Thomas W Jones and died in 1880 aged 44), Robert (born 1837 in Hulme, Manchester and died in 1840 aged 3), Louisa Eliza (born 1838 in Hulme and died in 1839 aged 0). Eliza Mary (born 1840 in Hulme and died in 1901 aged 61), Alfred (born 1842 in Hulme and died in 1872 aged 30), Jane Louise (born 1848 in Salford, married in 1871 to John Dawson and died in 1875 aged 27) and William Webb (born 1851 in Salford, married in 1874 to Mary Taylor and died in 1918 aged 67).


The 1841 census shows the family live at Duke Street, Hulme Manchester. In 1851 they lived at Derwent Street, Salford and in 1861 and 1871 they lived at 9 Dorset Street Salford.


As an example of William Lindley's musical prowess, the Manchester Courier of 18th February 1837 reported when he played a cello Concerto and a solo at the Concert Hall, Manchester. It says "Mr Lindley's concerto was a brilliant and chaste performance. His staccato bowing in the last movement and the beautiful manner in which he played the air in harmonies, filled us with surprise and admiration. He selects pieces of a much higher class than those usually adopted by his father. His taste is of a much higher order, and his expression and intonation are fine beyond conception."


William died on 12th August 1869, aged 67 and was buried at Weaste Cemetery. Elizabeth died on 12th May 1872, aged 58 and was re-united with her husband.