Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1910 & 19

William Foran Cottre1847ll (1847 - 1916)


William Foran Cottrell was Headmaster at the Bible Christian Church School on Cross Lane, Salford and later held scholastic appointments under the Salford School Board. He was also a member of the Salford School Board and Salford Town Council.


He was born in 1847 in Manchester. He was the son of William Cottrell (b.1797 at Heaton Norris, Lancashire), Shopkeeper and Sarah, nee Ford (b.1811 at Partington, Cheshire). In 1851 the family was living at Water Street, Manchester, with siblings Eliza (b.1841 in Partington) and Esther (born 1849 in Manchester).


On 11th June 1870, William married Ellen Heaton at St. Mary's Church, Manchester. Ellen's age was given as 20. She was the daughter of Peter Heaton, who was a Manager, and Frances (nee Hewitt) Heaton. A year later, the census shows that they lived at Earle Street, Newton-le-Willows, near Warrington. Their children were Frances Elizabeth (born 1872 at Earlstown, Lancashire), Geraldine (born 1874 in Salford), Harold Foran (born 1877 in Salford), Herbert Victor (born 1878 in Salford), Esther Beatrice Ellen (born 1881 in Salford), William Leopold (born 1886 in Salford), Amy Constance (born 1886 in Salford) and Charles Oscar (born 1889 in Salford). In 1891, the family lived at Eccles New Road, Salford, where William was a Journalist.


Tragedy struck on 23rd March 1898 when Harold died aged 21. But on 12th January 1899, 25-year-old Geraldine married 31-year-old William Ferber, who was a Schoolmaster, at the Stowell Memorial Church, Salford. On 3rd October 1900, 28-year-old Frances Elizabeth married 33-year-old Sydney Dobson, who was a Clerk, at St Thomas's Church, Pendleton. In the 1901 census the family lived at 19 Fitzwarren Street, Salford, where William was a Schoolmaster, Herbert was an Assistant Schoolmaster and Amy was a Pupil Teacher. In 1909 Amy Constance married William B Fernley at St Thomas's Church, Pendleton. The 1911 census shows the family lived at 11 Seedley Road, Pendleton and William's occupation was Headteacher at Council School, Esther was Assistant Teacher at Council School and Charles Oscar was a Surveyor. On 28th May 1913, tragedy struck again when William Leopold died in Adelaide, Australia, aged 31. Oscar Charles married Mary E Saunders in 1921.


Newspaper reports show that William was a Church of England representative on the Salford School Board for a number of years. He was a Councillor for Salford Council, being elected for Regent Ward for the Conservatives in 1890 and elected unopposed in 1913 for Crescent Ward. In May 1914, William retired from the position of Head Master of the Regent Road Council School. Also in 1914 Manchester University recognised his position as an educationalist by conferring on him the honorary degree of Master of Arts.


William Foran Cottrell died on 28 January 1916 aged 69 and was buried in the family grave at Weaste Cemetery, attended by many civic dignatories including the Mayor (Alderman Hulton) and Deputy Mayor (Alderman Worsley). On 20th February 1919 William's wife Ellen died aged 67 and was re-united with her husband.