39.23 – Charles, William and Sarah Fielden

If you’ve been following for a while then you’ve already met quite a few of these Fieldens, but here’s some from another generation back.

Charles Fielden was born in 1842, the son of Abraham and Mary (Gibson) Fielden of Wadsworth Mill, Shade. He was their second child and second son and his time on this earth was a short one. In 1844 he died and was laid to rest here next to Alice, John and Joseph Willan. Don’t click yet…

Abraham would go on to become a cotton manufacturer operating out of Waterstalls Mill, but for now he was just another son of Nicholas and Ann (Haigh) Fielden of Knowlwood. Nicholas was a saddler and while Abraham didn’t follow in his father’s footsteps, his older brother William did. William, born in 1814, married Sarah Greenwood at Christ Church in June 1834. Their first son, Thomas, would be born two months later. Ann came along in 1836, Samuel Nicholas in 1838, then James in 1842 and Mary in 1844 (who is buried at 19.25). Samuel Nicholas would go on to marry Mary Willan, daughter of the above Willans – now you can click the link! – so you can see what we meant now about how you may have already met a fair few members of this family.

William became a master saddler and the Fieldens moved to Crescent where son Thomas joined in the trade. William worked hard and was rarely in the papers beyond briefly being shortlisted for a constable position and as a supporter of the Todmorden Carriage Company. On his death in 1877 we learn one more thing: he was an Oddfellow, and the Humility Lodge was called out to attend the first Sunday service after his funeral.

After William’s death Sarah was left adrift, and she went to Bury to live with Ann and her husband William Oldroyd, who was working there as a fishmonger. She missed Todmorden though (or wasn’t a fan of fish) and by 1891 she was back living with her daughter Mary and her grandchildren on Roomfield Lane. That’s where she spent her very last days, dying in January 1892 and joining her husband and nephew here.