The story of the Leah family buried here is mostly told through advertisements and notices – sometimes when public records don’t come through these are your best bet for fleshing out the life of an individual.
Robert Leah was born around 1803 in Erringden, and we don’t know much more beyond that. When he married Mary Parker by banns in 1831 there was no information given about his father. All we know then was that he lived in Stansfield and was a weaver. Mary we know a little more about; she was born in 1807 in Mytholmroyd, the illegitimate daughter of George Parker and Betty Bolton. That’s it though!
Robert and Mary had an impressive 11 children together that we know of, all but two being daughters. A few died young but they don’t seem to have been buried here – perhaps they’re at another graveyard elsewhere in town, but they aren’t at St. Mary’s or Christ Church. Robert found work as a labourer but he and Mary must have valued clean living and education as their son Joseph became very active with Bridge Street Methodist’s Band of Hope and the Temperance Society. He would later open a greengrocer’s at North Street.
He also encouraged industriousness, as Robert was eventually able to buy some properties at Meadow Bottom, and retired to “Tantum” (now known as Spring Bank) by 1871. He also supported his daughters’ careers, as Sarah Ann, Melina and Betty all worked as dressmakers and milliners out of a property on North Street (now known as Burnley Road) which Robert rented.
Robert and Mary both died in 1875, Mary first and Robert later that year. Mary’s death seems to have started the process of Melina Leah, the only one of the three milliner sisters who was still in Todmorden, unmarried and working, rethinking her millinery business – the notice below was placed in the Todmorden Advertiser on March 5th, only two months after Mary died.
You’ll be pleased to know that Melina (whose story is told at V12.10) landed on her feet.
Joseph died in 1888. It’s strange that so little else is known about the Leah family, but never mind; if you know something, share it here, and we can make sure the record is complete!
