Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1880 & 89

Charles Ashley (1818 - 1887)

Charles Ashley was a Skirt Manufacturer and Milliner in Salford and was also a prominent worker in the cause of temperance.

He was born in 1818 in Manchester and in 1843 married Eleanor Jones by Registrar. They had a daughter Lavinia in 1858, who married Kirby Ogden (a Municipal Clerk) at Prestwich in 1880 and she died in 1896 aged 38. In 1881 they were all living at 1, Browning Street, Salford with Lavinia's 1-year-old daughter Florence. Lavinia and Kirby had another daughter Priscilla, born in 1886, but who tragically died on 24th November 1889 aged 3. The gravestone also records a son, Charles Ashley Ogden, who died at 3 weeks old.

The Salford Reporter of 23rd July 1887 records the following, "Mr Charles Ashley of Salford died at his residence in Browning Street on 15th July, aged 69. He was one of the oldest temperance workers in the district; for 40 years a prominent member of the Sons of Temperance. He held the post of MWS (or Chief Secretary) for many years. He attended Strangeways Unitarian Free Church for about 60 years and was a Sunday school teacher there for a considerable time. In politics he was Liberal and was greatly respected by members of Encombe Place Liberal Club. He was an active worker up to the last election. He was also Agent for the Victoria Loan Society, St.Stephen Street, Salford".

The funeral of Charles Ashley took place on 19th July. The religious service was conducted by Reverend J. T. Marriot of Strangeways Free Unitarian Church, and the Sons of Temperance service was read by Brother W. Clarke of Miles Platting. The coffin was carried to the grave by four PGWPs of the Salford District. There were many members of the Sons of Temperance, Rechabites, Good Templar Order, Manchester and Salford Temperance Union and Tatton Street Temperance Society present to pay their last respects. Charles's body was interred in plot B2 of the Dissenters portion of Weaste Cemetery.