Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1880 & 89

Charles Bronson (1850 - 1887)


Charles Bronson was from Hulme, Manchester and a Mechanic (1881 census).


He was born in 1850 in Hulme, Manchester. His father was Henry Bronson (born 1813 in Hulme, Manchester) who was a Bricklayer and Greengrocer in 1851. His mother was Martha (nee Edwards) Bronson (born 1817 in Bolton). The couple married in 1848 at Manchester Cathedral (Lancs BMD). Although there is no record available from the Cathedral and Henry was 35 and Martha was 31, (and the 1851 census shows that Henry had another son William H Bronson born in 1845), it's possible that Henry had a previous marriage. According to Lancs BMD there is a marriage on 24th October 1839 at St Mary the Virgin Church, Eccles of a Henry Bronson marrying a Harriet Leech. Both are of full age and living in Pendleton, so not conclusive.


The 1851 census shows the family living at Scott Street Hulme, Manchester. Henry is aged 38, Martha is 34, William H is 6 and Charles is 0. Census records are not available for 1861 and 1871, but on 14th October 1878, Charles Bronson (spelt Brouson by Lancs BMD) married Clara Annette at Sacred Trinity Church, Salford). The church records show that Charles was aged 28, Labourer, and bachelor of this parish, and Clara was aged 27 and spinster of this parish. Charles's father was recorded as Henry Bronson, Bricklayer, and Clara's father was James Annette, Builder. One of the witnesses was Martha Bronson.


The 1881 census shows Charles and Clara living with the "Edwards" family at 8, Weatheralls Court, Queen St, Salford. Head of the family is Ann Brown (nee Edwards) widow, aged 73, who is Charles's mother's sister; Martha Bronson (nee Edwards), widow, aged 64, who is Charles's mother; and Rachel Turner (nee Edwards), widow, aged 64 who is another sister of Charles's mother. The 1881 census also shows that Charles is a Mechanic and Clara was born in 1852 in London and is aged 29.


On 7th January 1887, Charles Bronson died at the young age of 36 and was buried in the Edwards family grave B17 2353 in Weaste Cemetery. His wife Clara does not appear on the grave, but there is a record (Lancs BMD) of a Clara Bronson marrying a James H R Walmsley in 1888 at St Bartholomew's Church, Salford. The church records show that the marriage took place on 10th May 1888 and Clara was a widow, aged 35 and a Provisions Dealer, living at 18, Sunnyside Street, Salford. Her new husband, James Henry Robertson Walmsley was a widower, aged 37 and a Timekeeper, living at the same address. It shows that the bride's father was James Annette (deceased), Builder and the groom's father was Henry Robertson Walmsley, Builder. However Clara was to live only another 3 years, dying in 1891, aged 40.


Also on the family gravestone is William H Bronson, who is Charles's brother, who died on 30th December 1914 aged 69. William married Catherine Smyth (born 1838 in Ireland). The 1881 census shows the couple living at 21 Franchise Terrace, Pendleton and that William was a Cloth Finisher in a Dye Works. In 1901 William was a widower aged 56 and a Labourer in an Electric Cable Works.