Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1870 & 79

Hannah Lomas (1809 - 1873)


Hannah Lomas, nee Gaskill, was the sister of James Gaskill, Minister of the Hulme branch of the Bible Christian Church. The Church's centenary booklet recorded that she played a prominent part in the life and work of the Bible Christian Church. Hannah would have embraced the Church's doctrines of not eating meat, not drinking alcohol and not smoking tobacco.

 


She was born in 1809, at Newton, near Hyde, Cheshire. Her parents were Peter Gaskill (b.1777) and Elizabeth nee Fletcher (b.1772).  Peter was a founder member of the Bible Christian Church, and a Farmer at Newton, Hyde, Cheshire, until about 1821, when he came to Manchester and set up as a Cotton Spinner. In 1829 Peter was living at Chapel Yard, Hulme, Manchester, a property owned by Joseph Brotherton. In 1839 Elizabeth died. By 1840 Peter was also a Landlord as he had acquired a number of houses in Hulme, close to the Bible Christian Church. In 1841 Peter married again to Betty Bond (b.1806) and moved to Horwich Deane, Bolton, where he died in 1857. Hannah had three siblings, James (born 1800), who became Minister of the Bible Christian Church in Hulme for 50 years, did not marry, and died in 1870; Margaret (b.1806), who married in 1823 to George Collier, a Bookkeeper, and died in 1846; and Sarah (b.1811) who died 1832, aged 20.

 


On 25th November 1829, Hannah married John Lomas at St Mary's Parsonage Church in Manchester. John was a Fringe Weaver by trade. One of the witnesses was Hannah's sister Sarah. There is very little information about John Lomas and it would appear that Hannah and John had no children. It would also appear that Hannah's husband John died before 1841, as the census return of that year shows Hannah at the home of her brother James at Christ Church Square, Hulme, Manchester. Hannah was aged 30 and James was aged 40. There is no census return for 1851, but there is a Rate Book record showing Hannah Lomas at Leaf Square, Hulme Township. The Hulme Bible Christian Church raised sufficient funds to build a school room and it became known as Hulme Christ Church Institute. It would seem likely that Hannah had a role in school duties too.

 


Rev James Gaskill died at his home in Egerton Terrace, Stretford Road, Hulme on 17th August 1870 and was buried in Square 32/DISS/3058 at Weaste Cemetery. The Rev James Clark, Minster of the BCC in Salford (and who was his sister Margaret's son-in-law), conducted the service. His memorial read "In memory of James Gaskill of Hulme, who died on 17th August 1870, aged 70 years. He was for 50 years a faithful member of the Bible Christian Church, Salford, one of the founders of Christ Church Sunday School, Hulme, to which he was a munificent benefactor and a zealous labourer therein. Until his death he ardently supported the temperance cause and other philanthropic movements by his active endeavours and by liberal donations. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Matt.V.8."

 


Hannah died the following year on 18th September 1871 at Cross Lane, Salford, aged 64. She was re-united with her brother Rev James Gaskill at Weaste Cemetery. A notice in the Manchester Courier of 16th October 1873 referred to a bequest to the Vegetarian Society from Mrs Hannah Lomas.