Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1920 & 29

James Cooper Sidebottom (1856 - 1924)


James Cooper Sidebotham was a Draughtsman, then a Mechanical Engineer who rose to become Manager of the Engineers Department of Mather and Platt and Co.


He was born in 1856 in Mottram-in-Longdendale, Cheshire. His father was named Job Sidebotham (born 1814 in Mottram-in-Longdendale) and his mother was Sarah Ann Wood (whose maiden name was Holland) and they were married in 1855 at St Paul's Church, Stalybridge, Cheshire. Job Sidebotham's parents were James Sidebotham (born 1779 in Mottram-in-Longdendale) who was a Carrier and Farmer and Betty (nee Cooper) Sidebotham (born 1781 in Charlesworth, Derbyshire). The 1851 census reveals that they lived at Abel Cooper's Buildings, Mottram, Cheshire. James was aged 72, Betty was aged 70, Job was aged 36, (four years before he was married).


On 5th March 1879, 22-year-old James Cooper Sidebothan married 21-year-old Ann Lees, at St Stephen's Church, Audenshaw, Manchester. She was the daughter of James and Elizabeth Lees of Hyde, Cheshire. The 1881 census shows James and Ann lived at 7, Unicorn Street, Salford with their young daughter Annie aged 1. Sadly Annie died in 1884 in Salford, aged 4 and was buried at St George's Church in Hyde.


In 1891 James and Ann lived at Liverpool Street, Salford and their children were James Henry (born 1884 in Salford) aged 7, Ernest Lees (born 1886 in Salford) aged 5 and Nellie (born 1889 in Salford) aged 2. Also in the house was James's widowed mother Sarah Ann aged 73, and Ann's brother James Lees who was aged 25, born in Halifax and a Local Preacher. (James Lees shows up again in 1911 at 64 Lord Duncan Street, Salford with his wife Helen Cowburn Lees. They were both Missionaries).


In 1897 James's wife Ann died aged 39 in Salford.  In 1901 the family lived at 8 Windsor, Salford. James was aged 44, a widower and a Mechanical Engineer Manager. James Henry was aged 17 and an Apprentice Mechanical Engineer and both Ernest and Nellie were Attending School. Also in the house was his mother's nephew Fred Holland, aged 17 and also an Apprentice Mechanical Engineer and Annie C Marshall, aged 37, Housekeeper. The census of 1911 shows that the family still lived at 8 Windsor, Salford. James Cooper Sidebotham was aged 54 and an Engineers Manager. Ernest was aged 25 and a Draughtsman and Nellie was aged 22 and a Milliner. Al;so in the house was Annie Ceviler Marshall aged 47, Housekeeper. In the 3rd quarter of 1916, James married his Housekeeper Annie Ceviler Marshall in Salford.


On 4th August 1924, The Guardian reported the death of James Cooper Sidebotham. "On the 2nd August, at his home, 19, Brentwood, Eccles Old Road, Pendleton, James Cooper, the beloved husband of Annie Ceviler Sidebotham, aged 67 years (late of Mather and Platt). Interment at Salford Cemetery, Weaste on Wednesday at 12 noon." He was interred in Plot 32 grave 2502 of the Dissenters Portion. Annie died eight years later aged 68 and was re-united with her husband James on 3rd May 1932 at Weaste Cemetery.