Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1880 & 89

John Butterworth (1827 - 1883)


John Butterworth was "for 32 years a faithful servant of the Salford Gas Committee and Gas Foreman for 22 years." He was working at the gasworks when the Manager/ Engineer was the notorious *Samuel Hunter.


He was born in 1826 in Hulme, Manchester, and was the son of John Butterworth, Packer. Very little is known about his early life, but on 15th June 1848 he married Catherine Bridge at St Mary the Virgin Church, Eccles. The OPC record shows that John was of full age (22) and Calico Printer, living in Pendleton. Catherine was a minor (18), living in Pendleton.


John and Catherine's children were: John (born 1849 in Hulme, Manchester), but died in 1850 in Hulme, aged 0; Ellen (born 1st June 1850 in Hulme) and baptised on 21st June 1850 at Christ Church (Bible Christian), Hulme; another John (born 1852 in Hulme) died 25th October 1875 aged 23; Alice (born 1854 in Hulme); Harriet (born 1859 in Salford) and baptised on 10th April 1859 at St Philip's Church, Salford; James (born 1861 in Salford) and died 17th February 1885 aged 24; and William (born 1863 in Salford) and baptised on 29th July 1864 at St Philips Church, Salford.


In 1851, the family lived at Stone Street, Hulme, where 25 year old John Butterworth gave his occupation as Dyer. (Later in 1851 he was employed at Salford Gas Works and moved to Salford). Catherine was aged 21 and gave her birthplace as Churchbridge (?), Lancashire. In 1861, the family lived at 12 Duerden Street, Salford, where 34-year-old John's occupation was Engine Worker. Tragedy struck in 1865 when John's wife Catherine died. She was buried on 21st November at St George's Church, Hulme, Manchester, aged 38. John married again on 28th June 1870 to Ellen Higgins at Manchester Cathedral. (In the 1861 census, Ellen Higgins was a visitor to her brother Peter Higgins at 96 Regent Road, Salford. Her occupation was General Servant, and Peter's occupation was Gasmaker). The 1871 census shows John and Ellen Butterworth lived at South Street, Salford with John jnr aged 18, Harriet aged 12, James aged 10 and William aged 7.


On 12th June 1880, tragedy struck again when John's wife Ellen died aged 53. She was buried at Weaste Cemetery on 16th June 1880 in grave B16/CE/2644. In the 1881 census John Butterworth is shown as a 54-year-old widower and his occupation was Foreman at gas works. His daughter Alice, aged 26, was the Housekeeper, James aged 21, was a General Labourer, and William aged 17, was a Bricklayer. On 18th October 1883 John Butterfield died at National Street, Salford, aged 56. He was buried on 23rd October with his wife Ellen in grave B16/CE/2644. Sixteen months later on 17th February 1885, John's son James died at West Burton Street, Salford aged 24, and was buried with his father and stepmother at Weaste Cemetery.


*Samuel Hunter became Manager of the gas works in 1875. In 1878 a newly appointed Councillor started asking questions about the awarding of contracts for the supply of coal. After a protracted investigation and a Crown Court trial in 1888, Samuel Hunter was sentenced to 5 years hard labour for perjury and forgery.