Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1940 & 49

Mary Jane James (1861 - 1945)


Mary Jane James was an ordinary housewife and mother, when in 1888, she lost three of her children within six weeks.


She was born Mary Jane Madeley in Pendleton and was the daughter of David Madeley jnr and Esther Gilbert who were married in 1856 at St Mary's Church, Manchester. The 1861 census at 10 Poole Street, Salford shows that Mary Jane was aged 0, her father David was aged 25 and a Warehouseman and her mother Esther was also 25. In 1871, at West View, Howard Street, Salford, Mary Jane was aged 10. Her mother's father William Gilbert (b.1813) was also in the house. In 1881 the family lived at 569, Eccles New Road, Pendleton, where David was aged 45 and a Fustian Manufacturer employing 90 people. Esther was aged 46 and Mary Jane was aged 20.


On 20th April 1882 at St Mary the Virgin Church, Eccles, Mary Jane Madeley married John Angell James. The record says that he was of full age, a Salesman, living at Newchurch and his father was Richard James, Merchant. (The 1881 census shows that John lived with his family at Culcheth Hall, Culcheth, near Leigh Lancashire. His father Richard was from Wrexham, Wales and mother Selina was from Gloucester).


The couple lived at Barton House, Barton-upon-Irwell, where the first four of their five children were born: Esther Madeley (b.1883), David Madeley (b.17th November 1884) John Angell (b.8th April 1886) and Selina (b.29th October 1887). But tragedy struck in 1888 when John Angell died on 2nd March (aged 1 year and 11 months), then David Madeley died on 3rd April (aged 3 years and 5 months), and then Selina died on 5th April (aged 5 months). The family moved to live with/near Mary Jane's parents at Eccles New Road, Pendleton, where Selina Madeley was born on 2nd June 1889.


In 1891, at Eccles New Road, Mary Jane was aged 30, James was a Commission Agent aged 31, Esther Mary was aged 7 and Selina Madeley was aged 1. Another tragedy struck on 18th March 1891 when Mary Jane's father David Madeley died in Altrincham, aged 55. It is not known what happened next, but it appears that Mary Jane may have had a breakdown and placed in an institution. She and John Angell may have divorced, as in 1897 John Angell James married Irene J Pearson in Salford by Registrar. There is no sign of Mary Jane in 1901, but her daughter Esther, now 17, is living with Mary Jane's mother Esther, at 24 Lulworth Road, Birkdale, Southport, Lancashire. Mary Jane's younger daughter Selina Madeley (age 11), is at boarding school, at Linden Hall, Christchurch Road, Bournemouth.


In 1911, Mary Jane is a "visitor" at Weston Hall, Westcliff, Bournemouth, Hampshire, and in 1939 she is a resident at Fairmile House Institution, Christchurch, Hampshire. Mary Jane died on 1st January 1945 aged 84 and is buried with her infant children and parents at Weaste Cemetery.


Mary Jane's daughter Esther married Arnold B Stephenson in 1907 at Ormskirk, Lancashire. In 1909, Selina married Rev William F Wood at St James's Church, Birkdale, Southport and moved to his parish at Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire.