Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1890 & 99

Peter Foxcroft (1819 - 1896)


Peter Foxcroft was the Manager of a cotton mill owned by Charles and John Tysoe, which was once owned by Joseph Brotherton MP. He was a lay preacher of Salford Bible Christian Church, vice president of the Vegetarian Society and a teetotaller.


He was born in 1819 in Gargrave, Yorkshire, the son of Thomas Foxcroft, Grocer. In 1848 he married Esther Horrocks at St.Mary's (Parsonage) Church, Manchester. He was aged 30, a Bookkeeper, living in Berkley Street, Manchester. Esther was aged 35, the daughter of George Horrocks, Dyer, and living at Great Ducie Street, Manchester.


The 1851 census shows that Peter and Esther were staying at the home of James Simpson (member of the Bible Christian Church) at Fox Hill Bank, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire. Peter's occupation says Cotton Mill. A report in the Bradford Observer on 2nd October 1856 said that John Tysoe and Charles Tysoe, Cotton Spinners and Manufacturers and Peter Foxcroft, Manager, all of Salford, were granted a patent for certain improvements in Machinery or apparatus for roving, spinning and doubling cotton and other fibrous substances. Dated 24th March 1856.


In 1871, Peter aged 52 and Esther aged 58, were living at Coniston Villas, West High Street, Salford. At about this time according to the Manchester Evening News of 30th September 1870, there was a death of a 13-year-old girl at the Cotton Mill. The Factory Inspector tried to prosecute a Mule Minder and Peter Foxcroft gave evidence. The Magistrate dismissed the case against the Mule Minder and said that it was up to the Masters to prevent such accidents.


Esther died on 26th October 1876 aged 66 and was buried at Weaste Cemetery. The 1881 census shows Peter living at 50, West High Street, Salford. He was a 62-year-old widower and a Retired Manager of a Cotton Mill. On 4th January 1883, Peter married Jane Dickinson at Christ Church, Heaton Norris, Manchester. She was the daughter of Henry Dickinson and was born in 1832 in Bingley, Yorkshire. In 1991, the couple were living at Coniston Cottage, Glazebrook Lane, Glazebrook, near Warrington.


Retirement gave Peter the opportunity to lecture on vegetarianism. The Star newspaper of Guernsey of 6th September 1872 records a lecture on Dietetic Reform at the Temperance Hall, Pollitt Street. During the lecture he mentioned that he had not tasted fish, flesh or fowl for 31 years. He became a Vegetarian after being much troubled with indigestion and whilst suffering he met a vegetarian family and since that time had not paid a penny to a doctor. The Newcastle Journal of 19th June 1889 records Peter's lecture at the Literary and Philosophical Society Hall there. The Western Daily Mercury of 6th Feb 1889 records a lecture at the Torquay YWCA, where he referred to the Vegetarian Cookery Book compiled by Martha Brotherton. The Liverpool Daily Post of 20th May 1887 records a lecture at the YMCA at Mount Pleasant.


Peter Foxcroft was also a strong supporter of the Liberal Party and was on many committees supporting National and local Liberal candidates. He died at Glazebrook on 3rd April 1896 and was buried with his first wife Esther at Weaste Cemetery.