Weaste Cemetery

Biographies of people buried between 1920 & 29

Walter Richard Craine Goulden (1856 - 1922)


Walter R C Goulden was Manager of his father's calico printing business, Seedley Printing Co, before establishing his own book cloth company, W R C Goulden and Co. at Pendleton Mills. He was also a brother of Emmeline Pankhurst, leading Suffragette.


He was born in 1856 at Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester. His father was Robert Goulden (1830 – 1892) who was a Calico Printer, and his mother was Sophia Jane Craine (1834 – 1910). Walter had eleven siblings: Robert William (1854 – 1858), Emmeline (1858 – 1928), Edmund Bright (1860 – 1925), Edward (1861 – 1918), Mary Jane (1862 – 1910), Herbert Brownridge (1864 – 1929), Effe (1865 – 1941), Robert (1866 – 1951), Ada Sophie (1868 - 1950), Alfred Harold (1869 – 1924) and Eva G. (1874 – 1958). In 1871 they lived at Seedley Cottage, Seedley Road, Pendleton.


In 1889 Walter married Esther Lightbown, in Salford by Registrar (probably Broad Street Congregational Church where the Lightbown family worshipped). Esther was the daughter of Henry Lightbown, Wallpaper Manufacturer who lived at Weaste Hall on Weaste Lane, Pendleton. In 1881 Walter and Esther lived at West View, Pendleton. In 1886 they lived at Belgrade House, Fitzwarren Street, Seedley. The 1891 census shows that they were visiting the Arkinstall family in Ormskirk, Lancashire. Walter was aged 36 and a Bookbinder Cloth Manufacturer. Esther was aged 40, daughter Adrienne (born 1882 in Salford) was aged 9 and daughter Violet E (born 1884 in Salford) was aged 7. The 1901 census shows Walter visiting his sister Emmeline Pankhurst at 62 Nelson Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock. He was Living on Own Means. His brother Herbert B Goulden was also there, and he was a Manager for Bookbinders Cloth Maker. His sister Emmeline Pankhurst was a widow (her husband died in 1898) and described as Registrar of Births and Deaths. Also in the house were Emmeline's children: Christabel aged 20 (Manageress for Art Furnisher), Estelle aged 18 (Art Student), Adela aged 15 and Henry aged 11. Walter's wife Esther and daughter were at home at 86, Eccles Old Road, Pendleton. On 13th July 1904, Walter's younger daughter Violet Elaine, married Alan Victor Sugden of South Bank, Pendleton, at the Church of St James Hope, Pendleton. On 31st July 1906 Walter's elder daughter Adrienne Evelyn Annie, married Wilfred Noel Busby of Buxton at the same church.


Walter's career took off when he became Manager of his father's calico printing business, Seedley Printing Co. of Seedley. However, In March 1887 the business went into voluntary receivership. The business was valued at £41,000, quite a sum in those days. Walter established a book cloth manufacturing business named W R C Goulden and Co. of Pendleton Mills, Pendleton. However, 3 years later, on 1st October 1891, he sold out to Archibald Winterbottom and Sons, which was a major book cloth manufacturing company on Liverpool Street, Weaste. Walter was now a man of independent means and newspaper reports show him playing cricket for Buxton Cricket Club, and in 1898, for Douglas Cricket Club, on the Isle of Man.


Walter died on 9th December 1922 at his home on Eccles Old Road, aged 66 and buried at A3/Diss/2161 at Weaste Cemetery. Esther died on 14 June 1929, aged 81.