wood families of macclesfield and district

[margaret bird]

thanks Mona and Emerald star. Liked your exchanges! Not sure if my wood family but will add info to my data base. Emerald presume you are a librarian- that was my career too- started in Stockport in 1960, now retired. Worshipper

[Mona]

I found a John Wood, plasterer, Pickford St, Macclesfield in the 1928/29 Pigot's Directory of Cheshire. I could not find him on the 1841 census, too many John Woods, and he may have been married to his first wife by then, and living in Manchester.

[margaret bird]

Thanks Mona. Will add info to my files.Regards. Worshiper

[gileswood]

Richard Wood was my ancestor. He had two brothers called Charles and Samuel, with whom he ran the cotton mills, but it was his son Charles who had a daughter called Lydia born in St Petersburg. She was one of five children born there, including my great grandfather, another Richard. When Ryle's Bank collapsed in 1841, the Wood family's loan was called in, which ruined them. A wealthy friend, whose identity I don't know, then offered Charles the opportunity to set up what was known as "The British Factory" in St Petersburg, teaching people in Russia how to weave better goods.

[Christine Bloxham]

As part of my study of my Wood family line I am interested in three brother Richard, Charles and Samuel Wood, silk manufacturers in Macclesfield late eighteenth and early ninteenth centuries. Particularly interested in why a daughter of Charles- Lydia was born in Russia in 1848. Although i have a list of baptisms for his other children cannot find them on census before 1861. Charles may have died c 1854 and both he and Samuel were mayors. Samuel dead by 1823 and no dates for Richard-possibly brothers were born in manchester. Is anyone out there researching this line or silk industry. Margaret

Dear Margaret,
Richard, Charles and Samuel were brothers, sons of Charles Wood and Francis Stringer of Manchester. Richard's son Charles went to set up a cotton industry in St Petersburg and several of his children including my great grandfather Richard Gellibrand Wood were born there.
What is your connection with the Wood family?
Christine Bloxham

[margaret bird]

Hi Christine. You've managed to fill in a bit more about the Woods. They are not actually my line-my Wood ancestors probably worked in your ancestors mills as many of my woods-including my mother worked in the mills in Macclefield.Have you been in contact with Macclesfield Silk Museum ? They have done some research into your Woods sparked by my own query to them about the Wood family. Regards. Margaret.

[Christine Bloxham]

Dear Margaret,
I spent a week in Macclesfield last year and the Silk Museum was very helpful, and I am still processing some of the information they gave me. The Wood family history is very complex as Samuel Wood, died 1752 in Macclesfield, a silk merchant, had a vast family, and I have not been able to track down what happened to most of them outside my direct line, who moved to Manchester for several generations, during which time they became cotton manufacturers, coming back to Macclesfield. Samuel's children were Samuel, Mary, George, John, Elizabeth, Cornelius, Anna, Martha, Richard, William (my ancestor) and Ellen. Are you by any chance descended from any of William's brothers? I believe there is a memorial tablet in Macclefield church to the family, but I have not been able to find it.
What sort of jobs were your ancestors doing in the cotton mills?
Best wishes
Christine

[margaret bird]

Hi Christine. Thanks for information. My family too far down the social scale to be related to yours. My grandfather, Abraham Wood worked at bleach works in Bollington then BWA's at the bottom of fence Avenue until his mid eighties.Dont know what he did there apart from packing department at the end. I remember going to see him there and also my grandma and his sister. Mum worked in the silk mills- one down near what is now Arighi Biancis furniture showrooms. My other grandmother and her sister were embroideresses at mill on Mill Road-could have been a Woods mill. My mother's wedding dress was made of Macclesfield silk. I think mum's mill made silk for parachutes during the war.Regartds. Margaret.

[Wadjela]

My 3x great-grandfather was Samuel Wood, who was Mayor of Macclesfield around 1814. He married Sarah Ryle and had, I think, two sons. One of them was John Ryle Wood, my ancestor, who eventually became a Canon of Worcester Cathedral. I hope this is of some use to you in your research.

[margaret bird]

Hi Wajela. Thanks for your info- it adds a little more to my research. Your Woods are not my line--my Woods probably worked in your family's mills as my mother, her parents and close families worked in the Macclesfield silk mills untilrly 1970's. If you want to find more info about your Woods contact Macclesfield Silk Museum as they have done some research into the Woods- they do have a web site. Regards. margaret