TONGE

Email: stephen.tonge@tongefamily.info

Web Site: http://www.tongefamily.info

 


Ainsworth Unitarian Records

Also known as Cockey Moor Presbyterian


According to the Ainsworth Unitarian website, a chapel has existed since 1672.  The location of the original chapel in unknown.  In 1715 the new chapel was built.  The surviving registers start in 1769 for baptisms, and 1781 for burials, yet we know from the inscriptions on the gravestones that interments were being made as early as 1717.  So there is a fifty four year gap in the baptism registers from the date the new chapel was built in 1715, and sixty six year gap for burials.  Registers were either never kept, or more likely, have been lost over time.  No registers appear to have survived from the time of the old chapel (1673 - 1715).   This is in disappointing, but explains why I can't find baptism and burial records for many members of my family during this period, who appear to have been closely associated with this chapel.

Ainsworth Unitarian Time Line (1670 - 1800)

Year Event
1670 First record of original building in 1672
1680
1690
1700
1710 Move from old building to current in 1715
1720 Earliest record of burial on gravestone 1717
1730 Susan Hardman leaves bequest 1729
1740
1750
1760
1770 Earliest surviving register of baptisms starts 1769
1780 Earliest surviving register of burials starts 1787
1790
1800

William Howarth Volumes

William Howarth compiled three volumes in 1977 which used a combination of the registers and monumental inscriptions as the source.  Entries in volumes 1 and 2 which are from dates before the start of the actual registers have been extrapolated from  the memorial inscriptions and Chapel Grave Record Book.  The details of the volumes are as follows:-

Presbyterian Unitarian Chapel, Ainsworth Lancashire (Bolton Archives reference B902.288 HOW)
The following information has been extracted  from the introductions of the William Howarth transcripts:

BAPTISMS

The original registers for the period November 1769 to December 1837 are in the Public Record Office.  This transcription has been made from the microfilm of these registers, plus such original material as still remains in the custody of the Chapel, kindly made available by Mr K Brooks, and from information deduced by personal investigation.

The references for the registers at the PRO are as follows:

RG 4/2311 Baptisms 1769 - 1776
RG 4/2312 Baptisms 1776 - 1780
RG 4/1015 Baptisms 1785 - 1830 [ST also Burials 1787 to 1830]
RG 4/1195 Baptisms 1780 - 1790 & 1831 - 1837 [ST also Burials 1781 - 1837]

[ST: The baptism and burial registers are available to search and view on line for a fee at http://www.bmdregisters.co.uk/ and http://www.ancestry.co.uk/]

BURIALS

The Unitarian Chapel at Ainsworth has two graveyards; an "old" yard within which the chapel was built, and a "new" yard situated to the south side of the old yard and separated from it by a narrow lane,

The "new" yard was brought into use in 1900.  However, burials continued in the old yard well into this century and the last was Marion Hayes in 16th Dec. 1960 in grave number 299.

This transcript covers the old graveyard ONLY.  A plan of this yard is included herein.  Both yards are well tended and it is considered that a fuller listing of deaths / burials from 1900 onward, including the new graveyard, can be carried out in future years.

Background

Mr James T. Whitehead followed his father as Minister of the Chapel in March 1859 and seems to have been aware that the Registers had not been kept up to date for the entries of births from 1848 to the time of his ministry are in his handwriting.

He also instituted the Grave Record Book and in it noted all 'registered' burials prior to 1859.  As with many innovations, the Grave Record Book was well kept for a number of years (1859 - 1863) and then fell into disuse, particularly insofar as the graves from No.477 upwards are concerned.

Fortunately the memorial inscriptions for most of these graves gives the necessary information for compilation of burial records, including interments as early as 1717.

Deaths/Burials

The original registers from the commencement of the eighteenth century to December 1937 are in the Public Record Office (see Vol 1) and this transcription has been made from the microfilm of these registers plus information deduced by personal investigation with the aid of the Grave Record Book,


Tong(e) Family Records at Ainsworth Unitarian

Memorial Inscriptions (as recorded by W Howarth)

* This transcript contains errors and additions.  The actual inscription reads: FLORENCE THE BELOVED DAUGHTER OF JOSEPH & ELLEN TONGE WHO DIED SEPTEMBER 3RD 1888 AGED 4 YEARS / ALSO JOSEPH, BELOVED HUSBAND OF ELLEN TONGE, WHO DIED JANUARY 1ST 1917 IN HIS 71ST YEAR / ALSO ELLEN, BELOVED WIFE OF THE ABOVE JOSEPH TONGE, WHO DIED MARCH 4TH 1926 IN HER 75TH YEAR


Births & Baptisms (as recorded by W Howarth)


Deaths & Burials (as recorded by W Howarth)

** I suspect this entry is an error as a result of the incorrect recording of the memorial inscription, as highlighted above.

Events missing from the Howarth transcripts

There are some events which  are missing from the Howarth transcripts.  For some reason the early burials from RG4/1195 are not recorded.  Howarth's burials start at 1788 (earlier entries have been extrapolated from memorial inscriptions).  These are the missing entries:-

Burials from RG4/1195
In addition the baptism of Ann Tonge is missing from the Howarth transcripts. 

Baptism from RG4/2311