William Upton Lester

1804 - 1876  (71 years)

• Name	William Upton Lester
  Birth	21 May 1804	Newcastle under Lyme   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Death	05 Feb 1876	Stoke on Trent   [2]
  Person ID	I325	Calow/Doig family tree
  Last Modified	23 Jun 2016

  
  

  Father	Thomas Major Lester,   b. Abt 17 Apr 1774, Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire d. 09 Mar 1836, Newcastle under Lyme (Age ~ 61 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Rebecca Upton,   b. 24 Dec 1779, Butley, Macclesfield d. 13 Jul 1851, Newcastle under Lyme (Age 71 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	30 May 1802	Prestbury, Cheshire   [3, 4]
  Notes	Married by licence. Marriage register suggests that they were 'of Macclesfield'.
  Family ID	F62	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Margaret Harrison,   b. 1803, Newcastle under Lyme d. 08 Jun 1863, Stoke on Trent Registration District (Age 60 years)
  Marriage	31 May 1830	Stoke on Trent
  Children	1. William Lester,   b. 3 Apr 1840, Newcastle under Lyme d. 20 Nov 1905, Stoke on Trent (Age 65 years)   2. Mary Lester,   b. Abt 02 Sep 1838, Newcastle under Lyme d. Aft Apr 1911 (Age ~ 73 years)  [Father: natural]   3. Margaret Lester,   b. Between 01 Apr and 30 Jun 1843, Newcastle under Lyme d. 20 Jan 1936, Hartshill, Stoke on Trent  [Father: natural]   4. George Lester,   b. Abt 01 Aug 1841, Newcastle under Lyme d. 14 May 1920, Mold (Age ~ 78 years)  [Father: natural]   5. Sarah Lester,   b. Abt 24 Mar 1837, Newcastle under Lyme d. 30 Dec 1840, Newcastle under Lyme (Age ~ 3 years)  [Father: natural]   6. Georgiana Lester,   b. Abt Aug 1831, Newcastle under Lyme d. 05 Apr 1834, Newcastle under Lyme (Age ~ 2 years)  [Father: natural]   7. Joseph Harrison Lester,   b. Abt 31 Dec 1830, Newcastle under Lyme d. 15 Jan 1831, Newcastle under Lyme (Age ~ 0 years)  [Father: natural]   8. Jane Rebecca Lester,   b. Abt Aug 1835, Newcastle under Lyme d. 27 Sep 1836, Newcastle under Lyme (Age ~ 1 years)  [Father: natural]   9. Elizabeth Lester,   b. Between 1833 and 1834, Newcastle under Lyme d. 25 Jun 1910, Llandudno (Age ~ 77 years)  [Father: natural]
  Family ID	F280	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	23 Jun 2016

  
  

  Family 2	Martha Burrow,   b. Abt 1814, Coventry d. 02 May 1885, Worfield, Shropshire (Age ~ 71 years)
  Marriage	08 Jun 1865	Newington, Surrey   [5]
  Notes	Married at the District Church of St. Paul, Parish of St. Mary, Newington, Surrey.
  Family ID	F281	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	23 Jun 2016

  
  

• Notes

  Newcastle under Lyme parish register gives birth of a William Lester on 21/05/1804 (baptism on 08/07/1804), father Thomas Lester, mother Rebecca Lester. However, the IGI has an entry for a William Upton Lester giving a birth date of 1805 at Stoke on Trent. This needs checking out. Reference for the above entry is:- Birth 1805 at Stokeryson Trent. Relative Henry Lester. Column B:- 20MAR1923SL Column E:- PRE-1970 Column S:- PRE-1970 Source:- Batch/film no. 0183496. serial/sheet:- FILM Mayor of Newcastle under Lyme 1841-1842 Extracts from 'The soft silk industry of Newcastle under Lyme by Stephen M Adams':- In May 1833 William Lester testified that prices were depressed and demand was falling. J H Thompson and Co. and William Lester (who by 1841 had succeeded his father as head of the Friarswood Road Mill (ref 1841 census) were both able to survive the depression. Lester was the owner of the largest single mill in the area. Thomas Lester and later his son William had even managed to amass sufficient capital to render the Friarswood Road mill independent of the larger merchant-manufacturers and their commission work. William proudly stated in 1833 'We can chose our own silk, being throwsters not for hire but mostly for our own use'. They also entered the weaving business in addition to throwing. No other local mill was able to reach such an advanced state of development. William Lester was well-equipped for survival in 1842, yet even he did not possess sufficiently large resources to survive the next disaster. 'William Lester had been popular and influential during his years in Newcastle and had served the borough as Mayor in 1841 (ref. White's Directory 1851).' 'Nevertheless, his long association with the town finally came to an end when he was unable to survive in the face of increased competition. J and T Brocklehurst took over the mill. By 1851 Lester had left Newcastle (ref. 1851 census). With regard to child employees, William Lester admitted that a strap and a cane had been used to inflict punishment in certain extreme cases. He stressed that such occasions were rare, and when they did arise punishment was administered by him and not by one of the overlookers. 'Lesters was the largest local factory and capable of employing in excess of 240'. Factory Commission Report on Newcastle under Lyme and the Staffordshire Potteries, 1833 :- 'Mr. Lister (sic) stated that he always prefers employing children who have regularly attended a Sunday School'. Probate Index:- '13/02/1877. Effects under £4000. The will of William Upton Lester, late of the Batch near Bridgnorth in the County of Salop and of Stoke on Trent in the County of Stafford, merchant, who died 05/02/1876 at Stoke on Trent was proved at Lichfield by William Lester and George Lester, merchants, the sons, and James Smith commission agent, all of Stoke on Trent, the executors'. (James Smith may have been his son in law) At time of second marriage address given as Stoke on Trent. Not living with his wife on census day 1871. They may have been separated since he was the head of household at Weston on Trent and he also died at Stoke on Trent. Was declared bankrupt in 1845. At this time he was a potter's merchant. Partnership with Henry Mills of Shelton was dissolved on 25/01/1848. Partnership traded as Henry Mills and Co., china manufacturers.

  
  

• Sources

  [S232] Newcastle under Lyme parish register. William Lester son of Thomas Lester and Rebecca Lester, born 21/05/1804, baptised 08/07/1804. [S241] Probate index. dod 08//12/1937 [S263] Staffordshire Marriage Index. Thomas Major Lester, printer of Newcastle under Lyme and Rebecca Upton of Macclesfield, 13 May 1902 at Prestbury Cheshire by licence. [S192] IGI, Batch/film 8732331, serial/sheet 6. [S209] Marriage certificate.