Thomas Major Lester

Abt 1774 - 1836  (~ 61 years)

• Name	Thomas Major Lester
  Birth	Abt 17 Apr 1774	Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire   [1, 2]
  Gender	Male
  Death	09 Mar 1836	Newcastle under Lyme   [3]
  Burial	13 Mar 1836	Newcastle under Lyme (St. George)   [4]
  Person ID	I68	Calow/Doig family tree
  Last Modified	23 Jun 2016

  
  

  Father	William Lester,   b. 1746, Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire d. 07 Jan 1839, Newcastle under Lyme (Age 93 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Mother	Joan Major,   b. 1746, Westbury on Trym, Gloucestershire d. 07 Nov 1826, Newcastle under Lyme (Age 80 years)
  Relationship	natural
  Marriage	26 Jul 1768	Westbury on Trym   [5]
  Family ID	F75	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Rebecca Upton,   b. 24 Dec 1779, Butley, Macclesfield d. 13 Jul 1851, Newcastle under Lyme (Age 71 years)
  Marriage	30 May 1802	Prestbury, Cheshire   [6, 7]
  Notes	Married by licence. Marriage register suggests that they were 'of Macclesfield'.
  Children	1. John Lester,   b. 20 Sep 1807, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire d. 21 Jun 1870, Mile End (Age 62 years)  [Father: natural]   2. William Upton Lester,   b. 21 May 1804, Newcastle under Lyme d. 05 Feb 1876, Stoke on Trent (Age 71 years)  [Father: natural]
  Family ID	F62	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	23 Jun 2016

  
  

• Notes

  Occupation at time of marriage also given as 'painter' or 'printer'. Started his first silk mill in 1815 in Newcastle under Lyme. Made a fortune in the silk business. Had a prominent position in Newcastle under Lyme as a householder and churchman until his death in 1836. Lived at Friarswood i.e. at the silk mill. Extracts from 'The soft silk industry of Newcastle under Lyme by Stephen M Adams':- 'Two enterprising gentlemen, Thomas Major Lester and Samuel Henshall entered into partnership and, in 1815 aand they erected a silk throwing mill in Marsh Parade'. (ref. Parliamentary Papers 1834 XX page 312). 'The partnership was a success; silk had established a firm foothold in Newcastle under Lyme but unforeseen difficulties were soon to shatter the dreams of lasting prosperity.' 'In the period 1829 to 1832, Henshall and Lester's mill in Marsh Parade was still a relatively modern factory employing 150 people and was powered by a 8 hp steam engine'. 'Richard Faulkner of the Friarswood Road factory entered into partnership with Thomas Lester, who ambitiously transferred his allegiance from the Marsh Parade Mill to the much larger Friarswood Road Manufactory. This new association was a relatively short one. It ended with the departure of Faulkner on 27/3/1830. The Friarswood Road Mill later became a family concern when William Upton Lester and his brother John were admitted to their father's business on 1/1/1834. In the meantime, Samuel Henshall had replaced his former partner by his own son William.' Gravestone implies that he was born in 1776. From Newcastle Museum: - 'Friarswood Mill wove both dress fabrics and ribbons. Ribbons were used to trim hats and bonnets and were also used as decoration on dresses, Silk dress fabrics were woven in narrow widths. The first silk mill in Newcastle was opened in 1822 by Henshall and Lester in Marsh Parade. By 1833 there were five silk mills in the area including two at Silverdale, which employed over 700 people in total including many children. The silk industry declined towards the end of the 19th century and the mills were converted to Fustian cutting'. Friarswood Mill was used for silk production from 1835 to 1857 (Newcastle musuem). It was sold by auction on 13/05/1855. Another source says that the mill was built in 1825 and first used in January 1826. Friarswood Mill was up for auction in July 1844. (His will was not proved until 1844!)

  
  

• Sources

  [S229] NBI. Age 61 [S192] IGI. Baptised Westbury on Trym, 17/04/1774 [S146] Gravestone, St. George's, Newcastle. [S229] NBI. [S43] Baptism register. [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.