Broadbents--From Whence They Came

From Whence They Came

Our immigrant grandparent, Thomas Broadbent, was born in Saddleworth, Yorkshire, England, as was his mother’s family.  Broadbents can be traced and appear upon the records for may years.  So Saddleworth might be called their ancestral home, although many records can be found of them in Oldham.

Where is Saddleworth and what kind of a place is it?  It is located in the large county of Yorkshire.  This huge county is divided into four sections known as Ridings and Saddleworth is in the southern half of the West Riding, right next to the border of Lancashire and the junction with Cheshire.  The name Saddleworth refers not only to the town by that name, but also the whole area of Saddleworth stretching out 12 miles long and 7 miles broad.  The valleys are also divided into four sections, these being called meres.  Saddleworth is located in the west mere called Quick, or Quick Mere.  In records such as census returns, Saddleworth is listed as Saddleworth Cum Quick, Saddleworth Quick.  There are at least 50 little towns, villages and hamlets in the Saddleworth Valleys.  Saddleworth is five miles to the east of Oldham, Lancashire, which is the closest large city.

What kind of an area is Saddleworth?  It is listed as an alpine district at the foot of the mountains.  The great Pennine Range, often called the “Back bone of England” forms a good part of the border between Yorkshire and Lancashire.  Saddleworth is nestled within the hills of the range.  It was known as a dark and gloomy place and that fact gives rise to its name.  It was said not to be worth a saddle, or you couldn’t sell it for the worth of a saddle.  It’s alpine characteristics is also the reason the town is known as Saddleworth Quick; in the valley of quick growing brush, as compared to the heavily wooded section of the mountains.  The towns began down in the valley and through the years have slowly built to the top of the mountains.  In 1881, the Yorkshire side of the mountains was still sparsely inhabited.  All influence pulled to the Lancashire side.  This is evidenced by the fact that the Saddleworth people are different for the Yorkshire folks.  They are different in their habits, manners, physical appearance, and particularly their speech.  Some authors have stated that their speech was enough different as to have been people by two different races.  They are said to be a good-hearted, but never-the-less a sturdy, rough wild sort of people.

A large canal, known as the Hudderfield Canal runs through the town of Saddleworth.  It passes under the pile of hills called Standege by one of the largest tunnels in the kingdom.  This is one of the main shipping routes to Leeds and Manchester.

What industry sustains the Saddleworth area?  It was probably originally a farming and livestock area, but very soon became connected with the cotton and woolen industry.  Lancashire and Cheshire were the only counties of England ?????????????? to spin cotton yarn without generating static electricity.  As a result, spinning and weaving became a predominant occupation.  When spinning machines were invented, the rich coal fields of Lancashire laid waiting to furnish the power to run the mills, as well as the two principle rivers—The Ribble to the north and Mersey to the south, and their tributaries and canals.   So, it was only natural that with Saddleworth’s proximity to Lancashire, the weaving industry grew there also.  From the looms in their poorly lit homes, the people went to the factories which dotted the banks of the Huddersfield Canal.  In 1831, within the parish there were ????? looms and 400 cotton looms.  Oldham boasted of even greater industry.  Nanny Broadbent was working in the cotton mills in Oldham when her son Thomas was born.

England was humming and this should have meant prosperity but prices were low and wages lower.  The price of land skyrocketed due to it’s value for industry and many farmers could not meet the high rent and were put off the land.  The crowded the cities for work in the factories.  Young children, even as young as six years of age were put to labor in the factories, many never knowing any other home.  Under these circumstances, Nanny Broadbent was trying to raise her families.

When Thomas was 4 years old, the 18 year old Queen Victoria came to the throne and things promised to be better, but the poor laborer of England remained poor, still.  Joseph Broadbent, son of John and Betty Lees, was born in Oldham.  He wrote that for many generations, his forefather worked in the cotton mills and to this life he was early assigned.  After going to school about one year, he began to work in the mills at the age of 9, working ½ time as the improved child labor law would then not permit children under 14 years to work full time.  Being the oldest child in the family and being very poor, he was not allowed any leisure time for further education, except at the Sabbath school, where reading and writing were taught.

That brings us to the subject of education.  Both Saddleworth and Oldham had free schools, some especially for the teaching of the poor children of the parish.  The rudiments of an education were available if the children could be spared from the burdensome task of helping to keep the wolf from the door.  Judging from the number of X’s made for signatures, there were many Englishmen of this time who never learned to read or write.  Thomas was one of the fortunate few, which was the case with many more men than women.  Education was far more open to the males of the kingdom that the females.

What was the church affiliation of the family?  They are found in the parish registers of Saddleworth and the church there is dedicated to St. Chad.  Five years before Thomas was born, a new chapel was built in Saddleworth, which he probably attended.  However, there were several places of worship for dissenters in Saddleworth at this time, and it is not unlikely that some of the Broadbents were to be found within the doors.

Although Saddleworth is in Yorkshire, it belongs to this day to the Parish of Rochdale in Lancashire.  It is believed by some that at one time Saddleworth was a part of Lancashire, but at what time and for what reason, it was attached to Yorkshire is not know definitely.  Ecclesiastically, it never was a part of the See of York.

However, perhaps the most important religious event in Thomas’ life came when he was four years old.  The first Mormon missionaries came to England and began preaching in Lancashire.  When Thomas was 16 years old, he was baptized.

Along with the establishment of the LDS Church in England came the provision the church made through the Perpetual Emigration Fund, aiding the saints to go to America.  Six years after his marriage to Elizabeth Gledhill, Thomas planned to come to America with the handcart group, but for some reason cancelled his reservation.  Three years later, still listed as a weaver, he brought his wife and ailing child, leaving his native England behind him.

1838 Directory

Submitted by Mrs. Dee A. Broadbent

References:

(1) Saddleworth Sketches by Joseph Bradbury, p. 42-74/Su H2BRA, (2)Chappelry and Church of Saddleworth, Alfred J. Howcroft, 742.74/S7 Ka How,  (3)History, Bazeteer and Directory of the West Riding of Yorkshire, 942.74E4W 1838  Vol. 2, (4)World Book Encyclopedia