Stockport Sunday School Register Entry

[Ray T]

The kind folks at Stockport Local Heritage Library have provided me a transcript of an entry in the register of Stockport Sunday School (reputedly the largest Sunday school in the world). The entry goes further than that transcribed on FindMyPast but I have yet to have sight of the original image.

It has been transcribed as - "31 Dec 1865 - Progressive No. 80435 – James Owen - James is now an orphan, Age: 13, Class: 42. State of Learning: Testament - Discharged in Mar 1868, Class: 42, State of Learning: Bible, Memoranda: Home Attendance"

My understanding is that teaching (reading/writing) was mainly Bible based but would anyone like to comment on what "Home Attendance" might signify?

I've been chasing James Owen for some years and this is the closest to his birth I've come. This, and other records, suggest that he was born in 1852. His parents were (allegedly) James Owen and Martha Williamson. A James  and Martha Owen feature on the 1851 living at Adswood Lane, Stockport; which just precedes James Jnr's birth and it appears that they were both dead before 1865 - possibly before 1861 as I can find nothing of them.

[goldie61]

Hi Ray
Just browsing through some old Cheshire posts.

You say you have not been able to see the original entry in the Stockport Sunday school register.
Just in case you've not seen the entry on familysearch catalogue, most of what they hold about Stockport Sunday school is now digitised.
"Scholars admission register 1854 - 1877" is digitised, but "Scholars register 1852 - 1920" isn't - yet! (I presume this is where the transcript came from?)

Perhaps there might be something in the admissions register? Otherwise you'll have to wait a little longer for the scholars register to be digitised. 

[Ray T]

Hi Goldie
Useful information, thanks.

Shortly after the post, I picked up a copy of the entry from SK Heritage Library which is exactly what they transcribed for me. I'll have a look at the Family Seach info when I fire my desktop up (it's upstairs - or it would be but we currently have the builders in and don't have a staircase at the moment).

It's really the term "home attendance" I don't understand. I'm not aware that SSS had any form of boarding element.

[Gone.]

I wonder if 'home attendance' was linked to a teacher visiting a Sunday School pupil at home - and so attending to their 'needs' at home. This certainly was encouraged if a child had been absent, especially on more than one occasion. "The Sabbath-school teacher ... must needs visit his scholars often.'

See paragraph numbered 458 and onwards in The Sunday-School World published in 1871:

https://archive.org/stream/sundayschoolworl03gray#page/134/search/Sunday+School+World%3A+an+encyclop%C3%A6dia+of+facts

I remember reading somewhere about home visits carried out by SSS teachers and I think there were references to some kind of home tuition. It was in one of the digitised libraries -  when I find it, I'll post a link.

Regards

[Ray T]

Sorry for the delay - been away, just back.

I suppose it's a possibility but my first thought is that, if he was orphaned, he wouldn't have had a home to be visited.

[elzabels]

Whilst not related to your current request wondering if you had come across this 1871 census entry

1871
 RG10; Piece: 3658; Folio: 100; Page: 35;
Manchester Road Reddish
Joseph Thomas Owen   25
Ann Owen   26
Fanny Owen   5
Joseph S Owen   3
Alice Owen   7 Months
James Owen   17 BOARDER/lodger
George Conway   18

I also found a note on the grave page that suggested Mark J Whitehead b1846 was a cousin of James W Owen of Mass.
Elizabeth Wardle   21

[Ray T]

Now that is interesting!

Unfortunately, I'm varnishing doors at the moment (just stopped for a brew) so I can't dash off to my tree and check things.

From memory, I don't think I have him in 1871 - although there is someone in Macclesfield who might be him. It's the James W Owen of Mass. I'm interested in though - he married my, recently, emigrated G Aunt.

I've come across the Mark Whitehead connection before but not had much success in connecting him to the Owens. James Owen had what people might call and "interesting" life and best if I leave it at that unless people would like to hear more - if so, look up my public James Williamson Owen tree on Ancestry. I'll be more that happy for anyone to criticise my findings so don't hold back.

[Ray T]

Finished varnishing for the day so couldn't resist having a look. Unfortunately, I don't think it's him.
James "williamson" Owen married Elizabeth Ann Hamlet at Heaton Reddish Parish Church (admittedly not that far from Manchester Road) in July 1871 and he described himself as a "Hatter". Whereas the one on Manchester Road was a "Cotton Piecer". Subsequent baptisms confirm the hatting occupation and the Manchester Road one, on the 1861, appears to be Joseph Thomas Owen's brother.

The one I have in Macclesfield was a hatter and is therefore a better bet.

[elzabels]

The 1881 census shows James Owen as a herbalist with his brother in law as an assistant herbalist
ref  RG11; Piece: 3466; Folio: 54; Page: 6; all living at 102 George Street Hyde



From MEN 20/09/1881



Manchester Evening News 04 March 1895

Cale Green Heaton Norris = Cale Green is a suburb just of the Manchester Road south of Stockport

St Thomas Heaton Norris is probably the parish church for the area a James Owen was living in 1871