Louise Bancroft - Step-Daughter of Thomas Hague

Louisa Bancroft Young (aka: Louise)

   Louisa Bancroft was the step-sister of Donna Hague Blinn's grandfather, Leonard Hague, Sr. who came to the USA

 Born: June 17, 1887 at

9 Elgin Street, Stalybridge, England

Parent: Agnes Bancroft ~ father unknown. Raised with Thomas Hague family

Siblings: stepsister to Hague's: William, John, James, Annie, Leonard, Alice

 Married: January 24, 1909 ~ The Parish of Castle Hall, Stalybridge

 Husband: James Henry Young

 Child: Agnes Young Mottershead

 Died: May 31, 1977 at 89 years old – 30 Cambray Rd. Blackpool, England
 Buried: unknown

Louisa Bancroft was born in 1887 as the daughter of Agnes Bancroft.  Agnes later married Thomas Hague in 1890 so Louise was about 3 years old when her mother married Thomas.  Louise’s birth record shows her mother’s occupation as a cotton box tenter and no father’s name is shown on her birth or marriage records.

 At the time of the 1901 census, Louise was living with her mother and Thomas, along with all the other Hague children at 119 Grasscroft Street.  She was then about 13 years old and working as a cotton weaver.

On January 24, 1909, Louise (21 year old, weaver) living at 121 Grasscroft Street (home of Thomas & Agnes Hague) married James Henry Young (aka: Harry), a 25 year old porter from 16 Stamford Street.
He was the son of William Young, a coachman and Eleanor Chilton Young (formerly Carr).   Louise and Harry were married at the Parish Church of Castle Hall in Stalybridge, England.

Just over one year later, Louise and Harry had a daughter on March 27, 1910 and named her Agnes, presumably after Louise’s mother. Agnes Young married a man named (Herbert) Bert Mottershead (sometime after 1939 -- place unknown.)   Louise, Harry and Agnes remained in Stalybridge until at least 1939 (according to voter’s records) and lived at 119 Grasscroft Street– a house attached or joined to 121 Grasscroft where her stepfather, Thomas Hague resided.  Her mother, Agnes Bancroft Hague, had died in 1935.    No voters’ records were produced during the war so the next voters list was in1945 and the Young family had gone by then. 

The following photo is typical of what this type of “adjoining” housing (119 & 121 Grasscroft Street) would have looked like in Stalybridge during that period.  -- photo to be inserted --

I learned from a neighbor (Irene Kerr of Blackpool England) that Louise and Harry were shopkeepers in Stalybridge but eventually Louise could not continue the business as her husband took ill. I have not been able to trace any records as to what type of shop they owned/ran from Stalybridge records.   The family eventually moved to Blackpool England (assuming sometime between late 1939 and 1945) and lived at these locations:

   -- 12 Campbell Avenue – in 1958 – year of death James H. Young (Harry)
   --  Cumbria Avenue

   -- 30 Cambray Road - Louisa lived here with her daughter and son-in-law (Agnes & Bert Mottershead) until her death in 1977.

Louise kept in contact over the years with her step brother, Leonard Hague, Sr. who was then living in America (Rhode Island) by sending cards and pictures as did her daughter Agnes.  From Louise’s writings, it appeared she was a spiritual woman.  Her neighbor (Irene Kerr on Cambray Rd) mentioned during our visit with her in June 2003, that Louise was considered a very wise woman ~ someone who others would approach to seek advice.

Irene also told a story about Louise once being attacked by her son-in-law, Bert.  It seems that Bert had an illness in which he was taking medication.  The medication has a rare potential for side effects but evidently he was one that suffered from them.  The story told by Irene was that Bert attacked Louise with a kitchen knife but the outcome was not harmful or fatal to Louise.

Louise’s husband, James Young (“Harry”) (railway foreman) died in 1958 and is buried with her mother, Agnes Bancroft Hague, at St. Paul’s in Stalybridge. The church records indicate Louise purchased the plot. 

Louise died on May 31, 1977 of cerebral astereoclerosis at her home on 30 Cambray Road in the presence of her daughter.  Her place of burial is unknown.

Her daughter, Agnes Young Mottershead, was affiliated with the Methodist Church. I’m not sure if her mother was also a member of this religion & therefore buried from a local (Blackpool) Methodist church.  However, it seems that the Norwich Cathedral was of interest for some reason to Louise as she sent over several photos/postcards of this particular church