I have been doing a bit of research of the Hindley side of the family. Until now, I haven't really got beyond the early 1800s. I knew my great grandmother was Ellen Eliza Hindley (1888-1962) (my dad's dad's mum), her father was Richard Henry Hindley (1858-1941), his father was Richard Hindley (1829 - 1900). Richard's father, my 4x great grandfather was George Hindley, who married Mary Ann Emery in Liverpool in 1826. All I knew (or thought I knew) about George was that he was born around 1806. Until today.
I now know George Hindley was born in 1804, baptised in Manchester on 9 December 1804, died 1878. His parents were George Hindley (born 1775 at Winwick, died 1835) and Elisabeth Wolstencroft (born 1776 in Manchester, baptised 9 November 1776 at All Saints, Newton Heath, died January 1846) and they married at Manchester Cathedral on 5 January 1796.
His father, my 6x great grandfather, was John Hindley (born 6 January 1755 at Culcheth, died 1838 Liverpool), who married Margaret Ellam (1745 - 1840) at Winwick on 1 December 1772.
However it is Elisabeth Wolstencroft's (my 5x great grandmother) parentage that intrigues me. Her father was Daniel Wolstencroft (born 1750), whose father was James (born 1727) and grandfather was George. Daniel's wife (married at Manchester Cathedral 16 December 1774) was a lady called Betty (Elisabeth) Heywood. Born 31 October 1755, baptised at Bank Street Unitarian Protestant Church, Bolton on 10 November 1755 [below], died 1801). It appears the Heywood name comes into play in this line twice.
Betty's parents, my 7x great grandparents were Abraham Heywood (born 10 March 1726 in Rhodes, near Middleton, baptised 9 December 1726 in Middleton, died 11 January 1803, Ainsworth [tbc on death]) and Ellen Thornley (1733-1805).
Abraham's parents (my 8x great grandparents) were Abraham Heywood (born c1700 in Middleton) and Sarah (surname unknown but born c1703). Ellen's parents were Joseph Thornley (b1710) and Mary Ankers (b1710), and Joseph's parents - my 9x great grandparents) were John Thornley (b1680) and Ellen Timperley (b1680).
Not bad for a day's research.