hello all

Ive posted a thread on here ages ago about the farm but not much luck so i thought id try again

we live in the farm at the top of ashton heath and would really like to know the history of it before we had to demolish it to build a new one unfortunately. I cant find anything about it. i would like to know when it was built, what other buildings were here, i believe there was a blacksmiths and 2 cottages at the side, also a number of houses and a shop down the lane too.

also who owned it previous to mary's dad (the France's)

If anybody has got any old pictures that i could look at i would be very grateful

also just to let you all know we have birds of prey here now and open to the public most weekends from 11 til 3

thank you

Town: ashton

There was a farm called Cookson's Farm at the top of Ashton Heath. Your's is at the 'bottom' of the heath.
What's happening with the piece of land next to you, across the old line? I fancied that myself, but it brought ten times the top guide price at auction.

Town: bryn, ashton in makerfield

Sorry, I am not sure about the history of the old farm, but love walking in that area. I just wondered what land had been sold at auction?

I am sure that others may be able to provide more information, (I think that Karin might have some old pictures) (Hope that you don't mind me mentioning that you know something about the area Karin?)

Town: Ashton

ok thanks anyway Debbie

and yeah it is nice walking round here now

Town: ashton

Yeah thats right we are at the bottom of the heath - not cooksons farm

the land was sold to a business man.... he didnt even look at it before he bought it and didnt realise there was no access or that the old pumping station bore hole was still there...ooops...lol more money than sense.....

could have done with that myself and made it into a nature reserve... but ahh well.....more than likely have been wrecked by vandals anyway...lol

thanks for the reply

Town: ashton

Hi Mike
Debbie has mentioned me by name and I that is fine. My family used to own Cookson's Farm. My grandad was Joe Hope and my great grandad was Fred Hope. I don't have old photographs of your farm, however I have the old maps and photographs of Cooksons Farm. I have already been to your place and have spoke to your mum and dad and shown them the old photographs and maps that I have. If you want to contact me directly then your dad has got my telephone number.
Kind Regards Karin

Town: ashton

ok thanks Karin... yeah my dad told me you had shown them to him. i have maps already but they just show black squares where houses are. I'll just haveto keep trying somewhere... there is no records of the farm anywhere. did you know that in ashton library there are some old pictures of cooksons farm. you can get copies of them on CD too

Thanks anyway karin

Town: ashton

Hi Mike. The copies of the photographs in the library of Cooksons farm were my family's photographs which we supplied to the History Shop. Cookson's farm datestone prior to demolition was 1704. I don't know what age Mary's farm was. My mum knows some of the surnames of the people who used to live in the cottages which were near your farm and the ones which were parallel with Tyrers Lane. You might be able to track them down and see if they have any old photographs.

Town: ashton

Mike - These are some of the farms in Ashton with their names in the 1870's and 1880's.
Pimblett Joseph, Edge Green lane Farm
Porter Richard, Long lane Farm
Reeves Samuel, Lily lane Farm
Rigby John, jun., Barleyman's Farm
Rigby Thomas, Town Green Farm
Rigby William, Ashton Heath Farm
Simpkin Johnathan, Cookson's Farm.
As you can see the farmer of your farm at that time was "William Rigby". I don't know if the other Rigbys at Barleyman's and Town Green were related or not. At Cookson's farm the farmer was Johnathan Simpkin. I know my great grandad purchased Cookson's Farm in the early 1900's and my mum has got the bill of sale on a tatty little bit of paper. I don't know if they had title deeds at that time or not? Have you tried to establish if your farm has old title deeds? because previous names would probably be listed on that. Sorry if this warbles a bit.
Regards Karin

Town: ashton

What a lovely name Karin, 'Barleyman's'?
x

Town: Ashton

Hi Karin
My name is Audrey Lowe and my Dad is James France who is now 90 yrs old - My Dads Dad also James France and Mary Fairhurst nee France (who owned Ashton Heath Farm)Dad Arthur France were Brothers - Mary and my Dad were Cousins - The parents of Arthur France and James France were Martha Budworth and James France (another James) Martha Budworths parents also owned a farm on Tanners Lane!
Mary Fairhurst nee France and My Dad James France were very close and used to see each other on a regular basis over the years - towards the last couple of years before Mary passed away she became more and more confused with age I expect! My Dad never got any photographs or any family memrobillia from Mary unfortunately, who was my Dads next of kin - She never had children! - very sad ! Photographs of my Dads Family would have been wonderful to keep and pass on through the Family - I do have potraits of Martha Budworth and James France (Mary Fairhurst's and my Dads Grandma and Grandad) to be cherished and passed on to members of the Family - If you have any information regarding photos at least! - etc I would appreciate Regards Audrey Lowe nee France

Town: Standish

Hello Audrey

I don't have any photographs of Ashton Heath Farm. I have just a couple of photographs of Cooksons Farm which was where my great grandad and grandad lived.

I only met Mary Fairhurst (nee France) a couple of times but she was a lovely lady with a great love for the donkeys that she looked after when they came to stay in Ashton from Blackpool in Winter.

Karin

William Rigby 1838 of the Ashton Heath farm was related to Thomas Rigby of the Town Green farm. He can be found working for his uncle Henry at the Town Green farm on the 1871 census. You'll need Ancestry.co.uk to view the census link. Rigby's also owned Low Bank farm in the 1860's. I'd be confident of all of them being related in some way.

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?htx=view&r=5538&dbid=7619&iid=LANRG10_3898_3899-0232&fn=William&ln=Rigby&st=r&ssrc=&pid=9764974

Town: Mount Pleasant

Mary Fairhurst who owned the Farm at Ashton Heath was my Dads Cousin - Marys Dad Arthur France and my Dads Dad James France (My Grandad) were brothers - Mary and my Dad James France were always very close - she loved my Dad to bits and over the years they kept in touch and saw each other most weeks! Unfortunately the last few years before Mary passed away she did become more and more confused (old age sadly)
Arthur France and James France (My Grandad) were the siblings of Martha Budworth and James France who owned a farm on Tanners Lane - We seem to think that Arthur may have had pictures of this farm and time that he spent in Australia with the Budworths (My Fathers and my family too) before he came back to UK and married Marys Mother! I do have two potraits of Arthur and James France's Mother and Father ( James France and Martha France nee Budworth) which I will treasure knowing they were part of 'My' Family and in the right hands to be passed on years down the line!
I believe the people who took over the Farm when Mary died were her farm hands!!!!

Town: Standish