The Shepley family of Old Glossop and Brookfield.

This family actually has two Shepley ancestral routes, one leading through Marple to Mottram and one to Coldharbour, Glossop.
Two marital links between the lines have been identified - that of William Shepley to Sarah Stoppord in 1715 and that of their son John Shepley to Betty Arundale, daughter of William's aunt Sarah Shepley, in 1762.

The Mottram Line. Generation One. John Shepley senior, of Werneth, born about 1670, was buried on 28 March 1733 in Mottram. In his Admon 25 October 1734 he is described as a Yeoman late of Hyde. He married Ellen Boyer, born about 1670, died February 1734. They had seven identified children:      John Shepley.      Thomas Shepley.      Samuel Shepley.      Joseph Shepley.      James Shepley.      Esther Shepley (recorded as Mary in her father's admon records). She married Thomas Somister.      Sarah Shepley. She married Samuel Arundale on 23 September 1736 at St. Mary's, Stockport. They had a daughter, Betty Arundale, who was baptised on 18 January 1740/1 at Mottram. She married her first cousin once removed, John Shepley (see below). Generation Two. John Shepley of Werneth married Sarah Dale (daughter of William Dale of Marple) on 3 February 1697/8 at Marple. They were living at Werneth when William was baptised and at Marple when their other children were baptised. They had five children:      Hannah Shepley, baptised 30 September 1701 in Marple. She married Robert Taber on 7 November 1734 at Marple Chapel.      John Shepley, baptised 8 May 1704 in Marple, died 8 May and buried 9 May 1704 in Marple.      Sarah Shepley, born 17 June and baptised 24 June 1708 in Marple.      William Shepley, baptised 12 July 1715 in Marple.      Esther Shepley, baptised 27 June 1718 in Marple. She had a son James who was baptised 13 May 1739 at Marple Chapel. His reputed father was Jno Savage of Northenden.

The Coldharbour Line. The parish registers contain records of earlier Shepleys at Coldharbour. This family is probably descended from the same line but there is insufficient evidence to show the link. Generation One. William Shepley of Coldharbour and his wife Mary had three known children:      Elizabeth Shepley.      Ann Shepley, buried 23 October 1696 in Glossop.      Eliza Shepley, buried 24 March 1701/2 in Glossop. William Shepley of Coldharbour served the Office of Constable in 1723. William Shepley was buried on 22 December 1737 in Glossop. In his will he mentioned his wife Mary and his granddaughters Elizabeth Stoppord and Sarah Shepley (wife of William Shepley of Marple) and his property at Coldharbour, Woodcock Road and The Intack. Generation Two. Elizabeth Shepley married Aaron Stockport who was recorded as of Cockroad and Padfield in PR entries. His name was recorded as Stoppord or Stopport in some records. They had five children:      Maria Stockport, baptised 24 October 1707 in Glossop, buried 1 December 1721 in Glossop.      Martha Stoppord, baptised 19 October 1710 in Glossop, buried 31 May 1715 in Glossop.      William Stopport, baptised 1 January 1713/14 in Glossop, buried 30 March 1714 in Glossop.      Sarah Stoppord, baptised 3 April 1715 in Glossop.      Elizabeth Stockport, baptised 24 May 1718 in Glossop. Elizabeth (nee Shepley) was buried on 25 May 1718 in Glossop. Aaron Stockport was buried on 11 May 1723 in Glossop. The executor of his will was his father in law, William Shepley of Coldharbour.

Generation Three.

Sarah Stoppord was baptised on 3 April 1715 in Glossop. Her surname was recorded as Stockport or Stoppord in some records. She married William Shepley of Marple, baptised 12 July 1715 at Marple, son of John and Sarah Shepley of Wyrneth, on 7 October 1737 in Marple Chapel. William was recorded as a farmer/husbandman of Coldharbour and Woodcock Road in Glossop PRs. They had six children:
     John Shepley baptised 10 May 1739 in Marple.
     Elizabeth Shepley baptised 2 June 1741 in Marple.
     William Shepley, baptised 29 July 1744 in Glossop. Farmer of Woodcock Road, Glossop.
     Aaron Shepley baptised 8 February 1747.
     Samuel Shepley baptised 23 December 1750.
     Thomas Shepley born about 1753.
William Shepley was buried on 18 December 1753 at All Saints, Marple (yeoman of Glossop).
Sarah (of Woodcock Road) died aged 91 and was buried on 23 May 1805 at Glossop.

Generation Four.

John Shepley of Woodcock Road was born about 1739. He was a tenant, in partnership with Samuel & Joseph Fielding (see Descendants of John Fielding of Whitfield 1674) at Rolfe's Mill (Wesley Street) and built Shepley's Mill (Wharf Mill). He married Betty Arundale, baptised 18 January 1740/1 at Mottram parish church (daughter of Samuel Arundale and Sarah Shepley see above)) on 23 February 1762 in St Mary, Stockport. They had ten children:
     John Shepley, born about 1763, died aged 59 on 4 July and buried 7 July 1822 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Hannah Shepley.
     William Shepley, baptised 4 April 1767 in Glossop parish church. No definite subsequent records found but see the box at the foot of the page.
     Mary Shepley, born about 1771. She married Robert Robinson, born about 1766, son of John Robinson and Zipporah Bowden (see The Robinsons of Gnat Hole) on 25 March 1811 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Robert Shepley baptised 8 March 1772.
     Joseph Shepley, born about 1775.
     Sarah Shepley, born about 1779, died 12 May 1785, buried 14 May 1785 at Glossop.
     Joshua Shepley born about 1780.
     Samuel Shepley born on 13 January 1784.
     Mary Shepley, born about 1786, buried 20 December 1824 at Glossop (aged 38 of Royal Oak, Glossop)
Betty died, aged 65, on 15 April and was buried on 18 April 1805 at Glossop.
John Shepley died, aged 67, on 26 December and was buried on 28 December 1806 at Glossop Parish Church.

Aaron Shepley was baptised on 8 February 1747 in Glossop. A tailor, he married Sarah Platt, daughter of James Platt and Mary Woolley (see The Platt family of Glossop) on 26 September 1773 in Glossop Parish Church. They had four children:
     William Shepley, born about 1774.
     Mary Shepley, born about 1776, died aged 25, buried 20 September 1801 at Glossop parish church.
     John Shepley, born about 1778, died aged 9 on 22 January and buried on 25 January 1787 at Glossop parish church.
     Betty Shepley, born about 1780, died aged 23, buried 23 Aug 1803 at Glossop parish church.
     Harriet Shepley, born 3 January 1783 in Glossop.
Sarah was buried at Glossop on 22 July 1800, age 58.
Aaron Shepley died on 5 October 1820, aged 74 of Mottram, and was buried on 8 October 1820 at Glossop Parish Church.

Thomas Shepley was born about 1753. He married Ann Birchill (daughter of John Birchill of Holmfirth) on 7 January 1776 in Glossop Parish Church. They had two sons:
     Thomas Shepley, baptised 27 December 1777 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Aaron Shepley, born 28 February and baptised 30 March 1783 in Glossop Parish Church.
After Ann died, Thomas married Anne Bentley (daughter of John Bentley of Handley, Yorkshire, Farmer). They had two sons:
     Benjamin Shepley, born 5 April and baptised 6 May 1786 in Glossop Parish Church, died of a fever aged 5 on 2 June and buried 5 June 1791 at Glossop.
     Thomas Shepley, born 18 November and baptised 4 December 1788 in Glossop Parish Church.
Anne was buried at Glossop on 6 June 1805 (Nannay Shepley, age 57, wife of Thomas).
Thomas Shepley died, aged 57, and was buried on 9 August 1810 at Glossop Parish Church.

Generation Five.

Children of John Shepley.

Hannah Shepley married John Hall of The Ashes (son of Robert Hall) on 1 May 1785 in Glossop Parish Church. They had ten children:
     Sarah Hall, born 31 March and baptised 6 May 1787 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Mary Hall, born 19 January and baptised 22 February 1789 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Aaron Hall, born 12 April and baptised 28 April 1791 in Glossop Parish Church.
     John Hall, born 11 April and baptised 12 May 1793 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Moses Hall, born 8 April and baptised 6 May 1797 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Betty Hall, born 30 March and baptised 28 April 1799 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Nancy Hall, born 12 July and baptised 9 August 1801 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Ruth Hall, born 23 July and baptised 26 August 1803 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Ann Hall, born 6 September and baptised 9 September 1806 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Robert Hall, born 7 September and baptised 26 December 1809 in Glossop Parish Church.

Robert Shepley was baptised on 8 March 1772 in Glossop Parish Church. Hamnett tells us that, after his father's death, Robert Shepley managed Wharf Mill and built Grove Mill. In the 1851 census he is recorded at Wharf aged 79, widower, Cotton manufacturer. He married Sarah Harrison, born about 1782, on 22 January 1809 in Glossop Parish Church. They had seven children:
     Robert Shepley, born 29 October and baptised 8 December 1809 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Esther Shepley, born 26 December 1814 and baptised 29 January 1815 in Glossop Parish Church, died 15 May 1825 aged 11, buried Glossop church yard.
     James Shepley, born 2 May and baptised 2 June 1816 in Glossop Parish Church. He worked Shepley's (Wharf) Mill until the expiration of the lease, when he moved to Hawk Green, Marple. He was elected councillor for All Saint's Ward at the first municipal election on the 21st December, 1866, and on the 9th November, 1872, was elected to the office of Alderman, which he retained until 1890, when he was no longer eligible, having moved from the district. James died at Hawk Green, Marple, aged 82, on 3 April 1899 (of Rhode House, Marple).
     Ann Shepley, baptised 14 September 1817 in Glossop Parish Church, died 10 June 1830 aged 12, buried Glossop church yard.
     Jane Shepley, baptised 6 June 1819 in Glossop Parish Church. On 20 May 1853 she bought the right to an annuity in Cross Cliffe Mill from Mary (Hadfield) Crossland and her family (see The Hadfield Family Farm at Whitfield and Cross Cliffe Mill). Died 26 July 1885 aged 65, buried in Glossop church yard
     Charles Shepley, baptised on 10 June 1821 in Glossop Parish Church, died aged 16 on 28 September and buried on 2 October 1837 in Glossop church yard.
     Elizabeth Shepley, baptised 28 December 1823 in Glossop Parish Church. She married John Newton Winterbottom (widower), born about 1818 (son of John Winterbottom) on 15 November 1859. John worked Lower Water and Bottoms Lodge mills, built Moorside House and was the founder of the Glossop Conservative Club. He left Glossop in 1878 and went to live at Torkington, near Marple, where he died on 10 April 1887.
Sarah died, aged 54, on 5 December and was buried on 9 December 1836 in Glossop church yard.
Robert Shepley died, aged 85, on 17 March and was buried on 21 March 1857 in Glossop Parish Church.

Joseph Shepley, was born about 1775. His wife Mary was born about 1782. They had three children:
     Hannah Shepley, born about 1806, died 28 December 1813 in the 7th year of her age, buried 1 January 1814 in Glossop church yard.
     John Shepley, born about 1810, died 29 July 1832 and buried 2 Aug 1832 in Glossop church yard aged 22.
     Joseph Shepley.
Mary died aged 48 on 11 March and was buried on 15 March 1830 in Glossop church yard.
Joseph Shepley died on 2 January and was buried on 7 January 1836 in Glossop, aged 61.

Joshua Shepley was born about 1780. He married Mary Bennett, born about 1786, of Manchester on 31 March 1811 in Glossop Parish Church by licence. They had two children:
     Caroline Shepley, born 17 March 1812, baptised 19 April 1812 in Glossop Parish Church. She married Joseph Hampson, baptised on 24 July 1814 in Glossop, son of John Hampson and Hannah Bowden (see The Ham(p)son family of Whitfield) on 22 November 1843 in Glossop Parish Church.
     Sarah Shepley baptised 3 July 1814.
Joshua built the Royal Oak Inn, Sheffield Road, in 1818, when the stage coaches began running from Manchester to Sheffield. The stable was so constructed as to allow a relay of horses to be kept there if required. He was the landlord for many years, being succeeded by his son in law, Joseph Hampson. Described as an innkeeper in the probate documents and as farmer & innkeeper in his will.
Mary died, aged 38, and was buried on 6 December 1824 at Glossop parish church.
Joshua remarried on 6 August 1825 at Manchester Cathedral to Mary Adams, born about 1783. She died, aged 57, on 19 December and was buried on 23 December 1840 at Glossop parish church.
Joshua Shepley died, aged 67, on 10 December and was buried on 14 December 1847 at Glossop parish church.

Samuel Shepley was born on 13 January and baptised on 25 February 1784 in Glossop. He built Brookfield Mill. He married Nancy Platt, born 15 March 1788, daughter of James Platt and Alice Bennett (see The Platt family of Glossop) on 3 July 1809 in Glossop. They had six children:
     John Shepley, born 11 March 1810, baptised 21 March 1810 in Tintwistle, died 4 July 1875. 1861 census at Brookfield aged 51, cotton manufacturer (Brookfield Mill). 1871 census at Brookfield aged 61, cotton manufacturer.
     Mary Shepley born 21 February 1812.
     William Shepley born 2 November 1814.
     Harriet Shepley, born 11 July 1817, baptised 28 July 1817 in Tintwistle, died 18 June and buried 22 June 1832 in Glossop, aged 14.
     Charlotte Shepley, born about 1820, died 31 Aug 1869 in Brookfield, buried in Glossop church yard.
     George Shepley, born March 1822, died 22 June and buried 25 June 1822 in Glossop church yard.
Nancy died, aged 50, and was buried on 1 November 1838 at Glossop Parish Church.
Samuel Shepley died, aged 74, on 11 December 1858 at Brookfield, buried in Glossop church yard.

Child of Aaron Shepley.

Harriet Shepley was born on 3 January and baptised on 5 January 1783 in Glossop. She married Walter Wagstaffe on 15 November 1804 in Glossop. One child known:
     Aaron Wagstaffe, baptised 6 April 1806 in Mottram.

Generation Six.

Child of Joseph Shepley.

Joseph Shepley. He and his wife Mary had two children:
     James Shepley, born about January 1842, died. 25 Jun 1845 aged 3 years and 5 months, buried in Glossop church yard.
     Mary Shepley, born 1850, died 14 May 1851 in 13 months, buried in Glossop church yard.

Child of Joshua Shepley.

Sarah Shepley was baptised on 3 July 1814 in Glossop. She married John Hadfield, born 2 April 1807 in Glossop, son of William Hadfield and Mary Collier (see The Hadfield family of Cowbrook) on 21 January 1836 at Glossop.

Children of Samuel Shepley.

Mary Shepley was born on 21 February 1812 in Glossop and baptised on 2 April 1812 in Tintwistle. She married Thomas Rhodes, born 13 April 1815 in Tintwistle, son of William Rhodes and Sarah Wood (see The Rhodes family of Tintwistle and Mersey Bank) on 2 Aug 1837 in Glossop.

William Shepley was born on 2 November 1814 in Glossop and baptised on 16 December 1814 in Tintwistle. Census record show him as a cotton manufacturer at Brookfield Mill and a magistrate. He married Harriet Woffenden on 18 May 1877 in Manchester Cathedral. Harriet had a son, Charles Woffenden, born in 1844, who was acknowledged as William Shepley's son when he was baptised in 1852.
William Shepley died, aged 74, on 7 May 1889 in Brookfield and was buried on 11 May 1899 in Glossop Cemetery.
Harriet died, aged 73, on 9 March and was buried on 13 March 1890 in Glossop Cemetery.

Harriet was born about 1817 in Thurlstone, Yorks. At the time of the 1841 census at Woolley Bridge with parents Samuel (a labourer) and Sarah, both aged 60, Harriet a 20 year old Cotton Reeler. 1851 census a “visitor in cotton”, with Charles, at the home of the family of George Siddal family at Brookfield, aged 35. 1861 census at Brookfield aged 45, drawer in cotton (Charles away at school) 1871 census at Brookfield aged 50, drawer in cotton mill, Charles a yarn sizer.

Generation Seven.

Child of William Shepley.

Charles Woffenden was born in 1844. He was baptised on 13 June 1852 in Glossop Parish Church. At the time of the 1861 census he was a scholar at a school in Manchester Old Road, Heaton Norris. Charles married Hannah Neal, born 1848 in Charlesworth, daughter of John Neal and Hannah Dewsnap (see Neal family of Gamesley and Brookfield) in 1868 at St. Michael, Ashton-Under-Lyne. They had four children:
     Mary Woffenden, born and died in 1869.
     Samuel Woffenden, born 1871, died 1877.
     John (Jack) William Woffenden Shepley born 8 April 1881.
     Harriet Shepley born 11 June 1887.
In the 1871 census Charles was back at Brookfield aged 27, yarn sizer, with Hannah a 23 year old calico weaver. In 1881 (after his parents had married) he was recorded as the manager of Brookfield Mill, named as Charles W Shepley. In the 1891 census (after William Shepley had died) he was recorded as Charles W Shepley, cotton manufacturer. He was a county councillor and a lieutenant in the volunteers.
Hannah was buried on 24 February 1910 in Glossop cemetery. The burial record gives her age as 61 and name as Hannah Wolfenden Shepley.
Charles Woffenden Shepley died, aged 74, on 23 September and was buried on 27 September 1918 in Glossop cemetery.

Generation Eight.

John (Jack) William Woffenden Shepley was born on 8 April 1881 in Glossop. He married Alice Moseley Bramwell in the second quarter of 1907 in Glossop and they had two daughters:
     Mary Shepley born 1908, died 1970. She married Anthony Higham, born 1907, died 1975, a surgeon in London.
     Alice Shepley born 1911, died 1977. She married Peter Alexander, born 1912, died 1997, a civil engineer in Cardiff.
     1891 census aged 9, born Glossop.
John died on 23 November 1923 in High Elms, Victoria Park, Manchester and was buried on 28 November 1923 in Glossop Cemetery.

Harriet Shepley was born on 11 June 1887 in Glossop. She inherited Gamesley House from her father. She married David Cuthbert, born 1886 in Glossop, son of John Cuthbert and Hannah Rowbottom (see A Cuthbert family of Glossop), in 1911 in Glossop.

When William Shepley and Mally/Mary Dewsnap married at Glossop Parish Church on 17 September 1793 they were both described as being of the parish of Glossop. They initially lived at Cowbrook, being recorded there in the parish register at the times of the baptisms of their daughter Betty and their son John. They subsequently moved to Crosscliffe (baptism records include Mary's maiden surname). On the occasion of Betty's baptism, William was described as a machine maker but the only other indication we have of his occupation is on the baptism of their son Robert when he was described as a filer (this could be a misspelling of filler – someone who filled cotton bobbins). There is no record of Mary's birth/baptism to be found but using her burial record (buried 9 June 1828 aged 53) she appears to have been born about 1775. A similar calculation for William (buried 17 October 1839, age 69 of Crosscliffe) gives a birth date of about 1770. The missing baptism record for Mary is probably due to the lost records from that period. That could, of course, also apply to William but could it be that William was the son of John Shepley and Betty Arundale (baptised 1767)? The proximity of Cowbrook to Woodcock Road suggests that possibility and there is no gap into which the birth of another William to a Crosscliffe Shepley family would fit. The children's names suggest that William was of the Old Glossop line. William Shepley and Mary Dewsnap had nine children:      Betty Shepley born 15 December 1793, baptised 12 January 1794 at Glossop parish church.      John Shepley born 6 November and baptised 6 December 1795 at Glossop parish church, buried 29 November 1826 at Glossop parish church, age 32.      James Shepley born 13 February and baptised 17 March 1799 at Glossop parish church, buried 13 July 1809 at Glossop parish church aged 10.      Sally Shepley born 30 November 1800, baptised 18 January 1801 at Glossop parish church, buried 20 November 1824 at Glossop parish church. She had a son:           Levi Shepley baptised 30 October 1822 at Glossop parish church, buried 23 March 1824 aged 1 at Glossop parish church.      Aaron Shepley born 30 September 1803, baptised 2 April 1804 at Glossop parish church.      William Shepley born 1 January 1808, baptised 18 May 1808 at Top Chapel. In baptism and burial records for his children he is described as of Crosscliffe, cotton rover & cotton twister. He married Betty Massey, born 27 August 1808, baptised 18 December 1808 at Glossop parish church (daughter of David Massey and Nancy Wooley of Whitfield) on 20 September 1830. Betty died aged 30 and was buried on 27 March 1839 at Glossop parish church. They had two daughters:           Mary Shepley baptised 6 November 1831 at Glossop parish church.           Sarah Shepley baptised 10 July 1836 at Glossop parish church, buried 4 March 1838 at Glossop parish church, aged 1¾ years.      James Shepley born 5 November 1809, baptised 1 March 1810 at Top Chapel.      Samuel Shepley born 28 November 1814, baptised 22 February 1815 at Littlemoor Chapel.      Robert Shepley baptised 3 September 1817 at Glossop parish church.

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Last updated: 30 July 2021