52 residents #12 Popular

The previously mentioned Charles Patrick and his wife, Mary Ann Ashworth, appear to have been popular local residents. They were undoubtedly influential, between them owning a fair amount of the local land and being landlords to a considerable proportion of the local population. I'm sure there were issues between landlords and tenancy, but their support of the tenants ranged from a free dinner at the Red Lion to celebrate their marriage to waiving the rent during the Cotton Famine when many of their tenants would have limited income.

They were philanthropic on the wider scale too, endowing the school, church and parsonage at Edgeside, which is now St Annes. There is a commemorative window in the north wall of the church.

Newspapers indicate that Patrick was active in the wider social scene in a bit of a devil-may-care manner. He was not above hunting on land against the landowner's wishes then claiming that it didn't matter as he had paid for any repairs. He may also have exaggerated the extent of his army service. His obituary however paints a picture of a warm and engaging man, albeit one who wouldn't suffer fools well.

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