Talk:Charles Swainson of Preston

Father John Swainson
There is evidence that the father of Charles and John Swainson (died 1867) was called John. The book about the Preston strike of the 1850s says not very much is known about the Preston cotton families.

A newspaper article from 1870 about Alderman Edmund Birley says that his mother was the eldest sister of Charles Swainson. His father was William Birley from Kirkham.

This book says William Birley of Kirkham married in 1804 Mary, daughter of John Swainson of Preston. So far so good. It also says Mary's mother was Susannah Inman, daughter of Charles Inman of Jamaica.

Now that looks very like Charles Inman of https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/2146644185, but there is always possible trouble with getting the right generation. Amongst other things. Given that that Charles Inman was a slave-trader, 19th century sources may not be forthcoming. Charles Matthews (talk) 16:36, 13 August 2022 (UTC)


 * The identification works, with the help of this monumental inscription. Charles Matthews (talk) 03:43, 14 August 2022 (UTC)

So this Manchester Grammar School ref suggests that John Swainson would be the son of Christopher Swainson as in Swainson, Christopher (1). Charles Matthews (talk) 16:52, 13 August 2022 (UTC)

William Birley and Hugh Hornby Birley
If the attack on the mill of Swainson & Birley was bound up with Hugh Hornby Birley and Peterloo, there was something to it. What I can make out is that William Birley was his first cousin: they were both grandsons of John Birley 1747-1831. Charles Matthews (talk) 06:46, 14 August 2022 (UTC)