John Bolsover (1813-1889), Fustian Merchant

John Bolsover, the fustian merchant, was my g-g-grandfather.

John was born in Hope Derbyshire in about 1813, first child (of 10) of John and Sarah Bolsover.

At some point, John was attracted by opportunities in the cotton industry so he moved to Manchester where he worked as a Warehouseman.

He married Susannah Swan who was born in Wilmslow and they had eight children.

He eventually became successful as a manufacturer of cotton and fustian, a John lived and worked in several places in Manchester - Fountain Street and Greenheys in central Manchester, and Renshaw St Hulme. He owned several properties in Manchester including, it is said, every house on Percival Street. (Percival Street is now part of the University Campus).

He was a friend of John Rylands who re-wrote the Bible into everyday English. (A relative has a copy of the Bible dated March 1869 given to John and signed by John Rylands).

Sometime between 1861 and 1871 John bought Stannylands Farm (70 acres) by Wilmslow where he lived with his wife, children and grandchildren. Stannylands is now a hotel. It is said that Ringway airport was built - in part - on land purchased from John Bolsover's estate.

When John died in 1889 he left a very complicated will - a trust for his very scattered family. By the 1940s this was worth peanuts and it was wound up.