Widnes

From Michael A Parle, Widnes, Cheshire

Stephen Parle

Stephen Parle probably arrived in England about the middle of the 19th century. He worked in Runcorn, Cheshire in a chemical works and married a lady named Ann Sillett. They lived in Salkeld's Square, Runcorn and had four children, one of whom Mary died in infancy. The other three children were named Anne, Rose and John. A rather sad note is that when Stephen's wife died, he decided on the day of the funeral to leave the family and (it is assumed) went back to Ireland. Anne, Rose and John were placed in Dutton Workhouse.

Widnes

John decided at the age of eleven to run away. He made his way to Widnes and began work at Muspratt Works. He eventually worked for 48 years as a boiler fireman before retiring when ICI amalgamated all of the chemical works in the Widnes and Runcorn area. John married Mary McCarthy and had four children, named John, Stephen, Frank and Alice. John married Anne Fitzharris and they had five children: James, Anne, John, Frank and Mary. John and Frank died on the battlefields of northern France during World War One. Frank married Winifred Reid, and have six sons: John, Terrance, Stephen, Anthony, Simon and Francis.  John married Clare Walsh and they have five children: Michael, Brian, Francis, Marie and John.

 

From Michael A Parle, Widnes, Cheshire

Stephen Parle is my great great grandfather, and that is as far back as we can go with our family history.

Two accounts of how he came to live in Runcorn:

(Geographical note: Runcorn and Widnes are towns on opposite banks of the River Mersey, Widnes on the north bank and Runcorn on the south.  They are about 12 miles up river from the Port of Liverpool.)

1.    Stephen Parle come over from Ireland in about 1838 and worked in the slate quarries at Blaenau Ffestiniog.  He married a Welsh Baptist lady named Caton.  This is an account given by Anne Thompson, my father's sister.

2.    Stephen Parle was born around 1835, came to England some time before 1860, and married Anne Sillet.  My great grandfather's birth certificate shows that he (John) was born on 12th February 1865 at the family home in Salkeld's Square, Runcorn.  His father's surname is spelt 'Parl' and his mother's maiden name is Sillet.  Stephen's occupation is Chemical Works Labourer.  There were four children: Mary, who was born in Runcorn in 1860 and died very young, and Anne, Rose and John. When Stephen's wife Anne died he left Runcorn and never returned.  The abandoned children were put in Dutton Workhouse.  At the age of 12 or 13, John ran away from the workhouse and came to Widnes, were he got a job as 'can lad' to the boiler firemen in Muspratt Works (part of United Alkali Combine)

Should you like a copy of the ‘Family and Descendants of Stephen Parl’, or if you have any information about Stephen Parle (or Parl) that might link with either of the above, please contact me at .

 

 

Website by Michael A Parle

This page last changed on 04 March 2019