Monday, January 19, 2026

The Taylor-Rothwell Family of Blackburn, Lancashire

The Taylor-Rothwell Family of Blackburn, Lancashire

The story of James Taylor and Alice Ann Rothwell is one of industrious lives, early love, and enduring legacy in the heart of Blackburn, Lancashire. Their journey, though marked by hardship, laid the foundation for generations to come.




James Taylor & Alice Ann Rothwell
James Taylor was born on 30 September 1845 in Blackburn, Lancashire, to John Taylor and Jane Whittle【James Taylor: 1,7】. Baptized at St. Mary the Virgin Church on 23 November 1845【James Taylor: 1】, James grew up in a working-class household and began his career as a cotton weaver before becoming a blacksmith’s striker and eventually a cabinet maker【James Taylor: 3,5,27】.

Alice Ann Rothwell was born on 11 November 1844 in Blackburn to Henry Rothwell and Alice Hacking【Alice Ann Rothwell: 1,4】. Baptized at Saint Mary’s Church on 23 February 1845【Alice Ann Rothwell: 3】, she worked as a throstle spinner and later as a cotton weaver’s wife【Alice Ann Rothwell: 5,10】.

The couple married on 28 June 1864 at Blackburn【Alice Ann Rothwell: 7】【James Taylor: 8】. Their union, though brief due to Alice’s untimely death at age 27 from uterine hemorrhage【Alice Ann Rothwell: 9】, produced three children who carried forward their legacy.

Children of James and Alice
1. Jane Taylor (1864–1941)
Born on 12 October 1864 in Blackburn【Alice Ann Rothwell: 10】【James Taylor: 12】, Jane was just seven when her mother passed away. She later married Christopher Place on 6 May 1883【James Taylor: 33】. Jane lived through the industrial boom of Blackburn and raised her own family amidst the changing tides of Victorian England.

2. Mary Alice Taylor (1867–1938)
Mary Alice was born on 7 January 1867【Alice Ann Rothwell: 11】【James Taylor: 13】. Baptized in Blackburn【James Taylor: 14】, she married Thomas Lee on 8 August 1891 at St. Michael and All Angels Church【Alice Ann Rothwell: 15】【James Taylor: 16】. Her life spanned the transition from Victorian to modern Britain, and she remained in Blackburn until her death in 1938【James Taylor: 20】.

3. William Charles Taylor (1870–1946)
The youngest, William Charles, was born on 15 September 1870【Alice Ann Rothwell: 21】【James Taylor: 22】. Baptized at St. Mary the Virgin Church【James Taylor: 23】, he lived a long and varied life. From working as a cotton spinner and coal miner to becoming a chip fryer and timber yard laborer, William embodied the resilience of the working class. He married Elizabeth Ann Briggs on 24 December 1898【James Taylor: 25】 and died in Blackburn in 1946【James Taylor: 30】.

Legacy and Later Years
Alice Ann Rothwell passed away on 8 March 1872【Alice Ann Rothwell: 9】【James Taylor: 32】. James remarried Hannah Holden in 1876【James Taylor: 9】 and continued working until his death from heart disease on 17 April 1893【James Taylor: 10】.

Their children remained rooted in Blackburn, contributing to its industrial and social fabric. The Taylor-Rothwell lineage is a testament to perseverance, family bonds, and the enduring spirit of Lancashire’s working class.

Source Citations
  • Birth, marriage, and death certificates from the General Register Office, Southport【Alice Ann Rothwell: 1,7,9,10,11,21】【James Taylor: 1,7,8,9,10,12,13,22,25,30】
  • Census records from 1851 to 1921【Alice Ann Rothwell: 4,5,6】【James Taylor: 2,3,4,5,11】【William Charles Taylor: 3,4,7,8,9,10】
  • Baptism records from St. Mary the Virgin and other Blackburn churches【Alice Ann Rothwell: 3】【James Taylor: 1,23】【William Charles Taylor: 6】
  • Marriage records from Church of England parishes【Alice Ann Rothwell: 15】【James Taylor: 16,33】【William Charles Taylor: 2】

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