Rogerstead was an estate in Heaton, near Bolton.  It was held in 1491 by Roger de Walmersley, and descended by 1591 to Roger 'Walmesley.  In 1726 it was sold by Roger Walmsley of Bolton to Pierce Starkie of Huntroyde. (From: 'Townships: Heaton', A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 5 (1911), pp. 9-12).  Between 1841 and 1861, Rogerstead was occupied by the Tong family.  To follow is a summary of the documents relating to the family and the estate.

• Possible marriage at St. Mary, Prestwich of Peter Tong of Outwood and Catherine Lomas of Outwood, m. 13th Feb 1820

• 1821 - Peter & Catherine's first child, Mary,  baptised at Deane

• 1826 Survey of Great Bolton Landowners; Peter occupies land on Pikes Lane, owned by Thomas Lomax.  Also listed is a John Tong, also an occupier of land on Pikes Lane, owned by William Balshaw, Edward Gibbon and the Earl of Bradford.

• 1831 Census - Peter Tong listed at "Pikes Field No. 2"

• 1832 Voters List - John Tong of Pikes Lane "grandfather of councillor Tong" - possible relative?

• 1838 Bolton Chronicle -  FREEHOLD FARM, situate in Pike's Lane, Great Bolton, (on the Southerly side of the Bolton and Wigan Road), consisting of a Farm House, Cottage, Outbuildings, and three closes of Land, containing 7A. 1R. 36P statute measure, and in the several occupations of Peter Tong and Adam Riley - sold by Hampson Lomax.

• 1841 Census Peter Tong, farmer, and his family  were resident at the Rogerstead.

• 1842 Conveyance:  Peter Tong & wife Catherine (nee Lomax) mentioned in conveyance of property of the Lomax family.

• 1851 Census Peter Tong recorded as a farmer of 29 acres, employing 4 labourers.

• 1861 Census Peter Tong is still at Rogerstead, now recorded as a farmer of 64 acres.

• 1869 Peter Tong dies and leaves a will

• 1871 Thomas & Catherine Woods are at Rogerstead (Catherine is the daughter of Peter and Catherine Tong)

• 1876 Rogerstead purchased by Bolton Corporation for use as a cemetery.

Peter Tong of Rogerstead

c1797 - 1869

Portrait in possession of Frank Hartley

WILLIAM TONG & SONS LTD

Diamond Brewery, Deane Road, Bolton, Greater Manchester

History: William Tong founded the Diamond Brewery, Pikes Lane, Bolton, Greater Manchester, in about 1820.  The business traded as William Tong & Sons from 1877 and moved to Bridge Street in 1894/5 and to Deane Road in 1902.  Wililam Tong & Sons Ltd was registered in 1897 as a limited liability company to acquire the business and 66 licensed houses.  The company, along with 23 licensed houses, was taken over in 1923 by Peter Walker (Warrington) & Robert Cain & Sons Ltd, Warrington, Cheshire.  The Diamond Brewery ceased to brew in 1940.

Records at Tetley Walker Ltd, PO Box 126, 105 Duke Street, Liverpool L69 1BZ

The Brewing Industry - A Guide to Historical Records, edited by Lesley Richmond and Alison Turton, Manchester University Press, 1990, Page 334

Left: Thomas Barlow Tong's link on the Mayor of Bolton's Chain of Office

• Mayor of Bolton: 1906-08 (Conservative)
• Born: Bolton 1850
• Died: Bolton 30 June 1917
• Brewer and wine and spirits merchant.
• He operated the Diamond Brewery, Deane though his business and address premises were in Mealhouse Lane
• His father, William Tong, ran the Farmers Arms on Pikes Lane - now Deane Road - Bolton.
• Uncle of Walter Wharton Tong, Mayor of Bolton 1940-41.
• The Bolton Evening News of 9 November 1906 reported that a breezy discussion took place in the Council chamber with regard to the election of a new Mayor. Strong opposition was made to the fact that he made his living as a brewer, but eventually he was elected.
• Magistrate. One of his first appearances on the Bench was when 2 men appeared before him on a charge of drunkenness. He informed them that if they could not drink without excess they should give it up altogether.
• New cotton mills were still being built in Bolton during his Mayoralty and on 28 June 1907 he cut the first sod of the new mill on Deane Road, later called the Croal Mill.
• He also cut the first sod at Delph Reservoir on 4 June 1908.
• His wife, Annie, was Mayoress.
• Annie was the daughter of Alderman Henry Greenwood who kept the Lower Nag's Head on Deansgate in Bolton and she herself ran the Victoria Hotel in Hotel Street for a while.

Left:  Walter Wharton Tong's link on the Mayor of Bolton's Chain of Office

• Mayor of Bolton: 1940-41 (Conservative)
• Born: Bolton 26 February 1890
• Died: Greenleaves, Chapeltown Road, Bromley Cross, Bolton May 1978
• Educated: Miss Aughton's Private School, Bolton; Bolton School; Giggleswick School, Settle; Manchester School of Technology; Manchester University
• Brewer - he entered the family brewing firm of William Tong & Sons Ltd in 1910. Later worked as Bolton area manager for Walkers Brewery of Liverpool.
• Became a Bachelor of Technical Science 1910 and completed his Master's degree in 1911.
• He was the nephew of Thomas Barlow Tong, Mayor of Bolton 1906-08.
• Represented Deane-cum-Lostock from 1925. Alderman 1941.
• Bolton's Warship Week appeal in November 1941 raised £1,191,154 to purchase the hull of the light cruiser HMS Dido which was adopted by the town.
• Leader of Conservative group 1942-52. Retired from the Council in 1952 on losing his Aldermanic seat.
• President of Bolton West Conservative Association.
• Stood unsuccessfully as the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Bolton West in 1950.
• Elected Chairman of Bolton Little Theatre 1953.
• He was knighted for political and public services in Bolton on 11 February 1955.
• President of Bolton Trustee Savings Bank 1965-70 and a Trustee for over 30 years.
• His wife, the Mayoress, Annie Glaister of Breightmet Hall, was the granddaughter of Thomas Glaister, Mayor of Bolton 1881-82 and sister of Thomas Glaister, Mayor of Bolton 1949-50.

BETSEY

THE BELOVED WIFE OF

WILLIAM TONG

WHO DIED MAY 22ND 1884

AGED 61 YEARS

ALSO THE ABOVE

WILLIAM TONG

WHO DIED MAY 27TH 1891

AGED 66 YEARS

Also, Alderman Thomas Barlow Tong

son of the above

who died June 30th 1917 in his 68th year

Mayor of Bolton 1906 to 1908

Also Annie

beloved wife of the above

who died July 27th

1919 in her 54th year

William

the beloved husband of

Bertha Tong

who died june 20th 1918

aged 57 years

"lead kindly light"

also the above

Bertha Tong

who died sept 7th 1934

"abide with me"

Betsey Hughes

daughter of William and Betsey Tong

who died May 14th 1924 in her 68th year

also

Thomas Victor

son of the above

& beloved husband of

Emma J. Hughes

Who died April 29th 1934

In his 47th year

James Marsh,

Born Feb 1st 1885, Died July 16th 1888

James William Hughes,

Born 3rd May 1889, Died 17th Sept 1899

William Tong Marsh,

Born Jan 1st 1889, Died Nov 7th 1894

Peter Tong,

who died March 10th 1925

Aged 78 years

and Alice

his beloved wife

who died

Jan 11th 1922

Aged 75 years

also Coningsby James Tong

who died Jan 19th 1965, aged 83 years

also Janie Elizabeth Tong,

who died Feb 4th 1974 aged 87 years

Their beloved daughter

Alice Isabell Miles-Marsh

Who died May 12th 2006

Aged 81 years

Percival Joshua Marsh

of Deane

Born Sept 6th 1856

Died May 16th 1897

Also Elizabeth

his beloved wife

who died Oct 6th 1930

Aged 73 years

Elise Scholes

their beloved daughter

1891 - 1971