TONGE

Email: stephen.tonge@tongefamily.info

Web Site: http://www.tongefamily.info

 


Samuel Tong of the Raikes, Great Lever (c1734 - 1782)


Samuel Tong of Raikes - Family Tree

Samuel Tong was buried at Ainsworth Unitarian in 1782.


1761 Signatures of Samuel Tong & Thomas Tonge

Signatures from 1761 marriage entry of Samuel Tong & Margaret Brooks at Bolton-le-Moors

Samuel Tong and Thos Tonge Signuatres 1761

Where was / is Raikes?

Raikes was a farm in Great Lever. The area is now best known as the site of Bolton's main tip and waste incinerator.  The farm buildings no longer exist.  Comparing old maps with more recent ones, I think the building was roughly where the industial unit and yard of Red Rose Pallet & Case Ltd is now situated (where you can see the pallets stacked high as you come off St. Peter's Way for Raikes Lane).  It's about 200 meters from the River Croal, which forms the border between Great Lever and Darcy Lever.

Map of Part of Great Lever showing Raikes

Great Lever Land Tax Assessments


YearProprietorOccupierSum Assessed
1780Mr. William CarlisleSamuel Tongue£0 17s 9½d
Mr. Ellis CromptonJames Tongue£0 16s 5½d
1782Henry BridgemanWiddow Tonge£0 17s 9½d
Duke BridgewaterJames Tonge£0 16s 5½d
1783William CarlisleMarget Tonge£0 17s 9½d
Duke Bridgewater(himself) [sic]£0 16s 5½d
1786John Horridge£0 19s 10d

There are no members of the Tonge family recorded after 1783.  The Horridges are recorded from 1786 through to 1807 (not checked the records after this date).  James Horridge was recorded between 1792 and 1796, although the rates paid didn't match with the rates paid by Samuel or James Tongue,  so we can't be sure it's the same property.  In 1794, Rakes is specifically named, with no proprietor or occcupier at £0 19s 8d.  From 1797 through to 1808 John Horridge is recorded paying £1 1s 5d, and is described as both collier and farmer.

We also find other records of the Horridge family at Raikes,  In 1802 John Horridge was recorded in "The Repertory of Arts, Manufactures, and Agriculture"  (p258. Wyatt 1802.).   John Horridge, a widower, of Bolton-le-Moors,  married Ann Gardner of the parish of Gatstang, at Garstang in 1791.   Their son, Thomas Gardner Horridge (c1798 - 1872) can be found living at Raikes on the census between 1851 and 1871.  He is described as, a master bleacher, employing  between 60 and 100 adults and children.  Horridge & Co of Raikes Bleach Works can be found in the trade directory of 1891.

Linking Samuel Tong of Raikes to the John Tong of Darcy Lever

  1. James Tonge of Darcy Lever died in 1839 at Mop Lane, and was likely the son of John and Elizabeth Tonge of Darcy Lever, who was baptised in 1774 at Ainsworth Unitarian.  Henry Tongue is listed on his death certificate as being present at the death at Mop Lane.  Maybe this was the Harry Tong, son of Samuel and Margaret baptised in 1766 - I have found no other family members called Harry or Henry.
  2. Samuel and Margaret Tong were buried at Ainworth Unitarian, where John and Elizabeth Tong were also buried, although there is no grave stone for Samuel and Margaret.
  3. The Thomas Tong recorded as a witness to Samuel's marriage in 1761 was possibly the same Thomas recorded on the admon of Samuel Tong of Darcy Lever in 1761, the son of Samuel & Esther Tong.  This is possilbly also the same Thomas Tonge recorded on the monumental inscription in Ainsworth Unitarian "James, the son of Thomas & Alice Tonge of Darcy Lever" in 1761, grave number 223.  John and Elizabeth Tong's grave is number 219, so in close proximity.


Little Lever Land Tax Assessments

There are no members of the Tonge family recorded in the Little Lever Land Tax Assessments between 1780 - 1809