When I first read about the bad-tempered old John Broadley the colour-mixer, who did his best to make John Mercer's life a misery, I wondered if I might make some excuse for John Broadley on the grounds of  personal tragedy: losing his mother, Elizabeth and siblings, except Ann, by the age of 14 and six of his own children dying young. But really, he was luckier than John Mercer in that his father, Thomas, survived, remarried and provided him with stepsiblings, to whom he was close. No, I think he was so angry because he wanted the position for his son, John, born 1797 in Canal Row, Clayton le Moors.

So John junior became a colour mixer and seems to have made a good living from it. He married Emily (Amelia) Thompson on the first of February 1830 at Altham, but from his age it is likely he married earlier and lost his first family. When John senior died in 1820 he left the house in Canal Row to provide an income for his wife, Ellen, and then to be divided between his four surviving children. Ellen died in 1826, about the same time as her eldest son, Thomas. In 1841 John was living in Ringstonehalgh with Amelia, John 10 Richard 8 William 5 Ellen 2 Edward 1 and Anastasia, Emily's mother. Sadly Anastasia died in 1845 aged 80 and in 1846, Richard, 12. They were buried at St Mary's, Enfield in Bell Lane, which replaced Dunkenhalgh Chapel where John was baptized. Ten years later Amelia and the four youngest children were still in Ringstonehalgh near her brother in law William Broadley, but where were the two Johns?

For a while, I thought there were problems in the marriage because in 1861 John is again absent, lodging with his youngest son, Edward in Blatchinworth, near Rochdale and since Emily died in 1862, she was probably not well in 1861. Now, I think John was advancing his son's career in some way. It seems the eldest son, John, was a bright lad. In his father's will, he is named as "chemist of Calderdale" but on censuses and directories he appears as the manager of Stansfield printing works and raised a large family with his wife Rebecca Chidlow in Stansfield House. The second son, William, became an engraver in the printing works and also raised a large family in Blatchinworth with his wife Mary Metcalfe. The younger sons, James and Edward, followed to seek their fortune, but became ill. Edward died in 1872 and is buried at St Mary's, Enfield. James seems to have been ill for a long time, still unemployed in 1881, but he married Mary Gerrard and they had four children.

John's will shows his love and care for his family. The original will leaves money to Eliza Chatburn, who was caring for his wife while he was away. Also there is no mention in the will of daughter Ellen, last seen in 1861, lodging as a teacher with the Chatburn family in Great Harwood, so perhaps she died there. He also leaves money to his sister Mary Kenyon, who looked after him in his old age. The residue goes to the four sons, but this is superseded by a long codicil, mentioning Edward's death and changing the bequest to James from an outright gift to a trust fund, which would give him a regular income. The will was listed at under £5,000. The executors were both John Broadley, one the eldest son, the other John Broadley, postmaster and printer of 35, Enfield St, Clayton le Moors. The Rochdale Broadleys flourished and spread in their turn, moving to Stockport and Worcestershire, where I found one with a wife described as "tramp mistress". (He was a workhouse master).

Marie Ball