They had eleven children:

1. James: b 1820 d 1826
2. Lucy: b 1818 d 1903 marr Richard [Kent] Sergeant 1838: 11 children
3. Francis: b 1822 d 1872
4. Ellen: b 1822 d 1823
5. Henrietta: b 1823 d 1824
6. William: b 1825
7. Ellen: b 1828 d 1905 marr William Robert Mountcastle 1856: 4 children
8. James: b 1829 marr 1853 Eliza Bentley: 5 children
9. Sydenham [Sidenham] Walter: b 1831 d 1888 marr 1) Hannah Rogerson 1855 7 children, 2) Sarah Crawford 1869, 3) Mary Crawford 1871 1 son.
10. Eliza: b 1832
11. Charles: b 1833 d 1843
    

17^th Nov 1853 Moor Lane

Addressed to Mr W Hilton at Mrs Websters, Oxford Road, Manchester

My ever dear Uncle

Lucy Jane has received a letter from her Aunt Eliza this morning and we felt very sorry to hear that you felt yourself no better. I doubt not my dear Uncle but that all that can be done for you will be by earthly physicians. But I know you will bear with me, and that I am not taking too great a liberty with you, if I speak to you of Jesus Christ, the heavenly physician. My dearest Uncle, if all the efforts of others should prove ineffectual to the recovery of you body there is the soul, what has been done for that? The never dieing [sic] Soul!!!!! Who can heal that? Christ can heal it!!!

But my dearest Uncle you have to go to physicians or them come to you to heal the body!!

Yes! And you must go to Jesus Christ to heal the soul. You say! How can I go to him? Only by His Holy Spirit! Have you got it my dear Uncle? He the Holy Spirit is the only sure guide to Him (Christ). And the scriptures says “No man cometh unto the Father but by Him” (Christ) “And that he saves to the uttermost all that comes unto the Father by him and that he ever liveth to make intercession for those that love him” But if you have not that Holy Spirit? You must seek it by prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ and Christ will send him unto you. And Christ says of him (the Holy Spirit) but read for yourself the 16^th Chap. Gospel of John 7,8,9,10,11 to the 15^th verse it is grand! Indeed read 14 Chapt John 15^th 16 and 17 Chapt of John you will find them such a comfort to you, and there is no “comfort” like the Lord Jesus gives! For Job said “miserable comforters are ye all” speaking of men. But if you would read the whole of John (or I am sure there would not be a greater earthly pleasure you could give either Eliza or Ellen than to read to their Uncle!! ____________ Will you Uncle think of these things – God grant you may!

Remember dear Uncle “To Die is gain” says the scriptures “Will it be your gain? O! Yes! If through the Holy Spirit which he has promised to those that ask him you flee to Christ Then to Die will be certain gain. For only by and “through the blood of Christ can we be saved “and there is no other name given under heaven whereby man can be saved (but by the “Lord Jesus Christ”)

My dearest Uncle I must stop my pen if you take any pleasure or interest in what I have written if you would say to either of my sisters I am sure I shall be so happy to write or come to see you ______ Mr Sergeant is not well all the Mills and Coal pits have stopt in Wigan in consequence of the men wanting more wages. Mr S. will be a sufferer in consequence and these things work upon him so much that his head is very bad. I hope my Aunt and Cousins are well please to remember me kindly to them and now my dearest Uncle what more shall I say to you That God may bless keep and direct you into all truth

Pray your ever faithful and affect. Niece Lucy Sergeant

Please to read Ephesians – and Epistle to Colossians and Philippians

Note: Lucy nee Hilton, wife of Richard Kent Sergeant, is writing to her uncle William Hilton. Lucy Jane is Lucy and Richard’s daughter. William is staying at the house of his daughter Elizabeth who married Arthur Webster.

Note: In November 1853, a riot connected with strikes over poor wages occurred in Wigan. It was not the only serious outbreak in that town or elsewhere in Lancashire. These were troublesome times in the field of industrial relations, particularly in mining areas. At this time, Lancashire had the largest county force (509), and the Lancashire boroughs employed more than a quarter of the nation's policemen. Already Lancashire was described as a pioneer region for police work. The Illustrated London News carried a report about the riot lasting for four hours on a Friday (market day) evening: "The Mob held complete possession of the place ... The Chief Constable of the borough came up with his small force - six or seven - and endeavoured to persuade the mob to disperse quietly, but they, finding that the object of their displeasure had escaped, turned upon the police and began to pelt them with

oyster shells, macadam stones, etc. Finding the presence of the police only tended to excite the crowd the more, the Chief Constable marched his men off to the police office, amidst the cheers of the mob, who followed them...

16/7/1861

I James Hilton of Chorlton upon Medlock with the City of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Gentleman do revoke all testamentary dispositions heretofore made by me and declare this to be my last will I appoint the Reverend John Leighton Figgins of Harpurkey in the said County of Lancaster Clerk James Donnison of the said city of Manchester architect and John Connor Torkington of the same city warehouseman Trustees and Executors of this my will I give and bequeath to each of my children a legacy or sum of £19 19s to be paid to such child immediately after my decease I give and bequeath all the household goods and furniture plate linen china glass books prints pictures and engravings and also the carriage and carriage horses with the harness and accoutrements as belonging thereto and also all the wines liquors fuel consumable provisions and other household effects of which I shall die possessed unto my daughter Eliza Hilton absolutely I give devise and bequeath all the real and leasehold estates which I have or shall have any tight or power to dispose of by this my will I accept what I otherwise devise or dispose of by this my Will or any Codicil thereto unto and to the use of my said trustees the said John Leighton Figgins James Donnison and John Connor Torkington their heirs executors administrators and assigns according to the nature and tenure thereof respectively upon trust that they my said trustees or the survivors or survivors of them or the heirs and executors or administrators respectively of such survivors do and shall at such time or times afford my decease as they or he shall in their or his own absolute discretion think expedient absolutely sell and dispose of the said real and leasehold estates either together or in parcels and either by public auction or private contract for such price or prices as they or he shall think reasonable with power ton buy in the said estates or any part thereof at any auction and to rescind or vary any contract or contracts for the sale thereof or of any part thereof and to resell the property so bought in or as to which the Contract or Contracts may have been so rescinded without being liable for any loss of price upon such resale and also with power to insert any special or other stipulations in any contract for or conditions of sale either as to title or evidence of title or otherwise and also with power to enter into execute do and perform all such contracts agreements assurances and things as to my said trustees or the survivors or survivors of them or the heirs and executors or administrators respectively of such survivor shall seem meet and so and shall receive sales aforesaid upon the trusts and subject to the provisions hereinafter expressed and contained concerning the same I give and bequeath all the personal estate which I have or shall have any right or power to dispose of by this my will (except what O specifically bequeath or dispose of by this my will or any codicil thereto) unto my said trustees their executors administrators and assigns upon trust that they my said trustees or the survivors or survivors of them or their executors or administrators of such survivors do and shall at such times or times after my decease as they or he shall in their or his own absolute discretion think expedient call in sell dispose of and convert into money all such part of the said personal estate as shall not consist of ready money and do and shall stand possessed of the money thence to arise and of the ready money of which I shall die possessed upon the trusts and subject to the provisions hereinafter expressed and contained concerning the same and I hereby declare my will to be that my said trustees and their survivors and survivors of them and the heirs and executors or administrators respectively of such survivors shall stand possessed of the moneys to arise from the sales and conversions hereinbefore directed and of the ready money of which I shall die possessed (hereinafter called the said trust monies) upon trust that my said trustees or the survivors of them or the executors or administrators of such survivors (hereinafter called my said trustees or trustee) do and shall by and out of the said trust monies pay and discharge my funeral and testamentary expenses and debts and the costs to be incurred in or about the sales and conversions aforesaid or otherwise in or about the execution of the trusts aforesaid or otherwise in or about the sales and conversions aforesaid or otherwise in or about the execution of the trusts aforesaid or in relation thereto respectively and do and shall subject to the trust lastly hereinbefore expressed stand possessed of the said trust moneys upon the trusts and subject to the provisions hereinafter expressed and contained concerning the same that is to say as to one equal eighth part or share of the said trust monies hereinafter called the first one eighth share (the whole of the said trust monies into eight equal parts or shares being considered as divided) upon trust that my said trustees or trustee shall invest the said first one eighth share in their or his names or name in or upon any of the parliamentary stocks or public funds of Great Britain or as Interest upon Government or real or leasehold securities in the United Kingdom or in or upon the mortgages bonds debentures or other securities of any Railway Stock or other Company incorporated by Act of Parliament or Charter in the United Kingdom or of the Commissioners or Trustees for any public undertaking or undertakings who may be authorized by Act of Parliament to borrow money and shall be at liberty to make any such investments as aforesaid upon real or leasehold securities upon equal titles as my said trustees or trustee shall in each instance under the circumstances think fit to accept and be satisfied with and shall from time to time at their or his discretion vary the said stocks funds and securities into or for other stocks funds or securities of a like nature. And I declare that my said trustees or trustee shall stand possessed of the said first one eighth share and the stocks funds and securities wherein or whereupon the same shall for the time being be invested upon trust to pay the annual produce thereof to my daughter Lucy Sergeant the wife of Richard Sergeant of Everston near Liverpool in the said County of Lancaster Flour merchant for her separated and inalienable use during her life and after her decease as to the said first one eighth share and the stocks funds and securities wherein or whereupon the same shall for the time being be invested and the annual produce thereof thenceforth to arise upon trust for all or any one or more of the children or remoter issue of my said daughter Lucy Sergeant such remoter issue being born in her lifetime and at such times and in such manner in all respects as she shall at any time or times (whether married or not) by any deed revocable or irrevocable or by her will or any testamentary writing appoint and in default of appointment upon trust for and for the absolute benefit of the child if only one or all the children if more than one of my said daughter Lucy Sergeant who (either before or) after her deceased (being male) shall attain the age of twenty one years or die under that age leaving lawful issue or being female shall attain the age of twenty one years or marry and if more than one in equal shares but so that no child who or whose issue shall take under any appointment to be made as aforesaid shall be entitled to share in any unappointed part of the fund without bringing his or her appointed share or shares or the share or shares appointed to his or her issue or the value thereof into hotchpot and accounting for the same accordingly (unless the appointed shall declare a contrary intention in writing) and so far as no child or children or issue of my said daughter Lucy Sergeant shall become entitled under any such appointment as aforesaid or under the trust aforesaid upon trust for such person or persons as my said daughter Lucy Sergeant whether married or not shall by letter or codicil appoint and in default of appointment upon trust to transfer or divide the said first one eighth share under or by virtue of the last preceding trust shall be held by my said trustees or trustee as an addition or accretion to the original share of such daughter and upon the same trusts and subject to the like provisions in all respects as such original share and as to one other equal eighth part or shared of the said trust moneys. Upon trust tom pay the same to my son William Hilton his executors administrators or assigns as and for his and their own absolute property and as to one other equal eighth part or share of the said trust moneys upon trust to pay the same to my son Sydenham Hilton his executors administrator or assigns as and for his or their own absolute property and as to one other equal eighth part or share of the said trust moneys upon trust to pay the same to my son James Hilton his executors administrators or assigns as and for his or their own absolute property and as to one other equal eighth part or share of the said trust moneys hereinafter called the said sixth one eighth share upon trust that my said trustees or trustee shall invest the same in their or his names or name in or upon any of the stocks or securities hereinbefore authorized for investment and shall from time to time in such discretion as aforesaid vary the said stocks funds or securities into or for other stocks funds or securities of a like nature and I declare that my said trustees or trustee shall stand possessed of the said sixth one eighth share and the stocks funds or securities wherein or whereupon the same shall for the time being be invested upon trust to pay the annual produce thereof to my daughter Ellen Mountcastle the wife of William Robert Mountcastle of the City of Manchester aforesaid Hatter for her separate and inalienable use during her life and after her decease as to the said sixth one eighth share and the stocks funds or securities wherein or whereupon the same shall for the time being be invested and the annual produce thereof thenceforth to arise upon trust for all or any one or more of the children or remoter issue of my said daughter Ellen Mountcastle (such remoter issues being born in her lifetime) at such times and in such manner in all respects as she shall at any time of times (whether married or not) by any deed revocable or irrevocable or by her will or any testamentary writing appoint and in default of appointment upon trust for and for the absolute benefit of the children if only one or all the children if more than one of my said daughter Ellen Mountcastle who (either before or after here decease) being male shall attain the age of twenty on years or die under that age leaving lawful issue or being female shall attain the age of twenty one years or marry and if more than one in equal shares but so that no child who or whose issue shall take under any appointment to be made as aforesaid shall be entitled to share in any unappointed part of the fund without bringing his or her appointed share or shares of the appointed share or shares of his or her issue or the value thereof into hotchpot and accounting for the same accordingly (unless the appointed shall declare a contrary intention in writing) and so far as no child or children or issue of my said daughter Ellen Mountcastle shall become entitled under any such appointment as aforesaid or under the trusts aforesaid upon trust for such person or persons as my said daughter Ellen Mountcastle notwithstanding overturn [?] ….. (p6 follows)