William Fildes deserves more than history has so far allotted him. *
He was born in 1817 and died just two years later from injuries he sustained at Peterloo, when he was caught in the cavalry charge of the Manchester Yeomanry.
According to the witness account of his mother, Mrs. Ann Fildes, he fell from her arms when she was knocked down accidently by a sergeant-major, who was following the main body of horseman.
He died at ten that evening and was buried three days later in the New Jerusalem Temple on Bolton Street in Salford, in the shadow of Salford Railway Station, just beyond the New Bailey Prison.
The church opened in 1813 and was part of the “New Church Movement” deriving its teachings from the writings of the Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. Along with the Salford church there were also churches and schools on Peter Street, in Manchester and at the Round House, on Every Street, in Ancoats. **
The New Jerusalem Temple, closed in 1890s, and after a succession of industrial uses was demolished in the 1990s, and is now a cap park. “The initial removal of human remains from the surrounding graveyard in 1988 was followed by further excavations and re-burials at Agecroft between 2003 and 2007. Archaeologists estimate that there could be a further 6,000 burials remaining on the Bolton Street site”. **
So far, I have come across only one other reference to young William, and this comes from his baptismal record, dated September 23rd, 1817 just thirteen days after his birth. The service was conducted at the Cross-Street Chapel and the document offers up the names of his parents, and the occupation of his father. Charles Fildes and Ann Fray were married in St Mary in Prestwich, on December 5th, 1816, and both came from Whitefield.
And by 1819 they were in Manchester living at no. 23 Kennedy Street, which, then as now is a narrow street, which in the early 19th century consisting of rows of back to back houses, and closed courts.
We know that the family were still there in 1820, when Mr. Fildes is recorded as a waiter, but three years later he is the landlord of Haunch of Venison at 51 Dale Street.
But after that they are lost to us, although the 1841 census does turn up an Ann Fildes living in a closed court close to Redbank, with five children, the eldest of whom is 13 and the youngest five. It is a remote possibility given that she was 50, her youngest just 5 and that she would have had to be 16 when she married.
All of which leads to that obvious observation that tracking the families of those who were at Peterloo can be difficult, and some will question the validity of doing it in the first place.
But I disagree. For those that want, they can visit Kennedy Street, and the site of the New Jerusalem Temple, and with just a bit of imagination and empathy place themselves back beside the Filde family.
Added to which we can put Charles and Ann amongst those who stood to one side of the Church of England, first at the Cross Street Chapel, and later the New Jerusalem Temple, which in turn might suggest their politics.
And as you do, while following their trail I came across another Filde family, who were radical enough to have named one of their children, James Washington, another Henry Hunt, and yet another Thomas Paine.
Location; Manchester 1819
Pictures; Birmingham, 1983, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, Kennedy Street, and Bolton Street, Salford, 1844, from the OS of Manchester & Salford, 1844, courtesy of Digital Archives Association, http://www.digitalarchives.co.uk/
*Bush, Michael, The Casualties of Peterloo, 2005, page 94, Marlow, Joyce The Peterloo Massacre, 1969, page 150-1, Casualty and Witness Records, findmypast, www.findmypast.co.uk
** New Jerusalem Temple Burials at Agecroft, Agecroft Chapel Restoration Group, https://agecroftchapel.org/swedenborg-church-memorial/
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| Labour Party demonstration for Jobs, Birmingham, 1983 |
According to the witness account of his mother, Mrs. Ann Fildes, he fell from her arms when she was knocked down accidently by a sergeant-major, who was following the main body of horseman.
He died at ten that evening and was buried three days later in the New Jerusalem Temple on Bolton Street in Salford, in the shadow of Salford Railway Station, just beyond the New Bailey Prison.
 |
| New Jerusalem Temple, Salford, 1844 |
The New Jerusalem Temple, closed in 1890s, and after a succession of industrial uses was demolished in the 1990s, and is now a cap park. “The initial removal of human remains from the surrounding graveyard in 1988 was followed by further excavations and re-burials at Agecroft between 2003 and 2007. Archaeologists estimate that there could be a further 6,000 burials remaining on the Bolton Street site”. **
So far, I have come across only one other reference to young William, and this comes from his baptismal record, dated September 23rd, 1817 just thirteen days after his birth. The service was conducted at the Cross-Street Chapel and the document offers up the names of his parents, and the occupation of his father. Charles Fildes and Ann Fray were married in St Mary in Prestwich, on December 5th, 1816, and both came from Whitefield.
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| Kennedy Street, 1844 |
We know that the family were still there in 1820, when Mr. Fildes is recorded as a waiter, but three years later he is the landlord of Haunch of Venison at 51 Dale Street.
But after that they are lost to us, although the 1841 census does turn up an Ann Fildes living in a closed court close to Redbank, with five children, the eldest of whom is 13 and the youngest five. It is a remote possibility given that she was 50, her youngest just 5 and that she would have had to be 16 when she married.
All of which leads to that obvious observation that tracking the families of those who were at Peterloo can be difficult, and some will question the validity of doing it in the first place.
But I disagree. For those that want, they can visit Kennedy Street, and the site of the New Jerusalem Temple, and with just a bit of imagination and empathy place themselves back beside the Filde family.
 |
| Kennedy Street, 2017, but the opposite side and end to where the Filde's lived |
And as you do, while following their trail I came across another Filde family, who were radical enough to have named one of their children, James Washington, another Henry Hunt, and yet another Thomas Paine.
Location; Manchester 1819
Pictures; Birmingham, 1983, from the collection of Andrew Simpson, Kennedy Street, and Bolton Street, Salford, 1844, from the OS of Manchester & Salford, 1844, courtesy of Digital Archives Association, http://www.digitalarchives.co.uk/
*Bush, Michael, The Casualties of Peterloo, 2005, page 94, Marlow, Joyce The Peterloo Massacre, 1969, page 150-1, Casualty and Witness Records, findmypast, www.findmypast.co.uk
** New Jerusalem Temple Burials at Agecroft, Agecroft Chapel Restoration Group, https://agecroftchapel.org/swedenborg-church-memorial/
Interesting article my Nan was a Fildes, however towards the end you spell twice as Filde
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