Charles Allen Du Val

James Craig Norbury

James Craig Norbury was born in 1827 in Withington, Manchester.

In 1841 he was living with his parents Francis and Margaret Norbury and their other children in Oxford Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock in Manchester. By 1851 his father had died and he was working as a pattern card maker, living unmarried with his widowed mother and brother Mathew C. Norbury at 43 Sidney Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock. His mother was born in Scotland in about 1787 (1).

He married Susannah Anne Leason in 1852 at Chorlton, Manchester. She was born in 1824 in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

James Craig Norbury was a master engineer and printer of Withington, Manchester. His business was engraving, lithographic and letter press printing and pattern card making. He had been in partnership with Frederick Wilcock at 26 Faulkner Street in Manchester, but the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent on 31 August 1865, and James Craig Norbury then carried on the business alone (2).

The London Gazette 20 September 1864

By 1871 he was employing ten men and thirteen boys. The workforce had increased by 1881 to fourteen men and fourteen boys. His sons seem to have followed him into the business, William Leason Norbury being a warehouseman by 1871 and Francis James Norbury a clerk and lithographer. Ernest Henry Norbury was described as a Printers Book Keeper in 1881 and Allan Frederick Norbury as a Packers Cashier.

The eldest son William Leason Norbury evidently started his own packing business, and by 1881 was employing 21 men and seven boys.

In 1861 the family had been living at Park Field in Withington, but by 1871 had moved to 2 Burnage View in Withington. In 1881 they were at 178 Wilmslow Road in Withington.

By 1891 James Craig Norbury was a widower but still in business as a chrome lithographer, then living with his son Ernest Henry Norbury and his wife and family at 41 Palatine Road, Withington in Manchester. In 1901 he was still living there alone with a housekeeper and female servant, but still in business. He died in 1905.

James Craig Norbury and his wife Susannah Anne nee Leason had the following children, all born in Manchester:

William Leason Norbury. He was born in 1853. He married Sarah Eliza Heather at Chorlton in 1883, and died in 1931 at Bucklow in Cheshire aged 77 years.
Francis James Norbury. He was born in 1855. he married Amelia Bateman at Chorlton in 1882, and died in 1929 at Eastbourne in Sussex aged 74 years.
Ernest Henry Norbury. He was born in 1857 and died in 1935. He married Rosa Mary Louise Kipping.
Allan Frederick Norbury. He was born in 1857 and died in 1930. He married Helena Maud Kipping.

James Craig Norbury died in 1905 at Stockport in Cheshire aged 78 years.
His wife Susannah Anne Norbury had predeceased him in 1885 at Chorlton aged 61 years.

(1) Her maiden surname is unknown but was probably Craig.
(2) The London Gazette Issue 22895 dated 20 September 1864 page 4520.