JOHN LORD
Mayor of Wigan 1831, 1840-41, 1843
b 1796, Wigan
Parents; John Lord and Mary Lord (Nee Alker)
M: Ann Pickup
Children: John Pickup Lord (1821)
D January 1890 at his residence in Houghton Street, Southport
John Lord was born in Wigan on 2nd January 1796. He was baptised at All Saints Church, Wigan on 19th February 1796. His baptismal record shows he was the son of John Lord of King Street, a Sheriffs Officer and Mary Lord, daughter of James and Ellen Alker.
According to the 1851 census he had a sister Mary born in 1805.
He married Ann Pickup, born in Blackburn c1801, on 18th January 180 at St Mary the Virgin in Blackburn. They had a son, John Pickup Lord, born 8th February 1821 and baptised at All Saints church, Wigan.
Directories for the Wigan area show that John Lord was an attorney.
1828-29 John Lord attorney, Legs of Man Yard, Wigan
1838, 1841, 1843, 1844 show John Lord of Ince Hall, business address King Street, Wigan (Lord and Ackersley Attorney)
1848 John Lord, magistrate living at Standish Hall. Business address King Street, Wigan.
Mr Lord was a leading member of the Conservative party in Wigan and is mentioned in the Poll Books of the time. The Poll Book of 1845, shows John Lord seconded the proposal of James Lindsay as the conservative candidate in that election. The Poll Book also shows that John Lord also voted for James Lindsay.
A document relating to a court case of 23rd February 1846 details a deed, drawn up in 1838, made between John Lord, his son John Pickup Lord and his son’s father in law James Pickup. The deed granted John Pickup Lord and James Pickup a yearly rent charge of £5. This then entitled them both to voting rights. The court established that the deed had been kept in John Lord’s safe and that John Pickup Lord and James Pickup had not been present when the deed was drawn up. The court decided that the votes would not be given on the grounds of fraud.
The 1841 census shows Ann Lord living at Ince Hall. The 1851 census shows John his wife Ann, son, John Pickup and his sister, Mary living at Standish Hall. John is recorded as an attorney at law and his son as a gentleman. In 1861 the family are living at Elmley Park (castle) in Worcestershire. John’s occupation is a landed proprietor of coal mines. His son’s occupation is a landed proprietor and Capt in 5th Royal Lancaster Militia.
John Lord died on 15th November 1863. According to probate records his effects were under £80,000 granted to his only child, John Pickup Lord of Hallow Park in Hallow.
The Wigan Observer of Friday 20th November 1863 included the following Obituary:-
Death of John Lord, Esq – Our obituary of this morning records the death of John lord, Esq., for many years one of the leading residents of this town. His decease took place early on Sunday last, at his residence, Elmley Park, Pershore, Worcestershire, and the melancholy tidings, telegraphed at once to Wigan, greatly shocked his many friends. We learn that he had been in excellent health of late years, but on Sunday, whilst speaking to his grandchild, he ruptured a blood vessel near the heart and died almost immediately. He was not at the time undergoing any exertion whatever to account for this sad event, the suddenness of which was truly startling. The deceased gentleman was 67 years of age. Mr Lord at one time occupied a very prominent position in Wigan. He was the acknowledged leader of the Conservative Party for many years, and discharged the onerous duties of the office with credit to himself and satisfaction to his friends. He filled the chief magistrates’ chair no less than seven times, twice before the Municipal Act came into operation, in 1831 and 1834, and five times subsequently, in the years 1840, 1841, 1843, 1846 and 1847. A few years ago he retired from public life in this district, and, giving up his residence at Standish Hall, went to live at Elmley Park, Pershore, Worcestershire, where he expired as above stated. His remain will be interred in the burial ground attached to the Parish church on Saturday (tomorrow).
There are further documents and deeds relating to his son John Pickup Lord held in the Worcester Archives.
Ann Wilson Volunteer