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FLAILCROFT

TODMORDEN EDGE

   
This is a splendid house located at the end of a track at Edge End in Todmorden. It is an ancient farm, once a Quaker stronghold. It overlooks the countryside on the opposite side of the Burnley valley and boasts magnificent views.
   
The early occupiers were clothiers - men who combined the rigors of small time hill farming with buying bulk loads of wool for preparing, spinning and weaving at home. Many of them subcontracted to other farmers, paying them by the number of finished pieces they returned ready for market.
   
Flailcroft was a small house, with two rooms downstairs and two upstairs and a long corridor running the length of the house leading to a kitchen and other service rooms. The entrance was through a porch in the gable end, leading straight in to the living area, and was typical of these early homes.
   
One early resident was Samuel Fielden with his wife Elizabeth. They were Quakers who moved there about 1707 from Todmorden Hall, which was owned by Samuel's brother John. Samuel and John had a successful clothier business at Todmorden Hall. Their stories can be read through the link below.
   

Samuel's second son, Joshua, was born at Flailcroft in 1708. Samuel and Elizabeth remained at Flailcroft until about 1714 at which time they moved a short distance to Edge End Farm. The farm was taken over by a William Sutcliffe.

In 1891 and 1901, Samuel Uttley and his family were farming at Flailcroft. Samuel's wife was Elizabeth Ellen Mainwaring.

   

The Uttley family, captured on camera outside their home at Flailcroft around the early 1900's. Pictured on the right (as you look) is Emma Mainwaring who was Elizabeth's mother. Presumably the people also in the photograph are Samuel Uttley and his family, but it isn't certain and any help with identification would be welcome. It is interesting to see the tree, which was still there 100 years later (see above photo)

photo kindly sent in by a Mainwaring descendent

Elizabeth Laidlaw

   

FLAILCROFT LINKS

 

COMPLETE CENSUS TRANSCRIPTION FOR FLAILCROFT 1841 TO 1901

 

THE QUAKER FIELDENS

 

COTTAGE INDUSTRY IN TODMORDEN

 

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