Grandparents

Leigh’s paternal grandfather was James Halliday, born in Dunfermline about 1822. His wife, Rosamund Darlington Hales, was born in Wem, Shropshire, about 1828. In 1861 they lived at 16 Acker St, Chorlton-on-Medlock. By 1871 they had moved to 36 Acker St, and by 1881 to Broome House, Palatine Rd. By 1891 James was a widower and had moved to “Woodlawn”, Fielden Park. In 1861 James was a professional accountant and by 1891 he was a managing director of the Manchester and Liverpool District Banking Company, a forerunner of the NatWest. James and Rosamund had 10 children, Agnes, Sarah, John, Catherine, Jane, Henry Hales (Leigh’s father), William, Jessie, James and George, all born in Manchester between 1849 and 1868.

Parents

Henry Hales Halliday was born in Manchester on 17 December 1857, when the family lived at 39 Park St, Granby. He was baptised on 7 February 1858 at St Andrew’s Free Church, Manchester (non-conformist). In the 1881 census Henry was described as an accounts clerk. No occupation is recorded for him in 1891 but in 1901 he was a manufacturer of dyed and polished yarn (employer). By that stage he was married to Ada Elizabeth (born about 1870 in Middleton) and Leigh was 5 years old. They were living at 35 Bath Rd, Southport, and had one servant. Henry died in 1910, aged 52.

Leigh Hales

Leigh was born in Middleton about 1885. In the 1911 census, aged 15, he was boarding at the Vale Royal Hotel, Exeter Rd, Bournemouth, and described as a schoolboy. He later served with the 7th and 8th Battalions of the Northamptonshire Regiment and died on 31 July 1917, aged 22. The date is the start of the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, the opening attack of the Third Battle of Ypres, where the regiment is known to have fought. Leigh is commemorated on the Menin Gate, Panels 43 and 45.