Hi Ann,
Unless it was a really well to do family, and they kept extremely accurate records and they have survived. I'm afraid that may be your only chance.
Do you know who your grandmothers parents were by any chance.
What was the approximate year of her birth.
I have found an entry for a Martha Thornley aged 7. in Leigh.
Parents are John and Margaret.
Steve.
hello steve thaks for your reply
my grandmothers ,parents were john thornley and margaret .margarets maiden name was lee,they did live in brigdewater st .leigh her birth year was march 1894 there was quite a large family ,i do have the 1901 cenus &1911
her father was born in westhoughton lancashire around 1860 and her mother was born in hindley nr. leigh around 1858 .they were married at st. thomas beford church chapel street leigh around 1882 .
my mother always told me that my grand mother work for the marsh family of leigh ,.and i had alook at the 1911 census and her occupation was a .
domestic servant.
The marsh family go back along way in leigh and they a have quite a history
the MARSH FAMILY go back as far as 1700s as the home was westleigh hall
and they help funding for the local hospital and the local libary and leigh gymnasium,and the swimming baths they donated thousands of pounds to leigh council back in 1921,the westleigh hall was demolished i think around 1931 and they went live in high peak kenyon near leigh ,so when the house was demolished miss mary matida susan marsh left the grounds to the people of leigh and it became playing feilds and still is .
and she also donated funds for elderly of leigh so they were awell to family of leigh i recently went to the local libary and obtained acopy of the obituary write up at time of miss marshes passing that was in leigh chronical 2nd jan 1948. mary matida marsh was the last member of the marsh family
thank you for your help i hope this story is not to long
best wishes and kind regards ann