Edmund Buckley , of Mossley. In Pigot's, 1834, Mossley, Rochdale, Lancs. was described: "MOSSLEY, is a populous village, locally situate partly in the chapelry of Saddleworth in the parish of Rochdale, and partly in the division of Hartshead, parish of Ashton under Lyne, county of Lancaster, 3 miles n.e. of Ashton, and 2 s. from Upper Mill, in Saddleworth. It is a place of some consequence in the scale of manufacturing villages, partaking both of the cotton and woollen trades, having some extensive establishments in both branches. The new road between Manchester and Huddersfield, through Greenfield and Meltham, passes a little below the village, as does the Huddersfield canal, and there is a good inn (the Bull's Head) in the village. The places of worship are a chapel of ease (subject to Ashton) dedicated to St. George, and two chapels for Wesleyan methodists. The living of Mossley is a perpetual curacy, in the gift of the rector of Ashton ; the present curate is the Rev. John Hextal. There are two fairs held here -- one on the 21st June, the other on the last Monday in October. Population returned with Hartshead district, in Ashton parish. Please note that the 1834 Directory for Upper Mill is included with Saddleworth." Is this he? Edmund Buckley prospered. Not only had he purchased Pikelow but he had also purchased a farm at Gatehead in Saddleworth, which he bequeathed to his youngest son, Robert, along with the sum of ?26.13.4 and "a Dying Load, that pair of Looms which he or his man usually weaves on, and all other materials belonging to the Woollen trade except one pair of Looms which I give to his brother, James." Also "all the Loose Boards at Gatehead, a Hurrey Stead, three Ladders, all the Loose Boards that are in the Lower Boakes at Lydiate, all the poules that I bought at Marsden and all the bookes in the Closet at Lydiate with the use of the same Closet for seven years after my death. Borks or Boakes is a term still used today to describe a section in a Barn or Shippon. The reference to his books is an interesting pointer to the educational standard of the family and suggests that Robert was more scholarly than his brothers. The eldest son, John, was left an estate at Brownhill. James, who was unmarried, died intestate in 1729 and his estate at Lydiate reverted to his elder brother, John. Robert died in 1753 leaving an only daughter, Ann, who died in 1760. Most of Edmund?s estate, therefore, returned to the eldest son and his heirs.
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