Samuel Hadfield (4 Jun 1825-23 Jul 1901) was born to John Hadfield and Betty Robinson who were married at Manchester Cathedral on the 9 Jun 1823. He was born in a cottage on Old Broom Lane, Haughton, and he was resident there all his life. He married Susannah Cheetham at Christ Church, Denton, on the 14 Jan 1854 and this was the first ever celebrated at this church. The couple had three children, all born at their cottage, William Greswell (1856), Edward Greswell (1857) and Jane (1860).
At first he worked as a weaver at Kingston Mill, Hyde, but afterwards he went into the hatting industry at Denton. From an early age he took an interest in local history and wrote accounts of Denton hatting folk and of the Denton and Haughton Volunteers. He is probably best known for the assistance he gave to the Revd John Booker when he was writing his book, ‘A History of the Ancient Chapel of Denton’.
Corps of Denton & Haughton Volunteers
This corps was raised in 1803 when England was threatened with invasion during the Napoleonic Wars and about 60 men were mustered. One of the most prominent founders of the corps was the Revd William Parr Greswell.
The corps drilled on a plot of land near Crown Point and on Harrison’s Field at Chapel Green. Their uniforms were; red tunics, faced with blue, and black breeches and leggings. Known volunteers are:
OfficersNCOsJohn Peacock, Captain William Cooke, Fugleman* John Cooke, Lieutenant Abraham Brierley, Fifer** George Bowler, Lieutenant Samuel Hardy, Fifer** John Bond, Ensign (2nd Lieutenant) James Higginbotham, Drill Sergeant William Seddon, Drill Sergeant Thomas Hadfield, Sergeant Samuel Cooke, SergeantMenJames Jackson William Hall John Knott Charles Booth Joseph Booth Thomas Wright Joseph Lees John Crabtree James Taylor John Wild Joseph Thornhill Robert Ashworth William Stopford Nathan Knowles Thomas Knowles James Booth Thomas Booth John Crofts Samuel Robinson John Arrundale John Hardy James Axon Samuel Axon Samuel Andrew Swinlest Bond George Hibbert John Haughton Samuel Lees James Lees William Wareham Joseph Fidler Jonathan Etchells Daniel Holland John Taylor Daniel Foster James Howarth William Band Charles Bridge Robert Fidler Abel Booth John Farmer
*A fugleman (from the German word, Flügelmann, literally ‘wing man’ but usually meaning ‘file leader’) was originally a
soldier at the head of a line of soldiers serving as a model in their drill exercises.
**A fifer is similar to a piccolo.
Further Reading
Middleton, Thomas, 1936. History of Denton and Haughton. Hamnett Street, Hyde: J Andrew & Co Ltd.