Hanley, Staffordshire Genealogy

England Staffordshire

Parish History
Hanley is an Ecclesiastical Parish in the county of Staffordshire, created in 1740 from Stoke upon Trent, Staffordshire Ancient Parish.

HANLEY, a township, in the parish, borough, and union of Stoke-upon-Trent, N. division of the hundred of Pirehill and of the county of Stafford, 2½ miles (N. E. by E.) from Newcastle-under-Lyme, and 150 (N. W. by N.) from London; containing 10,185 inhabitants. This township, and the township of Shelton, which adjoins it, form together a large market-town in the centre of the populous district of the Potteries; they are of comparatively recent origin, and chiefly inhabited by persons employed in potteries, the proprietors of which have handsome mansions in the neighbourhood. The streets are paved with brick, and lighted with gas under the superintendence of commissioners appointed by act of parliament in 1825. In 1820, John Smith, Esq., at a great expense established water-works for the supply of Hanley, Shelton, Cobridge, and Burslem. The principal articles of manufacture are china and earthenware; and the trade is greatly facilitated by the Trent and Mersey canal, which passes through Shelton, forming a channel of conveyance for the various articles manufactured, and for an abundant supply of coal and other things requisite for their production. The market-days are Wednesday and Saturday. The market-house or shambles, erected in 1819, forms a commodious building, with stalls for about 130 butchers, and three spacious entrances; one of the fronts is handsomely faced with stone, and surmounted by a cupola. The police of the two townships is under the control of the local commissioners; and a chief bailiff is annually elected from among the most respectable inhabitants, whose business it is to convene and preside at public meetings. The powers of the county debt-court of Hanley, established in 1847, extend over part of the four registration districts of Stoke, Stone, Wolstanton and Burslem, and Leek and Longnor. The town-hall is a noble building, erected in 1843.

A chapel was erected at Hanley in 1788, on the site of an ancient chapel; it stands in a spacious cemetery, and is a large brick edifice, with a tower 100 feet in height. The living is a perpetual curacy; net income, £220, partly arising from 60 acres of land given by Mr. Bourne, in 1737; patrons, Trustees. By the Stoke Rectory act, passed in 1827, provision is made for the further endowment of the living, and for its conversion into a distinct rectory, and the chapelry into a separate parish; but this measure has not yet been carried into effect. Two districts, respectively named Northwood and Wellington, were formed in 1845, and endowed by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, under the 6th and 7th Victoria, cap. 37: each of the livings is in the gift of the Crown and the Bishop of Lichfield, alternately. There are places of worship for Baptists, Independents, Wesleyaus, and other Methodists; and national schools are supported by subscription, aided by part of the late Dr. Woodhouse's gift in support of the various schools within the parish of Stoke.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Church records
Hanley St john was formed in 1740 formerly township in Stoke St Peter EP United with Hope HolyTrinity c 1940 Parish made redundant c 1976 but re-formed as the Holy Evangelists, also incorporating Etruria St Matthew. Church closed circa 1984

Deposited parish registers at Staffordshire Record Office Bap 1789-1956 Mar 1791-1976 Bur 1791-1912 These include some BT's with gaps Lichfield Record Office holdings of Bishop’s Transcripts Bap Mar Bur 1791-1835

Include here information for parish registers, Bishop’s Transcripts and other types of church records, such as parish chest records. Add the contact information for the office holding the original records. Add links to the Family History Library Catalog showing the film numbers in their collection

Poor Law Unions
Stoke Upon Trent Poor Law Union, Staffordshire

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Staffordshire Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain