Bent House stands at the junction on Newhey Road and Bentgate Street, Newhey.
A large stone house in its own grounds, surrounded by a stone wall, it was built in the mid 1800's in a Georgian style by the Berry family.
Samuel Berry was born in Castleton in 1802, he became a very succesful, and very wealthy, flannel manufacturer, in 1851 the records tell us that he was lliving with his family at Stonepitfield in Milnrow, sadly it doesnt narrow down which property he was living in.
It does tell us through that he employed 97 males and 83 females at New Hey Mill.
During the next 10 years it seems that he had Bent House built as the 1861 census records show that he was now living there with his wife Alice and their five children, Mary, Jane, Elizabeth, Jame and Samuel.
Business was clearly going well for Samuel as he was now employing over 300 people in the village.
Samuel Berry died on October 17th 1869 at the age of 68, his widow Alice continued to live at Bent House with her children, by 1871 the occupants were Alice, Jane
Elizabeth and Samuel.
Samuel (junior) took over the family business and contnued to make it thrive, he died at the relatively young age of 68 in 1921, just 7 months after his wife Jane passed away.
In his will he left effects to the value of £7299 16s 5d.
The Berry family eventually left Bent House, by 1939 the new occupants were Josiah Greenhalgh, he came from a family of textile machinists who had premises at Vulcan Ironworks in Oldham.
Josiah was the youngest son of Richard Greenhlagh of Thorncliffe, Royton, he came to Newhey when he married Martha. in 1934 he was returned unopposed as the Conservative member for Haugh ward in the Urban District Council.
The 1939 register tells us that he was born in 1883 and was living there with his wife Martha and their daughter Nancy.
Josiah died the following year on October 12th 1940, he was very involved with St. Thomas' Church, he was a vicars warden and the manager of the St. Thomas' day school.
The house still stands, if the walls could talk what tales they could tell.....
In his will he left effects to the value of £7299 16s 5d.
The Berry family eventually left Bent House, by 1939 the new occupants were Josiah Greenhalgh, he came from a family of textile machinists who had premises at Vulcan Ironworks in Oldham.
Josiah was the youngest son of Richard Greenhlagh of Thorncliffe, Royton, he came to Newhey when he married Martha. in 1934 he was returned unopposed as the Conservative member for Haugh ward in the Urban District Council.
The 1939 register tells us that he was born in 1883 and was living there with his wife Martha and their daughter Nancy.
Josiah died the following year on October 12th 1940, he was very involved with St. Thomas' Church, he was a vicars warden and the manager of the St. Thomas' day school.
The house still stands, if the walls could talk what tales they could tell.....
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