There was no annotation to this picture of a young boy, but the pocket watch he is wearing suggests that this may be the young James. Most pictures of James, throughout his life, show this watch.
James Hapgood was born in Liverpool in 1863 but grew up in Salford where his parents moved soon after his birth. He spent most of his life in the Manchester area, e.g. in Weaste and Blackley. James married twice as shown in the family tree below. He first married in 1886 to Elizabeth Ann Norton, when he was 23 and Elizabeth was 25. This marriage resulted in seven sons. The first four died in infancy while the other three survived to a ripe old age (only one failed to reach the age of 80 and then only missed by 12 days). Elizabeth died on 1 February 1900 at the age of 39, young even in those days. James re-married only 4 months later - which perhaps reflects the practical necessity of that era for a working man with three sons then aged between 1 and 6 years. His second wife was Martha Tyzack who was then aged 29, while James was 37. This marriage resulted in another four children (one boy, three girls), only one of whom died in childhood. The other three lived to grand old ages. James himself died in 1924 at the age of 60. Martha long survived him and lived on until 1945, when she was 74.
The following obituary for James was published in the Blackley Guardian in March 1924:
Old Blackley residents and friends will regret to learn of the death of the late James Hapgood, Old-road, Blackley, who passed away in his 61st year, on Sunday morning, after about five weeks serious illness. A native of Weaste, Salford, deceased had lived in Blackley for about 18 years, and was a great flower lover, having taken many prizes in his time at the Peel Park Flower Show, Salford, Deceased was the instigator of the Blackley Horticultural Society along with Mr. Wild, headmaster of Blackley Municipal Schools, and had also been a member of the late Mrs. Leo Grindon's "Flower Lovers' Guild. Previous to his retirement from active business seven years ago, deceased carried on a brazing and welding business in Slack-road, Blackley. Deceased is survived by a widow, four sons and two daughters. The funeral serice was conducted on Friday at St Peter's Blackley, by the Rector, the Rev. T.E. Peel, prior to the interment at Weaste Cemetery. The chief mourners were the widow and family, Mrs. Arthur Hapgood, Mrs. H. Hapgood, Mrs. Powell (sister), Mrs. Robinson (sister), Mr. E. Robinson, Mr. Arthur Hapgood (brother), Mr Jacob Hardy (brother-in-law)". The floral tributes were numerous and beautiful.
Last updated 06 June 2005