Person Page - 197

     Joshua Exley was born on 28 March 1778.¹ He was the son of Joshua Exley and Hannah Murfitt. Joshua Exley was baptized in May 1778 at Batley.¹
He began military service in 1806 serving in the 34th Foot Regiment.²
Joshua, at the time listed as a corporal, married Catherine Whitaker on 19 October 1806 at Leeds Both made their marks.³

Service in the Peninsular War.
Joshua's wife Catherine's account of their experiences of the Peninsular war gives us insights into Joshua's service, including at Vittoria, a decisive battle, where she was tending the wounded, fearful of finding her husband's body amongst them. He survived, but she tells of the men's faces being completely blackened with the smoke and powder of ammunition, and of his gun barrel being so hot from repeated firing that he had to hold it with his cuff. She tells of Joshua having a brother who served in the same regiment, who was wounded there.
Soon after this he did not return from another fight in which heavy losses were incurred. Although Catherine believed him dead and returned to England, he had in fact been taken prisoner. Catherine tells us that the prisoners were marched from place to place to avoid discovery, and though released when peace was declared, this experience permanently weakened his health.³
Joshua Exley was discharged from military service circa 1818 aged 40.²
He died on 12 January 1829 at Batley at age 50.³

     Catherine Whitaker was born on 6 January 1779 at Leeds.
Catherine Whitaker married Joshua Exley, son of Joshua Exley and Hannah Murfitt, on 19 October 1806 at Leeds Both made their marks.¹

A Batley woman in the Peninsular War
The first years of Catherine's marriage were adventurous and difficult ones, of which she left her own acount.
Soon after their marriage her husband was called away on service, initially to Jersey. Catherine followed, we are told, on foot to Southampton from where she sailed. After some months in Jersey, then the Isle of Wight, she had to return to Batley, not being allowed to accompany the regiment to Madeira since she was heavily pregnant. Back in Batley, she came under the care of the poor house, but there still under the old poor law regime, she was afforded every comfort.
Shipping was still at the mercy of the winds, and her husband ended up not in Madeira, but in Chichester for a time, where she and new born infant joined him. After Chichester they spent some months in Jersey, but they went to Portugal. Catherine tells leave permission for her to go was sought by the colonel from the general, and I understand that with this granted she would have been considered as on the strength of the regiment. We hear of fever striking the regiment, and her husband being direct to attend to the sick, but then succumbing to fever himself. We hear of the battle of Albuera, and of the reception of Wellington at Elva, of travels around Spain when at times the French seemed in a strong position, of seeing Wellington himself before the battle of Salamanca. The women were with the baggage wagons, and we hear of miserable conditions after, with torrential rain and Catherine trying to save a little of some braed she had obtained for her husband, whose only sustenance had been a few acorns.¹

Soon after the battle of Vittoria in 1813 there was another engagement with the enemy, and Catherine was given to understand that her husband had been killed,though she was unable to find his body.
She was given some money and a kind of passport for the journey home, and made her way back to Batley. There she was told that Joshua's mother had had a letter from him, and that he was alive but a prisoner of war. Though released after nine months, this experience had damaged his health, but after some recuperation in Bordeaux he was able to ship for Ireland.

Catherine set out to join her husband , and had a stormy crossing to Dublin with an intoxicated crew. Reports of this voyage led Joshua to believe that the ship had been wrecked, and that he had lost his wife.She was able to find out where he was, and on arriving at her destination, found the Sergeant major, son of old William Woffenden of Batley, was in the act of writing to her sending £1 remittance. This was Squire Woffenden , a sergeant major in Joseph's regiment who would have been in Ireland at the time.
In the census of 6 June 1841 she was listed as the head of household at New Road Side, Batley, aged 60.²
In the census of 30 March 1851 she was listed as the head of household at 21 J Ward's Hill, Batley, as a widow, a bobbin winder aged 71.³
Catherine Exley died on 20 April 1857 at age 78.¹
She was buried on 22 April 1857.⁴

Isaac Binns recalled a childhood visit to Catherine, here referred to as Kate. He knew of her as a soldier's widow who had followed the army through the Peninsular campaign and published in her later years, by the aid of friends, the account of her travels mentioned above, from which he understands the profits to have been used to augment her slender income. His recollections are rather of her home, a one room cellar dwelling reached by a few steps, and Kate seated at a round table in the middle of the room.⁵

     John Exley was born on 5 January 1808.¹ He was the son of Joshua Exley and Catherine Whitaker.¹ John Exley was baptized on 24 January 1808 at Batley.¹
He must be the son who died of measles in the suburbs of Lisbon in 1809. He was buried on 14 October 1809 at Portugal and by his mother's account according to the custom of her native land, which gave her much satisfaction.²

     Thomas Exley was born circa 1812. He was the son of Joshua Exley and Catherine Whitaker. Thomas Exley was baptized on 18 September 1818 at Batley aged 6 years, born in Portugal.¹

     John Exley was born in 1822. He was the son of Joshua Exley and Catherine Whitaker. John Exley was baptized on 3 March 1822 at Batley.¹
In the census of 6 June 1841 he was listed as a woollen labourer the son of Catherine Exley at New Road Side, Batley.²

     Joshua Exley was born in 1820. He was the son of Joshua Exley and Catherine Whitaker. Joshua Exley was baptized on 5 March 1820 at Batley.¹

     William Exley was born in 1818. He was the son of Joshua Exley and Catherine Whitaker. William Exley was baptized on 25 January 1818 at Batley.¹

     Susanna Exley was born in 1824. She was the daughter of Joshua Exley and Catherine Whitaker. Susanna Exley was baptized on 28 March 1824 at Batley.¹
In the census of 6 June 1841 she was listed as a woollen labourer the daughter of Catherine Exley at New Road Side, Batley.²
In the census of 30 March 1851 she was listed as a cloth burler aged 27 the daughter of Catherine Exley at 21 J Ward's Hill, Batley.³

     Abraham Ineson was born on 5 October 1845. He was the son of George Ineson and Margaret Stubley. Abraham Ineson married Mary Dawson in 1868.¹
In the census of 3 April 1881 he was listed as the head of household at Warwick Road, Batley, as a spinner.
In the census of 13 June 1900 he was listed as the head of household at Amsterdam Ward 2, Montgomery, New York, as a carder, widowed, apparently in a lodging house.²
In the census of 1910 he was listed as the head of household at Little Falls, Herkimer, New York, as working in a knitting mill and lodging with a Howard Hendricks also working there.³
Abraham Ineson died on 27 April 1923 at age 77.⁴ He was buried in 1923 at Wilcox Cemetery, Little Falls, Herkimer, New York.⁴

     Mary Dawson was born on 7 May 1846 at Lepton.¹ She married Abraham Ineson, son of George Ineson and Margaret Stubley, in 1868.²
In the census of 3 April 1881 Mary Ineson was listed at Warwick Road, Batley, as wife of Abraham Ineson.
In 1883 Mary Ineson and son Ethelbert emigrated to America, arriving in New York on June 19th.³
Mary Ineson and her son sailed to America in the company of her husband's cousin Jacob Sheard and family. Mary Ineson died on 4 September 1884 at age 38.¹ She was buried in 1884 at Wilcox Cemetery, Little Falls, Herkimer, New York.¹

     Ethelbert Ineson was born in 1875 at Batley. He was the son of Abraham Ineson and Mary Dawson. In the census of 3 April 1881 he was listed as a scholar the son of Abraham Ineson at Warwick Road, Batley.
In 1883 Ethelbert Ineson, with his mother, emigrated to America, arriving in New York on June 19th.¹
He and his mother sailed to America in the company of his cousin once removed Jacob Sheard and family. Ethelbert Ineson married Ida (?) in 1898.
In the census of 4 June 1900 he was listed as the head of household at Little Falls, Herkimer, New York.²
Ethelbert Ineson retired in 1953 from the General Electric Co. where he had been employed as a machinist.³
He died on 13 December 1959 at Ellis Hospital, Schenectady.⁴

     Joseph Burnley was born circa 1808 at Batley. He was the son of Christopher Burnley and Mary Brook. Joseph Burnley married Barbary Sheard, daughter of David Senior and Sarah Castle, on 2 November 1834 at Tong.¹
In the census of 6 June 1841 he was listed as the head of household as a woollen manufacturer.
In the census of 30 March 1851 he was listed as the head of household at New Street, Batley, as a hand loom weaver of wool.²

     Isabella Burnley was born on 21 June 1839.¹ She was the daughter of Joseph Burnley and Barbary Senior. Isabella Burnley was baptized on 14 July 1839 at Batley.¹
In the census of 30 March 1851 she was listed as at home the daughter of Joseph Burnley at New Street, Batley.²
In the census of 7 April 1861 she was listed as dressmaker the daughter of Barbary Burnley at New Street, Batley.³

     Elizabeth Akeroyd was born in 1825. She was the daughter of John Akeroyd and Jane Grimshaw Spedding. Elizabeth Akeroyd was baptized on 27 November 1825 at Batley.¹

      Susanna Akeroyd was also known as Susan (?). She was born in 1823. She was the daughter of John Akeroyd and Jane Grimshaw Spedding. Susanna Akeroyd was baptized on 7 September 1823 at Batley.¹
In the census of 6 June 1841 she was listed as the daughter of Jane Grimshaw Akeroyd at Havercroft, Batley.²
Susanna Akeroyd married John Newsome, son of George Newsome and Elizabeth Reyner, on 25 May 1845 at Batley.¹
In the census of 30 March 1851 she was listed as in the household of John Newsome at Dewsbury.³
In the census of 7 April 1861 Susan Newsome was listed at Aldersgate, London, as wife of John Newsome.

     John Akeroyd was born in 1814. He was the son of John Akeroyd and Jane Grimshaw Spedding. John Akeroyd was baptized on 14 May 1814 at Wragby.

     Jane Akeroyd was born in 1817. She was the daughter of John Akeroyd and Jane Grimshaw Spedding. Jane Akeroyd was baptized on 9 March 1817 at Wragby.
She married Richard Farrar, son of George Farrar and Mary Newsome, on 20 March 1836 at Batley witnessed by William Akeroyd and Thos Wilby junr.¹

     Charles Spedding Akeroyd was born in 1819. He was the son of John Akeroyd and Jane Grimshaw Spedding. Charles Spedding Akeroyd was baptized on 2 May 1819 at Wragby.

     Hannah Akeroyd was born in 1821. She was the daughter of John Akeroyd and Jane Grimshaw Spedding. Hannah Akeroyd was baptized on 29 July 1821 at Wragby.
In the census of 6 June 1841 she was listed as the daughter of Jane Grimshaw Akeroyd at Havercroft, Batley.¹
Hannah Akeroyd married Joseph Hepworth, son of Joseph Hepworth and Ellen Blamires, in 1842.²

     George E Kitson was born circa 1850 at Batley. He was the son of Timothy Kitson and Elizabeth Day. In the census of 30 March 1851 he was listed as the son of John Day at J Ward's Hill, Batley.¹

     Sarah Kitson was born on 12 April 1857 at Batley.¹ She was the daughter of Timothy Kitson and Elizabeth Day. Sarah Kitson was baptized on 31 May 1857 at Batley.¹
She married James Newsome Poole, son of William Poole and Mary Burnley, in 1877.²
Sarah Poole emigrated in 1885 from Liverpool. In the census of 1892 Sarah Poole was listed at Little Falls, Herkimer, New Yok, as wife of James Newsome Poole.³
In the census of 5 June 1900 Sarah Poole was listed at Little Falls, Herkimer, New York, as wife of James Newsome Poole.⁴
In the census of 1910 Sarah Poole was listed at Little Falls City, Herkimer, New York, as wife of James Newsome Poole.⁵
Sarah Poole died in 1912.

     Annie Kitson was born circa 1859 at Batley. She was the daughter of Timothy Kitson and Elizabeth Day.

     William Poole was born circa 1830 at Armley. He married Mary Tomlinson, daughter of Samuel Burnley and Elizabeth Newsome, in 1854.¹
He was listed in the census of 7 April 1861 at Billy Well Lane, Batley, as a woollen weaver aged 32.²