The Albiston Family of Oldham
The town of Oldham, in Greater Manchester, has played an important role in the growth of the Church. In January 1840, Brigham Young asked American-born William Marsden to go to Oldham to preach the gospel. The Oldham Branch was organised in 18401. By 1843, membership had grown to nearly 120.
John Albiston, Sr. was born in 1782. He joined the Church around 1840 and was a member of the Ashton-under-Lyne branch, where he baptised several of its early members. While at a conference in Manchester on 6 April 1841, President Brigham Young (1801-1877) “proceeded to make some remarks on the office of patriarch, and concluded by moving that Elder John [Albiston] be ordained to that office”. This was seconded by Apostle Heber C. Kimball (1801-1868)2. John Albiston was one of the only two patriarchs ordained by the Apostles while they were in England; no other resident patriarchs were ordained in England until 1960, when the first stake was formed.
Joseph Albiston, John’s son, was born in 1820. He married Mary Ann Clayton in 1846, and they had six children. Joseph and his brother, John Albiston, Jr., had been baptised in April 1840 by Henry Royle, a British convert and the first official missionary to Wales. Joseph was later rebaptized at Ashton-under-Lyne on 16 June 1848 by his brother, John Jr. Mary Ann, Joseph’s wife, was baptised the same day. In 1879, Joseph left for America. Then Mary Ann and two of her sons, Joseph and Thomas, members of the Oldham Branch up to 29 August 1883, emigrated to Utah.
William Albiston, son of Joseph and Mary Ann, was born in 1857. Will, as he was known, his wife, Elizabeth, and daughter, Eda, were baptised in Oldham in 1897. The Albistons were members of the Oldham Branch that was meeting, during this time, in a rented hall at the House & Mill Company offices, 127 Union Street.3
According to Will’s descendants, he was converted to the gospel by an Elder Abraham Wilde, who mentioned the Albiston family a few times in his missionary journal:
“20 January 1897. […] We spent the [evening] at Mr Albiston’s who was to [be] baptised the next evening.
“21st January 1897. The weather is still cold therefore we did not get out; in the evening Bro Broadbent baptised twelve persons, [...] Mr Albiston and wife and daughter [...]. They were baptised in the font of the Baptist Chapel in Oldham.” 4
Like so many other members of the Oldham Branch, Will and his family left England for Utah, but Will wanted to be in the British Empire, so the family moved to Alberta, Canada, settling on a homestead in Cardston County. Will farmed there until his death.
At the end of the 19th century, the Oldham Branch of the Church was coming up to its 60th anniversary. The branch had seen many of its members emigrate to Utah but those who remained were strong and dedicated to their faith.