Albert was born in 1866 in Tyldesley to John Isherwood and Ellen Magnall.

The 1881 census shows that Albert was working as a “Tinplate worker apprentice”

Albert married Martha Smith on the 27th September 1887 at the Church of St Stephen in Astley, Lancashire. Albert is described as a Lay Reader, bachelor, living in Hollins Wood and Martha as a schoolmistress, spinster of Astley.

At the time of the 1891 Census Albert was living at 100 Tithebarn Road in Southport and was now a “Clerk in Holy Orders”.

Albert and Martha had at least five children:

  • Albert Arthur Magnall Isherwood, born 2nd November 1890 in St Bees, Cumberland;
  • Margaret Evelyn Isherwood, born about 1892 in Southport, died 1984 in Newton Abbot in Devon;
  • Beatrice Ellen Isherwood, born about 1895 in Worton, Wiltshire;
  • Frances Edith Isherwood, born about 1896 in Worton, Wiltshire;
  • Florence Eva Isherwood, born about 1900 in Worton, Wiltshire

By 1901 the Rev Albert Isherwood was curate at Christ Church in Worton in Wiltshire under the Rev. Augustus Edward Aldridge B.A. I think he was there until about 1903.

The 1911 Census shows that the Reverend Albert Isherwood was now vicar of St Paul’s in Staverton, Wiltshire.

Albert was vicar of the Church of St Paul, Staverton, with Trowbridge until his death on the 17th August 1937. The Wiltshire history website refers to Albert as follows:

“The first vicar, when Staverton became a separate parish in 1839 was the Reverend J.R. Prityman. The living was £100 in 1844 but the incumbent had to live in Trowbridge until a new vicarage costing £1,150 was built in 1860. The church struggled financially as the expected influx of people due to the mill employment prospects, did not happen. Staverton had also lost some of its land to the newly formed parish of St. Thomas’s in Trowbridge as the town expanded in a northerly direction. The closure and uncertainty of the future of the cloth mill didn’t help and so St. Paul,s Staverton began the 20th century facing financial hardship. By 1903 extra land was required for burial sites and this was achieved by the new vicar, Reverend Albert Isherwood. A new organ was also purchased and gas lighting was installed in 1910 later to be replaced by electric light in 1938”

[Last updated 02 Jan 2012]