This memorial for John Storie of Paisley in the graveyard of the former Castlehead Church just off Canal Street in Paisley has always attracted my attention. Who was he? What did he manufacture? Did he have a large family? Was he related to the Storie family whom Storie Street in Paisley is named after?
From the memorial we are told he was born on the 19th August 1829 and died on the 6th of September 1891. He was married to Jane Masterton, born in 1826 and died in 1905. The only other name that appears on the stone is a son, James born in May 1856 who died two years later in 1858.
John’s death record tells us a bit more about him. Of most interest is his occupation, a quilt Manufacturer. His parents were James Storie, Weaver and Agnes Dunlop. He died on the as stated on the 6th September 1891 at 12 Abbey Street, Paisley at 5.20am having suffered from cardiac degeneration for 3 years, Cerebral disease for 4 months and Bedsores for 2 months. his death was recorded by John Storie, his son who was present at his death. John Junior, lived at 91 High Street, Paisley.
We first come across John in the 1841 Census living with his parents at 7 Sandholes Street which would have been at the corner of Sandholes Street and King Street. His father, James was 50 years old (born c.1791); his mother Agnes was 40 years old (born c.1801). James the oldest son was 20 years old while John was 10. Both John’s father and brother were Cotton Handloom Weavers. (We need to remember that in the 1841 census ages were rounded up or down to the closest 0 or 5)
In the 1861 Census we find John living at 27 Orchard Street with his own family. We have John as the head of the family, aged 32 who is now a foreman for a weaving factory with James Millar recorded as his master in brackets. His wife, Jane, is 34 years old and they have two children Margaret aged 8 and John aged 3. The oldest daughter, Margaret is recorded as a scholar.
Twenty years later in 1881, the family is still living on Orchard Street, but they are now in number 16. John is the head of a family of 5. We find his wife, Jane, along with 3 children – John (22), Robert (18) and Jessie (15). John is recorded purely as a Manufacturer, while John Junior is a Weavers Foreman, Robert is a Warehouseman. Daughter Jessie is a Warper (a warper would prepare warp threads for weaving).
In the 1891 Census John and his family have moved to 12 Abbey Street in Paisley. John Junior has moved out and is living at 91 High Street, but his other siblings remain in the family home. John Senior is recorded as being a Manufacturer of Soft Goods, Robert is now a Engineers Bookkeeper and Jessie is now a Warehouse Worker.
It is quiet interesting to see how John Storie records his own occupation over the years, from his early years as a Weaving Factory Foreman to being a Manufacture then a Manufacturer of Soft Goods, to his son, John Junior saying he is a Quilt Manufacturer on his death certificate.
For the early years of Johns life we can assume he he probably trained as a weaver under his father, learning the weavers trade to the point he was able to enter a weaving factory and later become the foreman. Did he then go on to own his own factory to manufacture goods or was he merely employed as a manager? That is still to be determined. Was he connected to the Storie family whom Stories Street is named after or Captain Storie who had a town House at Paisley Cross in the 1770s? Those questions await further research.
© Heritage Buddies December 2025 Text & Image by S J Clancy
