User:Rich Farmbrough/DNB/J/o/John Higson

John Higson|1825|1871| John Higson (born 1825 died 1871), local antiquary and topographer, of Lees, near Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, was born in 1825 at Whitely Farm, Gorton, Lancashire. He lived for many years at Droylsden, where he was employed as cashier of the Springhead Cotton-spinning Company, was a zealous supporter of the Droylsden Mechanics' Institute, and an active church worker for years at Leesfield. He died at Lees, 13 December 1871, leaving a widow and seven children.  Although to a great extent self-taught, Higson early became an industrious collector of facts of local history and antiquities, some of which relating to his native place he published under the title of 'Gorton Historical Recorder, … a History of the Chapelry, illustrating the Rise of the Mesne Manor', with illustrations, Droylsden, 1852, duodecimo. He also published a local history of Droylsden. With some friends he started a Droylsden paper on liberal-conservative lines, which proved a failure. He was a contributor to the 'Ashton Reporter' from its commencement in 1855, under the signature 'H'. At the time of his death he was engaged on a 'Glossary of Lancashire Idioms'.

DNB references
These references are found in the DNB article referred to above.