John Higson (antiquarian)
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John Higson (antiquarian) | |
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| Born | 1825 |
| Died | 1871 |
| Nationality | England |
| Occupation | Local history writing |
John Higson (1825-1871), a prominent figure in the field of nineteenth-century Lancashire local history writing, was a key contributor to the documentation and preservation of south-eastern Lancashire's folklore in the mid-19th century.
Early life and career
Higson was born in 1825 into an impoverished farming family in Gorton. Despite these modest beginnings and a lack of formal education, he rose through sheer determination and love of learning.[1] He worked various jobs, including as a cashier, and wrote extensively for the press. He was also involved in an effort to establish a newspaper in Droylsden, where he was a prospective editor.[2] He became friends with several Manchester intellectuals of the period including William Axon, who immortalised Higson in his short story collection The Black Knight of Ashton (under the lightly disguised name, 'Digson').[3]
Contributions to Lancashire folklore
Higson became an industrious collector of local historical records, antiquities, and accounts of ancient manners and superstitions. His writings are spread across tens of newspaper articles, a few local history books, and unpublished manuscripts: much of the folklore content has been collected together in South Manchester Supernatural.[4] His work in dialect literature, including a boggart poem, and a still unedited dialect list, showcased the linguistic and cultural diversity of the area.[5] Higson died in 1871 in his adopted homes of Lees, widely mourned in the community.[6] His efforts in collecting and documenting the folklore of South-East Lancashire have left their mark on the study of regional folklore and history.
Further reading
- Higson, John The Gorton Historical Recorder (Droylsden: Privately printed, 1852?)
- Higson, John Historical and Descriptive Notices of Droylsden: Past and Present (Manchester: Beresford & Souther, 1859)
- Higson, John ‘Boggarts and Feorin’, Notes and Queries 4 (1869), 508-9
- Higson, John ‘Boggarts, Feorin, etc’, Notes and Queries 5 (1870), 156-157
- Higson, John South Manchester Supernatural: The Ghosts, Fairies and Boggarts of Victorian Gorton, Lees, Newton and Saddleworth (Pwca Books 2020)
- Simon Young, ‘Lancashire Folklore Writing, 1829-1923: John Roby to G. R. Oakley’, Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society 114 (2023), 148-167
References
- ↑ Young, Simon (2023). "'Lancashire Folklore Writing, 1829-1923: John Roby to G. R. Oakley'". Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society. 114: 148-167 at 155-154.
- ↑ "'Death of Mr John Higson of Lees'". Ashton Weekly Reporter. 16 Dec 1871. p. 8.
- ↑ Young, Simon (2023). "'Lancashire Folklore Writing, 1829-1923: John Roby to G. R. Oakley'". Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society. 114: 148-167 at 159.
- ↑ Higson, John (2020). South Manchester Supernatural: The Ghosts, Fairies and Boggarts of Victorian Gorton, Leeds, Newton and Saddleworth (1st ed.). NP: Pwca. ISBN 9781838096908.
- ↑ Higson, John (2020). South Manchester Supernatural. The Ghosts, Fairies and Boggarts of Victorian Gorton, Lees, Newton and Saddleworth. pp. 11–16. ISBN 9781838096908.
- ↑ Higson, John (2020). South Manchester Supernatural: The Ghosts, Fairies and Boggarts of Victorian Gorton, Lees, Newton and Saddleworth. Pwca. pp. 84–85. ISBN 9781838096908.
External links
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