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The freeholder of the land and buildings at Sych Farm was Charles William Beck, Lord of the Manor of Upton (close to Prestbury). 

The following is relevant to Sych Farm as it involves the building of several cottages by John Bradley Ledley on land leased from William Truman, who was the tenant at Sych Farm at this time circa1860

That John Bradley Ledley was instrumental in first developing this area is not in doubt.  He clearly named Ledley Street for himself and, in the 1860’s, built Ivy House on Ledley Street for his own use.  The 15 properties comprising the first 4 houses on the right at the bottom of Princess Street, the first three houses on the left of Ledley Street and the 8 houses on Henshall Road linking Princess Steet and Ledley Street (one of which was occupied by John’s mother) were all built at the same time since they can be seen to share a single common roof, and these properties were included in John’s will at the time of his death.

John’s mother, Ellen Ledley, was still living in Bollington in 1861 in what was a newly built terrace on Henshall Road between Princess Street and Ledley Street.  Her orphaned grandson, Francis Robertshaw aged 11, was living with Ellen.  Significantly, Ledley Street, Princess Street and Henshall Road were all included with those names on the 1861 Census, which means that the first properties in this location were built in the late 1850’s.  Prior to this, all of the land on the south side of Bollington Lane (which became Henshall Road) formed part of Sych Farm, and the existing track leading to the farm from Bollington Lane became Ledley Street.  The freeholder of the land and buildings at Sych Farm was Charles William Beck, Lord of the Manor of Upton (close to Prestbury).  The long-term tenant of the farm, Richard Deane, retired in 1857/58 and a new tenant, William Trueman, took over.  This change of tenancy may have been the opportunity for part of the land to be leased to John Bradley Ledley for development of his houses.

Census

1851: Farmer Richard Deane aged sixty five years was occupying Sych House Farm during this year. He was born in Adlington, Cheshire. His wife Thomason was sixty years old and from Poynton originally. They had three daughters and one son living with them. The eldest daughters were twin girls Elizabeth and Sarah aged twenty one years. Elizabeth was `at home` and Sarah was a realer at a cotton mill. The only son was twenty five year old Thomas, he was employed on the farm. The youngest daughter was Catherine aged twelve years and still at school. All the siblings were born in Bollington. The farm owner at this time was Charles William Beck.

1861: William Truman had taken over the lease following the retirement of Richard Deane in 1857/8

1871: The start of at least fifty five years of the Cooper family at Sych House Farm had begun. They had lived as farmers at Whiteley Green near Adlington, Cheshire in the 1861 census. Joseph Cooper was originally born in Hattersley, Cheshire and was fifty five years old. He is described as a farmer of twenty eight acres. His wife Fanny was a year older than him and was from Derbyshire. They had a daughter Jane aged twenty four years and a son Thomas aged seventeen years, both of which were born in Adlington ,Cheshire. 

1881: By this year Joseph was a widow at the age of sixty five years but at least had gained four acres and now farming thirty two! His daughter Jane and son Thomas were still living at the farm and were both single and it appears both were working on the farm.

1891: Joseph Cooper was still a working farmer of seventy five years and still living at Sych House farm. His unmarried daughter Jane was now forty five years old and was working on the farm. They had a visitor on this day, Mary A Wainswright aged fifty nine years and from Cumberland. There were also two agricultural farm servants, Sarah A Gaskell aged twenty one years and from Bollington, and nineteen year old Herbert Mellor from Upper Hulme in Staffordshire.

1901: Joseph was no longer at the farm and was probably deceased. Jane was still living at the farm and was now listed as retired at the age of fifty four years. There was a visitor on this day Annie Kilmartin aged twelve years and from Bollington.

1911: By now Jane Cooper aged sixty four years was living off private means. She had a companion living with her named Amy Leighton who was nineteen years old and employed as a cop winder at a mill. Amy was born in Bollington.

1914-1925: Jane and her brother Thomas Cooper alternately appeared in the Kelly`s Directories as being at Sych House Farm. Thomas probably worked there during these years but lived somewhere else.

1931: According to the electoral roll John Harold Ward and his wife Alice were living at Sych House Farm but surprising so was Thomas Cooper!

1939: Thomas had disappeared by this time. John H Ward was a dairy farmer aged forty eight years. His wife Alice was forty five years old and their farm assistant and (presumably) daughter Joan Ward was nineteen years of age and single at this time, later marrying a member of the Barrow family. There was a three year old child named John C Ward, presumably a son of Joan`s.

Acknowledgements

Our thanks go specifically to Linda Stewart who has researched census and other information to present an interesting history of local people and properties.

Our thanks go to all those who researched and discovered the history that is presented in these pages. Please read the full acknowledgement of their remarkable achievement.

Thanks also to Mrs Lynne Edwards, who helped greatly with the research as did John Medley.

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