William Edwin Axon

• Birth date            22 September 1856
• Baptism              23 November 1856 at St Paul’s Church, Hulme
• Marriage (1)         April-Jine 1892 to Martha Ann Hall at St Peter's Church, Birkdale. She died in 1896
• Marriage (2)        19 June 1900 to Mary Hayes (May) Helsby at St. Mary's Church, Grassendale, Liverpool
• Death date          5 November 1929 at Leigh 

The son of John Axon, a cashier, and his wife Charlotte, William Edwin Axon was born at Hulme on 22 September 1856. Details of his education are not known but on his eighteenth birthday, 22 September 1874, he signed indentures and became bound to Henry Lord, architect and surveyor, of 42, John Dalton Street, Manchester (the architect of the Salford Homes at Kenyon). On completion of his articles, he remained as assistant with Henry Lord for a further period of nine years, during which time he assisted in the preparation of the drawings for all the board and church schools in Salford, together with a number built in Manchester (all gained in competition). He was also involved with additions to the Salford Royal Hospital, Salford, the Langworthy Gallery, Peel Park, three churches, several hotels, libraries, clubs, private houses, and many other buildings. Next, he spent four years in the offices of Darbyshire and Smith (the architects of Old Manchester in the Manchester Exhibition of 1887). Whilst with them he was sent to Exeter to superintend the re-erection of the Theatre Royal, which had been burned down, being responsible for all the working details on the job. As a result the directors presented him with a gold watch and testimonial. On returning to Manchester, he was appointed clerk of works (under the same architects) at the Palace of Varieties, Manchester. He then won fourth place for Messrs. Stones and Gradwell, of Blackburn, with designs submitted to the County Borough Blackburn for a new lunatic asylum before superintending the erection of the Earlestown town hall and the erection of the technical schools at Leigh. He also assisted J. D. Mould, of Bury, and Manchester, at four different times; Salomon and Steinthal on the Manchester Crematorium; Stotts of Oldham, in two competitions—a workhouse and a church: and Firth, Oldham, on new premises for the Co-operative Society.

Having completed the supervision of the Technical Schools at Leigh W E Axon commenced independent practice in that town.

W. E. Axon married firstly Martha Ann Hall of Hulme, Manchester between April-June 1892 at St Peter's Church Birkdale. She died in 1896 aged 38. He next married on 19 June 1900 at St. Mary's Church, Grassendale, (a suburb of Liverpool) Mary Hayes (May) Helsby, the second daughter of William Case Helsby, of Garston. He had two known children, a daughter born of his first marriage in July 1893 and a son of his second, born 7 September 1915. William Edwin Axon died on 5 November 1929 with effects of £494 15s 4d.

Address
1856        56 Tamworth Street, Hulme
1903        Church Street, Leigh
1904        Victoria Buildings 14 Church Street Leigh (Leigh Chronicle 22 January 1904 p8)

Residence
1856        56 Tamworth Street, Hulme
1903        Church Street, Leigh
1929        37, Church Street, Leigh