A Life of Service
Jonathan Leivers was born in Moorgreen, Greasley, Nottinghamshire in 1863. His parents were Moses Leivers and Dorothy, née Renshaw. Moses and Dorothy married in 1862 at Greasley, and welcomed Jonathan the following year.
On the 1871 census, the family were living in Derby. Moses was described as a carpenter and joiner, born at Beauvale, Nottinghamshire, and Dorothy as his wife, born at Moorgreen. Jonathan was eight years old and described as a scholar, also born at Moorgreen. There were also two more children, Mary Ann, aged five, and Dorothy, aged four months, both born in Derby.
By the time of the 1881 census, Jonathan was eighteen years old and living with his uncle and aunt, John and Annie Renshaw, and their children, at Moorgreen. Jonathan was described as a joiner.
Jonathan subsequently travelled the country working on many large contracts. At one time, he worked as steward on the estate of Lord Lucas. (Heanor Observer 24 February 1938 p. 5f.)
Jonathan Leivers married Eliza Kettle in July 1887, the banns being read in Deddington, Oxfordshire, her birthplace. Jonathan was described as of the parish of Kensington in the County of Middlesex, and Eliza was of this parish. The marriage was recorded in Kensington, but it is unknown where Jonathan was working at the time.
On the 1891 and 1901 censuses, Jonathan and Eliza were recorded as living at Sawley Hall, Jonathan being described as a joiner. The census records state this was in Yorkshire, although subsequent boundary changes meant the area would later be considered part of Lancashire.
Jonathan was very active in his local community and served as secretary and treasurer of the committee which organised the 1897 celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The village of Sawley had processions, a free tea, the Clitheroe Borough Band and the Morris Dancers performing. As well as sports there was a torchlight procession in the evening.
Jonathan also served as a sidesman in the Grindleton Parish, (Preston Herald, 19 April 1902 p.3a) He was also Clerk of the Sawley Parish (Clitheroe Advertiser and Times, 27 March 1908, p. 6c)
The 1911 Jonathan and Eliza were recorded as living at Cowper Place, Sawley, and that they had been married twenty-three years and had no children.
In 1921 Jonathan and Eliza were still living at Cowper Place. He was an estate joiner working for W. Pollard Esq, a cotton manufacturer. His place of work was given as Sawley Lodge. He alsoserved as the Assistant Overseer for the Parish of Sawley and also Collector of Taxes for the Inland Revenue, place of work for these roles was given as “mainly at home”.
photo from Facebook group Olde clitheroe and surrounding area, added 2 May 2026.
Upon retirement Jonathan decided to return home to Derbyshire, settling in Smalley. In August 1937 they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary. A few months later, Jonathan became ill and was sent to Heanor hospital. Meanwhile, Eliza contracted pneumonia and died. Jonathan, unaware that his wife had died, succumbed the following day.
The obituaries stated that in fulfilment of their wishes they were cremated at Wilford Crematorium in Nottinghamshire. Their ashes were then interred at Greasley Parish churchyard, in a Leivers family grave.
The newspaper articles describe how popular and well respected both Jonathan and Eliza were.
