A collection of photographs of the Riley Family

Hannah Riley
Mother of Herbert & Willie Riley. Hannah died tragically in 1868, aged 29. She caught smallpox. Her third child, Walter, died just a few days after he was born, also of smallpox.

Joseph Riley
Father of Herbery & Willie Riley. After the death of his first wife, he later remarried and had seven more children.

Willie and Herbert Riley.
Herbert was three years older than Willie.

Clockwise from top left:-

1. Mary Elizabeth Riley (née Mann), second wife of Joseph Riley.
2. Joseph Riley in later life.
3. Clara Riley (née Hirst), first wife of Willie Riley.
4. Willie Riley
5. Ethel Bolton, Clara Riley, Willie Riley and Florence Bolton. Ethel and Florence were sisters, and, with Clara, were the 'three kindly critics' for whom Windyridge was originally written, and later to whom the book was dedicated.

The memorial window at Silverdale Methodist Church, installed on April 5, 1930, to the late Clara Riley. Clara died on July 27, 1929, aged 65.

(right) Edith Mary Riley, second wife to Willie Riley: formerly Edith Berry, née Edith Boyd; and Willie Riley. Her husband Joe died in 1929.
Willie and Edith were married in 1932.

Willie Riley in his study in 'The Laurels', Silverdale. Taken in May 1947.
This picture was used for the dust jacket of his autobiography, Sunset Reflections, published in 1957.

This was the first house that the Rileys occupied, at the northern edge of Silverdale. Originally named 'The Laurels' by the Rileys, they eventually renamed it 'Windyridge' because so many of their visitors asked them to. They moved out in 1950 to 'Yew Tree House', in the centre of the village.

Yew Tree House. The front has been much altered since the time that the Rileys lived here. Part of the formerly extensive garden to the left and rear of the picture has been built upon, including a new cul-de-sac named, appropriately, Yew Tree Gardens

Jill Choate (Willie's great-niece), Edith, and Willie. Picture taken at St. Annes, on the afternoon of 3rd June 1961. This is the last picture of Willie, who died the next morning.

The grave containing Clara Riley and Willie Riley. Edith Riley was buried with her first husband, Joe Berry, just two plots to the right of this grave.