Abbots Reading in 1869

Abbots Reading in the year 1882

Abbots Reading in the year 1932

The estate of Abbots Reading had been owned by the Postlethwaite family, churchwardens of Colton, for some generations. In 1809, when the last surviving member of this family, Janet Benson née Postlethwaite, died, her son Arthur Benson became the "5th of Abbots Reading". He died in 1827, his last surviving sister Frances in 1835, and all his siblings stayed without issue. Their nearest relative was their cousin

's only son

who inherited the estate, He was followed by his son

. The estate stayed in the Dickson family until the second half of the 20th century. The last Dickson who lived here was Amy Dickson,

's elder daughter who died in 1958.

2010

Below:  Abbots Reading from the air

Abbots Reading's
last Dickson  inhabitant,
Amy Dickson (1869 -1958)

Abbots Reading