Asa Lees Asa, son of Samuel and Sarah Lees was born in 1816. Asa married Hannah Kenworthy in Ashton in 1844. After their marriage Asa and Hannah lived at Watersheddings, then Mumps and then later at Albert House, Jowett's Walk, Ashton-under-Lyne. After his fathers death in 1845 Asa, with a partner Mr Barnes, established a machine making business know as Asa Lees and Company Ltd. which produced machinery for the textile industry. The marriage produced no children and on the death of Asa Lees the families connection with the firm ended. The firm continued to use the name Asa Lees and Company Limited until 1932 when it merged with several other manufacturers including Platts and became known as The Textile Machinery Makers. c.1882-n.d.