Journal Example

H&D FHS Journal Vol. 21 No. 3 Page 1

HUDDERSFIELD & DISTRICT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY Registered Charity No. 702199

APRIL, 2008 VOLUME 21, NUMBER 3

Emley Moor Mast

The opinions and views expressed in this Journal do not necessarily represent the views of either the Editor or the Huddersfield & District Family History Society. This Journal is copyright, and no part may be reproduced for publication in any form whatsoever without the written consent of the Editor. The Society accepts no responsibility for any loss suffered as a result of any item published in this Journal.

Please note that queries regarding subscriptions, non-arrival of Journals, change of address etc. should be sent to the Membership Secretary, and not to the Editor. Thank you.

Journal Submissions: Please send items for publication to the Editor (address inside back cover), by email or post, and include your membership number, name and postal address. Items sent by post can only be returned or acknowledged if an SAE is included. Please state if an article has been printed in, or submitted to another publication. Items should be clearly hand-written, typed or stored on computer disk in MS Works, Word, rich text (RTF) or plain text format (TXT). If typed, please use a plain font such as Arial, Times or Courier, double spaced and printed with clear black ink on one side of the paper only please, so that the text may be scanned in to a computer. The Editor welcomes letters and articles on any aspect of family or local history. Items with relevance to the Kirklees area are of particular interest; as are cuttings, hints and tips. Editing of articles may be necessary, depending on available space.

Deadline for inclusion in the next Journal: 30th June, 2008.

H&D FHS Journal Vol. 21 No. 3


CONTENTS

The Society Committee Inside Back CoverEditorial 4Forthcoming Events 5Computer News 14Monumental Inscriptions Project 34From the Committee Room 35New Members 38Programme for 2008 44The Root Cellar 46Gift Aid 47

Members Correspondence Members’ Interests Centre PagesLetters to the Editor 6Help Wanted 36

General Interest Book Review 9Talk Reviews 10 and 21Luck and the World Wide Web, Part 2 Andy Micklethwaite 12A Skeleton in my Cupboard: Bastardy! Marcia Kemp 15Popular Superstitions Philip Hirst 17Brook Senior Gillian King 18Relic of the 1852 Holmfirth Flood K. Bell 19Old Age and Death Certificates Edith Wyn Unsworth 20Totally Bamboozled by a Bible Entry Bill Goldthorp 22Among Those Dark Satanic Mills Marcia Kemp 25How to Preserve your precious Genealogy Collection Anon 28The Scotts at Lees Moor Church School Meriel Bowers 30The Early Days of the Society Steve Whitwam 31Through the Mill Vivian Teesdale 40Society Origins Meriel Bowers 49Profile on Reg Milon 50Parish Church of All Saints, Batley Marcia Kemp 52


SOCIETY NEWS AND NOTICES

Editorial

Huddersfield & District Family History Society celebrates its 21st anniversary. Here’s the cake as I promised, with my ginger cat Oscar looking on longingly. The HDFHS History Fair is on 10th May and promises to be a good day and we are holding it at the Quay suite in the University. We are all looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible. Keep on sending your interesting articles please. See details in the journal. I am writing this on the

morning of our very British earthquake. I say British because it did minor damage in the scale of earthquakes that other people experience, but we do like to go on about it. It makes a change from talking about the British weather. My husband and I must be the only people in Yorkshire who slept through it! I hope you like the interesting mix this time. I have been in touch with some of the founder members who have kindly given me some input, and where possible I have included photographs, not only of founder members, but of some of our regular contributors such as Kathleen Bell and Reg Milon from Canada. There is news of our large MI’s project and of a CD of all published journals. Marcia Kemp, Editor.

EMLEY MOOR MAST

This is an evening picture of the television mast. It has become an icon in this area and can be seen from nearly everywhere in Kirklees including my upstairs window. On 19th March 1969 the weight of the ice and the severe winds caused the mast to buckle and collapse resulting in a loss of service to 6 million viewers. The above replacement was over twice the height of the previous one. As I am driving home I can tell the weather by how much of the mast I can clearly see and wherever I am in the county I can see it and know where home is. It is a true landmark, visible for miles and miles, day or night.


Forthcoming Events

Saturday, 5th April, 2008. Pudsey Family History Fair, Pudsey Civic Hall, Pudsey, Yorkshires, LS28 5TA. 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.* Saturday, 10th May, 2008. Huddersfield and District Family History Society, 21st Anniversary Fair at Huddersfield University, The Quayside Suite, Huddersfield, admission £1. 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. Children free if accompanied. Refreshments

and parking available.* Sunday, 6th April, 2008. The Stockport Town Hall Family History Fair, Wellington Road South, Stockport, SK1 3XE. 10.00 am to 5.00 pm.* Saturday, 26th April, 2008. Sheffield FHS History Fair, Centre in the Park, Norfolk Heritage Park, Guildford Avenue, Sheffield, S2 2PL. 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.* Saturday 28th June, 2008. York Family History Fair, York Race Course, The Knavesmire. York 10.00 am to 4.30 pm.* Saturday, 21st June, 2008. Philippa Hoskin, ‘Resources in the Borthwick Institute’. The SOG is at 14, Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London, EC1. Doors open at 10.00 am. Coffee or tea is provided. You do not have to be a member. Saturday, 5th July, 2008. Yorkshire Archaeological Society (Family History Section). A Day School on ‘Death and Taxes’, Claremont, 23, Clarenden Road, Leeds, LS2 9NZ, 9.30 am to 4.30 pm. £15 per person includes buffet lunch and beverages. To reserve a place please send a cheque payable to ‘Family History Section, YAS’ and include SAE to receive programme and acknowledgement of receipt to: Maureen Scholey, Family History Section YAS, at the above address. Workshops on family history research are also running at Dewsbury, Batley, and Cleckheaton Libraries, 10.00 am to 12.30 pm every Saturday and at Mirfield first and third Wednesday in the month, 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm. Wednesday morning, 10.00 am to 12.00 pm, at Huddersfield Central Library, March 5th, April 2nd, May 7th, June 11th, and July 9th. There will be no meeting in August due to holiday commitments and further details will be available in the July Journal. * HDFHS will be attending

HELD OVER I still have in hand items from some members which I will hopefully be able to include in the next journal. Could the person who sent me some pictures of the Coronation 1937, please get in touch again?


Letters to the Editor

Dear Editor/Marcia, . . . and now we are 21! In the good old days, old enough to drink and vote. And the Society as well as the Journal goes from strength to strength, congratulations to all. After reading the re-printed Daily Mail (p. 42 January, 2008, Secrets and Skeletons) I am left wondering. Yorkshire is the area with the lowest percentage of family secrets, is that because (i) we are better living folk? (ii) we hide our secrets very efficiently, or (iii) our family history researchers are not very good at divining our dirt? I am loath to criticize such a fine publication, but could you perhaps find space to insert, (tiny type is fine) captions to some photographs. We foreigners who are not too familiar with the area are sometimes unable to make out just what we are looking at. The article on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal brought it to mind. Most illustrations are quite obvious but some are puzzling. David A. Walker, W251. email: [email protected]. Sorry about that David, I have tended to put the photographs opposite the text about them but I will try to put left or right etc, or a caption in future, Ed. Dear Editor, I read with interest, as I always do, the January journal of the Society and wondered why the Lawrence Batley Theatre was so named. Can you enlighten me? (picture on p. 1, January, 2008) Mrs. Sylvia Arden-Brown, A039. The theatre was named after a local businessman in the town who was the first to open a cash-and-carry, which saw him become a rich man. He sponsored many things including a favourite pastime of his: golf tournaments. He donated a significant sum of money to help with the construction of the theatre and it was named after him for this reason, Ed. Hi Marcia, Thanks for putting my request in Help Wanted. I did find an Albert Womersley in Belevedere, Kent who was also a Master Hairdresser. (Kelly’s Directory of Kent) He died in 1921 aged 60 which is about right for my g grandfather and he was married to another Ann who died in 1913 and were buried together in Erith cemetery. This Ann’s maiden name was Blow, but I think she married a Thomas Dooley who died in 1900, before she married Albert. I have again tried to find their marriage certificate which would give me Albert’s father’s name, but have had no luck with that


either. I may of course be on the wrong track!! Hopefully the Help Wanted may bring a solution. Jenny Sharp, S310, The Causeway, Thorpe Willoughby, Selby, YO8 9PE. email: [email protected]. Dear Editor, I have two items I would like to share. It appears that I am not the only one who fell into the DNA testing trap. (January, 2008 p. 29) I did mine through Ancestry, expecting to find that my ancestors were from Vikings, Romans, East Europeans, etc. especially as my ancestors were from the West Riding of Yorkshire, going back to the early 1600s. But no, I discover that Ancestry only supply the Haplogroup they believe you belong to. Mine is Haplogroup E3a which, I quote, ‘dominates the West African and sub-Saharan genetic landscape with a frequency as high as 100% in some groups in Cameroon and Benin. Conversely it is almost absent in Egypt and near the Mediterranean’! So I, along with many others who fell into the trap, are still no wiser. My brick wall began immediately. My family interest, and search, had been going on for some time. My father’s parents died whilst he was quite young and I think this affected him quite badly, as he very rarely discussed his childhood. I knew he was born in Halifax and that both his parents were born, married and buried in Kirkburton. His parents died early in the 1900s. Whilst on a visit to relatives in Halifax I decided to have a look round Kirkburton All Hallows Church graveyard, without success. I was stood talking to the man who cuts the grass in the churchyard when another man came and joined us. I discovered it was the vicar in ‘mufti’. After explaining what I was doing he told me to call at the vicarage in half an hour. When I called to the vicarage he had a large map of the graveyard and he showed me exactly where my Grandfather and Grandmother were buried. The vicar then gave me the details to take to Huddersfield Library and, the staff there were absolutely wonderful, obtained the details I needed to go to Halifax Registrars to obtain the certificates. I have now hit a further brick wall with regard to the Leeds side of my mother’s family. They were builders and, as censuses show, moved around somewhat. They had children born in Cullompton, Devon, and Stoke-on-Trent. They were in Preston in 1861, Sale in 1871, and back in Leeds in 1881. Trying to get back further than 1820 has proved to be virtually impossible. I will not give up though. I read the Journal with interest, letters, articles the lot and, ok there may be the odd errors, but who said you were professional journalists?, find it fascinating and since joining, have found a second cousin. David Smith, S302, 127, Woolmore Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 7ED. email: [email protected]


Dear Editor, Having read some of the requests in the latest Journal, Volume 21, Number 2, about surname variations, I am prompted to write to you and point members to the excellent work being done by Dr. George Redmonds on Yorkshire surnames. He has published some of his work in the book, ‘Surnames and Genealogy: A New Approach’ (ISBN: 1 86006 159 1, published in 2002 by FFHS (Publications) Ltd, Lancashire and it may be located for purchase by searching at the Web site www.familyhistorybooks.co.uk). As a final comment I wish to say that, although I have been a ‘silent’ member of HDFHS for some time, recent changes have injected new life into the Society and re-kindled my interest in it. The new Journal format is excellent and the new website looks very promising. Keep up the good work. Roger Horton, H319. Hello Marcia, Following on from your cause of death ‘died of old age’, my gt. gt. grandmother, Mary Whiteley, who died in Marsden, 31st October, 1865, aged 65, has her cause of death recorded on the Certificate as, ‘unknown, 2 years’. I’m a bit confused by the fact that inside the Journal back covers, the address for the Root Cellar is given as, ‘15 Market Place’, but for Publications, ‘15 Huddersfield Road’, which is also the address used on the web site. I must say that recent Journals have been particularly good. David Robinson, R054, 12, Catherine Drive, Sutton Coldfield, B73 6AX. email: [email protected]. The correct Root Cellar address is: 15, Market Plac,e but it is known locally as Market Place, Ed. Dear Editor, The struggle for a Free Press I have just joined the H&DFHS and received my first copy of your interesting Journal. It strikes me that your readers researching forebears alive in the 1830s might find something useful in my article about the Huddersfield periodical, ‘The Voice of the West Riding’. The main characters mentioned in the text are largely from the district, so there could be something useful there; but an appendix contains a larger alphabetical list of names of people who contributed to the ‘victim fund’: that is, the fund to provide financial support for the editor, Joshua Hobson, during his Wakefield imprisonment. Any readers who are not already familiar with the struggle to establish a free press in Britain will surely be interested in our local part in that, but the main value of the piece from a family history point of view is that it collects many otherwise scattered references.


The alphabetical list mostly only provides a name, but the place is also identified especially in the cases of Honley, Lowerhouses, and Longley. John Swift (Honley) is an interesting example, since he is almost certainly the man who played a prominent role in the district’s trade union history during the 1820s. He is the subject of Jennifer Stead (ed.), ‘The Diary of a Quack Doctor: Being the Last Diary of John Swift, Aurist, of Newsome, Huddersfield 1784-1851’, Huddersfield Local History Society, 2002. My article is entitled, ‘The Voice of the West Riding: Promoters and Supporters of a Provincial Unstamped Newspaper, 1833-34’. It was published by the Hambledon Press in Chris Wrigley and John Shepherd (eds.), ‘On the Move: Essays in Labour and Transport History Presented to Philip Bagwell’, 1991, pp. 22 to 57. I very much look forward to collaborating with others on any family or more general historical questions of mutual interest. John L. Halstead, H384, 1, Chelsea Road, Sheffield, S11 9BP. email: [email protected]

Book Review

Ye Olde Townships Chris Heath, £12.99, Wharncliffe books ISBN 978184630430. ‘Ye Olde Townships’ concentrates on the Upper Deane Valley villages of Denby Dale, Scissett, and Ingbirthworth along with a second volume concentrating on Skelmanthorpe and Clayton West. These books are a unique record of the changing face of the local areas and feature many previously unpublished photographs. As the books contain over 400 photographs, they can transport the reader back in time and provide an historical window in the landscape and lives of the people who created the villages we know today. The books are also available at the Orchard bookshop in Wakefield Road, Denby Dale.

Yorkshire Church Notes of Sir Stephen Glynne (1825-1874) Yorkshire Archaelogical Society/The Boydell Press £30. Edited by Lawrence Butler Sir Stephen Glynne, who was a brother-in-law of Prime Minister William Gladstone, spent many years touring more than 5,500 churches in England and Wales. He made careful notes and drawing and they serve as valuable record of the state of church structures before the widespread restorations of Victorian times. His notes on churches in this area are quite harsh. St Michael’s, Emley, ‘very coarse masonry’. St Peters Huddersfield, ‘could never have been a fine structure’. Praise for All Hallow’s Church when he described it as good church with a good organ, but branded the font as, ‘poor’. St John’s at Kirkheaton was a, ‘shapeless, spoiled building’. Marcia Kemp, Editor.


Talk Review

Child Abuse. a talk by Professor Michael A. Green. Professor Michael Green began by saying that child abuse is not new, Solomon, in his wisdom advises us that ‘he that loveth his son chastiseth him betimes’. Physical punishment and correction were accepted in all societies until relatively recently as was abuse by parents. Even English literature from Shakespeare to nursery rhymes, refers to cruel masters, viz the Old Woman who lived in a Shoe, ‘She gave them all broth without any bread, and whipped them all soundly and sent them to bed’. Child Abuse in Ancient Societies No child in ancient society had an automatic, ‘right to live’. The skeletons of newborns have been found in the ruins of the Wall of Jericho. Both Greek and Roman laws forbade the raising of defective children and the Greek physician Soranus writing 1800 years ago advised midwives on methods of diagnosis and disposal of those who were considered unfit to live. This attitude persisted until the late 19th century. In many primitive societies the new born had no ‘existence’ until he had taken nourishment. For example newborns were taken to a nearby river and a drop of water placed upon the lips. Those who did not suck immediately were drowned. Immersion in cold water was used in Germany to weed out the weaklings. In many parts of the world the obviously handicapped or deformed were exposed or smothered. In Australia sometimes one twin was killed because, believing twins having only one soul between them, survival of only the first born was a religious necessity. Children were regarded as property, and if the putative father refused to acknowledge the child as his, not only was it deprived of its inheritance, but of the right to live, except as an expendable source of labour. Illegitimacy remained a stigma and still does in some parts. Bastardy was a great shame to all even well into the last century. In 1917 a study estimated that one in four bastards born in Chicago USA had disappeared, presumed murdered within a year of birth. In present day Israel the ‘Mamser’ born of a union other than one solemnised according to orthodox rites is educationally and socially a second class citizen. The Middle Ages through to the 19th century Children were regarded as chattels and toilet training was done by restraint, brute force with might involve physical deprivation of warmth, light or food. By the age of 3 or 4 he would have received some education and would have been reared as a small, but powerless adult. He was deemed ready for work for a full 12 hour day, hauling pit tubs for example, from the age of 8. Education was for generations instilled into the child’s mind at the end of a cane or slipper. Shakespeare’s whining schoolboy crept unwillingly to school (As you like it) because he knew that grammar and maths would be taught on the principle of ‘one wrong’, ‘one smack’.


In the 18th Century children were apprenticed at the age of 7 and Mrs. Brownlow was executed in the 1820s for whipping two female apprentices to death. Records of the British Navy of boys who ran way to the hardships of a life on the ocean wave because at least they were guaranteed a minimal diet as well as the occasional flogging which was prefaced by a trial. Corporal punishment was treated as rather a joke. Lewis Carroll who genuinely loved children saw nothing wrong in creating a Duchess who gave the advice ‘speak roughly to your little boy and beat him when he sneezes’. French law in the 18th century took a pragmatic view of child chastisement, both in the home and in the workplace. One authority quotes the dictum ‘If one beats a child and it bleeds, then it will remember; but if one beats it to death, then the law must be applied’. The 19th Century and Partial reforms 19th century writers drew attention to the suffering of children. Charles Dickens had an enormous influence through his weekly serialised novels. By the age of 12 he had personally endured the rigours of poverty, the debtor’s prison and, hard labour in a boot-blacking factory. Richard Oastler, the Victorial Leeds Industrialist who saw at first hand the nasty brutish and short lives of coal tub-haulers and factory children, campaigned for a minimum age, a minimum wage and a 12 hour working day. The USA led the way with their NSPCC and Britain followed in 1895. The survey in Britain described children being beaten with canes, whips, rods, and other instruments, burnt with tailor’s irons and subjected to scalds with hot liquids. Physical Abuse Within the Family Acceptance that parents and other family members could actually be cruel to their own flesh and blood really began in the second half of the 20th century. Members of the medical profession attempted to bring public awareness and failed miserably. Tardieu in 1860 presented a series of 32 cases to the Parish Medical Society where children had suffered bleeding within the skull associated with other injures. He suggested that it was due to physical assault rather than any form of natural disease and was shouted down and consequently lost his reputation. Dr. Samuel West, a Leeds GP, presented a paper on long bone deformities in children to the BMA and the audience simply could not accept his hypothesis of parental abuse of such severity that broken bones resulted. He was asked to stop his presentation. Professor Green went on to talk about child abuse in the later part of the last century None of this applied to my childhood thankfully, but we did get smacked at school for quite trivial things, or so I thought, by slapping on arms or legs. Our headmistress did use the cane. If I got a slap as a punishment I got another when I got home from Mum. Dad was a pussycat. Meriel Bowers has added: Miss Exley who was headmistress of Boothroyd Lane Girls’ School in Dewbsury (ages 7 to 14) used a wooden spoon to dole out punishment. She gave several very hard slaps on the inner arm inside the elbow. If you were late you were made to stand in a corridor until after assembly and then receive the wooden spoon, during which her face turned purple. Thinking about it now this was definitely brutal. I imagine quite a lot of you can relate to these sorts of punishment, Ed.


LUCK AND THE WORLD WIDE WEB, PART 2

How to Create Web Pages There are of course several ways to put your information on to the web. Most current genealogy programs have a way of creating web pages, or you could use a dedicated genealogy webpage creation program such as Ged2web or HTMLPedigree. Another option is to use sites such as Ancestry or WorldConnect where you can create your tree directly on the web. If you are happy with the results produced by a web page generator or a web based tree, then you can skip most of what follows. I wanted a different format to the one my program offered, so I wrote my own web page. You can if you insist use a simple text editor such as Windows NotePad (or equivalent) to write HTML but a dedicated program will help remove coding errors. I use the HoTMetaL Pro HTML editing program. This works for me as I know a bit about HTML code so I can just type in HTML code or JavaScript if necessary. HTML editors are often included on the CDs that come free with computer magazines, or they can be downloaded from the internet. I have used KompoZer (Open Source so free). Alternatively, you can use a more general webpage design program such as Microsoft Frontpage Express, which comes free with older versions of MS Internet Explorer (5.01 or earlier), or WebSiteWord, free with the November issue of ‘Your Family Tree’ magazine, which includes a step-by-step example of how to use it to create a family history website. Word processors (Word or OpenOffice) can create web pages, but the code they create is far from optimal. I put my surname list into a table to make it easier to see what related to what, or should that be who! I also use a soft background to make the page easier on the eye. Black backgrounds can stand out, but usually the text is very difficult to read. Take a look at pages on the web that you like, and copy the styles they use. If you want to know how someone has done something on a web page, you can usually look at the HTML coding for the page (known in the trade as ‘source code’). In Windows Internet Explorer, click on the View menu, then choose Source. For the trees themselves I used TreeDraw. For reasons of compatibility with my cousins, I still use Version 1.2, but V3 is now released. It is the only charting programme I have so far found which allows you to put only the people you want on the tree, and to put them on the tree just where you want them, which I wanted to do to make the trees easy to read. Treedraw is available from S&N and the other usual suppliers, and is downloadable from the web for trial. I then printed the trees to PDF files (Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Files) using one of several programs that can do that. If you haven’t got one, then try CutePDF. Your system probably has FTP facilities to upload the pages to the web; if not, there are several free ftp programs available, e.g. Smartftp and AceFTP. I have used WS_FTP for many years, which came on a magazine CD, although it now seems to only be available as a 30 day free trial. I am assuming you use an ISP which includes a certain amount of free space for your web pages (most do). If not there are some sites,


like Geocities, which allow you free web space, but they often include advertising banners or pop-ups. In the absence of up-to-date on-line society members’ interests, I would encourage all readers who have Internet access to put their family tree data on the web if they can. It does get new contacts. If I don’t know who your ancestors are, how can I know whether we are connected? [As I was revising this article, a previously unknown second cousin once removed found me via my web site – it does work!]

REFERENCES: Your Family Tree magazine: http://www.yourfamilytreemag.co.uk Privacy Issues and Gedcom ‘cleaning’ programs: http://www.cyndislist.com/software.htm#Privacy Web Page Generator Programs: http://www.cyndislist.com/software.htm#HTML Frontpage Express: http://www.accessfp.net/fpexpress.htm WebSiteWord: http://www.websiteword.com HTML Editing Programs: 1st Page 2000: http://www.evrsoft.com/ HTML Tutorials: W3 Schools: http://www.w3schools.com Learn HTML in 3 days: http://www.webthang.co.uk/tuts/tuts_html/ghtml1/ghtml1_1.asp Drop-line Chart Programs: Treedraw: http://www.spansoft.org/ Family Tree Super Tools: http://www.whollygenes.com/supertools.htm PDF file creator: CutePDF: http://www.cutepdf.com FTP uploading program: Smartftp: http://www.smartftp.com/ Andy Micklethwaite. M170, Ripley, Derbyshire. email: [email protected] Should anyone have recently joined and have missed the first part, please ask me for a copy and I will email or mail it to you, Ed.

NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT! Old Family Trees were drawn with the names of parents in circles and their children radiating out below them. This arrangement was thought to resemble the footprints of cranes in the soft mud of river banks, hence their name ‘crane’s foot! - ‘pied de cru’ - pedigree!


COMPUTER NEWS

The January 2008 issue of The Family Record is now available. http://www.familyrecords.gov.uk/frc/news/fr_41.htm. Please note that this is the final edition of The Family Record. You can keep up to date with all the latest news from Kew, by subscribing to The National Archives’ monthly email newsletter. To sign up for your free subscription, please visit: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/enewsletter.

IGI Batch numbers: Still alive and well according to some of you. “Log on to http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hughwallis/”, says Andy Micklethwaite, and Jackie Depelle, D141, (see January Journal) and Jackie says she thinks the site is slightly out of date now. Elizabeth Clarke, C112, says, “I placed a shortcut to the site which I access from my computer desk top. Just drag and drop to your desk top it should work with no problems.”

Coldwell and Couldwell genealogy site: http://www.coldwell-roots.co.uk/. Find your ancestors and share your family tree connections. The aim is to build the entire Coldwell and Couldwell family tree throughout the whole world back to the earliest times. The Coldwell name is traceable back to the 14th C. in Austonley, a rural area on the slopes of the Pennine hills in the Holme river valley near to Holmfirth, Yorkshire, England, the World. There is a lot of good information about the Holme Valley and of particular merit: Select Typography Books from the Miscellany menu. It’s a wonderful list of the books available on Huddersfield IMHO. It deserves a mention in the Journal as a web site to be recommended. Andy Micklethwaite.

National Burial Index Records at findmypast.com On 29th November, 2007, records from the National Burial Index were published online at findmypast.com. At launch, 10.8 million records from 36 counties provided by 50 family history societies went live on the site. Currently the records span the years 1538 to 2005, although the greatest coverage is the period 1813 to 1850, a time prior to civil registration when a researcher is likely to have the greatest chance of accurately identifying his or her ancestors.

Also on Findmypast 1940s Passenger Lists now live. ‘Findmypast.com’ has added another decade of records to the UK Outbound Passenger Lists currently available. Records now include 20 million names within 137,000 passenger lists spanning 1890 to 1949.


A SKELETON IN MY CUPBOARD: BASTARDY!

I am researching my husband’s family, which is far more interesting than mine, as they lived in various parts of England, Scotland, and Wales. As happens in genealogy I have met up with descendants of the Bells. Alexander Bell, b 1816, had six sons and no daughters. Between us we have found five of the branches, mostly living in East Yorkshire and we have got back to about 1700. Philip Wilson, one of his distant cousins, an evangelist at Bridlington Parish Church has unearthed many interesting documents, including a fascinating will of Alexander’s father, Nathaniel Bell, who was a miller in Gilberdike, East Yorkshire. As the will is not pertaining to Kirklees, I am not going to print it except to say that in the first paragraph he bequeaths, ‘his bedstead and bedding to his daughter Hannah and to Alexander Bell of Barmby on the Marsh, my Mill and Clock’. (This clock is still in the family and my husband remembers it at his grandmother’s house, but had not known of the history of it until he read the will). Nathaniel’s father, b 1731, had another son called William Bell and he was brought to the Assizes on a bastardy charge. From 1876 Justices of the Peace could root out illegitimate children’s fathers and issue bastardy orders requiring them to marry the mother or pay for her child. I set out a typed copy below as it is not too clear. Bastardy document 17th April, 1876. East Riding of Yorkshire Be it remembered, That on the eighteenth Day of November in the 27th year of the Reign of our Lord George the third of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. William Bell of Gilberdike and Alexander Bell in the faid Riding perfonally came before us – Marmaduke Constable Esquire and Francis Best, clerk two of the Juftices of our faid Lord the King, affigned to keep the Peace in the faid Riding and acknowledged severally to owe to our faid Lord the king the sum of Twenty pounds of good and lawful money of Great Britain to be made and levied of their …… Goods and Chattels, Land and Tenements to the use of our faid Lord the King, his heirs and suffessors if Default fhall be made in the Condition under-written. The Condition of this Recognizance is fuch That if the above bound William Bell do appear at the next General Quarter Sessions of the peace to be held at Beverley…. Riding and abide by such order as shall be made upon him towards the maintenance of a Bastard Child which Ann Mell of Sandholme in the parish of Eastrington hath upon her oath charged him with having begotten on her body and not depart the Court without leave. Then the faid Recognizance shall be void, or else to remember its Force. M. Constable. F. Best.


Where to search Most illegitimacies come to light from birth certificates, where the father’s name is left blank and the mother is recorded with just her maiden surname. This may mean that the father is never identified. Some registrars (and before then, clergymen) would often ask the mother who the real father was, and then suggest or insist on, giving the baby its father’s surname as a middle name. Parish clerks were often better able to record the truth than registrars and were more likely to record that a child was illegitimate, ‘baseborn’, or a ‘bastard, sometimes even noting the father’s name. Parish chests may contain bastardy bonds whereby men indemnified the parish against the expense of supporting their illegitimate offspring. From 1576 Justices of the Peace could root out illegitimate children and issue bastardy orders, which will be in the Quarter Session records (in Country Record Offices now) requiring them to marry the mother or pay for her child. Oh the shame of it, a skeleton in our cupboard. What surprises these old documents give: twenty pounds must have been a lot of money. (I wonder what it is in today’s terms) That was before he was brought before the judge and I must admit I didn’t know about this. King George III ruling over France at that time too: and they couldn’t spell!!!!! I would never have thought of looking for such a document, but some of you might find the thought interesting as it can be a means of finding an otherwise missing father. M. Kemp, Editor.


POPULAR SUPERSTITIONS

Philip Hirst was prompted to send me some information on a book: ‘The Origins of Popular Superstitions and Customs’, by T. Sharper Knowlson, published by T. Werner Laurie, Ltd. in 1930’, when he read about the cock crowing stone in the January journal. He thought some of the sayings might fill a corner in the journal. The following is an extract: Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday or as we know it today, ‘Pancake Tuesday’, seems in the olden times to have been a season of merriment, horseplay, and cruelty, as if the participants were determined to have their fling ere Lent set in with its sombre feelings and proscription of joy. Prostitutes were hounded out of their dwellings with a view to segregation during the Lenten term. ‘Cock-throwing’ was indulged in, a cock being tied to a stake and pelted by the onlookers; and all kinds of rough games were played, the women and the men joining in the ‘fun’. The frying and eating of pancakes is apparently the only item left to us of this rather choice list of festivities. Taylor, in his ‘Jack a Lent’ (1630) gives the following curious account of the custom: ‘Shrove Tuesday at whose entrance in the morning all the whole kingdom is inquiet, but by that time the clocke strikes eleven, which (by the help of a knavish sexton) is commonly before nine, then there is a bell rung cal’d the Pancake-bell, the sound whereof makes thousands of people distracted, and forgetful either of manners or humanitie; then there is a thing called wheaten floure, which the cookes do mingle with water, eggs, spice and other tragical, magical inchantments, and then they put it by little and little into a frying pan of boiling suet, where it makes a confused dismal hissing, (like the Lernean Snakes in the reeds of Acheron, Stix or Phlegton) until at last, by the skill of the cooke, it is transformed into the forme of a Flip-Jack, cal’d a Pancake which ominous incantation the ignorant people doe devoure very greedily’. The piety of such people would seem to have gone sadly astray, for Shrove is a word derived from shrive which means, to confess; and there was apparently little of that element in the humour of the day, although possibly in the earlier days of the Church such festivities were not so pronounced. Still they could never have been entirely absent, for Brand informs us that the luxury and intemperance which prevailed were vestiges of the Roman Carnival. The modern pancake, translated from the history of the past, seems to suggest the old saying, ‘Let us eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die!’. Philip Hirst, H122, Wyngate, Higher Hartshead, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9AF. email: [email protected].


BROOK SENIOR

Gillian King has kindly sent me the following photograph (which is a bit damaged) and has kindly looked up the information on the relevant censuses. Please let me know if it belongs to one of you: 'I have a photograph of Brook(e) Senior which was stuck into a book of ‘Inorganic Chemistry’! It was attached with the address sticker of Brook, Carlton Terrace, Earlsheaton. I had a look in the Census returns and found that the father of Brook was Rylah Senior and I can take the family back to 1774 (George Senior born 1774). If anybody has family connections to Brook I would gladly pass the photograph on to them providing they can prove their connection. I can only assume that the photograph was given to my father at some time, possibly at Manchester Grammar School.

Rylah SENIOR, born in 1850 in Earlsheaton, Dewsbury, YKS. At the 1871 Census Living with brother George. At 1881 Census Living in Liverpool with cousin Eliza TATE and family also uncle Joseph SENIOR and cousin Joseph SENIOR. 1891 Census RG12/3731 Dewsbury, YKS Schedule No. 257 5 Pepper Roys Street Rylah Senior Head M 40 Carpet Weaver born YKS Soothill Ann Senior Wife M 41 born YKS Lockwood Brooke Senior Son 3 born YKS Soothill Sarah E. Senior Dtr 4 mths born YKS Dewsbury 1901 Census RG13/4271/ Earlsheaton, Soothill, Dewsbury, YKS Schedule No. 241 Carlton Terrace Rylah Senior Head M 50 Blanket Weaver born YKS Earlsheaton Ann Senior Wife M 51 Rug Weaver born YKS Huddersfield Brook Senior Son 13 born YKS Earlesheaton Sarah E. Senior Dtr 10 born YKS Dewsbury In 1884 when Rylah was 34, he married Ann BROOK, in Dewsbury, YKS. Born in 1849 in Hatton Bussell (?), YKS. Gillian King, K031, Cefn-y-Mynach Cottage, Kerry, Newtown, Powys, SY16 4PL. email: [email protected].


RELIC OF THE 1852 HOLMFIRTH FLOOD

The story of the Holmfirth flood has, I think, been featured in the journal before, however Kathleen Bell has sent me a cutting from the Huddersfield Examiner published in 1957 (an extract is shown below) about a bible which was later found buried in sand. It disappeared for a time and then turned up in Derbyshire from where it was returned to the Vicar of Holmbridge. Mrs. Kathleen Bell is the gt gt granddaughter of Mrs. Mary Hirst. The great flood resulted from the bursting of the Bilberry Reservoir on 5th February, 1852 and spread death and destruction for miles down the Holme Valley. It was one of the worst calamities upon record at that time in England. Around 80 people lost their lives and the torrent of water even took an entire four storey mill with it. The waters roared down with fury as they swept down each successive obstruction, carrying with them amongst the wreck of houses, mills and other buildings, struggling men, women and children, and the air was filled with shrieks, which were heard above the roar of the waters. ‘…Mrs. Dixon who returned the bible to the area was a granddaughter of Mrs. Mary Hirst, the widow of Mr. George Hirst who was living at Digley at the time of the flood. She remembered her grandmother telling her the story of the flood and how she tied a little nephew round her waist as she ran up the hill with him to safety. “My grandmother refused to leave her home, until eventually she had to be carried out. She sat reading her Bible and as the water came in she closed it, leaving her steel-framed spectacles between the leaves where she had been reading. The rusty marks of the frame are clearly visible. It was found buried in the sand in the stream and my mother spent weeks of loving care restoring it.” The “loving care” cannot be questioned says the Vicar. The leaves of the book must have been choked with sand, and no bookbinder could have made a better job of repairing it. The imprint by rust of the spectacle frame is remarkable, having the appearance of having been branded in with a hot iron and it carries through several leaves….’ Mrs. K. Bell, B042, 61, Smiths Avenue, Marsh, Huddersfield, HD3 4AP. This picture is of Kathleen who is 87 and has been a regular contributor to the journal for many years. This site: http://www.huddersfield1.co.uk gives a very graphic and moving description of the flood.


OLD AGE AND DEATH CERTIFICATES, OCTOBER, AND JANUARY JOURNALS

Your correspondence regarding cause of death as ‘Old Age’ interested me. Quite recently I read an article describing how the requirements regarding such entries had evolved over the years and become more stringent. As usual, however. I cannot remember where I read it. I understand that it became a legal requirement for a death to be ‘Certified’ by a medical practitioner. However, I was prompted to look at certificates for my own family. Year Age Place Cause of Death Certified 1841 80 Norfolk Old Age No 1843 35 Rochdale Decline No 1844 77 Harrogate Natural Decay No 1860 85 Scarborough Natural Decay Yes 1874 77 Bainbridge Old Age, Asthma No 1875 68 Rochdale Hemiplegia Paralysis of Muscles of

inspiration Yes

1876 54 Rochdale Bronchitis Longer (?) Yes 1884 92 Harrogate Senile decay Yes 1885 57 Harrogate Diabetes syncope Yes 1887 79 Golcar Senile Decay Yes 1888 78 Rochdale Apoplexy Yes 1889 80 Dent Bronchitis 6 months. Old Age Yes 1890 25 Harrogate

Died from a fracture of the skull caused by her falling out of a carriage of the North Eastern Railway Company at Starbeck Station through the door not having been properly fastened. Certified by the Coroner after an inquest.

1894 30 Harrogate Diabetic 9 months Yes 1895 70 Harrogate Decay (General) Yes 1899 90 Nottingham Senile Decay Yes 1899 36 Harrogate Pneumonia Acute 2 days Yes 1902 83 Longwood Senile Decay Yes 1902 44 Harrogate Malignant dis: of lung Secondary

deposit in thigh Asthenia Syncope Yes

1903 85 Rochdale Heart Failure Not stated 1910 66 Rochdale Diabetes Convulsions Coma Yes 1914 76 Rochdale (1) Gastritis (2) Cardiac Failure Yes

(According to family, this lady died of Veal poisoning.) 1922 92 Bainbridge Senile Decay Yes 1911 42 Swindon (Long Preston) Diabetes coma Yes


What surprised me most about the above was the good age to which some of them lived, particularly as my own parents both died young. Another surprise was the numbers affected by Diabetes. We have heard so much recently about this disease being a modern phenomenon due to bad diets, and whenever I was asked if there was any in the family by an optician, I always answered “no”, until I found my grandmother's certificate. Two certificates I have, which are not family, paint a rather tragic story. They are for brothers who died as follows and each bore the same name: Year Age Place Cause of Death Certified 1845 9 weeks Harrogate Hooping Cough (sic) Not certified 1851 5 years Harrogate Hydrocephalus 2 weeks Certified

Sadly the mother of these boys is listed as a ‘lunatic’ in the 1871 Census. I wonder if these deaths caused the problem?

Edith Wyn Unsworth, U004, 2, Beech Road, Garstang, Preston, PR3 IFS.

Talk Review

‘North Country Folklore’ 12th February, 2008, in the Children’s Library, by Peter Watson. About 30 people attended the short EGM which was followed by a talk by Peter Watson from Lancashire. I did attempt to take notes of the talk, which had us all in stitches when he recalled superstitions, occult, bad luck, medicines, potions, and old wives’ tales but got lost in the numerous things he spoke about. He explained how we still follow a lot of these traditions which have been passed down and he said, “Who is to say that they were not right.” He spoke of ridiculous things like not leaving an egg shell without piercing the bottom ‘in case a witch sailed away in it’. He said that people from Yorkshire and Lancashire were particularly superstitious and were very much alike. He showed us a ‘witch bottle’ which counteracted any spell that might have been cast by a witch. He said farmers were still digging these up from time to time. You had to put a lock of the witch’s hair in it with a red heart and three pins, three pieces of parchment with counter spells on them, seal it and put the red top on with another 9 pins. He was quite serious when he spoke of his 35 years research about things like this and he had us laughing when he told us how the lock of hair was taken. A woman wrestled with the witch and pulled out some hair and got paid for it. She was probably bald by the time she died. Imagine living about 400 years ago when very little was known, it was a different age where superstition, spells and magic were the norm. We know better of course, but how many of us still won’t walk under a ladder, throw spilled salt over our shoulder, do things in the same way every time (including the lottery). He went on to talk about ghosts (we should have had this at an October meeting) and it didn’t help when a door slammed at the back with no one apparently there. Marcia Kemp, Editor.


TOTALLY BAMBOOZLED BY A BIBLE ENTRY

Bible entries are supposed to be one of the most reliable sources of data when doing Family History research. Nearly ten years ago, shortly after retirement I thought I was off to a great start when a distant relative sent me the following except from a bible that he claimed to have seen. A trip to Shepley, the Root Cellar, and Huddersfield Library turned up lots of information. I found out how my surname started, following a marriage in 1361 between Robin, son of Robin Lord of the Manor of Goldthorpe and Isabel half heiress with her sister to William, Lord of the Manor of Shepley. The long drawn out court case as the husbands of the two daughters of William’s second marriage tried to wrest the ownership of the manor from the husbands of Isabel and her sister. I found the marriage record of William and Lydea and noted that they were both illiterate or did not like to admit it. I noted that the parents had given their consent so assumed it was the father and mother of both parties. I noted that John was born and died six weeks before the marriage, not unusual at the time, fertility was important. The Derbyshire hill farmer’s saying, “You do not buy a heifer until it is in calf” applies as much to the wife as to the farmer, what wife would want a sterile bull. I have not been able to find anything to confirm John’s existence, nor that of Giles for that matter. I found Job’s, Benjamin’s, and Tom’s baptism record but not Annie’s. I wondered why there was a 9 year gap before Annie was born and feeling sad for Lydea that after finally having a little girl she died within a year. The description of William as a cordwainer seemed to me to be a bit of an exaggeration. A cordwainer, a worker in leather, would serve an apprenticeship becoming a saddler, or boot and shoemaker, not a simple cobbler as William is recorded an all the baptisms. I found Shelley Bankside, no farm, a row of stone built and flagged working men’s cottages built into the side of the valley for cheapness I also found amongst the Goldthorpes and noted with passing interest a lady, the gt x 6 grandaughter of William de Goldthorpe of Shepley, who died in 1582. Mary Goldthorp, born in 1757, who had four illegitimate children by four different men one of whom William, putative father, Johnathan Wood was baptised on 15/06/1788. I was unable to find a baptism date for my gt x 2 Grandfather, William supposedly born on 10th September, 1790. The search for that baptism date has taken about 8 years.

William Goldthorpe b. 10/9/1790 d. 1860 (buried at Charlesworth) Fought at the Battle of Badajoz. Pensioned out, but would not collect his pension. Farmer cordwainer. Lived at Shelley Bankside, Kirkburton, Huddersfield.

m. Lydia Hey b. 2/12/1797 d. 1893

John 2/5/1818 - 4/5/1818

Giles 2/9/1819 - 1//1821

Job 25/10/1821 -29/6/1822

Benjamin 27/7/1825 - 12/3/1890

Tom 20/12/1828 - 28/5/1890

Annie 13/8/1837 - ?1837


Marriage Certificate Details: William Goldthorp Of this Parish

And Lydia Hey Of this Parish

Were married in this Church by Banns with Confent of Parents

This 23rd Day of June In the Year One thousand eight hundred and eighteen

By me R Pickles, Curate

This marriage was folemnized between us

(William Goldthorp X Mark

(Lydia Hey X Mark In the Prefence of W Booth John Hardcastle

No 515 John Hardy Gradually I began to find mistakes in the bible record. Charlesworth is close to where I live and I have contacted every church with a burial plot in Charlesworth and there is no record of his burial anywhere. William died in the lst quarter of 1859 and not 1860. Annie did not die, she married and had a family of her own. Lydia did not die in 1893, she died in 1876, she remarried Thomas Broadbent in 1863 and died in the September quarter 1876 in Hayfield. Goldthorpe did not start to spread from Shepley until the 19th century, the vast majority being baptised, married, and buried at All Hallows Church, Kirkburton. Three William Goldthorps were baptised around 1800, one on 16/04/1786, son of Joshua, Mary Goldthorpe’s William in 1788, the next William in 1810. I have traced the 1786 William to a lodging house in Bradford in 1851, the third is too young, only Mary’s William fits the bill. Should I be peeved? No way, thank god for Mary Goldthorp’s amorous adventures, because without her I would not be here. My wife of course is delighted, “I always knew you were a bit of a b_____d!” 15 06 1788 Goldthorp William (Jonathan Wood) Mary (SW) Shepley The rest: Well, I know an awful lot about the Spanish Peninsular War, the Siege of Badajoz, the Duke of Wellington, and some of his sayings about his soldiers: “I don’t know what they do to the French, but by God they frighten me.” About being born in Ireland. “Just because you are born in a stable does not mean you are a horse.” Refusing to give the government a victory when the French are starving, “We only have one little army, it’s my duty to look after it.” As well as a Battle of Honour, the Seige of Badajoz was one of the greatest disgraces of the British Army, 3 days of arson, rape, looting, and murder. Wellington could not get his men under control. At first thought, William would not collect his pension because he had done well in the looting and did not want anyone to know where he was. I have not found any pensioned off solider William Goldthorps before 1850.


There is no record of what regiments were recruiting in that area of Yorkshire at that time, not that it would help because recruits were often sent to other regiments. If known the father of an illegitimate child’s name always had to be recorded at baptism. This was part of the workhouse regulations, so that the illegitimate child would not end up being a burden on the rates. The father could be made to pay for the child’s upkeep. That would not have helped William because Johnathan Wood appears in the burials four years later. If on the workhouse books, sending William off as a boy solider would have got him off the ratepayers’ costs. If so that is where he would have learned his trade as a cobbler. A useful trade to have in the army, farriers who shoed horses and cobblers who shoed men were too important to be allowed to volunteer for Forlorn Hopes and Assault Parties. Only in set piece battles would William have been allowed to join the firing line. West Yorkshire Archives, Kirklees. Records of paupers at Huddersfield Poor Law Union workhouses only from 1875 to 1913. There is no mention of William in the Old Poor Law records for the Kirkburton area or Kirkburton parish church. I have been told that early workhouse records for England and Wales have been centralised in the London area. Does anyone know where? Finally there is a fantastic love story associated with the Siege of Badajoz. A beautiful 15 year old Spanish girl and her married sister escaping the mayhem threw themselves on the mercy of some British officers. One, Captain John Smith fell head over heels in love with the young Spanish girl. He married her, Wellington giving the bride away. His friends called him a fool and said he had ruined his career. But Captain John had found a bargain, she stuck to him through thick and thin, going wherever he was posted. Eventually General Sir John Smith was posted to the new colony of South Africa, where the settlers were so impressed with his wife they named a new town after her, Ladysmith, where almost 90 years later an equally famous siege took place. Bill Goldthorp, 14, Bowlacre Road, Gee Cross, Hyde Cheshire, SK14 5ES. email: [email protected]. DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS MAN?

Valerie Lawson a member of EYFHS at Beverley would dearly like to know if this is her great grandfather, James Terry Norminton, born 8/2/1868 in Mirfield.. Her grandfather Harry Edmondson Norminton was born 27/11/1891 at 66, Nelson Square, Mirfield and came to live in Hull sometime before 1912. The name of the photographer was E. Exley but there is nothing written on the back to say who it is, but Valerie says it is definitely a member of the Norminton family.

Valerie Lawson, The Drive, Cherry Burton, East Yorkshire, HU 7RS. email: [email protected].


AMONG THOSE DARK SATANIC MILLS

And did those feet in ancient time, Walk upon England’s mountains green? And was the holy Lamb of God, On England’s pleasant pastures seen? And did the countenance divine, Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here, Among these dark Satanic Mills? William Blake’s poem inspired the hymn ‘Jerusalem’ (The Christian Church in general, and the English Church in particular, used Jerusalem as a metaphor for heaven). The term ‘dark satanic mills’, which entered the English language from this poem, is most often interpreted as referring to the early industrial revolution and its destruction of nature. Being in the heart of what was called the Heavy Woollen District where fortunes were made in the past, we in Kirklees have got used to these enormous buildings and of course in the last few decades almost all of these mills have closed. Some stood derelict and some were turned into warehouses and work units, even supermarkets. They were built by wealthy mill owners and consisted of many storeys for housing their weaving machines and workers. These same wealthy mill owners built equally grand residences and also helped finance many of the beautiful old buildings in our towns and villages, the town halls, the libraries etc. The past decade has seen an explosion of building in the area, with many of these mills being ‘snapped up’ by builders and turned into luxury apartments. One such is Ledgard Mill (formerly George Lyles) at Mirfield. When I looked in Wakefield Archives at the Indentures ledger it was in the name of three of his sons, Fred, Sam, and Tom all of Batley Carr. They named it after their father George. It was conveyed by Benjamin Simpson and dated 30 9 1895. The original mill windows have been enhanced with balconies This particular mill which sat beside the River Calder had been very run down. The surrounding land has now been sympathetically landscaped and the tenants have good views of the


surrounding hillsides and the river. The added ‘boat house’ is a glass building attached to the mill which gives open views over the river Calder and the Pennines. Believe me it is a vast improvement on what it had decayed into. Huddersfield University has expanded to such an extent that it has taken over some old mills and engineering buildings for student classrooms and others have been converted into student accommodation. Signs of the times are the new luxurious student accommodation built to look like the surrounding mills, but with a leisure complex and swimming pool. In my day it was bed sits or digs. Pity the main University (right) building is a 70s type concrete block which stands out like a sore finger.

The mill below was called Newsome’s of Batley and has been renovated into a very modern department store in which many large stores have taken space.

It is now called ‘The Red Brick Mill’ and in 2006 in won an award for the best new business in Kirklees. The mill has been sympathetically restored with cafes on each floor and much use of glass and beams inside. It is quite upmarket and is well worth a visit. The friezes on the side are particularly well done, representing workers in the woollen mills and of course the sheep. I must say I have not seen a lot of red brick mills in Yorkshire or at least in our area. They are usually in Lancashire: unless you know better. J. T. & J. Taylor of Batley, Blakeridge Mills still stands and is in a poor state. Its owner was Theodore Taylor who lived to be over 100 and still visited his mills on a regular basis until his death. No doubt it will be the next for redevelopment as his other mill at Cheapside, Bradford Road, Batley was redeveloped into ‘The Mill Village’ years ago. The picture on the next page shows just how run down it has become. Titanic Mill in the village of Linthwaite near Huddersfield is the latest development from Salford-based company Lowry Renaissance. The huge Grade II Edwardian structure of Lowestwood Mill, nicknamed Titanic because it was built the same year as the fateful vessel, has dominated the Colne Valley for almost a century.


Work started on its renovation in 2003 and more than 150 apartments now occupy the mill's upper five floors, overlooking the spectacular valley with views across the hillside. Still enjoying its first wave of new inhabitants, Titanic Mill is the first mill conversion in the UK to have its own Combined Heat and Power unit (CHP), featuring a biomass boiler fuelled by sustainably-farmed wood

chippings, to produce both heat (hot water) and power (electricity), on site.

The picture above left shows the building as it is now with balconies and the one on the right is one from the archives. Thank goodness these magnificent buildings have been saved as they are part of our national heritage.

Left is a picture of Newsome’s Mill in the 50s.

Marcia Kemp, Editor.


How to preserve your precious genealogy

collection

To my spouse, children, guardian, administrator, and/or executor. Upon my demise it is requested that you DO NOT dispose of any or all of my genealogical records, both those prepared personally by me and those records prepared by others which may be in my possession, including but not limited to books, files, notebooks or computer programs for a period of two years. During this time period, please attempt to identify one or more persons who would be willing to take custody of the said materials and the responsibility of maintaining and continuing the family histories. [If you know whom within your family or friends are likely candidates to accept these materials please add the following at this point: ‘I suggest that the persons contacted regard the assumption of the custody of these items include, but not be limited to’, and then list the names of those individuals at this point, with their addresses and telephone numbers if known.] In the event you do not find anyone to accept these materials, please contact the various genealogical organisations that I have been a member of and determine if they will accept some parts or all of my genealogical materials. [Lists of organisations, addresses and phone numbers and contact persons if available as well as county/national contact information and addresses.] Please remember that my genealogical endeavours consumed a great deal of time, travel, and money. Therefore, it is my desire that the products of these endeavours be allowed to continue in a manner that will make them available to others in the future. Why I have put a copy in my safe. My husband is quite enthusiastic in that he accompanies and chauffeurs me to strange towns and libraries and gets mildly excited when I call that I have found this and that, but my two daughters remain slightly mystified. They murmur politely when I pass the latest birth certificate or chart to them and then go on to discuss which nursing home they will put mad mum in. What am I doing it for? I say it’s for my grandchildren, but will they care either? What will happen to this mass of research. I know I could put it out on the Internet, but the task sounds daunting. All I have done is left this sheet of paper with my will and a note to say that I will haunt them if they dump it all. However, now I can also deposit the CDs at HDFHS Root Cellar. (see page 29)

Someone sent this to me a few years ago before I became Editor so I have no idea who to attribute it to although I think it is American in origin. It was suggested that you leave it with your will, Ed.


QUESTION WHICH MAY BE OF INTEREST TO MANY OF YOU What will happen to my research? A recent conversation with a fellow member raised the following issue: what will happen to our research when we are no longer willing or able to carry on with it, for whatever reason assuming, as in my case, I have no close family member wanting to take it up? Is the society able to accept it, and if so, in what form: on paper or as Gedcom? Thoughts of fellow members, (and Committee?) appreciated! The other issue is that one correspondent remarked that he had sent the data to his local FHS who had then ‘lost’ it. Some details of what the society would do with it would give confidence in the procedure. Andy Micklethwaite, email: [email protected] Answer from Steve Wayne, Chairman We have a computer at the Root Cellar that has a program that accepts gedcom files, so he could send the information in this format. I would suggest that he copies it to pdf format also, and yes, we are talking CD/DVD. I think we need to be clear on what he will allow this information to be used for. Is it just to be used by fellow members of the Society for research, or the general public at large, who come to the Root Cellar. He also needs to think about copyright, if someone was to come to the Root cellar, copy all the information , then publish it, how would he feel. The problem we have is space, the Library section is already bursting at the seams, so a hard copy could be a problem, DVDs don't take up much space. So there you are folks. CD/DVD is the best bet because of space (If I deposited my pile at the Root Cellar it would be overflowing so it is a CD for me). I would also refer you to my piece about ‘Preserving your Precious Genealogy’ on page 28.

RESEARCHING YOUR FAMILY’S MILITARY HERITAGE?

The Royal Armouries at Leeds are offering 1½ hour sessions at £2.50 a head on military topics such as the Napoleonic Wars, 1792 to 1815 and the Boer War, 1899 to 1901. Call 01132 20 1888 or email, [email protected].

VOLUNTEERS Volunteers are urgently required to add one data field to an existing database of the 1851 census, which was transcribed by many volunteers in the past. This is a requirement of FindMyPast, in order for them to use our database for searches. Access to a computer is all that is required as you will be supplied with the disc and the data. Please volunteer by either emailing the Secretary or telephoning the Root Cellar.


FAMILY ALBUM: THE SCOTTS AT LEES MOOR CHURCH SCHOOL

This is a photograph of the whole of Lees Moor Church School Thornhill taken about 1904 and my mother Lucy Scott (born 1892) is on the third row from the front, third from right. Her two brothers, Arthur Scott (born 1899), back row third from left and Herbert Scott (born 1901) second row, third from left. Herbert Scott started school at the age of 3 and Arthur Scott was called up in 1918 and served in the trenches in France.

My uncle Arthur is also shown in the photograph below, which shows office staff at the Thornhill Goods Depot of the L & Y (Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway). Arthur had just left Heckmondwike Grammar School at the age of 16 and is standing fourth from the left. Does anybody recognize anyone else?

Meriel Bowers, B001, 27, Fairfax Court, Acomb Road, York, YO24 4HS, or email the Editor.


THE EARLY DAYS OF THE SOCIETY: A VIEW BY A FOUNDER MEMBER

The society’s project group has been producing indexes since the conception of the society some 21 years ago, this is testament and a credit to all the volunteers who have helped and have been involved in the production of these vital

indexes, which over the years have helped piece together thousands of our members family trees and helped family historians all over the world. Steve Whitwam, 25 years ago…. and today.

This is an article to anecdote the origin of the project group, to pay homage to the hard work which was empowered to get the projects off the ground, and to thank all the hundreds of members who have helped to create the data which has now increased to over 2 million entries comprising baptisms, marriages, burials, and census records.

Creation of our society Way back in 1988 when the society was formed things were very different from today, mainly in the way of technology and accessibility of genealogical records. In those early days virtually no one had a home PC, at that time they cost over £5,000, a few people had BBC computers and other arcane models, Microsoft windows had not been invented, and there was no Internet! How did we manage you might ask yourselves!! When I joined the Society’s formation group I joined for one main reason, to produce indexes. I had been involved with church and census indexing since 1977, in those days utilizing a typewriter. I knew the value and usefulness of indexes. I had been a member of two of the old original family history societies, The Leeds (Yorkshire) and Manchester and Lancashire societies and seen how useful their indexes were. These original indexes were compiled with typewriters then cutting up all the names and placing by hand in alphabetical order. A great break through in indexing came with the Leeds 1851 census, some 100,000 names in alphabetical order, this was not a full index but included the surname, name, and piece number and was again typed up using a typewriter and indexed by hand, imagine the hundreds of hours sorting all those bits of paper, now a days your PC would perform this task in seconds! When the society started I had already been using a BBC computer to index the 1841 censuses for the Colne Valley where I lived. To give you an example it took me and the computer eight hours just to sort the Golcar census consisting of just 2,400 people.


Pioneering beginnings As a teenage family historian I soon realised that as you traced your family tree back and as you added more branches you found yourself returning back over the same Census or Parish Register. I concluded in the end that it would be quicker to have copied the whole register, hence when I began indexing using a BBC computer I decided to index the whole entry, this was a thing that no society had undertaken before. Most societies opposed full indexes due to the lack of computer technology, but some thought that the researcher should have to consult the original record for the full details. Obviously mistakes could find their way into indexes and the theory was that at least the researcher had to consult the original information when looking up the register. The first massive indexing project that all societies were involved with, was the 1851 census, many of these had been completed with old typewriters by the time our society was established, but we took on the first full computerised index in the country. Unfortunately, only several members had computers at this time, but the Huddersfield library kindly offered their BBC computer to our members in the evenings and a room was made available at Huddersfield library where dedicated members went to enter those vital first records. The first index to be published was the Lingards 1851 census; this was because it was one of the smallest townships with only 500 inhabitants. A small amount of copies were produced and sold aiding the funds for the next venture. Our Society had just started and had no funds and was struggling financially. Kirklees Council and the West Yorkshire Archives services were approached for assistance and we gained two good grants from each, consisting of £2000 which enabled us to purchase a couple of BBC computers and a printer and it also funded a few publications. The Huddersfield library was very kind and allowed us to photocopy the original census films at cost price, about 75,000 pages were completed and I took 25 days leave from my work to complete this task, and in doing so also wore out the library’s film copier!! Within a few years the 1851 census was completed by 35 members. As more publications rolled off the pipeline, more sales took place creating the funds for future ventures. We were so desperate for money in the early days that we used to sell the publications in the local newspapers under a fiver column and we also delivered the local journals by hand to save on postage. The 1851 census when completed had 200,000 entries which at that time made it the largest computerised genealogical database in the UK, only the Mormon IGI surpassed it. It was the envy of all family history societies and was unveiled at the Annual Family History Fair in London where people from all over England came to see it. As our sales increased more money became available and the society was soon in a position to publish as many indexes as could be compiled. By 1995 over 30 booklets were being published per year. The indexes having expanded from census returns to parish registers of baptism, marriage, and burials and also some graveyard inscriptions.


Looking back 20 years It’s quite amazing looking back all those years and how things have changed, especially in computing, nowadays almost everyone has access to a computer and indexing can be completed in your own home. Most parish registers have been microfilmed. In the early days we had to copy the entries by hand at the library; again Huddersfield library was very helpful in borrowing these original registers from the Wakefield County Record Office. Thanks to all the many helpers I look back with a sense of pride at the achievements of those difficult early days and would like to thank all the hard working members who assisted in producing those vital early publications, which have subsequently produced the funds for our society to be able to continue with its ongoing vital indexing projects. It may seem unbelievable nowadays when we have home computers, connections to the internet and access for a few pounds to all the county’s censuses, not to mention that they are all indexed also, and at a couple of clicks of the mouse are able to find and view our ancestors. The indexing continues on Although my term as Project Organiser ended after seven years I can now take a back seat and look at the continuing progress as more and more indexes come off the publication line and to see so many of the society’s members coming forward over the years to volunteer and help with the continuing work. Our Society has achieved the ultimate goal of bringing research into people’s homes and continues to be a vital asset in aiding research with family history and genealogy connected to the Kirklees area. Steve Whitwam, W001, 1 Ainley Park, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4HE. email: [email protected]. What about the photographs of Steve? He must have started young. He has done unbelievable amounts of work in the Huddersfield & District Family History area and been so helpful to me with the Journal, Ed.

ITV PROGRAMME ITV are making a show called The Great British Body, a national body audit to discover how we look as a nation in 2008. We are looking for families/individuals from across the country to come along to our road shows, in Birmingham, Newcastle, and Brighton, whose parents and parents’ parents were born in the same place they were. We are looking into the genetic make up of our country and are doing DNA tests at the road shows. If you are interested please email, [email protected], or look on the ITV website.


MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS PROJECT

EDGERTON CEMETERY, HUDDERSFIELD Fly to 53° 39' 15.27" N and 1° 47' 39.12" on Google Earth and you will arrive between the Chapels of Edgerton Cemetery, Huddersfield. The Consecrated Chapel and graves are on the left while the Unconsecrated, or General Chapel and graves are on the right. The steeple is in the centre. Information about this geometric Cemetery opened in 1855 is not readily available. Originally covering 37 acres, it has been extended over the years. George Redmonds, in his book, ‘The Making of Huddersfield’, shows a plan dated 1857 with the proposed development of the ‘Huddersfield Cemetery’ on the Estate of Lewis Fenton. There is also a photograph entitled ‘Highfield Cemetery 1996’. A headstone on that photograph confirms that it is what we now know as Edgerton Cemetery, bordering Blacker Road. The Burial Register is being transcribed and we have started recording the Memorial Inscriptions. However, the Edgerton Cemetery is so large that we may only manage a series of photographs with an index. Actual transcriptions will only be available where the inscriptions cannot be deciphered from the photographs. Area 4 is an exception as all the headstones and memorials have been fully transcribed, thanks to Ann Wood. So far we have completed areas 2 and 4. Area 2 is against Blacker Road, to the left of Blacker Road Lodge and gate. Area 4 is that part inside the circular footpaths. (53°39' 16.5"N, 1°47' 44.08"W/53° 39' 14.68" N, 1° 47' 44.90"W respectively).* Area 1, also against Blacker Road should be available by the time you read this and work has started on area 3. The index contains names with birth and death years, plot and image references. If you have a relative in either of these areas and would like to receive photographs in the form of jpegs, please let us know. If you do not have a broadband connection we will reduce the size of the images we send to you. * The signs for degree (°), minutes (') and seconds (") are not required on Google. Mike Hardcastle, H287, Monumental Inscriptions Coordinator. email: [email protected] Mike and his team are hard at work on the rather daunting task of photographing/transcribing all the monumental inscriptions in the area and have made a start on Edgerton Cemetery. Readers will notice the resemblance of this cemetery to that of Batley Cemetery which I featured recently. Please get in touch with the Root Cellar if you have no email address or you could FAX the Bereavement Services, receive plot references, and then ask for jpegs. Their fax number is 01484 234067, Ed.


FROM THE COMMITTEE ROOM

I am delighted to announce that the Charity Commission has now approved the latest version of the constitution and this, as amended at the recent EGM has now been formally adopted by the Society. How this affects you and how you will be able to use your new powers will be the subject of an article in the next Journal when full details of the AGM will be published. Alan Stewart-Kaye, Hon. Sec. H&DFHS The Society is proposing to create a CD of past journals for members to purchase, at a cost of £10. There are of course about 84 journals. An index will be supplied. Steve, our Chairman has undertaken the mammoth task of scanning in all the early journals. He said he enjoyed it but it took longer than it should because he found himself reading them. The following is a ‘taster’ of 24 articles I have found whilst preparing these files for use:

Lockwood (Emmanuel) Parish Church Nineteenth Century Coal Miners in Kirklees

Fire at Colne Bridge The Changing Journey To Work In The Twentieth Century

Leeds City Libraries Henry Hopkinson of Birstall: Organ Builder and Organist

Rev. Matthew Cookson Ancient Deeds once belonging to Samuel Walker

Huddersfield Around 1800 The Lockwood Trail: A Look at Surname Density

Three Generations of Fittons The Sheard Family: A West Riding Dynasty

Portrait of a Workhouse Master A Soldier’s Life: George Henry Rushworth

The Lepton Spiveys Thornhill Colliery Disaster Tuesday 4th July 1893

A Woman's Lot Marsh Mills Disaster: 24th February 1892

The 1926 General Strike 19th to 20th century Prices and Wages

A Huddersfield Connection? John Kay, Inventor of the Flying Shuttle

The Goldthorps of Hartshead The E’Lucy’ve Liveseys of Golcar and USA

A Family History of Spen Valley and Huddersfield Licensees

There is much, much more and it might be that you would find a connection in say, ‘Help Wanted’. If you are interested perhaps you can let us know fairly quickly as the interest is likely to be great, Ed.


HELP WANTED

Please send brief details - about 10 lines, including your Full Name, Society Membership Number, and Postal Address to the Editor (address inside back cover), and please write clearly, using BLOCK LETTERS for names if the request is hand written. For dates, please write out the month in full to avoid confusion: 7.4.1900 means 7th April to a Briton, but July 4th to an American! BIGAMY I was fascinated by the article in the January issue entitled, ‘Living a Lie’. Arthur SHAWCROSS, as my husband believes that his grandfather was a bigamist, but how do we prove it and are there any records we could

source? His mother had hinted at the fact but, as is usually the case, is now dead and not able to verify the fact. Has anyone else come across this problem, or can anybody suggest where we go to start a search? He was living in Cardiff at the time. Gillian Gray, G116, 21, Hatfield Road, Ainsdale, Southport, Merseyside, PR8 2PE. email: [email protected]. John HAIGH I have just obtained a copy of John’s indenture paper, dated 20th November, 1811, to Benjamen CARTER, machine maker. I have also discovered the name of the firm which he founded, namely John Haigh and Sons Ltd, Priestroyd Mills, Huddersfield. I would still be interested to know where any documents relating to this company might be found Louise Taylor. email: [email protected]. Albert WOMERSLEY Thanks for putting my request in ‘Help Wanted’. I did find an Albert WOMERSLEY in Belevedere, Kent who was also a Master Hairdresser. (Kelly’s Directory of Kent) He died in 1921, aged 60, which is about right for my g grandfather and he was married to another Ann who died in 1913 and were buried together in Erith cemetery. This Ann's maiden name was BLOW, but I think she married a Thomas DOOLEY who died in 1900, before she married Albert. I have again tried to find their marriage certificate which would give me Albert’s father's name, but have had no luck with that either. I may of course be on the wrong track!! Hopefully the ‘Help Wanted’ may bring a solution. I omitted to put the details in for Jenny in the last ‘Help Wanted’. In case any of you have not been able to get in touch her details are: Jenny Sharp, 7, The Causeway, Thorpe Willoughby, Selby, YO8 9PE. email: [email protected].


BEAUMONT I am trying to find out what happened to my great grandmother, Sarah Ann BEAUMONT, after the death of her husband Luke BEAUMONT on 21st December, 1896, at Kidroyd, Almondbury, Huddersfield, age 61, Occupation, Farmer. He is buried in Almondbury Cemetery with two of his children aged 9 months and 3 years, but I cannot find his wife Sarah Ann’s burial, in the Almondbury Church or Cemetery records. Luke BEAUMONT and Sarah Ann BEAUMONT were married on 28th July, 1856 at The Parish Church, Kirkheaton by banns by Lewis Jones Vicar of Amondbury. Sarah’s father was Jeremiah BEAUMONT, Dyer. I have found Sarah Ann BEAUMONT on all the Census Records from 1841 to 1891, when she is at Somerset Road, Kidroyd, age 57, but there were no BEAUMONTs at Kidroyd on the 1901 census. I have checked the quarterly deaths registered from 1891 to 1920 with no luck. Please can anyone help? B. M. Beaumont, B429, 120, Upgang Lane, Whitby, North Yorkshire, YO21 3JW. Hannah HAIGH Re Hannah Haigh, born about 1920, in Golcar. I have recently discovered my great grandmother was a HAIGH, she married Abraham BAILEY, born about 1818. They had a daughter Mahala born in Golcar in 1848. I have found a lot of HAIGHs but have no idea if any of them could be the family I am looking for, please can anyone help, time is getting very short. Joyce Jones, J076, 15, Parkfield Drive, Nantwich, Cheshire, CW5 7DB. email: [email protected]. RAILWAY ACCIDENTS My grandfather James KEMP, born 1878, worked as a signalman at Lady Ann Crossing, Batley. He had been moved there following a railway accident in Salford/Manchester where he worked on the LMS railway. I have no idea what happened in this accident or when it happened. All I know is that it was after 1902 and before 1933 as he has no arm in my father’s wedding photographs. I wish I had asked them about it before they died. Has anyone any idea of where I could look for details of railway accidents. I have tried with no success. Jack Kemp, via Editor.

You May Like to Know

There will be a ‘Hemingway Gathering’, 2008, at the Holiday Inn, Queen’s Drive, Ossett, West Yorkshire on Friday 6th June to Sunday 8th June. Any more details can be obtained from, [email protected].


NEW MEMBERS

Number Name Address/email A103 Mrs. Paula

Allison Highfield, Dufton, Appleby-in Westmorland, Cumbria, CA16 6DF. email: [email protected].

A102 Mrs. M. C. Atherton

155, Huddersfield Road, Halifax, HX3 0AH. email: [email protected].

B463 Mrs. D. M. Ballantyne

10, Crodingley, Thongsbridge, Holmfirth, HD9 3TZ. email: [email protected].

B461 Mrs. Hazel Barber

Four Winds, Ballinger Road, Southheath, Great Missenden, HP16 9QH. email: [email protected].

B462 Mr. E. D. Barker

‘Springfield’, Droghadfayle Road, Port Erin, Isle of Man, IM9 6EL. email: [email protected].

B460 Mr. Roy Brown

2, St James Lodge, Slater Lane, Leyland, PR26 7SB.

B464 Mrs. Shirley A. Byrne

Trehunsey, The Crescent, Widemouth Bay, Bude,Cornwall, EX23OAD. email: [email protected].

C225 Mr. Alan G. Cardwell

174, Cliffe Lane, Gomersal, Cleckheaton, BD19 4SY. email: [email protected].

C221 Miss J. M. Charlesworth

Bank House Farm, A628, Silkstone, Barnsley, S75 4FZ.

C222 Miss Jennifer Coy

16, Weston Road, Edith Weston, Oakham, Rutland, LE15 8HQ. [email protected].

D146 Ms Gillian Danby

391, Mountview Drive, Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada,V2C 4Z6.

D147 Mr. A. J. Dyson

55, Wessenden Head Road, Meltham, Holmfirth, HD9 4ET. email: [email protected].

D145 Miss T. Dyson

14, Craven Street, Crosland Moor, HD3 5TG.

F108 Mr. H. A. P. Firth

38 Theobald Street, Borehamwood, Herts., WD6 4SE. email: [email protected].

H381 Mr. R. G. Haigh

101, Heather Road, Meltham,Holmfirth, HD9 4HT. email: [email protected].

H384 Mr. J. L. Halstead

1, Chelsea Road, Sheffield, S11 9BP. email: [email protected].

H382 Mr. Bill Hinchcliffe

PO Box 6, Ebor, NSW, 2453,Australia. email: [email protected].

H383 Mr. Brian Holroyd

11A, Hardcastle Lane, Flockton Lane, Wakefield, WF4 4AR.

L137 Mrs. Janet Le Billon

3, Holmesdide Close, Armitage Bridge, HD4 7PJ. email: [email protected].


Number Name Address/email N064 Mr. Clive

Nowell Beech Garth, Field End, Honley, Huddersfield, HD9 6NE.

R141 Mr. William Regan

9, Floraville, Enniskillen, Co.Fermanagh, BT74 6AP.

S327 Mr. Philip Sayles

499, Burnley Road, Accrington, Lancs., BB5 6LD. email: [email protected].

S328 Mr. Stewart Smith

Berwin, Sherfield Road, Bramley, Hants.RG26 5AQ. email: [email protected].

S326 Mrs. M. A. Sykes

1, Follingworth, Upper Holme, Slaithwaite, Huddersfield, HD7 5XD.

T139 Mrs. Louise Taylor

83, Grand Drive, Raynes Park, London, SW20 9DW. email: [email protected].

T138 Ms Jean Thorn

Stan-Lea, Breighton, Selby, YO8 6DH.

W299 Mrs. Caroline Webster

5, Caister Close, Birstall, West Yorkshire, WF17 9QY.

W300 Mr. Fred Wilde

75, Gramfield Road, Crosland Moor, Huddersfield, HD4 5QE. email: [email protected].

W301 Mrs. Julia Wood

High Wheathead Farm, Occupation Lane, Keighley, BD22 7LB. email: [email protected].

Change of Address

A090 Mrs. Janet Allen Yeldon, Higher Eype, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6AT.

Change of, or correction, to email Address

B114 Mr. and Mrs. G. A. Brewerton [email protected]. G132 Mrs. Janet Green [email protected].

Deaths We regret to announce the death of: Mrs. Donna Blight, B107. Mr. Peter Robinson.

Corrections to emails Arthur Shawmarsh article, January Journal. Valerie Addy would like her email to be [email protected] instead of the one printed. Andrew Loughran article, January Journal. Andrew asked me to point out that his name is Loughran not Loughlan and so his email should be [email protected] David Foster, Membership Secretary.


THE LONDON GROUP OF YORKSHIRE FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETIES

Meeting on 16 June 2007 at the Society of Genealogists. Through The Mill, by Vivien Teesdale.

Vivien’s talk was to be about the textile industry and located around the Huddersfield area where she currently lives. Apart from the woolen mills, cotton was woven in Yorkshire too and there was also a large linen industry. This meant that there were many associated trades such as hosiery, carpet, and rug making. There was reclamation work around the Dewsbury and Batley area for shoddy (worsted wool mixed with ground rags) and mungo (shoddy with added, ground, ‘new’ taylor’s cuttings giving a better quality product). The resulting re-woven clothes tending to be of a dull appearance. Hence the description of shoddy clothes. The history of the industry began with our ancestors realising that being wrapped up in furs kept you warmer than running around naked. In mediaeval times spun wool was produced at the big northern abbeys such as Revieux. The demand for the product from Europe was very great so the material was exported out of Newcastle to the north European cities. The work attracted quite a lot of European migrants who were skilled in the trade and moved from the Midlands in the 16th century. The North also had a thriving linen industry supported by the Irish migrants coming into the county via Lancashire prior to the development of that county’s cotton industry. Thus far the workers had laboured in their own homes with some enterprising folk employing out workers. The 1700s saw the rapid development of machinery and with that the grouping of expensive equipment into mills. Lancashire with its humid atmosphere experienced the greater growth, but in the 1860s there was a cotton famine brought about by the American Civil War. From a family history aspect people being put onto relief and moving to Yorkshire for work created a number of records. This continued into the 20th century where, if men were not called up, then they were moved into the Yorkshire mills to work supplying worsted materials, clothes, and blankets, for the forces. Even so a decline did begin from the 1890s onwards. The signs being that firms began merging etc. Records of these events aren’t necessarily in Yorkshire, but may be in the record offices where the parent firm was based. For example Cortaulds records may be in London or in the firm’s own head office museum. By the 1970s many of the companies were closing down, so, think laterally when searching for the deposits of these records. Considering mainly the 19th and 20th centuries, where may the records be found? Quite often although they were deposited locally the type of book found may be of patterns or financial records. In the latter owners and managers may be found but shop floor workers are less likely although some wage lists may exist. Some are surnames only. Now and then an initial appears. Age restrictions on employment did give rise to doctor’s certificates justifying a child’s apparent age and may give the name and address of the parents. Where wages books exist they can provide more detail about the worker.


Libraries and local studies departments often assemble collections of old photographs and whilst it is rare to find them named look upon them from the aspect of these being the place or conditions under which your ancestors worked, also note the type of clothes they were wearing. Many of those employed in Dye works would be men from the nature of the very heavy chemical and messy jobs. The conditions in the mills were such that the workers began to band together in unions. Where there are records they may list the names of those subscribing their ‘shilling’. If you are more lucky then the name of the employer and the convener may be given too. Out of work benefit books may give the full names of those receiving assistance. Newspaper reports can help if something notable happens. Vivien quoted the cases of a worker falling into a dyeing vat and three brothers who had worked a total of 159 years for the same company before retiring. The mill owners are better catered for particularly if they formed partnerships. There could be articles of association agreements, shareholder reports, transfers, schedules of investors, and information about the premises included on maps of the area. Correspondence or Letter books may form part of an archive’s holdings, sometimes enclosing complete copies, with addresses, of the recipients. Status too was important to the mill owners. So factories sometimes took on the shape of imposing buildings, building worker accommodation, and donations made to local charities. Education could be carried out on their premises or in association with local technical colleges. Some colleges and universities kept records of this collaboration. If a factory closed there should be dissolution agreements containing the addresses of the participants. Newspapers will have reported any bankruptcy cases. Vivien closed her talk with a comment about rare owner philanthropy where at the time of the Festival of Britain in 1951 a company bussed its workers to London, supplied them with free entrance and meals for the day. Realistically though she described mill work as mucky, smelly, hard, back breaking, and dangerous. What camaraderie there was happened in the family of workers. The SoG is at 14 Charterhouse Buildings, Goswell Road, London EC1. Doors open at 10 a.m. Coffee or tea is provided before the meeting. Web site, http://www.ffhs.org.uk.

ILLUSTRATION ON THE BACK COVER This is one of four genealogical panels that formerly hung in the main hall at Woodsome. It was painted probably in the 1570s and it carries the armorial bearings of sixty-six families allied to John Kay and Dorothy his wife. On the bottom of the frame are the words KYND KYNNE KNOWN KEEP. Andy Micklethwaite and I have been corresponding about this and wonder if anyone knows any more about it as, although we are not particularly interested in heraldry, it would be nice to find out something about the names. It is mentioned in and is the front cover illustration of, George Redmond’s book, ‘Surnames and Genealogy’ published by New England Historic Genealogical Society in 1997, ISBN 0-68082-052-2.


You may like to know

The Family Records Centre will close after 15th March 2008 following which the records and services provided at Myddelton Street Office will no longer be available. The National Archives have transferred census returns and related services to their premises at Kew. These are also available via the Internet and the National Archives has agreed free onsite Internet access to the birth, deaths, and marriages indexes, through findmypast.com, the UK family history website. For more information on this visit: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/news/stories. The full range of GRO indexes held on microfiche will be made available and can be accessed free of charge at the following locations during April 2008: Greater Manchester County Record Office. Birmingham Central Library. Bridgend Reference and Information Library. Plymouth Central Library, and during March, 2008, at the National Archives at Kew. The GRO indexes available at each of the above locations include BMDs from 1837 to 2006, Overseas from 1761 to 2006, Civil Partnerships from 2005 to 2007, Adoptions from 1927 to 2007, and Provisional indexes for Births and Deaths for 2007. Each of these centres will receive the GRO indexes for more modern events as and when they become available and these arrangements will continue until GRO is able to offer free access to its indexes via the internet. For further information, please refer to: http://www.gro.gov.uk. The GRO indexes available at each of the above locations include Births, Deaths, and Marriages from 1837 to 2006, Overseas from 1761 to 2006, Civil Partnerships from 2005 to 2007, Adoptions from 1927 to 2007 and Provisional indexes for Births and Deaths for 2007. Each of these centres will receive the GRO indexes for more modern events as and when they become available and these arrangements will continue until GRO is able to offer free access to its indexes via the internet. For anyone who missed the Radio 4 series, ‘Tracing Your Roots’, programme broadcast last year, the series producers in collaboration with the BBC’s, ‘Who Do You Think You Are’? genealogy magazine have created two CDs, each featuring three programmes from the first series of Tracing Your Roots. If you would like free a copy of the CDs all that that is required is that you send a large (preferably padded) self-addressed envelope, to: Tracing Your Roots (CDs), Zone 3.05, BBC Scotland, Pacific Quay, Glasgow, G20 8NS. Postage will be paid by ‘Tracing Your Roots’. Maggie Loughran, Joint Administrator, Federation of Family History Societies.


Calderdale FHS – Research Room Brighouse Library, Rydings Park, Brighouse

Opening Hours Tues 1.30 to 4.30 and Thurs 10.00 to 1.00 • Equipment available to use: 5 computers, 2 microfiche, and 3 Internet

connections. • Information available includes:

- Parish Registers for all Church of England local churches open before 1837, including the main ones to be searched by computer.

- Fully computer-searchable 1851 Census for Calderdale, Bradford, and Huddersfield, plus computer records of 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1891, and 1901 Censuses for Yorkshire.

• Help available • Cost is only 50p for Members of the Calderdale FHS and £1.00 for Non-

Members to use the facilities. Free to come and look around. Come and let us help you find out about your ancestors. Join an increasingly popular pastime & learn about your roots! Ring 07952-211986 during opening hours for more information.

Laurence Perry (P08) while researching in the 1881 census returns for Dewsbury, found the following entry, and wonders if anybody would like to acknowledge a relationship to the residents of this address?

GR9, folio 55, page 46. sched. 262

BROTHEL, Whitworth Road, Dewsbury

Mary A FIRTH head 34 yrs Keeper of brothel Helmsworth

Mary A GRAHAM 26 yrs Prostitute Bradford

Mary A GRAHAM 20 yrs Prostitute Birkenhead

Jane BURTON 20 yrs Prostitute Helmsworth

Ellen ATACK 19 yrs Prostitute Dewsbury

Richard THOMPSON 22 yrs Asst. to Prostitutes Dewsbury


PROGRAMME FOR 2008

8th April, 2008: Huddersfield Town Hall ‘The Victorians and Death’ Dr. Susan Deal 13th May, 2008: Huddersfield Town Hall ‘Place Names and Landscape History’ Stephen Moorhouse 10th June, 2008: Batley Town Hall ‘Migrants who returned Home’ John Titford, MA 9th September, 2008: Dewsbury Town Hall ‘Yorkshire Oddities’ Paul Kenny 14th October, 2008: Huddersfield Town Hall Topic to be Announced 11th November, 2008: Huddersfield Town Hall Annual General Meeting 9th December, 2008: Cleckheaton Town Hall ‘The Parish Chest’ Alan Stewart-Kaye

Meetings Meetings are usually held on the second Tuesday in the month, in the Reception Room, Huddersfield Town Hall. As a courtesy to the speaker, please ensure that you are seated by 7.30 pm. Please check the ‘Huddersfield Examiner’ for any changes.

HUDDERSFIELD & DISTRICT FHS PUBLICATIONS

There will be a list of publications in the July journal as usual, but if you can’t wait for that look on the website or ask for a copy at Root Cellar.


THE HUDDERSFIELD & DISTRICT FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY

21st Birthday Family & Local History Fair Saturday 10th May, 10 am to 4 pm

at The Quayside Suite, University of Huddersfield

Admission £1, accompanied children free.

Attending so far are ourselves and:

Huddersfield Local History Society Laund Hill Museum Family Tree Folk West Yorkshire Archive Service Kirklees Museums & Galleries Bradford FHS Calderdale FHS Doncaster & District FHS Keighley & District FHS Sheffield FHS Anthony Vickers Books Holme Valley Civic Society Peter Davies Huddersfield Library Service Idle Booksellers

Toll Gate BooksMarsden Local History Group Wakefield & District FHS Western Front Association Robert Blatchford Publishing My-History Chris Makepeace Maps Yorkshire Ancestors Andrew Punchon Photography Rootsmap Huddersfield Archaeological Society Michael Hough EPS Paper Ltd Morley & District Family History Group Yorkshire Vernacular Buildings Group

The Quayside suite is situated in the Central Services building on the campus. For details of the venue and local parking please follow the following link: htp://www.hud.ac.uk/uni/maps.html If any local members can help out on the day, please get in touch with Steve Wayne, [email protected] or ring Roots. Our very first Family History Fair promises to be an exciting day and we look forward to seeing you. Refreshments are available on site.


THE ROOT CELLAR

Open: Monday: 2 pm to 4.30 pm Tuesday: 2 pm to 4.30 pm Wednesday: 10 am to 12.30 pm and 2 pm to 4.30 pm Thursday: 2 pm to 4.30 pm and 7 pm to 10 pm We are now open EVERY SATURDAY AFTERNOON 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm

No appointment necessary, just come along and:

Carry out your research

Seek advice

Explore our resources

Speak to people with similar interests

Use Ancestry Library, Find my Past and Origins, The NBI and Soldiers who died in WW1.

Ring the Root Cellar 01484 859229 for information, or to make a booking. Whilst booking is not essential it is recommended if you are travelling a distance and wish to access particular information.

THERE IS ON SALE AT ROOT CELLAR

Vouchers for: 1. FindmyPast: Births, Deaths, and Marriages since 1837. 2. 1901 census. 3. Family History OnLine for use on website: http://www.familyhistoryonline..net.* * Shortly to merge with Find My Past All at £5. Please come in person, or arrange a postal delivery. Contact the secretary online at [email protected], or telephone, The Root Cellar, 01484 859229.


From the

Archives

GIFT AID

I imagine that we have all been asked, at some time or other, to sign a gift aid form, on behalf of various charities, i.e. National Trust, English Heritage, RNLI, Huddersfield & District FHS. Yes folks that’s what I am asking you to do, if you have not already done so, we would be grateful if those who haven’t would consider it. If you sign the following form, the Society can claim, against your £10 annual subscription, £2.82 in Gift Aid. Not a lot you might think, but the last claim amounted to £750 which is not to be sneezed at and we all enjoy the chance to take money off the Inland Revenue. You only need to sign the form once, return it to the Society and as long as you remain a member, your subscription will be included in the annual claim. That is, as long as you remain a UK tax payer, in order for the Society to include your payment in the claim you have to be paying more than 6p per week in UK Income Tax. If you are actually paying tax and are paying less than 6p, please let me know how you manage it. The signed form should be returned to the Root Cellar, 15 Huddersfield Road, Meltham, Holmfirth, HD9 4NJ or handed to any member of the Committee. Thank you in advance. Norma Maxwell, Treasurer.

FROM THE JOURNAL ARCHIVES

HUDDERSFIELD: PLACE NAME ORIGIN Dear Friends, I have just been to Denmark last week where we were discussing place names. I have long been interested in the origin of the name Huddersfield and it came up in conversation when we were talking about the links between names which included ‘thorpe’ and ‘by’

which are so common in Denmark. I remember getting on to ‘Birkby’ the part ‘by’ being a ‘way’ and the ‘birk’ coming from ‘birch’ tree so ‘birch tree way’! With ‘Huddersfield’ I seem to remember previously reading somewhere it was connected with a Norse god, something similar to Odin. e.g. Oder as in perhaps “Oder’s” field. Oder did not mean anything to my Danish friend, but he did suggest perhaps ‘odder’ which means ‘otter’ and so we have ‘otters’ field which is interesting! Do you have any other thoughts? Brian Garland, G055, 6, Lyndley Chase, Cheltenham, GL527YZ.


HUDDERSFIELD & DISTRICT FHS

Registered Charity N0. 702199

GIFT AID DECLARATION I, (Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms) (Full Name in Capitals) of (Full Postal Address including Postcode) Membership Number , will donate to the Huddersfield & District Family History Society, a sum equal to the annual rate of subscription currently in force, either individual or joint. The donation will be in lieu of a subscription payment and will entitle me to all of the benefits of a Member of the Society. I may make further donations to the Society, either specific or general, as I see fit. I want all my donations, as specified above, to be treated as Gift Aid Donations thereby entitling the Huddersfield & District Family History Society to reclaim tax on my donations. These arrangements are to remain in force until terminated in writing by myself. Signed: Date: Please note that if you do not pay an amount of income tax or capital gains tax equal to the sum we reclaim on your donation, you should not complete this declaration.


SOCIETY ORIGINS

The HDFHS was started by David Jepson and Meriel Bowers who were both members of the Huddersfield Local History Society. They had thought of creating a family history sub group within the Local History Society for quite a time, but later decided to start a brand new society instead (much to the annoyance of the LH society). A steering committee was formed about May 1987. The above picture at the Junior Library meeting shows David Jepson standing, Meriel Bowers to his right, and Lynn Free on his left. Does any member recognize their own back view? Meriel worked as a lecturer at Huddersfield Technical College. She co-opted her friend Stephanie Allen the college principal’s secretary and Steve Whitwam who worked there as a Physics Technician at that time. An inaugural meeting took place at the Junior Library with about 70 people attending, and from that the committee was created. Huddersfield Local Studies library staff were involved and gave advice. The first committee meetings took place at the Mormon Church, one of the founder members being a member of the Church and then Lynn Free, a teacher at Royds Hall School kindly offered her front room as the meeting place, where her husband Bernard (sadly now deceased) made cups of tea; money paid for these ‘cuppas’ was put towards the start of the society’s funds!! Inspiration for creating the society was also given by Doncaster FHS who were extremely helpful at showing them the ropes and giving advice on forming a committee. Original Committee Chairman: David Jepson Secretary: Meriel Bowers Treasurer: Lynn Free Project Organiser: Steve Whitwam Programme Organiser: Kenneth Ball Membership Secretary: Debbie Mitchell


Debbie Mitchell was soon superceded by Delia Brook and the first journal editor was David Jepson followed by Lou Brooks. Committee: Stephanie Allen, Steve Bruce, Charles Elliff, Pauline Farmer, James Littlewood National Census Index 1881 This was organized nationally by Latter Days Saints Church. It was worked on by all the family history societies in the country and Meriel Bowers was the coordinator for HDFHS and a team of copiers worked from enumerators’ sheets. The Society’s reward was a copy of the finished Yorkshire index on microfiche. Meriel Bowers, B001.

PROFILE ON REG MILON: A VERY REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR Reg Milon lives in Toronto, Canada and here he is on his “niece’s fancy boat” on Clear Lake, Near Peterborough, Ontario. Born 13th March, 1930 in Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, he was educated at Wm. Hulme Grammar School and served National Service in the Royal Air Force, 1948 to 1950. He married in Manchester on 4 March, 1954 and sailed 2 days later to a new life in Montreal, Quebec. His firm later transferred him to Toronto and he retired there, age 64 in 1994. Margaret his wife, who was born in Almondbury, had maternal ancestors in Lepton and Lockwood, and paternal ancestors in Thurgoland, near Penistone. He has written many articles on both these sides of his wife's family in the journals of the Barnsley and Huddersfield Family History Societies of which he has been a staunch overseas member for many years. Reggie's own maternal ancestors originated in Huntingdon whilst his father and the paternal line are from Bordeaux, France.


PARISH CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, BATLEY

This ancient parish stands in the centre of Batley and was first recorded in 1086 in the Domesday book, but it is thought that a church stood on the site before

then. In the 13th century the rectory at Batley was ordained a perpetual vicarage and in 1334 the south chantry chapel was founded by Adam de Oxenhope de Copley. 150 years later the present building was erected in Gothic perpendicular style.

The first organ was only installed in 1830. The Mirfield chapel to the north of the chancel was probably founded by Sir William and Lady Ann Mirfield (the Mirfields of Howley Hall) and the two alabaster effigies are thought to be those of William and his lady. There are beautiful friezes above the figures and the small window below show the coat of arms of the Mirfields. The beautiful old Chancel Arch, above, does not centre on the nave. This indicates that at the time of rebuilding c1485 the chancel was widened on the north side. The font was installed in 1662 shortly after the restoration. The original was cast out by the Puritans during the Commonwealth (1650 to 1660).


There are several plaques to the memory of various people: In memory of Joseph Beaumont of Beverley died 24 April, 1822 and Sarah his wife 24 January, 1821. John Taylor of Purlewell Hall, Batley, d 15 August, 1769, age 75, his son John d 30 October, 1808, age 78 and his son’s wife Mary d 29 January, 1829, age 86. Elizabeth Foxcroft Taylor,

youngest daughter d York, 7 February, 1864, age 83. Thomas Thompson of Staincliff d 11 May, 1769, age 49 and Mary 7 January, 1799. His grandson John d 6 March, 1774, age 21, his son Francis died abroad 1780, age 26. His daughter Mary wife of John Greenwood Esq of Dewsbury Mills d 3 June, 1798 also Thomas Thompson, son 14 July, 1817, age 66. Another is for the Reverend Thomas Wilby, MA, born Carlinghow.

There are also two very old boards about the Poor of Batley. An extract from the one headed BENEFACTIONS shows The Reverend M Lee left 10 shillings yearly for ever to be distributed to the Poor of the Parish by the Trustees of the free school. Mr. James Shepley left 4 pounds yearly to the Poor of the Town for ever to be paid out of the Lands by his Will. M Chester left 20 shillings yearly for ever paid out of certain Crofts which have been sold for the sum of 30 pounds and paid by the present occupiers viz the representatives of the late William Rhodes, Thomas Kilburn, and Robert Daltry representatives of the Building Society in Batley Carr. Mr. John Wade left 40 pounds. Mr John Watson of Holdroyd, left the interest of £25 yearly. The interest of these Benefactions are distributed annually on Christmas Day. The second board is headed ‘Charitable Donations Left By’. Mr. Joshua Scholefield late of Carlinghow left £60 to the Churchwardens and Overseers of the Poor, the interest for the education of any children of the name Scholefield or Kitson residing in Carlinghow, Upper Batley. There are many interesting features on the exterior of the church. The tower has a 13th century machiocolated parapet (openings between supporting corbels for dropping stones etc. on assailants) whilst the porch is interesting in that the threshold level was raised to meet the rising ground level because of internments. There are various carvings still visible notably, heart shaped and incised crosses. Marcia Kemp, Editor. I am grateful to The Reverend Andrew Johnson who kindly enabled me to take photographs inside the church. Should anyone want copies of these images please email or write to me, as all the text can be seen when zoomed. See, http://www.batleyparishchurch.org.

Journal Example

Documents

Transcript of Journal Example