LANCASHIRE FAMILY HISTORY AND HERALDRY SOCIETY

Rossendale Branch Newsletter  June 2003

Programme:

Wednesday 4th June

Family History on the Internet.

Wednesday 2nd July

Preserving the Past for the Future.

Out Visit - North West Sound Archive

Clitheroe Castle.

The North West Sound Archive was established in 1979 to " record, collect and preserve sound recordings of the life, character, history and traditions of the north west of England".

Please assemble at Clitheroe Castle at 7.00 p.m..

Wednesday 6th August

Research Evening

Wednesday 3rd September

Private William Tomlinson and the Opium Wars. W.J. Taylor

Wednesday 1st October

Members Miscellany. (Short talks by members on a subject of their choice)

Wednesday 5th November

The Lancashire Cotton Famine (1862 - 1865)  Fred Holroyd.

Did you miss....

Henry Hargreaves Diary. A talk by Mrs. K. Fishwick.

Kathy Fishwick told us how she had acquired a copy of Henry Hargreaves’ diary for the year 1760. The diary is very small 6’’ x 4’’ and it records the day to day minutia of a nineteen year old boy. At the beginning of the diary, he is just about to embark on a course of education at Burnley Grammar School. As the year progresses he becomes an adult, taking more and more responsibility, escorting his sisters, and helping his father to administer his lead mining concern. Henry also uses his diary as an account book. He records the pennies he spends on liquorice drinks, toll bars, etc.

Henry Hargreaves lived a long life and when he died the following memorial was erected inside Newchurch (St. Nicholas) Parish Church:

..... Sacred to the memory of Henry Hargreaves, the only son of John Hargreaves of Newchurch. He was born on the 13th December 1741 and died on the 2nd December 1829 AE 88. His remains are deposited in the vault below, to perpetuate the memory of a kind husband, father and friend, of a man who profiting by the example of a virtuous parent, like him characterised a life beyond the ordinary period of mortality, by a course of uniform piety, proberty and usefulness and who descended to the grave, amidst the lamentations and regrets of a very extensive circle of friends and acquaintances, this monument is erected.

Susan relict of Henry Hargreaves died respected and lamented on the 24th day of May 1841 AE 86.

Coming Events

Saturday 28 June

Family History Fair at York Racecourse. The LFHHS will be represented.

Saturday 8th November

The North West Family History Fair will be held this year at Manchester Velodrome.

Rossendale Ancestry Index

Would anyone be interested in compiling an index to the surnames in our Rossendale Ancestry section? Our newsletter has been published on the Internet for several years now and I am sure such an index would be helpful, not least to me. I am loosing track of all the Heyworths, Haworths and Pickups etc.

Rossendale Ancestry:

WILSON/ BOOTH

Ian Wilson writes from New Zealand:

I am trying to trace my Great, Great Grandparents who I believe lived in the Rossendale area during the early 19th century. Unfortunately my Father has no recollection at all of his grandparents.

My Great Grandfather was Hargreaves Wilson, born in Newchurch in 1841and was a Woollen Felter according to the 1881 census. He was married to Martha Anne Booth, born in Halifax, Yorkshire in 1848. I believe that they may have separated sometime between 1867, when they were married, as in 1901 only Hargreaves and two of their children are recorded on the census. My father only recalls having a Step-Grandfather.

I am led to believe that our family has some connection with the Booths of Salvation Army fame and suspect that is where Martha comes into the equation.

Hargreaves and Martha had six children that I am aware of namely, James William, Ruth Booth, David Henry, Mary Harriet, Grace Emma and my Grandfather, Joseph Edward. I believe that there may have been another daughter, Annie but not sure on this one. Grace Emma moved to Bedford- shire some time. Can anyone help me?

Ian Wilson, 8A Atlantis Street, North New Brighton, Christchurch 8009, New Zealand.

E-mail: ianwilson49@hotmail.com

Lancashire BMD

Births Marriages and Deaths on the Internet

In your February 2003 "Lancashire" magazine, Tony Foster asked for volunteers to transcribe the local registrar’s indexes, of births, marriages and deaths.

Representatives of the Hyndburn and Rossendale Branches have met with Tony, to discuss transcribing the certificates held by the Supt. Registrar for our area i.e. the former Haslingden Registration area. Jackie Ramsbottom has agreed to become the project organiser for the Hyndburn and Rossendale- Lancashire BMD.

For details contact Jackie

Email: jax@grane92.freeserve.co.uk

Haslingden Union Records

I recently received an enquiry regarding children’s homes in Haslingden c1930. This took me to Haslingden library where I found the Haslingden Union Minutes which recorded the work of the "Board of Guardians of the Poor". The library only had the volumes from 1908 - March 1930 but I discovered that the LRO has the full range from 1838 - 1930. In 1930, they were superseded by Lancashire County Council, under the terms of the Local Government Act 1929.

The location of the Boys’ Home was well known to me. There used to be a popular walk over the moors to Pike Low and the Boys’ Home. It has now been swallowed up by modern housing but the house is still to be found on Sandown Avenue- minus boys now.

The minutes show that a home for girls was built in 1913, just out of sight of the workhouse. The architect was asked to include in his estimates the cost of extending the present cart road to the Boys’ Home at Moorlands Cottage. I haven’t been able to locate the exact site of the Girls’ Home and local lore suggests that both homes were merged after 1930.

In March 1930, 532 people were receiving indoor relief at the workhouse and 779 were receiving out relief. This included 97 children (indoor) and 309 (outdoor)

The areas covered were Accrington Areas nos 1 & 2, Haslingden, and Rawtenstall.

Extracts from the 1913 Minutes -

There is a wealth of information in the minute books. I made notes from just two months April and May 1913.

A number of children seem to have been sent to Canada. Gertrude DAWES was one of these, the Clerk reported as to the progress being made in respect to her emigrating. Mary SALMON was another, the Catholic Emigration Society sent a report on this girl who had emigrated the previous year and the Clerk was ordered to write and point out the nature of her previous training.

Walter STAIG’S mother wanted to take him home but it was decided that "due to the unsatisfactory conditions in which she was living they couldn’t accede to her request. The following month the order was rescinded.. Mrs. Staig was given 1/- per week for her son Ernest who was maintained by the Guardians on the Training Ship "Indefatigable".

Arthur COLLIER was also on a Training Ship "Exmouth." He was transferred in May 1913 to HMS Powerful (Royal Navy).