LANCASHIRE FAMILY HISTORY AND HERALDRY SOCIETY

Rossendale Branch Newsletter April 2005

Lost Cousins

Margaret Shearing thinks you may be interested in this new site. She says: Have you heard of the Lost Cousins website? You enter all your families found on the 1881 census - plus piece number and page number. It they find a match they will contact you. www.lostcousins.com

Coming Events

Local History Fairs:

The Society proposes to have stalls at the following Family History Fairs -

Sunday, 23rd May, at Buxton.

Saturday, 25th June, at York.

Saturday. 3rd September at Llandudno

Saturday, 10th September at Gateshead

Sunday, 11th September at Aintree

Sunday, 2nd October at Manchester

Anyone able to assist at any of these Fairs should contact Stephen Ward the Society’s Exhibition Officer. Tel. 01204 650348

7th May 2005 L.F.H.H.S.

One Day Conference and AGM at the Foster Theatre, University of Central Lancashire, Preston 10.00am - 5.00 pm.

There will be three interesting speakers on topics suggested by members. Motions for the AGM should be forwarded in writing to the Chairman to arrive before the 16th April.

Full details are in your February magazine.

7th October 2005 LFHHS Annual Dinner

The annual dinner 2005 is to be held by the Bury Group at the Masonic Hall, Bury. It will be a standard meal with options costing £17. Parking is free. The speaker is Peter Watson. Full details will appear in the next "Lancashire" magazine.

Missing Baptisms

Did Newchurch charge too much? Further to Wilf Day’s article on Goodshaw Registers entitled "Casting the wider net" Chris Pickup says:

I was very interested to read Wilf’s analysis of the abode of parents baptising their children at Goodshaw, in the January newsletter. I find it difficult to believe that all those far flung parents had earlier connections in the chapelry itself. I wonder if the charge the priest made for a baptism at Goodshaw was the main reason for Goodshaw's popularity before the tax imposed in 1783 caused charges to be increased everywhere.

Whilst researching the Rostrons at Manchester library I asked to see the original paper record books for Newchurch. These books record the payments made for marriages, baptisms and burials and were, I am sure, the primary source for the subsequent entries that the clerks made in the parchment register 1732 - 1762. I did not write down the charges but I recollect that the minimum payment for a baptism at Newchurch was 4d. That was quite a lot in those days so if Goodshaw charged less they have done more business!

Rossendale Ancestry

Enquiry by Avril Innocent, member 8103.

Avril says she has recently joined the LFHHS after spending the last year investigating the family trees of her paternal and maternal grandparents.

BARNES/ PICKUP/ WAINWRIGHT

"My grandfather Alexander Barnes was the son of Alexander Barnes and Elizabeth Alice Pickup. They were married at St. James’ Waterfoot, 16th November 1898. My great great grandfather was George Henry Barnes born circa 1853. He was married to Sarah Wainwright 26th July 1873 in Newchurch. Sarah was born circa 1854, Ludlow, Shropshire. I have not been able to find George Henry’s birth or marriage certificate to verify his parents’ names".

HANNAH/ BARCROFT/ ANDERSON

"My grandmother was Hilda Hannah daughter of James Robert Hannah and Helen Maud Barcroft, who were married circa 1905. James father was Robert Hannah born in Scotland around 1857 but living in Bridleway, Newchurch in 1881 with his wife Sarah and family. I think I have found the correct wedding certificate, September 1874 at St. James, Waterfoot. If it is correct, then Robert’s father was Samuel and Robert’s wife was Sarah Anderson. However, I have no further details about Robert’s birthplace or where the Hannah family lived in Scotland prior to moving to Newchurch.

I would love to hear from any member who can help me fill in any more details or, are working on the Barnes and Hannah family Trees".

Avril Innocent, 45 Sambrook Crescent, Market Drayton, Shropshire TF9 1NG email innocentavril@hotmail.com

"We’ll Meet Again".

The BBC is planning a new TV programme "Special". We’ll Meet Again will be a 1 hour pre-recorded studio special for BBC1 to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of VE Day. "It is our intention to reunite old friends, comrades, sweethearts and war babies, who have carried the memory of each other ever since the war. The programme will tell war time stories and then bring the episodes up to date with surprise reunions.

"We’ll Meet Again" is an opportunity for the BBC to bridge the gap between history and entertainment - and to tie in with a whole season of VE Day themed exhibitions, national celebrations, parades and street parties; making a huge event with lasting impact. We are currently looking for people who lived through WWII, have a story that they want to share and would like to be reunited with someone they knew during this time. We will try to trace and reunite some of these people. The stories and contacts do not need to be VE Day specific they can just be WWII memories.

The programme producers can be contacted by telephone 08705 12 22 30 or by emailing wma@bbc.co.uk

BIRTWISTLE/WHITTAKER/ ROSCOW

Alan Boocock in Malaysia has been researching his Birtwistle family. He has found himself in conflict with the printed "Birtwistle Pedigree" by W.A. Birtwistle 1990. Alan has traced his family back to James Birtwistle born 1801, in Haslingden. There is every indication that this James is son of James Birtwistle, of Holden and Ann Duckworth who married in 1801 at Haslingden. The pedigree states that James had a son born in 1804 who married a Sarah Whittaker at Haslingden in 1825. The register shows that this couple were both of "Higher Booths". No further information is given..

James (Alan’s ancestor) according to censuses was born in Haslingden. He married Sarah Roscow at Bury Parish Church, in 1829. He was given as being a bachelor and his signature was completely different to that in the Birtwistle/ Whittaker marriage. In 1841 he was living at Hareclough, Musbury, as a cotton manufacturer, he then moved to Alden in Edenfield, where he was described as a farmer. He died on 6th June 1887, in Haslingden aged 83. Alan has purchased two birth certificates for James’s children, both of which confirm the mother as being Sarah Roscow.

Alan has produced a lengthy document to support his claim to have Sarah Roscow added to the pedigree instead of Sarah Whittaker, but he still needs to know, who was Sarah Whittaker? and what became of this couple from Higher Booths? We have not been able to trace them in the 1851 census.

Anyone who has linked themselves on to this Birtwistle pedigree via this Birtwistle/ Whittaker marriage, or anyone who can identify them should contact Alan at baboocock@pd.jaring.my

Haslingden Roots

Haslingden Roots meetings have recommenced after the winter break. Meetings are held every Monday at St. James’ Church Haslingden. 7.00pm - 9.00pm

Anyone researching Haslingden ancestors is welcome, especially anyone who would like to contribute to our ...

..... Irish in Haslingden Exhibition. Last Monday we had people researching the names Durkin, Burke, Flannaghan and Allen (no, not he Crazy Gang!) Though I am told, Flannaghan once lived next door to Allen.

The exhibition will run from Saturday 3rd September Friday 30th September. Representatives from our Irish Ancestry Group will be present on 24th September to give advice on how to continue your research in Ireland.