LANCASHIRE FAMILY HISTORY AND HERALDRY SOCIETY

Rossendale Branch Newsletter February 2013

Research and Advice Sessions at Haslingden Library every Monday 5.30 – 8.30 pm
Note: the doors to Haslingden Library close at 7.30 pm.

and at Rawtenstall Library every Tuesday 1.30 – 3.30 pm

We may be able to do simple look-ups for distant members. When contacting us with an enquiry, please include your membership number

The LFHHS Resource Centre.

The Society’s Resource and Research Centre at 2 Straits, Oswaldtwistle, BB5 3LU is open every Thursday from 1.00pm – 5.00pm and 1st Saturday of each month 1.00pm..

New Subscription Rates

Don't Forget! Your Subscription Renewal is Due
For the past 9 years there has been no increase in the membership fees. However, due to increase running costs of the Society the membership fees will increase from January as follows:
Ordinary (UK): £14.00
Family (UK): £15.00
Pensioners and Students (UK): £12.00
Overseas: £16.00
All current members will have received a renewal form in their November “Lancashire” journal.

Standing Order Payments
If you have been paying by Standing Order you will have received a form to amend your banking details in the August journal.

Coming Events
Friday 22nd until Sunday 24th February 2013.
Who Do You Think You Are? at Olympia Earls Court

If you are attending this event, come along and visit the North West Group of Family History Societies' stand. See us at Tables 110-111. Cumbria will be on table 57. There will be other societies with us all together - Cheshire, Ormskirk & District, Liverpool & SW Lancashire, Manchester and Lancs, Rimmer Society, Metcalfe Society, Catholic Family History Society plus other societies from the North West Region.

Saturday February 23rd 2013
'The Changing Fortunes of King Cotton' to be held by the Federation of Lancashire Local History Societies in the Masonic Hall, Saul St, Preston. For full details of the programme etc. and an application form, check the Federation's website http://www.lancashirehistory.org

The University of Central Lancashire Institute of Local and Family History, Preston PR1 2HE
Saturday 27th April 2013
Discovering the North-West in the National Archives. Telephone: +44(0)1772 893053
Email: lfhistory@uclan.ac.uk 

Rosssendale News, Notes and Queries
As you probably know, it is very difficult to find your 18th century ancestors, due to the inadequate information given in the local registers and the popularity of certain local surnames.

Hargreaves Family
Susan Ford who lives in California has certainly encountered this problem. She has several Rossendale families and wonders if anyone can help her sort out her Hargreaves ancestors.
Susan writes:
I am researching my Hargreaves line in Haslingden. My ancestor was Martha Hargreaves born about 1771. She married Richard Chew, born 1768, on 4 Aug 1792 at St. James, Haslingden, Lancashire.

In the register for Haslingden St. James, I have found the baptism of Martha, daughter of John and Ann Hargreaves of Priestentax.
I believe my ancestor could be the daughter of John Hargreaves and Anne Hargreaves who were married at St. James : 6 Aug 1754, The register entry reads:
John Hargreaves - Of this Chapelry
Anne Hargreaves - Of this  Chapelry
Witness: H Haworth, J Hargreaves
So I am currently trying to figure out more information on this Anne Hargreaves and John Hargreaves and their possible children but with the surname Hargreaves being such a popular name has only made this very difficult to establish.

If only Anne's maiden name had been given in the registers, I wouldn't be having this problem. I would welcome the assistance any society member who can help me.
Susan Ford. Member 10138
I can be contacted at: susan.e.ford@comcast.net
Susan is also researching the family of Henry Walton, a tailor who was living at Rakefoot in 1841 aged 78, together with his wife Fanny also aged 78. and with George Heys aged 20, a weaver. There is a gravestone for this couple in St. James churchyard, which reads: Henry Walton, tailor of this town died 11th September 1845 aged 85 years. Also Frances his wife died 24th September 1845 in the 85th year of her age. The couple had been married upwards of 57 years. Also Sarah daughter of Henry and Frances Walton who departed this life in the 11th year of her age.Susan can not find a marriage for Henry Walton to Fanny. There is a marriage on the 25th February 1788 (at Haslingden Parish Church) of Henry Walton to Nancy Lumley.
Henry has children baptised as follows- Harriot 1789, Thomas 1791 (Mother Fanny), John 1793 (mother Ann), Henry 1799 and Sarah 1802 ( mother Francis) , as her direct ancestor is John Walton she is worried about these inconsistencies. Can you help? Do you have Walton ancestors? There are no Lumley's in the registers for St. James.

Now for a very tragic story related by Beryl Venables. member no. 8038.

Poor Fred
Do you get side tracked on a website or an index when you see interesting names or events?  I am terrible - get distracted all the time.
Recently I was searching the Lancashire online parish clerk site index for Bacup Cemetery. I found what I was seeking and then noticed the entry below mine:
Buried 7 August 1912 Leg and foot of  Fred Roberts. Abode Stacksteads. No service
Curious.
 I could find no entry for the death of a Fred Roberts around that time The 1911 census listed two of that name  -  one born 1877, a Weaver of Stanley Road, Bacup (off Burnley Road). The other born 1909, living in Stacksteads with his brothers and parents. I thought that the local newspaper may have a story to tell so contacted our newsletter editor, Rita Hirst.
It didn't take long to get an answer.
The Bacup section of the Haslingden Guardian had the headline

Child's Fearful Injuries
Sad Stacksteads Accident.
About 6.30 on Monday evening a very painful accident occurred near the house, 513 Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, the residence of Mr Young Roberts, a weaver, employed at Atherton Holme. His little boy, Fred, aged 3 ½ years, was playing in the road at the front of the house when an electric car came along in the direction of Waterfoot. The little one somehow got under the wheels of the car, and although soon extricated it was found that one leg had been severed below the knee and the other partly hanging off, so that its amputation was rendered necessary. Dr Falconer was summoned and bandaged the limbs, and a taxi car was requisitioned from Mr Squire Barlow's at Waterfoot.  In this the little sufferer was placed and taken with all speed to Rochdale Infirmary.  On Tuesday morning it was stated that the child was progressing as favourably as could be expected after so severe an accident and shock.
The Police Report.
Appended is the police report of the sad occurrence:-
About a quarter past six on Monday evening one of the Rawtenstall Corporation electric cars was proceeding down Newchurch Road, driven by Albert Frankland, 374 Springside, Rawtenstall, when a child named Fred Roberts, aged 3 years, son of Young Roberts, 513 Newchurch Road, Waterbarn, suddenly ran from behind a lorry in front of the car.  Frankland dropped the guard and applied the brakes, but the child was caught and received injuries to both legs.  Dr Falconer was sent for, and after amputating the right leg, ordered the child's removal to the Rochdale Infirmary, where it was conveyed in Mr Squire Barlow's taxi cab in 17 ¾ minutes.
We learn that it was necessary to amputate the second leg at the institution.
 This accident was tragic for a three year old but I wonder what he experienced in a life that lasted until 1973.
He is listed on a public tree on  the Ancestry site, but no further information is on there.  My thanks to Veronica Slater, Rita Hirst and Michael Hiluta for helping me.
email berylvenables@talktalk.net