LANCASHIRE FAMILY HISTORY AND HERALDRY SOCIETY

Rossendale Branch Newsletter November 2007

Coming Events

Saturday 1st December

Irish Group Advice & Research Session at the Straits, Oswaldtwistle 1.00 – 4.30pm Please contact Margaret Pursell if you plan to attend.

email: mpurcell@redbankmp.fsnet.co.uk

Facts from the Federation

Closure of the Family Records Centre:

Disruption to services at Kew

Changes are being made at The National Archives (TNA) at Kew to integrate the services currently offered on the first floor of the Family Records Centre.

These changes will involve building work. As a result services at Kew will be disrupted from Autumn 2007 to Spring 2008. TNA will be closed to the public between 1st December 2007 and 16th December 2007. A further closure will take place in the week commencing January 21st 2008 (details to be confirmed). The online services will not be affected TNA will publish more details when they have finalised the appointment of a building contractor. Details will be available on their website www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

If you are planning to visit The National Archives, during this period please check the website for the latest information.

Withdrawal of Paper indexes from the FRC

By the end of October the BMD indexes 1837 – 2005 and the Overseas indexes will all have been withdrawn from the Family Records Centre,. Paper indexes for adoptions will remain at the FRC until it closes and will then be moved to Kew. Five sets of indexes on microfiche will be available on the first floor of the FRC. After it closes there will be just three sets available at the National Archives (TNA) Kew.

There will be a National Archives Customer Service Point located in "C" Section which will be covered by two GRO staff to provide a check on unclear references on the microfiche. It may not be possible to give instant answers - it will depend on the nature of the query. This facility will exist only from November 2007 to March 2008.

GRO to provide a collect service from Southport from 30th October 2007

It was previously announced that the current facility for customers to order and collect certificates from Family Records Centre (FRC) would be withdrawn from November 2007 and there was no intention to provide a replacement service. However, on 28 September the FFHS and other members of the FRC Users Consultative Group Meeting User Group were advised by the GRO's Certificate Services Branch that a certificate collection service will be available at the GRO office in Southport with effect from 30 October 2007. Details are still being finalised but this facility will be available only for orders placed by telephone or post or by Registration OnLine (ROLO) account holders. It is envisaged that collection in person will be available from 10.00-16.00 Monday-Friday.

While this is to be welcomed as a small step in the right direction, it remains to be seen to what extent this meets the needs of users. We will keep you advised as more news becomes available.

Roger Lewry

FFHS Archives Liaison Officer

Federation Publications are now running a major sale as they prepare to close down their distribution operation. Final discount offered on sales of Surplus Stock. Special Deals - most titles now 75% or more off For a list of the remaining titles check GENFair. www.genfair.com

Rossendale Miscellany:

News notes and queries

Newchurch in Rossendale Registers

Baptisms 1723 - 1772

For some months now, I have been reporting on the transcription work being done by Craig Thornber for the Lancashire Parish Register Society. I am pleased to tell you that Craig has now produced a record of the Newchurch in Rossendale baptisms from 1723 - 1772 in alphabetical order. He has given this branch two copies, one for loan and one for me to answer enquiries.

Craig has asked me to point out to users that it would not be acceptable for anyone to photocopy the whole report as he does not want unauthorised versions in circulation before it has been published by the LPRS.

I am sure you will all appreciate this opportunity to have an early look at these baptisms and will not abuse his trust in this matter.

I will be happy to answer any enquiries. Please let me have your membership number when you contact me. Similarly the loan copy will only be available to Society members.

Can you help:

Marshall/ Priestley/ Fort/

Julie Parker writes from Gloucestershire

"I'm currently interested in the Marshall's who lived in Bacup from approximately 1870, having moved westwards from Walsden and Todmorden. Law Marshall was a mill engineer as was his son, Moses. The family lived at Acre Mill for some years at Newchurch. Law married Ellen Priestley from Barkisland, whilst Moses married Mary Fort whose family came from Reedsholme. If any readers recognise these names and stories I would interested to hear from them".

email: julie.pk@talk21.com

Law Marshall died following an accident on the tramway, leading to Leebank Quarry, on 17th September 1889. Mr Marshall was visiting one of his sons who worked at the quarry.

Thanks to Ken Simpson and Wendy Lord, Julie has been able to obtain details of the inquest, as reported in the Bacup Times.

Samuel Jackson’s Bible

Thank you Grandpa

Last month Beryl Venables told us about her Grandpa Jackson and her visits to Bacup in the 1950s. Now she tells us about the Bible her Grandpa had bought and the priceless details he had noted within its pages.

"Long before I had thought of researching my Lancashire relations I used to look at these pages and now the Bible is in my possession, it is a great treasure.

Samuel Jackson was born at the Wellington Hotel, Britannia in 1874. His parents, Isaac and Sarah having married in 1871 at St Saviours Church, Bacup – Isaac was an Office Clerk, giving residence at Rockliffe and Sarah, a Milliner, Lee Mill. Sarah's father, James Graham, a Blacksmith – Samuel’s father was Abraham Jackson.

Sarah was the third child of at least nine for James and Mary Graham. James and his family in 1851 were at the Blue Ball, Todmorden, where James was Innkeeper and Blacksmith. Two of their children were born after they moved to Bacup. 1871 found James as Innkeeper at the Royal Oak, Lee Mill, with one of the sons John Frederick (b1851), a Farrier. The eldest son, Edmund (b1841), was married by 1871 and continued as a Blacksmith or Farrier to be included in the census of 1901.

By the 1881 census Sarah was a widow. She subsequently remarried to a Mr. Smith. But not convinced I have found the 'right' Mr Smith. In 1891 Sarah Smith was living with Samuel at the home of her brother, Jeffrey, a Coal merchant, in Bacup, but listed as married. I have the certificate for the purchase of a plot in Bacup Cemetery that Sarah Jackson made in 1879, but the entered name on the reverse is Sarah Smith – February 1912.

Samuel Jackson, my Grandfather, married Emily Hetty Mawdsley (b1876) at St John's, Bacup in 1896 and were at Newchurch Road, Bacup in 1901.

Through the pages of Samuel’s Bible and oral family history I know that Samuel and Emily had five children although only two reached adult years. Emily died in 1915, and Samuel remarried in 1917 to Ella Walton and lived at various Waterfoot addresses. The mother of Ella Walton, is listed on the 1901 census as a Baker/Confectioner so she might have been the catalyst for a dramatic change of trade. Although he was a Tinner on his marriage certificate Samuel subsequently owned a Baker/Confectioners shop at 14 Booth Road, where my Aunt, who trained as a Confectioner, worked - as did my Mother until her marriage.

I visited Rossendale many times as a child and later had my first driving lessons in Rawtenstall – I know I will see dramatic changes but also find out whether the hills are as steep as a child's eye remembers".

email berylvenables@talktalk.net

Do you have Rossendale Ancestry? Are you a member of the Society? If so, please let me have your story or queries for publication in this section of the newsletter.