LANCASHIRE FAMILY HISTORY AND HERALDRY SOCIETY

Rossendale Branch Newsletter September 2011

Research and Advice Sessions at
Haslingden Library every Monday 5.30 – 7.30 pm
and
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

Coming Events

Saturday 10th September 2011 National Family History Fair 10.00 .am-4.00pm Admission £3.00 Tyne Suite, Newcastle Central Premier Inn, Newbridge Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8BS For more details check www.nationalfamilyhistoryfair.com

Sunday 25th September The Society’s Annual Dinner

Hosted by the Chorley Branch the dinner will be held at Farington Lodge, Stanifield Lane, Farington, Preston, PR25 4QR
It will be a Luncheon commencing at 1.00pm, followed by Sid Calderbank and Friends with "The Lancashire Cotton Famine in songs, stories and verse".
Full details and booking form were inserted into your May "Lancashire" Journal.

Thursday 6th October Heraldic Study Day 10.00am – 4.00p

at Hemsley Masonic Hall, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4PE - Opposite Salford University & Art Gallery and a 10 minute walk from Salford Crescent Railway Station. For programme and application form, contact the Study Day organiser - A.D. Walden Hon FHS, 2 Butterlands Preston, Lancashire PRJ 5TJ. Tel 01772 792224 or email derrickwalkden@btinternet.com

Full details and booking form were inserted into your August "Lancashire" Journal.

28 September to 1 October 2011

Meet Your Ancestors The Chorley Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is holding a Meet Your Ancestors event at the Stake Centre on the Temple site from Wednesday 28 September to Saturday 1 October. On Wednesday to Friday it will be open from 5 pm to 9 pm and on the Saturday from 10 am - 4 pm.

Irish Newspapers Archives. A free trial.

The largest digital collection of Irish Newspapers available anywhere in the world, this archive consists of over 30 newspaper titles from all over the country including some of Ireland’s leading titles such as the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent and Irish Farmers Journal as well as newspapers of particular historical importance including the Freeman’s Journal, Irish Press and the Nation. Spanning four centuries from the 1700’s right up to today’s current edition, the archive offers a wealth of Irish history and news. Access is available to users within Lancashire Library buildings only on a temporary promotional basis until November.

Rossendale News, Notes and Queries

Last month we had our annual Out Visit. On a hot sultry evening, those of us not on holiday, gathered in Bury at the entrance to the Fusilier’s museum. The artefacts in the museum are quite extensive and it took our very knowledgeable guide two hours to take us round. We learnt about the other regiments which had merged with the Lancashire Fusiliers over recent years. We saw the various uniforms and firearms used over the centuries. We also heard about many campaigns and deeds of valour from the 18th century to the present day. If you are visiting Bury. The museum is very near the centre on Moss Street. You can wander round at leisure and also visit the souvenir shop and café.

Our next meeting in October, is the very popular "Members Short talks" You are invited to spend 10 – 15 minutes on a subject of your choice, you can relate a piece of research you have undertaken or describe a useful website, you can discuss a family photograph, or heirloom. If you would like to participate, please give your name to Leo Turner, our programme organiser.

This month’s article is written by Chris Pickup, who has extensively researched the Rostrons of Rossendale and neighbourhood over many years. Two months ago we published his "Top- Down Research" article in which he disused his research methods,

The Rostrons of Rossendale and beyond

by Christopher Rostron Pickup

Over the years a few people living abroad have contacted me about their English Rostron ancestors. Sometimes the names and places of birth of immigrants to Australia were recorded on their death certificates so then it’s been easy for me to send details of their Rossendale ancestors. But that is not always the case. Indeed there is no record in NSW of the parents of Edmund Rostron (1830-1867) who I think emigrated from Rossendale in 1859 with his cousin Richard Rostron (1831-1909). The following story could therefore be of interest to Edmund’s Australian descendants and possibly to Turner researchers in Rossendale. I have written it up as a mystery story but most of the facts are verifiable on the internet.

Websites for verification:

Go http://www.bdm.nsw.gov.au for searchable BMD records in NSW

Google "Rev Alfred Glennie" to download his Journal as transcribed by Ann and Malcolm Glennie Holmes.

EDMUND ROSTRON of Rossendale (1830-1867) a pioneer Coal Miner in the Hunter valley, NSW

The marriage in Nov 1854 of Edmund Rostron to Elizabeth Turner is recorded at St. Michael, Lumb as is the baptism of their son David Edmund born in Aug 1857. But no trace of the family is found at the 1861 census. However there is registration in FreeBMD of the death of a David Edmund Rostron in 1864 Q3. But what happened to the child's parents? There is no record of the death of Edmund or Elizabeth Rostron before the 1861 census.

There is however a passenger record of an E. Rostron shipping to Australia on the Telegraph that docked at Sydney on 7 Sep 1859 from Melbourne. On that boat was an R. Rostron. There can be no doubt that the R. Rostron was Edmund Rostron's first cousin Richard Rostron, a coal miner, son of Richard Rostron and Betty Cropper. Richard worked initially in the mines in the Hunter valley but he acquired the Railway Hotel in Greta before he died. The names of his parents and his place of birth are recorded on his NSW death certificate.

An Edmund Rostron married Rachel Craig in Maitland in the Hunter valley in 1860 and they had four children whose births were registered. The first two were named Mary and John - were they named after Edmund's own parents Mary Tattersall and John Rostron? Next came Alexander and then a daughter Rachel named presumably after Edmund's wife.

An Edmond Rostron (the spelling is inconsistent) died at Maitland aged 38 in 1867. The names of his parents were not recorded on his death certificate but his age is a good match with that of Richard Rostron's first cousin Edmund Rostron who would have been in his 38th year in 1867.

The plight of Edmond's widow is recorded in the Journal of Rev Alfred Glennie who was the minister for the parish of Lochinvar. He records on 19th Dec 1867 that "I went to the Coal mines this morning to see a poor woman (Mrs Edmond Rostron) whose husband died last week in Maitland Hospital, leaving her with 4 young children in a state of destitution. She requested me to try to get her children into some charitable Asylum, & I have accordingly written to try the Destitute Children’s Asylum. Called at Oswald on my way home"

It's possible that Rev. Glennie succeeded in placing the children for an Alexander Rostron survived to volunteer for service in the Boer war; he had been taught to write, and a John Rostron whose age matches that of Edmond's son died in West Maitland in 1942.

The only record in the IGI of the birth or baptism of an Edmund Rostron of approximately the right age, anywhere in England, is that of the son of John Rostron and Mary Tattersall, indeed he is the only one found at the 1841 census so there is compelling evidence that the E. Rostron who shipped to NSW in 1859 was their son. But what became of Edmund's first wife Elizabeth nee Turner of Lamb Bank, Lumb? She was born c1832 daughter of James Turner, weaver. Do any Turner researchers know?

email: c.pickup@ntlworld.com