LANCASHIRE FAMILY HISTORY AND HERALDRY SOCIETY

Rossendale Branch Newsletter September 2012

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..

Coming Events
Sunday 30th September 2012
LFHHS Annual Dinner
hosted this year by the Preston Branch
at Alston Hall, Longridge, Preston
PR3 3BP 12.30 for 1.00pm.
£17.50 per head. Booking form and menu etc. are given in your May “Lancashire” journal.
The speaker is Dr. Alan Crosby, the renowned Preston historian.
Very few places left. List closes Monday 10th September.

Saturday the 22nd of September 2012
The Doncaster and District Family History Society is holding its annual Family History Fair on at the
Doncaster College for the Deaf on Leger Way in Doncaster, South Yorkshire. 10.00am – 4.00pm
speakers throughout the day. Karen Walker
from the Doncaster and District Family History Society will give a speech entitled "How to start researching your family history"
Ian Marson of the Rotherham Family History Society will give a speech entitled "Using wills in your family history research" and Paul Dryburgh
of the Borthwick Institute will speak on "The York Cause Papers: what it means for family historians". The admission charge is £1.00 (under
15 years old -- free). There is free car parking, refreshments will be available and everyone is welcome._.___

Thursday 4th October 2012
Heraldic Study Day
Hemsley House, Masonic Hall, The Crescent, Salford, M5 4PE (opposite Salford University and Art Gallery) 10.00am – 4.00pm. £15.50
Application form and programme are in your May Journal. Completed forms to be sent with cheque before 22nd September 2012 to A.D. Walkden, HonFHS, 2 Butterlands, Preston. PR1 5TJ

Additions to LancashireBMD
Added 13th August 2012 for the Hyndburn and Rossendale RD. 1,078 Marriages. comprising:

Baxenden, Methodist Chapel (1905-1966);
Accrington, Antley Methodist Chapel (1987-1994);
Rawtenstall, Kay Street Baptist (1952-1987);
Bacup, Heald Chapel (1955-1982);
Accrington, Baptist Chapel, Royds Street (1949-1971);
Bacup, Beulah Chapel, Britannia (1962-1995);
Bacup, Ebenezer Baptist,Doals (1957-1990);
Accrington, Cambridge Street, Methodist (1961-1989);
Haslingden, Wesley Church (1956-1970);
Helmshore, Sion Methodist, Hollin Bank (1908-1981);
Helmshore, Wesleyan Methodist (1958-1962);
Oswaldtwistle, Foxhill Grove Chapel (1958-1967);
Rawtenstall, Gospel Mission Hall, Wood Top (1957-1964);
Rossendale, Methodist Chapel, Cloughfold (1947-1968);
Rawtenstall, Methodist Chapel, Hareholme (1948-1977);
Rawtenstall, Methodist School Chapel, Springside (1956-1966);
Rawtenstall, Methodist Chapel, Townsend Fold (1948-1968);
Newchurch, Methodist Church (1958-1985);
Bacup, Thorn Chapel (1948-1962);
Rishton, Congregational Church, Chapel Street (1957-1965)

Rossendale News, Notes and Queries

Gone Missing by Stuart Walker

Harry Walker was born on 19th September 1916, in Haslingden, the only known child of William Walker and Margaret nee’ Maden.

Nothing more is known of Harry until 1941 when he married Kathleen Mary Houlker at the Congregational Church, Four Lane Ends, Blackburn on the 21st August. Kathleen was born on the 14th February 1918 in Blackburn. He had clearly been to university as the “Rank or Profession shown on his marriage certificate describes him as “Research Chemist (PhD).

Three years later in 1944, Harry and Kathleen are living in Leyland, Lancashire. Their first child Michael John was born on 16th September 1944, at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Harry’s profession is now shown as “Time Study Engineer”.

The next reference to Harry, in a document, is an obituary notice for his father William, found in the “Haslingden Observer”, of 22nd May 1948, where he is referred to as “Dr. Harry Walker”.

The 19th of February 1949 sees the birth of a daughter to Harry and Kathleen – Valerie Margaret – at home in Withington, Manchester, and Harry is again referred to as a “Research Chemist” but this time in brackets is the word Dyestuffs. Two likely employers would be I.C.I. Ltd and CIBA Geigy.

Harry’s mother Margaret married in 1949 to a John Herbert Temperley. Margaret died in 1956 and her obituary notice – in the Bacup Times of 14th April 1956, is the final documentary evidence to Harry and his family, I quote - “Floral tributes were received from… son Harry, daughter in law Kay, and the children”.

Thereafter – not a trace. They did not emigrate before 1960, the last year for which I have been able to search the records. I can not find a death for either Harry or Kathleen Mary, but one has to consider that by now they could be 96 and 94 respectively, or identifiable marriages for Michael John or Valerie Margaret.
- and that in spite of hours and hours going through indices.

So can anyone claim this family, or have knowledge of the? I would be pleased to hear. My thanks to Rita Hirst and Michael Hiluta for help in researching background information.

This particular family has another mystery. Michael Hiluta, one evening told me who was interred in a grave in Holden cemetery, Haslingden. Five people – Harry’s father and mother (William and Margaret) Margaret’s parents and a Susan Walker.

Only Susan never was a Walker by marriage, although her death certificate states she was widow of William Walker. She appears to be the elder sister of William’s wife, Margaret Maden!

Once again, if anyone can claim this person, please contact me. Stuart Walker email stuart_walker@zen.co.uk

Sir Rhodes Boyson and The Boyson Family

The death has just been announced of Sir Rhodes Boyson, the former Conservative MP and Minister in the Thatcher government. He died on the 28th August 2012, aged 87 after a long illness.

Rhodes Boyson was born in 1925 in the village of Rising Bridge, near Haslingden. The Boyson family had moved from Wimblington in Cambridge to Rossendale in 1860. His great grandfather John Boyson had married Elizabeth daughter of York Roades of March in Cambridgeshire on the 11th October 1837 at Doddington.
Migration from East Anglia had commenced in 1834, when many agricultural workers were sent to South East Lancashire under a sponsored poor law scheme. They were told to “tramp or starve”. In the early 1860s three hundred families were brought from the Isle of Ely to work in the mills. From 1870 onwards this influx continued. Migrants poured in from all the East Anglian villages, including Doddington and Wimblington the home of the Boyson family.

By the time they arrived in Rossendale John and Elizabeth had been married for 23 years. The 1861 census shows that they settled at Rakefoot in Crawshawbooth. They had a large family of six boys and two girls, ranging in age from Henry aged 19 to William aged 1. John Boyson was then aged 46, he was an agricultural worker. The older children found work in the local mills, three of them in the calico print works and one in a cotton mill. John and several of his sons are described in later censuses as greengrocers in Haslingden. They had a shop on Manchester Road. They were also prominent members of the Methodist church.

Their family tree illustrates how families moved en mass in the 19th century and how such movement could have a profound effect on the areas where they settled. In this case they influenced the business life, the religious life, the social life and the political life of Haslingden.

Rhodes was the grandson of York Rhodes born 1856 (the youngest surviving son of John); York remained a weaver. It was his son William (Bill) Boyson, a mule spinner, who became a trade unionist, ardent member of the Labour Party, Haslingden town councillor, and Freeman of the Borough. He it was who introduced his son Rhodes to politics. In his autobiography “Speaking my mind” published in 1995, Rhodes writes about his education at Haslingden Grammar School, his life as a teacher and headmaster and his career in politics.
Rita Hirst