Tag Archives: Leeds

A Walk around East Ardsley churchyard – who did we find?

Holman headstone copyright C Sklinar 2015

Holman headstone copyright C Sklinar 2015

A friend posted a picture on Facebook of the back of a  headstone from the village churchyard.  The only part visible in the image was the unusual back, making the headstone quite unique.

A walk up to the churchyard on a very nice Thursday morning brought me face to face, well face to stone, with the real thing.  From the back it looks like something you might see on Ilkley Moor – stones piled up in a random fashion.  But does the monument mean something more?

Who were these people mentioned on this headstone?  What connection do they have to East Ardsley?  And why does one of the people mentioned have such an unusual name?

First mentioned is ‘Jane Holman of East Ardsley, who died Feby 2nd 1907, aged 56 years‘.  Jane Holman, was born Jane in 1851, the daughter of William Haley and Hannah Walker.  Jane was born in North Brierley, but gave her place of birth as Oakenshaw and in 1881 was living with her family on Green Lane, Cleckheaton, working as a cotton and worsted weaver.

On the 9th of August 1876, Jane Haley went to The Parish Church in Bradford with her family and friends and married Horace Holman, born in Norfolk. Jane was now 24 and gave her residence as Oakenshaw, Low Moor, while Horace was 21 years old, employed as a carrier and also from Oakenshaw, Low Moor.  Horace, was the son of Charles Holman (deceased), a cattle dealer.  The marriage, after banns, was performed by Henry Prosser, B.A., and both Horace and Jane signed their names, as did their witnesses  G J Sewell and Emma Holman – Emma’s signature being quite naive.

By 1901 Horace and Jane were established in East Ardsley, living at Allinsons Buildings, with five children living at home. Horace was aged 45, a farmer, working on his ‘own account’ and a carting agent.  His sons also worked on the farm.

By February, 1907, we know that Jane had died.

Laban Holman courtesy of Alistair Kennedy

Laban Holman courtesy of Alistair Kennedy

The inscription following that of Jane says ‘Also, Laban Holman, died 1st April 1966, aged 88 years’. As Laban was Jane’s son quite of a few of the census entries cross.  In 1881 Laban was with his family, he was four years old, being born on 2nd of April 1877 at Bottoms, Wyke and baptised on 20th May 1877 at the Wesleyan Methodist, Oakenshaw.

1891, Laban is living and working at Low Street Farm, in the Civil Parish of West Ardsley – he is a farm servant working for William Scott.  We know from his mother Jane’s entry,  that by 1901 the family were living and working in East Ardsley on the family farm and carting business.  Within six years of the 1901 census, we know that Jane had died.  Her will, proven in Wakefield, left all her business dealings to ‘my son Laban Holman for his own use absolutely in return for the good work he has done for me in managing the business and keeping myself and younger children thereout now for many years.’  Jane also left ‘all those Policies of Insurance on my life in the Prudential Insurance Office together with the household furniture and any money that may be in the house at the time of my death and the residue of my estate to my Trustees upon trust to sell, call in and collect the same and pay my debts, funeral expenses and the costs of proving this my will thereout so doing to pay and divide the same amongst all my children inclusive of the said Laban Holman, share and share alike.’…….what happened to Horace?  Probate to Jane, wife of Horace Holman, granted on 21st March to Laban Holman and Charles William Holman, electrical engineer, effect £189 6s.

Laban Holman courtesy of Alistair Kennedy

Laban Holman courtesy of Alistair Kennedy

In 1910 there are Tax Valuations showing that Laban had access to various plots of land in East Ardsley and Thorpe  – some he rented from the Great Northern Railway, others he owned and sub-let.

Ten years later, in 1911 Laban is living with his sister Mary, her husband George Harper and their children, at 12 Allinsons Buildings, East Ardsley. Laban is a carting agent, his brother in law, George is employed as a teamster –  is he working for Laban?  The early 1920’s saw Laban, in directories as a haulage contractor working out of Thorpe with the telephone number of Rothwell 6.

Laban Holman courtesy of Alistair Kennedy

Laban Holman courtesy of Alistair Kennedy

Laban, was also a member of a Masonic Lodge.  Laban, as we know, died on 1st April 1966 aged 88.  His Probate entry read ‘ Holman Laban of Oaklea, Wetherby Road, Bardsey, Yorkshire died 1 April 1966 at St Helen Hospital, Barnsley, Yorkshire.  Probate London 22 August to George Harper, coal and coke merchant and George Stone, bank manager.  £4245.

Another section of the memorial mentions ‘Francis Holman who died on 3rd of August 1903, aged 23 years’. Francis is living with his parents at Allinsons Buildings, East Ardsley in 1891 – so the family were in East Ardsley while Laban was living and working on the farm in West Ardsley. Horace gave his occupation as colliery labourer.  Francis can also be found on the census as Frank.  Also, on a section of the memorial ‘also of Edgar Holman, who died Septr 2nd 1889 aged 1 year ad 8 months , interred at Westfield Chapel, Wyke’.

But. what happened to Horace?   The 1911 census has an entry for a Horace Holman, carter, living at 19 Queen Square, Leeds, with his wife Clara…..could this be Jane’s Horace, who married Clara Hudson in the September quarter of 1907 in the York Registration District?  Could Horace have left the family home after the 1901 census.  That could be the reason why Jane left the business to Laban.   Anyway, there is a death for a Horace Holman in the Leeds area in the June quarter of 1923.

Rear of Holman headstone courtesy of Glyn Sherborne

Rear of Holman headstone courtesy of Glyn Sherborne

The headstone, some say the stonework resembles blocks of coal, or could it be stone.  Coal from the local mines or stone from local quarries that the business transported ………..you make your own mind up!

Thanks to Alistair Kennedy for allowing me to use his images, he also tells me that other members of the family have interesting stories to tell!

A new princess

On the second of May 2015 HRH Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge came into the world.  Her birth was officially registered on the 5th of May and signed by her father William.

William, gave his occupation as that of Prince of the United Kingdom, and informed that his wife, Catherine Elizabeth, HRH The Duchess of Cambridge, was a Princess of the United Kingdom – people laughed at this!  Is he the first to enter such a position as his occupation?  I am not going to discuss his reasons, if it is correct in this day and age, even though one day he will be a King.

Lets have some fun looking around the census, birth entries and other records to see if others have done the same as William.

In the winter of 1841 Edward, son of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was registered as Gotha being his family name and his first names being Prince of Wales – not a mention of Edward!  gotha saxe coburg

1851, the first census to give a place of birth other than ‘in county’, and we find Her Majesty Alexandria Victoria, wife, aged 31 and her occupation is ‘The Queen’.  Her husband, HRH Francis Albert Augustus Charles Emanuel, head of the house, and his occupation is Duke of Saxony, Prince of Coburg and Gotha. Their children are also listed as having occupations as :- Princess Royal, Prince of Wales, Princes and Princesses, while Arthur William Patrick Albert aged 11 months is recorded as Prince of the United Kingdom, Duke of Saxony, Prince of Coburg and Gotha.

The census of 1881 is  similar with Victoria’s occupation being Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and her children being Prince of Princesses.  I must say this census return is rather untidily written to say who is the Head of the Household!

By 1911 King George was on the throne, his census has him as the Head of the Household, been married 17 years to Mary, his Queen and they had at the time six children, all who were alive at the time.  His occupation, as with that of his wife’s is blank.  Their sons, Princes Albert and Edward both give their occupation as being in the Royal Navy.

Also in 1911, the Duke of Northumberland, Harry George, aged 64, gave his personal occupation as Peer.  The Duke of Buccleuch, was just entered as ‘Buccleuch’ with the later addition of ‘The Duke’ in parenthesis.  His wife is listed as Peeress, while their son,  Lord Herbert Scott is a Lieut. Col.  in the 23rd London Regiment.   A visitor at the time of the census, Lord Claud Hamilton, aged 68 gives his occupation as Member of Parliament.

While Edmund, Lord Faber, gave his occupation as Banker, being an old Etonian, and a senior partner in Becket’s Bank of Leeds and York.  He was also a Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire. Lord Stratheden aged 81, gave his occupation as that of private means.

Princess Elizabeth on her birth certificate is indexed as Windsor Elizabeth A M and her mother’s maiden name is Bowes-Lyon.

Queen Elizabeth II on her wedding certificate to Philip Mountbatten, her rank or profession is given as Princess of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, while he entered HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, KG.

It looks like it boils down to how you understand the question asked.  To other generations the wording would be ‘your rank of profession’, while today it seems to be just ‘occupation’ as the wording on the certificates – but who asked the question of occupation and how was it asked!  Simple questions but could mean a world of difference.

Giving an example of census questions asked by the enumerator.  1. Where are you from?  2. Where were you  born?  I suppose they could be classed as similar questions, but when rooting your your ancestor  it could mean a world of difference.  1. Where are you from?  Could be understood as ‘I’m from Methley’.  The enumerator has an answer, he is happy.  Ten years later our family member has moved and he now says he is from Sheffield, again the enumerator has an answer and he may now know the family, so he is happy with the answer.

2. Ten years have passed and the enumerator asks ‘where were you born’ and our head of the household says ‘Bradford’.  Both questions could be understood as the same, but they could also mean something totally different.

It is not always how someone perceives themselves but how someone asks a relevant question.

 

 

A letter of Thanks dated 1916

Some of you that know me will be aware that I have a box that  has a lot of newspaper snippets and notes all ready for the day when I will get around to telling the world their story. I also have a folder in my email and a file on my laptop that has something similar, but sometimes the donor of photographs after being saved to the laptop gets separated and I am unable to acknowledge the sender or owner of the photographs…………yes, I know, but none of us are perfect!

A while ago I was sent a set of three pictures – one was of an envelope, and the other two were pages of a letter.

The letter, by a little ragged, was franked and had two one penny stamps on the top right hand corner. It was not written in a style I would have thought was used in that time but a style that was more rounded and with rounded loops on the high letters. The envelope was addressed to Nurse Howell, The Asylum, Wakefield – followed by a full stop and a confidently underscored stroke. I will leave Nurse Howell for a while and concentrate on the sender, one Elizabeth Rudd.

Elizabeth Rudd on the top right of her letter gave her address as 32, Westcliffe Terrace, Harrogate and dated it March 5th 1916. Who was Elizabeth and why was she writing to Nurse Howell?

To find who Elizabeth was we have to pry into her life by reading her words of thanks. Elizabeth was thanking Nurse Howell for looking after her sister during her last hours of life, which as she says ‘I did not know the end was quit so near….’ The nurse was thanked for her kindness for being at her patients side while her sister was not. But Elizabeth was glad that the nurse had been spared any painful suffering – Elizabeth’s sister having a peaceful end. Elizabeth went on to say that Nurse Howell was doing ‘noble work, one which required much patience and endurance…..’

Let’s go and find these two ladies!

Firstly, Elizabeth. We know where she lived in 1916, so a look at the 1911 gave an Elizabeth Rudd living at 81 Skipton Road, Harrogate, who was 28 years old and working as a draper’s clerk. Her parents were John William Rudd, a joiner and Mary Ann, and five other children in the house. Elizabeth had one sister, Maud Mary aged 23 – could this be the sister whose life had ended with Nurse Howell by her bedside?

Back in time 10 years to 1901 the family have now swelled their ranks and are living at 4 possibly Ashworth or Charlesworth Place, Harrogate. But there are still no clues as to the missing sister.

Back to the drawing board and a cleared Ancestry. I have set up the quick links and one of the links is directly into the UK Collections, but could not find the collection I wanted. So back to the home page and ‘see all new records’ Bingo, there it was, the UK, Lunacy Patients Admission Registers, 1846 1912. My main fear was that the date of the letter was just four years after the collection date, but hey-ho, in for a penny!

I did not know Elizabeth’s sisters name therefore a general search for Rudd and Wakefield. One entry stuck out and that was for a young lady called Hannah Jane Rudd. Hannah had been admitted on the 16th of September to the W. Yorks Asylum with no year given at the top of the page and no years on the previous pages, but her date of discharge of death on 14th February 1916, does seem to lend itself to being the lady we need.

So, if Hannah Jane is Elizabeth’s sister and she is not on the 1901 of the 1911 census, will she be on the 1891 and link her to her sister? Let’s go see!

The Rudd family in 1891 were living off Grove Road, Harrogate. John William was a joiner and builder and there was a Jane A Rudd, in the house. Could this be our Hannah Jane, who was three years older than Elizabeth?

Do you know any different?

Nurse Howell, now this could be a little trickier! Presuming, a thing I know you should never do, but where needs must…………as a nurse I presume she would have been a mature person, so over 21. I know during 1916 she was working in the Asylum, and possibly living in the Wakefield area. But, was Nurse Howell, 21ish in 1916 or older?

Back again to the 1911 census and a very, very broad search for Howell, Wakefield and female………and more ladies to search through than I cared for. I selected the search to about 1870 to 1895. I hate the new search on Ancestry, the searching does not hold the same ‘chase effect’ that it used to, but we got there after what seemed like an age – I could have made a Christmas cake quicker, or it felt that way!

One entry out of all of them stood out! Harriet Margaret Howell, aged 21, giving her year of birth around 1890. She was born at Bowes Park, Middlesex but was living in Seacroft seacroft hospitaland her occupation was Hospital Nurse. Harriet was one of many nurses and ancillary staff working at Leeds City Hospitals for Infectious Diseases, Seacroft, Leeds, Mr A E Pearson, MRCS, Medical Superintendent was in charge. The hospital cared for patients with scarlet fever and diphtheria and provided care for 482. When the need for isolation hospitals lessened Seacroft was changed to a children’s hospital.

Harriet  must have moved to work in the Asylum by 1915/16 to have nursed Miss Rudd. 

Seacroft Infectious Disease ward c1900

Is the Nurse Howell I am looking for or do you know better!

Sources:-

Leodis

Ancestry

Find My Past

The Missing Constantine

During my stint helping to man a local family history stant at the Ridings Centre during Heritage Weekend a few years ago. I was asked had I seen the family bible on display – no I hadn’t and I’m a sucker for old bibles and books as you never know what secrets or forgotten things you find when turning the pages.

I don’t like lists of names or entries in bibles that are unknown, they should belong now as they did when their name was so tenderly written.  That could be why I’ve taken to transcribing war memorials – a name on a plaque or on a carved stone means nothing unless you know who they were in life.

So who were the Constantine family mentioned in the bible that had been given to the group and was put on display over Heritage Weekend ?

There were names and dates but sadly, no places and in one case just initials.  The names and dates were a start and I copied the names down to try and solve the mystery after tea.  After tea…….no now, while the curiosity juices are flowing…………Tea will wait !!!

The first entries in the bible were for William Henry Constantine born on 28 Sept 1823 and below the entry for his wife Ruth Elizabeth Constantine born 26 Sept 1855, followed by their children Martha Ann 22 Apr 1879 ; Nellie 1881 ; Lissey 1888 ; Wilfred 1890 ; Sarah 1883 ; Sam W 1885 ; Annie 1895.

The 1881 census filled in a few gaps.  Firstly, the family were not from Wakefield but Wortley or Armley – depending on which census you looked at and that William was a Sanitary Tube maker or worker. The other members of the family stated they were from Armley. Secondly, Nellie was Ellen and thirdly, Ruth could possibly be an Appleby as James Appleby, brother in law, was living in the household along with a Martha Ann aged 9 and giving relationship as niece.

A look on the Freebmd website confirmed the Constantine / Appleby link when William Henry and Ruth Elizabeth (Appleby) married on 31 Aug 1878 in the Leeds Registration District.

Going back to the 1861 census, hoping to find William H’s father revealed that William Constantine (1821) and Ann (Lockbottom) (1822) were the parents of William H. William like his son was a Sanitary Tube Maker and was born in Leeds. As well as William H the children were Joseph 1848 ; Sarah 1850 ; John Edward 1856 and Mary Ann 1859.

Further back to William’s parents – Samuel Constantine b 1788 and Ann Jackson b 1778.  The couple married at St Peter’s Leeds on 3 Jan 1809 and they went on to have 8 children.

But back to William Henry and Ruth Elizabeth in 1881 the family lived at 35 Parsonage View, Armley by 1891 they had moved just down the road to 23 but his employment had changed to that of labourer and all his children attended school except the Wilfred the baby and Elizabeth aged 2.  You may not remember Elizabeth from the list of birth but you may remember Lissey.

By 1901 they were now living at….. well on the census it looked like 13 Bowlingate Terr, but that did not give me a good feeling.  A visit to the Leodis website and search for Bowlingate revealed nothing.  But a manual search of Wortley itself and bingo …. Bowling Garth Terr.  I had a address so why not look at what it was like – no’s 7 – 13 looked to be decent enough houses with steps leading to the front door.  The oval fanlight was surrounded by two stone quadrants with a centre support/decoration.  The windows also had stone decorations above and below.  Partially below ground level was the cellar that looked to have two windows letting in light to what was probably the kitchen.  Back upstairs and there was a large window by the front door.  Upstairs was another large window and a smaller window over the door.  A picture of houses 3 – 5 gives a description of them being back to back, if no 13 an end terrace was back to back I don’t know.

We now know a little more about the family but the children in the bible – what happened to them.  Martha Ann  died in 1965.  Ellen married Ernest Boston on 24 December 1904 and had Harry in 1905 and Wilfred in 1915 (d 1960), again these entries were in the pages of the bible.

Samuel died on 3 August 1960, Elizabeth – did she marry or didn’t she only the people in the bible know.

William married Louisa Bannister and a search on Freebmd for a Constantine/Bannister child came up with Fred born in 1918 and Annie, she  married J H Marshall on 17 July 1920 in the Bramley District.  Who was J H ?  A look on Freebmd came up with no hits for his marriage but a search of the GRO on Ancestry came up with 50% of the answer – John H Marshall, well it was a start ! Back to Freebmd and a look at their birth transcripts and a possible hit for him of John Hemingway Marshall.

Now, J H and his wife are the people that have the Wakefield link.  John was born in Alverthorpe around 1880 and by 1901 was living with his siblings – his eldest sister, Ethel aged 22 was the head of the house, Elden House, Alverthorpe  and was the ‘parent’ to her other 9 brothers and sisters.  I suppose you could say she was helped by a 22 year old servant.  The previous census told that their parents were Charles H  and Annie S Marshall who lived at Silcoates, Charles being employed as a Mill Manager (woollen cloth).

Back to J H and Annie, they went on to have three children, Reginald b 1921 ; Ruth b 1922 and Harry in 1924 all being registered in Wakefield.  Both John and Annie must have stayed around the Alverthorpe area as Annie died in West Ardsley in the 1970’s

We now arrive at the third child of William and Ruth, Sarah born in the summer of 1883.  It was the year that a rumour spread around New York that the BrooklynBridge was going to collapse – resulting in a stampede crushing 12 people.  The year of the Victoria Hall disaster – a rush for treats resulted in 183 children being asphyxiated in a concert hall in Sunderland.  It was the year that the Zulu king Cetshwayo barely escaped a rebel attack and the year that the volcano Krakatoa erupted and it was the year that the Boys’ Brigade was founded in Glasgow.  It was also the year that little Sarah died – 8th June 1883 in Armley, Leeds.

As this was not my family tree I did not want to delve too far back or get too curious as to what else they got up to with their lives but there was one more question I wanted to answer and that was did anyone else have them in their family trees ?  I normally check our Ancestry World Tree but this time just checked them via the trees on Ancestry and a couple of trees came up.  I was pleased that by just checking through the census, Freebmd and the GRO that I had everything they had BUT!!!! I had one thing more than any of them – I had Sarah.

Sarah being born in 1883 had missed the census, simply been and gone and only recorded on her birth and death certificates and in her local parish register when she was christened and buried on 30th June of the same year at St Bartholomew’s, Armley.

St Bartholomew's Church from Wikipedia

St Bartholomew’s Church from Wikipedia

 

 

 

 

 

How can she be forgotten, when we all know her name……………….SARAH

Sources

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com

www.ancestry.com

www.leodis.co.uk

 

 

To check woodkirk MI

St pauls alverthorpe pr’s

Absent Voters List 1914-18 War – update

A while ago I mentioned the the Absent Voters Lists as being a valuable source when looking for a WW1 soldiers army number, but I thought I would just update this and add to the information I told you about.

Carol Sklinar 2010

So here goes – In the General Election of 1918 all those not at ‘home’, those who were away from their place of residence were classed as Absent Voters.  The reasons you were away could be for example, working, visiting family or serving your country in WW1.  The information for someone serving his King and Country usually included the following :- The man’s name, service and regiment along with rank and service number and his home address.  I say this information is usually included but in Morley his name and HM in a column are the only information you are getting, but it is still worth knowing he served.

It was an Act of Parliament passed on 6th February 1918 that allowed service men to register  and obtain their vote ‘at home’.  The first lists were published on 15th October 1918 and again on 15th April 1919 and the details were provided by the voters.  Men aged 21 and over could supply information about their vote, so for us family historians, a young man under the age of 21 but still serving his country could not vote.

Also, something to be remembered – a soldier’s number was not his for his service.  A soldier changed his service number for many reasons including changing regiment.  You will find many service records or CWGC information with the words ‘formerly’, very kindly giving a previous service number.  If you search for a serviceman by just his number you may find many men who were issued that number.  For example a search of the SWDTGW for 2497 comes back with 100 men issued that number.  It was not until 1920 that a unique number was issued to service men.

Something else to bare in mind is that during WW1 Officers were not given service numbers but by WW2 numbers were issued and again they were unique.

This wonderful source of information for Wakefield, has been transcribed and can be found here, the information has also been put on to a cd and is useful for those not wishing to use the internet and is available here along with many other useful tools for family historians.

When looking for AVL’s you may like to try your local history library, local archives or pose a question on a local messageboard – it may save you time.  Please note:- there is a chance they may not have survived in your area, so be prepared to use other sources to find the service number of your man i.e newspapers.  Years ago a service number was a must for you to take your research further, now with the internet and some very useful websites a service record, if it has survived can be found by inputting varying degrees of information i.e. name and town if that is all you know, but don’t forget to allow for transcription errors and a search could get longer if a name and town, in all the spelling variations, brings up nothing – you may have to resort to just a town, a little long winded but does eventually pick up all the wonderful spelling variations that transcribers try to put in our way.

Many family historians are a dogged bunch and are not easily put off by a name or town spelt in a way that bares no resemblance to what it actually should be.  I think sometimes it is just ‘lets pick a few letters, jumble them up and that will do’.

A selection of Absent Voters Lists online

Wakefield click here – search by constituency

Leeds click here – search by surname

Accrington click here – search by name or constituency

Grimsby & Cleethorpes click here – search by name

Woodchurch click here – complete list

Heritage Weekend 2011

Every year I make a point of visiting churches, homes and halls that are either not open or you have to pay to get in – I prefer to visit the  wonderful places that are only accessible on very few occasions and have been known to plan my visits and routes weeks in advance.

I seem to have visited the local places on more than one occasion and to my disappointment there are no new places signing up to the Heritage Weekend Scheme in Wakefield.  We have an array of wonderful buildings in the area so come on get organised, get volunteers an OPEN next year !

Bardsey Church C Sklinar 2007

Now, back to this year, bookmark these dates 8-11 September – what is open that we can go and visit:-

The Chantry Chapel, Kirkgate, Wakefield  Sunday 11am – 3pm

Clarke Hall, Stanley Road, Wakefield          Saturday 10am – 4pm

National Coal Mining Museum, Wakefield Saturday/Sunday 10am – 5pm

St James’s Church, Denby Dale Road, Wakefield Saturday 10am – 12 noon

St John’s Church, Wakefield Saturday 1pm – 4pm

St Peter the Apostle’s Church, Kirktgthorpe, Wakefield Saturday/Sunday 12 noon – 4pm

The Gissing Centre, Westgate, Wakefield Saturday/Sunday 2pm – 4pm

Wakefield Cathedral Saturday 10am – 4pm

Wakefield Civic Society Guided Walk, Saturday/Sunday 12.30pm – 3.30pm


Further information about the above can be found by clicking here as some of the properties have limited spaces and need to be booked prior to your visit.

But you may not live in the Wakefield area and don’t really want to travel far, so what else is open a little further afield.

Here are a few you may wish to visit :-

Lister Lane Cemetery, Bradford ; Manningham Walk, Bradford ; Halifax Playhouse ; Halifax Town Hall ; Shibden Hall, Halifax ; Masonic Lodge, Haworth ; Brotherton Library, Leeds ; Farnley Hall, Leeds.

Heritage Weekend information click here

Open House London information click here


Ancestry – latest additions

These latest additions are fantastic news for those of us not able to visit the local Archives or LDS Church or those not wishing to visit or like me, want to do family history at my convenience and no one elses – yes after 5pm and before 9am!

So what has been added, well I am very, very pleased to say that over 8 million West Yorkshire parish registers record baptisms, marriages, burials and confirmations as far back as the English Civil War.  That’s good news but what records have been indexed and the original document uploaded and made available.

Here goes :-

West Yorkshire, Births and Baptisms 1813 – 1906

West Yorkshire, Deaths and Burials 1813 – 1985

West Yorkshire, Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1512 – 1812

West Yorkshire, Marriages and Banns, 1813 – 1921

West Yorkshire Confirmations 1859 – 1915

+ The Dade registers, named after the vicar that instigated them.  What do they include ? Parents names, grandparents names with occupations and addresses – now isn’t that a fantastic resource !

Edith Smith of Crofton was born in 1883 and was confirmed aged 18 on 15 February 1901.  Others that were confirmed at 6:30 on that Sunday before the Bishop of Wakefield were, Mary Berry of Spring Hill aged 15; Mary Ethel steele of Old Hall Lodge aged 15; Miriam Clark of Old Hall aged 18 and Mary McKay aged 17 also of Old Hall and Alice Blackburn of Crofton Tower aged 18 to name a few.

Martha Bates aged 26, widow, daughter of Benjamin Siddle, Waterman was married to John George Patrick, 25, Batchelor, son of James Patrick on December 25 1869.  The witnesses were Francis Fledhill and Mary Jane Broughton – all signed the register with the exception of the bride, she Made Her Mark.

Joseph Officer was buried in All Saints Burial Ground on 3 January 1757.

Allan Douglas Riach was born on 2 December 1883 and baptised on 20 April 1884 in St Paul, Esholt, the son of John and Susan Riach.  John was a policeman.

Go on, visit Ancestry and see what a very useful resource this is, especially for overseas researchers

If you don’t have a subscription, pop down to your local library, you may be surprised that your library can access these records.

Same name, same age but oh, so different lives

Tonight is census night and whoever is in your house tonight should be on your census form.  This decades census asks different questions to those in previous times and is based more on social and cultural subjects.  Some, sorry, many family historians question the use of this census in 100 years time.  Basic information is being left out, for example it is not asking for a middle name, yet this is now we distinguish a John Smith from a John W Smith.  Where were we born, again another question that could distinguish our John Smith from the other.  But who are we to argue ?

Yesterday I was thinking, I do that sometimes, about the 1911 census and wondered if I could find two people with the same name, born in the same year with two totally differing backgrounds and lifestyles.  I chose a family from one of my war memorial transcriptions but could not find the family on the 1911 census – foiled again! So this morning with a new vigour, 2 monitors (making life easier) and using the pc not the laptop I started my quest for these two people.  Who would they be, how old would they be and what would their every day life be like.  My challenge is on and a cuppa is called for.  Cuppa by my side and here we go !

Who are these young men? What name did I decide upon? How old are they? Questions hopefully we will all find the answers too.

The name – John Radcliffe.  The year of birth – 1886 (as per 1911 census).  Place of birth, well this is where the difference really starts.

Firstly, John Douglas Henderson Radcliffe was born in 1886, the summer of 1886 to Alexander Nelson Radcliffe and his wife Isabel Grace nee Henderson, whom he had married in the late spring of 1884 in Kensington.  Alexander was a solicitor and in the 1911 census he was living with his wife, 4 children, 2 visitors (Noel Burn Rosher b1876 Consulting Engineer born in Higham and Percy Otto St Clair Wilbraham Perryman b 1886 , Asst Dist Commt Uganda born Redhill) and 7 servants (incl cook, nurse, kitchen maid and house maid + butler and footman) all residing on the night of the census at 45 Kensington Square – in total 15 people in 20 rooms.

45 Kensington Sqr

Alexander of Bag Park  was born in Paddington in 1856 and died in Widecombe, Devon in March of 1944.  His wife Isabel was born in March of 1861 in Fremantle, Australia.

John Douglas Henderson Radcliffe had been a pupil at Eton College, leaving by 1904 and going on to Balliol, Oxford where he was known for his satirical humour and sense of fairness.  He rowed in the Eight and was Captain of the Boat Club and according to sources was a first rate coach and gave up his spare time to ‘the river’, being devoted to his College – Balliol. In 1911 he was elected was a Fellow of All Souls College and delighted in the traditions and atmosphere.

After Oxford he joined his father as a solicitor but it was politics that was his goal.  In 1913 he married Mary Augusta  Garlinda Bolitho and only too shortly after The Great War broke out.   John joined the KRRC, serving as a Captain. In July of 1915 there was desperate fighting near Hooge.  John  was KIA on 30 July 1915 aged 30 when the enemy over ran the trench held by Capt., Radcliffe and his men. John  is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.  John had been living with Mary at 20 Craven Street, Charing Cross and he left over £1,500 pounds to her on his death.

So ended John’s life, a life of privilege and opportunities.  A life lived in Eton, Oxford and London.  Would he, had he had the chance, been able to influence the politics post war? Who knows, but one thing is certain, he left a small piece of himself with all whom he met and was certainly fondly remembered and loved.

Now, which John Radcliffe born in the same year, well we find him in Leeds, the son of John William and his wife Mary Ann.  One of 3 surviving children out of 8, John was also born in 1886 and in 1911 living at 36 Wellclose View, Leeds.  John W was a 61 year old Organ Builder born in Bolton and his wife was also 61 and hailed from Leeds. John jnr was aged 25 and a Textile Printers Foreign Correspondent and his sister Lilian aged 31 was a Co-op Stores Cash Clerk – 4 people living in 5 rooms.

30-36 Wellclose View, Leeds. Leodis Archive

The houses around Wellclose View were terraced, more than likely on a hill.  The terrace ends, those facing the next street had bay windows and attics with full  windows making use of the roof space.  The doors were straight onto the cobbled streets  and most of the houses had usable cellars.

Did our 2nd John fight in WW1, I don’t know.  I’ve looked on SWDTGW, Medal Cards, CWGC and Army Pension records and there is not one John Radcliffe that gives a clue to him being our John.  Let’s hope if he did go to foreign shores, he at least came home to his family.

Did John marry ? There is a marriage for  John Radcliffe in Leeds in the June ¼ of 1912, could this be him ? And there are no deaths that stand out any more than others.

I think it goes to show that if you fit into any of the following categories :- The Great, The Good or The Bad you are recorded very well in historical documents.  But, if like John, and his family, you went about your business, sometimes with a little to spare at the end of the week and others the week was longer than the money, records are limited.

If anyone knows of John Radcliffe of Leeds, please let me know I’d like to know what happened to him.

Local History at Lunchtime

Earlier I posted about Leeds Central Library hosting a series of lunchtime talks.  Well the good news is that they start tomorrow, the 18th of March from 1pm – 2pm and the first talks is “The Grand: An Entertaining Story” given by Catherine Callinan.

3rd Floor Meeting Room, Leeds Central Library 1pm – 2pm.  If you can manage to get there, please write a comment on this page and let us all know how it went.