Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton

[patDEN]

Thanks KGarrad ... although the news is a bit depressing!

Regards
Pat

[patDEN]

Since my initial submission to this forum last year, I have been able to make steady progress in my quest for information re the Rev Joseph and his son, Thomas William Ashton and most of this progress is due to the information and advice given by contributors to this forum.  My sincere thanks to each and every one of you.
While I haven't yet reached conclusive evidence of Thomas William's mother's name, I feel I am getting very close.   Just this week I received a memorial card from a descendant of Thomas William Ashton.  Amongst Ashton 'stuff' unearthed from a back shed in Western Australia was a memorial card which reads:
"In Loving Remembrance of Betty Frankland, who died Nov 26th 1887 aged 75 years and was interred in the Wesleyan Chapel, Great Horton, on the 29th".
I think this must be Betty, mother of Ann Frankland who married Joseph Wilcock?  Perhaps Helga will be able to confirm this?  We know from Thomas William's 1927 Death Certificate, his mother's name is recorded as Unknown Frankland. 
Also amongst the Ashton 'stuff' were heaps of photographs and quite a few of these have the photographers names [e,g, James Exley Southfield Lane Great Horton Bradford: George Rushforth Pontefract Rd Barnsley; J Walker Eldon Street Barnsley; Albert Sachs 151 Westgate Bradford] all from the area I now believe Thomas William came from i.e. the Great Horton, Barnsley & Bradford areas.  I know from BigKev's attachment of last year regarding the reference written by the mine manager of Mount Osborne & Gawber mines [a Joseph Wilcock], that my Thomas William Ashton worked as an enginewright for these coal mining companies in Barnsley between 1872 & 1877, so I am hopeful I am now on the right track.
This is a it long winded, but I wanted everyone who gave their time to know that absolutely every suggestion was followed up, including the fact that Thomas William may have been born/raised a Wilcock.

Kind regards
patDEN

[hjstort]

Hello Pat

The memorial card is for my 3xg grandmother Betty Frankland (nee Morley) mother of Ann who married Joseph Wilcock, I have a scanned image of the same card amonst my files.

In the family bible are "portraits" taken by James Exley.

Regards Helga

[patDEN]

Thanks, Helga, your information is most welcome.  I dared to hope!  Do you have any knowledge of 'your' Joseph Wilcock ever being a manager of the Gawber mines?  I wonder if you would mind if I sent you a PM containing images I have of persons photographed by James Exley?  I know any identical images you may have will not prove anything, but it could lead me somewhere!

Kind regards
Pat

[dave the tyke]

Thought you might like this.

[patDEN]

Many thanks for the pic, dave the tyke.  I was only thinking this morning that I will definitely visit the church and churchyard where Betty was buried [I am visiting Eng in August this year] even if I am no closer to proving the Frankland Ashton connection when I leave WA because I just feel there is something there somewhere!

Kind regards
patDEN

 

[dave the tyke]

Hi Pat
the churchyard is very overgrown and not many of the headstones were still standing in 2008 when I took the photo. The Non-conformist burial records are on Ancestry but they are hard to find because the burial books cover several chapels in the Methodist / Wesleyan circuit and the transcribers have left a lot to be desired. The burial books do not mention headstones or family grouping.
There is an history of the chapel in one of the books but I didn't take note of exactly where it was.
Bradford Central Library has copies but unfortunately the family history floor is off-limits at the moment due to structural problems. They might be able to do a search for you.

regards
Dave

PS I forgot to mention that there are records of the members together with their place of residence and movements from the congregation etc..

[hjstort]

Thanks, Helga, your information is most welcome.  I dared to hope!  Do you have any knowledge of 'your' Joseph Wilcock ever being a manager of the Gawber mines?  I wonder if you would mind if I sent you a PM containing images I have of persons photographed by James Exley?  I know any identical images you may have will not prove anything, but it could lead me somewhere!

Kind regards
Pat

Hi Pat
Regret I have no further information re. Joseph Wilcock - disappears from our family history following Ann's death, although I have a scan of another memorial card for Frederic Wilcock son of Ann who dies December 1860 aged 1 year 11 months. This does not state where he is buried.

I would love to see the James Exley photos (and any other from Bradford photographers), I am sending you my email address by PM so that you can, should you wish, send them to me direct.

Regards
Helga

[patDEN]

Hi Dave
Thanks for all your information and suggestions ... I will contact the Bradford Central Library and see what they can do.  I simply have to follow up any avenue which might give me further direction in my quest! 
When I first posted to the forum, I did not know then that Thomas William Ashton worked in the Gawber mines Barnsley 1872-1877 - that Colliery reference and the date 1872 is the earliest date I can positively place him in Yorkshire.  I now also know that he was employed as 3rd engineer on the oil tanker SS Petriana Feb 1883-Feb 1884 [Ref: Newcastle on Tyne - R Dickson Steamer Dept.].  Next TW Ashton is on board the Sorata and heading for Brisbane Australia 30 March 1884. TW Ashton never returned to England.

Again, thanks for your input Dave
Regards
Pat