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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Topic started by: Thomo0903 on Tuesday 09 February 16 09:14 GMT (UK)
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Hi
I am fairly new to family history, though, so whilst I am trying to be thorough and meticulous about details, I apologise if my verifying seems sloppy by more experienced standards.
I have been researching my family tree and my husbands family tree. I came across a Henshall Heath as one of his great-uncles, and though it was a fairly unusual name. I had a look on BMD and there were a couple of other Henshall Heath's so I figured it was a family name.
Recently it popped up again in the Thornley family, who had married into a different branch of his family, which caught my attention. I did a BMD search for anyone with the first name Henshall and noticed they were all from Lancashire, Staffordshire or Cheshire, and often had the same surname (such as Moss), or surnames that were already in his family tree (such as Stubbs, Collier and Ravenscroft). The Ravenscroft caught my attention because my original Henshall Heath's mother's name was Frances Ravenscroft, and I realised that she had a brother named Henshall Ravenscroft (the first in a line of four).
It seems to me likely that a number of the other Henshall's are also related to my husband, and can probably be linked back to a single ancestor. Via some googling I discovered this http://www.ancestry.co.uk/genealogy/records/elizabeth-henshaw_10307074 on Ancestry. Whilst I am not sure how verified it is it shows a number of Henshaw and Henshalls across multiple generations and surnames, all linking back to a Roger Henshawe born in 1636. In particular it involves a number of people named Henshall Moss who seem to be the family referred to here: http://www.thepotteries.org/allpotters/761.htm.
What's more I think I *may* have found a link between that family and the Ravenscroft family through the Bibbey family, but I am cautious on assuming.
I just wondered if anyone else had done any research on, or come across any, Henshalls or Henshaws, and, had any information which might help me make some links?
Thanks
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I wouldn't get too carried away with just finding people with the same name and assuming there is a link. We all know names go in fashions, so Henshaw/Henshall may have just been an 'in' name in the area at one time.
I'm not saying they aren't all related, they may well be, but methodical research one step at a time is always the way to go, then if it leads you to someone with that name then so be it. It is all too easy to try and make the research fit, if you grab at a name and then try to establish an assumed link.
As you extend your tree(s) you may suddenly find the other Henshaw all fitting in somewhere.
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Oh absolutely, I completely agree, that was my point.
It is *possible* that more of the Henshalls/Henshaws are linked into my tree, but I don't want to make an assumption. That was my point in asking if anyone else had any information on a Henshall or Henshaw, in case it did link up.
Basically I am using the name as another route of enquiry, it might pan out (as it did with the Ravenscroft Henshalls- and I would never have unlocked that part of my tree without that name as a clue), or it might not.
But I completely agree, I won't be adding people without being first satisfied that there is more evidence than the name.
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I have ancestors called Henshall Moss and I believe I can trace the origin of the name in my family.
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I dont think there is any harm at all researching an unusual first name. One of my ancestors is a Defiance. Looking into that name opened up much of my research into that line and I discovered many cousins with whom I'm still in touch. Obvs do your evidence finding but enjoy 😀 p.s. I'm an honorary Stokie. Hope your getting somewhere with your Potters ancestry x
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HI Rob, I am researching the Red Street pottery operated by the Moss family, including Thomas and Henshall Moss and their descendants. I have found your family tree incredibly useful in my research - is it something that has been published? I would like to use the information in your family tree (with credit to you) in a talk I will be giving on the history of the pottery. I would also be very happy to share with you the information that I have found about the family's pottery activities from the late 18th century onwards (although, of course, you may already know most of it). Would you be happy to correspond?