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Topics - Pennines

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The Lighter Side / Occupation of Boat Ranger

« on: Friday 20 October 23 19:37 BST (UK) »

Hello Everyone -- has anyone ever come across the occupation of 'Boat Ranger' - or 'Canal Bank Ranger' please?

This particular man was seemingly a Boat Ranger/Canal Bank Ranger on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal - I imagine that he may have sailed up and down a section of the canal, looking out for boats in trouble or something like that - but I don't know. I've never heard of this job before.

The Lighter Side / Interesting Birth

« on: Sunday 08 October 23 11:27 BST (UK) »

In the Leeds Intelligencer of 7 Aug 1770 - there is the attached report! I do hope it's legible to you - but if not, it reads (with the letter 's' now substituted for the printed 'f').

'We are advised from Hull, that a few days ago, a person, who adopted the name of William --- , and in that character had served several gentlemen of that place as a domestic servant, giving general satisfaction, was safely delivered of a fine girl, to the great astonishment of all who knew HIM.'

(Presumably it wasn't a huge surprise to EVERYONE!)

World War Two / John Thomas Aspinall Royal Navy/ Merchant Seaman?

« on: Friday 15 September 23 14:58 BST (UK) »

I am not sure if I am posting this query in the right place actually.

John Thomas Aspinall was born in 1907 on a boat near Wigan - his father was also a Boatman.

My friend has a document indicating that on 26/1/1943 he was engaged for training at the Royal Navy Training Establishment, H.M.S. Gordon.
On 9/3/1943 he was discharged from this training 'Passed out A.B.'
The next entry dated 12/5/1943 shows an engagement in Glasgow - Fireman and 'Trimmer'? This form passed down to my friend is attached.

In addition there are 2 cards on the Find My Past under the 'Britain Merchant Seamen 1918-1941' for John Aspinall - correct date of birth.

One seems to be either/or Health or Unemployment Insurance Card - undated - showing his occupation as Fireman.
The other - dated 5/3/1943 - 'Declaration to be made if need arises' - showing the name of the ship as H.M.S. Gordon.
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBOR%2FBT364%2F085%2F284&parentid=GBOR%2FMERNAVSEA%2FBT364%2F5973

Were Merchant Seamen co-opted into the Navy please after undergoing a short period of training? Or trained 'just in case' they were needed?

Lancashire / Lancaster Lunatic Asylum

« on: Wednesday 16 August 23 19:03 BST (UK) »

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone happen to know please, whether the records for inmates at Lancaster Lunatic Asylum are held anywhere? This is for the 1890s.

The records for Whiitingham Asylum are kept at Lancashire Archives, but I can't see anything for Lancaster records there.

Many thanks.

The Lighter Side / Unusual description of a wife's occupation

« on: Monday 24 July 23 13:26 BST (UK) »

On the 1851 Census of Lewes in Sussex, I came across the attached description of a lady - in the occupation column.

Had that been me - I don't think I would have been quite so explicit!

Lancashire / William Wilkinson - surname of wife conundrum

« on: Wednesday 12 July 23 16:27 BST (UK) »

Hello Everyone,

Firstly - my apologies for the length of this message!!

I am confused by the surname of a possible wife of a William Wilkinson.

From his age at death in 1839 - William was born in 1802 (birthplace unknown but possibly Barrowford with a father named Joseph - a Stonemason, and a mother named Bella/Bellah.

William b 1802 became a Stone Mason - he and Alice appear to have had the following children - I mention these because the Christian names of the elder children are relevant I feel.

Joseph 1822 baptised at Downham - abode Clitheroe. (named after William's father?)
Richard 1825 baptised at Downham - abode Clitheroe (named after Alice's father?)
Susanna 1827 baptised at Wallasey - abode 'Magazines' Wirral. (Maybe a fancy name from Alice's mother?)
Isabella 1829 baptised at Wallasey - abode 'Magazines' Wirral (named after William's mother?)
Elizabeth 1831 baptised at Liverpool - abode Liverpool (Love Lane)
Ann 1832 baptised at Liverpool - abode Liverpool (Portland St) (named after Alice's mother?)
William 1834 baptised at Liverpool - abode Liverpool (Portland St)
Alice 1836 baptised at Liverpool - abode Liverpool (Portland St)
Charles 1838 baptised at Liverpool - abode Liverpool (Portland St). (dies at Portland St 1839)

William senior b 1802 - also dies at Portland St Liverpool in 1839.

1841 Census; Wife Alice Wilkinson with 3 children, Susanna, Isabella and William has moved to Accrington.

1844 Alice remarries - to a Richard Thompson in Haslingden Reg Dist. Her father on this marriage certificate is Richard Douglas., which suggests a maiden name of Douglas for Alice.

1851 Census - Alice Thompson is now a widow living in Haslingden with children 'Susan', Isabella, William and Alice - ie. some of her children. Plus a visitor Ann 'Duglas' born Blackburn.
This census shows Alice's birthplace as Downham. and her age suggesting a birth year of about 1800.

There is a baptism of an Alice Douglas in 1800 at Downham- father Richard - mother 'Nancy'

HOWEVER the only marriage I can find between William Wilkinson and an Alice - is in 1821 at Blackburn - William is a Mason - but Alice is Alice Corless. (Lancs OPC and Lancs marriages on Ancestry).

Family trees on Ancestry show Alice Douglas from Downham marrying someone else and dying early. Yet the evidence of children's names - the father's name on Alice's second marriage - AND the visitor named 'Duglas' in 1851 - seem to suggest that William Wilkinson's wife was Alice Douglas.

Does anyone think that the Alice CORLESS - the bride in 1821 COULD have been Alice DOUGLAS please?

So sorry about the length of this -- but I was trying to include all the droplets of evidence gathered along the way.

Lancashire / Anyone familiar with a place named Bradley, near Colne please?

« on: Monday 10 July 23 14:25 BST (UK) »

Hello everyone,

I wonder if anyone knows of a place named Bradley, which must be near to Colne in Lancashire, please?

I am from Lancashire, but have never heard of it - it is the abode shown on a baptism at St. Bartholomew's Church in Colne - both in the original filmed registers and on Lancs OPC.

It may of course, be a localised area, but I've still never come across it before. The abode of later children of these parents, was Barrowford - all baptised at St. Bartholomews.

Many thanks for reading.

From Lancs OPC (but filmed record is clearly the same)

Baptism: 14 Sep 1794 St Bartholomew, Colne, Lancashire, England
Thomas Wilkinson - Son of Joseph Wilkinson & Bella
Born: 18 Jul 1794
Abode: Bradley
Occupation: Mason
Register: Baptisms 1790 - 1812, Page 56, Entry 183
Source: LDS Film 1471024

Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition / Help with deciphering a Cheshire Place Name please

« on: Wednesday 21 June 23 19:34 BST (UK) »

Please can anyone help with deciphering the 'abode' shown on the highlighted entry from an 1827 Wallasey (Cheshire) Parish register.

It looks like 'Magazines' (there is another identical entry on the same page). In addition - on the 1851 Census - the child being baptised has given her birthpace as 'Magazines' - when she was living in Lancashire.

I have looked at Genuki and googled this 'place' - but nothing is to be found.

Can anyone kindly help with this location please?

Many thanks for reading.

Scotland / Divorce Records in Scotland

« on: Saturday 27 May 23 18:53 BST (UK) »

Hello - I wonder if anyone can help this Sassenach with a query about Scottish Divorce records please.

I note from the Scotlands People site that references to divorces in Scotland prior to 1984, can be picked up by a corrected entry to the original marriage record.

However - the person I am researching was originally married in England. The couple were still in England on the 1939 Register.

The wife remarried in Blantyre in 1957.
The husband remarried in Canongate and Portobello in 1967.

Hence it appears the couple and their family moved to Scotland after 1939 - and divorced there prior to 1957.

Would there be a record of this divorce anywhere please?

Thank you for reading this query.