Hi,
I've taken my paternal line back to 1781 and hit a brick wall as I have no mothers name and with a name like John Dean(e) from Yorkshire, I have a hard time going further back.
That's not too bad. I feel I've got as much as I can from Census and BMD information etc and would now like to fill in the blanks. Any tidbit of information that might show what life was like for my ancestors, where they lived, what they did, who they worked for, what they ate, drank, how much they earned, did they go to school. It's hard to describe what Im after, I just want to find as much as possible.
With that in mind, I've got a few days of holiday booked off soon and I plan a trip to the Wakefield archives.
The reason for me coming here, is that I want to know what is out there. I don't want to drive from Birmingham to Yorkshire, look at one item and then sit around twiddling my thumbs. So I need as much as possible to look at. Im not expecting to get through it all, but I just need to make sure that I do something with my time.
Has anyone got any ideas of what information I could look for? What archives I could search in?
My Focus area is around the Castleford, Kellington, Wakefield, Dewsbury areas of Yorkshire. My time frame is 1750 to 1850 or so (maybe later).
The bits I have:
John Dean(e) (b Unknown)
son: Luke Dean(e) b 1781 in Castleford, m 1810 to Sarah Hutchinson in Austerfield
son: John Dean b 1815 in Wakefield m 1837 to Jane backhouse in Kellington
son: incl Joseph dean b 1850 in Kellington
Joseph Dean in 1901 was apparently listed as a farmer as opposed to a farm labourer. He married Hannah Mary Horncastle in 1872. In the 1861 census he is listed as living with a couple of women, one being Mary Ann Heron who was 79 at the time. It is suggested that she was one of two maiden and/or wealthy aunts. It would obviously be quite interesting to see if there is any information for the Herons in Kellington.
I believe I have found a Death Duty Register for John Dean. Is it likely that there should be a corresponding will (I understand at the Borthwick?):
"""7th June and 300
John Dean of Bradford in the County of York. Yeoman.
Name and Place of Abode of Executor
William Garnett of Bradford xxxxx. Grocer one of the executors.
Debts funeral, testxxx sixpences(?) to be paid by executor
To Elizabeth Sugden Widow - All his household goods, furniture, bedsteads, bedding except such one article as his friend William Garnett shall chuse for himself within one month after his decease also except such one other article as his friend John Oddy shall chuse within the same time.
To Trustees & Executors £50 In trust at the end of 12 mo after his death to pay divide the same amt equally amongst all every his first cousins, nephews and nieces as shall on or before the expiration of the 12mo put in substantiate then claim before his trustees or the xxx of them
To said William Garnett & John Oddy - £40 in trust to lay the same out in the purchase of an annuity for his blind cousin the daughter of Sarah Rhodes his aunt during her life in such way as his trustee shall think proper
To Jeremy Booth and James Fletcher £25 each to be paid 12 months after his decease
He also gives to the said William Garnett and John Oddy all the rest, reidue xxcent ofhis money Xxx for the debts here Est, effects whatso whereax absolutely."""
Sorry couldn't read all of that properly.
I am at least going to have a ponder through the Samuel Hirst diaries, and have a look through any police records to see if I can find another relative, a William Watson who in 1888 is reported as being a Rural Policeman.
Can anybody recommend anything else that might be useful for this area of Yorkshire and this timeframe?
Thanks
Simon
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