Hi I'm John Walsh, new to the site today after discussing family matters over Xmas lunch. Found a piece from a couple of months ago about the Steele family of Clifton and Allhallows. Well Arabella Steele was my great-grandmother. Left Cumberland for service in Accrington where she met and married James Walsh on February 8th, 1890 at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Accrington. At the time James’ address was given as 127 Avenue Parade while Arabella, described as a domestic servant was living at 50, Blackburn Road, Accrington.
My grandfather John Walter Walsh was born on April 1, 1893 in Accrington and baptised at St. James Church, Accrington on May 4 that year. Sadly James died in 1906 at the age of 46 from tuberculosis, or as described on the death certificate as acute phthisis.
Subsequently the widowed Arabella moved back to her Cumberland roots and in 1911 married Thomas George Hewitson, a miner from Aspatria who lived at 22, Lawson Street in the town.
The link turned full circle, too, as son John Walter Walsh married Jane Penrice Studholme at St. Mary's Church, Maryport on July 22, 1917. One of the witnesses was Jonathan Steele.
John Walter (always known as Walter) Walsh and Jane Penrice Studholme (always known as Jenny) had one son, my father Allan Walsh who died, aged 96, on New Year's Day 2015.
