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Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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 Posted -
18/03/2011
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12:06
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I've been asked by a relative to help him with his research on the Rawsthorn(e) family of Widdop. He isn't comfortable using computers but recognises that much of the detail he needs will be found online.
Please can anyone point me in the right direction as I've never done this kind of thing before. What are the best websites to use? What is free and what has to be paid for? Has anyone got resources which I could use (and would be willing to pay a small consideration for)
Here's his brief to me:
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Rawsthorn(e) Project
To trace thge burial records of a family of hillfarmers who were driven off their farm at Widdop when Halifax Corporation built the reservoir (c. 1890).
The family burials were at Blakedene non-conformist chapel, which has since been demolished.
The family moved to Hurstwood nr Burnley and there is a burial recorded about 40 years ago - Hurstwood Methodist Chapel.
Two brothers moved to Barcroft Hall, Cliviger, nr Burnley. The last descendent still lives nearby.
The story of this tough, independent family of hillfarmers is worth research and there are two initial questions:
1. Can Methodist burial ground records be used to trace the family tree?
2. Is the local Halifax newspaper digitised so that there can be online research into the news items about the construction of Widdop reservoir?
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Any advice on how to tackle this project would be most appreciated - thanks.
=================== www.sheldrickrose.co.ukwww.bernulf.co.ukwww.bernulfsplace.co.uk
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Sue
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Posted - 20/03/2011 : 22:17
Heather I am in contact with someone who is sending me the family tree as he has it . I found him on Genes coneected. Please contact me by email and I will tell you what I have so far
Sue
If you keep searching you'll find it  |
Sue
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Posted - 29/03/2011 : 08:55
I've really moved forward on this. I have found the brothers at Barcroft and the Probate records( in the early 1900s), I have traced the tree back to 1851 but am having trouble locating them in the 1841. Richard senior was born at Spen, Salterforth about 1800. Does Spen make sense. They seem to have lived on Widdup Moor from 1t least the late 1830s. At one time they were at Widdup farm, and the farm next was Reaps where there wa also a Rawsthorne ( the one I had already followed up ) I am sure they are related but haven't made the connection yet
Sue
Sue
If you keep searching you'll find it |
Sue
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Posted - 29/03/2011 : 08:57
Oh yes the brothers were Charles, Thomas Richard and John adn possibly a sister Susannah widowed name Edmondson ( which is good news to me as I may be able to connect to my family)
If you keep searching you'll find it |
Sue
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Posted - 29/03/2011 : 08:58
Oh and I think the graveyard at Blakedene is still there behind the scout hut
If you keep searching you'll find it |
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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Posted - 29/03/2011 : 10:20
Superb detective work Sue - much appreciated.
=================== www.sheldrickrose.co.ukwww.bernulf.co.ukwww.bernulfsplace.co.uk |
Sue
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Posted - 30/03/2011 : 09:11
I have manged to trace from 1800 to 1915. Still working on it. I have sent you the info so far Heather
Wendy where are your Thornton records. I am back to the Lunds
If you keep searching you'll find it |
wendyf
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Posted - 30/03/2011 : 09:23
Earby & District History Soc. Archives, Sue. I'm afraid not available on line yet, but I can do "look ups" for you. Let me know what you want to know.
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Sue
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Posted - 30/03/2011 : 22:37
First Generation
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1. John Rawsthorne. Born abt 1766 in Yorkshire. On the 1841 census John Rawsthorn was living with Richard and Susannah, at Widdop, aged 75 years of independent means I can only find the birth of John Richard Rawsthorn at that time. I have found John son of Richard christened at Guisburn on the 14th October 1764 John possibly died in the March quarter of 1842, registered at Todmorden
Child:
2 i. Richard (~1800-1886)
Second Generation
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2. Richard Rawsthorne. Born abt 1800 in Salterforth. Richard died in Hurstwood Hall, Worsthorne and Hurstwood in 1886, he was 86.
In the 1881 census Richard is living at Hurstwood Hall, a farmer of 73 acres. He is living with Susannah, Thomas, Richard and Charles and a grandson Richard Rawsthorn aged 17. Richard ,Charles and Thomas are all unmarried so I presume that the grandson is son of John
In 1871 Richard is a farmer at Widdop with Susannah , Thomas and Charles
In the 1861 census Richards place of birth is stated as Spen, and in the 1851 census as Spen Salterfirth
In 1841 Richard was a farmer living at Widdop farm, next to Reaps which was occupied by a Thomas Rawsthorne and family ( no relationship has been established)
Richard died on January 18th 1886, probate was granted on 23rd December 1889 as such:
The will of Richard Worsthorne late of Hurstwood Hall Burnley, in the County of Lancaster, Yeoman, who died on the 18th January 1886 at Hurstwood Hall, was proved by Lancaster by Thomas Rawsthorn, of Hurstwood Hall farmer, the son of one of the executers.Personal Effects £477 8s
On Oct 25, 1835 when Richard was 35, he married Susannah Helliwell, in Heptonstall. Born abt 1818 in Wadsworth. Susannah died Burnley Register Office, March quarter in 1892, she was 74. I presume that Susannah’s surname is Helliwell as in the 1841 census there was a John Helliwell aged 30 working as a labourer on the farm of Richard and Susannah Susannah died aged 73 They had the following children:
3 i. John (~1837-1914)
ii. Richard. Born in 1838 in Heptonstall. Richard died in Burnley Registry Office on Oct 26, 1901, he was 63.
In the 1901 census he was at Hurstwood Hall Farm with his own account.He was living with his brothers Charles, and Thomas. Also present in the house that day was their 8 year old nephew, James Edmondson. I assume he is the son of Susannah Edmondson , nee Rawsthorne daughter of John born In the 1861 census
Richard died on the 26th October 1901 aged 62. Probate was granted onSeptember 7th 1907 as suchRichard Rawsthorne of Hurstwood Hall Worsthorne with Hurstwood died...Administration London on September 7th 1907 to John Rawsthorn , farmer. Effects £1467 10s
A further probate record is issued on 24th October 1916 to Richard Rawsthorne , farmer. Effects £1116 15s This further probate is possibly because John senior died in the June quarter of 1914
iii. Charles. Born in 1841 in Heptonstall. Charles died in At Burnley registry Office, June quarter in 1915, he was 74. 1901 census at Hurstwood Hall farm own account
In 1861 Charles was a shepherd boy working for his fathers farm of 55 acres, Lady Walk on Widdup Moor see www.oneguyfrombarlick.co.uk, and search for Widdop reservoir where there is specific information about Widdop farm, which consisted of 26 plots and 4 farm cottages. This farm was flooded when the reservoir was made circa 1888, that is the date of the plans
Next door at Reaps was a Thomas Rawsthorne, aged 59, born at Craven, with wife Betty and children John Grace, Richard and Thomas all born at Heptonstall. At the moment no connection has been made between these two families
Charles remained unmarried Charles died in 1915. The probate record reads thus. Charles Rasthorn of Barcroft Cliviger, Burnley died on 25th April 1915. Probate London 10th may to Richard Rawsthorn and John Rawsthorn, farmers.
Effects £2354 15s 2d
iv. Ann. Born abt 1842 in Heptonstall. In the 1861 census ann was a servant to the Ormerod family of Stone Wood House Todmorden and Walsden
v. Thomas. Born in 1843 in Heptonstall. Thomas died on Dec 31, 1906, he was 63. 1901 census at Hurstwood Hall Farm own account Thomas died on 31st December 1906. The Probate record reads as suchThomas Rawsthorne of Barcroft Cliviger, Lancashire. Administration with Will London 20th September to Richard Rawsthorne and john Rwasthorne the younger, farmers and Susannah Edmondson, widow. Effects £2575 12s
Third Generation
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3. John Rawsthorne. Born abt 1837 in Heptonstall. John died in Burnley Registry Office, June Quarter in 1914, he was 77.
In 1841 census John was living at Widdop with his father mother and brothers Thomas and Richard
In 1861 census a John Rawson aged 24, born at Widdop, was living with a Sunderland family at Kitchen farm, Harden. J
ohn was described as a shepherd In the 1871 census John , aged 32, was a boarder with the family of Jeremiah Aldersley at Oak Slack, Thornton in Craven. Jeremiah was a farmer with with 64 acres and John was a shepherd
In the 1901 census , John is a widow, living with his son John at Farm House Hurst wood, The neighbour is Richard Rawsthorne aged 37, which could be his son, living at the Cottage, Hurstwood
John died aged 77 in 1914. The probate record shows he died at Barcroft on the 21st April 1914.Probate was granted in London on the 16th June 1914 to Richard Rawsthorne and John Rawsthorn , farmers. Effects were £2616 10s. I presume this to be his sons Richard and John
In 1863 when John was 26, he married Sarah Ann Lund, daughter of Matthew Lund (1816-) & Mary Sunderland, in Thornton in Craven. Born abt 1842 in Thornton.
Sarah Ann died, Burnley Register Office, December quarter in 1896, she was 54. Sarah came from Harden
In the 1851 census Sarah was living with her grandmother, (as a servant) Sarah Sunderland , aged 73 at Windle field, a farm of 64 acres. Living with her were her sons Samuel Sunderland aged 37, and Abraham aged 28.
In the 1871 census Sarah is living at Newhouse , a farm of 90- acres in Briercliffe. She was described as married but her husband was not with her. However this person had a son Richard born in Heptonstall, and a brother in law Richard of Heptonstall was staying with her. This implies that this is the same Rawsthorn family
In 1881 the family was living at ShuttleworthP*******?, in Briercliffe , neighbours being Newhouse. This was a farm of 126 acres
In 1891 census she is with John Rawsthorne and her family at Higher Halstead , Worsthorne. John is described as being born at Widdup.
Living with the family was Samuel Sunderland, aged 76,described as Uncle
They had the following children:
4 i. Richard (~1864-)
ii. Mary Ann. Born abt 1865.
5 iii. Susannah (~1867-)
iv. John. Born abt 1882.
Fourth Generation
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4. Richard Rawsthorne. Born abt 1864 in Heptonstall.
In 1901 census Richard was living at the cottage Hurstwood, his neigbour being his father. His family were Hannah , wife of Hebden Bridge Sarah J daughter aged 4, Thomas aged 1, Richard and Alice aged under 1 month
In 1894 when Richard was 30, he married Hannah Lord, in Todmorden registry Office, December quarter. Born abt 1868 in Hebden Bridge. They had the following children:
i. Sarah J. Born abt 1894. In 1928 when Sarah J was 34, she married Albert W Varah, in Burnley Register Office, September quarter.
ii. Thomas. Born abt 1900.
iii. Alice (Twin). Born in 1901.
iv. Richard (Twin). Born in 1901.
5. Susannah Rawsthorne. Born abt 1867. Perhaps this is the Susannah who was described as Susannah Edmundson named in the probate of In September Quarter 1888 when Susannah was 21, she married Henry Edmondson, in Burnley Registry Office. They had one child:
i. James. Born abt 1893.
I have been unable to take this family to present times as too many Rawsthornes exist in the Registers for that area
Edited by - Sue on 30/03/2011 10:52:31 PM
Edited by - Sue on 30/03/2011 10:53:54 PM
If you keep searching you'll find it |
Sue
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Posted - 01/04/2011 : 10:08
Just bringing this back tio the top till Heather picks it up
If you keep searching you'll find it |
Callunna
Revolving Grey Blob
3044 Posts
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Posted - 01/04/2011 : 12:17
Thanks Sue. Absolutely sterling work. Much appreciated.
=================== www.sheldrickrose.co.ukwww.bernulf.co.ukwww.bernulfsplace.co.uk |
Sue
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Posted - 01/04/2011 : 15:50
i loved every minute of it. I am still trying to link the two Tawsthorne families on the moor and have spome one related to that family helping me. As for the qustion about newspapers etc related to the building of the reservoir, I found nothing on line but did find a reference to the Archives at the Records Office in halifax. Sometimes these places will look up specific information if you contact them
If you keep searching you'll find it |
wendyf
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Posted - 01/04/2011 : 16:55
For old newspapers you can get onto the British Libraries website through Lancashire libraries. If you have a library card you can access a huge database of 19th century newspapers for free from here
Its worth limiting your search to more local publications, or you get too much to look at. I found quite a few references to the reservoir.
ps. If you are anything like me, hours can just fly by looking at this site.
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Sue
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Posted - 01/04/2011 : 17:38
Hours just fly by researching!
I got so absorbed in this family I nearly forgot to go to bed, it was only hubby snoring away next to me on the settee that I realised what time it was!
If you keep searching you'll find it |
wendyf
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Posted - 01/04/2011 : 21:11
There is an item in the "Leeds Mercury" May 5th 1868 Issue 9379 reporting that the "Halifax Corporation Water Works & Improvement Bill" is before a select committee in the House of Commons. The landowners affected by the proposed reservoir at Widdop are Saville and Col. Towneley. (No mention of the tenants being turned out of their homes, just the possibility of financial gain for the landowners!)
I searched on the A2A (Access to Archives) website using Saville and Widdop as keywords and found this. Have you looked at these papers already Sue?
It looks as if there is quite a lot of other information in the Savile Papers at Huddersfield, including valuations of the properties to be taken for the reservoir.
Edited by - wendyf on 01/04/2011 9:30:50 PM
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Sue
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Posted - 01/04/2011 : 22:40
I have looked at some of them but this one now looks interesting
Rough plan of new enclosure of William Helliwell in Widdop in Manor of Wadsworth DD/S/I/244 18 May 1790
As Susannah wife of Richard Rawsthorn of Spen was Susannah Helliwell of Wadsworth.
If you keep searching you'll find it |
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Rawsthorn(e), Widdop, research
