Well, what an exciting few days I have had. It was a bit of a difficult week what with exam results due etc. The week before I had been browsing the library shelves and picked out a book about Preston. In the back was a list of subscribers. I did a google search and it led me to the Quaker family history society site. They are having a one day conference on Saturday 18th April 2009 at Skipton Friends Meeting House 10.30 am til 16.00. There are going to be two talks, and the one I am most interest is is going to be talking about the Quaker archives at Leeds. (I think that after I am finished with Lancashire Records Office that is the next place to go looking.) It is free to attend and you do not need to be a member but you do have to let them know you will be attending and there was a form to send off. Which I did along with a letter asking if he belonged to the Wilcocksons from Preston. Now I am a very shy person and it took a lot of deliberation before plucking up the courage to actually send it. And I never even thought of the consequences of putting a phone number on the form, but he actually phoned me on Sunday.
I think I made a fool of myself. But I was so dropped on, and I am never very good on the phone. He was really nice and yes he does belong to our Wilcocksons. And he's going to be at the conference. I really really hope I get to go. I do not think he uses the computer much but if he does manage to find this site I'd like to say welcome to Richard. He did family history research during the 80s and 90s and has visited places connected to the family. Ohhhhhhhh I was so excited but scared at the same time. I never know what to say at the best of times. I know I bore my family much of the time when I start rabbiting on about this and that. It does say about the conference to take your own family tree so I hope to compare thoughts. And of course I am looking forward to meeting Richard.
He was able to tell me that I was mistaken about 12 Ribblesdale Place, the home of Isaac. The original building has been replaced. Richard thinks it was a fire that destroyed the original house. But the street is the original and the house next door was there, and that fantastic position on the precipice, so although naturally I am disappointed I am still thrilled that so much of the original Preston in that area remains today and you really do get the feeling of walking in their footsteps. It also highlights how good it is to have companionship along the way with family history......and how necessary to have someone to point out when you have made a mistake and lend their knowledge to the quest. Perhaps I can be a bit self indulgent here and outline what interests me and my view on family history. I would be interested to here what interests you too.
Most importantly I think family history as a hobby is what the person wants out of it. Some people just want to get as far back as possible, some people want to collect names and get as big a tree as they can, someone else might just want to study one persons life in great detail, others might want to investigate their ancestors lives, for others it expands into social history in general. I fall into the later category. I respect everyones right to follow their own objective. I get a real thrill seeing old documents to think that you can actually touch the past. That I can know the name of someone who walked this earth 200 and odd years ago. It does not matter to me if they are related or not. And to say that persons name even if it is just a first name is to remember them. I am not interested in famous history - royalty, nor in scandals, nor seeking riches and I am not particularly interested in military history. I am interested in the everyday lives of ordinary people. What did they do, where did they live, how did they travel, I cry over a scrawled x on a marriage certificate. I feel anger for past injustices. I tingle when I walk where I know they walked. I wonder what they thought about. I like to see the world as they saw it. I marvel at how little I know and how much of what I thought I knew turns out not to be true at all. It is a constant journey of enlightenment. It also has changed my views on life today. Mum once gave me some buttons which had been cut off a mans working uniform on the railways in case they came in handy some time... these are as precious to me as if someone had given me gold jewelry. And in seeing a signature connects me to that person. What were they thinking? Whilst I have great enthusiasm I am also aware that leads me to be prone to making mistakes. Excitement leads me to making assumptions, not taking time to check my work, to overlooking clues because I am always dashing off down some new avenue. I am notoriously disorganised, I can never lay my hand on whatever I am looking for, I forget to fully document my findings but acknowledging this means I can accept that I will never know everything and that others can point out my mistakes. And that is enough rambling for tonight.
Monday, 16 March 2009
Monday, 9 March 2009
Susannah Letman.
In response to Pams question, how did Edward and Susannah meet?
Susannah is a difficult lady to track down in the census. I have found her in C.1871 as a child with her family. We have her in 1901 as Edward's wife. But where was she in 1881 and 1891? By following other members of her family it appears that both her parents had died before 1881. Some of her siblings appear to be living with their Uncle and Aunt. I have not found Susannah in the 1881 census, have you Pam? It could just be that she was there too but missed off, or more likely that she was somewhere working most probably in service. Her birth was registered in 1868 which would make her 12/13 in 1881. Now moving on to the 1891 census I think this is probably her -
Preston, Broughton near Preston
Fulwood
3 Brakenbury Rd.
William Gornall 32 implement agent born Wyresdale
Margaret 27 born Preston
Ethel M. 4 born Preston
Anne 28 born Wyresdale
Susan Sethman 22 servant born Hawarden
On the screen it looks more like Lethman.
This puts her in the vicinity of Preston and Edward. (Also is it just a coincidence - Wyresdale.)
Susannah is a difficult lady to track down in the census. I have found her in C.1871 as a child with her family. We have her in 1901 as Edward's wife. But where was she in 1881 and 1891? By following other members of her family it appears that both her parents had died before 1881. Some of her siblings appear to be living with their Uncle and Aunt. I have not found Susannah in the 1881 census, have you Pam? It could just be that she was there too but missed off, or more likely that she was somewhere working most probably in service. Her birth was registered in 1868 which would make her 12/13 in 1881. Now moving on to the 1891 census I think this is probably her -
Preston, Broughton near Preston
Fulwood
3 Brakenbury Rd.
William Gornall 32 implement agent born Wyresdale
Margaret 27 born Preston
Ethel M. 4 born Preston
Anne 28 born Wyresdale
Susan Sethman 22 servant born Hawarden
On the screen it looks more like Lethman.
This puts her in the vicinity of Preston and Edward. (Also is it just a coincidence - Wyresdale.)
Friday, 6 March 2009
My day in Preston.
I had to post this today, 6 March 2009 before I forget. I went to Preston last Friday and I went today, primarily to pick up a photocopy I ordered from the records office. Its a 20 min. walk cum hop cum little run to the station, 50 min on the train and then about 10 min. fast walk from Preston station to the records office and this morning the train was late. So you can see that by the time I finally get there I am already harassed and exhausted. Especially as the record office is on the first floor - those stairs seem very steep. Then there is the usual struggle to get everything into the lockers they supply without dropping everything on the floor, you are not allowed bags and coats in the search room. Anticipation making a simple job harder. Then you have to sign in. Then wait to be let in. By this time I'm humming like a sprinter waiting for the start gun.
I am getting to like Preston records office, now that I am more comfortable with the layout and gaining a little understanding of the way it works. In particular there is one lady who is very helpful. But its still very much like a lucky dip - there is this pirates cave with unknown treasures you put in your hand pull something out and it may be dross or pure gold. I don't even know what I am looking for half of the time. Today more than ever I knew that I was on a strict time limit. Last Friday I only managed to catch the train home by the skin of my teeth.....and ended up a huffing puffing red faced blob who was very happy that the carriage was empty and I could recover without any embarrassment. And today I had very very ambitious plans more of which I will reveal later.......
So 1 o'clock was the deadline, now get on with the tale. I collected the photocopy, put in a request for burials Preston meeting house 1837-1855 then not to waste a minute plucked an 1824 Lancashire directory off the shelf to peruse whilst I waited. Then I remembered that last week I found out where the Guild roll microfiche were so I jumped up to lay claim to a machine. It was quite busy today. With quivering hands, which invariable occurs on the first use of a new type of document I was quite confident that I would find something ......now I only checked one, thinking they would be on there but found no Wilcocksons. Disappointment, I also had trouble following the layout so will have to have another look at these records another time. I refrained from stamping my foot or slamming the microfiche draw shut, I didn't even tut. Oh no, times too precious for wasting a second. Around the walls are shelves of books and files. Skimming along the spines my heart jumped....Quakers, there are about five books I want to read but no time today. So a quick flick through ohhhh why don't I live in Preston. Then I glance up and see that my number is up. There is a display scene at one end of the room and when your document is ready for collection your number scrolls endlessly from one end to the other. I'm torn, can I spend a few more moments looking through these books or will there be something more exciting in the burial records? Reluctantly the books are abandoned. Trying not to look too eager I saunter to the counter to collect, I don't know why but this bit always makes me feel like I'm back at school going to the teachers desk at the front of the classroom and I know everyone is equally engrossed in their own research but I can't help but feel a hundred eyes boring into my back and just hope I don't disgrace myself by tripping up or dropping something. The walk back seems even further. I was expecting a ledger, what I got was a single sheet of paper. There were not a lot of names on it and they were in alphabetical order so not the original records. There were no Wilcocksons. Hmmmmmmm. Time up, no chance to end on a high note. But then this is what I am use to, so much time spent with little to show for it. Then this is also the fun of the thing too. And anyways I was desperate for a drink. So time to grab my things and head for the great outdoors for I had another mission for today, a far greater mission.
I wanted to see if I could find the house of Isaac Wilcockson. I had memorised how to get from the records office. Not stopping to leisurely quench my thirst but swigging from a bottle of water on the hoof I trotted off. The sky was blue, the sun was shining. Being lunch time the center was teeming, people getting in my way slowing me down but luckily I was soon turning off the main street. It was only a few moments before my heart was lifting and amazement filling me. Oh oh I'm in love, I'm in love with Preston. Apart from the Harris museum building I have not been impressed with Preston before but now I've seen another side. A side of graceful buildings, of streets I can imagine pictures of the past. The Preston I have sought is the one the Wilcocksons would have seen. The Preston of before Victorian times, the Preston that drew the Wilcockson there in the first place. I think I have found part of it. Its only just behind the main street - the noisy bustling thoroughfare is soon replaced with peace and quiet (well apart from the traffic) and so it must also have been in days gone by. This was the well to do part of town I think. I am going back and I will have more time with a camera to take photos but this was a scouting expedition. No time to linger and soak in the atmosphere. The clock is ticking, will I find it? Will it even still be there? My step quickens, I can't quite believe how pretty it is. Then the end of the road and .........speechless, no words to describe. I have to stop. I am standing at the park gates and lying beneath me spread out at my feet the land falls away and I am looking out over a plain. What a picture, what a view. And away to my left is Ribblesdale Place - the street where Isaac lived. Now I know we cannot rely on house numbers as they may have changed over time. In the census of 1851 and 1861 Isaac is living at number 12. The present number 12 is next but one to the park entrance and at this point I feel this was probably Isaac's house. (See update to this in 'Family history story', this is not the original house.) It backs onto the park and must have spectacular views. The house directly next to the park entrance has a blue plaque on the wall. Number 12 is a detached property and has been (I do not know the correct word - the brickwork covered and painted) altered by the look of it. I walked up the street, ohhh there's a building I've seen in books....the Harris Institute(? need to double check) a majestic building but oh so sad with a for sale board proclaiming it rejected status. And flowing away just such a lovely walkway I can see them dressed up in their finery promenading, and its all on Isaacs doorstep!!!! I have seen drawings of walks in Preston, now I need to match them up with street names. The really rich place in Preston is just a street away so Isaac must have mingled with the best of Preston society.
I had one more thing to do today. So no time to waste. A good job it wasn't far from the maddening crowds for I was determined to revisit the Harris library and ask about joining. This I managed to do.....now I can borrow books next time I go. And to cap it all even had a few spare moments to go upstairs into the reference library. Another place I could spend years in. And asked about the 1801 census which I shall post about another time. Then it was pant pant, but not quite as bad as last week, as I retraced my steps to the station. I didn't even waste the return journey - I was reading a gripping book about London's history, all about plagues and fires and train crashes. So you see all in all I had a very busy day and I am quite ready for a quiet weekend.
I am getting to like Preston records office, now that I am more comfortable with the layout and gaining a little understanding of the way it works. In particular there is one lady who is very helpful. But its still very much like a lucky dip - there is this pirates cave with unknown treasures you put in your hand pull something out and it may be dross or pure gold. I don't even know what I am looking for half of the time. Today more than ever I knew that I was on a strict time limit. Last Friday I only managed to catch the train home by the skin of my teeth.....and ended up a huffing puffing red faced blob who was very happy that the carriage was empty and I could recover without any embarrassment. And today I had very very ambitious plans more of which I will reveal later.......
So 1 o'clock was the deadline, now get on with the tale. I collected the photocopy, put in a request for burials Preston meeting house 1837-1855 then not to waste a minute plucked an 1824 Lancashire directory off the shelf to peruse whilst I waited. Then I remembered that last week I found out where the Guild roll microfiche were so I jumped up to lay claim to a machine. It was quite busy today. With quivering hands, which invariable occurs on the first use of a new type of document I was quite confident that I would find something ......now I only checked one, thinking they would be on there but found no Wilcocksons. Disappointment, I also had trouble following the layout so will have to have another look at these records another time. I refrained from stamping my foot or slamming the microfiche draw shut, I didn't even tut. Oh no, times too precious for wasting a second. Around the walls are shelves of books and files. Skimming along the spines my heart jumped....Quakers, there are about five books I want to read but no time today. So a quick flick through ohhhh why don't I live in Preston. Then I glance up and see that my number is up. There is a display scene at one end of the room and when your document is ready for collection your number scrolls endlessly from one end to the other. I'm torn, can I spend a few more moments looking through these books or will there be something more exciting in the burial records? Reluctantly the books are abandoned. Trying not to look too eager I saunter to the counter to collect, I don't know why but this bit always makes me feel like I'm back at school going to the teachers desk at the front of the classroom and I know everyone is equally engrossed in their own research but I can't help but feel a hundred eyes boring into my back and just hope I don't disgrace myself by tripping up or dropping something. The walk back seems even further. I was expecting a ledger, what I got was a single sheet of paper. There were not a lot of names on it and they were in alphabetical order so not the original records. There were no Wilcocksons. Hmmmmmmm. Time up, no chance to end on a high note. But then this is what I am use to, so much time spent with little to show for it. Then this is also the fun of the thing too. And anyways I was desperate for a drink. So time to grab my things and head for the great outdoors for I had another mission for today, a far greater mission.
I wanted to see if I could find the house of Isaac Wilcockson. I had memorised how to get from the records office. Not stopping to leisurely quench my thirst but swigging from a bottle of water on the hoof I trotted off. The sky was blue, the sun was shining. Being lunch time the center was teeming, people getting in my way slowing me down but luckily I was soon turning off the main street. It was only a few moments before my heart was lifting and amazement filling me. Oh oh I'm in love, I'm in love with Preston. Apart from the Harris museum building I have not been impressed with Preston before but now I've seen another side. A side of graceful buildings, of streets I can imagine pictures of the past. The Preston I have sought is the one the Wilcocksons would have seen. The Preston of before Victorian times, the Preston that drew the Wilcockson there in the first place. I think I have found part of it. Its only just behind the main street - the noisy bustling thoroughfare is soon replaced with peace and quiet (well apart from the traffic) and so it must also have been in days gone by. This was the well to do part of town I think. I am going back and I will have more time with a camera to take photos but this was a scouting expedition. No time to linger and soak in the atmosphere. The clock is ticking, will I find it? Will it even still be there? My step quickens, I can't quite believe how pretty it is. Then the end of the road and .........speechless, no words to describe. I have to stop. I am standing at the park gates and lying beneath me spread out at my feet the land falls away and I am looking out over a plain. What a picture, what a view. And away to my left is Ribblesdale Place - the street where Isaac lived. Now I know we cannot rely on house numbers as they may have changed over time. In the census of 1851 and 1861 Isaac is living at number 12. The present number 12 is next but one to the park entrance and at this point I feel this was probably Isaac's house. (See update to this in 'Family history story', this is not the original house.) It backs onto the park and must have spectacular views. The house directly next to the park entrance has a blue plaque on the wall. Number 12 is a detached property and has been (I do not know the correct word - the brickwork covered and painted) altered by the look of it. I walked up the street, ohhh there's a building I've seen in books....the Harris Institute(? need to double check) a majestic building but oh so sad with a for sale board proclaiming it rejected status. And flowing away just such a lovely walkway I can see them dressed up in their finery promenading, and its all on Isaacs doorstep!!!! I have seen drawings of walks in Preston, now I need to match them up with street names. The really rich place in Preston is just a street away so Isaac must have mingled with the best of Preston society.
I had one more thing to do today. So no time to waste. A good job it wasn't far from the maddening crowds for I was determined to revisit the Harris library and ask about joining. This I managed to do.....now I can borrow books next time I go. And to cap it all even had a few spare moments to go upstairs into the reference library. Another place I could spend years in. And asked about the 1801 census which I shall post about another time. Then it was pant pant, but not quite as bad as last week, as I retraced my steps to the station. I didn't even waste the return journey - I was reading a gripping book about London's history, all about plagues and fires and train crashes. So you see all in all I had a very busy day and I am quite ready for a quiet weekend.
Follower.
I have my first follower.......never had one before. Please reveal yourself I am intrigued.
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Sorry I have just worked out a bit more how to use this blog, another example of how inept I am with computers.
Welcome to Pam. I have just seen your comment of Feb 15 (posting this 7th March), yes I would very much like details of your line. I have sent you a message on genes reunited which sounds very impersonal but I wrote that before this. (I do not have a family tree on the internet or computer, too complicated). I will not be posting any details on this blog about living persons because of the risk of identity fraud. I am sorry about not replying to you before but do not come on here unless I am posting. That does not mean that I have not been doing family history, I am afraid that the last few weeks I have been rather obsessed with new lines of thought but which have been taxing my limited brain power........
................................................
Sorry I have just worked out a bit more how to use this blog, another example of how inept I am with computers.
Welcome to Pam. I have just seen your comment of Feb 15 (posting this 7th March), yes I would very much like details of your line. I have sent you a message on genes reunited which sounds very impersonal but I wrote that before this. (I do not have a family tree on the internet or computer, too complicated). I will not be posting any details on this blog about living persons because of the risk of identity fraud. I am sorry about not replying to you before but do not come on here unless I am posting. That does not mean that I have not been doing family history, I am afraid that the last few weeks I have been rather obsessed with new lines of thought but which have been taxing my limited brain power........
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