Alice in Downunderland - Barbara Riding?

When 12 year old Alice Bell (born 1836) suggested marriage to shy 22 year old Charles Todd, it was never imagined that one day she would find a lasting memorial in Central Australia. Charles in 1848 was an Assistant Astronomer at Cambridge University. He then spent 7 years working at Greenwich Observatory before leaving England with his young bride in 1855.

They went to Adelaide in Australia where Charles was to work as Government Astronomer & Superintendent of Telegraphs. After many difficulties he strung a telegraph wire across the Australian outback, connecting that country with Britain. He was subsequently knighted and Alice had the town of Alice Springs named in her honour. The town is 3km south of the Alice Springs Telegraph Station and Railhead.

A celebration of Local and Family History is being held at Astley Hall, Chorley. All local history societies will be participating.

The annual dinner 2005 is to be held by the Bury Group at the Masonic Hall, Bury. It will be a standard meal with options costing £17. Parking is free. The speaker is Peter Watson. Full details were in the May "Lancashire" magazine.

The Society proposes to have stalls at the following Family History Fairs -

Sunday, 2nd October at Manchester

Sunday, 6th November at Aintree.

Anyone able to assist at any of these Fairs should contact Stephen Ward the Society’s Exhibition Officer. Tel. 01204 650348

In our May newsletter Marilyn Skelton asked for information on Chess Wheel. She tells me that Edna Crowther, one of our Bacup members, has kindly sent her a copy of the 1890 map, showing Chess Wheel as a row of cottages, with an extract from Ken Bowden’s book "Rossendale the Second Selection" published 2002, (reviewed in our August 2002 Newsletter) which stated:

"Chess Wheel, an intriguing name which may be where weavers cottages existed atop a chesel (cheese vat). Part of the Fernhill Estate and at the ward boundary, Chess wheel was home to three families in 1841, four in 1851 and in 1861 had eight addresses of which one was a stable and another a shippon. The first interment at St. Saviours was a quarryman from here."

Marilyn was also pleased to receive from Mrs Crowther a copy of the 1844 map showing Greensnook, Bacup where her Tattersall family were living in 1861..

BROADLEY/ CHENEY

I am a member of the London and SE branch but originally from Feniscowles Nr. Blackburn. I have strong family links on my mother's side with the Broadley family of Clitheroe in that my gt. grandmother was Catherine Nancy Broadley (married name Cheney).

In my research I have found that her brother William Stout Broadley moved to Cowpe Lench and lived in Railway Cottages. The connection with railways stems from the fact that he was a railway goods agent.

Recently I found that William Stout Broadley had written a "History of the Church at Bethesda Chapel, Newchurch" and subtitled 'From the year 1822 to 1907', and I now have a copy. Many names are mentioned in the book and I have already sent a list of the Haworth names to Mrs.Enid Allman who was asking about the name in the current Lancashire magazine. The list of names is too long to include in this e-mail but if any of your members feel they may have ancestors connected to the Bethesda Chapel or Wesleyan Methodism in the area I will happily check through its small 96 pages. It would help however if they have any Christian names or initials.

James Heyworth, full age, widower, mason, Bacup,

Father John Heyworth, weaver and Ann Hoyle, full age, widow, weaver, Bacup. Father John Hardman. Eileen has traced James and his family through the censuses:

1841 Moss Gap, 1851 Bankside, 1861 Rockcliffe, 1871 Hayslacks Farm, Weir, 1881 Old Clough.

She is struggling to find information on the first marriages of these two people.

We know that James had Nelly born c1824/5. John 1827/8, Sarah 1828/9, Robert 1830 from his first marriage also a son Richard born c1836/37 so his wife must have died about then.

We also know that Ann Hardman married Thomas Hoyle in 1835. They had one son John Hoyle born 1837/8. Mrs. B. Robinson is researching this line. See the newsletter February 2000.

Bury Archives Department has moved from its old premises in Edwin Street, Bury. It is now situated on the lower ground floor of the Art Gallery and Library in Moss Street. The refurbished museum and archive service is part of a £1.2 million refit funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Bury MBC.

The Archives Service exists to preserve those records kept by local organisations and individuals which are of permanent value, and to make them available to the public.

Although most documents date from the late 18th to mid 20th century ranging from family letters to building plans and official committee minutes, there are some interesting poor law records dating from 1675.

There are also around 15,000 images of Bury and the local area which can be accessed via computer.

The Museum and Archives Department is open Tuesday - Saturday. You are welcome to drop in, or if you have a specific enquiry it is advisable to contact the Archives in advance. Tel. 0161 253 6782.

Progress is being made on compiling information and images for the exhibition but all contributions and input will be welcomed.

We now have a comprehensive list of all the Irish born people living in Haslingden in 1841 and in 1851.

There were 90 Irish living in the town in 1841. most of these were living either at Rakefoot on Haslingden Old Road, or at Sheep Green. Most of these properties were in a ruinous condition and the people living in them could barely eke out a living. The vast majority were working as hawkers, selling their products from door to door. Nevertheless, by 1851 the number of native Irish in the town had increased to 425 and by 1881 it had reached 753. This does not include their children who had been born in Haslingden.

A few of the families seem to have been on both the early censuses: Coleman, Cunniff, Cunningham, Green, Holland, Kelly, Paton and Tunny,

In the main we are only told "Ireland" but we believe that the majority came from Co. Mayo and Roscommon.