It can be difficult to comprehend the level of overcrowding in Daw Green, Dewsbury at the end of the 19th century. The distance between the two circles on Princess Street is about 120 yards (110m). This was an area of very high density housing. The National Library of Scotland website offers a useful facility to…
All posts in Yorkshire
War or Peace
In July 1914, the national newspapers in England were worried about the prospect of a looming conflict. The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand (pictured) had taken place in Sarajevo on 28th June. Whether through deliberation on the part of some, or neglect on the part of others, this event led to the Great War. But the…
Name mutations
Mary Cannan first appeared as a visitor in ‘Room at the Inn’. A subsequent blog (Mary Cannan) explored her story in more detail. At the time there were gaps in the story: she seems to disappear. I have investigated in more detail and now have a reasonably complete story. The key was looking for sufficiently…
Still hunting ‘Brother 2’
In Brother 2, I speculated that the Michael Stanley who died in Dewsbury in 1859 might be the so called ‘Brother 2’. In order to provide more information, I called up the Death Certificate. My speculation was misplaced. However, useful information was still extracted. Michael died on 20th December 1859, in Daw Green. This location…
The Great Famine
In almost every country in the world, there are events that are central to the collective memory. Examples include the release from prison of Nelson Mandela (1990), the death of Diana, Princess of Wales (1997), the attack on Pearl Harbour (1941) and the fall of the Berlin Wall (1989). These events act as a pivot…
Private John Stanley
Private John Stanley (born 1898) was killed two months from the end of the Great War. The location of the memorial and the date indicate that he was killed in the attack of the Drocourt-Queant line, and the follow up actions. The Drocourt-Queant (or DQ) line was part of the Hindenburg line. The Germans had…
More about Mary’s brother John
The first born child of the Stanley/Ormsby marriage was John (born 1866 in Roscommon). The 1891 census has him born in 1867. At that time, he was single and lodging with his married (half) sister Catherine (or Kate) Senior. So what happened to him subsequently? In 1901 he is still working as a Mason’s Labourer.…
Ellen Kenny connections
Ellen married John Stanley in 1884. (Three of their children were born in New St. Dewsbury) I looked forward to 1891 to see what happened to other members of her family. Her brother James E Kenny (aged 16 by this time) is lodging with Edward and Bridget Shiel who are Irish. This couple can be…
Another Kenny
John Stanley (b 1857/1861, in Dewsbury) married Ellen Kenny in 1884. According to the 1881 census, Ellen’s parents were William, born 1840 in Ireland, and Ann, born 1841 in Dewsbury. In 1871, their dates of birth are 1844 and 1845 respectively. Ann is now stated to have been born in Ireland. Staying with them was…
Yorkshire born Stanley
Having discovered a locally born Stanley family with a strong geographical connection (New St) to my Irish ancestors, it was an obvious line of enquiry to follow. The same family appears in 1891. John’s date of birth is now shown as 1855. Their address is Carlisle St. This is another address that does not seem…