Double checking – part 2

This is the second post (see Double checking – part 1 for the rest of the story) following up, and correcting, my post titled ‘Definitely related’ (Dated September 2020), in which I recorded the following: John (born 1866, son of GGF John) is staying in Dewsbury with Catherine (b 1851-1857 – his half-sister) at the…

Double checking – part 1

In the post titled ‘Definitely related’ (Dated September 2020), I recorded the following: John (born 1866, son of GGF John) is staying in Dewsbury with Catherine (b 1851-1857 – his half-sister) at the time of the 1891 census. He married Catherine (or Kate) Delaney in Dewsbury later that same year. She was born in Ireland.…

We always want more

The quantity of information collected on census returns has steadily increased with time. It does seem that providing more information can lead to more questions. In 1911, couples were required to state the duration of the marriage. It is clear that either some memories were faulty or powers of arithmetic were lacking. Not all the…

Caution: automated technology at work

There is significant competition between the websites that publish genealogical information. More records are added on a regular basis. New “bells and whistles” are added to improve the attractiveness, and functionality, of each site. The Genealogist (https://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/) recently added a map function to the 1911 census returns. When you have found an address of interest,…

Where to go

Some of the reasons for moving location were covered in ‘Why move’. Once someone had decided to move the next question is where to go. There may have been a few people who used the random “pin in a map” method. It was far more common to follow established paths. In the early 1900s, my…

Redington and Stanley

Using the criteria explained in ‘More on Brother 2’, I started examining a restricted number of Irish born Stanley men called Michael, James or Patrick on the 1861 census for Lancashire. One individual stood out. Living at 23 Court, Paul Street, Liverpool is Michael Stanley, a dock labourer. He was born in 1835 in Roscommon.…

More on Brother 2

I had my suspicions that Brother 2 (see Brother 2 and Still hunting Brother 2) may have been called Michael. Unfortunately, the Michael Stanley who died in Dewsbury in 1859 was aged one. His father was Thomas. At the time, I suggested that looking for an unknown name, in an unknown place, without even a…

Back to backs

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…

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…

Would not start from here

When the Great War started, Patrick, from Roscommon, was living in England. He was in Dewsbury, Yorkshire. As a reservist, he could live where he liked. Most of his close relatives were in Dewsbury, so that is where he went after completing his eight years of service in the Army in October 1910. His Battalion…