Illegitimacy and Infant Mortality in four Lancashire parishes 1840-1849

As part of my Postgraduate Diploma, I conducted a 5000-word project on the life chances of illegitimate children who were baptised in the Lancashire parishes of Adlington, Chorley St Lawrence, Coppull and Rivington. The period looked at was between 1840 and 1849, which was the first full decade after the introduction of the New Poor Law of 1834. This study found regional differences between Lancashire and England as a whole.

A Murder of Passion: The Weeton Tragedy

Warning: This post contains details of violence and domestic abuse. Please do not read if this would cause you upset.

On the morning of Saturday 7^th August 1909, 46-year old Henry James Cross was woken for work at 5.30am by his 16-year-old daughter, only to discover his wife of almost 25 years was dead on the floor by the bed. He exclaimed “I have done it this time”, kissed his wife, and set off on the walk into Wesham to give himself up to the police.

Ancestors and their Dogs: Dogs included in the census

Many of us consider our pets to be part of the family. According to Sky News, 16% of households included their dog on their census form for the 2011 census. It’s nice to know that our Edwardian counterparts were no different.

The Murderous Andertons of Anderton Hall

Several years ago, I came across a fascinating story in a transcription of 15th century depositions. Most depositions of this age contain stale disputes over land; this was no different, except that embroiled in this dispute was a family story of attempted murder, murder and suicide. I couldn’t resist looking into it in further detail!

Top tips for planning an ancestral visit

Ancestral tourism is a growing trend in the UK, which focuses on the history of ordinary people rather than kings and queens. If you're considering a visit to a town, village or city that your ancestors called home, then here are a few suggestions to make the most out of your trip.

Robert Standen: The Manchester conchologist and the letter in the hedge

I was recently asked for assistance with a letter that had been found in a hedge in Adlington, Lancashire. The reason I was asked to help is that the letter dated from 1888, making it over 130 years old. It was in remarkably good condition for a letter of this age, so it can’t have been outside for very long, as it had rained a few days previously.

Mary Christopherson: A tale of arson and transportation

Mary Christopherson was born in about 1805 in Cumberland. She had been married to an auctioneer and furniture broker in Carlisle, but widowed for several years. In around 1840-1841, she took over the Angel Inn on English Street in Carlisle. A fire was discovered there on Saturday 12^th March 1842, and upon closer inspection, the police superintendent discovered that the fire had been deliberate.

Find My Past Tip: How to find the address on the 1921 census

Unlike its 1911 counterpart, which had the name and address at the bottom of the page, the 1921 census image doesn’t have the address on the same page as the household details.

Already I've heard of people purchasing the image for £3.50, then also purchasing the transcript for an additional £2.50 just to find out the address. But there's another way to find the address - and it's already included in the price you've paid. Here's how.

Ancestry Tip: How to search the 1939 register by date of birth

Do you have an an ancestor whose date of birth you know from another record, but you’re still struggling to find them in the 1939 register? Did you know you can search using a date of birth rather than just a year of birth? Here’s how.

A Postcard from the Past: S.A.T to Miss Bowman, Rivington View, Heath Charnock

On Monday 7th July 1913, a postcard with an image of St Matthews's, Little Lever was written and posted by somebody who signed themselves as S.A.T. Their message advised that they had returned home safe and sound on Saturday evening, after what seems to have been a visit to the recipient.

The postcard was was stamped by the postal worker at Radcliffe at 8.45pm that evening, and will have been received within a day or two by its recipient - Miss Bowman at Rivington View, Heath Charnock, Lancashire. Who were Miss Bowman and S.A.T?

When the first of January wasn't the start of the year

Before 1752, Great Britain (with the exception of Scotland) and the British Empire used the Julian calendar. While 01 January was sometimes celebrated as a new year as well, legally the new calendar year began on 25 March. It was also known as Lady Day or the Feast of the Annunciation, which commemorates the visit of the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.

Occupations: Book Deliverer

I found the term book deliverer when my three times great-grandfather John Martin gave this as his occupation for the 1881 census. The family moved quite a bit across the North of England, from Newcastle to Hexham, then on to Ulverston, finally settling in Lancaster. When I tried to find out more about the role to add context to his life, I found next to nothing on it, yet there were hundreds of newspaper advertisements for them across the British Isles. So what was a Victorian book deliverer?