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Author: Sharon

Winter Hill Mass Trespass

Winter Hill Mass Trespass

My grandad told me many times that his father and uncle where at the mass trespass at Winter Hill near Bolton in 1896. As this is the 125th anniversary, it seems like a good time to write a brief post about the event. Today Winter Hill is probably best known as the home of a television and radio transmitter, but in the 19th century its open moorland was a place for the residents of Bolton to escape the overcrowding, noise…

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Euxton Catholics

Euxton Catholics

Euxton in Lancashire was home to two of Lancashire’s oldest Catholic families, the Andertons and the Molyneuxs. The Molyneuxs were the biggest landowners in the area, while the Andertons initially leased and later purchased Euxton Hall from them. One branch of my maternal family, the Higginson were Catholics from Euxton who worshipped in secret at Euxton Hall during Catholic persecution in the 17th century. Euxton Hall History St Mary’s Catholic Church, Euxton There has been a Catholic church in Euxton…

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Vanished Streets Of Bolton

Vanished Streets Of Bolton

While researching my family history, I found that some of the streets people had lived on in Bolton no longer existed. I compiled a list and then used census searches to locate surrounding streets that still exist, along with the National Library of Scotland‘s side by side map viewer to pinpoint their locations. This is by no means a complete list of all Bolton’s lost streets, and if you would like me to add any others, let me know. I…

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1939 Register

1939 Register

The 1939 Register is a snapshot of live in England and Wales at the beginning of World War II. It was taken on Friday, 29th September, under the National Registration Act of 1939, an act of parliament introduced as an emergency measure preceding the start of World War II. The register’s importance to genealogists is increased because there was no 1941 census, and the 1931 census was destroyed in a fire in 1942. What does the register show us? Address,…

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Census Guide for UK & Ireland

Census Guide for UK & Ireland

Updated: September 2024 In the United Kingdom, a census of the population has been taken every 10 years since 1801, except for 1941 (although a similar register was taken on 29 September 1939, shortly before the outbreak of war).In Ireland, the census was taken along with the UK census until 1911. No census, was taken in Ireland in 1921 because of the Civil War. The first census taken by the Irish government was in 1926. Census records are released to…

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Genealogy Websites

Genealogy Websites

There are a great number of genealogy websites out there. Some offer worldwide coverage, from birth marriage and deaths through census data to passenger lists and newspaper archives. Others focus on one subject or one region, with some focusing on a single town. Many are free and some are either subscription or pay as you go. Free Sites Most of these sites are free to search and to view the transcripts of the information. Some require a subscription (or link…

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