Paul, who lives locally, has researched and written an article about Harold Roberts who is buried in the newer part of the churchyard - he died in 1952. He had survived a very difficult childhood with his mother being legally accused of serious neglect. He was a soldier throughout WW1 but was captured and became a Prisoner of War. Dorothy has added further research and these two articles now tell his story.

Attachments:

The Roberts Family by Paul Wormwell.pdf	545 kB
Private Harold Roberts (1894 - 1952).pdf	1980 kB

This was just amazing. A poem sent to us and the link with one of the memorials which was in a sorry state. Now restored and joined with the former Rastrick schoolboy poem.

Attachments:

Three little angels - the Lacey or Lasseys.pdf

1799 kB

We've several Hemingway families and this branch has links to a Tomlinson family and a Mosey family. Abraham was a tenant of Anne Lister at Southolm(e) Farm in Southowram. Actually in the Walterclough Valley and near to Sutcliffe Wood Bottom. Rev Sutcliffe Sowden, who would have been a neighbour, officiated at a Hemingway family burial. It's rare that an officiating priest wasn't the curate at St Matthew's which suggests a friendship.

The story goes on with the establishment of a Leeds brewery, a fire in a Bolton theatre and buying a house from the Ripley estate. And even more families! The Appleyards & the Turners.

Attachments:

John Hemingway senior and family.pdf	1820 kB
Abraham Hemingway of Southolme Farm.pdf	1905 kB
The Tomlinson and Mosey families.pdf	1788 kB
The Mosey daughters.pdf	1810 kB
John Hemingway of Rooks part 1.pdf	1565 kB
John Hemingway of Rooks part 2.pdf	1661 kB
The Appleyards of Laverack Hall.pdf	1146 kB
The Appleyards and related Turners.pdf	1771 kB
The Wards and the Wilkinsons part 1.pdf	1396 kB
The Wards and the Wilkinsons part 2.pdf	792 kB

These 5 articles range across a number of families, some centred on the village of Norwood Green but stretching across to a Moravian Settlement in Derbyshire. Some of the stories are very normal but there's a tragic story of a suicide and of abuse by husband of his wife.

The Sucksmith family of Underhill Farm

The Booth family of Underhill Farm 

The Bancroft family

The Sternwhite family part 1

The Sternwhite family part 2

Attachments:

The Sucksmith family of Underhill Farm.pdf	1531 kB
The Booth family of Underhill Farm.pdf	1907 kB
The Bancroft family.pdf	1993 kB
The Sternwhite family part 1.pdf	995 kB
The Sternwhite family part 2.pdf	1642 kB

Michael and Carolyn have been researching their family and an early ancestor is buried by the west wall in the churchyard. So here's this part of the story until the family members moved away.

Attachments:

The Charnock (Charnick) family.pdf

478 kB

Hill End Farm in Norwood Green still exists and this is the story of the family that lived there for many years.

Attachments:

The Sucksmiths of Hill End Farm part 1.pdf	1246 kB
The Sucksmiths of Hill End Farm part 2.pdf	1299 kB

The farm, close to the top of Wakefield Road, had many occupants over an extended period of time with links to farming, confectionery, stone quarrying and World War 1. There are even a few international connections.

Attachments:

William Hardcastle of Roydlands Farm v2.pdf	1426 kB
Elizabeth Sucksmith of Roydlands Farm.pdf	1802 kB
The Bentleys of Northowram v2.pdf	1855 kB
Three Nettleton sisters.pdf	1265 kB

We know that some significant memorials are no longer in the churchyard. Initially we had thought that we had just not found them, possibly still buried under turf. More evidence now suggests that some chest tombs were removed.

These are the stories behind these missing memorials.

Attachments:

Some missing memorials part 1.pdf	1573 kB
Some missing memorials part 2.pdf	890 kB
The Tate family.pdf	1564 kB
The King family.pdf	1697 kB
The Jowett family part 1.pdf	1647 kB
The Jowett family part 2.pdf	1961 kB
The Naylors of Southowram v2.pdf	1640 kB
The Taylor Sucksmiths.pdf	1992 kB

Unexpectedly more soldiers who died in the First World War have been found. The first story involves the Wolfendens of Hove Edge and the sad story of a succession of family deaths. The next is that of Benjamin Crossley who served in the Boer War.

Attachments:

The Wolfenden WW1 soldiers.pdf	1650 kB
Private Benjamin Crossley.pdf	1227 kB

This family saga starts with an early benefactor of the poor, includes an England cricketer, a number of highly suitable marriages and even tells of a recipient of the Victoria Cross. Slead Hall, just as Hove Edge becomes Brighouse, is a common theme for much of the family stories.

Attachments:

The Gibsons and Firths of Slead Hall.pdf	1817 kB
The Ashworths of Strawberry Hill and Clough House.pdf	1065 kB
The Macaulays of Slead Hall.pdf	1924 kB
Some more occupants of Slead Hall.pdf	467 kB
The Macaulay cricketers.pdf	389 kB

Helen Shields, who is part of a group called A Few Forgotten Women, sent us an article about a woman buried in our churchyard. https://afewforgottenwomen.wixsite.com/affw/stories. Elizabeth Kershaw had a difficult life in many ways and a tragic death. She was buried in an unmarked grave, B33 near to her parents.

Attachments:

Elizabeth Kershaw (Helen Shields).pdf	1136 kB
Elizabeth (Betty) Kershaw (1831 - 1877).pdf	578 kB

Linking all of these families (and others), the article charts a family history which reaches out to the Norway & Sweden borders, involves a fatal accident and a local pub that is still a popular drinking spot. Even stories of Waterloo, a Chelsea pensioner, another Dragoon and how dangerous stone quarrying was.

Attachments:

The Sherwood family of Hipperholme and Lightcliffe.pdf	1963 kB
The Empsalls of Bailiffe Bridge part 1.pdf	1695 kB
The Empsalls of Bailiffe Bridge part 2.pdf	1822 kB
The Empsalls, Pinders, Harrisons and other related families.pdf	1921 kB
The Marsdens of Hove Edge part 1.pdf	1402 kB
The Marsdens of Hove Edge part 2.pdf	1809 kB
The Longbottom family.pdf	1634 kB

These Smiths lived, over time, in Lightcliffe, Norwood Green, Low Moor and North Bierley. One branch even moved to Rhode Island, USA. Even a pub named The Patent Hammer, surely the only one ever.

Attachments:

The families of James, Thomas and Benjamin Smith part 1.pdf	1641 kB
The families of James, Thomas and Benjamin Smith part 2.pdf	1882 kB
The Patent Hammer Inn and Judy Woods.pdf	731 kB

This article investigates a local family some of whom emigrated to America but are remembered in our churchyard. The ownership of the ledger stone clearly states that it belongs to Hannah Denison who died in Ohio, USA.

Attachments:

Hannah Denison formerly Marsden nee Sinclair.pdf

1952 kB

This brings together the story of a successful local business man, his well-connected first wife, Frances, a tenancy at Lidgate House and the Low Moor Company.

The husband had a change of name, authorised at the highest level, so he was known as Lamplugh Wickham Wickham.

Attachments:

Frances Hird nee Hale.pdf

1729 kB

This is a very extended family with branches all over.

Attachments:

The Mordecai Ellises and their families.pdf	1627 kB
The Ellises of Saltaire.pdf	956 kB
The Sugden family of Bramley Lane.pdf	1714 kB
The Broadley family of Norwood Green part 1.pdf	1908 kB
The Broadley family of Norwood Green part 2.pdf	1370 kB

This is fascinating. Original documents involving the sale of a cottage from the Day family to Ann Walker. As Dorothy says 'an early form of equity release'.

Attachments:

The Day family and their Lightcliffe cottage.pdf

1410 kB

This family, who lived and worked in Norwood Green for generations were butchers, farmers, innkeepers and veterinary surgeons. In a short space of time, the move from 'cow doctor' treating cattle locally to fully fledged vets was made. Here's the story of the families.

Attachments:

The Hanson family of Norwood Green part 1 updated.pdf	1502 kB
The Hanson family of Norwood Green part 2.pdf	1937 kB

Every now and again we have a story which doesn't relate to a family directly. We need somewhere to put them. Indeed, even a poem from a Friend.

The first tells a brief story of a travelling communion set with connections to Southowram, Lightcliffe and Shropshire. The second is a casual article on what people did for a living in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

We're also trialling 3 walks around the Lightcliffe of Ann Walker and her family and tenants. These start from the Sun Inn, Lightcliffe Tea Rooms and Crow Nest Park Golf club. Visitors can use a QR code to access the walk that best fits.

Here's a poem welcoming Spring, Awakenings!

Attachments:

Rev Edward Elton.pdf	537 kB
How people in our villages earned their livings fr.pdf	93 kB
Ann Walker’s Lightcliffe CrowNestPark.pdf	1451 kB
Ann Walker’s Lightcliffe TeaRooms.pdf	2304 kB
Awakenings.pdf	325 kB
Ann Walker's Lightcliffe Sun Inn 2024.pdf	1420 kB

Lightcliffe has many links to the Foster family of Black Dyke Mills, Queensbury. The prime one is that one branch of the family, Johnston Jonas Foster, lived at Cliffe Hill and built the new St Matthew's parish church. His brother, John, lived for a time at Holroyd House, Priestley Green.

We will be adding more articles about J J Foster soon. The first article describes the links between Lightcliffe and southern Shropshire with both the Foster family and that of Sir H W Ripley who once lived at Holme House.

Attachments:

Shropshire connection.pdf

344 kB

An extended family with strong links to the churchyard. This takes in Denmark Farm (Halifax Old Road) and Shibden Hall in the time of Ann Walker.

Attachments:

Thomas Pearson of Denmark Farm.pdf	1913 kB
John Pearson of Mytholm Farm.pdf	1445 kB
Sarah Pearson nee Lister and family.pdf	1844 kB
George Pearson of Marsh Hall Farm.pdf	1052 kB
John Pearson of Sutcliffe Wood.pdf	1871 kB

Daphne is hoping that the article(s)  either on our website or via a Calderdale FHS magazine may bring her some more information about related families. The article mentions links to relatives already on our PoI page e.g. the Manns, the Naylors including Crimean Dragoon Guard Joseph Naylor and the Armytages including Edward Armytage's  illegitimate son William Edward Armytage Axon .  Other family surnames include Rastrick, Cordingley and Ripley.  And then there is that detail  about a Shuttleworth relation, a manager for Messrs T.F.Firth & Co, going to the USA to start up a carpet factory. 

Attachments:

William Rushworth.pdf

316 kB

We are introduced to a branch of the Pickles family and other local families. A Lightcliffe sexton, local landowners and a more American connections.

Attachments:

The Pickles family part 1.pdf	1936 kB
The Pickles family part 2.pdf	1176 kB
The Greaves family.pdf	1111 kB
The Greenwood family.pdf	1723 kB

This is the story of an Army engineer who was stationed in the area during the Second World War who was accidentally killed in 1941 on Wakefield Road.

Attachments:

Sapper Stanley Alfred Albert Roff.pdf

636 kB

We are delighted to have this article researched and written by Sidney Ellis's 3 x great grand-nephew, Andy Ellis.

Attachments:

Sidney Ellis of Lightcliffe.pdf

1418 kB

These stories started with a look at Alfred Wood M.M. and grew as had the Wood families. One of the family, Herman, was quite a well known artist. We've included some paintings in the 4th article below.

Attachments:

Alfred Wood M.M. .pdf	540 kB
William Boswall and family.pdf	832 kB
William Wood and family.pdf	1643 kB
Some of Herman Wood's paintings in and around Lightcliffe.pdf	1679 kB
Thomas Wood and family.pdf	1518 kB
John Wood and family.pdf	722 kB
James Wood and family.pdf	1215 kB
The Wood sisters and brother Walter Wood.pdf	1091 kB

Another complicated history of interrelated families. One a lady's maid to Anne Lister and landlords of three local pubs.

Attachments:

The Cordingley Parkinson story part 1.pdf	989 kB
The Cordingley Parkinson story part 2.pdf	1959 kB

Two families and the story of an early laundry. There's also a lovely link to a bible which is now in our possession.

Attachments:

Annie Appleyard of Lightcliffe and family.pdf	1337 kB
The Lightcliffe Laundry and the Kendall family.pdf	597 kB

The Armytages were an extended family with several burial spots. One of which is our largest chest tombs, near to the front corner next to Till Carr Lane. The family owned, for some years, Holme House just down Wakefield Road and Green House which was sold to Ann Walker and is where the current church stands.

Attachments:

George Armytage and family.pdf	1582 kB
Joseph Armytage's family.pdf	1885 kB

In the middle of the old part of the churchyard there are 5 beautifully carved gravestones belonging to this family.

Attachments:

William Mann and family.pdf	1661 kB
The Bateman and Rushworth families.pdf	1211 kB
Thomas Mann and family.pdf	1671 kB
Judith Mann and her son Jonas Bateman.pdf	88 kB

We've a number of Robinson families, here's one of them. A very extensive family living across our area and beyond and pursuing a variety of trades. Typical of our area in a way, Halifax was described as 'a town of a hundred trades'.

Attachments:

John Robinson and Sons.pdf	909 kB
Thomas Robinson Card Marker, Currier and Wire Drawer.pdf	680 kB
George Robinson of Lower Brear on the Shibden Hall estate.pdf	753 kB
Dan Robinson Chemist and Druggist.pdf	287 kB
William Robinson Ironmonger.pdf	532 kB
Charles Robinson Surgeon.pdf	916 kB

This is as far as we can go during Coronavirus lockdown. If you have any further information about him or the school at that period, please get in touch.

Attachments:

Headmaster Middleton Scales.pdf

1080 kB

John Smith came down from Scotland to be the land agent for Evan Charles Sutherland Walker, designed the National School and administered the very large estate.

Attachments:

John Smith and family.pdf

1953 kB

There had been a problem researching Arthur Naylor as you will find when you read about him.

They have done what they could - is his epitaph.

Attachments:

Private Arthur Naylorv2.pdf

1633 kB

Joiners & barometer makers living close to Shibden Hall.

Attachments:

The Howorth family.pdf

1663 kB

These family stories begin with some of our earliest burials and show how, in our small community, many families were related.

Attachments:

The Swains and Hattons.pdf

1925 kB

This story started sometime ago when Daphne Eyres, a distant relation of James Hinscliff, made contact with the Friends. When James became a character in the BBC/HBO Gentleman Jack series, Dorothy did some further research. So 2 stories from different perspectives.

Attachments:

Five times great uncle JAMES HINSCLIFFE.pdf	89 kB
James Hinscliff Ligthcliffe coal merchant.pdf	1800 kB

This is the story of the Sowden family which includes links with Anne Lister, Ann Walker and even the Brontes. Please read them in the order below.

The stories also include the Collins families of Hove Edge and Canada.

Attachments:

The Sutcliffes and the Sowdens.pdf	1888 kB
The Sowdens and the Brontes.pdf	837 kB
Samuel Sowden and extended family.pdf	1660 kB
The Sowden family of Thornhill Briggs and Hove Edge.pdf	581 kB
The Collins family of Hove Edge.pdf	474 kB
Ephraim Collins and family v2.pdf	1694 kB
Thomas and Elizabeth Collins and family.pdf	922 kB

Samuel Washington was the land agent for Ann Walker at Cliffe Hill and then became, as well, steward for Anne Lister at Shibden Hall.

Attachments:

The Washington and Cordingley families.pdf	1105 kB
The family of Samuel Washington.pdf	1297 kB

These form a series of articles on the Watkinsons who were major benefactors in our area. We suggest that they are read in the order below starting with Samuel Lord Watkinson whose memorial is one of the first to be seen when you enter from Till Carr Lane.

Attachments:

Samuel Lord Watkinson.pdf	574 kB
The Charteris family.pdf	585 kB
George Watkinson and Sons.pdf	723 kB
George Watkinson the Younger.pdf	668 kB
John Watkinson Colliery Owner.pdf	642 kB
Samuel Watkinson of Shelf Hall.pdf	520 kB
Emma Watkinson of Longlands.pdf	669 kB
Fanny Watkinson and the Stone Trough Brewery.pdf	653 kB

The several sections are really a single story but we have to split it into sections because of the website software.

What started as a couple of articles has now reached 22. Those written some time ago are gradually being updated as we gain more information about this influential Lightcliffe family.

We've also included an article on the Sutherland Soldiers.The family had dropped the Walker part of their surname.

There is also an article which gives an overview of the families' estates and another on where they were buried. This has now been expanded as more information has come to light.

We will also add additional information which will not be complete stories but will have external links to give fuller pictures. The first example is about Ann Walker's Inquisition into 'lunacy'.

In the late 1840s Hipperholme and Lightcliffe changed dramatically as the railway came through, opening in 1850. Most of the land for the route was owned by the Shibden Hall or Walker estates. The purchase of the land is described in the article 'The development of the railway, the Walker and Lister estates'.

We've now got some information about Ann Walker senior (Ann Walker's Aunt). It confirms which properties she owned how big a fortune she left to her niece.

There is also an article on her charity bequest and how it has been revived. Ann made several property acquisitions in the period 1835 to 1847. These are written up in an article.

There is now an article which summarises what happened to this huge estate and how Evan Charles Sutherland Walker, Ann's nephew, dissipated it in a very few years.

Ian is making some of his notes available as Research Articles. Much of it has been used in some of his articles but is in a different format here. These will be added to in time. Articles 1 includes material on Ann's furniture in Shibden Hall and Share Holdings owned by the Walkers. Article 2 includes a transcription of Parker's invoices to Ann and the 1835 property agreements between Ann Walker, her sister Elizabeth and brother-in-law George Mackay Sutherland. There is then another transcription which covers a ledger produced by Evan Charles Sutherland Walker in about 1865 in which he charts his inherited properties, who they came from and their rental values.

Attachments:

The Walkers of Crow Nest updated v2.pdf	1328 kB
2. Rev Robert Wilkinson.pdf	247 kB
3. Anne Lister.pdf	801 kB
4. The Sutherland Walkers.pdf	1228 kB
5. Wilkinson sisters.pdf	856 kB
Sutherland soldiers updated.pdf	426 kB
The Walkers of Lightcliffe Honley properties.pdf	1251 kB
Ann Walker Burial.pdf	668 kB
The Walker era at Lightcliffev2.pdf	734 kB
Lidgate House 2023.pdf	1606 kB
AW inquisition.pdf	341 kB
Additional financial information on Ann Walker senior.pdf	306 kB
The development of the railway, the Walker and Lister estates1.pdf	1313 kB
Ann Walker's charity.pdf	1425 kB
A tour of Ann Walker's estate 1845(car version).pdf	1048 kB
Ann Walker’s acquisitions and investments. 1825 to 1847 updated Nov 2023.pdf	578 kB
The sale of the Walker estate 1860 to 1890 update Dec2023.pdf	1521 kB
John and Fanny Walker.pdf	336 kB
Elizabeth Priestley and family.pdf	742 kB
Elizabeth and Ann Walker’s Inheritance updated Oct2023(3).pdf	2418 kB
Research articles 1.pdf	1244 kB
Research articles 2(1).pdf	706 kB

Midshipman Alfred Ripley died at sea at the age of 18 just 4 days after transferring to an experimental warship. Over 450 died and only a small number survived. His parents and family lived locally at the time.

The second article was written by Keith Pybus an author living in Shropshire close to where the Ripley family moved to. It contains a much better picture of HMS Captain than I'd found. We made contact when I read an article written by him in a magazine and contacted him because his unusual surname matched two young men from Lightcliffe who died in WW1 and are remembered on a headstone to the north of the tower.

The third article, also filed under The Fosters, tells of the Ripley family moving to Shropshire.

The 4th article resulted in an enquiry regarding a travelling communion set which started life in Southowram. It is filed here partly because I couldn't think where else to file it but because there is a distant connection to the Ripley family. (Ian)

The 5th article is taken from Bradford & District Libraries Map Collection and covers the life of Sir Henry Ripley.

There was a recent news item that the wreck of HMS Captain has been located in the Bay of Biscay.

Attachments:

Midshipman Alfred Ripley RN v3.pdf	552 kB
KP Ripley In the tides of men.pdf	243 kB
Lightcliffe Shropshire connections.pdf	344 kB
Rev Edward Elton.pdf	537 kB
Bradford Library article.pdf	3164 kB

From just before the old church replaced the former Eastfield Chapel to the mid Victorian period there were 3 priests associated with the church - Rev Rich Sutcliffe, Rev Robert Wilkinson & Rev William Gurney.

Attachments:

incumbents3.pdf

136 kB

In a small community reserch into one family quickly merges into another. These three stories all started with a gift to the Friends of a prayer book and hymnal. Please read them in the order Francis William Bradley, Fanny Sharp and then little Sharp Shooter.

In amongst this we have found another soldier on service in the mid 1800s, this time in India. Amazing that 4 men from Lightcliffe were serving as far away as the Crimea and India.

Attachments:

Francis William Bradley.pdf	1031 kB
Fanny Sharp.pdf	919 kB
Little Sharp Shooter.pdf	892 kB

There are articles on members of a Booth family including one who left Lightcliffe to work for T F Firth's carpet factory in Bailiff Bridge, was very successful and became a very rich man.

Attachments:

Corporal Fred Booth part 1.pdf	1358 kB
Corporal Fred Booth part 2.pdf	1537 kB
Fred Booth (1860 - 1934) of Firthcliffe updated.pdf	1567 kB
The Booth family.pdf	945 kB

This article has been updated, July 2023.

Attachments:

30850_A000226-02166.jpg	147 kB
11966737_134444110862.jpg	173 kB
CEM46944385_128986073045.jpg	85 kB
Private G Percy S Brown updated.pdf	1734 kB

This article was updated in July 2023.

Attachments:

30850_A001430-00684.jpg	129 kB
12064086_113961895774.jpg	58 kB
James Smallwood.pdf	120 kB
Private James Smallwood updated.pdf	1617 kB