WakefieldFHS Blog

I suppose I had better start keeping this Blog more up to
date as it does seem to get a large number of visitors.

I have started finding out who the boys were on the St
Austin’s War Memorial and as they seem to come from the immediate vicinity am
having quite a good success rate. Unlike, the Grammar School, where the young
scholars were brought in from the surrounding districts and if they had a ‘common’
name and I had a choice of scholars, its hard to make a positive
identification.

Eton College,
I found the easiest to compile. It was
the first War Memorial I transcribed and added additional information to, and I
was so moved I just had to compile more.
I don’t think it helped that my son was a similar age to the young
officers who left the college one year to be a name on a memorial the next.

Many are the times I have felt tears falling down my cheeks
while I sit and ‘work’.

A few years ago I compiled a list of churches in the area
that our relatives could have, may have
or did worship at, but due to a computer error, a glitch in the system or a
c**** up somewhere the page was lost and the back-up never worked. So, I thought I’d better do it again, only
better this time.

I have scoured books, maps and racked my memory for
churches, chapels and general places where people met. As the man upstairs says, ‘wherever a few of
you gather, it is a church’ or something very, very similar. Some of the places people gathered in was
quite unusual, well I think so !

Yes, for some reason this page gets a great deal of people
visiting – are you all trying to find out what I’m doing and awaiting the next
upload of info ? All you have to do is
visit www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk and
click on Whats New.

This week has been quite laid back for a change. Ben and I are going to London
in December and I’ve bought a new outfit, well you have to don’t you. We’ll be meeting our daughter there, she’s also bought a new outfit. And is giving
Emelda M a run for her money as another pair of shoes has been purchased. I’ll let you know more later !!!!

My extra monitor is fantastic, how did I manage before. My only niggle is that I keep losing my mouse when only one monitor is turned on – a minor problem.

I don’t normally talk about Morleyfhg website on this section but a friend has done some biographies of local famous / infamous people for me to include on the Morley fhg website. I think I will be adding pages to that section for a while, which is good as it adds more interest to that site.

You may be interest to know that in the past year www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk has had over
2.5 million hits. I don’t think that’s bad for a personal site, do you ??

Keep the hits coming and keep coming back as things area always being added.

Have you ever visited the surnames section, give it a go and
see if someone is looking for the same surname as you, you never know.

Happy hunging

Carol

Just been away in France for a few days. The weather was nice and the food good, not forgetting the wine, that was also good !

We spent a lot of time crossing over into Belgium just pointing the car and following where that went.

On one of our days out we went to the Paschendale Museum where I spent a while having a mooch. On my way out I did pick up a leaflet that suggested a few places to visit while in the area.

On closer inspection the leaflet, although told us where to go its directions were very few and far between – so a lot of guess work was wanted and some were found by chance. Others were put on one side for a later trip and a google session.

We had visited the the final resting place of my great uncle, Herbert Siddle, KOYLI on many an occasion but this time I thought I would like to follow in his final footsteps.

He was KIA in the Paschendale region of France – shot in the neck. He was taken to a DS at Kemmel where he died later that day. He lies in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery near Poperinghe. I had always thought when looking at a map that it was a very long journey in bad conditions to take casualties.

We followed the route as best we could by road, finding Kemmel, a quiet place, well it was when we drove through.

One of the places in the leaflet I’d acquired was some bunkers dug into the hillside at Letterberg, one of the Kemmelberg range. We found Kemmelberg and went up the cobbled section of the road passed what would have been a few years ago a quaint hotel with a tower. Probably in a previous life a lodge of sorts. We drove past that and continued up the hill passing a couple more hotels and arrived at the top. The road went through woods with pathways off at all angles and guess what – yes, a memorial at the top.

We started down the hill and after a short distance a white shape came out of the trees – a memorial to the French soldiers killed in the area. It was quite a striking memorial, tall and white and many years ago before trees had taken over would have been seen for many a mile. One thing I did notice about this memorial was that its surroundings were not the tidiest of places and the open space had been used for a car park – not a purpose built place, just an area with no trees that had been taken over for visiting cars. I don’t for one minute think that the cars and their occupants visited the memorial, but came to walk in the peaceful woods during the holidays.

At the bottom of the hill was a memorial to Belgian soldiers, 50 odd were named, identified, while 100’s were buried with no name on the stone to say they rested there.

In the Belgian cemetery I signed the guest book below the previous visitor who had been a high ranking Belgian official.

A couple of hundred yards on was a memorial stone to a pilot whose place had crashed in the field behind the memorial.
On one of our days out we had a picnic lunch overlooking one of the many valleys in the Kemmel area. We were joined in the next field by pheasants, lots of them. I think they are following me.

Do you remember those rather untidy pheasants from an earlier blog, you know, all females. Well, these in Belgium were all males and rather striking in plumage. Now, were they hiding from the untidy females or had they got lost in their search !!!! Was the language barrier a problem !!


When we got back to England we googled Letterberg and have now a good idea of where to go on our next trip.

Our son, aka Technical Director, has been home for three weeks. Leaving MK where he’s been for 12 months on his way back to Sheffield Hallam. We decanted him the other day – the house seems quiet but it nice not to fall over his belongings in the hall. While he was here we had a chat over the design of my site and he suggested some changes that would as he says “give me an overall image” – well who was I to disagree.

While he was here he asked how I managed to have 4 windows open, in view and in use at the same time. I told him it was easy as I have a large monitor. A neighbour jokes that she can see what pages I’m working on from her bedroom window. I now have two monitors and can drag windows back and forth from each monitor. My 4 windows are now 2 windows on each monitor. I must admit when I’m doing the war mems it is easier!

Well, suppose I had better close now as I started transcribing the Heckmondwike War Memorial earlier today and have to finish it and upload so that you can have a look, well at least those of you with an interest in Heckmondwike.

Have fun and happy hunting

Sunday morning we (my long suffering churchyard widower and I) set off with flask and picnic up the A1 with no set destination apart from north.

We came of the A1 and headed for Thirsk, which did turn out to be just intime for the morning service to have finished and an Open Day to start. I asked if there was a war memorial and was told it was just inside on the left. Next question was could I photograph it.

After doing what I normally did - photographed and thanked those whose permission I had sought I went outside to find Ben. As I got to the church entrance I said thank you to a lady I had spoken to inside. After a short chat telling why I photographed the memorials and what I transcribe and then add the family info, she told me she was the publicity officer. She came back to the car with me and I gave her my card if she may ever want to look at the memorial on the internet. During this conversation I was told of a roadside memorial in the next village.

Again with no set destination in mind we left Thirsk for Sowerby and then followed our noses and found a memorial in Sandhutton.

I spotted another memorial as we drove in Carlton in Swale. Ben had to turn around but when I got out of the car and read the inscription I found it was a memorial to the crew of a Canadian plane. The stone had been laid in the prescence of survivors and family. I smiled when I read the inscription as it said that this stone was laid in the shade of a Canadien maple. Well it will do in a few years but now it is more like a large sapling. I do hope it gets a chance to grow and fulfil the wording on the stone, it would be a shame if it was to fall victim to a vandal and end up being, if it surved at all, a small Canadien Maple bush !!!

Masham was next on our unplanned route and I was surprised and pleased to see so many churches open. I don't know of any church these days in my local area that is open all day and left unattended. Ah ! the good old days.

We wound our way along country lanes and found our way to Grewelthorpe and the village memorial. Followed by Kirkby Malzeard.

By now it was about 1pm and time for lunch and we found a nice spot on the moorland between two cattle grids. We pulled off the road and had a well deserved cuppa and a sarnie or two. The grazing sheep totally ignored us and the cars that passed, oblivious to all except their patch of grass.

On leaving exiting the moorland via the cattle grid the road went down into a small valley but sat along was a church and a churchyard. Where had these people come from that worshipped here ? How far had they travelled for a Sunday sermon ? I was told in no uncertain terms to photograph everything that stood still as we may not be able to find it again. I had to do as I was told, didn't I ? By the time the last headstone came in sight I had wet feet, wet trouser bottoms and below my knees I think had hyperthermia. It was a sunny day and had sandals on but when you get a church that seems to have had no sun to dry the morning dew you tend to get wet.

And why is it that there is always a tree growing out of the plot and obliterating the headstone that you want to photograph. Thank goodness they are not always holly bushes that feel like trees when you try to move a branch out of the way.

I remember when I was a child we always took Christmas wreaths complete with holly and berries to to family plots. So I suppose really I am partially to blame for the holly situation.

We had spent a long time in the churchyard making sure every headstone had its wording captured for eternity and the hours had passed. Ben got fed up and waited in the car and started to eat my maltesers.

The road we were on started to narrow and in the distance we saw what looked like a flock of pheasant. I've never seen so many pheasants in one place. You normally see one or two when driving around but there must have been over a dozen. Where they went I've no idea as when we arrived at that point then had blended into their surroundings.

The road by now gave way to a single track road and the roadsign informed us kindly that there was no passing place for approx one mile. Question : If we met someone half way along this section, who would start to reverse first ? I somehow thought that it might not be Ben !

The road thankfully did not get any narrower but did manage to become quite enclosed and there were those pheasants again. Well probably another flock as these did seem rather the worse for wear, not nicely plumaged but unkemp or 'tatty' but don't tell them I said so, it may hurt their feelings! Its not much fun driving at practically zero miles an hour with a flock of birds infront of your bumper. Don't they know that you get out of the way of things that are bigger than you ? After what seemed like miles the birds disappeared one at a time, then, guess what ?

Yep, you got it a car. That was ok though as there was a junction about 25yards behind him and he would reverse. Well he would have reversed if he could drive in a straight line backwards. His car after about 20 feet was at an anble of 45 deg. to the hedge and there was not enough room for our car to pass by him. To my shock Ben started to reverse. I had visions of going back a mile and negotioting pheasants only this time at the back of the car - fun on a Sunday afternoon or what ? Thankfully, Ben said there was a small driveway and we reversed for about 100 yards.

And do you know what, the bloke who was driving, yes a bloke, did not even wave, smile or acknowledge us in any way. If you are that bloke and you read this - remember be polite and learn to reverse in a straight line !!!!

Rant over, we then came into Kirby Hill and then headed for Boroughbridge and finally home for a fresh cuppa. Its always nice to have a fresh cup of tea when you had tea from a flask all day.

The moral of this tale is watch out for people who only drive forward on single track roads.

NOTE :- Thirsk War Memorial has now been added to the genealogyjunction website under Yorkshire

Since we last spoke have been on two trips to France and have collected a few more war memorials - French ones. I've looked on Google and no one seems to photograph them and record their names - well, thats now altered as a few from the Eperlecque area of Nord pas de Calais have now been done, but give me time to put them into pages and upload.

Our escapades on the Poppy Trail have taken us up tracks, along farmers fields on the edges of craters and on a few occasions reversing up french roads - all ofcourse, in the name of websites and history, well thats my excuse.

We've seen some beautiful memorials, some big, some grand and some so insignificant that if they were not alongside marked memorials they would be forgotten.

We've seen craters with circles of poppy crossed in the centre, some wired off with warning signs of unexploded devices in multi languages and row upon row of names.

My version of the Poppy Trail will be in photographs so you know what to look for when you visit or if you don't want to take the trip where the memorials are in relationship to each other. I'll be starting on that soon, so please visit the Whats New page

One memorial I was pleased to see was the KRRC (Kings Royal Rifle Corps) as it was them that took me on the journey of war memorials. When we arrived a group of men were cutting grass, pruning shrubs and generally titivating the area. Funny thing though, while two men worked, three men stood around - supervising ? Now, the question is, was that for my benefit and I had arrived early or had they arrived late for work that morning and were still grafting ? Which one do you think ? Probably just a coincidence or not ! I've seen the regimental memorial and have now gone full circle with the KRRC, but a heck of a lot more circles seem to be popping up.

Well, better go now and start getting the Poppy Trail in some sort of order ready for you to view.

Happy hunting

Carol

My apologies to those of you who pop in on a regular basis for the missing blog entries. Our server was changed and I lost a few entries.... never mind.

Since I last updated you on what I've been up to I've completed a couple of photo-galleries for Badsworth Churchyard and Eyam Churchyard plus completed an e-book on the Roll of Honour and Roll of Spenborough, thats very interesting as it not only tells who gave their lives but also those who fought and were lucky enough to come home. Plus the fund raising efforts that went on back home.

Anyway, more photo's of War Memorials including lots around the Nord Pas De Calais area in France and lots around the Selby area + Carlton on Trent and Newark on Trent, Corby Glen, Grantham, Market Bosworth, Ravensthorpe nr Coalville, Conberstone, Earl Shilton, Bedworth + some in Belgium including Lissewebe, Zebrugge Seamans Memorial, Westkappelle, Maldegem and a selection of headstone from Adegam Canadian CWGC cemetery + Buxton, Bakewell, Chapel en le Frith and many, many more. All I need now is time to transcribe them. Have I mentioned I need to live while I'm at least 150 years old to complete it all.

Back to now, just arrived back from photographing a private memorial to the fallen in both wars, that will be up and ready for adding by this weekend, you'll find it on What's New at Wakefield Family History Sharing 

The weekend just gone I was at the York Family History Fair manning the Morley FHG Stand with fellow members and on Sunday, very early we set off for Birmingham to move our daughter to London. She has a new job and moved some of her stuff but needed the larger items moving. As usual mum and dad were called for. On the way back we got caught up in the traffic heading for Wembly Stadium for the Diana concert. A quick decision and sat nav we worked out way out of that and back to normal London traffic. Saying that the normal traffic on a Sunday afternoon was like any town between 4 - 6pm when everyone heads home after work.

I like looking out on fields, being able to walk on a footpath (if I want), driving for a short while to be in the countryside - Built up London, no thanks.

On the family history front my cousin and I have finally after what seems like decades decided which of the Bartholomew's in our tree is the Hangman. The reason I say which of our Bartholomew's is that there was a choice - you know the game our ancestors played "Lets call them all the same name and born close together". You must have played it at some time!. And also, finally sorted out which of the relatives links in with an American line.

Why do our families do this to us - give us just a little snippet of info that gets the old Sherlock Holmes instinct started and then STOP the trail dead !!!! Do they think we have nothing better to do ? Obviously not. But, after years of questioning, debating and frustration we sorted that one out too and were sent a very big family tree that at sometime needs to be checked.

One problem with family trees, when you get stuck on one line you have two choices 1. to stop altogether or 2. go off at a tanjent and work on another line. I tend to go for option 2, as if I'd taken the other route would have stopped my research years ago and now be very bored. I find that when you go off on sideshoots it is so easy to forget how each person links in. You know they are family by direct line or marriage but where do they tie in to you. And a very big family tree image is needed to work that out, only sometimes you haven't got enough paper to print it out or more importantly enough sellotape to join it all together. And also if you have the option to view a full family tree via a family history programme, you can see all the tree in one but it is that small you can't read it and when its magnified you still can't see you and the person you are researching on the screen together.

Be back soon

Friday afternoon was overcast and grey but who cares we would be in the car for most of the time.

A quick trip to get some food for the chickens and then down the M62 towards Goole. The weather seemed to get worse and then within seconds clear up - Ben said the weather men did warn us, but when do we believe them - hardly ever !!!!

Goole War Memorial was our first stop, set in a Memorial Garden next to the Grammar School. Quite a lot of names are mentioned but then the area is quite big.

We went through the centre and I saw a sign for Hook, sounded familiar so off we went. On the way we passed a sign for a memorial to ships and sailors and wound pick that up on the way back.

Following the road towards Hook, we mentioned that the houses were nice. I half expected to find a little Dutch boy with his finger in the green banking, but no such luck.

We passed Hook Road Cemetery with its twin Chapel dating back to 1877 (I think from memory) but it seemed very flat, by that I mean not many large, old headstones - maybe another days photographing.

But, Hook Churchyard was different - unusual names, decorative headstones and a nice quiet spot. I photographed a lot of headstones including to some who were 'strays' from their place of birth. The churchyard must have recently undergone a clean up as much of the front by the road was un-grassed, had scattered rubble and you could see the ivy marks on headstones. I also managed to collect a lot of sandy mud stuck to my shoes - nice, especially when you want to get back in the car. Why can you not find a patch of grass when you want one !!!

Next came Howden War Memorial, very ornate and they even put the names in place order - How very thoughtful of the designers.

Bubwith came next which was found by luck. We had gone through the village, turned around and turned right. I'd seen a sign for 'Ancient Church' but it was the wrong one and took us to the rear of the church where builders vans had made the road a single track with the only way out being to reverse, which we did along with another car and took the next right. This was the one I wanted - to the front of the Church and guess what ? The War Memorial, well two to be precise and both still with their floral collar of poppies.

Next came the hamlet of Wressle and as we pulled up to the lych gate I glanced for a war memorial, you know the usual thing, quite big and sort of obvious - but no. I'd seen a man with his dog and went to ask him. He told me there was a memorial and he could see it from where he was on the path - Am I blind or are my ****savers glasses still wrong???? The memorial could and had been mistaken for a headstone. I explained I was looking for something a little larger. He replied 'We are only a small village'. The Memorial to the fallen also included the entrance gate to the churchyard. I photographed the names, as I do to transcribe later but the condition of the inscription was very poor and would not show up on a digital image, so a pen and paper was called for. Only 5 names to transcribe, so it didn't take long, but the walk around the churchyard took a little longer - no mud but plent of rather wet, longish grass to content with. The Church, Ben was taken with the building, all brick and plain and looked very tall in comparrison with the rather flat expance of grass and headstones - you'll see what I mean when you see the images of the churchyard on the website.

It was nearly time to call it a day and head for home for the compulsary cuppa followed by our evening meal. On our way back we had to call in at Goole for the memorial by the side of the river. I expected the memorial to be to sailors who lost their lives in both peace and war, well there was one but no names. What there was and I was suprised at the number, was a memorial listing the names of vessels, with their type, who had been lost since the early 1800's. So many vessels lost, how many lives had also been lost - but how many had been saved ??

The day had cleared from a grey sky to a spring blue sky with sunshine - spring, is it here to stay ??

I think quiet time is really the wrong phrase but still that will do for a title.

Kim and Stuart with their respective girl/boy friends have all gone home and the house seems empty - that buzz has gone, till next time when they descend on us.

It was a good weekend, no one got in anyones way or said a cross word to anyone else. And even when there was very, very little time to get 6 people washed and changed suprisingly no one threw a 'strop' - all were amicable - is that what growing up does to your children ? Or was that a one off experience, I hope not it was a pleasure to have them ALL in one house.

The website(s) (www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk and www.genealogyjunction.org.uk ) have not been added to as much in the couple of weeks, as you will have seen if you've visited. But I have completed a few pages and a gallery and uploaded them and you can see them on the Whats New pages.

This week has also been 'Show week' at the local High School. I worked it out yesterday night and I've been involved now for over 12 years in their productions, firstly helping at the shops and later tea and coffee and in more recent years as props and backstage (well side stage really !!) with a friend. In previous years the school has performed Fame, Grease, Joseph, The Forbidden Planet, Les Miserables - what a fantastic show with a fantastic set of pupils as the cast. This year was Back to the 80's a good show but my most hated song of all time was included - The Proclaimers with 500 miles. Even writing the title sends horror through my bones.

The staff and 'kids' as I like to call them, even though many are young adults are a fantastic group. Each one supports the other even on the bad days. The age differance does not matter as all support, laugh and cry with the other.

Each year after another fantastic performace we wonder what will happen when the older end of the performers leave - who will step forward and become another shining light. This year, as in many others, we are losing a strong set of performers, band members and stage and lighting crew. Who will come forward and most of all will those year 7's that annoy this year realise that we only shout 'get out of the way' because they could be knocked over and hurt by a truck quickly coming off stage and if they don't move its a push out of the way to keep them safe, or when they are told to leave the props alone and not play with them or move them.  Most of the time by the third night these year 7's have clicked and are aware that trucks fly off that stage and the 'old hands' now where to stand and what to do.

I've not had one of my 'kids' in school for over 5 years but I still help out. In a school of nearly 2,000 pupils you can count the PTA or Friends on two hands with no need to take your shoes off. But we do raise a great deal of money for the extra bits. This year we have helped with the tiered seating in the hall - what a time saver during term time and very professional at 'show week'. Everyone gets a good view or the stage.

Earlier today and this afternoon we have had snow flurries - well thats one the weather people got right ! and it was very windy so did not want to venture out on a photo trip. Funny thing is at the minute the sun is shining.

A nice cuppa calls and then will get back to adding more pages

It was my son's 21st birthday on the 4th of March and he was coming home for the weekend along with his sister and their respective girl/boy friends.

The weekend before I fancied a drive out, you can guess why ! But Ben wanted to go to the Owlcotes Centre - I toddled along on the proviso that a war memorial could be gathered on the way. It's not that I hate shopping, but I can always find something that I would rather do. That is unless its for a special occasion. Ben bought a few bits an I purchased a new top.

Now for the more interesting stuff. On the way to the Owlcotes we had called in at Pudsey and found their War Memorial. After our 'shopping spree' we ventured up towards Bradford and found a couple of memorials including Queensbury, Wibsey and a very tall column like memorial at the side of a church ( the name and area are in my notes ), it was only found as Ben had to drive quite slowly due to a few cars being parked and I just saw the church spire. We stopped, I photographed the memorial and Ben went for 'spogs'.

Our journey continued around the areas mentioned but I find it surprising that many people get on with their lives and don't look around them. The number of people I've spoke to in many areas and asked where I could find the local war memorial - very few know, and some are quite big, how can they miss those. Life is too busy, we should all slow down.

Well, Skelbrooke gallery has just been completed and will be uploaded later today. You'll find the link on the genealogyjunction page.

Oh, by the way, for my son's birthday we all went out for a meal with very close and dear friends and their daughter and had a very nice time.  Later the 'children' went off to Leeds for a 'few drinks'.

On Sunday we all sat down to Sunday lunch after a lazy morning and a trip to the local warehouse for more scrap book supplies.  My daughter and Stuart's girlfriend seemed very impressed with the range and the prices - looks like another trip is on the cards.

Happy hunting

Carol

Saturday was a very nice winters day.

A trip to Wakefield in the morning parked outside my friends family business - a fishing tackle shop in the centre of Wakefield and called in to have a chin-wag and invite them to Stuart's birthday meal

After lunch, Ben wanted to add a tape back up machine to my pc. Well it was a nice day and if Ben was on my pc it meant that I couldn't be !!

Off I toddled to Hooton Pagnell. I went with the intentions of looking for Batty and Pinder people, sorry headstones in the churchyard - where the church was, I had no idea. I'd driven through Hooton many times but never seen a church. It's only a small village, so where can you hide a church ??

It had been a while since I'd been to Hooton and I knew the village was signed from the main road but I missed the one I was looking for and had to go to the dual carriageway near Doncaster and then turn to Hooton and Brodsworth. I like Hooton, it always seems like a medival castle or monastry as you turn the corner - magical somehow. By sheer fluke or just good luck as I drove into Hooton with the 'castle wall' on my right I came across the twinned round towers that finish the wall - why I looked up, I've no idea, but there was the church. What luck !!

Steps cut into the banking lead up to the churchyard and what a pleasant surprise that was. A beautiful village church and quite a lot of standing headstones. As it was only a small church yard I decided to take a picture of every headstone, that is with the exception of about 6, they were dated within the past 50 years. I did however, take a group shot. On my tour around the churchyard I noticed quite a few headstone to past ministers and I thought they would be interesting to those who had the ministers in their family trees. Little did I know that that would be me. One of my distant lines, the Haldane family of Wakefield married into the Wilkinson line ( another Wilkinson line ) whose father was the minister of Hooton Pagnell - no Batty or Pinder people but a minister made up for that.

I find it amazing that you walk into a churchyard not knowing who was the Lord of the Manor or the well-to-do farmer or even the blacksmith but when you leave you centainly have a very good idea of the 'pecking order'.

Oh, and if you visit Hooton, I'm sure you will have a little smile when you hear the clock on the tower chiming!

I left Hooton for Hampole, but found no memorial there so took the A1 home but ended up taking a detour into Skelbrooke, now that was a good find. The main road through the village yielded no church or memorial but I stopped a lady on horseback who suggested turning left and going to the churchyard - good suggestion.

The church was very small, as you would think, in a small village. The entrance to the church was quaint, if not a little run down. I started taking pictures and smiled at a lady in the churchyard armed with a bunch of daffs. The usual question came for from my mouth "do you know if the village has a ......" Her reply was that her mum was inside and I could ask her - I think the saying is ' I had hit the mother load'. There was the village memorial to the fallen in WW1 + the name of those who served and came home. Plus private memorials to two brothers whose parents had small but beautiful windows placed in the church in their memory and other brass memorials to the prominent families of the area. And I must thank the two very kind ladies from the church.

By now it was starting to turn to dusk and I was getting a little on the peckish side, but on my way home was Sharlston and it would be a shame to miss that on my way home, now wouldn't it !!!

FYI - Skelbrooke War Memorial has been uploaded to genealogyjunction this evening with additional information for those who were killed during the conflict.

January and February have been quite for the transcribing of data for the website but the social scene has been quite good.

Firstly, early in the month I added another year to my age, well thats enough about that !!!

Just over a week later we were invited out for a meal with our friends to celebrate their daughters 21st birthday - what more could you want, good company and good food.

The first week of February Kim and Stuart came home to give me my birthday pressies. It had just been pay day for them so they came home that weekend.

Now, another meal is on the cards, Stuart is 21 at the beginning of next month. There has been a bit of tooing and froing over 'do we go out on Saturday night or Sunday night for the meal '. Kim and Stuart wanted to go out in Leeds on Saturday night, but Stuart's girlfriend must go home on Sunday. So, Saturday night is the day or evening of the event. My little boy - 21, where have all the years gone ??

The next big question is where to go ? Ben did not really want to go to where we are going but I'm not going out for a meal in town on a Saturday - all those hen parties and rowdy crowds - are you expected to have a conversation - I think the answer is NO !!

The restaurant is where Stuart had his 18th and Kim her 21st. It's local with decent food and on the main bus route to Leeds, so they can catch a bus if they want, as Mum's or Dad's taxi will be off duty for the evening.

Now, regarding family and local history.

Not a great deal has happened, as I've previously said but I have uploaded Altofts War Memorial and a gallery of nearly 200 images of headstones from Holy Trinity Church, Ossett.

Well, TTFN

see you all later

January, why does January always go so fast ?

Earlier on in the month we took our son back to Milton K and as usual picked up a few gravestones and war memorials on the way.

My friends smile when I say we are going to XXXXX, and always ask 'what is on the way ?'

Tuesday, Ben and I went to Norwich for the day to collect something. There was the possibility of it being delivered but I thought, yes, a nice day out and its been a long time since I've been in that area - so why not kill two birds with one stone !

The day was a beautiful winters day, you know the kind, clear skies, sun but cold, if you wrap up well you are fine.

One of the stops was Cranwell - the RAF College. I did not realise that to get to the village the road took you directly through the grounds. The village itself has a church and burial ground, smaller that I had thought but still nicely kept. There were a very large number of CWGC and MOD headstones and war memorial with masses of poppy wreaths but sadly no names. It was here I realised what a cold morning it was, my fingers were slowly turning to ice-pops.

One thing I did notice about out day was that all the churches we stopped at in the Norfolk area were built of stone and what I would call cobbles. They were totally differant from the churches in my area but had a special kind of beauty. Also, many of them had stonework or spires that were later attachments and very, very ornate but yet, still fitted in with the style of the building.

We continued on to Norwich as we had two hours to find something to do before our appointment. Initially we drove around the centre to see where the centre was and how close we could park - Do you know how many churches there are in Norwich, it seemed that there was one on nearly every street corner.

By this time the day had turned from a sunny day to a day of intermittent snow showers - some lasted only minutes and then cleared up, no snow had settled, yet ! So after walking around Norwich centre we decided a meal was needed. It had been a while since out picnic lunch down a village lage and I was a little peckish. Pizza, that was the decision. While in the restaurant which was part of the Forum, Ben took a couple of pictures of the church opposite through the glass wall and also a reflection of the inside roof.

Our way home was met with snow again and this time it was settling, I had visions of being stranded, but within 30 minutes the weather had changed, the snow had gone and the sky was clear with a beautiful moon.

By the time we arrived home it had been a very long day but an enjoyable one and did make a change.

I've also another project on the go, but this one will take months to complete. My son, stuart, has written a programme for me to input the information and my husband is going to design me a banner / background image that will sit behind the information section. Watch this space later in the year to see what it is!!!!!!!

Christmas came and the goose (turkey) was fat , I didn't put a penny in the old man's hat. I didn't put a halfpenny in either, as I couldn't find an old man. So God bless you !!! Hope you understand the variation on the old Christmas rhyme.

I hope you and yours had an enjoyable Christmas time and I hope that 2007 will be filled with good family history and local history experiences and ofcourse, lots of good health and plenty of peace.

My blogging has been a little quiet recently, but blame this time of year.

Ben and I went to Milton Keynes just before Christmas to bring home our son for the holidays and his stint on Jury Service, which he enjoyed and says he was glad of the experience. I had done Jury Service many years ago and found the 2 week period very interesting.

While in Milton Keynes I photographed 8 war memorials in and around the area including :- Castlethorpe ; Deanshanger ; Old Stratford ; Roade ; Blisworth ; Alterton ; Paulespury and Whicken - keep an eye out for those on What's New

When we take him back next week some more memorials will be photographed but covering a differant part of the county this time.

So for now its back to transcribing some more local things for all you people with a Wakefield area link

I did write this blog a couple of days ago but changed pages and lost all my entry, ahhh! never mind, can't have been worth saving - can it ???

It seems that the colder and wetter days along with low wintery suns have put paid to the Saturday picture excursions - except tomorrow when we go to collect our son from Milton Keynes, well it would be a shame to miss that opportunity now wouldn't it ????

Earlier today the 2007 calendar was uploaded and is available to print. There are 3 pictures per month, the same as last year, but the pictures were chosen by my husband this year.

Thursday last, saw the final uploads for the Morayshire War Memorials. A couple of them were like many others up and down the country, you know just a name which is a shame as they were in life more than just a name. But, Lossiemouth had name, rank and regiment, while Grantown on Spey is very good for researchers but a little bit more work for me but well worth it in the end. The names are arranged in village/area order and then in regiment and name order, with the Seaforth Highlanders always being the first and then following on with the other regiments and services in alpha order. I still have the really hard work to do, you know finding out who these men were - where they lived, who their families were and what they did for a job, meat on bones.

Aberfoyle War Memorial is also completed as far as the names are concerned, additional information will have to wait while there are enough hours in the day. BUT, if any of you readers know a person on a memorial please send a little bit of info about them, it would be much appreciated, thanks

I hope you are all ready for Christmas, or should I say, more ready than me ! I only bought my cards on Tuesday and wrote them last night and posted them today. The fruit for my cakes is having a luxurious soak in a copious amount of alcohol - yes I know they are late, but when baked they will only last a day or so before being reduced to a few crumbs in an airtight container. The christmas puddings will only take 20 minutes in the 'mikkey do' ( microwave ) and be as moist and delicious as any that my mum spent all day mixing and steaming. The walls of the kitchen used to run with the steam from the steamer. I may go back to the tradition of putting coins and buttons in this year and hopefully remember to tell the family before they break a tooth !

Going back to war memorials, the next on the agenda is Moffat, Dumfries and Galloway. It's a nice memorial set at the foot of a reservation between two roads, now used for parking two rows of cars. We visited, as you know, after Remembrance Day and all the visited memorials were decked out in bright red poppies. Some of the poppy wreaths covered the casualties names and were moved for the photographs and then replaced in the same position, but Moffat memorial is behind railings and a beautiful wreath covered 3 of the names, which is a shame, but will find out who they were, eventually. With the addition of the Moffat entry that means another county can be linked up on Genealogyjunction - you know, my site for transcripts, images etc out of the Wakefield area

Well, with all these images to sort out and put in some format for you all to see I'd better get on and finish Moffat, hadn't I.

Happy researching

Carol

Been away for a week in Aberfoyle but just because I've been away don't let think that I've not been thinking of visitors to this and the sister websites because I have.

On our way up on the 25th Nov. we stopped at Gretna and found the war memorial also a very nice churchyard but more on that later. From Gretna we drove up the old road, oh, what a nice pleasant change from motorways, stopping in Ecclefechan and Lockerbie and Kirkpatrick before we joined the motorway again. The day was bright and sunny but as I was stook in Kirkpatrick there was a chill in the air and a breeze.

The days before leaving for our break there had been a standing joke about me working out where all the churchyards and memorials would or might be - well the joke was ok as I had already worked out a sort of plan and it seemed to come to fruition.

We arrived in Abefroyle about 4pm, checked in, unloaded the car, unpacked all while the kettle was on and a cuppa being made in a series of stop 'n' starts. Our relaxation was short lived as we ventured back to Stirling to collect Kim, our daughter and her boyfriend who were staying with us for the week. It was good to see Kim as we've not seen her since August, just spoken and emailed.

Sunday after breakfast we drove to Balquhider Kirk, the final resting place of Rob Roy McGregor and his wife. On a sunny day what a beatiful place to have your final resting place. Needless to say the war memorial and a selection of headstones, including Rob's were immortalised on an xd card for all to see later. On the way back came Strathayre and Calendar memorials

In the afternoon my cousin and her husband came for tea. Since we have been visiting Aberfoyle annually for the past 7 or 8 years they have always come to us for a meal on the Sunday after we arrive and it is so nice to see them. For many years we only sent cards but it is so nice to be back in face to face contact. And so very nice to have all the family together at their daughters wedding in Edinburgh only 3 years ago - it was like we had never been apart, but when children and teenagers we only saw each other annually when as a young child I was taken to my mums family. If only all children could have the same time as I had when a child. I think thats why I feel so at peace when I'm in Scotland - like 'coming home' even though I am a Wakefield girl through and through.

Anyway, back to more important stuff, website future additions and my trials and tribulations on obtaining the info for you.

Monday - We spent a day in Edinbugh and yes, memorials were on the agenda including some on the Esplanade. We had split from Kim and her boyfriend upon arrival so we had no nagging 20+ adult/child chattering in the background. We ventured down the Royal Mile on the way to a kirkyard, later found out to be Cannongate, by now it was raining and not very good for taking headstones - so we just walked around and noted what could be a future visit. Rain stopped. Future visit had become a present event and both Ben and I got busy. When we were just finishing I noticed that Ben had aquired a 'friend' who was still with us when we were leaving and still with us when we were nearly back up to the top of the Royal Mile. If any of you go there its not the place to go on your own and if you do go in a couple, please keep within eye and or earshot of each other, please.

Tuesday - Kim and hiking partner walked up in to the forest walks while another war memorial adventure was on the cards for mum and dad, this time Aberfoyle on our way out, then Doune including the war mem and a quaint kirkyard. Dunblane came next and strange things happened there. We drove around looking for the war memorial and stopped by what we now know was the Cathedral who just happened to have a coffee morning - surely locals will know where the memorial is, so off inside I go. Yes, they knew, and informed me it had been moved due to road widening in the 1940's and was now in the park over the river BUT the bridges may be closed !! no one knew for certain. But while we were at the Cathedral with a full set of headstones, I just had to get camera to work - well I had to ! Ben went straight inside while I worked my way around the area, not taking all the headstones but those with unusual names, unusual headstones or something that made them stand out. As I finished the back of the church and made my way around the side the camera batteries went, strange, I thought as I'd only changed them the day before and had not taken many photo's but changed them and carried on - well blow me down only a few pictures later the new fully recharged set died, sorry wrong word when taking images in a kirkyard - now I was battery-less. Ben, where was he, he could finish off. I went inside the Cathedral looking for him but he must have gone out while I was around the back. If you ever go to Dunblane do take time to visit the Cathedral, what a very nice place, light and airy but very peaceful and calm. For some reason as soon as I entered I just had this overwhelming feeling I was about to cry and that did not go while outside. Also, in the Cathedral is a standing stone set in a circle between the pillars - the memorial to the children of a local school who died in such tragic circumstances. I must also add that Ben's camera also was not having a good day as his flashcard kept insisting it was full. Anyway, back to the car and we did eventually find the war memorial and was greeted by a very excitable 5 month old black labrador named Macie.

Wednesday - A long trip to go north to Elgin and Lossiemouth in Morayshire with the hope of seeing my aunt, sadly she was not in but it was a nice trip even though on the way back the A9 was closed north and south due to an accident. The days photos included Killin war memorial, Grantown on Spey memorial, Edinkillie and Forres memorials and Lossiemouth.

Thursday - Kim wanted a 'lie-in' as she said she is at work by 7.30 every morning and would like one day when she was not up and at 'em by 9am. We, however, did not let the grass grow under our feet and set off visiting :- Balfon, Stirling Castle Memorial, Bannockburn. After lunch the four of us set of for a roadtrip and ended up at Glengoyne distillery. For one of our number it was their first visit to Scotland greatest export and I think they enjoyed their visit. We had missed the whiskey taking on Monday evening due to going out for a meal so the distillery visit was second best. Thursday evening was wine tasting, that was good. We do normally take in this event as each year there are differant wines to try.

Friday - Kim and her boyfriend headed for Glasgow while we finished off the area taking in the war memorial in Stirling (the one at the castle is a regimental memorial). the kirkyard at Blair Drummond and the kirkyard at Montieth, standing by Lake Montieth - no I've not got it wrong it is a lake and not a loch, the only lake in Scotland. There is a story behind this but for the moment can't remember it.

Friday night we had our final drink in the bar and started to realise our week had been too short as tomorrow we had to be checked out by 10am.

Saturday - all packed away but with the added extra of a large case and a large holdall. When we arrived we had emptied the car before collecting Kim, this time we had to get their gear in the car including ours for the trip to Stirling. Goodbye's were said as we left them at Stirling - they were flying home from Glasgow. We, had a good days journey infront of us, with a few detours, if I had my way and I did.

We stopped in Moffat to take the war memorial but had to miss off three names - a wreath, the only wreath not displaced by the winds was blocking my view, but will sort that out some other way. For lunch I found the only cafe in the UK that does not take switch and had to pay by cheque - something wrong there.

Back now to Gretna, remember the kirkyard I mentioned earlier, well we stopped there and took a good selection of pictures - strange really, the back of the kirkyard is tierred with today no visible way of getting down there except by a leap of faith and then hoping you can get back up. Luckily, part of a wall had collapsed and you could just get on to one of the layers and then continue down. The wind was getting up and the sun was low in the sky but there will be a good selection of images for those with a local link.

Saturday the 18th November - The weather wasn't that bad. well from inside the house and car it looked good !

We stopped off at the White Rose Centre to collect a portable DVD player and then set off with the car leading the way. Bramley was our finishing point, so to speak. And while I was thinking that my fingers were getting frost bite, Ben was in the car playing with his new toy.

The church was a mix of old and new and in my opinion, only my opinion, the mix had not achieved a good join.

At the rear of the church was a small war memorial to men buried in that churchyard - but no visible headstone were noticable on entry in the church - CWGC headstones normally stand out to me like 'chapel 'at pegs'. Also the memorial was the first I had seen that had 'verbs' written on in some sort of permanant pen. Ben will take that out for the internet.

There were not many headstones that were visible, many had been laid down and formed into pathways. There were a couple of tombs that had survived being smashed while others lay on the ground in sections. One of the tombs you could see had been slid sideways. There was one that had a muddy circle all the way around it - you know as though many feet had walked over a muddy section of a path - why walk around there ? There was another tomb with a couple of candles on the top stone, again why ? I can think of a few answers but will keep them to myself.

There were quite a few Clough's, lots of Musgrave's, a couple of Waite's + Rathmell, Barker, Burton and others. There will be a gallery coming over the winter.

It was an unusual churchyard as the headstones and tombs seemed to be gathered in little pockets with lots and lots of wide open space - could this be as the place was used as a through way for the general public - who knows. But what I do know is that is was flippin' cold on the extremeties.

The light was starting to fail and I had cold hands to went back to the car to find Ben watching a DVD with all the doors locked - these are the times we live in and I don't say that I care for them sometimes. But problems soon met me when I sat in the car. I was informed that our new purchase would only work when plugged into 12v's and that would not do - needed one for mains and battery. Back to the White Rose we went and obtained a refund, went a few doors up to look at what was available. I say only look as that was the intention but we saw a multi powered player, nice and compact and bought it.

Over the past couple of weeks other things have taken priority over adding pages to the website, but I'm sure there are many pages that will keep my visitors occupied while I get around to adding transcripts.

Next week we are travelling further afield and as a result other counties will be added to genealogyjunction and therefore the next entry may be never ending