Family History in Leeds

Lilysmum · Post by **Lilysmum** » Fri 04 Jul, 2008 1:04 pm

Briggy wrote: Thanks again - this information is fantastic! You've given me a whole new generation of family I knew nothing about. I didn't realise how weird and emotional it would feel to see their names in print. Thanks so much. I have been totally absorbed recently tracing my family tree and agree how strange it feels seeing the names of your long ago family members recorded and makes you wonder what they looked like. I have been amazed by some of the names I have come across and have,to name a few, an Aminadab a Barzallia and a Theophillus in my family tree! I would have thought life was hard enough in the 1800's without having a name like Aminadab! He must have liked it though as he gave his son the same name.

Briggy · Post by **Briggy** » Mon 07 Jul, 2008 2:43 pm

Hey Lilysmum, those are outstandingly good names! At least they sound mysterious and exotic. Following Michael and Chris's work on the above I see that, had he lived, I would have had a great uncle Belfield Wonderful (gawd 'elp us, poor little mite). Imagine the ribbing you would get at school these days with a name like that! (Forgive the cross threading, but you're absolutely right - mums know everything, like don't cut your fingernails on Sundays or witches will take away the clippings and make spells)

Lilysmum · Post by **Lilysmum** » Mon 07 Jul, 2008 4:37 pm

Briggy wrote: Hey Lilysmum, those are outstandingly good names! At least they sound mysterious and exotic. Following Michael and Chris's work on the above I see that, had he lived, I would have had a great uncle Belfield Wonderful (gawd 'elp us, poor little mite). Imagine the ribbing you would get at school these days with a name like that! (Forgive the cross threading, but you're absolutely right - mums know everything, like don't cut your fingernails on Sundays or witches will take away the clippings and make spells) Hey Briggy (or should it be Mr Wonderful!) It's lucky for us that these old names haven't been handed down through the generations,Aminadab's(apparently an old testament name) wife was called Priscilla,don't think I would have found that a lorra fun!

icecube · Post by **icecube** » Tue 15 Jul, 2008 1:32 pm

cnosni wrote: This is for anyone interersted in family research in the Leeds area.Any hints or tips that may be sought or offered are welcome from either those persons just starting out,or in the process of adding to their research. If you have hit a brick wall we may be able to help tooThis is my hobby and i am not a professional so i am unable to do look ups in the archives but i and others will do their utmost.For those of you with an interest in your family history you will find the accompanying threads on Secret Leeds are a great source to expand the depth of your research,and help put flesh on the bones of your Leeds ancestors.The contributors to Secret Leeds have a wealth of information about old Leeds and its various places,institutions,traditions,sayings and most notably Licenced premises.So if you have been attracted to this thread in your research then also take some time to peruse the rest of this site,especially those of you with a love of nostalgia,which of course as we all know isnt what it used to be.

icecube · Post by **icecube** » Tue 15 Jul, 2008 2:00 pm

Hi All, I would like to start my Family Tree but dont know how to start it so could any one please please please help me.The only things i know about my fathers side are.My Dad David Darby born (31.7.1940).His Brother Colin Darby born (8.10.1942).Sister Ann Smith nee Darby born (24.11.1944).Also a brother William Darby born (10.1.193 died two weeks old.David Darbys Mother Lillian Darby nee Armistead.Born (21.1.1917) born Crossflats Grove Beeston Leeds moved to 64 Crossflats Place.Married St Anthonys RC Church Old Lane Beeston Father O'Connell (1937) age 20 married (2.10.1937)Lillian Darby's mum Margret Lilly Hall Born Beeston (29.5.1886 ?)Died (6.3.1956)Her mum called Clara Hall.Lillian Darby's dad William Armistead Born (17.3.1884)Died (23.5.1960) Born Burmintoffs Leeds.My Dad's dad William Darby Born (15.5.1917) Barron Street attended Bewler Street School Leeds Dont know when he died 80s or90s My dads parents were divorced and he re married to some one called Joan.Thats all i know at the moment hope someone can help me . Thanks Chris

Si · Post by Si » Tue 15 Jul, 2008 3:26 pm

Hello, Icecube,I built my family tree (now over 700 names) on Genesreunited, but there are other sites/software available. First of all, I subscribed to Ancestry.co.uk (however, it costs.) On this site you will find the UK Census results for 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901, plus other useful stuff. The trick is to be fairly accurate about a member of your family who was around in at least 1901, and that is your start. You then work back in time. It's easier to follow the male line because their surname doesn't change. 1901 to present can be filled in by interrogating living relatives!There are also parish records, graveyards, etc that can be researched, but the Census is a good place to get cracking!Here's some research I found for you to make a start, based on William Armistead, born 1884, in your post.1891 Census classRG12 piece3693 folio59 page8Address: 53 Cranberry Street, NE LeedsJohn Armistead head (of household) 31 boot riveter born LeedsMargaret wife 31 tailoress born Cottonworth (sic)John son 8 scholar born LeedsWILLIAM son 7 scholar born Leeds1901 Census classRG13 piece4223 folio87 page30Address: as above (possibly no 51)John head 42 boot rivetter born LeedsMargaret wife 42 ------ born Cottingworth (sic)John son 18 coach painter born LeedsWILLIAM son 17 brass finisher born LeedsThere's another William Armistead, but he was born 1887 in Bradford, so I'm confident this is your William.I hope I've been of help!Cheers, Si. PS Others on here may have different/better methods, but that's how I did it. Don't forget to make a note of the Census details (class, piece, folio, page.)

Si · Post by Si » Tue 15 Jul, 2008 4:06 pm

I've got a quiet afternoon, so I had a look on Leodis and found several pictures of Cranberry Street. It ran north from York Road, parallel to, but six streets east, of Burmantofts Street. It's gone now, demolished c.1938. This house was on the street (unfortunately not numbered) and a John Condon comments on Leodis that his great grandfather (Frank E Sykes, a cooper) lived at no 53 in 1881 - your William's house! - who knows? - this could be it...

icecube · Post by **icecube** » Wed 16 Jul, 2008 12:16 am

Hi Si, Thank you the info is fab just hope i can make progress if you have time could you please see if you can find anything else. Thank You Chris.

Si · Post by Si » Wed 16 Jul, 2008 10:06 am

icecube wrote: Hi Si, Thank you the info is fab just hope i can make progress if you have time could you please see if you can find anything else. Thank You Chris. Hi Chris,If I've got time this aft, I'll try and follow back William's family to 1841.OK?Cheers,Si.

Post by **cnosni** » Wed 16 Jul, 2008 11:30 am

Si said"I built my family tree (now over 700 names) on Genesreunited, but there are other sites/software available. First of all, I subscribed to Ancestry.co.uk (however, it costs.) On this site you will find the UK Census results for 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891 and 1901, plus other useful stuff. The trick is to be fairly accurate about a member of your family who was around in at least 1901, and that is your start. You then work back in time. It's easier to follow the male line because their surname doesn't change. 1901 to present can be filled in by interrogating living relatives!There are also parish records, graveyards, etc that can be researched, but the Census is a good place to get cracking"Yes im afraid i went down the same road Si,exactly the same.Look at me now,a family tree addict with only Secret Leeds to take away my attention.What i would recommend,and i wish someone had when when i started 6 years ago,is to make a note of your sources for particular events (parish register,certificate,name of fellow researcher who has supplied info etc etc),because as your tree gets bigger and bigger you will create not only a bigger tree but a large amount of clutter.If you are on Genesreunited,and you get a contact from another researcher,you can sometimes be scrmbling around in piles of paperwork and certificates.So i would reccommend making a note of these sources either in the notes section of a Genesreunited tree,or if you have a home family history program on your PC,then add the sources to a particular event as you enter the details on the program.If you build your tree on Genes reunited then with hold the names of any living relatives,including yourself,by simply putting in as forename "Living" and surname "Relative"also the year of birth put in a year thats 3 to 5 years away from the actual year.This is for identity protection,as a lot of info can be found from ordering certificates with dates and names on sites such as Genes reunited.The good thing about Genes is you can restrict who sees your whole tree,but obviously even these people you dont know,so best to be on the safe side.Also if you are going to use another researchers work then check it yourself.The number of times someone else has made mistakes in their research has increased in the past couple of years because people sometimes just assume without checking out their own work,and as a consequence their research can be wrong.