Alarm rang at 8 and after a hurried breakfast we went off to Leeds, a bright almost Spring-like day.
We got to the Reference library for about 11. I looked at the censuses for 1841, 51, and 71. Ally looked at the Bramley census for 1871 and Otley for the same year. In 1841 the Wilsons lived at Kiln Fold, Pudsey, where William Wilson, aged 25, is described as a clothier. His wife Betty is 25, and son Squire, aged 2. Ten years later the couple are living at Rider's Yard, Chapeltown, Pudsey, but Squire is missing and Peter Barraclough [aged 15] has appeared. Where was he in 1841? And who exactly is Peter Barraclough? In 1851 William Wilson is a 'slubber'. The census for April 1871 shows that William Wilson is dead, and his widow, Betty, 55, is a housekeeper at Rider's Row [I presume close to Rider's Yard] and her five younger children are with her. My great-grandfather, John, aged 18, is a woollen mill hand. I also came across other ancestors the Fawberts who in 1841 inhabited Rider's Row, and thirty years later were at Chapel Fold. Ally couldn't find my great-grandfather John Rhodes anywhere in either Bramley or Otley, but she did find great-grandmother Christiana Ross, living in 1871 at Midgley Hill, Bramley, aged 5, with parents Samuel Ross, 31, shoemaker, born in Bramley, and wife, Mary Ann Ross, 30, cloth weaver. Next door at Midley Hill dwelled Christiana Appleyard, 66, born in Bramley, and her spinster daughter, Hannah R Appleyard, a burler. Mary Ann Ross was born Appleyard, and so I assume that her widowed mother lived next door. Christiana, my great-grandmother, it seems, was named after her grandmother, taking us back to 1805. It was marvellous delving into the past in the company of Ally. We sat in this studious fashion until after 4. The library had no public bogs and so we ran to the Jubilee pub across the road, but didn't have time for a drink.
To Guiseley at 4:30 with our gathered information. Frances is staying with Mum and Dad owing to illness at Burley.Lynn has shingles and Dave a cold. The baby is amusing but refused to go to bed until 8:30. She sat at the table with us eating beans and rice pudding. I explained to her that she isn't the first Frances in the family. She's six generations in descent from Frances Fawbert, wife of greengrocer Edward Fawbert, bringing up a family in Victorian Pudsey.
Dad was out working on and off and afterwards we discussed the elusive John Rhodes, his grandfather. Dad insists he was born in Otley and was partially blinded, aged 13, on Otley Chevin, by a firework explosion. Just when they moved to Bramley I do not know. Dad recalls his grandfather's funeral [1947 or 1948] and gave me a detailed account of his appearance. A tiny, crooked old man with snow white hair and a bump on the top of his head. He wore thick spectacles and always wore a black starched apron in the house. A cantankerous old so-and-so by the sound of things. Dad says he will go to Bramley on Monday and find John's grave. We've hasd no luck on two occasions. Bed at 3am.
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