The Story So far...
A Rose by any Other Name
The Ancoats Artist (1)
(28 May 2024)Even if you are interested in art, it is unlikely you will have heard the name Henry Liverseege; yet in his day he was well-known in artistic circles and spoken of alongside artists such as Bonington, Girtin and Wilkie. In this three part blog, we will look at his upbringing, his career and his early death and subsequent drift into obscurity.
The Ancoats Artist (2)
(28 May 2024)At the end of the last blog we left Henry Liverseege at the point where he had abandoned portrait painting and turned to "dramatic" subjects. His first paintings, exhibited at the Royal Manchester Institution, had been well-received, even if slow to sell. Henry now saw the next step in his artistic development would mean spending time in London.
The Ancoats Artist (3)
(28 May 2024) By 1831 Henry Liverseege had made three visits to London, where he received some instruction and made connections with some prominent artists. His work was now gaining wider attention and was generally well-received. His failing health, however, would cut this promising career short.
I'm Reviewing the Situation
(13 April 2024) Recently I was watching my youngest daughter perform in the musical Oliver! at her local am-dram society. As I watched the troop belt out ‘Food Glorious Food’ I realised that my current family history research had already brought me right into this Dickens novel.
When did you start your first job?
(14 March 2024) How old were you when you started your first job? Fifteen? Eighteen? Twenty-one? Older? If you were working in a cotton mill in 1819 your answer would more likely be "about seven". Child labour was widely accepted, but 1819 would be a pivotal year the year in which the first moves would be made towards removing children from the workforce.
Mad as a Hatter?
(27 February 2024) The first reference to someone being "as mad as a hatter" was in use at least as early as 1827, when a report in the Belfast Commercial Chronicle of 18 June, when referring to Lord Norbury, comments: ...as the vulgar say "he is as mad as a hatter". But were hatters mad?Hatters frequently displayed symptoms of mental fragility, but they were simply victims of the trade by which they earned their living.
Catholic FHS: A Legacy Preserved
<p">(24 January 2024) As 2023 drew to a close, one of the sadder notes was the closure of the Catholic Family History Society. Founded in 1983 the society's objective was to encourage those with Catholic ancestry to research their family history in England, Wales and Scotland. During its 40 year history, the society accumulated a substantial collection of research material. Read on to find out what has become of this valuable collection.I Could Have Been a Judge...
(06 January 2024) ...but I didn't have the Latin for the judgin'. So, I became a family historian, but is my lack of Latin still a problem? Well, yes and no. You can get a long way with a few key words and even further with a new online friend. Find out how.
Who you gonna call?
(26 August 2023) When a stranger dies, In your neighbourhood, Who you gonna call?...no, not them ... try the council's Funeral Officer. (With apologies to Ray Parker Jun.)
Greaves Street, Oldham
(12 June 2023) Saturday, 10th June 2023, a beautiful summer’s day and I took the tram to Oldham, an earlier tram than usual (1) as I wanted to look around the town, see more than just the Oldham Central Metrolink Stop, and explore Oldham’s history – what better opportunity would I have than a day when the hot sun and clear skies brought every brick and stone building to colourful, vibrant life?
The Clarion Cafe
(28 January 2023) It is between the wars and you are dining in a William Morris style dining room with oak panelled walls, stained glass panels, murals and stylish furniture? Perhaps you are a wealthy businessman who can afford to dine in style on company expenses? Perhaps it is a special occasion. No, you are an ordinary working man and dine there frequently. Welcome to the Clarion cafe.
New War Memorial Unveiled
(22 October 2022)
BBC is 100 Years Old
(17 October 2022) Please Tune Your Radio Sets… It is 1922 and the BBC is coming to a set near you… Happy anniversary to the BBC Now, readers if you wouldn’t mind just moving a comfortable chair next to your radio set and ensuring that you can tune in easily and quickly to 400, 425 and 450 metres, ask your wife to be sure to have dinner ready early and have the children settled so that you and your family will not be interrupted during this inaugural broadcast.
Stalybridge War Memorial
(03 November 2021) For many families 1921 was a year of mixed blessings; there was the relief of a slow return to 'normal' life in peacetime, but there were also decisions to be made about remembering the menfolk who did not return from the war.
1921 Census: Oh No It Isn't!
<p">(30 September 2021)1921 Census: The Two George Formbys
(20 September 2021) Or was it more? We all think we know George Formby, but his father was a singer and comedian too, and had his imitators. Find out more about George's family background.
1921 Census: Manchester Cumann na mBan
(06 September 2021) pCumann na mBan (Irishwomen’s Council) was formed by a group of Irish women in Dublin in April 1914, “…to organise Irishwomen to advance the cause of Irish liberty and to assist in arming and equipping a body of Irishmen for the defence of Ireland”.
1921 Census - Dick, Kerr Ladies (Part 1)
(02 August 2021) Women's football is now an increasingly popular sport, but in 1921 it was a controversial issue. The Dick, Kerr ladies football team were trailblazers ahead of their time.
1921 Census - Dick, Kerr Ladies (Part 2)
(02 August 2021) In Part 1 we learned about the team. Read on for some biographical information about members of the team.
1921 Census - The Census in Scotland
(27 July 2021) The census in Scotland is in many ways the same as in England - but there are some important differences too. Read more about how the census was organised.
1921 Census - All that Jazz!
22 July 2021)
1921 Census: Ireland
12 July 2021) New records that might shed light on our Irish Ancestors are always cause for excitement. So with the release of the 1921 census in England & Wales can we look forward to viewing the 1921 census for Ireland? <
1921 Census - Silver Screen
(06 July 2021) By the 1920s a night at the movies was an increasingly popular entertainment option. Over 2,500 movies were released in 1921, but how many are remembered today?
1921 Census - Grace and Favour
(29 June 2021) For most people in 2021, the name Gracie Fields conjures up an elderly, dignified white haired woman who hailed from Rochdale and retired to the Isle of Capri. But in 1921, Gracie was just entering the prime of her career.
1921 Census - George Mainwaring
(24 June 2021) George Mainwaring: A Rochdale Artist. In our continuing series for 1921 we have been looking at all aspects of the 1920's. In today's blog we are shining a spotlight on local Rochdale man George Mainwaring. George was a Rochdale artist who wrote and illustrated for the Rochdale Observer in the 1960's.
1921 Census - The Theatre Royal
(16 June 2021) The royal arms appear above a statue of Shakespeare over the door, but what is this sadly neglected building on Peter Street?
1921 Census - What were our ancestors wearing in 1921?
(04 June 2021) The setting for the 1921 fashion scene was a post-war era beginning to be dominated by Hollywood films and the film stars who were becoming the fashion icons everyone wanted to copy. See how fashions in hairstyles and clothing changed as a result.
1921 Census - City Centre a Century Ago
(31 May 2021) A century ago, Manchester city centre looked very different to nowadays, not least the types and amount of public and private transport. Industrial and domestic pollution meant blackened buildings and smog. However, most of the city's major buildings were already established.
1921 Census - Industrial Holidays
(17 May 2021) We're all going on a Summer Holiday: A holiday. I think we've all been dreaming of one. I'm sure a break by the seaside was just as important in 1921 as it is for us now. However the main difference I guess would be that the whole of our community would not close down and be on the same transport out! Back in 1921, holidays in the industrial north were a much more communal affair.
Census 1921 - Processing the Data
(11 May 2021) How the 1921 census was processed: We take data processing for granted, but 100 years ago the idea of using machines to sort, count and generate reports was a very new one. While the technologies used were electro-mechanical rather than electronic, the underlying processes were much the same as we use today and, indeed, some of the companies involved developed to be well-known names in computing in the 21st century.
A New Pace
(10 May 2021) Challenging times have meant a change of pace to all our lives. And, this is also relevant to those of us who volunteer on the Society's Family History Help Desk. Like the rest of the nation the initial lock down in March meant an immediate cessation of all our Help Desk activities and finding new ways to fill our days and new ways of doing things. And, as the days and the weeks have passed this has even meant learning new ways to research our family history!
1921 Census - The Postcard Census
(29 April 2021) It may seem a simple matter to collect information in a census. Just ask the questions and analyse the answers. However, life is not that simple. The 1921 census asked a new question about each employed person's place of work. This is not a problem if you work around the corner from your house, but what happens if you ask where a person works and it is in a different town to where they live? How does the system know how to analyse the information? Here's the process which went on behind the scenes.
Census 1921 - Sabbath Concerns
(22 April 2021) On 12 June 1921, The Observer reported: "The Census. Delivery of Schedules. Handsome Advertising Revenue. Distribution of schedules started yesterday, with the enclosed slips explaining that 'where the dates Sunday and Monday, April 24 and 25 occur, Sunday and Monday, June 19 and 20, must be read. The back of this correction slip has been sold to a firm of advertising agents, who are paying £1,000 for the use of each million copies". The sale of this advertising space, while rewarding the Exchequer, caused some concern in Parliament, and a series of questions was asked about tendering for the sale of space, and the outcome in terms of suitability for what could be seen as government endorsement of a product.
Census 1921 - Give Peace a Chance
(15 April 2021) The Defence Force was established in April 1921 when the British Government put in place the 'Emergency Powers Act 1920'. This directive was triggered in order to overcome an industrial crisis in the coal mining industry and a threat of civil unrest. The Government was planning to decontrol the mines and railways in 1921. The coal industry was making heavy losses and owners argued that wage cuts were needed. On 1st April 1921 the Miners Federation of Great Britain (MFGB) refused terms of the wage dispute and miners were subsequently 'locked out' of the pits. Their leaders appealed to railwaymen and transport workers for a sympathy strike but on 15 April 1921 they refused and this became known as 'Black Friday'. This resulted in the end of the unions 'Triple Alliance'.
Census 1921 - Baby it's Cold Outside
(9 April 2021) We think of our ancestors homes with only a coal fired stove to cook with and a small fireplace for warmth we may imagine them to be delightful and cosy but few perhaps consider the practicalities of the situation. In winter, there would have been times when it was so cold that ice would form on the inside of the bedroom windows, it may have been impossible to take a bath because the bathroom was so bitterly cold.. Therefore, in 1921 when the miners took decisive strike action against pay cuts it was a disastrous turn of events for everyone.
Census 1921 - It's Coming
(16 March 2021) As family historians Sunday 21 March is probably a date we all have circled on our calendars. This is because we know how important it is to provide information in order to be counted for the Office of National Statistics (ONS). Maybe secretly we are hoping that the information we provide today will be as useful for our descendants as previous census material has been for us.
Census 1921 - Taxing Times
(07 March 2021) Now just a rapidly fading memory, the car tax disk made its first appearance on 1 January 1921. For nearly 100 years replacing the tax disk was one of the annual motoring rituals.
Present Arms!
(31 July 2020) Family History in the Time of Coronavirus. Imagine. It is 1995 and the world is facing a coronavirus pandemic. The country is locking down. You will be confined to your home for weeks. How are you going to spend your time? Well, not researching your family history for a start. Record offices and local studies libraries have closed and will remain closed for months.
- Hits: 248