Men of God, and of Commerce
Great grandpa and the overture to war (part one)
As the “celebrations” of the Great War start to ramp up I found myself wondering if I could discover whether my great grandfather, Alfred John Liversedge (AJL) had any thoughts on the impending catastrophe. In December 1913 and January 1914 he published articles in The International Review of Commerce and Industry edited by T. Swinborne … Continue reading
Twelve Years a Slave and The last Runaway
The film, Twelve Years a Slave, directed by the artist and Turner prize winner Steve McQueen and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, is a powerful portrayal of the kidnap and enslavement of the educated and successful black musician Solomon Northup in 1841. Abducted, and and torn from his family and comfortable life in New York State, he … Continue reading
First World War ancestors
One hundred years ago, early in 1914 my grandfather and his two cousins, young men only 20 years old were beginning their working lives in wool textile manufacturing, as at least four generations of their forebears had done. Frank Oswald Burnley, my paternal grandfather, had been an apprentice dryer in worsted yarn and was preparing … Continue reading
Two Victorian funerals
Funerals were very important events in Victorian/Edwardian England and, fortunately for family history researchers, were often written up at length in the local press. My ancestors, brothers Frank and Thomas-William Burnley, who died in 1889 and 1906 respectively had a grand send off – befitting their social status. As was customary in the West Riding … Continue reading
Great grandpa visists the West Indies
In 1889 my great-grandfather, Alfred John Liversedge, moved from Watson, Laidlaw and Co to their associate company Mirrless, Watson and Co and at the same time the company took over Yaryan Co (with the exclusion of that company’s business in USA, Canada and Cuba) and became a limited liability company, Mirrlees, Watson & Yaryan Co … Continue reading
The value of Wills
I have collected over 50 Wills in the course of my family history research, ranging in date from 1802 to 1975. One of the reasons I focussed my efforts on particular branches of the family was the likelihood of their leaving Wills, as well as being of sufficient local importance to feature in various archives. … Continue reading
Frank Burnley’s political career
There was a major reorganisation of local government in 1888 of which one outcome was the setting up of the County Council of the West Riding, which chose to meet in Wakefield. My ancestor Frank Burnley (1837-1889) was elected the first councillor for Birstall district – a feat achieved amidst some controversy. Local newspapers of … Continue reading
Great grandpa and The Great Stink
In 1884 my great grandfather, Alfred John Liversedge, left Victor Coates and Co in Belfast and moved to Messrs Watson, Laidlow and Co in Glasgow who made centrifugal drying and separating machinery. Whilst working for them he visited London in 1885 as their representative at The International Inventions Exhibition. In August I wrote a piece … Continue reading