Dukinfield Group News s2

DUKINFIELD GROUP NEWS June 2007

Cheshire BMD

There has been another tremendous effort with the following up-dates:

 16,430 for Newton & Godley (1837-1937)  13.375 for Hyde (1878-1902)  38,922, For Tameside (1991-2006)

Many thanks again to Bob Kirk and his team.

Mapping Victorian Cheshire: Cheshire's Tithe Maps Online:

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, this ground-breaking project has digitised all Cheshire tithe maps. Almost 500 Cheshire maps are now available online. Together with the information recorded in tithe apportionments, they are a unique record of land ownership, occupancy and use in Cheshire 150 years ago. You can use them to answer questions such as:

 Where did your ancestors live?  Who lived in your village or even your house?  What was land in your area used for?  Who owned land in your area?

You can also compare the tithe maps with later Ordnance Survey maps and aerial photographs. I have spent some time using this new resource. It takes a little getting used to and not all the tithe apportionments are yet on-line, Dukinfield is but Staley isn’t. http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/Recordoffice/whatsnew/tithemapsonline.htm

The National Archives – Documents On-line:

Just a reminder of which series of records are available to search and download (£3.50 each) from the National Archives website:  WW1 Campaign Medals (5460784)  WW2 Seamen's Medals (108389)  Famous Wills (103)  Wills (1016139)  Death Duty Registers (71740)  Victorian Prisoners Photograph Albums (626)  Registers of Seamen's Services (581410)  Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) (7006)  French Muster Rolls (5902)  WW1 Prisoners of War Interviews (3429)  Royal Naval Division (50108)  Victoria Cross Registers (1237)  Recommendations for Honours and Awards (Army) (61123)  Ancient Petitions, Henry III - James I (14238)  Poor Law Union Correspondence (5022)  Aliens Registration Cards (1257)  Domesday Book (24208) Tameside Local History Forum’s Local and Family History Fair

This will take place on Saturday 6th October, but the venue has been changed to the Jubilee Hall at Dukinfield Town Hall. Stalybridge Market Hall was double booked and may not even be available for anything for a few months since they are holding the Longdendale ‘By Pass’ enquiry there and this enquiry is open ended and could run and run. Up-to-date information will continue to be added to the Forum’s website: www.tamesidehistoryforum.org.uk

Yorkshire Family History Fair at York Racecourse 30th June 2007

More information at: http://www.yorkshirefamilyhistoryfair.com/

Stockport Methodist Register of Baptisms 1794 - 1837

I have just discovered that the Stockport Methodist register of baptisms 1794 - 1837 is online, courtesy of the Stockport Heritage Centre. I haven't found a single family connection but it makes fascinating reading and covers quite a wide area - many entries from Droylsden, Burnage area as well as Cheadle, Glossop etc so not just Stockport itself. http://s1.stockport.gov.uk/Borough/Heritage/Directories/john_wesley/register.htm

The Re-use of Graves: Taken from the Guardian Unlimited website

“Green light for re-using old graves”

Press Association Tuesday June 5, 2007 12:48 PM

The Government is to allow graves to be re-used to tackle overcrowding in cemeteries, it has been announced. Under the move, local councils will be able to permit doubling-up on burial sites after 100 years unless families object. Pressure on space in graveyards has long been a cause of concern. Despite a rise in the number of cremations, around 150,000 people are buried every year. Burial grounds say they will be completely full within the next three decades, and the property boom has driven up the price of plots further.

In a written statement to MPs, Justice Minister Harriet Harman said: "The Government is now satisfied that it would be right to enable graves to be re-used in this way, subject to appropriate safeguards.

"For example, no grave should normally be re-used unless the last burial took place at least 100 years before. And families should have the opportunity to defer re-use of their relatives' graves for at least another generation. "Powers allowing local authorities to re-use their plots are to be granted under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994, according to Ms Harman. She said the option had received "widespread support" during a consultation process which has been running since 2004. Apart from relieving pressure on land it should encourage better maintenance of historic burial sites, Ms Harman added.”

NEXT MONTH:

Roy Parkes has asked if we could meet on Ashton Town Hall Steps at 6.30 pm so that we can complete the walk in the light. I am putting this to the vote of our members on Wednesday evening and the decision will appear on our website in a couple of days.

PROGRAMME 2007:

 July 11th – “Ashton Old Town” – guided walk by Roy Parks

Meetings are held at the Old Chapel schoolroom, Old Road, Dukinfield, on the second Wednesday of each month (except August), starting at 7.00 pm. Tea/coffee, and biscuits are provided, and a £1 donation per person is requested. If you have any news or queries to put into the newsletter, please contact Gay Oliver by e-mail at: [email protected]