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Lee and Cook families |
This reflect the progress made recently in tracing the ancestors of Ann Lee (my great grandmother) and the fate of her sisters.
I now have the baptisms of Almondbury and Kirkburton, and the Almondbury marriages. The one problem is that many of these baptisms give the child’s father only and not mother. However occupations and places are usually given, this enables cautious tracing back and finding of siblings. These registers contain the records for Holmfirth and Honley Chapels of Ease. Kirkburton marriages are needed though, especially on the Charlesworth side
I first reviewed John Lee’s parents. George Lee and Tabitha are definitely rejected - their son John is still with them in 1841. I originally had John’s father as George Lee a tailor. George Lee and Ann Whitehead are clearly the correct parents, but George is clearly a shoemaker, and is still alive until 1864. Ann Whitehead is named as the mother on John Lee’s baptism record. George was one of six children to George Lee, who married Mary Wood in 1773. George bas born about 1750 to John Lee, both were of Holmfirth.
On the Cook side, Mary’s mother already known as Esther is Esther Charlesworth, daughter of John Charlesworth a clothier of Brown Hill Honley. Four sisters for Esther Charlesworth have been found. John was son of George Charlesworth, a clothier of Austonley. He may be the George Charlesworth mentioned in the 1791 Universal British Directory as a merchant dealing with woollen Cloth. Jonas Cook’s father was Matthew Cook, a clothier of Overthong (the old name for Upperthong), and his mother was Betty Crosland, daughter of Jonathan Crosland and Martha Little. Martha daughter of Matthew Little and Mary Taylor. Matthew Cook was son of James Cook of Overthong.
Of Ann Lee’s sisters, all bar one, Hannah Lee have been found after marriage. Mary Ann married first Benjamin Donkersley, then Silvester Hinchliffe. Ann Lee was visiting her on the 1861 Census, living at Underbank, Holmfirth. Martha married Joshua Hoyland, they lived in Padfield, Derbyshire . Emma married Thomas Haigh in Glossop, their daughters were Mary and Sarah ‘Sally’, who are remembered by my mother visiting Ann Lee every year, coming from Hadfield. Alice married Nathaniel Crossland in Wortley dist, Yorkshire, they lived at Thurlstone, Yorkshire.
John Lee’s second wife may have been Ann Thewlis, little progress has been made confirming that. A combination of some look-ups done for me of Kirkburton marriages, and work at the Society of Genealogists has now greatly expanded the tree. Some of the microfiche are difficult to read so may yet prove to be readable on another copy available elsewhere.
Latest research has added two siblings to Mary Cook, Ruth, b 1822 and Matthew, b 1803.
Recent research has added William Wood’s wife, Mary Crossland and some of her ancestry, Sarah Marsden’s parents, John Whitehead’s wife, also that John Lee’s wife was Ann Crosland. Therefore George Lee’s (1781-1864) parents were first cousins. Crosland ancestry has been quite productive.
Considerable effort has gone into these. The Holmfirth area is in two parishes, Almondbury and Kirkburton. There were Chapels of Ease belonging to these two parishes. Most baptisms only give father’s name, but as a compensation, give also his occupation and abode. So by finding siblings, it is usually possible to identify the relevant marriage.
I have the following sources available: -
Almondbury
Marriages 1677-1837 CD from Huddersfield & dist FHS
Baptisms 1703-1848 CD from Huddersfield & dist FHS
PR 1683-1703 Book from Yorkshire Archaeological Society
PR 1653-1682 Book from Yorkshire Archaeological Society
Burials 1703-1899 NBI
Baptisms 1557-1667 IGI
Kirkburton
Baptisms 1711-1837 CD from Huddersfield & dist FHS
Baptisms 1686-1711 booklet from Huddersfield & dist FHS
Marriages 1772-1792 Booklet from Huddersfield & dist FHS
Marriages 1738-1771 Booklet from Huddersfield & dist FHS
Marriages 1686-1737 Booklet from Huddersfield & dist FHS
PR 1541-1654 File downloadable from http://www.archive.org/details/parishregisterso01kirk
Baptisms 1629-1689 Freereg
Marriages 1641-1710 Freereg
Burials 1628-1710 Freereg
Burials 1749-1899 NBI
Baptisms 1540-1711 IGI
The non IGI sources have nore information, It should be noted that some of the original register are exceptionally difficult to read and differences can be found between transcriptions.
John Charlesworth’s baptism may be at Lydgate Independent Presbyterian Chapel, Kirkburton - which is available on BMDregisters, which are viewable at the National Archives free of charge - however frustratingly parents not given.. This is on IGI, but no parent is shown.
Note there are other Godfrey Crosland’s from Cartworth, for whom quite some documents seem to be available, but these seem to be separate families, perhaps linked further back in time. ‘My’ Croslands are from Fulstone.
See this page for John Lee and Mary Cook’s family.