
My lot were the Whitakers, I have traced them back to 1705 in Colne, the early members were baptised and married at St Bart's ( the records are easy to read, I mean not as faded as some are), they seemed to be in Briercliffe area from about 1787 and moved slowly uphill to Briercliffe then Haggate ( and down hill financially) from about 1850 after my gt.x3 grandfather died and left a widow with a large young family. She seems to have kept them all employed in any job she could get.
Errand boy and girl for the two youngest! and out of the workhouse! and brought up my gt. grandfather as her youngest son. Never have found out who his father was, but he eventually ended up married and living down on Townley St off Briercliffe RD, the woman who was by then on the census as his correct mother lived with them plus an aunt and the first of his 8 children. He died a very prosperous man.
There must be a lot of third cousins out there.
p.s. You have made me pay attention to my records Dan,only just realised that on the 1881 census my gt. grandfather was living at 70 Townley St and one of his Uncles, William, was at no 80 with 8 children. I can't trace what happened to the youngest brother John, b.1850 but no doubt he had a big family somewhere not too far away from them.
So my grandfather grew up on a street with a tribe of relatives and his future wife lived a few doors away , why did no one discuss this when I was a child?
Sorry I have wandered off into my family.