Welcome to The Briercliffe Society Forum

The Proctor families of Burnley and related areas are an old family. I have spent soemtime researching this family name and it appears that it is probable that most of the familes of Extwistle, Brierclife, and Lane Head, as wel as those in Wostrhorne, Mereclough and Habergham Eaves originate from the Proctor family of Monkhall circa 1660. If any one wishes to know more please contact me
Sue


if you keep searching you'll find it

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If you keep searching you'll find it

Hi Sue,

Wondering if you have in your list of Proctors a NICHOLAS PROCTER?
When Ellis Nutter married Sally Ashworth at St Peter's, Burnley,
the witnesses were Nicholas Procter & Robert Hartley. People have
told me that Robert Hartley must have been a church warden since
his name shows up as witness often on marriage records. But I
wondered if Nicholas was a relative of Ellis or Sally. Haven't been
able to find him so far but the Proctor name keeps popping up with
those of Nutter so I thought there could be connection.

Janet

Hi there, Sue:

My great-grandfather was James Henry Proctor, born in about 1868. He married Sarah Heys on 25 May 1889 when 21 years of age, she was 18. Here's the catch, James Henry's parents were not married when he was born and he took his mother's surname (Proctor) ... his father was actually John Clough. His later-born siblings had the surname Clough, one was a Herbert Clough. I don't know James Henry's mother's first name(s).

I recall the gravestones at Haggate, quite a few Proctors. Were they against a back wall? I saw them nearly 50 years ago. My grandmother's cousin (married name Lily Hill) had been to see them as my grandmother (living in Bermuda) had dreamed the Proctors' markers had toppled over and both were concerned. Some of them HAD indeed sunk and toppled. As they were concerned with those markers, I can only think at least some of those Proctors were known/close family.

Now ... James Henry & Sarah Proctor had 7 children live to adulthood, but they were all dead, apart from my grandmother, by 1945, so far as I know. My grandmother died in 2005 aged 104. The children were, and I'm not sure of the order, Margaret Ann, Florrie (Florence?), Frederick, Albert, James (known as Jimmy), Elsie (my grandmother, born October 1901, who married William Lancaster of 9 Sutcliffe Street in 1924), and Ernest. Elsie and Ernest were definitely the youngest in that order.

I'd be most grateful to get any information at all on this branch of my family. Likewise, I'll share anything I know or can find out elsewhere.

Thanks, Sue.

ROSS

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Lancaster, Geldard, Proctor, Clough, Heyes, Stockdale, Driver

Hi Janet,
There is a burial for a Nicholas Proctor in St Peter's Burnley
Here lieth the body of Mary wife of Nicholas Proctor of Springhead,died August 19th 1821 aged 48 years,Also Nicholas died feb 4th 1837 aged 69 years
Gilly

Hi Ross,
John Clough with wife Mary Ann on the 1891 census is living at 21 Towneley St Burnley,John was born at Cop Row,Mary Ann at Lane head
On the 1881 James h is listed as Clough living with John and Mary Ann Clough,there is a daughter by the name of Margaret Ann Proctor,unmarried also with them. The family are at Widow Row,Lane Head.
Hope this helps
Gilly

Hello Gilly!

All the way in California ... Lucky you! It's pretty grim on the North Sea tonight.

Those would indeed be my long-lost great-great grandparents. Many thanks!

I'm about to join one of the family search places here (Ancestry UK, most likely) and get into some serious genealogy as I now have the time to sit at a computer for extended periods. These names you've given me are a big step in the right direction. I'm going to get some maps as well.

My father's family, the Eldridges, are Londoners and I was more familiar with them, but they've scattered, though I have two sisters in the south-east. But most of our Eldridges that stayed in the UK came up here to Northumbria in the 1970s. So, I wondered HOW to research them. And discovered, about 3 years ago, the Eldridge Family Genealogical Society in Australia had "trees" going back to 1545. My branch connects in with that Society in about 1800. Our lot didn't get sent to Oz as convicts I guess!

So, I tell you all this because it is remarkable how someone FAR AWAY can sometimes provide a most important link. You have done that for me today with the Proctors.

So, again, many, many thanks!

Stay warm!

ROSS

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Lancaster, Geldard, Proctor, Clough, Heyes, Stockdale, Driver

Hi Ross,
You may already know this,but just in case.
You can search the 1881 census on line at the site
www.familysearch.org Just enter James H Clough ,England, Lancashire and your will find the family.you can also search for previous households and 4 entries previous is a Proctor family with James Proctor as the head.
Perhaps a connection?
Gilly

Hi Gilly:

I had a look at the "Family Search" site, and found the very basic information on James H Clough, but the Internet is running so very slowly at this moment (mid-morning in the UK) that I decided to have a look later in the day.

I'm thinking to sign on with a genealogical site, thought maybe Ancestry UK. Perhaps you have a recommendation. Is it better to go with one "over here" or is something like the LDS just as good, and prices about the same? I want to look at the (not free) English census results.

Yesterday I tried to find out info on the LDS Family History Library, but their offices were closed (for President Hinckley's funeral, I imagine).

In your study of Briercliffe, have you any opinion on whether "Cop Row" and "Co-op Row" are the same street?

Ross

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Lancaster, Geldard, Proctor, Clough, Heyes, Stockdale, Driver

Hi Gilly, where it says previous households doesn't it mean previous, as in next door, and next door to that? Not as it sounds previous occupants of that house. Hope that makes sense.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

I'm sure you're right Gloria - it means the previous one on the list.
Ross, the LDS sites and ancestry don't really give you the same information - apart from the 1881 census. If you want the other censuses you need something like ancestry. Anyway, the LDS site is free.
You can get a certain amount of free birth/ marriage/ death information from freebmd, it's also on ancestry.

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Maureen
If you can't fight, wear a big 'at

Ross, Ancestry UK I think is by far the best. I signed on for one year about four years ago, and I am still on it. Well worth the money. If it is only a bit you are looking for , I or one of the many others on here would, I am sure, gladly look for you.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Gloria, which parts of Ancestry UK have you found especially useful? I don't have a membership but have thought about it from time to time. I usually go to the library if I need to look up something on Ancestry now. Not as convenient as having it at home, of course.

Joan

I'm astonished at what I picked up just on the LDS site, a couple of great-great-great grandparents! What I've been able to do is sketch out (okay, it's on bits of scrap paper all over my desk and as long as it doesn't get knocked about, there is a system to it) the "tree" and that should enable me to zoom in on key figures ... thinking I will sign up with Ancestry UK ... using the fewest amount of credits or however Ancestry counts views.

My father's family (the Eldridges) are being well researched from Australia by Eldridges that left the UK (courtesy of the Crown) about 200 years ago. But I'd like to look at things for myself on that side of the family too.

One thing that HAS been terrific with my mother's family is that they all lived within a very small area, and few wandered away or married at a distance. Her father's family, the Lancasters, were not just weavers, some were farmers, and did not live up Syke. My grandfather had cousins surname of Sunter or Sumpter (I "hear" his thick accent) ... anyone come across surnames like those?

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Lancaster, Geldard, Proctor, Clough, Heyes, Stockdale, Driver

Hi
The LDS site is a very good starting point and it is free.there are several good sources of info as suggested by Maureen
www.freebmd.org not yet complete but with millions of names
www.lancashirebmd.org are two of my favourites.
I found James H was registered as Clough on his birth cert on this site.
Ancestry sometimes offers "free" weeks which are a good way to try it out,but watch out for transcription errors.
You may want to download the Personal Acestral File from the LDS as a start to putting your tree on your comp as it is free,then if you buy a different one you can just transfert your files.( not that I don't have hundreds of pieces of paper)
I think that Cop and Co op are probably the same street but someone else may have a different answer.

where do the names Lancaster and Sunter fit in to the puzzle?
Gilly

Ross, you probably know this, but if you use the IGI (International Genealogical Index) on the LDS site, it's a good idea to check where the information comes from. Many of the records are extracted from parish registers, but some are submitted by people who don't give a source for their information, or say "born about." These need to be checked.

Having said this, I think the LDS church is providing a great service for those of us interested in our family history. There are lots of informative articles on the site as well.

Genuki is also a useful site for background information on parishes, and it's free.

Joan