Bolton UK, Current research and information wanted

If you have any old pictures of Bolton that you will let me publish on this site, please drop me a line.

Here are details of information currently being researched, requests for information I've not been able to source, and any ongoing background work. I'm looking for genuine local knowledge, if you can add detail or correct these pages in any way, or contribute to the ongoing work, please send an email to the webmaster.

Some requests for information also appear in the guestbook

Note: EMail addresses given here have .dele.te suffixed to try to prevent unsoliciticed email, please remove this from the address line before sending your message!

• Devonde Botes / Desvonde Botes. Information is sought on this Bolton golfer by LRowley@imgworld.com.dele.te.

• Fernclough. Fern Clough is a cul-de-sac off Hill Side (in turn off Chorley New Road, Heaton, near Overdale and Heaton Cemetery.) Was there once a place called Fernclough? Was it here or somewhere else in Bolton? I have had an email thats says "It's a piece of land that runs from Deane Cemetary all the way over to Overdale".

• Do you know anything about the military uses of Rivington Barn, which regiments of the regular and TA used it between 1941-45. Len would like to hear from you on annlen@annlen.freeserve.co.uk.dele.te I have been told that the barns were used to store nissen huts (prefabricated shelters) and sugar for the troops stationed at the bungalow.

• Martin Hibbert martinhib@btinternet.com.dele.te writes researching the Boothmans and Hampsons of Bolton

  I have recently been tracing my family tree and found that my Great Great Grandfather John Thomas Boothman is listed in the 1881 census as a Farmer of 13 acres employing 1 boy at WESTERN HILL, BREIGHTMET, BOLTON. I have had a look on quite a few maps and can't find WESTERN HILL I know Breightmet is now a built up area but I was wondering if any one would have any information about the farm or where it was? His son John Cockshord Boothman my Grandmother's Father was I am lead to believe a butcher, does any one have any information on the location of his shop? My Grandmother's mum Hannah Hampson I think was brought up at OAKENBOTTOM [LODGE HOUSE] I have found Oakenbottom Road on a map and presume there is some connection but has any one any more information.If there are any of my distant relatives out there don't hesitate to drop me a line. Many thanks in anticipation.

• Jean bclwsk@aol.com.dele.te writes: My Mom was born in 1910 in Bolton to Lily (Lane) and Samuel Iredale. At the time they were residing at 1 Roundcroft St. Samuel was a cotton operative. Lily was born in Farnworth in 1888 to Hanna (Greenhalgh) and T.Lane and they were residing at 18 Vickers Row. Lily had two sisters Elizabeth Dickenson and Lucy Shearing and I know that in the early 1950's they were residing in Farnworth. Would anyone have any information regarding the above? I appreciate whatever you may have. Thank you.

• From: Denyse1@bigpond.com.dele.te
  Date: Fri, 22 Jun 2001 10:15:10 +1000

  My husband's TAYLOR, WINTERBOTHAM / WINTERBOTTOM, BENNISON, BONNEY, HOLME, WOODHEAD & ROBINSON families were in Bolton. I'd like to contact others with these family names in Bolton & share data.

  Regards, Denyse Bonney in Townsville, Queensland

• From: Saus1234@aol.com.dele.te
  Subject: Shaw Family tree
  Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2001 15:48:56 EDT

  I have recently traced our family tree back to William Shaw, born approx. in1857, that resided in Bolton and sailed out of Liverpool, on July 22, 1899, with his son, John H. Shaw, born on Aug. 7, 1876. The ship's register stated that they were miners. I found a possible connection that his wife was Margaret Davis, but I can't find any information on her or immigration dates. If anyone can make any connection I would greatly appreciate it.

• Do you have cine film of old Bolton? The Bygone project would like to hear from you.

• http://www.shopbolton.com/ in Bolton, Ontario, Canada is trying to link up all "Boltons" throughout the world. Please email ron@shopbolton.com with details.

• Research into origins of Mealhouse Lane (family name).
• Locating parts of Bolton used for filming 'Spring and Port Wine'. So far Darcy Lever has been identified. The initial page for details on this film is here.
• Photography for eastern Bolton, southern Bolton.
• Leverhulme Park photography, other parks, more internal pictures of places. More virtual drive photography north eastern, eastern borough. Expansion of the virtual walk.
• Electricity in Bolton, particularly power stations of the past. If you have any references or information it would be gratefully received.
• The Model Farm and the narrow gauge railway dating from around the 1900's
• The Eden home or Orphanage. Local records do not appear to exist, but if you have any information this will be put up on the pages.
• Information is sought about Knill Freeman (architects) of Bolton, believed to have designed a number of buildings in Bolton in the 19th century.
• A request from the webmaster at http://www.boltonparishchurch.co.uk - a message was left in their guestbook, could any surviving relatives of Samuel Evans Wylde late of Bolton please contact his grandson at wylde@hotkey.net.au.dele.te.
• Can you date or have any information on this picture postcard? March 2001: This postcard has been found locally with a postmark of 1908, although it could be up to 20 years earlier than this.

  

  25k GIF 42k JPEG Undated postcard of Bolton Town Hall

  Emailed to me by a former Bolton resident and picked up in Vermont, USA.
  

• Gerry McKenzie who worked as Plumber all round Deane Rd area for A.F Hartley would be interested in more facts about the Happy Pie Man Paddy Kearns who was murdered in his shop around 1966. Although a man found guilty, Paddy was much missed by locals, he was a silent saint giving much to the poor around Rankine st and Ramwell st. If you have anything, please email gerrymckenzie@hotmail.com.dele.te.
• These next two pictures are believed to be from a mill in or around the Trinity Street area in the 1940's. Can you identify the mill and any of the people in the picture?

  19k GIF 70k JPEG Unknown internal mill picture 1

  43k GIF 83k JPEG Unknown internal mill picture 2

  
  

• Information is requested by a Durham University archaeology undergraduate currently considering doing their dissertation upon the nineteenth century messianic/apocalyptic cults in the north west. Any information about these kinds of cults, which were popular in the industrialized periods of the nineteenth century is sought. If successful there is a possibility that the work will be published in a journal.

• The Hospital Saturday for Bolton have a web site at http://www.hospital-saturday.org.uk/ and they are seeking information and pictures into the detailed origins.

  Next year is 125 anniversary of the Bolton and District Hospital Saturday. Hospital Saturday was formed in 1877 to raise the funds to build Bolton's first Infirmary, although the roots of the organisation date back to the early 1800's and the first dispensary on Nelson Square. We are desperate to find out more about the history of the dispensories and hopeful some pictures.

One section online now is Bolton at yuletide, and another with Bolton in the snow. More current work is taking place with a large number of photographs of the Deane Road / Moor lane / Derby Street area from around 1964.

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