RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) => Topic started by: zorba on Thursday 11 August 11 16:15 BST (UK)
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Researching my wife's ancestors has revealed that one of her relations returned from Australia in 1937 to stay with one of her brothers at Swinton Hall, Swinton near Rotherham. I understand from my father-in-law that this brother had married into the family who owned the property but I do not know the name of this family. Having found photos of the property, which is now split into apartments that are being sold, it seems that this family must at one time have been what one might call "minor gentry".
Unfortunately the brother's name (Frank Ward b. 1889) is so common in this part of the world that it not possible to locate the marriage from this alone.
I'm therefore seeking any information on the occupants of Swinton Hall around 1910-1940. The usual searches on Google reveal nothing of interest.
Please note that this place should not be confused with the similarly named Swinton Hall near Masham in the North Riding of Yorkshire!
Any information gratefully received , thanks.
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My suggestion is that you 1) ask for the 1911 census entry for Swinton Hall to ascertain who lived there then. 2) Search the historic electoral registers for the 1920s and 1930s. One of these searches should at least give you the family name.
Though Swinton is currently in Rotherham Metropolitan Borough, I believe that at that time it was a separate urban district within the West Riding of Yorkshire. There is the possibility that the historic registers could be at Doncaster Reference Library, or possibly West Riding archives at Wakefield.
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My suggestion is that you 1) ask for the 1911 census entry for Swinton Hall to ascertain who lived there then. 2) Search the historic electoral registers for the 1920s and 1930s. One of these searches should at least give you the family name.
Though Swinton is currently in Rotherham Metropolitan Borough, I believe that at that time it was a separate urban district within the West Riding of Yorkshire. There is the possibility that the historic registers could be at Doncaster Reference Library, or possibly West Riding archives at Wakefield.
Thanks for these suggestions. The first did occur to me but with the upheavals caused by the First World War it seemed quite possible that the property might not have remained in the same hands from 1911 until the late 1930's.
The other ideas of researching the local electoral registers is also good, were it not for the fact that I live on the Kent/Surrey borders of the UK, some 200 miles distant!
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Why not ask a local to do you a look up? I am sure someone on this site will help.
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http://www.swintonheritage.org.uk/aboutus.asp this site shows that a book
History of Swinton Hall and Swinton House Giles Brearley's has been written -unfortunately not available on amazon at the moment but you could try your local library
The book covers the History of Swinton Hall from its first early construction by the Otter family.It Includes many illustrations and over 80 photos , many not having been seen before.
The occupants lives fromthe outset are followed, along with events, generation after generation, with quite a few suprises.
The story follows the growth of the village into the town of today as many of the occupants were so closely entwined with its development.
An excellent book solving what has for a long time been a mystery
jane
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Frank Ward was headmaster of Swinton Primary School 1946 and was living in Swinton Hall.
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Frank Ward was headmaster of Swinton Primary School 1946 and was living in Swinton Hall.
I missed this posting last weekend - sorry.
This is (according to my father-in-law) certainly the chap I was looking for - any thoughts on his wife - even the first name would be a help?
Richard
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Frank Ward married Edith C Bower in 1920 Rotherham according to GRO records
Edith Constance Bower was living at the Hall Swinton in 1911. Her father was Joseph Aquila Bower retired building contractor aged 60 born Swinton
Came across this when looking for my Johnston connections I'm hoping one of mine married Edith's sister Gwendoline
best wishes Barbara
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Also Joseph Aquila Bower is in the probate calendar index. He died 1935 Of Swinton Hall, Rotherham Yorkshire
Probate was granted to Basil Cedric Bower a solicitor, Edith Constance Ward Wife of Frank Ward, and Gwendoline Irene Johnston wife of John Watson Johnston. He left £22502.
It was so good to see an unusual middle name like Aquila . Doesn't it make life easy looking in an index?
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This recent information is fascinating if rather confusing.
The surname Bower was familiar to me and upon checking my wife's family tree, I find that Frank Ward's sister Ada Ward married a man called Edwin Bower in 1910 - he subsequently died in WWI (around 1917 I believe).
A quick check shows that Edwin Bower was not a brother of Edith Constance Bower but they may have been more distantly related, so I shall have to get back to some basic research on the Bower line.
Thank you to all contributors who have thrown light on this mystery.
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It was so good to see an unusual middle name like Aquila . Doesn't it make life easy looking in an index?
When you only get one, like an instance I have of an Osmond b1599 who left a will in 1672, and was the first|Luffman to move from Wiltshire to Dorset. On the other side of the family, I have the uncommon name Hephzibah; believe me it's as bad as John or Mary when you get 20 or so of them
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Yes I have to agree on that one. My OH had a gg grandfather named Abiel Whichello. And yes they could spell,they didn't mean Abel. Abiel is in the Old Testament and he was the grandfather of Saul.
Having spent hours over my mother's family of Thomas Youngs I thought Abiel would be a doddle. I couldn't believe how many I found --all in the South east, London, Bicester,Winslow, Watlington, Wallingford, Benson and Brill. The only plus was that they were obviously all connected. and I had a great time sorting them all out.
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You were more fortunate than me then.
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A number of Bower graves can be found on this website: http://mollekin.net/swintonpeople
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Thanks very much for this link to what looms like a fascinating resource. I'm guessing from the name that the site is your work or at least that you are connected with it in some close way.
I see that, unusually, the site requires visitors to register simply in order to view the site - rather than to be able to post. But this approach seems reasonable, as expressed in your Terms and Conditions. I've had my own research hi-jacked and posted to public internet sites before now so I'm sympathetic to this need.
However, I don't find a corresponding "Privacy" statement about the use that will be made of these personal details and the usual arrangements for safeguarding personal data. Did I miss it?
I'm sure that there would no intention to mis-use data and I'm not casting aspersions but it's always reassuring to see this stated in black and white in these days of increasing proliferation of personal data around the internet.
Regards,
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Yes, the site belongs to me.
The site does not require visitors to sign in to view it. Guests can view most data except for exact dates, notes and photos. Guests can also make comments although comments made guests are held for moderation. Guests are also limited as to the size of pedigree trees that they can view.
Maybe I will create a privacy statement or maybe I won't. It's at the bottom of a long 'to do' list either way.
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There is an amazing site on Swinton on facebook. http://www.facebook.com/SwintonPeople?fref=ts the guy who started the page is amazing and can answer a lot about swinton
Redroger Swinton PR's are at Doncaster Archives not the library
Rob
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They are indeed Acorn, but I think I was referring to the bound transcripts of the Parish Registers, which the last time I visited Doncaster Library were in the reference section, behind the Librarian's chair!
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Redroger,
Are you talking about the Yorkshire Parish Register societies books? If not then the only place I know you can get copies of the PR transcriptions is at the archives. These are in black folders and are typewritten transcripts which the manpower services commission carried out in the 80's.
Rob
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No Rob; From memory and it is some years since I last saw or used them, the transcriptions were done many years ago and bound into blue books by parish. I believe they were actually made by or for the former Doncaster Rural District Council, which ceased to exist in 1974.
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Redroger,
Have never seen them but will ask when I am in there next time however I do wonder if you are on about the bound transcripts the archives have which were done in the early 80's by the manpower commission
Rob
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That is possible as I started research in the late 1990s, however as I am a former Councillor from the RDC area I took special note, and am usually fairly accurate with my memories.