foreign residents of holmfirth

[bykerlads]

A slightly delicate subject in these "pc" days, but I am trying to find out if there were any people of foreign extraction living in Holmfirth 1860-70. I am aware that the woollen trade did bring workers from aboad to our area.
Specifically, I am trying to trace  the unnamed father of an ancestor who I think may be the source of the noticeably swarthy/dark complexion which is still evident today in some members of our family.
Census docs. not much use, since the illegitimate child was b. between census dates.
Am not sure if Holmfirth Express existed then for info on residents.
Any advice v. welcome.
We are keen to find out about the only possible trace of exotic blood in our family which otherwise is almost entirely"Holmfirth" right back to the 1600's.

[CaroleW]

1861 has 730 entries for Holmfirth the vast majority of whom were b Yorkshire.  Sprinkling of Irish and a couple of Scottish but nobody of foreign extraction

[bykerlads]

Thanks for the reply, Carole.
I think I shall have to start trawling the parish records in the hope of finding a foreign-sounding b/m/or d.
It's a pity there's no way of knowing what events were taking place in the area which might have drawn in outsiders: fairs, industry, construction work etc.

[Tony Lund]

The Holmfirth Express began around 1886.

There were a number of Irish workers living there during that time following the construction of various small reservoirs etc.  Some of their descendants were killed in the First World War.  Also the railway dates from around 1850 I believe.

In 1914 there was an Italian man and a Belgium man working at a nursery garden, it would seem to have been normal practice for the company concerned at that time.

Holmfirth men were travelling all over the world, especially in the old empire countries and the USA, and I know of a young Holmfirth man who was educated in Switzerland and Russia.

Around 1900 a Holmfirth missionary came home for a visit and brought a member of the Canadian Blackfoot Tribe with him.  But I would think the largest outside group in the area would be Irish.

Tony.

[bykerlads]

Thank you for the info, Tony - it all helps to add to the picture.