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Woolley family tree

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Rosemary Woolley
Rosemary Woolley
Posts: 8
Joined: 16th Nov 2015
Location: USA
quotePosted at 15:45 on 20th February 2016

I am looking for birth place of a man born in 1774.  In Anchestry I have found 3 possible places.  Bliston, Stafford; Derbyshire; and Lenham in Kent.  We are planning on coming to England in September and see what we can find.  Are there records offices in each of these counties I could contact?  Or churches in those places I could contact?  Thanks for a reply.  

 

 

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James Prescott
James Prescott
Posts: 25952
Joined: 11th Jan 2010
Location: UK
quotePosted at 18:01 on 20th February 2016
All i can suggest to you Rosemary is to have a look on the Births,Marriage,Deaths site --just type your search name in and the names will appear for the said districts,good luckSmile
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Paul Hilton
Paul Hilton
Posts: 2605
Joined: 21st Nov 2004
Location: UK
quotePosted at 22:36 on 21st February 2016

Prior to 1837, BMD's were recorded and kept in Church of England parish records. Because the records were being kept by assorted vicars, some of who were very good, others less so, the government took over the record keeping. Of course, there were non- conformist records as well if the family might have been Methodist for example. If you have only a partial idea where your Woolley family came from, it could be a daunting task to find them. George Woolley was a fairly common name which could possibly appear under other spellings such as Wooly, Wooley if a family member was illiterate, so the vicar wrote down what he thought was correct.  

On marriages, a woman's maiden name wasn't considered too important and could be left out altogether. It might say in the parish records, for example, 23 June 1789 George Woolley married Sarah, giving you no idea who Sarah was. Farmers were usually known as yeoman in records such as wills. I.e. I John Woolley of the County of Kent yeoman, hereby......

Even narrowing it down to three counties, still leaves a situation to determine which is the correct person in your family. You have to consider every tiny clue of known things that might give you the correct place.  

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Rosemary Woolley
Rosemary Woolley
Posts: 8
Joined: 16th Nov 2015
Location: USA
quotePosted at 00:08 on 22nd February 2016
Thank you, Paul for your response.  Someone else told me their were so many Woolley's that the branches became confusing.  However I will keep digging and come to England in Sept.  Even if I do not find good clues I will enjoy the English countryside and visit the sites of famous English authors and poets that I dearly love!!.  
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Paul Hilton
Paul Hilton
Posts: 2605
Joined: 21st Nov 2004
Location: UK
quotePosted at 01:10 on 22nd February 2016
As it looks like all their children were born in Manchester, likely thats were they came from-- or one of the nearby villages that today make up Greater Manchester. Dukinfield or Staley Bridge for example which would come under Cheshire in previous times. Nearby to them were villages that came under Lancashire as the border runs close to them in the eastern part of Manchester today. 

Edited by: Paul Hilton at:22nd February 2016 01:19
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