Welcome to The Briercliffe Society Forum

While researching a member of my family tree recently I discovered this site:

http://www.ww1cemeteries.com/ww1frenche ... ieres1.htm

The Briercliffe connection is Rennie Brown (search in the page to find him). He appears to be descended from the Duerden family who farmed at Spring House in the middle of the 19th century.

In the 1911 census he is aged 33, living at 22 Oxford Road, Burnley with his wife Mary of 10 years, occupation is journeyman butcher. There's a marriage on lancashirebmd.org.uk of Rennie Brown and Mary Dwyer or Livesey.

In 1901 Rennie was living with his parents William and Mary at 187 Briercliffe Road, Burnley.

In 1891 the same Brown family was living at Alder Row, Briercliffe. William was a farmer, Rennie was 13 years old. This census record is on the Briercliffe society website at http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/cen ... p?Id=46722

In 1881 Rennie was 3 years old. He and his parents are living with his maternal grandparents, William and Nancy Duerden, at Spring House. Rennie's father gives his occupation as weaver, the grandfather William is 73 years old and is a farmer of 22 acres. See http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/cen ... p?Id=60314 for Rennie's census record.

Hopefully this information might be useful to someone.

Perhaps someone here can enlighten me about the location of Alder Row and Spring House. I've found Elders i'th' Row on OS maps -- could that be Alder Row? Judging by the census sheets, Spring House must be near Cockden. There's a photo of it on the Briercliffe Soc site, but no location

_________________
I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.

Springhouse was knocked down about 10yrs ago. It was off Nelson Rd, about qtr mile from Haggate crossroads down to the left. It was sometimes called HarleSyke Farm.
Alder Row I think would be Elders i'th'Row but not 100% sure about that. I have tried looking at the image on Ancestry, but for some reason all I've got is a black screen???? You could look at the addresses nearby and that should help pinpoint it.

_________________
Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Managed to look at the 1891 census and the properties nearby are near Elders i'th'Row so that would appear to be it.

_________________
Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Thanks for the tip, Gloria. It looks like we both got there at the same time

The "nearby" houses in the 1891 census are Monk Hall, Ing Hey, Holden, Shaw Lane.

The OS map shows Monk Hall Farm, Shay Lane Farm, Holden Clough and Ing Hey all in the vicinity of Elders i'th' Row

So Elders i'th' Row looks very likely.

Dave

_________________
I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.

Found this site fascinating, but I have a problem with a relative who died in France but I don't know which graveyard to look in.

Any tips? He was in the South Wales Borderers 8th ( if this makes sense to any experienced hunters on these sites)

If I could find a picture it would be fantastic

Hannah, have you tried the Commonwealth War Graves Commission?

http://www.cwgc.org/

Just enter the name and click Search

Best of luck!
Dave

_________________
I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.

From the war graves commission.
Rank:PrivateService No:203994Date of Death:24/04/1918Regiment/Service:East Lancashire Regiment 2nd Bn. Panel Reference: Panel 42 and 43. Memorial:POZIERES MEMORIAL

It may not be the same Rennie Brown but its the only one shown.

Thank you Dave, got him . He is in Romeries Communal Cemetry Extension?

Will explore more now. This site is full of people who come up with the most unusual solutions to questions, our own branch of Google?

I notice that the photo's in the previous query appear to be I.D. type taken in uniform.

Was this the normal procedure? will there be photographic records somewhere of the soldiers in WW1 that go with their enlistment records, if so where should I try to find them?

Hi Hannah,



I don't know, I'm afraid. The only photos I have of family members who fought in WW1 are from my Gran's collection, but they're usually full length seated and appear to have been taken in a studio.

_________________
I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now.