Welcome to The Briercliffe Society Forum

I'm not sure if anyone here can help me, but I can't think of a more likely place to find the information I need.

I'm trying to help a friend to trace his ancestry. He has minimal information to start with and I have managed to ascertain that he is the grandson of Wilfred Sunderland and Mary Nuttall and I found their gravestone on your website.

I have found their marriage in the BMD indexes online and know that they married in 1934 at Ebenezer Chapel, Halifax Road, Briercliffe.

I would dearly love to know the name of either's parents, or any other information you may have. It would mean a great deal to my friend to have any information at all about his ancestors. He believes it's impossible to trace them from the scant information he has and is rather despondent about it.

A thousand thanks for any help you can give.

Helen

Hiya Helen, You are halfway there finding their marriage in BMD, what you will have to do now is send for their marriage certificate, this will give you their Fathers names hopefully, from there you can trace the Fathers' families back through the 1901 census, this is the only lead I can give you, unless someone else has them as relatives on this site. It can be hard going with lots of disappointments, but it is worth it when you get the Eureka! moment. Good Luck.


Stephanie.

Hi Helen,
welcome to the site.
The first thing would be to get the marriage certificate, which would show the names of the fathers.
Then you could hopefully find the births, then go back through the censuses to 1841. Ha ha wish it were that simple
Seriously though, get the marriage cert and see what details can be gleaned from that. Getting married in 1934 would put their births "probably" in the 1910-1915's. I will see if I can find any candidates.
Gloria

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Taking Wilfred's birth from details on his gravestone, I have found this, which I think is his birth.
Wilfred Sunderland
Year of Registration: 1901
Quarter of Registration: Jul-Aug-Sep
District: Burnley
County: Lancashire, Yorkshire - West Riding
Volume: 8e
Page: 26
If you send for this and the marriage cert, hopefully the father's name will be the same, then you can track back.

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

Mary Nuttall is a bit more difficult with the age being covered partly by grass. We could do with someone who could check that.
I looked at her being 63, 65, 83, 85 at death, and there are a few who could be her at birth, but it would be guessing.
Hope this helps
Gloria

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Gloria

I'd be dangerous with a brain.

This is the grave. http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Gra ... erland.htm

I will also have a look when I have more time

Deaths 1978 – Jan – Feb – Mar
Mary Sunderland (born 23 May 1912) Burnley – 40 1059

Deaths 1981 – Jan – Feb – Mar
Wilfred Sunderland (born – May 1900) Ribble Valley – 40 2411

Births Sept 1901
SUNDERLAND Wilfred – Burnley, 8e, 264

I suspect the informant at death did not know the actual date or year of birth.

You could also contact Burnley to see if they have this marriage in the Burnley Express

Burnley.Reference@lcl.lancscc.gov.uk

Sunderland seems to be an unusual name in the Briercliffe / Burnley area, so I wonder if this is Wilfred’s family?

Grave http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Gra ... erland.htm

1901 Census - RG13; Piece: 3865; Folio: 38; Page: 19.
38 Spencer Street, Burnley (Danes House)
Fred Sunderland, Head, Mar, 38yrs, Hotel Servant, b. Todmorden
Betty Sunderland, Wife, Mar, 36yrs, Cotton Weaver, b. Clough Foo?
Hannah Sunderland, Daughter, 13yrs, Cotton Weaver, b.?
Sarah E. Sunderland, Daughter, 10yrs, b. Burnley
Ada Sunderland, Daughter, 5yrs, b. Burnley

Thanks, everyone. Unfortunately, I can't afford certificates at the moment (have enough trouble paying rent) but maybe my friend can.

The census looks promising.

Can't thank you enough for this. You're wonderful people!

Helen

Hi Helen, welcome to the site.

Depending on where you are based, maybe you could go to Burnley library (or possibly Preston, would be worth checking ahead to make sure they have them) to get copies from the Parish Records. It gives the same info as the £7 certificate for about 50p.
In time, these records will be on the site but I could not even guess at when I will get around to it. So many things I would like to look into and add!!

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

Thanks, Mel, but I live in Oxfordshire.

Thats a shame. I often have the same problem as I'm in Staffordshire and don't have as many opportunites to visit Lancashire as I would like.

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Mel

Searching for lost relatives? Win the Lottery!

hello there if you have not got any further looking for details of Wilfred Sunderland and Mary Nuttall if you e-mail me
cmarcliffe @talktalk.net i think i can help you i grew up with them i always called them my second Dad and Mum and their daughter and i are like sisters .

Wow! Marg...you arrived in a timely (or miraculous) fashion! You may be the missing link for Helen to be able to help her friend.
This website is soooo cool!