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I have just discovered that the Nutter family of Scarr's Farm, Briercliffe, were my grandmother's cousins. Three of the sons died in WW1 and I read more detail in your section showing local soldiers who died. They were Geoffrey, Harry and Eric Nutter. It must have been devastating for their parents. The other brother, Sgt. James Halstead Nutter, was awarded the Military Medal with Bar for Gallantry and he survived. I believe he went on to be a teacher. I wonder if anyone has any record of his later life and possibly whether he had a family later on. A picture of him is on the Wedding site, when he was a witness at the wedding of my grandparents, Albert Ellis and Elizabeth Berry Nutter. Also, I would love to know how the Nutters are connected with the Halsteads, as I guess it's not accidental that James's middle name is Halstead. Any help would be gratefully received.

I have discovered that after WW1, James Halstead Nutter again followed his teaching career. From 1929 or earlier, he was Headmaster of a village primary school at Cockfield, Co. Durham. I would still like to know more about him.

Just in case anyone turns up who is related to, or interested in, the aforementioned Nutters, I thought I'd better tell of my recent findings.
I established that James was Headmaster of the Cockfield C. of E. Mixed School from approx. 1929 to 1949. I recently discovered how to look at individual old Phone books on Ancestry. By trawling through from abt. 1930 onwards, I finally found he had a phone number in 1951 and had moved to Ovington, a little village near Barnard Castle, presumably after retirement. The phone book gave me his address and I guessed that he died in 1956, as the entries stopped there.
A search round this village revealed the house and the present owner directed me to their church which was at Wycliffe, not far away.
And there, in a lovely peaceful churchyard by a 13thC church, was his grave. His wife and daughter were also buried there and, back at home on ' Ancestry ', I found her name to be Georgina Gipps and that they had married in 1916. The final happy ending was that he had two sons, named after his brothers, Geoffrey & Harry, who died in WW1. Now all I need to know is whether either of them are still alive !!

Births Mar 1920
NUTTER, Margaret P. (Mother’s maiden name is GIPPS) – Auckland, 10a, 665

Births Mar 1922
NUTTER, Geoffrey (Mother’s maiden name is GIPPS) – Auckland, 10a, 587

Name: Geoffrey Nutter
Birth: 22 February 1922
Death Reg: Sept 1993
Age: 71
District: Darlington
Inferred County: Durham, Yorkshire
Reg: A46E
District: 4361A
Entry: 208
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss ... 93&indiv=1

Births Sept 1924
NUTTER, Harry (Mother’s maiden name is GIPPS) – Auckland, 10a, 498

Is this Harry??
Name: Harry Nutter
Birth: 25 August 1924
Death Reg: July 2000
Age 75
District: Hastings and Rother
Inferred County: East Sussex
Reg No: A70A
District: 4561A
Entry: 282
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/ss ... 93&indiv=1

I am just not sure about the above mentioned Harry - it may very well be him. It would appear that he did move out of the area, as I can't find him in Teesdale. But I am fairly certain I have Geoffrey's death. I believe he married Eva G. Makepeace and that they had sons Geoffrey R. and Paul. I am now on their trail. I have found a few Nutters in the same area from the current phone book so I am going to write to them all ! Luckily, Nutter is not so common a surname in this area as it is in Lancashire.

Burnley Express and Advertiser

September 29 1917

Confirmation From Officer

Mr. and Mrs. James Nutter, of Scarrs Farm, Briercliffe, have received the following letter from Lieut. H. Middlewood, dated September 1st:- "I received your letter a few days ago, and will try to answer it as well as I can. When your two sons were killed I was in charge of 52 section. It was a quiet morning, and your sons were standing near one of the guns with three other gunners watching a French aeroplane, when a shell dropped suddenly very near to them, badly wounding all five. A motor ambulance was near, and they were bandaged up and sent off at once to the hospital in the next village. The doctors did all they could, but all five died the same day. I attended the funeral two days later. The service was conducted by a Church of England chaplain, and your sons were buried in a French cemetery."
This letter should now set at rest the unfounded rumours which have been circulated in the district recently.

http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Sol ... Nutter.htm
http://www.briercliffesociety.co.uk/Sol ... Nutter.htm

_________________
Mel

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Dread to think what the rumours might have been. Obviously hurtful enough for the paper to publish a rebuttal.

_________________
Maureen
If you can't fight, wear a big 'at

Thankyou, Mel for putting me in touch with Landgirl Maggie - my long lost relative !!
John Nutter (Grandson of James Halstead Nutter)

You're welcome John. The coincidences we have found along the way have been staggering!!

_________________
Mel

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Can I also thank you, Mel. I was overjoyed to hear from John and Sandra. As you know, I have been on this trail for quite a long time.

Pleased to be of help Maggie. It's one of the many reasons this site exists.

John has sent me some material to add to the site. I am hoping to do this over the Easter weekend (as well as do the amendment that Sue has pointed out). March/April is my busiest time of the year but I think/hope I am through the worst of it!!

_________________
Mel

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Hot on the trail again, Mel! Nice work!
It has been so interesting following Landgirl Maggie's search for her Nutter connections. Happy ending..congrats!!
Now, all we need to do is find a connection between Maggie and the Halstead clan!

Sue (Halstead) Kerr

I didn't do much Sue. Only put them in touch after receiving a query from John. He hadn't spotted the forum topic.

_________________
Mel

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John has sent me a lot of Nutter information. I haven't had time to study all of it yet, but I think the Halstead connection is through the wife of James Nutter of Scarrs. She was Mary Alice Rushton and I think her mother's may be the right line. A bit more research required !!

I have the link back to the Halstead family all written down, also a halstead family tree, and will of John Halstead of Rose Greave dated 1795.
My great grandmother, Mary Alice Rushton (married James Nutter) was the daughter of Alice Halstead, who married James Rushton.
Alice Rushton was the daughter of James Hatstead (who married Betty Holt, I think). He in turn was son of John Halstead, and he was the son of another John Halstead! We think his father was George Halstead.
Mary Alice Rushton had 2 siblings - Henry, a photographer from Burnley, and Elizabeth who married a Calvert.
One of the parchments I sent to Mel references John Halstead and George Halstead.
Also got some more land sale details by John Halstead.
The family story goes that there is the Halstead family crest in a stained glass window in a Burnley church.
John Nutter