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Shoddy and Mungo
Description of the shoddy and mungo industries of West Yorkshire and the author's family connections to that process. The final post in a four section sequence about the wool industry of the West Riding.
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Lectures to Clubs and Groups
I’ve put together, below, a list of the talks that I can do to Clubs and U3A Groups. Daytime and weekend talks are sometimes possible. Zoom is preferred in winter months. Charges for 2026-27 are below – please use the contact form for enquiries and latest charges In-person talks are charged at £50, including travel up to 20 miles each way. Mileage above that is charged at 50p per mile. Zoom talks are charged at £45. (The club/group is responsible for providing the Zoom). 1. A Victorian Society “A Victorian Society” is about early photography and photographers in Oldham, told against the backdrop of life in what was to become…
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From Loom to Ballot Box: The Fight for Suffrage
The history of British suffrage highlights the vital role of West Yorkshire, where the movement for voting rights merged with struggles for workers' rights. Both men and women sought representation to address economic injustices, ultimately shaping the electoral landscape through significant events like the Luddite Rebellion and Chartism.
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The Place of Last Resort: The Dewsbury Union Workhouse (The Poorhouse)
The exploration of Harriet Archer's life illuminates the vital role of the Dewsbury Union Workhouse in the Victorian era, providing a safety net for many during times of hardship. While workhouses carried a stigma, they were crucial for those in need, reflecting the resilience of families facing economic challenges. Harriet's legacy serves as a reminder of the past struggles and the importance of compassion in support systems today.
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Tracing the Archers of Earlsheaton, Chickenley and Ossett
Because Archer is an occupational surname…like Fletcher, Butcher, Smith and so on, it should have arisen in many different areas of the country, in men who were not actually related to each other but had the same occupation. It’s a little surprising, therefore, that, in the 1881 Census, by far the biggest concentration of families of the name “Archer” resided in the woollen towns of the West Riding, with the second largest group in London and the south east. My Archer family can be traced back to Dewsbury Parish records from 1581 and my branch of the family comes from Chickenley and Earlsheaton (known as Soothill and pronounced “soootil”) and the…
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Earlsheaton History and Family Connections
A potted history of the village of Earlsheaton, my Hemingway ancestors' involvement in woollen blanket manufacture there and my own memories of growing up in the village in the mid-20th Century.
