4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Hi Everyone,
I am the great great grandaughter from the Thompson family that lived in Oswaldtwistle and worked at the cotton mill around the 1880's. With the help of Ancestry.com, and finding you on the internet, I have been able to put pieces together and discover wonderful and sad things about my family when they lived there. Thanks so much to all of you who posted pictures and information about Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. My great grandfather married his first wife in this church, only to lose her to tuberculosis three years later. They probably had the funeral services there too. He immigrated to America shortly thereafter. Do any of you know where people that worshipped at this church were buried? I'm making a very long trip to Oswaldtwistle from Texas, USA soon and hope to visit some of the family's heritage sites - the mill, see the homes where they lived, and it would be nice to locate the cemetery and see their gravesites after so many years. Again, it's a pleasure to be able to talk with you and learn about Accrington and Oswaldtwistle from your posts. Thanks very much! With kind regards, Maggie Q

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Evenin' Mags, no doubt the rest of the crew will be along presently to welcome you aboard !:)

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

A lot of the mills are long gone, do you know which mill they worked at?
Can you provide some street names, again, a lot of them might have gone now.
The 2 biggest graveyards are up Dill hall lane and one up Burnley Rd

This site might be of help in searching the Dill Hall Lane cemetary
http://www.lfhhs.org.uk/shop/cds/index.htm

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Maggie , I think that you will find that most ex-Sacred Heart parishioners were buried in the Catholic plot in Accrington cemetery .

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Welcome mags, JCB is correct most buried up Burnley Rd from yon.:)

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Thanks so much for your help and info! I think my family worked at the Oswaldtwistle Cotton Mill (now the Ozzy Mills?). It was within walking distance from their homes.
I'm hoping the museum there will give me more information about it. They brought their weaving skills to America and worked in Philadelphia and New Jersey. I'm looking forward to just walking the same streets, seeing some of the same sights, etc. I've been wondering where my family came from in England all my life and have only recently found out where - and found English cousins too!

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Welcome :)

There was far more than one cotton mill in Oswaldtwistle.
My dad worked in at least 3 of them in his time, including the one you mention, which is now a sales outlet for small traders.

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Hmmm. Thanks Margaret! I didn't know there were more than one. I'll have to research and dig for more info. Thanks for the tip!

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Welcome

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

I have found this page for you - there were ten
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/wiki/Co...gton_.28p47.29

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Hello. I have a few copies of a wonderful book called INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE - a guide to the industrial archaeology of Church and Oswaldtwistle, by MIKE ROTHWELL. Hopefully when you come over, a few of the Accywebbers may have a "meet" and give you a "reet good" Lancashire welcome. I will let you have a copy of this book with pleasure when you are over here. I am sure it will contain much information for you and your research.
Think there may be a Lancashire night, at the end of November, hosted by our very own Bob Dobson at The Peel Park Pub in Accrington. That would be interesting for you to attend. Will find out more for you.

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

When I used to do my little talks to customers at Hilden (Moscow Mill) .. the one you think it may be Maggie ... the script was 18 mills once in Ossy.. now only one.

Have a book somewhere that celebrated the centenery of this mill around approx. early 80's with the history and lots of pictures. ... will have a search. The group was known as Enfield.

I feel though that if you are visiting Oswaldtwistle Mills that Peter Hargreaves would be delighted to chat to you about this.

If you know the approximate date of burial (records are of burial, not death) and name of your ancestors ... then a visit to the office in Accrington Cemetery will soon reveal whether your ancestors are buried there ... they are extremely helpful.

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Hiya welcome to accyweb:

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Thanks again all for such a welcome and information sharing. You've given me tons to explore and I appreciate the offers! I'd love to go to Mike Rothwell's talk at the Peel Park Pub but won't be in England at that time. You are lovely people!

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Hi Maggie....welcome to Accyweb, hope you are successful in your quest, am sure you will get lots more help from the members on here :D

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Welcome.

:)

Hope you enjoy your trip over here.

Where in Oswaldtwistle did your family live?

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Hello and Welcome, just wondering where in ossy your relatives lived if the were in walking distance of Ossy Mills

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Thanks again everyone, for all the lovely welcomes! My family lived on Lord Street and Sun Street in Oswaldtwistle. On the census', sometimes it mentions "Back" Sun Street - not sure what that means. Also, one relative was born on Hey (Lane?). Does anyone know if the cottages on Lord and Sun Street are the originals from the 19th century?

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Most of Lord Street is still there, but only half of Sun Street is, from Lords street the houses on the left were demolished and a home for the elderly was built on the land, Peel Court, but now that is no longer there

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Thanks, Jaysay! That's why I couldn't find the exact address! Hey Lane, too, is different from what used to be there, I'm sure. All the homes look fairly recent (non-Victorian). I've been mapping by Google-Earthing my family's addresses and it's a wonderful internet tool. I can see everything at street level. Thanks again for sharing that information!

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Try Heys Lane.

There are still a few old cottages there, next to the Heys pub.

:)

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Think its Heys Lane today Maggie, that's what I've always known it as, its not far from where I live and there is a pub called the Heys Inn too

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

hi margaret and welcome.

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Thanks Garinda, Jaysay, and Tosh! Your information is a great help. Seems like most of the places my family lived are gone - except the Lord Street home. Still, it will be a dream to just be there and soak up the ambience. I saw the Heys Inn pub on the map - it wasn't open at the time they photographed it - up for lease. Is it open now? Definitely a lunch stop if so. And thanks to all of the member's warnings, I'm going into Ossy Mills and avoiding Yankee Candle Shop at all costs. We have the same problem here - you can smell it a mile away. Actually, I come from New England originally, and Yankee Candle was a small business with a few stores here and there until they sold it to a corporation. The difference between Yankee Candles and other candle products was the quality and extended length of burning time. Then they added the fragrances...
I'm planning on visiting the history room at the mall too. Are there any other sites you would recommend seeing that are within walking distance from the train station?

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Don't know whether you found this site, but really good for old and some more up-to-date photos of Oswaldtwistle :

Life and times of Oswaldtwistle :: Fotopic.Net

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

This is an interesting page too taken from aforementioned, from the Barrett's directory .. a few Thompsons showing in 1897 approx :

Oswaldtwistle history 4/=year about 1897 :: :: Fotopic.Net

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Yes, the Hey's Inn is open now.

If you want t o pop in there for a drink or lunch.

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

That was one of my watering holes in my earlier years, in the days of the vault, snug, tap room and best room, was one of the best tap rooms in Ossy, since I moved back to Ossy 24 years ago I've only been in the pub twice, its lost all its character

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Welcome

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Thanks again, Everyone! Katex, the websites are fabulous! Gives a really good insight down history lane... Heys Inn - on my list of to-do's! Many thanks again, everyone!

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

i have thompson's in my family, they lived in parsonge st church 1950's to 1970, mabe they are related not sure ........mez x

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

HI Mez! You never can tell. I just found English relatives via Ancestry.com that have been looking and wondering about their American relatives (us) for a lifetime. It was an amazing encounter and we had a rare opportunity to invite and meet them at my Mom's 80th birthday this past summer. It was a family reunion at the same time, so they met the entire family. It was such an event, and the incredible details of how our families are linked enticed an editor from the BBC magazine "Who Do You Think You Are" to publish my English cousin's article in the "Letters" section (Dec 2010). I will soon be meeting the rest of my English side of my family and am very excited.

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

hello & welcome, hope you get sorted :)

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Hi Maggie, did you get my private message?

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

In the past 2 weeks I have been hosting American friends. We went on an ancestor hunt which took us 1500 miles in total and I shared their thrill. Forwardplanning is essential. bring ALL your information with you. Tell us what details you already have - dates, names, addresses. Accrington Library's Local Histsory Librarians should be contacted in advanace with your information so that they can prepare the ground for you Likewise the Hyndburn branch of the Lancashire FamilyHistory & Heraldry Society. Avopid Wednesdays in the library. Ossie library does not have all the facilities of the Accrington one.

Send a letter to the Accrington Observer giving them your contact details. They may be able to find you some relatives.

Look out for the book 'Oswaltwistle Observed' by Albert Wilkinson & Mike Booth - Accrington Town Hall's Tourism office and Ann Parkin's shop in Burnley Rdhave it.

Buy a meat pie from Martin's bakery shop in Union Rd - they taste like the ones your ancestors ate.

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Thanks Bob...I think.

:rofl38:

They've been baked to the same recipe since 1912.

Though I would like to point out, all the pies sold are baked daily on the premises, and will not be the actual pies your ancestors tasted.

Master Bun, the baker's son/grandson/brother.

:D

Re: 4th generation from original Oswaldtwistle resident
 

Will members please remember this is a introduction section only