De Lacey family
 

Yesterday I met a Mr de Lacey. He reacted to my telling him that I was aware of his family's connections with Hyndburn by telling me that he had traced his ancestry back to 900 AD. The family owned loads of land throughout the country as well as locally. There is a De Lacey Arms pub in Ribchester.

He has recently worked in Church, but I didn't ask where.

Few others will be able to get back as far as pre-Conquest with their family tree.

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I may be wrong, but I think he is only able to trace his family back so far because they were rich landowners.

I have been looking for my ancestors for the last couple of years...and it is very interesting, but when the ancestors were labourers, cotton weavers and coal miners....poorly educated, you run into problems relating to the transcription of records...and the fact that these people often could not write their names, and if they could, different spelling of the names mean that for people like me there is much uncertainty.

I wish that when my grandparents were alive, I had asked more questions, that I had listened and taken more notice of the stories and the names of the people in their lives.

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I suspect that, in more recent times, the family has not been wealthy, but you are right Margaret so far as the early records of the family are concerned..

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It is definitely the early records which are problematic.
If you are descendants of what was once a land owning wealthy family, then there are far more clues to lead you down the right path...and you can usually find more than one confirmatory source.
It is much harder when you are relying on copper plate parish records, bishops registers and the faded census forms.
My Ancestry 'shoebox' is full of 'maybe' ancestors...and the sad truth is I will probably never really know for sure.
It is still a tantalising pursuit.

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I find this a very interesting thread as maybe I’m related to the de Lacy family (however way it’s spelt – and whichever branch). If records are correct then Helena de Lacy (born about 1154 either in Pontefract Priory or Clitheroe Castle – depending on which record can be believed) married Pietro de Merclesden (who was a Chaplain) and they most likely became something like my 23 x grandparents.

I say 'maybe' because I have only been able to trace the Marsden family line of mine back to 1663 with any certainty but if I can believe so-called ‘evidence’ then my family line does include Pietro (Peter) and therefore Helena. Well anyway I’m claiming it does.

By the way, this Helena’s parents were apparently John FitzRichard de Lacy and Alice de Vere. As Johnny was Baron of Pontefract it makes sense that Helena was born there and not Clitheroe, whether it makes sense that she was my grandmother 23 times removed is another question.

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You are right Retlaw about the discrepancies in the recording of things.
Another thing that sometimes trips you up is that someone who you think might belong on your tree pops up somewhere like Ealing.
Now back (early 1800's) most people stayed with a couple of miles of where they were born.
But, it is crazy to discount these possibilities until you have done further research.
One of my rellies lurked in the 'shoebox' for ages....until I found an early census with him on it, then a later one with his occupation as 'servant'...so he had moved away from his birthplace to find work...but later returned, married, but was still itinerant, because he was a commercial traveller....so again, he and his family popped up in Warwickshire, Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.

Tracing your ancestors is definitely a pursuit that COULD make you insane...it certainly turns my brain to porridge.

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Dorothy, I take my hat off to you...For your persistence and detective skills.
Respect!!!

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Yes, and this is where the census documents are very informative, they give the occupation, though some of them are very difficult to read as they are faded.

I got hooked on a free taster. I don't regret it because I have learned a lot.

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One of the major companies is having a 'free weekend' this Easter. Ancestry I think.

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Yes, they are...that is how I got addicted to looking for my rellies...a free weekend.

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You may find, Margaret, that we are related. My aunt, Grace, married Tom Pilkington (RIP) of Ossie about 1953. I know that Atarah Hindle also has Pilks in her family tree

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I will look out for your rellies...though you do realise that I am only a Pilkington by marriage.
My real allegiance is to the Duxbury clan...I think there are some Hindles in that...but a long way back.

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Thank you for your praise, Margaret, but to be honest the way back to Roger in 1663 was quite easy as everything fell into place for once, thanks to the different records I was able to use and the help I received from other people. One Marsden man who gave me some valuable help has been researching this family for more than 25 years! Now THAT’S persistence and dedication.

I do have names and some information of possible mums and dads in the different generations going back to dear old Pete and his missus (she of the de Lacy stock) but there isn’t absolute evidence that they are the right lot – and some of the info I have doesn’t quite gel.

Like you say, it is very addictive and can be very frustrating – but how good is it when things fall into place and a bit more is learnt about those who have gone before you.

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I have Duxbury in my direct line, Martha Duxbury.1848, from Blackburn, married my 2 x grandfather and we have them living on Ranger Street, Accrington on the 1891 census.

Martha Duxbury Info File

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Ooh, my grandad was George Duxbury...but George Ratcliffe Duxbury....and he was born in Clayton le Moors. I have looked at the link and alas none of the other names ring bells, however, maybe I just have not found them yet
I will be doing some searching later today, as it is a miserable grey day.
It is a very entertaining activity...just a bit frustrating at times.
Thank you for that info Morecambe ex pat. Will look into it.

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I assume that he is George Ratcliffe Duxbury.1900 which would be my paternal grandfather's generation.
This branch of the family originate in Blackburn but may have got to Accrington via Clayton

A bit more work needs to be done to before you have any claim to my collection of empty beer bottles and out of date chocolate bars.

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Yes, you are right...that is the one.
You are right about it needing more work...I might just do some of that later on today.
Who knows....we might just be related...I am not sure if I should be pleased for you or sorry for you...having me as a leaf on your family tree. :D

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Check out the website of the Lancashire Family History Society. On the home page is a turquouse block - clickm onto it then type in the name Duxbury. ( or any other) It will then let you see which members of the society are already researching this name and likely to help you. if you send them a message via the society. A prominent officer of the so0ciety is researching Duxburys. Message me if you fail to make contact and I will put you in touch with him,

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Thanks for that information Bob..Will give that a go sometime over the weekend.
I have been playing out on Ancestry....isn't it amazing how time flies when you are having fun?
Anyway, I am pleased to say that I have found my grandma's dad....so she was not a fatherless child after all....now that has set me off looking for their parents.
finding her dad (William Lea) was a real eureka moment for me...but my brain is mangled right now...and my eyes are all goggly :D

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Our research has come on in leaps and bounds after we were given a year's subscription to Ancestry. The access to census records is invaluable but I am not as excited about the numerous member family trees.

Many of the ones relevant to us contain far too many errors to be taken seriously.
They are useful in suggesting possible connections but it would appear that many of them are copied en masse without checking the facts.

There is a really good example in our Lofthouse group where a man is shown to have married his brother, 3 years before he was born.

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There are two family history groups in Lancaster, and I think one of them meets in Morecambe library

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We have a few connections with Lancaster and Morecambe but at the moment we are concentrating on other areas.

We will be joining the LFHHS group but at the moment most of our time is being spent on other matters. The London branch is of particular interest as we have direct links between Accrington and Surrey and have been unable to go back any further. The lack of BMD in London and surrounding areas makes remote research very difficult. we are so lucky, here in Lancashire to have such a fabulous public archive created by so many willing volunteers.

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Morecambe Ex Pat, you are so right about errors in the family trees on various sites. Some people just copy things without researching or bothering about the obvious mistakes. One example in my lot is that according to records this particular ancestor and his two siblings were born a few years AFTER his supposed mother had died. The explanation is that his father had been married twice and both times to a Mary. The first Mary had passed away but someone had assumed that all his children had the same Mary as their mother, without checking on dates. It was blatantly obvious that this couldn't be the case but I found the same mistake had been made on several trees so someone must have copied from the first error and then others had done likewise, copying from each other.

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Hi. I’m researching my ancestry - my grandmother was Alice Marsden and I’ve traced back and come across the de laceys which works out around 24 generations. I was just wondering if you had more information re the Marsden family and which arm you have followed

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The secretary (?) of the Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society is caled John Marsden. He is a very active genealogist. I feel sure he will correspond with you over the Marsdens

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Sorry, Marsden, I have only just seen your post hence not replying to it earlier. I've only just got home from being away with my family for a holiday but once I have settled myself I'll send you a private message to see if we can find some connection and if I can be of any help. It might be a day or so, so please bear with me. I'll be interested to know what records you used to trace back to the de Lacys by the way as the original lot that I followed was full of inconsistencies as far as my family were concerned.

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Marsden....I have sent you a p.m. as promised. Hope I am going to be able to help you and maybe you will be able to help me.

Bob...If the John Marsden you mention is the same John M that I was in contact with some time ago, he is very knowledgeable and gave me much useful information.