We should be pleased to add any notes or queries you may wish to raise on this page.
Please e-mail: notesandqueries@cheshirehistory.org.uk
In order to identify a query from 'spam', when writing please insert the title: CLHS Query

On 4 March 2010 Jackson Pemberton writes:
Several years ago, an old handed down, Pemberton family scrapbook was discovered and found to contain a priceless legacy of genealogical information about Pemberton forebears. The oldest scrap in the book contains a reference to a residence known by the name of "Pemberton Huff", and, in the early 18th century, the following notice was placed on George Pemberton's gate post 'While olives are green and commodities rough Here is the place for Pemberton's Huff [Hough?].' It would be a great assistance if we could locate the "Pemberton Huff" residence or some record of what must have been the talk of the neighborhood. Does anyone have an idea about how we could find the place of Pemberton Huff residence? Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Jackson Pemberton
papa@pembertonfamily.com

Note: CLHA has suggested that 'Pemberton's Huff' originates in the late 17th C or early 18th C. when areas of waste around Chester, notably Hough Green in the Claverton area, were divided into lots and granted to the people of Chester. The Pembertons were a Chester City family about this time and therefore 'Pemberton's Hough could refer to an allocation of land to that family. There is a Pemberton's Croft in Claverton in the mid-18th C. OTHER IDEAS PLEASE TO JACKSON PEMBERTON.

On 3 February 2010, David Johnson writes:
After my great-grandfather, John Bell GOODIER (1853-1921) died, four of his children, John, Josiah, Eda & Elizabeth GOODIER continued farming at ‘Street Head Farm’ for many years. Eventually the land was sold for housing development but I don’t know when this was. The old Street Head farm house still stands on Dunham Road (A56) immediately north of Bow Green Road and is now accessed via a private lane from Bow Green Road which also serves the other old ‘Street Houses’. The Street Head Farm fields were east of Dunham Road and north of Bow Green Road in an area where there is now a housing estate. The two principal roads in this estate being Stanhope Road WA14 3BL (et al) and Eyebrook Road WA14 3LR (et al). I’m hoping someone can kindly help me please, as I’d really appreciate knowing the approximate year when this land was sold. Many thanks. David Johnson
david_beryl_johnson@yahoo.com

Alison Moyra writes:
This puzzle has come out of family history research: My father was sent by ICI to Valley Works near Mold for three months in 1942, and I am trying to find out why. He was a textile chemist and before this he worked at ICI Randles and was doing work on shrinkage and bleaching for army clothing (from his diary). This doesn't fit in with what I can find out online now! I can't find that Randles was doing anything but making mustard gas which was sent to Rhydymwyn for storage. Was there other work going on there? - Alison Moyra
alison.moyra@btinternet.com

Alex Cowan writes:
I am compiling a list of building in which Runcorn sandstone was used either in its construction or decoration. If you know of any such building please leave details and the source of teh information.
Thank you.
Alex Cowan
alex.cowan@talktalk.net

Mark Etchells writes:
Could you please point me in the direction of how I would find out more about the Cheshire Militia that served in Kamptee in India in the 1840s.
Thank you.
Mark Etchells
mark.etchells@fdsystems.co.uk

Peter Kinsey writes:
I have a copy of my Fathers birth certificate which states that he was born at New Terrace Helsby yet I can find no trace of this address. Can anyone help me?
Thank you.
Peter Kinsey
kevin.murphy@chilecopper.net

Kevin Murphy writes:
I wonder if anybody can help me, a friend of mine is trying to find out the history behind the Ex-Servicemen’s Club, in Mountain View, Helsby. She is trying to get any information about when it first opened, any other information that can be found. I would be grateful if any one, in the local area of Helsby has any older relatives that might be able to shed some light on this subject. I would be pleased to receive information and if possible put her in touch.

Best Regards.
Chile Copper / Codelco Services. Phone 020 7907 9604. Fax 020 7907 9610
kevin.murphy@chilecopper.net

John Bolton writes:
At the end of WWII, my father was a Sergeant at Penketh Hostel camp near Widnes (he also talked about Ashton in Makerfield), looking after the German prisoners of war. I remember visiting the camp (at the age of about 3 or 4) and meeting some of the prisoners (one of whom was the cook). I remember rolling balls on billiard table but the pockets had holes in them. I remember being in a Bedford flat-fronted 3 ton truck. I remember receiving many wooden toys made by the prisoners. I would be interested in finding out more about the camp.

Where could I best look for info and photos?
boltie@btinternet.com

David Sekers writes:
I have recently had published an edition of the Diary of Hannah Lightbody 1787-1790, and I wonder if you might be able to draw it to the attention of your members and readers? Hannah was descended from the family of Matthew and Philip Henry, her mother Elizabeth came from Chester, and Hannah herself ends the diary (in some despair it must be said) having married Samuel Greg. She went onto influence his factory community at Styal.

The diary covers intellectual and cultural activities in her dissenting circle, with a large cast of players throughout the North West and East Midlands.

Copies of the Diary can be obtained by contacting Martin Fitzpatrick, editor of the Journal of Enlightenment & Dissent, at mhf@aber.ac.uk

Many thanks
David Sekers

Annette Cooke writes: John Gee and the last hanging at Gallows Hill
I have an ancestor, John Gee, who was trialled at Chester Great Sessions on 13 April, 1801. He was transported to Australia on the HMS Glatton to Port Jackson, but finished his days in Tasmania aged about 100 years. Early transportees had very little information sent with them, mostly only the date and place of trial.

A kind person looked up the Chester papers and found John Clare, John Gee and Ledsham Clare broke in the house of Sir R S Cotton Bart and stole a quantity of plate. Both John Clare and John Gee received death sentence, and it appears from another source that John Clare escaped and drowned while awaiting execution. This was the last execution at Gallows Hill.

Do you have any information re this event, and the names of the two who were hung with John Clare (even though he was already dead). Unless there were two people by the name of John Gee trialled on the same day, John Gee must have had his sentence commuted to transportation for life.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

annettec54@bigpond.com

Andy May writes: William Street, Hoole
Hi, I wonder if you can kindly help me please.

I am trying to find out when the houses were built in William Street, Hoole, have you any ideas? I look fwd to hearing if you can help me please.

Many thanks.

Andy

may471@btinternet.com

Hirako Sato of Tokyo, Japan writes:
I am a member of an amateur recorder playing group in Tokyo. We plan to play "Churton's Farewell" composed by Randall Jewett at the concert to be held on the 2nd August.

I tried to have an information on the music and the composer, Randall Jewett on the internet but there is scarcely any information at all, only that he lived between 1603 and 1675 and he was a son of a former mayor [of Chester].

I would appreciate it greatly if you would let us know about the meaning of the title, Churton's Farewell. i.e., on which occasion this music was made, or about the composer.

Thank you.

hirox2@rio.odn.ne.jp

NOTE: Tony Bostock has answered this in part with an extract from the entry in the Dictionary of National Biography