projects
Latest update: May 2010
Our new website, boatfamilies.org.uk (please note: clicking the link will open a new window) is now up & running. This website has been developed by two members of our Society and is a credit to them both. It holds names of over 3,000 people who either worked on the local waterways, or were related to those who did. Our existing CDs , especially Burscough Boat Families and the St. John’s Burscough C. of E. then provide further details.
Due to the excellent work by a member, we are privileged to offer the CD of the Scarisbrick Tithe Map 1839. This holds a full set of the maps of Scarisbrick with searchable lists of owners & renters of the land. We hope this will form the standard for further Tithe Maps and lists, for us to publish in the future.
The Tithe Map (and much of the boatfamilies website) are examples of records which exist before the 1841 census. We already offer some early records and we intend to develop many more. Members enjoy a 10% discount if they buy directly from us (we welcome sterling cheques) and members are welcome to visit our Library & store on Monday afternoons. It is also possible to buy our products through the Parish Chest website, where you can use other methods of payment – such as credit cards.
Our work on Ormskirk Graveyard records has been greatly expanded. We were honoured to be invited by the Ormskirk Parish Church, to record their graveyard-record books. We were able to use our new camera & special lights for which we received a grant from the North West Federation of Family History Societies. The church then assisted us to obtain special permission to photograph their records which they had deposited at the Preston Record Office. The Officers at the record office were most helpful & provided special facilities for us to take the photographs & we are to provide Preston with a copy of our final work. This will allow visitors to the record office to view, on CD, the church records deposited there, without the risk of damage to the irreplaceable originals.
We hope to achieve the identification of all known graves in Ormskirk graveyard, including those of which the stones were moved in the 19th Century to act as flags to make the paths. This has vastly increased the scope of our project, with a consequent increase in the time it will take to fully complete.
The CD of Becconsall old church graveyard (All Saints) is nearing completion. The Friends of Becconsall have been checking the transcriptions and only a little more work is required.
The Maghull (St. Andrew’s) transcriptions will be checked in the next few weeks (subject to weather!). St. Andrew’s has also allowed us to photograph their grave records and these are now being transcribed. We intend to publish the transcriptions & associated photographs during this summer, with the transcriptions of the records soon after.
We have obtained a number of copies of early Oddfellows Society records for our area. These include names of many members, including those who were receiving payments for sickness. We will sell the excess stock & transcribe much of the information for publication.