Trying to find my grandfather John Willie Crabtree

[Pendlewitch]

Thanks Wendy. Is there anything you don't know??? You are definitely a wealth of information.

[Whyperion]

If its registered in Skipton , wont the local register office their have a copy ? It can be cheaper than GRO (not with bus fares !) and quicker.

[Wendyf]

Pendlewitch doesn't live locally Whyperion.
I love being able to help with family history mysteries PW, and because I'm always researching something or other I treat myself to subscriptions to the various sites. It was old fashioned research by Stephanie that did the trick in the end though!
Finding out about births/marriages/deaths after 1837 is free though on Free BMD

Family Search is also free.

[Pendlewitch]

Great stuff Wendy. Thank you for this. I can look up loads of other stuff now.

[Pendlewitch]

It turns out that Cloggy is my first cousin once removed. We have had some lovely chats and he has been very helpful filling gaps on my grandma's side of the family, but is unable to shed much light on the Crabtree side of the family. He spent a proportion of his younger years growing up alongside my dad and his brother. I am still looking for a picture of my granddad, John William Crabtree, born April 1902 in Kelbrook and died 1st May 1947 in Sawley. He married my grandma Frances Ellen Dinsdale in 1929, not sure when, or where. I have tried to get certificates or information from Free BMD, but it doesn't seem to throw anything up in the search. If anyone can and any information, I would be very grateful.

[Wendyf]

Their marriage was registered in Skipton in the 2nd qtr of 1929. You could order their Marriage Certificate which would tell you where the marriage took place. The reference is Volume 9a page 95.

That's all the information you need to order a marriage certificate PW.

[Pendlewitch]

Thanks Wendy, do you think if I get a copy of the marriage certificate, then there may have been a wedding photo in the local paper? Did they put wedding pictures in the paper in those days?

[Wendyf]

I don't know about photos in the paper. I feel it would be unlikely unless there was wealth & social position involved! Your best bet for a photo might be something to do with church or chapel events, even school. I'll have a look.

[Pendlewitch]

Thank you

[Pendlewitch]

They may have been Baptist or Methodist, but I'm not too sure on this.

[Wendyf]

What about Crabtree relatives? Do you have contact with any of the Crabtree family?

[Pendlewitch]

Unfortunately not. Only my grandads orher sons family and they know less than me, I'm afraid.

[Wendyf]

I've been searching through the Earby History Society's photo archive and found photos of Harry Crabtree at Kelbrook School...I believe he was John Willie's younger brother. That doesn't help though does it?

[Pendlewitch]

Yes Harry was John Willies younger brother. I remember him with great fondness, he was a very funny man. I was bridesmaid to his daughter Brenda. A photo of him would be nice to see as a little boy. A picture of my grandad is just about the final piece to my jigsaw now though.

[Wendyf]

Kelbrook School Football Shield 1927/8. According to the notes with the photo Harry Crabtree is Back Row Left.

[Stanley]

Wonderful Wendy......

[Pendlewitch]

Great stuff Wendy, thank you again. Just to clarify so I have the correct person, Harry is the little guy on the end, on the back row far left.

[Wendyf]

I think so, the notes seem to imply that he is back left of the photo, rather than left of the group....
The chances of there being another Harry Crabtree of the right age (he was 10 in 1927) in Kelbrook are slim.

[Pendlewitch]

Thanks again

[Stanley]

Long shot but here is a Harry Crabtree in 1977 (on the right) at Bancroft in 1977.



And here is another Harry Crabtree (the father of the one above?) at Big Mill Earby with the broken shaft on the Victoria engine in 1954.



I've got my index cards out for the Crabtree family and will post them this morning under Crabtree Index. Something may be of interest....

[Pendlewitch]

Not too sure on this one Stanley. My dad's uncle Harry would have had a father called Richard and not Harry, he was also quite short of hair but wore a toupe. Interesting though, that they may be relatives. I will look them out in my family tree, but their first names do not sound familiar, and I don't recollect having another Harry in the tree. My dad has two more relatives on the Dinsdale side, who I can't place with anyone on the family tree. One is Lance Dinsdale, who lived in a bungalow at Salterforth and owned a battery hen farm, married to Mary and the other is Barry Dinsdale, widow who re-married a lady called Margaret. They lived at one time in North Kilworth near Lutterworth Leicestershire, before eventually moving to live in Spain. My parents by shear coincidence, bought a house in the same Leicester village back in the 1980's.

[Gavino42]

I know this is a bit of an old post, but I found this recently whilst metal detecting in the Sawley/Bolton by Bowland/Gisburn area.

I've sent Pendlewitch a PM, hopefully the email address is still good!

[image]https://ibb.co/kBV83Mj[/image]
https://ibb.co/kBV83Mj

[Stanley]

I hope you get a result Gavin. Sometimes these old posts yield results but it can be a slow burner!
One route that works surprisingly often is cold calling Crabtrees in the telephone book in the area.

[cloghopper]

Hello Stanley and thanks for the photo to Gavino.
It looks like Penflewitch's grandad or possibly great grandad. She forwarded the photo to me.
As you can see I'm still around but a bit slow on the uptake.
A big Hi to everyone on the site.
cloggy.

[Wendyf]

Hi Cloggy, lovely to see you!