Author: HarrietP
Journalist and amateur genealogist
Charles Gilder – and hydropathy
The gravestone of Charles Gilder and his wife Hannah Gilder, née Maud, has a bird on the top. Presumably a dove, its wings are outstretched and its head high. The symbolism may not have been intentio... Read More
Handloom weavers – starvation in Carlisle
Handloom weavers – starvation in Carlisle In my previous post, I contrasted the ‘bright lights’ of Christmas 1854 in Carlisle with the plight of families who were dying from starvation and relat... Read More
Christmas 1854 in Carlisle
Christmas 1854 was the starting point for my research simply because I looked at Christmas in Penrith in 1853 previously. What quickly ‘jumped out at me’ was a reminder that poverty and desperatio... Read More
John Howson a Penrith coach builder
John Howson began his career as a Penrith coach builder with a hiccup, and ended it in misfortune. Here is his story. Who was John Howson? Perhaps it’s not surprising, when researching the Victorian... Read More
Life in Georgian Cumbria
Cumbrian Characters doesn’t touch much on Georgian Cumbria. Mainly because it’s easier to find information on the 19th century. Births, marriages and deaths were standardised as a civil matter... Read More
Lost gravestones
The lost gravestones of Holy Trinity Church, Carlisle, inspired this post about the importance of such memorials to anyone who cares about history and their ‘roots’. Tell people you like to wander... Read More
Put the kettle on – it’s tea time for some history
Tea isn’t just a beverage in Britain, it’s a social institution, part of the very fabric of life. Tea time (and afternoon tea) may now seem quaint. But we still use it as a panacea for all ill... Read More
