Recent Posts
Wrong certificate: a lesson for family historians
The wrong certificate A death certificate that turned out not to be the person I was looking for isn’t all ‘bad news’. It eliminates that possibility. And this being Cumbrian Characters, won’t... Read More
Breach of promise: a true-life Frank Churchill
A breach of promise case is an odd post for Valentine’s Day, perhaps. But then this Cumbrian Frank Churchill sent a Valentine to the woman he later wronged. Compare and contrast Frank Churchill,... Read More
Sarah Nicholson, no merry widow!
Sarah Nicholson ‘had the misfortune to marry a man 25 years her senior’. This seemingly unlucky accident (!) led to villagers trying to drive her out in 1879. But she was no strange to violence he... Read More
Carlisle 1810: Jollie’s Cumberland Guide
‘Carlisle 1810’ may sound a random date, but thanks to Jollie’s Cumberland Guide and Directory, we have a good (if partial!) idea of what the city was like then. The guide, published in two part... Read More
FP signs – what are they?
FP signs are like street furniture – something most people walk past without really noticing. Yet they could be a matter of life or death in times gone by. For FP signs are the predecessors of fire ... Read More
Lancelot Pattinson the Patterdale cave man
The ‘case’ of Lancelot Pattinson of Patterdale is a useful one for any family historian tempted to excitement over what seems an unusual name – or indeed a good yarn! The Matterdale puzzle A Lan... Read More
Jacobite occupation: Carlisle 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745 greatly affected Cumberland and Westmorland. This is Carlisle’s story. In my post on the celebrations at the opening of the Carlisle Canal, in 1823, I mentioned that one... Read More
Holly, a unique Westmorland tradition
A look into a Twelfth Night tradition, involving holly, in Westmorland leads to the story of a worthy Cumbrian Character. But in this post, it’s all about the holly! Holly, a Brough-under-Stainmore ... Read More