Churwell’s Cinderella Story

'For a few weeks I attended the Thornhill Free Church School and that is all the education I ever had in a school.   As far my stepfather had taken little notice of me, but my increasing age I suppose made me more valuable, an on his removal to Churwell, about 3 miles from Leeds on the Morley side, I definitely made my home with him and my mother.  I would then be nearly 7 years of age, and was set to work gathering potatoes after the plough, for which I, or rather my stepfather was paid three shillings.  My stepfather’s...

Wind the Bobbin Up, Wind the Bobbin Up

'I was born at Thornhill Edge, a mining village about 3 miles from Dewsbury, on May 10th 1846.  My father died soon afterwards, and my mother and I continued to live with my grandfather, in whose house I was born, till she married a miner named      *Henry left this detail out deliberately as you will see .  For a time I continued to live with my grandfather, occasionally visiting my mother and stepfather.  Of our own father, I know little, being too young to understand at first, and later my mothers troubles with her brute of a husband occupied all...

Sprung from Sturdy Yorkshire Stock

'To what purpose this account of my life will eventually be put I cannot say.  My present purpose is to set down events in order as I remember them, for the benefit of my family, whose present comfortable circumstances might lead them to forget the lowly origin from which they sprang.  They have been spared with vicissitudes (especially of health) through which I have passed, for which I am devoutly thankful, as also I am thankful that they have one and all contributed to their industry in building up a competence which I trust with all my heart will not...

Introducing Henry Heaton

Henry Heaton was the father of William Heaton who founded Heatons.  Whilst delving through Doreen Heaton's wardrobe one day this summer, we found some family photographs and a first hand account of the life of Henry Heaton between the years of 1846 and 1914 - recorded by the man himself.  She was there by the way, we weren't just rooting through her drawers! We are spoilt for choice these days when it comes to accessing information and people's opinions thanks to the internet.  Blogging, social networking, geneology websites and so forth are accessible at the touch of a button and the...

Heaton's History - Introducing Doreen

Yesterday we went to see Doreen Heaton, Tim's grandmother, who is on the right here. To be fair, we have both been so busy working on getting the website ready to go, that we hadn't been round to see her in weeks. Note to selves, must find more hours in each day, has anyone worked out how to make that possible yet? We were lucky to catch her in the house in fact, as at 86 years old, Doreen is as independent in nature and strong in character now as you can imagine her to have been in her twenties....