F.A.O. David Wilkins, Auckland, N.Z.

[Diane Grant-Salmon]

Hello Again David,

Quite funny really, as I very nearly emigrated to N.Z. when I was younger, but can't remember whether it was Auckland or Wellington that I had chosen to go!

I went to Wakefield Girls High School (I was a Scholarship lass) but managed to survive and then worked for Catterall, Pell & Moxon, Solicitors in King Street, Wakefield as Cashier/Book-keeper for years.

I used to play in Horbury Park when I was a lickle lass, my Cousin's wife became Headmistress of Horbury Primary School sometime in the late 80's.

My Cousin b. Middlestown, went to Ossett Grammar School 1958-1965 and ended up teaching 11 year olds there from about 1970 until he took early retirement in 1997.

Well, you're better off in N.Z. today, as I had to unplug my puter earlier, owing to thunder, lightning and hailstones! :mad: I had just written that I would leave a message for you here too ..... so now it's a bit late! :)

[tfossey]

Hi Diane,

Pardon me for butting in, but I cannot help but respond to your post to David.

I was born and lived in Lupset as a child, went to Waterton Road infants and then to Snapethorpe High. I'm one of the 90% that never made the 11+ cut and so avoided grammer school, my sister made it to Thornes House though!

I left the area in my teens and have never lived there as an adult, though my parents still live near Thornes Park and my sisters live out Doncaster way.

Best regards,

[Diane Grant-Salmon]

Hi Terry,

Do three of us make a clique then! ;) Well, my Big Bruv went to Thornes House School (wish I had gone there too) and my Parents lived at Gill Syke House until their deaths in 1994.

Guess what? Never been to Doncaster in my life ...... :D

[David Wilkins]

Hello Terry, you might be interested in my reply to Dianne. Dianne I went to Horbury Primary when I first moved to Horbury in 1951 from Leeds and some of my school friends at Ossett were from Lupset.I went to Ossett Grammar School 1952 and left 1957 so just missed your cousin. I am in touch with some school friends via friends reunited. We used to own a cycle shop on New Road just before you get to the park from Horbury, we also had a petrol pump in those days as well. I understand the shop and house are quite different now to what it was back then. Terry I also know Thornes Park well, played soccer and cricket against the school there. From the family history point of view I have only been researching this year and it appears that most of my ancestors are from Middlesex on my fathers side and Lancashire and Ireland on my mothers. The Irish ancestory is going to be difficult because of lack of records but it will be a challenge. Good to catch up with you both and good luck with all your research.

David NZ

[tfossey]

Hi David,

You were a little bit ahead of me I'm afraid, I was born in Walton Hall in 1955 by which time you were already at Grammer School. Do you remember Walton Hall, the maternity hospital in the middle of a lake? I remember being delighted in telling people 'that I was born in the middle of a lake' when I was young. I think it is a hotel or something these days.

A little interesting thing that I learnt yesterday, I have a G.G.Aunt (Sarah Elizabeth Fossey) who married a Hamlet Haigh in 1908 in Wakefield. Hamlet was born in Dirtcar, a place that I could never find. I received a 1907 OS map of the Wakefiled area yesterday and whilst browsing it I suddenly noticed a small village called Dirtcar. It is just north of Crigglestone on the Denby Dale road... and then it clicked... just where Durkar is today. So it seems that Durkar was Dirtcar until sometime after 1907. Another puzzle solved.

Regards,

[Diane Grant-Salmon]

Hello Terry,

Yes, Walton Hall is a Hotel now (I lived in the next Village of Crofton for 13 years) ....... if my daughter had got married in Crofton instead of the Groom's Parish in Leicester ..... we were going to have the Reception there!

[mills]

Iwas born at Walton Hall in 1948 my mother worked their she was a kitchen maid

[mills]

[QUOTE=mills]Iwas born at Walton Hall in 1948 my mother worked their she was a kitchen maid .her name was Carrie Scholey