Toll Gate Keeper - Rushton Spencer

[Lucky]

0n the 1871 census my ancestor James Moss was described as the Toll Gate Keeper at Rushton Spencer, he lived at Toll Gate. Does anyone have any thoughts as to what or where about this was at that time.|idea|
Thanks
Lucky

[Peter Goodey]

Have you looked at GenUKI?

http://www.genuki.org.uk/

There may be a clue in their description...

Rushton Spencer is a village and township, five miles NW by N of Leek. Its chapelry (to Leek & Lowe parish) includes Rushton James and Heaton townships. The manor of Rushton Spencer is in five moities, belonging to the Johnson, Webb, Hardware, and Yardley families, and one belonging to the freeholders. Rushton Spencer township contains 355 souls and 1500 acres and includes the village of Rushton Marsh, on the turnpike, half a mile S of the chapel. Here is a railway station, on the Churnet Valley Branch of the North Staffordshire Railway, which is sometimes thronged with visitors to Rudyard Lake.

Try the Old Maps website.

[Peter Goodey]

Also use the census to the full. For example, check the description of the enumeration district, "walk" the enumerator's route looking out for landmarks.

[Lucky]

Thank you Peter, I hadn't thought about the connection with Rudyard Lake and the railway station. I remember my parents talking about their ancestors going to Rudyard Lake for days out. What are moities??? I have looked at the tithe map but couldn't find anything to do with a toll gate.

Thanks Lucky

[Peter_uk_can]

Another link and a compendium of sources

http://www.turnpikes.org.uk/

[peter-robinson8]

Hi Lucky,

I've just been on to the Rushton Spencer site, family history, and in the transcriptions there are lots of mentions of James Moss. There is a Tollgate Rd. between Endon and Rudyard on the Google Earth site. Hope this will help.
We have a lot in common!
Kathleen.

[Lucky]

Hi Finbar

Thank you - sure this is what I have been looking for - I think a visit to Rushton Spencer is my next move. Thank you again
Lucky

[Lucky]

Thank you Peter for the link to Turnpikes - a really useful site with lots of interest to me.

Lucky

[Lucky]

Hi Kathleen

Thank you once again for your help. We certainly do have a lot in common - maybe we are related!

Lucky