Lock Keepers in Mirfield, West Yorkshire

[Grayshon-Pedley]

Where/How do I find a list of Lock Keepers in Mirfield, West Yorkshire

I think I have a Woodcock or a Sheard whoi was a Lock Keeper who fell in when drunk and drowned

Some time 1880 to 1940 - I know quite a spread


Chris

[Pam Downes]

Firstly, do you have a (possible) first name?
Have you checked occupations on the census?
Have you gone through the death registrations for those names on the GRO Index/FreeBMD. (The latter won't yet claim to be complete for 1880 -1940, but the majority of entries for those years have been transcribed.)

Mirfield library has the local newspapers. Have a day out :smile5: and go through the papers looking for reports of the deaths of the Woodcocks and Sheards you've found registered in Dewsbury registration district 1880-1938, and Spen Valley registration district 1939 onwards.
Um, looking at the number of Sheard deaths you might need to make that a week's day out. :biggrin: Though you should be able to eliminate about fifty per cent as they're females and children. Though don't dismiss them entirely as family stories do get distorted over time, and it could have been a female or a child who drowned.

The library might have local directories, which list the main householder at an address. If you can find where the lock-keeper's cottage (if there was one) was relative to other roads you might find a Sheard or Woodcock listed for particular years, which should help narrow down the search a little.

http://communitydirectory.kirklees.gov.uk/communityDirectory/venueDetails.aspx?venueID=62

Pam