St Thomas the Martyr, Upholland

[PhilB-C]

Not sure if this is the correct place to post ?

I'm looking at Margaret ATHERTON 1848-? (daughter of Moses & Alice, Prospect House, Pimbo Lane, Upholland).
I have found her baptism (11 March 1848) but can find no definite record of her after the 1861 census.
Marriage didn't turn anything up but there is a burial recorded for "a" Margaret Atherton, age 20, on 11 January 1869 at St Thomas the Martyr, Upholland.
I have scoured the internet in the hope of finding if perhaps there is a headstone as an inscription might prove or disprove if it's the correct 'Margaret'.
By co-incidence, Moses (age 58) was also buried at St Thomas later the same year .... there might even be a family plot ?

I have been directed towards the Lancashire Record Office as someone told me they have a transcript of St Thomas's MIs 1721-1981 but it took me round in circles for longer than I would like to admit (probably my age LOL).

I have contacted St Thomas but unfortunately the person I need is away on holiday.

Regrettably I am some considerable distance away.

Any suggestions or (being cheeky) anybody have a spare hour to wander around the graveyard ? (tongue-in-cheek "LOL")

[Blue70]

Hi

Welcome to the forum. The MIs don't appear to be available online but they are out there as Family Search mention them in their catalogue although they aren't available via Family Search at home:-

https://familysearch.org/search/catalog ... %20Library


Blue

[MaryA]

Hi and welcome to the forum. I don't think any of our regular forum members live close enough to Upholland to be able to wander around the graveyard, despite it being one of our most enjoyable hobbies

I did check our shop, but the only CD for that church is way out for the dates of interest.

You don't say how you were trying to get in touch with Lancashire Record Office, but I'm a great fan of the telephone and I've found that they are often quite helpful, at least they will tell you if they have the records or not. Here is a direct telephone number 01772 533039 and if they find something they are often quite reasonably priced to send a copy by email.

[Hilary]

Lancashire Record Office have a transcript of the MIs for the church and their burial registers. They are not online you will either have to go and look at them, get someone to do it for you or ask the cost for the Record Office to look for you.

[Hilary]

Moses left a will according to the Probate Index online on Ancestry and left a lot. You could buy a copy of the will to see if Margaret is mentioned. As a copy will cost £10 it would be cheaper to Get Margaret's death certificate at £9.25 from the GRO.

[Hilary]

I've done a bit more digging and apparently the Skelmersdale and Upholland group of our society did the MIs of St Thomas Upholland and they were on microfiche and the Lancashire Record Office and Wigan History Shop have either transcripts of the microfiche and/or the microfiche.

I wonder if our publications officer knows if they made it onto CD or are still available on microfiche?

[MaryA]

I didn't find them listed in our shop, but I will ask Joe if he knows and can advise.

[Hilary]

I didn't see them in the shop either but I also noticed that one church MIs that I know were on sale aren't listed either or at least I couldn't see them.

[MaryA]

One of the members from the Skelmersdale Group is taking a look over the weekend, she believes she may be able to help.

[PhilB-C]

My word you have been busy - thank you all very much (what a friendly and helpful forum).

I was showing my wife a picture of St Thomas last night and she immediately recognised it as her father used to take her there to put flowers on several graves.

I had an email last night from someone offering to take photographs of the Atherton grave(s) in a couple of weeks .... I thought it was one of you but it might have been someone from the church (they didn't say).

My wife was from Wigan and my late mother from Sankey - both have said that you people up there are more friendly than "us Southerners" .... looks like they are both right

[Joe Griffiths]

I do have one or two sets of fiche for St Thomas the Martyr, Upholland (Lower Ground) MIs. They are not listed in the on-line shop as it was decided not to continue with fiche as not many people have access to readers and it is becoming more and more difficult to have copies of the originals made. We will continue to sell fiche at fairs etc at heavily discounted prices until stocks are exhausted.

St Thomas are available for a nominal £1 plus 50p towards postage, if PhilB-C e-mails me on publications at liverpool-genealogy.org.uk i can arrange to send a set of fiche (9 in total)
Joe Griffiths

[MaryA]

Thanks Joe, Phil may be able to access a fiche reader at his local library/Record Office. That price is well worth taking the chance.

[daggers]

It is a few years back but I was helped by a lady verger at St Thomas's when I was grave-hunting. There was some form of burial plan in the vestry.
Not much help to the original poster, but might be useful for anyone visiting the church. It is a very large graveyard!
D

[MaryA]

From the MI's

In loving memory of Moses Atherton of Prospect House, Upholland who died April 7th 1869 aged 57 years

Alice, relict of the above who died Feb 29th 1892 aged 72 Margaret daughter of the above Jan 6th 1869 aged 20 years. Catherine daughter of the above who died March 15th 1901 aged 50 Thomas Barton son of the above who died Feb 5th 1907 aged 63 years also Alice daughter of the above at rest July 31st 1915 aged 60 years also Emblin daughter of the above at rest Dec 18th 1930 aged 72

[PhilB-C]

MaryA that is exactly spot on with every single person and also solves the mystery of Margaret.

I have since had another reply from my enquiry to St Thomas confirming what you say and a kind gentleman has offered to take a photograph for me.

As my wife recalls placing flowers on "several" graves, I think I will also take up Joe's kind offer of the fiche(s)

Thank you all very much indeed for your help.

[PhilB-C]

The set of microfiche kindly offer by Joe arrived safe & sound but too cheap so I upped the payment (many thanks Joe).
Would you believe there is not one single public library in Dorset that still has a microfiche reader and neither does the county records office (I find that one hard to believe) ?
However, I have found a local family history society who say I can use theirs - Genealogists are always sooo friendly (it must be in the genes) ?
Many many thanks to all of you for your assistance

[MaryA]

I'm surprised that the microFILM machines aren't dual purpose - they are in Liverpool.

[PhilB-C]

Hi again,
I am experimenting with DIY scanning the microfiche into digital as I don't believe St Thomas has ever been done (it's horrendously expensive to have done commercially). This is going to be a very time consuming exercise but if it's successful (and as a token of my gratitude) you would be more than welcome to a CD that you could copy and sell in your shop ?
I assume (hope) that this wouldn't contravene any copyright laws ?

[MaryA]

It's a lovely offer, Joe would need to respond re copyright.

[PhilB-C]

OK, I'll email Joe