Halstead family

[z900guy]

Hiya

Does anyone have any information on the Halstead family who built my parents farm in 1688 ?

The farm is Higher Heys on the old Kings Highway at the top of Sandy Lane and is featured in Old Homesteads of Accrington.

Oh and if anyone has a copy for sale that would be brilliant

Thanks

Chris

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by z900guy

Hiya

Does anyone have any information on the Halstead family who built my parents farm in 1688 ?

The farm is Higher Heys on the old Kings Highway at the top of Sandy Lane and is featured in Old Homesteads of Accrington.

Oh and if anyone has a copy for sale that would be brilliant

Thanks

Chris

I would treat Ainsworths Old Homesteads with pinch of salt, no one has been able to verify his sources of information. There are large discrepancies in a lot of his work. Then he did work for the Accrington Obeserver.
The earliest Halstead in my records is 1600 is Hugh Halstead Gentleman Freeholder of Habergham. The first one to appear in the parish records, is a William Halstead, who has his daughter Susan baptized at Altham, 23 Feb 1630.

On checking the 1660 tax rolls there are no Halsteads in Accrington.
Retlaw.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by z900guy

Hiya

Does anyone have any information on the Halstead family who built my parents farm in 1688 ?

The farm is Higher Heys on the old Kings Highway at the top of Sandy Lane and is featured in Old Homesteads of Accrington.

Oh and if anyone has a copy for sale that would be brilliant

Thanks

Chris

Having just checked the 1790 Survey of New Accrington, I find that Messrs Halstead, owned several parcels of land rented out to various tenants, namely Bank Top, Clough Bottom, Heights and Hey.
There used to be another farm near yours known as lower Hey, I dont think there is much trace of it now, there were some ruins near the road to the quarry, its over 40 years since I was last up that way

Retlaw.

[z900guy]

Hiya Ret
We have all the old paperwork with the house but as you say no positive proof the Halsteads built it , however the datestone has four sets of initials AH < WH and two more sets so its likely.
Very little remains of Lower Hey now except a gatepost with 17th century graffiti carved into it.
Lower Moor which is just above our place also had a datestone AH 1664 which my mate from school built into his fireplace at Rising Bridge I have been up there today and next to nothing left of that one either although I used to play in it as a lad.
Do you have any record of an Inn near Mitchells House above Lower Moor which was called The Black Lamb we think as there is some of that still visible

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by z900guy

Hiya Ret
We have all the old paperwork with the house but as you say no positive proof the Halsteads built it , however the datestone has four sets of initials AH < WH and two more sets so its likely.
Very little remains of Lower Hey now except a gatepost with 17th century graffiti carved into it.
Lower Moor which is just above our place also had a datestone AH 1664 which my mate from school built into his fireplace at Rising Bridge I have been up there today and next to nothing left of that one either although I used to play in it as a lad.
Do you have any record of an Inn near Mitchells House above Lower Moor which was called The Black Lamb we think as there is some of that still visible

Lower Moor Farm was last owned by Tom Kane, I used to shoot rats in his barn. The last time I saw him was on a Saturday over 50 years ago,
the following week I read in the paper he had died, he had been dead some while, his sheep dog was by his side looking after him, and keeping the rats off.

The last time I was in that area, the building had been vandalised and the upper storey was missing. Can't find any information about an Inn near there, but that area is in Rossendale, there's nothing on the old maps to show any buildings between Lower Moor and Stonefold.
The farmer who owned Higher Hey, when I attended the barn fire, and who delivered our milk was called Dixon.

Retlaw

[ian_heys]

In need of help.

My ancestors were said to be resident in Henheads at the turn of the 19th century - I have taken this to mean the area between Mitchell House Reservoir and Stone Fold and wonder if Retlaw could comment on whether there were any Heys's in the 1790 survey of New Accrington.

I wonder whether he could tell me if there are any Heys's in the survey - they are said to be weavers at that time.

Failing that could he advise me on how to view a copy of the survey.

IH

[Retlaw]

[quote=ian_heys;657019]In need of help.

My ancestors were said to be resident in Henheads at the turn of the 19th century - I have taken this to mean the area between Mitchell House Reservoir and Stone Fold and wonder if Retlaw could comment on whether there were any Heys's in the 1790 survey of New Accrington.

I wonder whether he could tell me if there are any Heys's in the survey - they are said to be weavers at that time.

Failing that could he advise me on how to view a copy of the survey.

IH

Henheads Farm is not in the 1790 or the 1828 survey of New Accrington.

The 1846 ordnance survey shows it could be in Haslingden, the town boundaries have a lot of kinks and turns in the area of Higher Hey, Henheads may even be part of Burnley, The Michell Reservoirs are definitely not in Accrington, and Henheads is not in the Census Returns for Accrington 1841/51/61.

The are only two copies of the 1790 survey of New Accrington, one is locked away in the archives at Accrington Library. Most of the stuff is in storage, whilst the archive room is awaiting repairs to the structure.

Retlaw.

[ian_heys]

I believe Henheads was part of Higher Booths (now Crawshawbooth) in the 1841 Census - and it seems to have ceased to become part of Haslingden administrative area shortly after that.

My ancestors gave up weaving around the time of the Power Loom riots and became Calico Printers - they had left the area by 1841 and settled in Crawshawbooth proper by 1861 having spent some years in the Turton area.

Strangely they ended up working at Loveclough Print Works - a very short distance from Henheads over the moors.

Thanks for your help on the matter - I'll have a look at the survey when I get a chance.

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by ian_heys

I believe Henheads was part of Higher Booths (now Crawshawbooth) in the 1841 Census - and it seems to have ceased to become part of Haslingden administrative area shortly after that.

My ancestors gave up weaving around the time of the Power Loom riots and became Calico Printers - they had left the area by 1841 and settled in Crawshawbooth proper by 1861 having spent some years in the Turton area.

Strangely they ended up working at Loveclough Print Works - a very short distance from Henheads over the moors.

Thanks for your help on the matter - I'll have a look at the survey when I get a chance.

------
I extracted all the names from the 1790 survey and ran them thro a database. I can assure you there is no one named Heys in the survey.

The 1828 survey shows 3 Heys.
Betty in Grange Lane.
James in Higher Antley.
Thomas in Chadwick Fold.
All are tenants of cottages.
Retlaw.

[ian_heys]

Thanks again for your help.

Can't see a connection with any of those.

Saves me a visit to the library though.

IH

[Retlaw]

Originally Posted by ian_heys

Thanks again for your help.

Can't see a connection with any of those.

Saves me a visit to the library though.

IH

I've been checking my files, its now some 20 years since I did the original work on the 1790 and the 1828/38 Surveys of New Accrington.
The Valuer was called Tom Woodcock, managed to trace the him back, the firm was still in existence. Coming from Accrington thro the traffic lights at Deardengate 1/2 way to Warner St, their offices were on the left.

They knew of the surveys, but had never seen them, maybe he also did some for Haslingden, check with Haslingden Library. The Librarian in Haslingden, if I remember correctly is called Heather.

Retlaw.

[ian_heys]

Thanks

I'll check it out when I'm next in the area.

[Morecambe Ex Pat]

I know this is an old thread but we too have connections with the township of Henheads. We are still doing as much as we can on the internet and via friends in the area until we can get down to visit.
There are a number of Heys mentioned in the 1861 census from the Rising Bridge/Henheads area.
We have a connection with the family name Cronkshaw of henheads and Lower Booths but need to spend some time looking through local records, in person.

[Johnlayreader]

Originally Posted by z900guy

Hiya Ret
We have all the old paperwork with the house but as you say no positive proof the Halsteads built it , however the datestone has four sets of initials AH < WH and two more sets so its likely.
Very little remains of Lower Hey now except a gatepost with 17th century graffiti carved into it.
Lower Moor which is just above our place also had a datestone AH 1664 which my mate from school built into his fireplace at Rising Bridge I have been up there today and next to nothing left of that one either although I used to play in it as a lad.
Do you have any record of an Inn near Mitchells House above Lower Moor which was called The Black Lamb we think as there is some of that still visible

I have just joined the forum as I may be able to shed some light on the date stone.

The initials AH WH may refer to Alice Holt and William Halstead who lived at "Mitchell's in Henheads" according to family records which were compiled by my Halstead ancestors. Curious the wife's initials appear first. They were married in Feb 1669 and William died in 1693. I believe they had three children, Richard and William, presumably twins, born in 1669 in Stonefold, and Robert, birth date not known. William was a Yeoman farmer in 1692 according to the Agrarian History of England and Wales. Family records also refer to the son William residing at "Moor in Henheads".

Could you post a picture of the date stone please if you are still on the forum?

I am interested in finding out more about the William Halstead who died in 1693 to see if I can get back further in my family tree.

John