Welcome to the Brierley Village Website 

Introducing the work of Brierley and its people in photographs (Baipip)

Brierley is a small village near Barnsley in South Yorkshire England

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This web site is intended for your enjoyment. If you find any article offensive please email and it will be removed at once

Please email your comments on this web site and any requests to Gary (see email link below)

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PEOPLE SEARCH 

 Page 1 of 4 

Recent email for people search

Information and email addresses are not passed on without permission from both parties.

Page 1  Recent email for people search 
Page 2 People search from the old web site
Page 3 Snippets
Page 4 Success stories index

If you can offer help with any information, please email Gary

Information placed in April 2007

As a 14yr old I started work helping Billy Hughes in the projection room at Grimethorpe palace, at the same time I met my first girlfriend, her name was Josephine Buck and she lived at Brierley. Josie eventually went on and married and found work in the office at Hemsworth brick works, I would welcome any information as to her whereabouts.

Sincerely yours

Edmund Redmile Australia

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Information placed in March 2007

I am looking for some help in finding details around the early and unfortunate deaths of two of my uncles. The first one is Jim Kerr who died 6/12/36 aged 21years from burns following an explosion a few days earlier at Brierley colliery. The second one  Albert K Nicoll aged 24 years was at Grimethorpe colliery on 11/9/39.Any help or pointers would be most welcome.

Regards David Nicoll Pogmoor

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Information placed in January 2007

I have been researching the lives of my grandparents, Tom and Elizabeth Scholey ( and their parents, John (Jack) and Sarah Scholey of Ryhill and John and Eva Jolliffe of Normanton; as well as Nathaniel and Mary Scholey, of Ackworth and Ryhill, and Mary Robinson and Mark Jolliffe...!), and would like to hear from anyone who remembers them.  In particular, I remember John Steele, and his wife, Joyce, very well.  My father, Mark Scholey, moved us to East Yorkshire, where he became a successful Quantity Surveyor, but we continued to visit Royd View, Brierley until my granddad died. I am a historian and I think it is is no small degree due to my grandparents' love of history!  My father also loved history... and went on to marry his cousin after my own mother died, so that I am also looking for the Jolliffes of Normanton and the Robinsons of  "Altoffs?)", where my great-aunt (Mrs Laura Mackrill) was headmistress.  I went to Grimethorpe Infants School between 1958-1960, and we lived in Oak Street, until about 1960.

Mrs Susan Beaumont (nee Schofield) Leyburn

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Information placed in September 2006

I am looking for a friend I knew when I lived at 8 Park View Brierley. Her name was Jean Audin and she lived at number 6 Park View. The last I heard about her was that she was living at Bolton Abbey and I believe her married name may be Beecroft. I would love to get in touch with her again if anyone can help.

Thanks Gary 

Betty Richardson (nee Evans) Brierley

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Information placed in September 2006

I was wondering if you know of two cottages that used to be across from the shop at Hilltop? a good friend of mine lived on the left called Pat, she lived with her sister Doris, mother and Granddad, their names were King (nee) Prosser.I would love to know where Pat is now, I have not seen her  since 1957.She had a daughter  who she named Carolyn, her married name was Thorley. I would be very grateful if anyone can give me any info. About her, I think she went to live in Grimethorpe

Thanks again for all your good work. Regards Jill Gamewell (nee Wilkinson)

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Information placed in May2006

Patricia, Tommy and Maureen Johnson were brother and sisters who were sent to live with Mrs Schofield at number 9 Hodroyd Cottages during the war. Their ages at that time were between 3 and 10 and Patricia in particular remembers Alice Miles and her son Cyril who lived next door. The family would dearly love to get in touch with anyone who can remember them. Maureen who is now Maureen Hollies can be contacted on 01268 543662 or you can email Gary

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Information placed in May 2006

Dear Gary

I have just come across your site and was hoping you could help. I am wondering if there is anybody still in Brierley who remembers my father Bertrand Earl. He was born in the co-op buildings in 1918. I assume he attended the local school and then went to Hemsworth Grammar School . He worked in a pit workshop as an engineer apprentice I think. He joined the KOYLI territorials in 1939 and was sent to Norway ? he was wounded i think and transferred to the royal artillery and posted to Somerset where he met and married my mother. His father was John William Earl who was a wages clerk and later area accountant for Frickley Colliery. He retired to Pickering so I only know that part of Yorkshire from holidays. He died in 1960 and my father died in 1980. Being young and foolish I never asked my father too much about his life until it was to late so any info you could find would be most welcome. I live in Yeovil, Somerset .

I look forward your reply and remain,

Yours sincerely

Frank Earl

frankearl@tiscali.co.uk

I will ask about Frank I am sure their is. I have already spoken to one lady but she only vaguely remembers the family. She says she remembered your father and his sisters Margaret and Janet. Are we on the right tracks? I have also checked the Brierley school records and saw a Bertrand Earl born 21/6/1918 started Brierley school 25/6/1923. Margaret Earl born 26/1/1923 started Brierley school  29/8/1927and Janet Earl born 17/10/1920 started Brierley school 7/10/1925. I will update a little later when I have made further enquires.

Update

Dear Gary

Many thanks for your very prompt reply, you do indeed have the right family.

Sadly since I contacted you my Auntie Janet Earl has passed away and will be cremated this Fri 19th May. In Norwich where she has lived with Auntie Margaret and her husband Harold for many years.

I thank you for your efforts and hope you may discover more.

If anybody up there needs any research done in my area ( Somerset ) I would be happy to assist if I can.

Yours Sincerely

Frank Earl  

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Information placed in March 2006

Hi  Gary,
Found your website while on the net, was just wondering if you can help me find out about an old friend that lived in your village approx. 10 -15yrs ago. (he may still live there). His name is George Carter, he was a builder, originally from Walton, and lived with his partner June in the house known as 'Laburnums' on the main road. We lost touch a few years back, and would really like to know what happened to him.
Thanks in anticipation
Wendy Hartley Hall Green, Wakefield,

No problem with that one Wendy, George is an old friend of mine and I will contact him today to see if I can pass on his details to you.

Hi Gary,
         Thanks for your reply, I'm really glad to hear that you are a friend of George, I wasn't sure how I would have found him otherwise. Tell him we are okay, the kids have moved on, and we still live at the same address. But if he wants to get in touch and catch up on old times, the landline is the same as it was.
Wendy Hartley Hall Green, Wakefield,

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Information placed in March 2006

Hi Gary, I have just found your website while researching my family history into William Bancks (b 1782). I too would like to get in contact with Chris Green who emailed about William Bancks and Rev Charles Gerard Winstanley Bancks. I see that you also had contacts from a Robert Baines and a Peter Mayer and would be grateful if you could put me in contact with either of them.

My family history research shows that some of the children of William Bancks were born at Brierley Hill – this is in Staffordshire (between Dudley and Stourport) and clearly not the same place as your Brierley in South Yorkshire. The name Brierley Hill is often abbreviated to Brierley and may even have been transcribed from censuses as Brierley Hall – or possibly there was a Brierley Hall at Brierley Hill. I imagine this explains why you could find no mention of a William Bancks ever owning ‘your’ Brierley Hall!

Thanks Julie Wright, Brussels, Belgium

Thanks for the information Julie. I have put out an appeal on the homepage for the above to contact the web site with a view to passing on their details to you.

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Information placed in January 2006

Hi Gary

I don't know if you can help but I'm trying to find out about Jack Smethurst who played in the Grimethorpe colliery band. We believe he is buried in the Brierley church yard and died aged about 80 years old.

I have found some papers belonging to my late father and he was under the impression that he was connected in some way to my family as most of my dads family were connected to bands and played cornets and trombones. I wonder if anyone knows anything about Jack or can look at his death at the church for me then we can find out his birth date and death date. I'd be most grateful for any info on Jack to help me sort out if he is in our tree or not

Thanks

Diane Chambers  nee Smethurst Lancashire

Also on the recent email page

We will certainly do our best for you Diane. Come on then folks, did you know Jack or any of his family. If so email me the details and I will pass them on to Diane.

Update October 3rd 2006

I have just been browsing the emails on the site and noticed that someone wanted information regarding Jack Smethurst. Jack certainly played in the Grimethorpe Band.  He played trombone and I remember hearing him practice in the attic. This was late 50s/early60s.Memories are a bit hazy, but  I lived at 6 Hodroyd Cottages from 1949 (aged 1) to 1968 and the Smethursts lived at number 10.  Their daughter Joyce and her husband lived with them.  He was the chemist for the Co-op in Cudworth.  They had a son, possibly Christopher, whose birth I remember but not the year. I believe Joyce died when her son was quite small.

 

I hope these scraps of information will help.  I will ask my mother if she can add anything further of interest.

Christine Cheetham

Royston

 

Hi Gary, Please thank the lady who emailed about Jack Smethurst.

He may not be connected to my family but my dad had a feeling that he was as he had a conversation with some one called A Garbett who was in the Grimethorpe band and he said that Jack  was buried in Brierley Cemetery.

My Smethursts came from Bury Lancs but some of them moved about a lot. I don't know when he Jack died just that he was 80. It would have been about 5 years ago that my dad spoke to this man. If anyone can help me further I would be most grateful especially if I could find out Jacks year of birth

Diane Chambers Lancashire

 

The lady (Christine Cheetham) who wrote last time as pointed out that when she heard Jack in the attic he was actually giving music lessons. His daughter Joyce married a Clifford Tomlinson and they had a son called Nicholas but apparently Joyce died when Nicholas was young and Clifford not long afterwards. I will check the cemetery again when we get a fine day.

Gary

Thanks a lot for replying

I'll await to see if you find anything out at the cemetery but there again he might not have had a headstone but thanks anyway for trying for me

Diane Chambers

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Information placed in December 2005

Gary,  

Can you please put me in touch with Elaine Armstrong who appears on your email page, as it would appear her granddad married my granddad's sister. It may also be coincidence that their family name was Graham & that is my original family name.. My granddad was Frank Graham, his sister Dorothy was Joe Lodge's wife. I have some photo's of uncle Joe with Brownie & Topper & another 2 horses that I cannot remember the name of. I also have all 'Aunty' Dorothy's school reports from the 1920's and her certificates that she won for various things at chapel. I do not remember 'Uncle' Joe as he was actually my mum's uncle & died before I was born. My mum remembers him though, and Topper. Dorothy never remarried and until her own death spoke of Joe with much love. I also have birthday and Christmas cards that she saved from their marriage - you are welcome to borrow anything of interest.

I have some other photo's of Uncle Joe & Aunty Dorothy. She was a lovely lady, I don't know if Elaine's 'Graham' side of the family is also related. Ada - lived at Brierley park, Harold lived in Grimethorpe.  If Elaine would like to get in touch I can show her the collection of things I have that were passed to me after my 'Aunty' Dorothy's death.

    Also I've been trying to find the Parry family that lived in Brierley Park in the early 70's. There were Shane, Andrew, Beverley & Tracey. Shane was the eldest, Beverley will be approx 39 now & Tracey a bit younger. They moved from Brierley to Hemsworth. I've bumped into them very briefly when I first moved back to Brierley after living in the South for 14 years. I can't seem to find them since then. Both Bev & Tracey did a lot of dancing & had loads of cups & trophies. I wondered if any of the family can put me back in touch.  

  I'm also trying to locate Bev & Debbie King again-they lived on Regina Crescent in Brierley, I think Debbie is still in Brierley but not sure where. I would like to try and catch up if anyone can help.

 

Thanks

Tracy Bonner (nee Prior) Cudworth

Thank you for your very interesting email Tracy. I am sure Elaine will be back in touch with the web site and read your email. If so, hopefully she will send her details which I can then pass on to you with her permission. I would love to look at the photographs you have in your possession and possibly add them to the archives. I will be in touch.

This email has also been placed on the recent email page.

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Information placed on 16th July 2005

Dear Gary,

I Trying a long shot here: but nothing ventured nothing gained. I am originally a Harrington- born in Grimethorpe. My Great Grandmother who wed a Ernest Harrington was originally a Seacroft. I can remember visiting relatives in both the Brierley and Grimethorpe area with my Grand-Parents but unfortunately no longer remember their names. I certainly remember some Seacroft's who lived on Brierley Road but have forgotten their first names.

Taichie

Reply

Gary,  I've just been on the web site for the first time and I've spotted an email from someone named Taichie placed on 16th July regarding the Harrington and Seacroft family. my nannan Edna Halliday was a Seacroft and her aunty Hannah/Anna {not sure on spelling} married Ernest Harrington. their was also Bill Seacroft and Jean Seacroft if those names are any help to her. Thanks 

Rebecca Halliday Brierley.

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Information placed on 20th July 2005

Hi Gary,

I hope you can help just been chatting to my cousin Julie Sanderson (nee Armitage) who works in the village shop and she suggested I contact you as I have been trying to search for my brother Geoffrey Grayson. I have tried everything to no avail.  He use to live with Julie and her family in Brierley Park for many years ago the last known address I have for him is 7 years ago and he was living in Blackpool. I  managed to track him down then but he has now disappeared.  We are a family of four and I have located my sister and older brother and what would make the picture complete would be Geoffrey. Just one family photo which we have never had taken together would  be great.  Do feel free to speak to Julie Armitage (don't know if she still uses her married name) or email me and we can converse. Julies mum and dad are getting older now and would love to see him one last time as he was brought up with them from 6 months of age to the age of 18.

 

K Thorpe (nee Grayson)

I already have an appeal on the site for Geoff so I hope your email might also help. Julie is now called Sanderson and I have spoken to her about your email. Lets hope some one can help.

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Information placed on 25th April 2005

Hello Gary

Please can you help me to find out any information about my grand father. He rented Worsbrough Hall about 1911 to 1915-6 his name was  Joseph Greensmith and his father was also Joseph Greensmith.

Barbara Talate Bawtry Doncaster.

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Information placed on 25th April 2005

Hi Gary

I was browsing the web & noticed a photo with Ray Dyson on (Brierley Methodist Play 1965) I used to play in the same football team as Ray & wonder if you, or any of your friends, know what's become of him.

Geoff Osborne

Hi Geoff, I have spoken to Ray's parents over the weekend who in turn tell me Ray is living in Leeds but visits them at their home on Grange Road often. If you let me know your details I will pass them on to Ray. Did you live in Brierley? Where are you now? Regards Gary

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Information placed on 12th March 2005

Hi Gary, I wonder if you are able to help with my enquiries regarding my half-sister Anita Johnson (or she may have used Anita Gillian) who lived for a short while in Brierley in the mid-60's. I have recently discovered that she died quite young (I think, at the age of 21) and was married to a Ronnie Normington and living in South Hiendley when she passed. Her date of birth was 25 or 28 July 1944. I am led to believe that both of them worked at Southmoor  hospital. Anita's partner drove the hearse for the hospital mortuary.  In my early years Anita lived with my mother & father and myself, but my mother died when I was four and Anita went back to her natural father & I lived with foster parents until my father re-married. I saw Anita only once more. As a four year old I remember her with affection. My motive for asking is that I would like to establish where Anita is buried or whether she was cremated. No-one in the family has this information. Prior to living in South Hiendley it  appears that she lived in Brierley and she may have had a son.  I would still be interested to know a little about Anita's time in Brierley i.e. where she lived, any recollections anyone has of her etc. I would be interested to hear from anyone who knew Anita.

Any assistance you can offer would be very much appreciated.

Thank you. Chris Goodrum  

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Information placed on 12th March 2005

Hello Gary. 

Hope you are well, nice to see the site up and running again. My name is Brian Bower I was on your site before it closed down. I lived at The Laburnums ( Barnsley Road) from 1943 until 1959.We then moved to Hemsworth. I worked at Grimethorpe Colliery until 1970 I then moved on to work at Doncaster Royal Infirmary as an electrician where I stayed until retirement in 2000.I would be please to hear from anyone who remembers me from that period. I have photographs of some of my relations who lived at The Laburnums before I was born (when I have located them). I would be happy to e-mail them to you if they are of any interest to the site. I would be pleased if you could give me any information on these people, Denise and Linda Spaxman, William Newton, Paul Normanton, Clive Dye, Lorna Peel. 

Best Regards Brian Bower.  

Denise and Linda have been in touch with the site but I have lost their details. If they are out there I am sure they will be back in touch.

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Information placed on 12th March 2005  

Hello Gary,

I am hoping that you may be able to help me do some tracing. Perhaps you know of the places spoken of and could possibly find some photographs of these places for my family history files.

My trail starts with a Robert Warby who originally came from Tottenham and settled in Brierley Hill.

Robert Warby was a grocer living in High Street married to Mary Warby. The children I have listed for Robert and Mary are as follows. Arthur Robert Warby b. 1862, Brierley Hill married Maria...possibly Maria Deeley?.  Elizabeth Warby b. 1861, Brierley Hill.   Harry Warby b. 1866 Brierley Hill.  Ernest Warby b. 1868 Brierley Hill. Lawson Warby b. 1872 Brierley Hill.

Arthur Robert Warby and Maria were living in Hight Street when son  Arthur  Joseph Warby was baptised in 1898 in the Parish of Brierley Hill and he was said to be a Grocer. In the 1891 census it was said that Arthur Robert was living with his father Robert Warby and father was a grocer and son was a grocers assistant. When Arthur Joseph Warby married Florrie Jessie Adams ( a Lavender descendant) in 1921 Arthur Robert  Warby (father) was a Commercial Traveller and Arthur Joseph Warby was living at 6 Harrison Road, Brettell Lane, Kingswinford and he was a Electrician at the Iron Works.

Is there any photo's of Brierley Hill that might show the Grocers Shop, Iron Works. Also can anyone shed further light on any of the Warby family members as they are proving very hard to trace.  

Regards Joanne Warby Nee Hooper.

Hi Joanne, sorry to disappoint you but the Brierley Hill you refer to is in the Midlands and not South Yorkshire. However I will leave your email on the site for if anyone can help you.  

Reply

My grandfather was Francis Joseph WARBY, my father was Frank Edward WARBY, my brother's name is Frank WARBY and I have various cousins with that name. I'm almost certain that my father Frank Edward was born in Aldgate east London.  I hope this information is of use to your site.  

Regards Vera Allen
(nee) Warby

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Information placed on 18th May 2004

Gary,

I'm looking for Tony and Linda Holmes from Yorkshire, I'm not to sure where in Yorkshire they live but I'm looking for them as they are my step-sons grandparents. We live in Ireland and I'm finding it very hard to find them. Can you help me out? Ryan Whelan is their grandson and if you can give me a bit of advise on how I can find people I would be very grateful, if anyone has any information they can get me at
Terence_Whelan@dell.com

Thanking you, Terence Whelan

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Information placed on 18th May 2004

Gary

We are looking to trace some ancestry by surname "Crossley" once of Brierley Hall Farm. Wondered if you can give us a few local pointers.

Regards   Phil Bradley

After searching the 1881 census for Brierley I have found the following. John W Crossley age 41 a farmer of 120 acres employing  2 labourers 1 boy at Hall Farm. He was the head of the household and his wife was called Ellen age 31 from Wadworth, York England. It does not mention any children and after searching the old Brierley school records, there isn't any Crossley's listed at all. It may be that they moved on in which case you could search the full British 1901 census using  this information. I hope this is of help to you.  

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Information placed on 4th January 2004

Hi Gary,

My Grandmother's family came from Brierley and I have found examples on your other site which shows photos of other Thorpe's. Are there still Thorpe's in the village and are they related? My Grandmother Rita was born in 1887 and her father (my Great Grandfather Charles was born in 1856). At the time it was registered not as Brierley but as Falkirk which is puzzling since I can no longer find this village or township  even though it is still frequently mentioned in many early 19th century documents. Any help or leads that you can give will be most appreciated.

William

Just to point out to you William, it is Felkirk and not Falkirk. I have searched the old Brierley school records and found two Rita Thorpe. Number 1 is listed as being born on 29th August 1884 or 85 (the writing is not too clear), and the second one as being born on  the 4th August 1889 and admitted to the school on 15th September 1902. This lady was only at the school for a short time because it states she moved to Grimethorpe on 5 December 1902. It gives her father's name as William who was a miner. There is also a further 17 Thorp (without the E) listed and quite a few with the letter E on the end of the surname. I hope this information is of use to you. 

Reply

Information placed on 18th May 2004

Hi Gary
I found my ancestors- my 2nd great-grandfather Henry Thorpe, born in Felkirk as you so rightly corrected, was living in Brierley during the 1881 census. His next door neighbour was William Jeunell. Have you any information on either of these two?

William

Hi William, Sorry the only information I have at the moment is what I have already given you. 

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Information placed on 4th January 2004

Hello Gary,  Do you know someone by the name Dennis Vodden from Brierley? And if you do can you provide me an e-mail address? I would be very grateful.

Annemiek van Rixel (The Netherlands) 

P.S. I hope you understand my question...............

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Information placed on 23rd December 2003

Janet Hutcheon, who lives in Totnes, is searching for details of her grandfather who she believes may have come from the Brierley area. Here is her email.

Hi Gary, perhaps you can help as I can't get into the family history site. I want to find details of my grandfather whom I was always told was born in Little Brierley. I now discover that there is a Brierley Hill, a Brierley but no Little Brierley. Before I travel all the way from Totnes, I would like to assure myself that I have the right one. Could anyone tell me if there are any Homers in your village? My grandfather was known as Jack or John Homer, born about 1876, he was a soldier who saw service, at least, in Ireland and lived later in Derby and Nottingham. My grandfather was born in Brierley, but which one? He was recruited by the Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry and sent first to Newry where he met my grandmother and then to the Boer War. After that he went into the prison service and first did service in Dorchester Prison, then Derby and then Nottingham prison. He must have had parents back in Brierley and possibly siblings but I need some kind of connection. There seem to be loads of John Homers.   (He was born in about 1876 and died in 1949 in Nottingham.)  I'm very grateful for your help.

Thanks so much, Janet Hutcheon 

Sorry Janet, I have searched the 1881 census for Brierley but there are no Homers stated as living in Brierley. I have also searched the Brierley school records which started in 1871 with no luck.