Category Archives: Ancestry

Online Talk in April: Brontë Connections for Family History

A quick heads up for an online talk I will be giving via the Society of Genealogists on 25 April 2026. Don’t switch off at this point if you’re not a member – it is open to anyone.

If you follow this blog, or any of my online social media accounts, you will know I live in an area packed with Brontë history, and I’m a frequent visitor to Haworth and other Brontë linked sites.

Well, I’m delighted that I’ve been asked to give an online talk all about exploring Brontë Connections for Family History.

Here’s the blurb about it, to give you some idea of what I’ll be covering:

The latest film adaptation of Emily Brontë’s dark, Gothic literary classic, Wuthering Heights, has triggered a fresh wave of Brontë-mania. A new generation of tourists are descending on the village of Haworth, keen to find out more about these world-famous sisters, and wanting to carve out their own slice of Brontë magic. But family historians can also channel into the Brontë family’s lives and literature, seeking their own Brontë connections and research inspiration. Jane’s talk will give you some ideas of how, and where to look.

Those all-important booking details are here.

I’d love to see you there, as I’m immensely proud of where I come from, my area’s Brontë links, all things Brontë, and I might even let you in on my quest to find my links to this amazing literary family!

You never know, as a result you may have ideas and inspiration to see how your family history might be connected.

St. Mary of the Angels, Batley: One-Place Study Update – 1 to 28 February 2026 Additions

February has been a particularly busy month for the Batley St. Mary of the Angels One-Place Study, with five new posts. This brings the total number of posts up to 427. Three more were updated.

Peter Gavaghan

This month’s additions and updates included one new War Memorial biography, that of the first Peter Gavaghan to be killed in the war (his cousin also named Peter died later on, and his biography was added some time ago). Both men’s biographies can now be found in The Biographies: War Memorial Men section.

Several more men who served and survived were identified, and this page has been updated. Their biographies will follow in due course.

Someone from the parish who died but is not on the church War Memorial has been identified, Michael Howley. I have added his biography to the section covering Men Associated with St. Mary’s Who Died but Who Are Not on the Memorial, and that overall page has been accordingly updated too. I have also updated the War Memorial Chronology of Deaths page, to include him.

There are two new posts in the Miscellany of Information section. One deals with the horrific, but all too common, circumstances surrounding the death of a child in the 19th century. The other concerns three pigs, a headstone and a long-lived parishioner.

There is also the parish history snippets piece for February 2026. These snippets cover a variety of events and people from the parish from years gone by, and can be found in the Bulletin for Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick section. One is an amazing piece connected to The Beatles and a circus! Even if you have seen them on the Bulletin, it is worth checking them here as some have links to more detailed pieces I have written.

Below is the full list of pages to date. Simply click on the link and it will take you straight to the relevant page. I have annotated the *NEW* and “UPDATED” posts, so you can easily pick them out.

If you want to know the background, and what is involved in a one-place study, click here. Otherwise read on, to discover a wealth of parish, parishioner and wider local Batley history. 


Postscript:
I may not be able to thank you personally because of your contact detail confidentiality, but I do want to say how much I appreciate the donations already received to keep this website going. They really and truly do help. Thank you.

The website has always been free to use, and I want to continue this policy in the future. However, it does cost me money to operate – from undertaking the research to website hosting costs. In the current difficult economic climate I do have to regularly consider if I can afford to continue running it as a free resource. 

If you have enjoyed reading the various pieces, and would like to make a donation towards keeping the website up and running in its current open access format, it would be very much appreciated. 

Please click 👉🏽 here 👈🏽 be taken to the PayPal donation link. By making a donation you will be helping to keep the website online and freely available for all. 

Thank you.

As a professionally qualified genealogist, if you would like me to undertake any family, local or house history research for you do please get in touch. More information can be found on my research services page.


Finally, if you do have any information about, or photos of, parishioners from the period of the First World War please do get in touch. It does not have to be War Memorial men. It could be those who served and survived, or indeed any other men, women and children from the parish. 

I would also be interested in information about, and photos of, those parishioners who were killed in World War Two, or others from the parish who undertook any war service and survived. This can be as broad as serving in the military, or work in munitions factories, the Land Army, even taking in refugees. This is an area I’m looking to develop in the future.

I can be contacted at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com


1. About my St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church War Memorial One-Place Study;

Batley’s Public Buildings and Institutions
2. Batley Hospital: The First 50 Years – 1878 to 1928 
3. The Early History of Batley’s Public Baths 

Batley St Mary’s Population, Health, Mortality and Fertility Information and Comparisons
4.  1914: The Health of Batley School Children Generally, with a Particular Focus on St Mary’s School Children

Batley Statistics and Descriptions – Population, Health, Mortality, Fertility etc.
5. 1914: Borough of Batley – Town Information from the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
6. Batley and the 1921 Census 
7. Batley Population Statistics 1801-1939

Biographies: Men Associated with St Mary’s Who Died but Who Are Not on the Memorial *UPDATED*
8. Thomas Gannon 

9. Michael Howley *NEW*
10. Reginald Roberts 
11. William Frederick Townsend

Biographies: The War Memorial Men
12. Edward Barber 
13. William Barber (Memorial name spelling) 
14. Herbert Booth 
15. Edmund Battye
16. Dominick (aka George) Brannan 
17. Michael Brannan 
18. John Brooks 
19. Michael Cafferty 
20. Patrick Cafferty 
21. John William Callaghan 
22. Lawrence Carney 
23. Martin Carney 
24. Thomas William Chappell 
25. William Colbeck
26.  Michael Cunningham 
27. Thomas Curley
28. Peter Doherty 
29. Thomas Dolan 
30. Thomas Donlan 
31. James Edwards 
32. John W. Enright 
33. Mathew Farrer 
34. Thomas Finneran 
35. Michael Flynn 
36. Thomas Foley D.C.M. 
37. Martin Gallagher 
38. James Garner
39. Harold Gaunt 
40. James Gavaghan 
41. Peter Gavaghan (1) *NEW*
42. Peter Gavaghan (2)
43. Thomas Gavaghan 
44. Henry Groark 
45. James Groark 
46. Michael Groark (also known as Rourke) 
47. James Griffin 
48. William Hargreaves 
49. Michael Hopkins 
50. Patrick Hopkins
51. Michael Horan
52. James Hughes 
53. Lawrence Judge 
54. John Leech 
55. Michael Lydon
56. John Thomas Lynch 
57. Patrick Lyons 
William McManus – See William Townsend below
58. Thomas McNamara 
59. Clement Manning 
60. Patrick Naifsey 
61. Austin Nolan 
62. Robert Randerson 
63. James Rush 
64. Moses Stubley 
65. William Townsend, also known as McManus
66. James Trainor 
67. Richard Carroll Walsh
68. Arthur William Bayldon Woodhead

Biographies: Those who Served and Survived (this includes a list of those identified to date and who will later have dedicated biographical pages) *UPDATED*
69. Patrick Cassidy 
70. James Delaney
71. Thomas Donlan (senior) 
72. Thomas Gannon 
73. Michael Rush 

Burials, Cemeteries, Headstones and MIs
74. Cemetery and Memorial Details 
75. War Memorial Chronology of Deaths  *UPDATED*

During This Week
76. During This Week Newspaper Index 
77. 1914, 8 August – Batley News 
78. 1914, 15 August – Batley News 
79. 1914, 22 August – Batley News 
80. 1914, 29 August – Batley News 
81. 1914, 5 September – Batley News 
82. 1914, 12 September – Batley News 
83. 1914, 19 September – Batley News 
84. 1914, 26 September – Batley News 
85. 1914, 3 October – Batley News 
86. 1914, 10 October – Batley News 
87. 1914, 17 October – Batley News 
88. 1914, 24 October – Batley News 
89. 1914, 31 October – Batley News 
90. 1914, 7 November – Batley News 
91. 1914, 14 November – Batley News 
92. 1914, 21 November – Batley News 
93. 1914, 28 November – Batley News
94. 1914, 5 December – Batley News 
95. 1914, 12 December – Batley News 
96. 1914, 19 December – Batley News 
97. 1914, 24 December – Batley News 
98. 1915, 2 January – Batley News 
99. 1915, 9 January – Batley News 
100. 1915, 16 January – Batley News 
101. 1915, 23 January – Batley News 
102. 1915, 30 January – Batley News 
103. 1915, 6 February – Batley News 
104. 1915, 13 February – Batley News 
105. 1915, 20 February – Batley News 
106. 1915, 27 February – Batley News 
107. 1915, 6 March – Batley News 
108. 1915, 13 March – Batley News 
109. 1915, 20 March – Batley News 
110. 1915, 27 March – Batley News 
111. 1915, 3 April – Batley News 
112. 1915, 10 April – Batley News 
113. 1915, 17 April – Batley News 
114. 1915, 24 April – Batley News 
115. 1915, 1 May – Batley News 
116. 1915, 8 May – Batley News 
117. 1915, 15 May – Batley News 
118. 1915, 22 May – Batley News 
119. 1915, 29 May – Batley News 
120. 1915, 5 June – Batley News 
121. 1915, 12 June – Batley News 
122. 1915, 19 June – Batley News 
123. 1915, 26 June – Batley News 
124. 1915, 3 July – Batley News 
125. 1915, 10 July – Batley News 
126. 1915, 17 July – Batley News 
127. 1915, 24 July – Batley News 
128. 1915, 31 July – Batley News 
129. 1915, 7 August – Batley News 
130. 1915, 14 August – Batley News 
131. 1915, 21 August – Batley News 
132. 1915, 28 August – Batley News 
133. 1915, 4 September – Batley News 
134. 1915, 11 September – Batley News 
135. 1915, 18 September – Batley News 
136. 1915, 25 September – Batley News 
137. 1915, 2 October – Batley News 
138. 1915, 9 October – Batley News 
139. 1915, 16 October – Batley News 
140. 1915, 23 October – Batley News 
141. 1915, 30 October – Batley News 
142. 1915, 6 November – Batley News 
142. 1915, 13 November – Batley News 
144. 1915, 20 November – Batley News 
145. 1915, 27 November – Batley News 
146. 1915, 4 December – Batley News 
147. 1915, 11 December – Batley News
148. 1915, 18 December – Batley News 
149. 1915, 23 December – Batley News 
150. 1916, 1 January – Batley News 
151. 1916, 8 January – Batley News 
152. 1916, 15 January – Batley News 
153. 1916, 22 January – Batley News 
154. 1916, 29 January – Batley News 
155. 1916, 5 February – Batley News 
156. 1916, 12 February – Batley News 
157. 1916, 19 February – Batley News 
158. 1916, 26 February – Batley News 
159. 1916, 4 March – Batley News 
160. 1916, 11 March – Batley News 
161. 1916, 18 March – Batley News 
162. 1916, 25 March – Batley News 
163. 1916, 1 April – Batley News 
164. 1916, 8 April – Batley News 
165. 1916, 15 April – Batley News 
166. 1916, 22 April – Batley News 
167. 1916, 29 April – Batley News 
168. 1916, 6 May – Batley News 
169. 1916, 13 May – Batley News
170. 1916, 20 May – Batley News 
171. 1916, 27 May – Batley News
172. 1916, 3 June – Batley News 
173. 1916, 10 June – Batley News 
174. 1916, 17 June – Batley News 
175. 1916, 24 June – Batley News 
176. 1916, 1 July – Batley News 
177. 1916, 8 July – Batley News 
178. 1916, 15 July – Batley News 
179. 1916, 22 July – Batley News 
180. 1916, 29 July – Batley News 
181. 1916, 5 August – Batley News
182. 1916, 12 August – Batley News
183. 1916, 19 August – Batley News 
184. 1916, 26 August – Batley News
185. 1916, 2 September – Batley News 
186. 1916, 9 September – Batley News
187. 1916, 16 September – Batley News 
188. 1916, 23 September – Batley News 
189. 1916, 30 September – Batley News 
190. 1916, 7 October – Batley News
191. 1916, 14 October – Batley News 
192. 1916, 21 October – Batley News
193. 1916, 28 October – Batley News 
194. 1916, 4 November – Batley News
195. 1916, 11 November – Batley News
196. 1916, 18 November – Batley News
197. 1916, 25 November – Batley News 
198. 1916, 2 December – Batley News 
199. 1916, 9 December – Batley News 
200. 1916, 16 December – Batley News 
201. 1916, 23 December – Batley News 
202. 1916, 30 December – Batley News 
203. 1917, 6 January – Batley News 
204. 1917, 13 January – Batley News 
205. 1917, 20 January – Batley News 
206. 1917, 27 January – Batley News
207. 1917, 3 February – Batley News 
208. 1917, 10 February – Batley News 
209. 1917, 17 February – Batley News 
210. 1917, 24 February – Batley News 
211. 1917, 3 March – Batley News
212. 1917, 10 March – Batley News 
213. 1917, 17 March – Batley News 
214. 1917, 24 March – Batley News 
215. 1917, 31 March – Batley News
216. 1917, 7 April – Batley News 
217. 1917, 14 April – Batley News 
218. 1917, 21 April – Batley News 
219. 1917, 28 April – Batley News 
220. 1917, 5 May – Batley News 
221. 1917, 12 May – Batley News 
222. 1917, 19 May – Batley News 
223. 1917, 26 May – Batley News 
224. 1917, 2 June – Batley New
225. 1917, 9 June – Batley News
226. 1917, 16 June – Batley News
227. 1917, 23 June – Batley News
228. 1917, 30 June – Batley News
229. 1917, 7 July – Batley News
230. 1917, 14 July – Batley News 
231. 1917, 21 July – Batley News 
232. 1917, 28 July – Batley News 
233. 1917, 4 August – Batley News 
234. 1917, 11 August – Batley News 
235. 1917, 18 August – Batley News 
236. 1917, 25 August – Batley News 
237. 1917, 1 September – Batley News 
238. 1917, 8 September – Batley News 
239. 1917, 15 September – Batley News 
240. 1917, 22 September – Batley News 
241. 1917, 29 September– Batley News 
242.  1917, 6 October – Batley News 
243. 1917, 13 October – Batley News
244. 1917, 20 October – Batley News
245. 1917, 27 October – Batley News 
246. 1917, 3 November – Batley News
247. 1917, 10 November – Batley News
248. 1917, 17 November – Batley News 
249. 1917, 24 November – Batley News 
250. 1917, 1 December – Batley News 
251. 1917, 8 December – Batley News 
252. 1917, 15 December – Batley News 
253. 1917, 22 December – Batley News 
254. 1917, 29 December – Batley News 
255. 1918, 5 January – Dewsbury District News 
256. 1918, 12 January – Dewsbury District News 
257. 1918, 19 January – Batley News 
258. 1918, 26 January – Batley News
259. 1918, 2 February – Batley News 
260. 1918, 9 February – Batley News 
261. 1918, 16 February – Batley News 
262. 1918, 23 February – Batley News 
263. 1918, 2 March – Batley News 
264 1918, 9 March – Batley News 
265. 1918, 16 March – Batley News 
266. 1918, 23 March – Batley News 
267. 1918, 30 March – Batley News 
268. 1918, 6 April – Batley News 
269. 1918, 13 April – Batley News 
270. 1918, 20 April – Batley News 
271. 1918, 27 April – Batley News 
272. 1918, 4 May – Batley News
273. 1918, 11 May – Batley News 
274. 1918, 18 May – Batley News 
275. 1918, 25 May – Batley News 
276. 1918, 1 June – Batley News 
277. 1918, 8 June – Batley News 
278. 1918, 15 June – Batley News 
279. 1918, 22 June – Batley News
280. 1918, 29 June – Batley News 
281. 1918, 6 July – Batley News 
282. 1918, 13 July – Batley News 
283. 1918, 20 July – Batley News
284. 1918, 27 July – Batley News
285. 1918, 3 August – Batley News 
286. 1918, 10 August – Batley News 
287. 1918, 17 August – Batley News 
288. 1918, 24 August – Batley News 
289. 1918, 31 August – Batley News 
290. 1918, 7 September – Batley News 
291. 1918, 14 September – Batley News 
292. 1918, 21 September – Batley News 
293. 1918, 28 September – Batley News 
294. 1918, 5 October – Batley News 
295. 1918, 12 October – Batley News 
296. 1918, 19 October – Batley News 
297. 1918, 26 October – Batley News 
298. 1918, 2 November – Batley News 
299. 1918, 9 November – Batley News 
300. 1918, 16 November – Batley News 
301. 1918, 23 November – Batley News 
302. 1918, 30 November – Batley News 
303. 1918, 7 December – Batley News 
304. 1918, 14 December – Batley News 
305. 1918, 21 December – Batley News 
306. 1918, 28 December – Batley News 

Electoral Registers 1918-1921 
307. 1918 Batley Electoral Register, North Ward, Polling Districts A and B – Naval and Military Voters

Guest Contributions
308. Memories of Skelsey Row – by Brian Foley 

Maps and Photographs
309. A Description of the Parish Boundaries 
310. Aerial View of St Mary’s Church and the Surrounding Streets 
311. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1894 
312. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1907 
313. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1922 
314. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1933 

Miscellany of Information
315. A Tale of Three Pigs, a Headstone and The Longest-Lived Parishioner *NEW*
316. A Bitter-Sweet Remarriage 
317. A Colliery Accident with Tragic Consequences
318. A Description of the Parish of St Mary of the Angels in 1950 
319. A Grave Disturbance in Batley 
320. A Part of St Mary of the Angels in Batley Cemetery 
321. A “Peace” of Batley History
322. An Appeal to Ireland to Build a Catholic Church in Batley 
323. A Potted Early History of the Irish in Batley, the Building of St Mary of the Angels Church, and the Parish Priest’s Fatal Accident 
324. A St Mary’s Parishioner in the Holy Land 
325. A St Mary’s School Sensation
326. A St Mary’s School Trip Souvenir 
327. Batley’s Secret Irish Society and the Ammunition Seizure 
328. Batley St Mary’s First Torchlight Procession 
329. Batley St Mary’s Second Torchlight Procession 
330. Buffalo Bill and A Right Royal Celebration for Batley’s Schoolchildren
331. “Daddy’s Death and then Triplets” 
332. Heritage Impact Assessment: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Convent, Batley 
333. Hot-Cross Buns and the Yorkshire Tea-Cake Dilemma. Plus A Suggested Meal Planner for Batley Families in 1917 
334. Into the Valley of Death – One of the Six Hundred
335. “I’ve Done it for Love” – A Batley Murder 
336. St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church – 1929 Consecration Service
337. The Consequences of a Refusal to Work in 1918
338. The Controversial Role Played by St Mary’s Schoolchildren in the 1907 Batley Pageant
339. The Deaths of the Smallpox Hospital Caretakers 
340. The Debate Over Grave-Diggers’ Holidays 
341. The Earliest Published Account of Batley St Mary’s Church and Schools 
342. The Great War: A Brief Overview of What Led Britain into the War 
343. The Horrific Death of Little Mary Leach *NEW*
344. The Unholy row between St Mary’s Church and the Batley and Birstall Irish Clubs 
345. Thomas Ate My Rat 
346. William Berry – A Beautiful Voice Stilled 
347. Willie and Edward Barber – Poems

Occupations and Employment Information
348. Occupations: Colliery Byeworker/Byeworkman/Byworker/Bye-Worker/By-Worker 
349. Occupations: Confidential Clerk 
350. Occupations: Lamp Cleaner 
351. Occupations: Limelight Operator 
352. Occupations: Mason’s Labourer 
353. Occupations: Office Boy/Girl 
354. Occupations: Piecer/Piecener 
355. Occupations: Rag Grinder 
356. Occupations: Willeyer

School Log Books 
357. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1913 
358. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1914 
359. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1915 
360. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1916 
361. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1917 
362. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1918 
363. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1919 
364. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1920 
365. Infant School – Log Book, 1913 
366. Infant School – Log Book, 1914
367. Infant School – Log Book, 1915
368. Infant School – Log Book, 1916 
369. Infant School – Log Book, 1917
370. Infant School – Log Book, 1918 
371. Infant School – Log Book, 1919 
372. Infant School – Log Book, 1920 
373. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1913 
374. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1914 
375. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1915 
376. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1916 
377. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1917
378. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1918 
379. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1919
380. Mixed Department- Log Book 1920

The Bulletin of St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick – Parish History Section 
381. March 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
382. April 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
383. May 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
384. June 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
385. July 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
386. August 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
387. September 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
388. October 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
389. November 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
390. December 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
391. January 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
392. February 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
393. March 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
394. April 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
395. May 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
396. June 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
397. July 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
398. August 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
399. September 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
400. October 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
401. November 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
402. December 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
403. January 2026 Bulletin History Pieces 
404. February 2026 Bulletin History Pieces *NEW*

The Families
405. A Death in the Church
406. St Mary’s Schoolboys Wreak Havoc in a Batley Graveyard

The May Queens of Batley St Mary of the Angels 
407. 1922 May Queen: Phyllis Doyle 
408 1923 May Queen: Katherine Phillips 
409. 1925 May Queen: Agnes Judge 
410. 1929 May Queen: Mary Collins 
411. 1931 May Queen Ceremony: Theresa Judge 
412. 1932 May Queen Ceremony: Agnes Kilgallon 
413. 1933 May Queen Ceremony: Winnie Colleran 
414. 1939 May Queen Ceremony: Kathleen Gooder 
415. 1940 May Queen Ceremony: Sheila Rowan 
416. 1941 May Queen Ceremony 
417. 1950 May Queen Ceremony: Catherine Heaps
418. 1951 May Queen Ceremony: Mary Harkin 
419. 1952 May Queen Ceremony: Patricia Anne Cain 
420. 1953 May Queen Ceremony: Mary O’Connor 

World War Two 
421. World War Two Chronology of Deaths 
422. Thomas Egan
423. Michael Flatley
424. Frank Higgins 
425. Edward Lynch 
426. William Smith
427. Bernard Stenchion

St Mary of the Angels, Batley: One-Place Study Update – 1 to 30 November 2025 Additions

November 2025 was a busy month for the Batley St. Mary of the Angels One-Place Study. Four new posts were added, bringing the total number to 419. I also gave two talks about the early history of the Irish in Batley and the parish – one via Zoom to the Society of One-Place Studies; the other in-person to Batley History Group. If you missed them, I will be repeating the Irish and St. Mary’s talk next year with bookings already made for it, along with my other talks.

To start off with, I wrote a light-hearted piece about Buffalo Bill and A Right Royal Celebration for Batley’s Schoolchildren, a celebration in which the children of St Mary of the Angels participated. I describe, and include a photograph, of the special commemorative medal presented to all the schoolchildren, so that if you have one in your family you can identify it and know more about its history.

In a change of tone, with November being the month of Remembrance, one of the new posts was about James Edwards, one of the parishioners commemorated on the parish’s World War One War Memorial.

In the May Queen section I have added a piece about the 1952 ceremony when Patricia Anne Cain was the May Queen (as shown in the photograph to the left). It includes names of many others involved in the procession that day, which was a historic one in terms of its format that year.

The final post for the month was the parish history snippets piece for November 2025. These snippets cover a variety of events and people from the parish from years gone by, and can be found in the Bulletin for Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick section. Even if you have seen them on the Bulletin, it is worth checking them here as some have links to more detailed pieces I have written.

Below is the full list of pages to date. I have annotated the *NEW* posts, so you can easily pick these out. Click on the link and it will take you straight to the relevant page.

If you want to know the background, and what is involved in a one-place study, click here. Otherwise read on, to discover a wealth of parish, parishioner and wider local Batley history. 


Postscript:
I may not be able to thank you personally because of your contact detail confidentiality, but I do want to say how much I appreciate the donations already received to keep this website going. They really and truly do help. Thank you.

The website has always been free to use, and I want to continue this policy in the future. However, it does cost me money to operate – from undertaking the research to website hosting costs. In the current difficult economic climate I do have to regularly consider if I can afford to continue running it as a free resource. 

If you have enjoyed reading the various pieces, and would like to make a donation towards keeping the website up and running in its current open access format, it would be very much appreciated. 

Please click 👉🏻here👈🏻 be taken to the PayPal donation link. By making a donation you will be helping to keep the website online and freely available for all. 

Thank you.

As a professionally qualified genealogist, if you would like me to undertake any family, local or house history research for you do please get in touch. More information can be found on my research services page.


Finally, if you do have any information about, or photos of, parishioners from the period of the First World War please do get in touch. It does not have to be War Memorial men. It could be those who served and survived, or indeed any other men, women and children from the parish. 

I would also be interested in information about, and photos of, those parishioners who were killed in World War Two, or others from the parish who undertook any war service and survived. This can be as broad as serving in the military, or work in munitions factories, the Land Army, even taking in refugees. This is an area I’m looking to develop in the future.

I can be contacted at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com


1. About my St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church War Memorial One-Place Study;

Batley’s Public Buildings and Institutions
2. Batley Hospital: The First 50 Years – 1878 to 1928 
3. The Early History of Batley’s Public Baths 

Batley St Mary’s Population, Health, Mortality and Fertility Information and Comparisons
4.  1914: The Health of Batley School Children Generally, with a Particular Focus on St Mary’s School Children

Batley Statistics and Descriptions – Population, Health, Mortality, Fertility etc.
5. 1914: Borough of Batley – Town Information from the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
6. Batley and the 1921 Census 
7. Batley Population Statistics 1801-1939

Biographies: Men Associated with St Mary’s Who Died but Who Are Not on the Memorial 
8. Thomas Gannon 
9. Reginald Roberts 
10. William Frederick Townsend

Biographies: The War Memorial Men
11. Edward Barber 
12. William Barber (Memorial name spelling) 
13. Herbert Booth 
14. Edmund Battye
15. Dominick (aka George) Brannan 
16. Michael Brannan 
17. John Brooks 
18. Michael Cafferty 
19. Patrick Cafferty 
20. John William Callaghan 
21. Lawrence Carney 
22. Martin Carney 
23. Thomas William Chappell 
24. William Colbeck
25.  Michael Cunningham 
26. Thomas Curley
27. Peter Doherty 
28. Thomas Dolan 
29. Thomas Donlan 
30. James Edwards *NEW*
31. John W. Enright 
32. Mathew Farrer 
33. Thomas Finneran 
34. Michael Flynn 
35. Thomas Foley D.C.M. 
36. Martin Gallagher 
37. James Garner
38. Harold Gaunt 
39. James Gavaghan 
40. Peter Gavaghan 
41. Thomas Gavaghan 
42. Henry Groark 
43. James Groark 
44. Michael Groark (also known as Rourke) 
45. James Griffin 
46. William Hargreaves 
47. Michael Hopkins 
48. Patrick Hopkins
49. Michael Horan
50. James Hughes 
51. Lawrence Judge 
52. John Leech 
53. Michael Lydon
54. John Thomas Lynch 
55. Patrick Lyons 
William McManus – See William Townsend below
56. Thomas McNamara 
57. Clement Manning 
58. Patrick Naifsey 
59. Austin Nolan 
60. Robert Randerson 
61. James Rush 
62. Moses Stubley 
63. William Townsend, also known as McManus
64. James Trainor 
65. Richard Carroll Walsh
66. Arthur William Bayldon Woodhead

Biographies: Those who Served and Survived (this includes a list of those identified to date and who will later have dedicated biographical pages)
67. Patrick Cassidy 
68. James Delaney
69. Thomas Donlan (senior) 
70. Thomas Gannon 
71. Michael Rush 

Burials, Cemeteries, Headstones and MIs
72. Cemetery and Memorial Details 
73. War Memorial Chronology of Deaths .

During This Week
74. During This Week Newspaper Index 
75. 1914, 8 August – Batley News 
76. 1914, 15 August – Batley News 
77. 1914, 22 August – Batley News 
78. 1914, 29 August – Batley News 
79. 1914, 5 September – Batley News 
80. 1914, 12 September – Batley News 
81. 1914, 19 September – Batley News 
82. 1914, 26 September – Batley News 
83. 1914, 3 October – Batley News 
84. 1914, 10 October – Batley News 
85. 1914, 17 October – Batley News 
86. 1914, 24 October – Batley News 
87. 1914, 31 October – Batley News 
88. 1914, 7 November – Batley News 
89. 1914, 14 November – Batley News 
90. 1914, 21 November – Batley News 
91. 1914, 28 November – Batley News
92. 1914, 5 December – Batley News 
93. 1914, 12 December – Batley News 
94. 1914, 19 December – Batley News 
95. 1914, 24 December – Batley News 
96. 1915, 2 January – Batley News 
97. 1915, 9 January – Batley News 
98. 1915, 16 January – Batley News 
99. 1915, 23 January – Batley News 
100. 1915, 30 January – Batley News 
101. 1915, 6 February – Batley News 
101. 1915, 13 February – Batley News 
103. 1915, 20 February – Batley News 
104. 1915, 27 February – Batley News 
105. 1915, 6 March – Batley News 
106. 1915, 13 March – Batley News 
107. 1915, 20 March – Batley News 
108. 1915, 27 March – Batley News 
109. 1915, 3 April – Batley News 
110. 1915, 10 April – Batley News 
111. 1915, 17 April – Batley News 
112. 1915, 24 April – Batley News 
113. 1915, 1 May – Batley News 
114. 1915, 8 May – Batley News 
115. 1915, 15 May – Batley News 
116. 1915, 22 May – Batley News 
117. 1915, 29 May – Batley News 
118. 1915, 5 June – Batley News 
119. 1915, 12 June – Batley News 
120. 1915, 19 June – Batley News 
121. 1915, 26 June – Batley News 
122. 1915, 3 July – Batley News 
123. 1915, 10 July – Batley News 
124. 1915, 17 July – Batley News 
125. 1915, 24 July – Batley News 
126. 1915, 31 July – Batley News 
127. 1915, 7 August – Batley News 
128. 1915, 14 August – Batley News 
129. 1915, 21 August – Batley News 
130. 1915, 28 August – Batley News 
131. 1915, 4 September – Batley News 
132. 1915, 11 September – Batley News 
133. 1915, 18 September – Batley News 
134. 1915, 25 September – Batley News 
135. 1915, 2 October – Batley News 
136. 1915, 9 October – Batley News 
137. 1915, 16 October – Batley News 
138. 1915, 23 October – Batley News 
139. 1915, 30 October – Batley News 
140. 1915, 6 November – Batley News 
141. 1915, 13 November – Batley News 
142. 1915, 20 November – Batley News 
143. 1915, 27 November – Batley News 
144. 1915, 4 December – Batley News 
145. 1915, 11 December – Batley News
146. 1915, 18 December – Batley News 
147. 1915, 23 December – Batley News 
148. 1916, 1 January – Batley News 
149. 1916, 8 January – Batley News 
150. 1916, 15 January – Batley News 
151. 1916, 22 January – Batley News 
152. 1916, 29 January – Batley News 
153. 1916, 5 February – Batley News 
154. 1916, 12 February – Batley News 
155. 1916, 19 February – Batley News 
156. 1916, 26 February – Batley News 
157. 1916, 4 March – Batley News 
158. 1916, 11 March – Batley News 
159. 1916, 18 March – Batley News 
160. 1916, 25 March – Batley News 
161. 1916, 1 April – Batley News 
162. 1916, 8 April – Batley News 
163. 1916, 15 April – Batley News 
164. 1916, 22 April – Batley News 
165. 1916, 29 April – Batley News 
166. 1916, 6 May – Batley News 
167. 1916, 13 May – Batley News
168. 1916, 20 May – Batley News 
169. 1916, 27 May – Batley News
170. 1916, 3 June – Batley News 
171. 1916, 10 June – Batley News 
172. 1916, 17 June – Batley News 
173. 1916, 24 June – Batley News 
174. 1916, 1 July – Batley News 
175. 1916, 8 July – Batley News 
176. 1916, 15 July – Batley News 
177. 1916, 22 July – Batley News 
178. 1916, 29 July – Batley News 
179. 1916, 5 August – Batley News
180. 1916, 12 August – Batley News
181. 1916, 19 August – Batley News 
182. 1916, 26 August – Batley News
183. 1916, 2 September – Batley News 
184. 1916, 9 September – Batley News
185. 1916, 16 September – Batley News 
188. 1916, 23 September – Batley News 
187. 1916, 30 September – Batley News 
188. 1916, 7 October – Batley News
189. 1916, 14 October – Batley News 
190. 1916, 21 October – Batley News
191. 1916, 28 October – Batley News 
192. 1916, 4 November – Batley News
193. 1916, 11 November – Batley News
197. 1916, 18 November – Batley News
195. 1916, 25 November – Batley News 
196. 1916, 2 December – Batley News 
197. 1916, 9 December – Batley News 
198. 1916, 16 December – Batley News 
199. 1916, 23 December – Batley News 
200. 1916, 30 December – Batley News 
201. 1917, 6 January – Batley News 
202. 1917, 13 January – Batley News 
203. 1917, 20 January – Batley News 
204. 1917, 27 January – Batley News
204. 1917, 3 February – Batley News 
206. 1917, 10 February – Batley News 
207. 1917, 17 February – Batley News 
208. 1917, 24 February – Batley News 
209. 1917, 3 March – Batley News
210. 1917, 10 March – Batley News 
211. 1917, 17 March – Batley News 
212. 1917, 24 March – Batley News 
213. 1917, 31 March – Batley News
214. 1917, 7 April – Batley News 
215. 1917, 14 April – Batley News 
216. 1917, 21 April – Batley News 
217. 1917, 28 April – Batley News 
218. 1917, 5 May – Batley News 
219. 1917, 12 May – Batley News 
220. 1917, 19 May – Batley News 
221. 1917, 26 May – Batley News 
222. 1917, 2 June – Batley New
223. 1917, 9 June – Batley News
224. 1917, 16 June – Batley News
225. 1917, 23 June – Batley News
226. 1917, 30 June – Batley News
227. 1917, 7 July – Batley News
228. 1917, 14 July – Batley News 
229. 1917, 21 July – Batley News 
230. 1917, 28 July – Batley News 
231. 1917, 4 August – Batley News 
232. 1917, 11 August – Batley News 
233. 1917, 18 August – Batley News 
234. 1917, 25 August – Batley News 
235. 1917, 1 September – Batley News 
236. 1917, 8 September – Batley News 
237. 1917, 15 September – Batley News 
238. 1917, 22 September – Batley News 
239. 1917, 29 September– Batley News 
240.  1917, 6 October – Batley News 
241. 1917, 13 October – Batley News
242. 1917, 20 October – Batley News
243. 1917, 27 October – Batley News 
244. 1917, 3 November – Batley News
245. 1917, 10 November – Batley News
246. 1917, 17 November – Batley News 
247. 1917, 24 November – Batley News 
248. 1917, 1 December – Batley News 
249. 1917, 8 December – Batley News 
250. 1917, 15 December – Batley News 
251. 1917, 22 December – Batley News 
252. 1917, 29 December – Batley News 
253. 1918, 5 January – Dewsbury District News 
254. 1918, 12 January – Dewsbury District News 
255. 1918, 19 January – Batley News 
256. 1918, 26 January – Batley News
257. 1918, 2 February – Batley News 
258. 1918, 9 February – Batley News 
259. 1918, 16 February – Batley News 
260. 1918, 23 February – Batley News 
261. 1918, 2 March – Batley News 
262 1918, 9 March – Batley News 
263. 1918, 16 March – Batley News 
264. 1918, 23 March – Batley News 
265. 1918, 30 March – Batley News 
266. 1918, 6 April – Batley News 
267. 1918, 13 April – Batley News 
268. 1918, 20 April – Batley News 
269. 1918, 27 April – Batley News 
270. 1918, 4 May – Batley News
271. 1918, 11 May – Batley News 
272. 1918, 18 May – Batley News 
273. 1918, 25 May – Batley News 
274. 1918, 1 June – Batley News 
275. 1918, 8 June – Batley News 
276. 1918, 15 June – Batley News 
277. 1918, 22 June – Batley News
278. 1918, 29 June – Batley News 
279. 1918, 6 July – Batley News 
280. 1918, 13 July – Batley News 
281. 1918, 20 July – Batley News
282. 1918, 27 July – Batley News
283. 1918, 3 August – Batley News 
284. 1918, 10 August – Batley News 
285. 1918, 17 August – Batley News 
286. 1918, 24 August – Batley News 
287. 1918, 31 August – Batley News 
288. 1918, 7 September – Batley News 
289. 1918, 14 September – Batley News 
290. 1918, 21 September – Batley News 
291. 1918, 28 September – Batley News 
292. 1918, 5 October – Batley News 
293. 1918, 12 October – Batley News 
294. 1918, 19 October – Batley News 
295. 1918, 26 October – Batley News 
296. 1918, 2 November – Batley News 
297. 1918, 9 November – Batley News 
298. 1918, 16 November – Batley News 
299. 1918, 23 November – Batley News 
300. 1918, 30 November – Batley News 
301. 1918, 7 December – Batley News 
302. 1918, 14 December – Batley News 
303. 1918, 21 December – Batley News 
304. 1918, 28 December – Batley News 

Electoral Registers 1918-1921 
305. 1918 Batley Electoral Register, North Ward, Polling Districts A and B – Naval and Military Voters

Guest Contributions
306. Memories of Skelsey Row – by Brian Foley 

Maps and Photographs
307. A Description of the Parish Boundaries 
308. Aerial View of St Mary’s Church and the Surrounding Streets 
309. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1894 
310. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1907 
311. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1922 
312. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1933 

Miscellany of Information
313. A Bitter-Sweet Remarriage 
314. A Colliery Accident with Tragic Consequences
315. A Description of the Parish of St Mary of the Angels in 1950 
316. A Grave Disturbance in Batley 
317. A Part of St Mary of the Angels in Batley Cemetery 
318. A “Peace” of Batley History
319. An Appeal to Ireland to Build a Catholic Church in Batley 
320. A Potted Early History of the Irish in Batley, the Building of St Mary of the Angels Church, and the Parish Priest’s Fatal Accident 
321. A St Mary’s Parishioner in the Holy Land 
322. A St Mary’s School Sensation
323. A St Mary’s School Trip Souvenir 
324. Batley’s Secret Irish Society and the Ammunition Seizure 
325. Batley St Mary’s First Torchlight Procession 
326. Batley St Mary’s Second Torchlight Procession 
327. Buffalo Bill and A Right Royal Celebration for Batley’s Schoolchildren *NEW*
328. “Daddy’s Death and then Triplets” 
329. Heritage Impact Assessment: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Convent, Batley 
330. Hot-Cross Buns and the Yorkshire Tea-Cake Dilemma. Plus A Suggested Meal Planner for Batley Families in 1917 
331. Into the Valley of Death – One of the Six Hundred
332. “I’ve Done it for Love” – A Batley Murder 
333. St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church – 1929 Consecration Service
334. The Consequences of a Refusal to Work in 1918
335. The Controversial Role Played by St Mary’s Schoolchildren in the 1907 Batley Pageant
336. The Deaths of the Smallpox Hospital Caretakers 
337. The Debate Over Grave-Diggers’ Holidays 
338. The Earliest Published Account of Batley St Mary’s Church and Schools 
339. The Great War: A Brief Overview of What Led Britain into the War 
340. The Unholy row between St Mary’s Church and the Batley and Birstall Irish Clubs 
341. Thomas Ate My Rat 
342. William Berry – A Beautiful Voice Stilled 
343. Willie and Edward Barber – Poems

Occupations and Employment Information
344. Occupations: Colliery Byeworker/Byeworkman/Byworker/Bye-Worker/By-Worker 
345. Occupations: Confidential Clerk 
346. Occupations: Lamp Cleaner 
347. Occupations: Limelight Operator 
348. Occupations: Mason’s Labourer 
349. Occupations: Office Boy/Girl 
350. Occupations: Piecer/Piecener 
351. Occupations: Rag Grinder 
352. Occupations: Willeyer

School Log Books 
353. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1913 
354. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1914 
355. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1915 
356. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1916 
357. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1917 
358. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1918 
359. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1919 
360. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1920 
361. Infant School – Log Book, 1913 
362. Infant School – Log Book, 1914
363. Infant School – Log Book, 1915
364. Infant School – Log Book, 1916 
365. Infant School – Log Book, 1917
366. Infant School – Log Book, 1918 
367. Infant School – Log Book, 1919 
368. Infant School – Log Book, 1920 
369. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1913 
370. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1914 
371. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1915 
372. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1916 
373. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1917
374. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1918 
375. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1919
376. Mixed Department- Log Book 1920

The Bulletin of St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick – Parish History Section 
377. March 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
378. April 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
379. May 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
380. June 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
381. July 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
382. August 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
383. September 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
384. October 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
385. November 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
386. December 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
387. January 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
388. February 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
389. March 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
390. April 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
391. May 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
392. June 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
393. July 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
394. August 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
395. September 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
396. October 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
397. November 2025 Bulletin History Pieces *NEW*

The Families
398. A Death in the Church
399. St Mary’s Schoolboys Wreak Havoc in a Batley Graveyard

The May Queens of Batley St Mary of the Angels 
400. 1922 May Queen: Phyllis Doyle 
401. 1923 May Queen: Katherine Phillips 
402. 1925 May Queen: Agnes Judge 
403. 1929 May Queen: Mary Collins 
404. 1931 May Queen Ceremony: Theresa Judge 
405. 1932 May Queen Ceremony: Agnes Kilgallon 
406. 1933 May Queen Ceremony: Winnie Colleran 
407. 1939 May Queen Ceremony: Kathleen Gooder 
408. 1940 May Queen Ceremony: Sheila Rowan 
409. 1941 May Queen Ceremony 
410. 1950 May Queen Ceremony: Catherine Heaps
411. 1951 May Queen Ceremony: Mary Harkin 
412. 1952 May Queen Ceremony: Patricia Anne Cain *NEW*

World War Two 
413. World War Two Chronology of Deaths 
414. Thomas Egan
415. Michael Flatley
416. Frank Higgins 
417. Edward Lynch 
418. William Smith
419. Bernard Stenchion 

St Mary of the Angels, Batley: One-Place Study Update – 1 to 31 October 2025 Additions

Because of work commitments, during October 2025 only one new post was added to the Batley St Mary of the Angels One-Place Study, bringing the total number of posts to 415.

This new post was the parish history snippets piece for October 2025. These snippets cover a variety of events and people from the parish from years gone by, and can be found in the Bulletin for Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick section. Even if you have seen them on the Bulletin, it is worth checking them here as some have links to more detailed pieces I have written.

One of the reason for the lack of additions this month is because in November and December I’m giving a series of talks to various organisations. These include an online talk on 11 November 2025 to the Society of One-Place Studies about the early history of the Irish in Batley, and the parish of Batley St Mary of the Angels up until around the 1880s. This is restricted to members of the Society. However, on Monday 24 November I will be giving more or less the same talk at the Batley History Group meeting in Batley Town Hall. This starts with refreshments at 7pm, with the talk commencing at 7.30pm. It is open to both members (£2) and non-members (£4). So, perhaps I will see some of you there. More details about this, and Batley History Group’s other meetings in 2025/26 can be found here.

James Harkin, Batley’s 1st Catholic Mayor​

I also have a special thank you this month for someone who has sent me a lovely letter and some photos of James Harkin, Batley’s first Catholic mayor – one of which is included in this piece. I don’t have her contact details to thank her personally, so hopefully she will read my thank you here.

Below is the full list of pages to date. I have annotated the *NEW* posts, so you can easily pick these out. Click on the link and it will take you straight to the relevant page.

If you want to know the background, and what is involved in a one-place study, click here. Otherwise read on, to discover a wealth of parish, parishioner and wider local Batley history. 


Postscript:
I may not be able to thank you personally because of your contact detail confidentiality, but I do want to say how much I appreciate the donations already received to keep this website going. They really and truly do help. Thank you.

The website has always been free to use, and I want to continue this policy in the future. However, it does cost me money to operate – from undertaking the research to website hosting costs. In the current difficult economic climate I do have to regularly consider if I can afford to continue running it as a free resource. 

If you have enjoyed reading the various pieces, and would like to make a donation towards keeping the website up and running in its current open access format, it would be very much appreciated. 

Please click 👉🏻here👈🏻 be taken to the PayPal donation link. By making a donation you will be helping to keep the website online and freely available for all. 

Thank you.

As a professionally qualified genealogist, if you would like me to undertake any family, local or house history research for you do please get in touch. More information can be found on my research services page.


Finally, if you do have any information about, or photos of, parishioners from the period of the First World War please do get in touch. It does not have to be War Memorial men. It could be those who served and survived, or indeed any other men, women and children from the parish. 

I would also be interested in information about, and photos of, those parishioners who were killed in World War Two, or others from the parish who undertook any war service and survived. This can be as broad as serving in the military, or work in munitions factories, the Land Army, even taking in refugees. This is an area I’m looking to develop in the future.

I can be contacted at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com


1. About my St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church War Memorial One-Place Study;

Batley’s Public Buildings and Institutions
2. Batley Hospital: The First 50 Years – 1878 to 1928 
3. The Early History of Batley’s Public Baths 

Batley St Mary’s Population, Health, Mortality and Fertility Information and Comparisons
4.  1914: The Health of Batley School Children Generally, with a Particular Focus on St Mary’s School Children

Batley Statistics and Descriptions – Population, Health, Mortality, Fertility etc.
5. 1914: Borough of Batley – Town Information from the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
6. Batley and the 1921 Census 
7. Batley Population Statistics 1801-1939

Biographies: Men Associated with St Mary’s Who Died but Who Are Not on the Memorial 
8. Thomas Gannon 
9. Reginald Roberts 
10. William Frederick Townsend

Biographies: The War Memorial Men
11. Edward Barber 
12. William Barber (Memorial name spelling) 
13. Herbert Booth 
14. Edmund Battye
15. Dominick (aka George) Brannan 
16. Michael Brannan 
17. John Brooks 
18. Michael Cafferty 
19. Patrick Cafferty 
20. John William Callaghan 
21. Lawrence Carney 
22. Martin Carney 
23. Thomas William Chappell 
24. William Colbeck
25.  Michael Cunningham 
26. Thomas Curley
27. Peter Doherty 
28. Thomas Dolan 
29. Thomas Donlan 
30. John W. Enright 
31. Mathew Farrer 
32. Thomas Finneran 
33. Michael Flynn 
34. Thomas Foley D.C.M. 
35. Martin Gallagher 
36. James Garner
37. Harold Gaunt 
38. James Gavaghan 
39. Peter Gavaghan 
40. Thomas Gavaghan 
41. Henry Groark 
42. James Groark 
43. Michael Groark (also known as Rourke) 
44. James Griffin 
45. William Hargreaves 
46. Michael Hopkins 
47. Patrick Hopkins
48. Michael Horan
49. James Hughes 
50. Lawrence Judge 
51. John Leech 
52. Michael Lydon
53. John Thomas Lynch 
54. Patrick Lyons 
William McManus – See William Townsend below
55. Thomas McNamara 
56. Clement Manning 
57. Patrick Naifsey 
58. Austin Nolan 
59. Robert Randerson 
60. James Rush 
61. Moses Stubley 
62. William Townsend, also known as McManus
63. James Trainor 
64. Richard Carroll Walsh
65. Arthur William Bayldon Woodhead

Biographies: Those who Served and Survived (this includes a list of those identified to date and who will later have dedicated biographical pages)
65. Patrick Cassidy 
67. James Delaney
68. Thomas Donlan (senior) 
69. Thomas Gannon 
70. Michael Rush 

Burials, Cemeteries, Headstones and MIs
71. Cemetery and Memorial Details 
72. War Memorial Chronology of Deaths .

During This Week
73. During This Week Newspaper Index 
74. 1914, 8 August – Batley News 
75. 1914, 15 August – Batley News 
76. 1914, 22 August – Batley News 
77. 1914, 29 August – Batley News 
78. 1914, 5 September – Batley News 
79. 1914, 12 September – Batley News 
80. 1914, 19 September – Batley News 
81. 1914, 26 September – Batley News 
82. 1914, 3 October – Batley News 
83. 1914, 10 October – Batley News 
84. 1914, 17 October – Batley News 
85. 1914, 24 October – Batley News 
86. 1914, 31 October – Batley News 
87. 1914, 7 November – Batley News 
88. 1914, 14 November – Batley News 
89. 1914, 21 November – Batley News 
90. 1914, 28 November – Batley News
91. 1914, 5 December – Batley News 
92. 1914, 12 December – Batley News 
93. 1914, 19 December – Batley News 
94. 1914, 24 December – Batley News 
95. 1915, 2 January – Batley News 
96. 1915, 9 January – Batley News 
97. 1915, 16 January – Batley News 
98. 1915, 23 January – Batley News 
99. 1915, 30 January – Batley News 
100. 1915, 6 February – Batley News 
101. 1915, 13 February – Batley News 
102. 1915, 20 February – Batley News 
103. 1915, 27 February – Batley News 
104. 1915, 6 March – Batley News 
105. 1915, 13 March – Batley News 
106. 1915, 20 March – Batley News 
107. 1915, 27 March – Batley News 
108. 1915, 3 April – Batley News 
109. 1915, 10 April – Batley News 
110. 1915, 17 April – Batley News 
111. 1915, 24 April – Batley News 
112. 1915, 1 May – Batley News 
113. 1915, 8 May – Batley News 
114. 1915, 15 May – Batley News 
115. 1915, 22 May – Batley News 
116. 1915, 29 May – Batley News 
117. 1915, 5 June – Batley News 
118. 1915, 12 June – Batley News 
119. 1915, 19 June – Batley News 
120. 1915, 26 June – Batley News 
121. 1915, 3 July – Batley News 
122. 1915, 10 July – Batley News 
123. 1915, 17 July – Batley News 
124. 1915, 24 July – Batley News 
125. 1915, 31 July – Batley News 
126. 1915, 7 August – Batley News 
127. 1915, 14 August – Batley News 
128. 1915, 21 August – Batley News 
129. 1915, 28 August – Batley News 
130. 1915, 4 September – Batley News 
131. 1915, 11 September – Batley News 
132. 1915, 18 September – Batley News 
133. 1915, 25 September – Batley News 
134. 1915, 2 October – Batley News 
135. 1915, 9 October – Batley News 
136. 1915, 16 October – Batley News 
137. 1915, 23 October – Batley News 
138. 1915, 30 October – Batley News 
139. 1915, 6 November – Batley News 
140. 1915, 13 November – Batley News 
141. 1915, 20 November – Batley News 
142. 1915, 27 November – Batley News 
143. 1915, 4 December – Batley News 
144. 1915, 11 December – Batley News
145. 1915, 18 December – Batley News 
146. 1915, 23 December – Batley News 
147. 1916, 1 January – Batley News 
148. 1916, 8 January – Batley News 
149. 1916, 15 January – Batley News 
150. 1916, 22 January – Batley News 
151. 1916, 29 January – Batley News 
152. 1916, 5 February – Batley News 
153. 1916, 12 February – Batley News 
154. 1916, 19 February – Batley News 
155. 1916, 26 February – Batley News 
156. 1916, 4 March – Batley News 
157. 1916, 11 March – Batley News 
158. 1916, 18 March – Batley News 
159. 1916, 25 March – Batley News 
160. 1916, 1 April – Batley News 
161. 1916, 8 April – Batley News 
162. 1916, 15 April – Batley News 
163. 1916, 22 April – Batley News 
164. 1916, 29 April – Batley News 
165. 1916, 6 May – Batley News 
166. 1916, 13 May – Batley News
167. 1916, 20 May – Batley News 
168. 1916, 27 May – Batley News
169. 1916, 3 June – Batley News 
170. 1916, 10 June – Batley News 
171. 1916, 17 June – Batley News 
172. 1916, 24 June – Batley News 
173. 1916, 1 July – Batley News 
174. 1916, 8 July – Batley News 
175. 1916, 15 July – Batley News 
176. 1916, 22 July – Batley News 
177. 1916, 29 July – Batley News 
178. 1916, 5 August – Batley News
179. 1916, 12 August – Batley News
180. 1916, 19 August – Batley News 
181. 1916, 26 August – Batley News
182. 1916, 2 September – Batley News 
183. 1916, 9 September – Batley News
184. 1916, 16 September – Batley News 
185. 1916, 23 September – Batley News 
186. 1916, 30 September – Batley News 
187. 1916, 7 October – Batley News
188. 1916, 14 October – Batley News 
189. 1916, 21 October – Batley News
190. 1916, 28 October – Batley News 
191. 1916, 4 November – Batley News
192. 1916, 11 November – Batley News
193. 1916, 18 November – Batley News
194. 1916, 25 November – Batley News 
195. 1916, 2 December – Batley News 
196. 1916, 9 December – Batley News 
197. 1916, 16 December – Batley News 
198. 1916, 23 December – Batley News 
199. 1916, 30 December – Batley News 
200. 1917, 6 January – Batley News 
201. 1917, 13 January – Batley News 
202. 1917, 20 January – Batley News 
203. 1917, 27 January – Batley News
204. 1917, 3 February – Batley News 
205. 1917, 10 February – Batley News 
206. 1917, 17 February – Batley News 
207. 1917, 24 February – Batley News 
208. 1917, 3 March – Batley News
209. 1917, 10 March – Batley News 
210. 1917, 17 March – Batley News 
211. 1917, 24 March – Batley News 
212. 1917, 31 March – Batley News
213. 1917, 7 April – Batley News 
214. 1917, 14 April – Batley News 
215. 1917, 21 April – Batley News 
216. 1917, 28 April – Batley News 
217. 1917, 5 May – Batley News 
218. 1917, 12 May – Batley News 
219. 1917, 19 May – Batley News 
220. 1917, 26 May – Batley News 
221. 1917, 2 June – Batley New
222. 1917, 9 June – Batley News
223. 1917, 16 June – Batley News
224. 1917, 23 June – Batley News
225. 1917, 30 June – Batley News
226. 1917, 7 July – Batley News
227. 1917, 14 July – Batley News 
228. 1917, 21 July – Batley News 
229. 1917, 28 July – Batley News 
230. 1917, 4 August – Batley News 
231. 1917, 11 August – Batley News 
232. 1917, 18 August – Batley News 
233. 1917, 25 August – Batley News 
234. 1917, 1 September – Batley News 
235. 1917, 8 September – Batley News 
236. 1917, 15 September – Batley News 
237. 1917, 22 September – Batley News 
238. 1917, 29 September– Batley News 
239.  1917, 6 October – Batley News 
240. 1917, 13 October – Batley News
241. 1917, 20 October – Batley News
242. 1917, 27 October – Batley News 
243. 1917, 3 November – Batley News
244. 1917, 10 November – Batley News
245. 1917, 17 November – Batley News 
246. 1917, 24 November – Batley News 
247. 1917, 1 December – Batley News 
248. 1917, 8 December – Batley News 
249. 1917, 15 December – Batley News 
250. 1917, 22 December – Batley News 
251. 1917, 29 December – Batley News 
252. 1918, 5 January – Dewsbury District News 
252. 1918, 12 January – Dewsbury District News 
254. 1918, 19 January – Batley News 
255. 1918, 26 January – Batley News
256. 1918, 2 February – Batley News 
257. 1918, 9 February – Batley News 
258. 1918, 16 February – Batley News 
259. 1918, 23 February – Batley News 
260. 1918, 2 March – Batley News 
261 1918, 9 March – Batley News 
262. 1918, 16 March – Batley News 
263. 1918, 23 March – Batley News 
264. 1918, 30 March – Batley News 
265. 1918, 6 April – Batley News 
266. 1918, 13 April – Batley News 
267. 1918, 20 April – Batley News 
268. 1918, 27 April – Batley News 
269. 1918, 4 May – Batley News
270. 1918, 11 May – Batley News 
271. 1918, 18 May – Batley News 
272. 1918, 25 May – Batley News 
273. 1918, 1 June – Batley News 
274. 1918, 8 June – Batley News 
275. 1918, 15 June – Batley News 
276. 1918, 22 June – Batley News
277. 1918, 29 June – Batley News 
278. 1918, 6 July – Batley News 
279. 1918, 13 July – Batley News 
280. 1918, 20 July – Batley News
281. 1918, 27 July – Batley News
282. 1918, 3 August – Batley News 
283. 1918, 10 August – Batley News 
284. 1918, 17 August – Batley News 
285. 1918, 24 August – Batley News 
286. 1918, 31 August – Batley News 
287. 1918, 7 September – Batley News 
288. 1918, 14 September – Batley News 
289. 1918, 21 September – Batley News 
290. 1918, 28 September – Batley News 
291. 1918, 5 October – Batley News 
292. 1918, 12 October – Batley News 
293. 1918, 19 October – Batley News 
294. 1918, 26 October – Batley News 
295. 1918, 2 November – Batley News 
296. 1918, 9 November – Batley News 
297. 1918, 16 November – Batley News 
298. 1918, 23 November – Batley News 
299. 1918, 30 November – Batley News 
300. 1918, 7 December – Batley News 
301. 1918, 14 December – Batley News 
302. 1918, 21 December – Batley News 
303. 1918, 28 December – Batley News 

Electoral Registers 1918-1921 
304. 1918 Batley Electoral Register, North Ward, Polling Districts A and B – Naval and Military Voters

Guest Contributions
305. Memories of Skelsey Row – by Brian Foley 

Maps and Photographs
306. A Description of the Parish Boundaries 
307. Aerial View of St Mary’s Church and the Surrounding Streets 
308. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1894 
309. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1907 
310. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1922 
311. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1933 

Miscellany of Information
312. A Bitter-Sweet Remarriage 
313. A Colliery Accident with Tragic Consequences
314. A Description of the Parish of St Mary of the Angels in 1950 
315. A Grave Disturbance in Batley 
316. A Part of St Mary of the Angels in Batley Cemetery 
317. A “Peace” of Batley History
318. An Appeal to Ireland to Build a Catholic Church in Batley 
319. A Potted Early History of the Irish in Batley, the Building of St Mary of the Angels Church, and the Parish Priest’s Fatal Accident 
320. A St Mary’s Parishioner in the Holy Land 
321. A St Mary’s School Sensation
322. A St Mary’s School Trip Souvenir 
323. Batley’s Secret Irish Society and the Ammunition Seizure 
324. Batley St Mary’s First Torchlight Procession 
325. Batley St Mary’s Second Torchlight Procession 
326. “Daddy’s Death and then Triplets” 
327. Heritage Impact Assessment: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Convent, Batley 
328. Hot-Cross Buns and the Yorkshire Tea-Cake Dilemma. Plus A Suggested Meal Planner for Batley Families in 1917 
329. Into the Valley of Death – One of the Six Hundred
330. “I’ve Done it for Love” – A Batley Murder 
331. St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church – 1929 Consecration Service
332. The Consequences of a Refusal to Work in 1918
333. The Controversial Role Played by St Mary’s Schoolchildren in the 1907 Batley Pageant
334. The Deaths of the Smallpox Hospital Caretakers 
335. The Debate Over Grave-Diggers’ Holidays 
336. The Earliest Published Account of Batley St Mary’s Church and Schools 
337. The Great War: A Brief Overview of What Led Britain into the War 
338. The Unholy row between St Mary’s Church and the Batley and Birstall Irish Clubs 
339. Thomas Ate My Rat 
340. William Berry – A Beautiful Voice Stilled 
341. Willie and Edward Barber – Poems

Ocupations and Employment Information
342. Occupations: Colliery Byeworker/Byeworkman/Byworker/Bye-Worker/By-Worker 
343. Occupations: Confidential Clerk 
344. Occupations: Lamp Cleaner 
345. Occupations: Limelight Operator 
346. Occupations: Mason’s Labourer 
347. Occupations: Office Boy/Girl 
348. Occupations: Piecer/Piecener 
349. Occupations: Rag Grinder 
350. Occupations: Willeyer

School Log Books 
351. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1913 
352. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1914 
353. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1915 
354. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1916 
355. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1917 
356. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1918 
357. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1919 
358. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1920 
359. Infant School – Log Book, 1913 
360. Infant School – Log Book, 1914
361. Infant School – Log Book, 1915
362. Infant School – Log Book, 1916 
363. Infant School – Log Book, 1917
364. Infant School – Log Book, 1918 
365. Infant School – Log Book, 1919 
366. Infant School – Log Book, 1920 
367. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1913 
368. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1914 
369. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1915 
370. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1916 
371. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1917
372. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1918 
373. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1919
374. Mixed Department- Log Book 1920

The Bulletin of St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick – Parish History Section 
375. March 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
376. April 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
377. May 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
378. June 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
379. July 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
380. August 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
381. September 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
382. October 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
383. November 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
384. December 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
385. January 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
386. February 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
387. March 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
388. April 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
389. May 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
390. June 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
391. July 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
392. August 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
393. September 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
394. October 2025 Bulletin History Pieces *NEW*

The Families
395. A Death in the Church
396. St Mary’s Schoolboys Wreak Havoc in a Batley Graveyard

The May Queens of Batley St Mary of the Angels 
397. 1922 May Queen: Phyllis Doyle 
398. 1923 May Queen: Katherine Phillips 
399 1925 May Queen: Agnes Judge 
400. 1929 May Queen: Mary Collins 
401. 1931 May Queen Ceremony: Theresa Judge 
402. 1932 May Queen Ceremony: Agnes Kilgallon 
403. 1933 May Queen Ceremony: Winnie Colleran 
404. 1939 May Queen Ceremony: Kathleen Gooder 
405. 1940 May Queen Ceremony: Sheila Rowan 
406. 1941 May Queen Ceremony 
407. 1950 May Queen Ceremony: Catherine Heaps
408. 1951 May Queen Ceremony: Mary Harkin 

World War Two 
409. World War Two Chronology of Deaths 
410. Thomas Egan
411. Michael Flatley
412. Frank Higgins 
413. Edward Lynch 
414. William Smith
415. Bernard Stenchion 

Book Review – Genealogy in Reverse: Finding the Living (A Practical Guide for All Genealogists)

Written by professional genealogist Cheri Hudson Passey, and drawing on her experience in carrying out work for the U.S. Army Past Conflict Repatriations Branch (for UK researchers this equates to the MOD’s War Detectives from the Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre Commemorations team), the stated aim of this book is to help genealogists of all levels to trace and connect with descendants of ancestors. These connections might lead to more information, documents, family memorabilia, photographs and photo identification, to enrich research and add colour to your family history.

The slimness of the book, running to 56 pages, is indicative that it is a basic overview. After the preface and methodology, the chapters are as follows:

  1. Building a Solid Foundation.
  2. Looking for Clues in Records.
  3. Researching Online.
  4. Researching on Location.
  5. People Finders and Social Media.
  6. Reaching Out to Family.
  7. A Word About DNA.
  8. Working Through a Soldier Repatriation Case: Steps for Finding Living Family.

There is also a concluding section and, to round off, a couple of pages listing tools and resources – although there are some website address errors here.

Together they provide a step-by-step guide to finding relatives down both ancestral and collateral lines, using modern tools to track them down.

Some of the steps are obvious, like ensuring your family tree is accurate and complete. The value of research plans to keep on track is discussed, as well as the need to follow the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS), concepts which may be new to non-professionals.

Building mini trees is suggested as a research tool, and the book includes several screenshots on how to export GEDCOM files with which to work from. These, along with other images, are greyscale rather than colour.

Various sources are highlighted as useful for providing clues, building a body of evidence and resolving conflicting information. Search tips are given for finding living family members, including through using online trees. Tools such as reverse image searches are covered. I was pleased to see recognition that everything is not online. And I particularly enjoyed the chapter which pulled everything together in working through a soldier repatriation case.

From my UK and Ireland research perspective, the fact that it is written by a U.S. researcher means it is naturally geared towards research in that country. This is particularly obvious in the sections dealing with locating newspapers, and people finding sources. It is explicitly acknowledged in the section about national public records. That being said, there are general tips to be gleaned from those researching beyond the U.S., especially for the less experienced researcher.

Arguably the most crucial chapter is the one about reaching out to family. It was good to see advice given about handling these tricky initial contacts. This includes being aware of the fear factor behind unsolicited contacts in this world of scammers, along with the need to respect privacy and reach out with respect and sensitivity to living connections, upholding the ethics of handling information about living, and obtaining informed consent around any information shared.

However, one important topic I would have liked to have seen covered in a little more detail was the potential ethical dilemmas posed by this aspect of family history research, very much like DNA tests, the risks of which are dealt with in the book.

Contacting distant living relatives can potentially lead to unforeseen and unintended consequences, especially if that family history is challenging and sensitive, and it might have been useful to have consideration of this aspect. This is a particular issue when the person being contacted has no obvious family history interest, and is not on a family history platform, so is unaware to the possibility of such contacts.

As I have mentioned, the book is only a brief introduction to the subject of identifying and tracking down living relatives, and ethical dilemmas are a meaty subject. But a cautionary, if not a deeper exploration of this angle, would have been helpful.

That aside, when these contacts work out the mutual benefits can be huge, and this book is a useful addition to my genealogy library as a handy and concise aide-mémoire to this type of research.

The book was published in 2025, ISBN 9780806321516. For ease I’ve attached the purchase links for both Amazon and Genealogical.com

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of the book from Genealogical.com. I was not asked for a review in return, but I thought it would be useful to post one to introduce this book to others who may not be aware of it. In doing so I have expressed my honest opinion.

St Mary of the Angels, Batley: One-Place Study Update – 1 to 30 April 2025 Additions

April was a particularly busy month for the Batley St Mary of the Angels One-Place Study. It included the addition of a new subject heading, along with eight new posts, bringing the total number of posts to 399. One other post was updated.

Below is the complete list of all the St Mary’s posts published up to the end of April 2025, including links to them, with those new and updated posts signposted so you can easily locate them.

The May Queens of 1931 and 1932

If you want to know the background, and what is involved in a one-place study, click here. Otherwise read on, to discover a wealth of parish, parishioner and wider local Batley history. 

The new section added in April was one about the May Queens of the parish. I am trying to identify as many of them as possible, with a piece dedicated to each year. To date seven years have been added to this section, 1922, 1931-1933, 1939-1941.

The final addition this month is in the Bulletin for Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick section. It is the piece covering the parish history snippets included in the parish bulletins during April 2025.

I have also added a further update to the World War Two introduction page.

Below is the full list of pages to date. I have annotated the *NEW* and *UPDATED* ones, so you can easily pick these out. Click on the link and it will take you straight to the relevant page.


Postscript:
I may not be able to thank you personally because of your contact detail confidentiality, but I do want to say how much I appreciate the donations already received to keep this website going. They really and truly do help. Thank you.

The website has always been free to use, and I want to continue this policy in the future. However, it does cost me money to operate – from undertaking the research to website hosting costs. In the current difficult economic climate I do have to regularly consider if I can afford to continue running it as a free resource. 

If you have enjoyed reading the various pieces, and would like to make a donation towards keeping the website up and running in its current open access format, it would be very much appreciated. 

Please click 👉🏻here👈🏻 to be taken to the PayPal donation link. By making a donation you will be helping to keep the website online and freely available for all. 

Thank you.

As a professionally qualified genealogist, if you would like me to undertake any family, local or house history research for you do please get in touch. More information can be found on my research services page.


Finally, if you do have any information about, or photos of, parishioners from the period of the First World War please do get in touch. It does not have to be War Memorial men. It could be those who served and survived, or indeed any other men, women and children from the parish. 

I would also be interested in information about, and photos of, those parishioners who were killed in World War Two, or others from the parish who undertook any war service and survived. This can be as broad as serving in the military, or work in munitions factories, the Land Army, even taking in refugees. This is an area I’m looking to develop in the future.

I can be contacted at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com


1. About my St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church War Memorial One-Place Study;

Batley’s Public Buildings and Institutions
2. Batley Hospital: The First 50 Years – 1878 to 1928 
3. The Early History of Batley’s Public Baths 

Batley St Mary’s Population, Health, Mortality and Fertility Information and Comparisons
4.  1914: The Health of Batley School Children Generally, with a Particular Focus on St Mary’s School Children

Batley Statistics and Descriptions – Population, Health, Mortality, Fertility etc.
5. 1914: Borough of Batley – Town Information from the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
6. Batley and the 1921 Census 
7. Batley Population Statistics 1801-1939

Biographies: Men Associated with St Mary’s Who Died but Who Are Not on the Memorial 
8. Thomas Gannon 
9. Reginald Roberts 
10. William Frederick Townsend

Biographies: The War Memorial Men
11. Edward Barber 
12. William Barber (Memorial name spelling) 
13. Herbert Booth 
14. Edmund Battye
15. Dominick (aka George) Brannan 
16. Michael Brannan 
17. John Brooks 
18. Michael Cafferty 
19. Patrick Cafferty 
20. John William Callaghan 
21. Lawrence Carney 
22. Martin Carney 
23. Thomas William Chappell 
24. William Colbeck
25.  Michael Cunningham 
26. Thomas Curley
27. Peter Doherty 
28. Thomas Dolan 
29. Thomas Donlan 
30. John W. Enright 
31. Mathew Farrer 
32. Thomas Finneran 
33. Michael Flynn 
34. Thomas Foley D.C.M. 
35. Martin Gallagher 
36. James Garner
37. Harold Gaunt 
38. James Gavaghan 
39. Peter Gavaghan 
40. Thomas Gavaghan 
41. Henry Groark 
42. James Groark 
43. Michael Groark (also known as Rourke) 
44. James Griffin 
45. William Hargreaves 
46. Michael Hopkins 
47. Patrick Hopkins
48. Michael Horan
49. James Hughes 
50. Lawrence Judge 
51. John Leech 
52. Michael Lydon
53. John Thomas Lynch 
54. Patrick Lyons 
William McManus – See William Townsend below
55. Thomas McNamara 
56. Clement Manning 
57. Patrick Naifsey 
58. Austin Nolan 
59. Robert Randerson 
60. James Rush 
61. Moses Stubley 
62. William Townsend, also known as McManus
63. James Trainor 
64. Richard Carroll Walsh
65. Arthur William Bayldon Woodhead

Biographies: Those who Served and Survived (this includes a list of those identified to date and who will later have dedicated biographical pages)
65. Patrick Cassidy 
67. James Delaney
68. Thomas Donlan (senior) 
69. Thomas Gannon 
70. Michael Rush 

Burials, Cemeteries, Headstones and MIs
71. Cemetery and Memorial Details 
72. War Memorial Chronology of Deaths .

During This Week
73. During This Week Newspaper Index 
74. 1914, 8 August – Batley News 
75. 1914, 15 August – Batley News 
76. 1914, 22 August – Batley News 
77. 1914, 29 August – Batley News 
78. 1914, 5 September – Batley News 
79. 1914, 12 September – Batley News 
80. 1914, 19 September – Batley News 
81. 1914, 26 September – Batley News 
82. 1914, 3 October – Batley News 
83. 1914, 10 October – Batley News 
84. 1914, 17 October – Batley News 
85. 1914, 24 October – Batley News 
86. 1914, 31 October – Batley News 
87. 1914, 7 November – Batley News 
88. 1914, 14 November – Batley News 
89. 1914, 21 November – Batley News 
90. 1914, 28 November – Batley News
91. 1914, 5 December – Batley News 
92. 1914, 12 December – Batley News 
93. 1914, 19 December – Batley News 
94. 1914, 24 December – Batley News 
95. 1915, 2 January – Batley News 
96. 1915, 9 January – Batley News 
97. 1915, 16 January – Batley News 
98. 1915, 23 January – Batley News 
99. 1915, 30 January – Batley News 
100. 1915, 6 February – Batley News 
101. 1915, 13 February – Batley News 
102. 1915, 20 February – Batley News 
103. 1915, 27 February – Batley News 
104. 1915, 6 March – Batley News 
105. 1915, 13 March – Batley News 
106. 1915, 20 March – Batley News 
107. 1915, 27 March – Batley News 
108. 1915, 3 April – Batley News 
109. 1915, 10 April – Batley News 
110. 1915, 17 April – Batley News 
111. 1915, 24 April – Batley News 
112. 1915, 1 May – Batley News 
113. 1915, 8 May – Batley News 
114. 1915, 15 May – Batley News 
115. 1915, 22 May – Batley News 
116. 1915, 29 May – Batley News 
117. 1915, 5 June – Batley News 
118. 1915, 12 June – Batley News 
119. 1915, 19 June – Batley News 
120. 1915, 26 June – Batley News 
121. 1915, 3 July – Batley News 
122. 1915, 10 July – Batley News 
123. 1915, 17 July – Batley News 
124. 1915, 24 July – Batley News 
125. 1915, 31 July – Batley News 
126. 1915, 7 August – Batley News 
127. 1915, 14 August – Batley News 
128. 1915, 21 August – Batley News 
129. 1915, 28 August – Batley News 
130. 1915, 4 September – Batley News 
131. 1915, 11 September – Batley News 
132. 1915, 18 September – Batley News 
133. 1915, 25 September – Batley News 
134. 1915, 2 October – Batley News 
135. 1915, 9 October – Batley News 
136. 1915, 16 October – Batley News 
137. 1915, 23 October – Batley News 
138. 1915, 30 October – Batley News 
139. 1915, 6 November – Batley News 
140. 1915, 13 November – Batley News 
141. 1915, 20 November – Batley News 
142. 1915, 27 November – Batley News 
143. 1915, 4 December – Batley News 
144. 1915, 11 December – Batley News
145. 1915, 18 December – Batley News 
146. 1915, 23 December – Batley News 
147. 1916, 1 January – Batley News 
148. 1916, 8 January – Batley News 
149. 1916, 15 January – Batley News 
150. 1916, 22 January – Batley News 
151. 1916, 29 January – Batley News 
152. 1916, 5 February – Batley News 
153. 1916, 12 February – Batley News 
154. 1916, 19 February – Batley News 
155. 1916, 26 February – Batley News 
156. 1916, 4 March – Batley News 
157. 1916, 11 March – Batley News 
158. 1916, 18 March – Batley News 
159. 1916, 25 March – Batley News 
160. 1916, 1 April – Batley News 
161. 1916, 8 April – Batley News 
162. 1916, 15 April – Batley News 
163. 1916, 22 April – Batley News 
164. 1916, 29 April – Batley News 
165. 1916, 6 May – Batley News 
166. 1916, 13 May – Batley News
167. 1916, 20 May – Batley News 
168. 1916, 27 May – Batley News
169. 1916, 3 June – Batley News 
170. 1916, 10 June – Batley News 
171. 1916, 17 June – Batley News 
172. 1916, 24 June – Batley News 
173. 1916, 1 July – Batley News 
174. 1916, 8 July – Batley News 
175. 1916, 15 July – Batley News 
176. 1916, 22 July – Batley News 
177. 1916, 29 July – Batley News 
178. 1916, 5 August – Batley News
179. 1916, 12 August – Batley News
180. 1916, 19 August – Batley News 
181. 1916, 26 August – Batley News
182. 1916, 2 September – Batley News 
183. 1916, 9 September – Batley News
184. 1916, 16 September – Batley News 
185. 1916, 23 September – Batley News 
186. 1916, 30 September – Batley News 
187. 1916, 7 October – Batley News
188. 1916, 14 October – Batley News 
189. 1916, 21 October – Batley News
190. 1916, 28 October – Batley News 
191. 1916, 4 November – Batley News
192. 1916, 11 November – Batley News
193. 1916, 18 November – Batley News
194. 1916, 25 November – Batley News 
195. 1916, 2 December – Batley News 
196. 1916, 9 December – Batley News 
197. 1916, 16 December – Batley News 
198. 1916, 23 December – Batley News 
199. 1916, 30 December – Batley News 
200. 1917, 6 January – Batley News 
201. 1917, 13 January – Batley News 
202. 1917, 20 January – Batley News 
203. 1917, 27 January – Batley News
204. 1917, 3 February – Batley News 
205. 1917, 10 February – Batley News 
206. 1917, 17 February – Batley News 
207. 1917, 24 February – Batley News 
208. 1917, 3 March – Batley News
209. 1917, 10 March – Batley News 
210. 1917, 17 March – Batley News 
211. 1917, 24 March – Batley News 
212. 1917, 31 March – Batley News
213. 1917, 7 April – Batley News 
214. 1917, 14 April – Batley News 
215. 1917, 21 April – Batley News 
216. 1917, 28 April – Batley News 
217. 1917, 5 May – Batley News 
218. 1917, 12 May – Batley News 
219. 1917, 19 May – Batley News 
220. 1917, 26 May – Batley News 
221. 1917, 2 June – Batley New
222. 1917, 9 June – Batley News
223. 1917, 16 June – Batley News
224. 1917, 23 June – Batley News
225. 1917, 30 June – Batley News
226. 1917, 7 July – Batley News
227. 1917, 14 July – Batley News 
228. 1917, 21 July – Batley News 
229. 1917, 28 July – Batley News 
230. 1917, 4 August – Batley News 
231. 1917, 11 August – Batley News 
232. 1917, 18 August – Batley News 
233. 1917, 25 August – Batley News 
234. 1917, 1 September – Batley News 
235. 1917, 8 September – Batley News 
236. 1917, 15 September – Batley News 
237. 1917, 22 September – Batley News 
238. 1917, 29 September– Batley News 
239.  1917, 6 October – Batley News 
240. 1917, 13 October – Batley News
241. 1917, 20 October – Batley News
242. 1917, 27 October – Batley News 
243. 1917, 3 November – Batley News
244. 1917, 10 November – Batley News
245. 1917, 17 November – Batley News 
246. 1917, 24 November – Batley News 
247. 1917, 1 December – Batley News 
248. 1917, 8 December – Batley News 
249. 1917, 15 December – Batley News 
250. 1917, 22 December – Batley News 
251. 1917, 29 December – Batley News 
252. 1918, 5 January – Dewsbury District News 
252. 1918, 12 January – Dewsbury District News 
254. 1918, 19 January – Batley News 
255. 1918, 26 January – Batley News
256. 1918, 2 February – Batley News 
257. 1918, 9 February – Batley News 
258. 1918, 16 February – Batley News 
259. 1918, 23 February – Batley News 
260. 1918, 2 March – Batley News 
261 1918, 9 March – Batley News 
262. 1918, 16 March – Batley News 
263. 1918, 23 March – Batley News 
264. 1918, 30 March – Batley News 
265. 1918, 6 April – Batley News 
266. 1918, 13 April – Batley News 
267. 1918, 20 April – Batley News 
268. 1918, 27 April – Batley News 
269. 1918, 4 May – Batley News
270. 1918, 11 May – Batley News 
271. 1918, 18 May – Batley News 
272. 1918, 25 May – Batley News 
273. 1918, 1 June – Batley News 
274. 1918, 8 June – Batley News 
275. 1918, 15 June – Batley News 
276. 1918, 22 June – Batley News
277. 1918, 29 June – Batley News 
278. 1918, 6 July – Batley News 
279. 1918, 13 July – Batley News 
280. 1918, 20 July – Batley News
281. 1918, 27 July – Batley News
282. 1918, 3 August – Batley News 
283. 1918, 10 August – Batley News 
284. 1918, 17 August – Batley News 
285. 1918, 24 August – Batley News 
286. 1918, 31 August – Batley News 
287. 1918, 7 September – Batley News 
288. 1918, 14 September – Batley News 
289. 1918, 21 September – Batley News 
290. 1918, 28 September – Batley News 
291. 1918, 5 October – Batley News 
292. 1918, 12 October – Batley News 
293. 1918, 19 October – Batley News 
294. 1918, 26 October – Batley News 
295. 1918, 2 November – Batley News 
296. 1918, 9 November – Batley News 
297. 1918, 16 November – Batley News 
298. 1918, 23 November – Batley News 
299. 1918, 30 November – Batley News 
300. 1918, 7 December – Batley News 
301. 1918, 14 December – Batley News 
302. 1918, 21 December – Batley News 
303. 1918, 28 December – Batley News 

Electoral Registers 1918-1921 
304. 1918 Batley Electoral Register, North Ward, Polling Districts A and B – Naval and Military Voters

Guest Contributions
305. Memories of Skelsey Row – by Brian Foley 

Maps and Photographs
306. A Description of the Parish Boundaries 
307. Aerial View of St Mary’s Church and the Surrounding Streets 
308. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1894 
309. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1907 
310. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1922 
311. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1933 

Miscellany of Information
312. A Bitter-Sweet Remarriage 
313. A Colliery Accident with Tragic Consequences 
314. A Grave Disturbance in Batley 
315. A Part of St Mary of the Angels in Batley Cemetery 
316. A “Peace” of Batley History
317. An Appeal to Ireland to Build a Catholic Church in Batley 
318. A Potted Early History of the Irish in Batley, the Building of St Mary of the Angels Church, and the Parish Priest’s Fatal Accident 
319. A St Mary’s Parishioner in the Holy Land 
320. A St Mary’s School Sensation
321. A St Mary’s School Trip Souvenir 
322. Batley’s Secret Irish Society and the Ammunition Seizure 
323. Batley St Mary’s First Torchlight Procession 
324. “Daddy’s Death and then Triplets” 
325. Heritage Impact Assessment: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Convent, Batley 
326. Hot-Cross Buns and the Yorkshire Tea-Cake Dilemma. Plus A Suggested Meal Planner for Batley Families in 1917 
327. Into the Valley of Death – One of the Six Hundred 
328. St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church – 1929 Consecration Service
329. The Consequences of a Refusal to Work in 1918
330. The Controversial Role Played by St Mary’s Schoolchildren in the 1907 Batley Pageant
331. The Deaths of the Smallpox Hospital Caretakers 
332. The Debate Over Grave-Diggers’ Holidays 
333. The Earliest Published Account of Batley St Mary’s Church and Schools 
334. The Great War: A Brief Overview of What Led Britain into the War 
335. The Unholy row between St Mary’s Church and the Batley and Birstall Irish Clubs 
336. Thomas Ate My Rat 
337. William Berry – A Beautiful Voice Stilled 
338. Willie and Edward Barber – Poems

Occupations and Employment Information
339. Occupations: Colliery Byeworker/Byeworkman/Byworker/Bye-Worker/By-Worker 
340. Occupations: Confidential Clerk 
341. Occupations: Lamp Cleaner 
342. Occupations: Limelight Operator 
343. Occupations: Mason’s Labourer 
344. Occupations: Office Boy/Girl 
345. Occupations: Piecer/Piecener 
346. Occupations: Rag Grinder 
347. Occupations: Willeyer

School Log Books 
348. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1913 
349. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1914 
350. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1915 
351. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1916 
352. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1917 
353. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1918 
354. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1919 
355. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1920 
356. Infant School – Log Book, 1913 
357. Infant School – Log Book, 1914
358. Infant School – Log Book, 1915
359. Infant School – Log Book, 1916 
360. Infant School – Log Book, 1917
361. Infant School – Log Book, 1918 
362. Infant School – Log Book, 1919 
363. Infant School – Log Book, 1920 
364. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1913 
365. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1914 
366. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1915 
367. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1916 
368. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1917
369. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1918 
370. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1919
371. Mixed Department- Log Book 1920

The Bulletin of St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick – Parish History Section 
372. March 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
373. April 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
374. May 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
375. June 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
376. July 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
377. August 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
378. September 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
379. October 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
380. November 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
381. December 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
382. January 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
383. February 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
384. March 2025 Bulletin History Pieces 
385. April 2025 Bulletin History Pieces *NEW*

The Families
386. A Death in the Church
387. St Mary’s Schoolboys Wreak Havoc in a Batley Graveyard

The May Queens of Batley St Mary of the Angels *NEW*
388. 1922 May Queen: Phyllis Doyle *NEW*
389. 1931 May Queen Ceremony: Theresa Judge *NEW*
390. 1932 May Queen Ceremony: Agnes Kilgallon *NEW*
391. 1933 May Queen Ceremony: Winnie Colleran *NEW*
392. 1939 May Queen Ceremony: Kathleen Gooder *NEW*
393. 1940 May Queen Ceremony: Sheila Rowan *NEW*
394. 1941 May Queen Ceremony *NEW*

World War Two *UPDATED*
395. World War Two Chronology of Deaths
396. Thomas Egan
397. Michael Flatley
398. Edward Lynch 
399. William Smith

St Mary of the Angels, Batley: One-Place Study Update – 1 to 31 January 2025 Additions

2025 got off to a great start for the Batley St Mary of the Angels One-Place Study, with the addition of five posts which cover a varied mix of the history of the parish and its people. It brings the total number of posts to 383. One other post was updated.

Below is the complete list of all the St Mary’s posts published up to the end of January 2025, including links to them, with those new and updated posts signposted so you can easily locate them.

If you want to know the background, and what is involved in a one-place study, click here. Otherwise read on, to discover a wealth of parish, parishioner and wider local Batley history. 

Batley St Mary of the Angels

Two new War Memorial biographies were added, those of Harold Gaunt and Thomas Dolan. The former covers a lesser known aspect of military service. The latter includes some cherished photos, used with the family’s permission. I also identified more parishioners who served in, and survived, the First World War. That list has been updated.

The Bulletin for Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick section, has one addition. This is the piece covering the parish history snippets which were included in the parish bulletins during January 2025 – one of which may be rather surprising but reflects commonly held initial world attitudes to someone who turned out to be a monster.

It also links to the one of the two new posts in the Miscellany of Information section. One is about a former parishioner who played an unexpected and significant role, bringing him into contact with people across the world. The other post is a topic I never thought would be covered in the St Mary’s One-Place Study. Given this month, on the 27 January, we commemorated World Holocaust Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp complex, it serves as a timely and important reminder.

Below is the full list of pages to date. I have annotated the *NEW* and *UPDATED* ones, so you can easily pick these out. Click on the link and it will take you straight to the relevant page.


Postscript:
I may not be able to thank you personally because of your contact detail confidentiality, but I do want to say how much I appreciate the donations already received to keep this website going. They really and truly do help. Thank you.

The website has always been free to use, and I want to continue this policy in the future. However, it does cost me money to operate – from undertaking the research to website hosting costs. In the current difficult economic climate I do have to regularly consider if I can afford to continue running it as a free resource. 

If you have enjoyed reading the various pieces, and would like to make a donation towards keeping the website up and running in its current open access format, it would be very much appreciated. 

Please click 👉🏻here👈🏻 to be taken to the PayPal donation link. By making a donation you will be helping to keep the website online and freely available for all. 

Thank you.

As a professionally qualified genealogist, if you would like me to undertake any family, local or house history research for you do please get in touch. More information can be found on my research services page.


Finally, if you do have any information about, or photos of, parishioners from the period of the First World War please do get in touch. It does not have to be War Memorial men. It could be those who served and survived, or indeed any other men, women and children from the parish. 

I would also be interested in information about, and photos of, those parishioners who were killed in World War Two, or others from the parish who undertook any war service and survived. This can be as broad as serving in the military, or work in munitions factories, the Land Army, even taking in refugees. This is an area I’m looking to develop in the future.

I can be contacted at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com


1. About my St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church War Memorial One-Place Study;

Batley’s Public Buildings and Institutions
2. Batley Hospital: The First 50 Years – 1878 to 1928 
3. The Early History of Batley’s Public Baths 

Batley St Mary’s Population, Health, Mortality and Fertility Information and Comparisons
4.  1914: The Health of Batley School Children Generally, with a Particular Focus on St Mary’s School Children

Batley Statistics and Descriptions – Population, Health, Mortality, Fertility etc.
5. 1914: Borough of Batley – Town Information from the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
6. Batley and the 1921 Census 
7. Batley Population Statistics 1801-1939

Biographies: Men Associated with St Mary’s Who Died but Who Are Not on the Memorial 
8. Thomas Gannon 
9. Reginald Roberts 
10. William Frederick Townsend

Biographies: The War Memorial Men
11. Edward Barber 
12. William Barber (Memorial name spelling) 
13. Herbert Booth 
14. Edmund Battye
15. Dominick (aka George) Brannan 
16. Michael Brannan 
17. John Brooks 
18. Michael Cafferty 
19. Patrick Cafferty 
20. John William Callaghan 
21. Lawrence Carney 
22. Martin Carney 
23. Thomas William Chappell 
24. William Colbeck
25.  Michael Cunningham 
26. Thomas Curley
27. Peter Doherty 
28. Thomas Dolan *NEW*
29. Thomas Donlan 
30. John W. Enright 
31. Mathew Farrer 
32. Thomas Finneran 
33. Michael Flynn 
34. Thomas Foley D.C.M. 
35. Martin Gallagher 
36. James Garner
37. Harold Gaunt *NEW*
38. James Gavaghan 
39. Thomas Gavaghan 
40. Henry Groark 
41. James Groark 
42. Michael Groark (also known as Rourke) 
43. James Griffin 
44. William Hargreaves 
45. Michael Hopkins 
46. Patrick Hopkins
47. Michael Horan
48. James Hughes 
49. Lawrence Judge 
50. John Leech 
51. Michael Lydon 
52. Patrick Lyons 
William McManus – See William Townsend below
53. Thomas McNamara 
54. Clement Manning 
55. Patrick Naifsey 
56. Austin Nolan 
57. Robert Randerson 
58. James Rush 
59. Moses Stubley 
60. William Townsend, also known as McManus
61. James Trainor 
62. Richard Carroll Walsh
63. Arthur William Bayldon Woodhead

Biographies: Those who Served and Survived (this includes a list of those identified to date and who will later have dedicated biographical pages) *UPDATED*
64. Patrick Cassidy 
65. James Delaney
66. Thomas Donlan (senior) 
67. Thomas Gannon 
68. Michael Rush 

Burials, Cemeteries, Headstones and MIs
69. Cemetery and Memorial Details 
70. War Memorial Chronology of Deaths .

During This Week
71. During This Week Newspaper Index 
72. 1914, 8 August – Batley News 
73. 1914, 15 August – Batley News 
74. 1914, 22 August – Batley News 
75. 1914, 29 August – Batley News 
76. 1914, 5 September – Batley News 
77. 1914, 12 September – Batley News 
78. 1914, 19 September – Batley News 
79. 1914, 26 September – Batley News 
80. 1914, 3 October – Batley News 
81. 1914, 10 October – Batley News 
82. 1914, 17 October – Batley News 
83. 1914, 24 October – Batley News 
84. 1914, 31 October – Batley News 
85. 1914, 7 November – Batley News 
86. 1914, 14 November – Batley News 
87. 1914, 21 November – Batley News 
88. 1914, 28 November – Batley News
89. 1914, 5 December – Batley News 
90. 1914, 12 December – Batley News 
91. 1914, 19 December – Batley News 
92. 1914, 24 December – Batley News 
93. 1915, 2 January – Batley News 
94. 1915, 9 January – Batley News 
95. 1915, 16 January – Batley News 
96. 1915, 23 January – Batley News 
97. 1915, 30 January – Batley News 
98. 1915, 6 February – Batley News 
99. 1915, 13 February – Batley News 
100. 1915, 20 February – Batley News 
101. 1915, 27 February – Batley News 
102. 1915, 6 March – Batley News 
103. 1915, 13 March – Batley News 
104. 1915, 20 March – Batley News 
105. 1915, 27 March – Batley News 
106. 1915, 3 April – Batley News 
107. 1915, 10 April – Batley News 
108. 1915, 17 April – Batley News 
109. 1915, 24 April – Batley News 
110. 1915, 1 May – Batley News 
111. 1915, 8 May – Batley News 
112. 1915, 15 May – Batley News 
113. 1915, 22 May – Batley News 
114. 1915, 29 May – Batley News 
115. 1915, 5 June – Batley News 
116. 1915, 12 June – Batley News 
117. 1915, 19 June – Batley News 
118. 1915, 26 June – Batley News 
119. 1915, 3 July – Batley News 
120. 1915, 10 July – Batley News 
121. 1915, 17 July – Batley News 
122. 1915, 24 July – Batley News 
123. 1915, 31 July – Batley News 
124. 1915, 7 August – Batley News 
125. 1915, 14 August – Batley News 
126. 1915, 21 August – Batley News 
127. 1915, 28 August – Batley News 
128. 1915, 4 September – Batley News 
129. 1915, 11 September – Batley News 
130. 1915, 18 September – Batley News 
131. 1915, 25 September – Batley News 
132. 1915, 2 October – Batley News 
133. 1915, 9 October – Batley News 
134. 1915, 16 October – Batley News 
135. 1915, 23 October – Batley News 
136. 1915, 30 October – Batley News 
137. 1915, 6 November – Batley News 
138. 1915, 13 November – Batley News 
139. 1915, 20 November – Batley News 
140. 1915, 27 November – Batley News 
141. 1915, 4 December – Batley News 
142. 1915, 11 December – Batley News
143. 1915, 18 December – Batley News 
144. 1915, 23 December – Batley News 
145. 1916, 1 January – Batley News 
146. 1916, 8 January – Batley News 
147. 1916, 15 January – Batley News 
148. 1916, 22 January – Batley News 
149. 1916, 29 January – Batley News 
150. 1916, 5 February – Batley News 
151. 1916, 12 February – Batley News 
152. 1916, 19 February – Batley News 
153. 1916, 26 February – Batley News 
154. 1916, 4 March – Batley News 
155. 1916, 11 March – Batley News 
156. 1916, 18 March – Batley News 
157. 1916, 25 March – Batley News 
158. 1916, 1 April – Batley News 
159. 1916, 8 April – Batley News 
160. 1916, 15 April – Batley News 
161. 1916, 22 April – Batley News 
162. 1916, 29 April – Batley News 
163. 1916, 6 May – Batley News 
164. 1916, 13 May – Batley News
165. 1916, 20 May – Batley News 
166. 1916, 27 May – Batley News
167. 1916, 3 June – Batley News 
168. 1916, 10 June – Batley News 
169. 1916, 17 June – Batley News 
170. 1916, 24 June – Batley News 
171. 1916, 1 July – Batley News 
172. 1916, 8 July – Batley News 
173. 1916, 15 July – Batley News 
174. 1916, 22 July – Batley News 
175. 1916, 29 July – Batley News 
176. 1916, 5 August – Batley News
177. 1916, 12 August – Batley News
178. 1916, 19 August – Batley News 
179. 1916, 26 August – Batley News
180. 1916, 2 September – Batley News 
181. 1916, 9 September – Batley News
182. 1916, 16 September – Batley News 
183. 1916, 23 September – Batley News 
184. 1916, 30 September – Batley News 
185. 1916, 7 October – Batley News
186. 1916, 14 October – Batley News 
187. 1916, 21 October – Batley News
188. 1916, 28 October – Batley News 
189. 1916, 4 November – Batley News
190. 1916, 11 November – Batley News
191. 1916, 18 November – Batley News
192. 1916, 25 November – Batley News 
193. 1916, 2 December – Batley News 
194. 1916, 9 December – Batley News 
195. 1916, 16 December – Batley News 
196. 1916, 23 December – Batley News 
197. 1916, 30 December – Batley News 
198. 1917, 6 January – Batley News 
199. 1917, 13 January – Batley News 
200. 1917, 20 January – Batley News 
201. 1917, 27 January – Batley News
202. 1917, 3 February – Batley News 
203. 1917, 10 February – Batley News 
204. 1917, 17 February – Batley News 
205. 1917, 24 February – Batley News 
206. 1917, 3 March – Batley News
207. 1917, 10 March – Batley News 
208. 1917, 17 March – Batley News 
209. 1917, 24 March – Batley News 
210. 1917, 31 March – Batley News
211. 1917, 7 April – Batley News 
212. 1917, 14 April – Batley News 
213. 1917, 21 April – Batley News 
214. 1917, 28 April – Batley News 
215. 1917, 5 May – Batley News 
216. 1917, 12 May – Batley News 
217. 1917, 19 May – Batley News 
218. 1917, 26 May – Batley News 
219. 1917, 2 June – Batley New
220. 1917, 9 June – Batley News
221. 1917, 16 June – Batley News
222. 1917, 23 June – Batley News
223. 1917, 30 June – Batley News
224. 1917, 7 July – Batley News
225. 1917, 14 July – Batley News 
226. 1917, 21 July – Batley News 
227. 1917, 28 July – Batley News 
228. 1917, 4 August – Batley News 
229. 1917, 11 August – Batley News 
230. 1917, 18 August – Batley News 
231. 1917, 25 August – Batley News 
232. 1917, 1 September – Batley News 
233. 1917, 8 September – Batley News 
234. 1917, 15 September – Batley News 
235. 1917, 22 September – Batley News 
236. 1917, 29 September– Batley News 
237.  1917, 6 October – Batley News 
238. 1917, 13 October – Batley News
239. 1917, 20 October – Batley News
240. 1917, 27 October – Batley News 
241. 1917, 3 November – Batley News
242. 1917, 10 November – Batley News
243. 1917, 17 November – Batley News 
244. 1917, 24 November – Batley News 
245. 1917, 1 December – Batley News 
246. 1917, 8 December – Batley News 
247. 1917, 15 December – Batley News 
248. 1917, 22 December – Batley News 
249. 1917, 29 December – Batley News 
250. 1918, 5 January – Dewsbury District News 
251. 1918, 12 January – Dewsbury District News 
252. 1918, 19 January – Batley News 
253. 1918, 26 January – Batley News
254. 1918, 2 February – Batley News 
255. 1918, 9 February – Batley News 
256. 1918, 16 February – Batley News 
257. 1918, 23 February – Batley News 
258. 1918, 2 March – Batley News 
259. 1918, 9 March – Batley News 
260. 1918, 16 March – Batley News 
261. 1918, 23 March – Batley News 
262. 1918, 30 March – Batley News 
263. 1918, 6 April – Batley News 
264. 1918, 13 April – Batley News 
265. 1918, 20 April – Batley News 
266. 1918, 27 April – Batley News 
267. 1918, 4 May – Batley News
268. 1918, 11 May – Batley News 
269. 1918, 18 May – Batley News 
270. 1918, 25 May – Batley News 
271. 1918, 1 June – Batley News 
272. 1918, 8 June – Batley News 
273. 1918, 15 June – Batley News 
274. 1918, 22 June – Batley News
275. 1918, 29 June – Batley News 
276. 1918, 6 July – Batley News 
277. 1918, 13 July – Batley News 
278. 1918, 20 July – Batley News
279. 1918, 27 July – Batley News
280. 1918, 3 August – Batley News 
281. 1918, 10 August – Batley News 
282. 1918, 17 August – Batley News 
283. 1918, 24 August – Batley News 
284. 1918, 31 August – Batley News 
285. 1918, 7 September – Batley News 
286. 1918, 14 September – Batley News 
287. 1918, 21 September – Batley News 
288. 1918, 28 September – Batley News 
289. 1918, 5 October – Batley News 
290. 1918, 12 October – Batley News 
291. 1918, 19 October – Batley News 
292. 1918, 26 October – Batley News 
293. 1918, 2 November – Batley News 
294. 1918, 9 November – Batley News 
295. 1918, 16 November – Batley News 
296. 1918, 23 November – Batley News 
297. 1918, 30 November – Batley News 
298. 1918, 7 December – Batley News 
299. 1918, 14 December – Batley News 
300. 1918, 21 December – Batley News 
301. 1918, 28 December – Batley News 

Electoral Registers 1918-1921 
302. 1918 Batley Electoral Register, North Ward, Polling Districts A and B – Naval and Military Voters

Guest Contributions
303. Memories of Skelsey Row – by Brian Foley 

Maps and Photographs
304. Aerial View of St Mary’s Church and the Surrounding Streets 
305. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1894 
306. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1907 
307. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1922 
308. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1933 

Miscellany of Information
309. A Bitter-Sweet Remarriage *NEW*
310. A Colliery Accident with Tragic Consequences 
311. A Grave Disturbance in Batley 
312. A Part of St Mary of the Angels in Batley Cemetery 
313. A “Peace” of Batley History
314. An Appeal to Ireland to Build a Catholic Church in Batley 
315. A Potted Early History of the Irish in Batley, the Building of St Mary of the Angels Church, and the Parish Priest’s Fatal Accident 
316. A St Mary’s Parishioner in the Holy Land *NEW*
317. A St Mary’s School Sensation
318. A St Mary’s School Trip Souvenir 
319. Batley’s Secret Irish Society and the Ammunition Seizure 
320. Batley St Mary’s First Torchlight Procession 
321. “Daddy’s Death and then Triplets” 
322. Heritage Impact Assessment: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Convent, Batley 
323. Hot-Cross Buns and the Yorkshire Tea-Cake Dilemma. Plus A Suggested Meal Planner for Batley Families in 1917 
324. Into the Valley of Death – One of the Six Hundred 
325. St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church – 1929 Consecration Service
326. The Consequences of a Refusal to Work in 1918
327. The Controversial Role Played by St Mary’s Schoolchildren in the 1907 Batley Pageant
328. The Earliest Published Account of Batley St Mary’s Church and Schools 
329. The Great War: A Brief Overview of What Led Britain into the War 
330. The Unholy row between St Mary’s Church and the Batley and Birstall Irish Clubs 
331. Thomas Ate My Rat 
332. William Berry – A Beautiful Voice Stilled 
333. Willie and Edward Barber – Poems

Occupations and Employment Information
334. Occupations: Colliery Byeworker/Byeworkman/Byworker/Bye-Worker/By-Worker 
335. Occupations: Confidential Clerk 
336. Occupations: Lamp Cleaner 
337. Occupations: Limelight Operator 
338. Occupations: Mason’s Labourer 
339. Occupations: Office Boy/Girl 
340. Occupations: Piecer/Piecener 
341. Occupations: Rag Grinder 
342. Occupations: Willeyer

School Log Books 
343. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1913 
344. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1914 
345. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1915 
346. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1916 
347. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1917 
348. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1918 
349. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1919 
350. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1920 
351. Infant School – Log Book, 1913 
352. Infant School – Log Book, 1914
353. Infant School – Log Book, 1915
354. Infant School – Log Book, 1916 
355. Infant School – Log Book, 1917
356. Infant School – Log Book, 1918 
357. Infant School – Log Book, 1919 
358. Infant School – Log Book, 1920 
359. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1913 
360. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1914 
361. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1915 
362. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1916 
363. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1917
364. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1918 
365. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1919
366. Mixed Department- Log Book 1920

The Bulletin of St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick – Parish History Section 
367. March 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
368. April 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
369. May 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
370. June 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
371. July 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
372. August 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
373. September 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
374. October 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
375. November 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
376. December 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
377. January 2024 Bulletin History Pieces *NEW*

The Families
378. A Death in the Church
379. St Mary’s Schoolboys Wreak Havoc in a Batley Graveyard

World War Two
380. World War Two Chronology of Deaths
381. Thomas Egan
382. Michael Flatley
383. William Smith

St Mary of the Angels, Batley: One-Place Study Update – 1 to 30 November 2024 Additions

This November has brought eight new posts to the Batley St Mary of the Angels One-Place Study, bringing the total number to 371 posts. In addition to the eight new posts, two more were updated.

This update contains the list of all the St Mary’s posts published up to the end of November 2024, including links to them, with last month’s new and updated posts signposted so you can easily locate them.

If you want to know the background, and what is involved in a one-place study, click here. Otherwise read on, to discover a wealth of parish, parishioner and wider local Batley history. 

Batley St Mary of the Angels

One new War Memorial biography has been added, that of Clement Manning. More parishioners to the list of those who served in, and survived, the First World War section, so this list has been updated.

The Miscellany of Information section has a new post this month, about a huge talent whose promise was never fulfilled. That talent though is memorialised on William Berry’s headstone.

The Bulletin for Batley St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick section, has an addition. This is the piece covering the parish history snippets which were included in the parish bulletins during November 2024.

And the other November additions are in the During This Week newspaper section, with five new pages covering the editions of the Batley News published during the month of November 1918. I have accordingly updated the surname index to these During This Week newspaper pieces, so you can easily identify newspaper snippets relevant to your family.

Below is the full list of pages to date. I have annotated the *NEW* and *UPDATED* ones, so you can easily pick these out. Click on the link and it will take you straight to the relevant page.


Postscript:
I may not be able to thank you personally because of your contact detail confidentiality, but I do want to say how much I appreciate the donations already received to keep this website going. They really and truly do help. Thank you.

The website has always been free to use, and I want to continue this policy in the future. However, it does cost me money to operate – from undertaking the research to website hosting costs. In the current difficult economic climate I do have to regularly consider if I can afford to continue running it as a free resource. 

If you have enjoyed reading the various pieces, and would like to make a donation towards keeping the website up and running in its current open access format, it would be very much appreciated. 

Please click 👉🏻here👈🏻 to be taken to the PayPal donation link. By making a donation you will be helping to keep the website online and freely available for all. 

Thank you.


Finally, if you do have any information about, or photos of, parishioners from the period of the First World War please do get in touch. It does not have to be War Memorial men. It could be those who served and survived, or indeed any other men, women and children from the parish. 

I would also be interested in information about, and photos of, those parishioners who were killed in World War Two, or others from the parish who undertook any war service and survived. This can be as broad as serving in the military, or work in munitions factories, the Land Army, even taking in refugees. This is an area I’m looking to develop in the future.

I can be contacted at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com


1. About my St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church War Memorial One-Place Study;

Batley’s Public Buildings and Institutions
2. Batley Hospital: The First 50 Years – 1878 to 1928 
3. The Early History of Batley’s Public Baths 

Batley St Mary’s Population, Health, Mortality and Fertility Information and Comparisons
4.  1914: The Health of Batley School Children Generally, with a Particular Focus on St Mary’s School Children

Batley Statistics and Descriptions – Population, Health, Mortality, Fertility etc.
5. 1914: Borough of Batley – Town Information from the Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health.
6. Batley and the 1921 Census 
7. Batley Population Statistics 1801-1939

Biographies: Men Associated with St Mary’s Who Died but Who Are Not on the Memorial 
8. Thomas Gannon 
9. Reginald Roberts 
10. William Frederick Townsend

Biographies: The War Memorial Men
11. Edward Barber 
12. William Barber (Memorial name spelling) 
13. Herbert Booth 
14. Edmund Battye
15. Dominick (aka George) Brannan 
16. Michael Brannan 
17. John Brooks 
18. Michael Cafferty 
19. Patrick Cafferty 
20. John William Callaghan 
21. Lawrence Carney 
22. Martin Carney 
23. Thomas William Chappell 
24. William Colbeck
25.  Michael Cunningham 
26. Thomas Curley
27. Peter Doherty 
28. Thomas Donlan 
29. John W. Enright 
30. Mathew Farrer 
31. Thomas Finneran 
32. Michael Flynn 
33. Thomas Foley D.C.M. 
34. Martin Gallagher 
35. James Garner
36. Thomas Gavaghan 
37. Henry Groark 
38. James Groark 
39. Michael Groark (also known as Rourke) 
40. James Griffin 
41. William Hargreaves 
42. Patrick Hopkins
43. Michael Horan
44. James Hughes 
45. Lawrence Judge 
46. John Leech 
47. Michael Lydon 
48. Patrick Lyons 
William McManus – See William Townsend below
49. Thomas McNamara 
50. Clement Manning *NEW*
51. Patrick Naifsey 
52. Austin Nolan 
53. Robert Randerson 
54. James Rush 
55. Moses Stubley 
56. William Townsend, also known as McManus
57. James Trainor 
58. Richard Carroll Walsh
59. Arthur William Bayldon Woodhead

Biographies: Those who Served and Survived (this includes a list of those identified to date and who will later have dedicated biographical pages) *UPDATED*
60. Patrick Cassidy 
61. James Delaney
62. Thomas Donlan (senior) 
63. Thomas Gannon 
64. Michael Rush 

Burials, Cemeteries, Headstones and MIs
65. Cemetery and Memorial Details 
66. War Memorial Chronology of Deaths .

During This Week
67. During This Week Newspaper Index *UPDATED*
68. 1914, 8 August – Batley News 
69. 1914, 15 August – Batley News 
70. 1914, 22 August – Batley News 
71. 1914, 29 August – Batley News 
72. 1914, 5 September – Batley News 
73. 1914, 12 September – Batley News 
74. 1914, 19 September – Batley News 
75. 1914, 26 September – Batley News 
76. 1914, 3 October – Batley News 
77. 1914, 10 October – Batley News 
78. 1914, 17 October – Batley News 
79. 1914, 24 October – Batley News 
80. 1914, 31 October – Batley News 
81. 1914, 7 November – Batley News 
82. 1914, 14 November – Batley News 
83. 1914, 21 November – Batley News 
84. 1914, 28 November – Batley News
85. 1914, 5 December – Batley News 
86. 1914, 12 December – Batley News 
87. 1914, 19 December – Batley News 
88. 1914, 24 December – Batley News 
89. 1915, 2 January – Batley News 
90. 1915, 9 January – Batley News 
91. 1915, 16 January – Batley News 
92. 1915, 23 January – Batley News 
93. 1915, 30 January – Batley News 
94. 1915, 6 February – Batley News 
95. 1915, 13 February – Batley News 
96. 1915, 20 February – Batley News 
97. 1915, 27 February – Batley News 
98. 1915, 6 March – Batley News 
99. 1915, 13 March – Batley News 
100. 1915, 20 March – Batley News 
101. 1915, 27 March – Batley News 
102. 1915, 3 April – Batley News 
103. 1915, 10 April – Batley News 
104. 1915, 17 April – Batley News 
105. 1915, 24 April – Batley News 
106. 1915, 1 May – Batley News 
107. 1915, 8 May – Batley News 
108. 1915, 15 May – Batley News 
109. 1915, 22 May – Batley News 
110. 1915, 29 May – Batley News 
111. 1915, 5 June – Batley News 
112. 1915, 12 June – Batley News 
113. 1915, 19 June – Batley News 
114. 1915, 26 June – Batley News 
115. 1915, 3 July – Batley News 
116. 1915, 10 July – Batley News 
117. 1915, 17 July – Batley News 
118. 1915, 24 July – Batley News 
119. 1915, 31 July – Batley News 
120. 1915, 7 August – Batley News 
121. 1915, 14 August – Batley News 
122. 1915, 21 August – Batley News 
123. 1915, 28 August – Batley News 
124. 1915, 4 September – Batley News 
125. 1915, 11 September – Batley News 
126. 1915, 18 September – Batley News 
127. 1915, 25 September – Batley News 
128. 1915, 2 October – Batley News 
129. 1915, 9 October – Batley News 
130. 1915, 16 October – Batley News 
131. 1915, 23 October – Batley News 
132. 1915, 30 October – Batley News 
133. 1915, 6 November – Batley News 
134. 1915, 13 November – Batley News 
135. 1915, 20 November – Batley News 
136. 1915, 27 November – Batley News 
137. 1915, 4 December – Batley News 
138. 1915, 11 December – Batley News
139. 1915, 18 December – Batley News 
140. 1915, 23 December – Batley News 
141. 1916, 1 January – Batley News 
142. 1916, 8 January – Batley News 
143. 1916, 15 January – Batley News 
144. 1916, 22 January – Batley News 
145. 1916, 29 January – Batley News 
146. 1916, 5 February – Batley News 
147. 1916, 12 February – Batley News 
148. 1916, 19 February – Batley News 
149. 1916, 26 February – Batley News 
150. 1916, 4 March – Batley News 
151. 1916, 11 March – Batley News 
152. 1916, 18 March – Batley News 
153. 1916, 25 March – Batley News 
154. 1916, 1 April – Batley News 
155. 1916, 8 April – Batley News 
156. 1916, 15 April – Batley News 
157. 1916, 22 April – Batley News 
158. 1916, 29 April – Batley News 
159. 1916, 6 May – Batley News 
169. 1916, 13 May – Batley News
161. 1916, 20 May – Batley News 
162. 1916, 27 May – Batley News
163. 1916, 3 June – Batley News 
164. 1916, 10 June – Batley News 
165. 1916, 17 June – Batley News 
166. 1916, 24 June – Batley News 
167. 1916, 1 July – Batley News 
168. 1916, 8 July – Batley News 
169. 1916, 15 July – Batley News 
170. 1916, 22 July – Batley News 
171. 1916, 29 July – Batley News 
172. 1916, 5 August – Batley News
173. 1916, 12 August – Batley News
174. 1916, 19 August – Batley News 
175. 1916, 26 August – Batley News
176. 1916, 2 September – Batley News 
177. 1916, 9 September – Batley News
178. 1916, 16 September – Batley News 
179. 1916, 23 September – Batley News 
180. 1916, 30 September – Batley News 
181. 1916, 7 October – Batley News
182. 1916, 14 October – Batley News 
183. 1916, 21 October – Batley News
184. 1916, 28 October – Batley News 
185. 1916, 4 November – Batley News
186. 1916, 11 November – Batley News
187. 1916, 18 November – Batley News
188. 1916, 25 November – Batley News 
189. 1916, 2 December – Batley News 
190. 1916, 9 December – Batley News 
191. 1916, 16 December – Batley News 
192. 1916, 23 December – Batley News 
193. 1916, 30 December – Batley News 
194. 1917, 6 January – Batley News 
195. 1917, 13 January – Batley News 
196. 1917, 20 January – Batley News 
197. 1917, 27 January – Batley News
198. 1917, 3 February – Batley News 
199. 1917, 10 February – Batley News 
200. 1917, 17 February – Batley News 
201. 1917, 24 February – Batley News 
202. 1917, 3 March – Batley News
203. 1917, 10 March – Batley News 
204. 1917, 17 March – Batley News 
205. 1917, 24 March – Batley News 
206. 1917, 31 March – Batley News
207. 1917, 7 April – Batley News 
208. 1917, 14 April – Batley News 
209. 1917, 21 April – Batley News 
210. 1917, 28 April – Batley News 
211. 1917, 5 May – Batley News 
212. 1917, 12 May – Batley News 
213. 1917, 19 May – Batley News 
214. 1917, 26 May – Batley News 
215. 1917, 2 June – Batley New
216. 1917, 9 June – Batley News
217. 1917, 16 June – Batley News
218. 1917, 23 June – Batley News
219. 1917, 30 June – Batley News
220. 1917, 7 July – Batley News
221. 1917, 14 July – Batley News 
222. 1917, 21 July – Batley News 
223. 1917, 28 July – Batley News 
224. 1917, 4 August – Batley News 
225. 1917, 11 August – Batley News 
226. 1917, 18 August – Batley News 
227. 1917, 25 August – Batley News 
228. 1917, 1 September – Batley News 
229. 1917, 8 September – Batley News 
230. 1917, 15 September – Batley News 
231. 1917, 22 September – Batley News 
232. 1917, 29 September– Batley News 
233.  1917, 6 October – Batley News 
234. 1917, 13 October – Batley News
235. 1917, 20 October – Batley News
236. 1917, 27 October – Batley News 
237. 1917, 3 November – Batley News
238. 1917, 10 November – Batley News
239. 1917, 17 November – Batley News 
240. 1917, 24 November – Batley News 
241. 1917, 1 December – Batley News 
242. 1917, 8 December – Batley News 
243. 1917, 15 December – Batley News 
244. 1917, 22 December – Batley News 
245. 1917, 29 December – Batley News 
246. 1918, 5 January – Dewsbury District News 
247. 1918, 12 January – Dewsbury District News 
248. 1918, 19 January – Batley News 
249. 1918, 26 January – Batley News
250. 1918, 2 February – Batley News 
251. 1918, 9 February – Batley News 
252. 1918, 16 February – Batley News 
253. 1918, 23 February – Batley News 
254. 1918, 2 March – Batley News 
255. 1918, 9 March – Batley News 
256. 1918, 16 March – Batley News 
257. 1918, 23 March – Batley News 
258. 1918, 30 March – Batley News 
259. 1918, 6 April – Batley News 
260. 1918, 13 April – Batley News 
261. 1918, 20 April – Batley News 
262. 1918, 27 April – Batley News 
263. 1918, 4 May – Batley News
264. 1918, 11 May – Batley News 
265. 1918, 18 May – Batley News 
266. 1918, 25 May – Batley News 
267. 1918, 1 June – Batley News 
268. 1918, 8 June – Batley News 
269. 1918, 15 June – Batley News 
270. 1918, 22 June – Batley News
271. 1918, 29 June – Batley News 
272. 1918, 6 July – Batley News 
273. 1918, 13 July – Batley News 
274. 1918, 20 July – Batley News
275. 1918, 27 July – Batley News
276. 1918, 3 August – Batley News 
277. 1918, 10 August – Batley News 
278. 1918, 17 August – Batley News 
279. 1918, 24 August – Batley News 
280. 1918, 31 August – Batley News 
281. 1918, 7 September – Batley News 
282. 1918, 14 September – Batley News 
283. 1918, 21 September – Batley News 
284. 1918, 28 September – Batley News 
285. 1918, 5 October – Batley News 
286. 1918, 12 October – Batley News 
287. 1918, 19 October – Batley News 
288. 1918, 26 October – Batley News 
289. 1918, 2 November – Batley News *NEW*
290. 1918, 9 November – Batley News *NEW*
291. 1918, 16 November – Batley News *NEW*
292. 1918, 23 November – Batley News *NEW*
293. 1918, 30 November – Batley News *NEW*

Electoral Registers 1918-1921 
294. 1918 Batley Electoral Register, North Ward, Polling Districts A and B – Naval and Military Voters

Guest Contributions
295. Memories of Skelsey Row – by Brian Foley 

Maps and Photographs
296. Aerial View of St Mary’s Church and the Surrounding Streets 
297. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1894 
298. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1907 
299. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1922 
300. Batley St Mary’s – Map Published in 1933 

Miscellany of Information
301. A Colliery Accident with Tragic Consequences 
302. A Grave Disturbance in Batley 
303. A Part of St Mary of the Angels in Batley Cemetery 
304. A “Peace” of Batley History
305. An Appeal to Ireland to Build a Catholic Church in Batley 
306. A Potted Early History of the Irish in Batley, the Building of St Mary of the Angels Church, and the Parish Priest’s Fatal Accident 
307. A St Mary’s School Sensation
308. A St Mary’s School Trip Souvenir 
309. Batley’s Secret Irish Society and the Ammunition Seizure 
310. Batley St Mary’s First Torchlight Procession 
311. “Daddy’s Death and then Triplets” 
312. Heritage Impact Assessment: St Mary’s Catholic Primary School and Convent, Batley 
313. Hot-Cross Buns and the Yorkshire Tea-Cake Dilemma. Plus A Suggested Meal Planner for Batley Families in 1917 
314. Into the Valley of Death – One of the Six Hundred 
315. St Mary of the Angels Catholic Church – 1929 Consecration Service
316. The Consequences of a Refusal to Work in 1918
317. The Controversial Role Played by St Mary’s Schoolchildren in the 1907 Batley Pageant
318. The Earliest Published Account of Batley St Mary’s Church and Schools 
319. The Great War: A Brief Overview of What Led Britain into the War 
320. The Unholy row between St Mary’s Church and the Batley and Birstall Irish Clubs 
321. Thomas Ate My Rat 
322. William Berry – A Beautiful Voice Stilled *NEW*
323. Willie and Edward Barber – Poems

Occupations and Employment Information
324. Occupations: Colliery Byeworker/Byeworkman/Byworker/Bye-Worker/By-Worker 
325. Occupations: Confidential Clerk 
326. Occupations: Lamp Cleaner 
327. Occupations: Limelight Operator 
328. Occupations: Mason’s Labourer 
329. Occupations: Office Boy/Girl 
330. Occupations: Piecer/Piecener 
331. Occupations: Rag Grinder 
332. Occupations: Willeyer

School Log Books 
333. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1913 
334. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1914 
335. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1915 
336. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1916 
337. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1917 
338. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1918 
339. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1919 
340. Boys’ School – Log Book, 1920 
341. Infant School – Log Book, 1913 
342. Infant School – Log Book, 1914
343 Infant School – Log Book, 1915
344. Infant School – Log Book, 1916 
345. Infant School – Log Book, 1917
346. Infant School – Log Book, 1918 
347. Infant School – Log Book, 1919 
348. Infant School – Log Book, 1920 
349. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1913 
350. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1914 
351. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1915 
352. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1916 
353. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1917
354 Mixed Department – Log Book, 1918 
355. Mixed Department – Log Book, 1919
356. Mixed Department- Log Book 1920

The Bulletin of St Mary of the Angels and Birstall St Patrick – Parish History Section 
357. March 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
358. April 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
359. May 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
360. June 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
361. July 2024 Bulletin History Pieces
362. August 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
363. September 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
364. October 2024 Bulletin History Pieces 
365. November 2024 Bulletin History Pieces *NEW*

The Families
366. A Death in the Church
367. St Mary’s Schoolboys Wreak Havoc in a Batley Graveyard

World War Two
368. World War Two Chronology of Deaths
369. Thomas Egan
370. Michael Flatley
371. William Smith

The Loose Ends of Family History

No two days are ever the same for a professional genealogist, as demonstrated by a research commission I undertook this summer for Leeds-based artist Ellie Harrison, and Polite Rebellion – the company with which she works.

Polite Rebellion Artist Ellie Harrison and me at the Loose Ends Exhibition

Working to a tight deadline, my research drew together some threads of Ellie’s family history, and was a small part of the background detail to her much broader overall artistic display concept.

Loose Ends Credits

Ellie’s thought-provoking interactive exhibition, Loose Ends, is now currently showing in Leeds as part of November’s Compass Art Festival. This Festival brings a variety of interactive art projects into the city.

The Loose Ends exhibition space, Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre Albion Street entrance (near Boots).

I dropped by for the opening day of Loose Ends (22 November 2024).

The Loose Ends component of the Festival is based in a pop-up shop in the Leeds Trinity Shopping Centre. Visually striking, this interactive and immersive experience invites you to think about your family tree in its broadest sense. It goes beyond the traditional historical concept of mother, father, siblings, grandparents, great grandparents, which in reality – as every family historian knows – is rarely so neatly packaged. It also highlights there are often unspoken topics and secrets within families.

Ellie’s family tree

It challenges you to consider what makes your family, inviting you to explore its complexities, the transient nature of some relationships weighed against more enduring ones, with this weighting not necessarily measured by blood links. You are asked to even consider the importance of wider friendship circles – a take on your FAN Club (Friends/Families, Associates and Neighbours).

A chance to explore what makes your family tree

More details about the Loose Ends exhibition, including where to find it, can be found here.

But you need to be quick as it only runs from 22 – 24 November, and 28 – 30 November 2024.

More details about Loose Ends, https://www.politerebellion.co.uk/currentprojects/looseends

If you can’t make it, here’s the QR Code to scan and enter virtually.

Loose Ends QR Code

A huge thank you to Ellie for commissioning me to undertake her research. I loved doing it, because no two family trees are ever the same – as is demonstrated by the exhibition.

For more details about commissioning me for your research, please click here.

Details of my Family and Local History Talks for 2025-2026

If you are looking for a family or local history speaker during 2025 and 2026, here are the details of my current talks:

  • Charles the Pigeon and a Yorkshire Spy.
  • Local Links to the Lusitania.
  • My Batley St Mary’s One-Place Study. (Covers the history of the Irish in Batley and the Catholic parish of Batley St Mary of the Angels until turn of the 20th century).
  • The Home Front: the White Lee Explosion of 1914 and the Unlucky History of the Site (available from September 2026).
  • Tips for Researching your Great War Ancestors. This is based around my book about Northern Union – rugby league – players killed in the First World War. For local history groups, I can drop the research tips aspect, and base the talk solely about the players. 
  • How to Research your Family Tree. This talk will help those embarking on their family history journey, but it will also provide useful reminders and advice for those who have already started out on their ancestral adventure.

The first four have a distinctly Yorkshire flavour. The fifth will be tailored around rugby league players from your locality. The family tree research talk can be geared around research tips for Yorkshire ancestors.


Charles the Pigeon and a Yorkshire Spy is the story of an unsung Yorkshire hero, living behind enemy lines and carrying out works of espionage and sabotage during World War One. His adopted pigeon Charles played an important part in these wartime exploits. Their daring deeds are more like a boy’s adventure story than real life. But this is a true tale of wartime courage, and one which deserves wider telling.


Local Links to the Lusitania focuses on people with Yorkshire connections on board the Cunard liner, torpedoed and sunk off the Irish coast on 7 May 1915. The sinking did not affect only the rich and famous. Many Yorkshire people were involved. This talk explores some of their stories. 

There is a possibility this talk can be tailored to your local area.


My Batley St Mary’s talk is based around my one-place study into the Catholic parish of St Mary of the Angels, with a focus on its early history and period up to the 1880s. It investigates what a one-place study is, why I embarked on one, why I chose this particular study, as well as my findings – including the Irish migration angle, how they were received locally, the building of the church, all with a focus on ordinary parishioners. 


The Home Front: the White Lee Explosion of 1914 is a talk based around the events of December 1914 when a devastating explosion, caused during the manufacture of picric acid for the war effort, took place at White Lee. It resulted in deaths and injuries, as well as damage across a vast area of Batley, Heckmondwike and the Spen Valley. It is an event often overlooked because of later explosions in Yorkshire at Low Moor and Barnbow. This talk aims to provide more information about this Heavy Woollen District incident, the forerunner to the later explosions. The talk will explore the unlucky history of the site, as well as the events on the day and the aftermath. 


Based on my groundbreaking book The Greatest Sacrifice: Fallen Heroes of the Northern Union about rugby league players who died in World War One, the talk investigates the stories behind some of the men. It is also packed with tips for researching your own Great War Army ancestors. 


In this talk I will guide you through building your family tree. I will cover the basics to help you start your research on the right track, give you lots of tips, help you avoid those all-important pitfalls, and provide ideas for taking your research further. If required, I can slant this talk towards Yorkshire ancestral research.


For more details about these talks, including cost and booking one, please contact me at: pasttopresentgenealogy@btinternet.com