Your Lincolnshire He

Your Lincolnshire Heritage
Hazel has told me that The Lincolnshire Family History Society will be just one of 80 events showcasing the Lincolnshire Heritage during the Open Days from 7th – 10th September 2006. The theme for this year is ‘Homes & Families’.  The Research Centre at Unit 6 Monks Way, Monks Road, Lincoln is to be open on Saturday 9th September from 10.00 a.m. until 4.00 p.m. and Sunday 10th September from 2.00p.m. until 5.00 p.m. for visitors to come along to discover how to start researching their ancestors.  All the LFHS research facilities are to be available for you to use.  Throughout both days demonstrations will be running giving a brief introduction to genealogy – so pop along for a visit – who knows they could help to break through that brick wall.  Further details are available from 01522 511548.
Paul WHITELAM is writing an article for the Echo on the series of county council events in September.  His starting point is what spurs people on to carry out the research and the effect that the BBC programme Who Do You Think You Are? has had on genealogy in Lincolnshire.  Watch out for it.  He thought that as he was writing for the Echo readers he might just take a look at his name via the column.  The surname WHITELAM in 1881 according to the Surname Profiler is Lincolnshire based with very few elsewhere.  Moving on 110 years and while the name has spread out over the whole country the major concentrations are still in the east of England.  The top area for both of the times is Lincoln.  The origin of the name which can also be spelt WHITLAM and WHITLUM is from a nickname.  Now whether this nickname came about because the person was associated with the sign of the white lamb as in the public house of that name, perhaps a shop or maybe the person just used a white lamb as an advertisement.
Mrs REANEY of Crowle has presented the most difficult of problems in family history.  That of finding a person alive today.  There are databases on the internet which can be searched for a fee and the main one to be used for Where are they now? is the electoral roll.  One of the easiest to use is that of www.tracesmart.co.uk.  Sadly the name that I put in showed two results in 2003 but only one in 2006.  Could the one I am looking for still be alive. It costs around £20 to find out.  I could check the GRO index and see if there is a death certificate for this name.  The GRO from 1837 to 2003 can be searched at www.192.com and at www.1837online.com and here again there is a cost but it could be cheaper than getting the car out of the garage.  The most cost effective is the 1837 site.
Bits and Bobs
Grantham Petty Sessions - 20 April 1849 - Edw. FREESTON, of Doddington, (formerly a butcher at Barrowby), was ordered to pay 1s 6d per week and the usual expenses towards the maintenance of the illegitimate child of Ann SWAIN, of Barrowby. The amount was laid low, (though FREESTON was an old married man), in consequence of the female's having had three children previously.
Market Rasen Petty Sessions - 16 April 1849 - John ROBERTS, of Legsby, labourer, appeared upon summons to answer the complaint and application of Charlotte ROBINSON, of Claxby, for an order of maintenance upon him of her bastard child: the girl having had four before, an order of 6d per week only and costs was made.
Both of these came from Ann on the net.  The woman seems to be the guilty party in these cases.  Being a serial producer of illegitimate children is obviously frowned upon with the amount being drastically cut  by the Market Rasen sessions.