About Black Sheep – A Genealogical Adventure.
Welcome to the blog of the Black Sheep Family Historian.
Update!!!! I have recently together a Ketley Family History Facebook Group. Due to the members I have gathered, I may also do one for the Alexander family.
I will put the link up here when I have put more information on it. Due to privacy issues, it is a closed group and I will approve all membership of the group beforehand.
The group is Ketley Family History UK. The link to the group is here – Ketley Family History UK
These pages are in need of updating with a better format and corrections added, including new photographs etc. I may even move the whole lot to a better site, if this is the case I will create a whole new look including some photographs I have colourize and additional photographs and information. The links I have now with the Alexander and Ketley families give a better understanding of my family tree in relation to misinterpretations and dead links along the way, Manchester Ketley’s as an instance bear no direct lineage to my family but more of a distant link so these, and many others will be trimmed up to reflect the correct family tree.
Tracing any family history can be a daunting task, mine apparently has had many people scratching their heads and even had professional genealogists at a loss. For many years I have been trying to trace my immediate family, unfortunately due to the nature of my family it became an uphill struggle from the beginning. This was due in part to my father passing away when I was young (12) and taking with him some very important information that I would later require. Prior to this, any questions were met with silence or at best …. untruths.
In my early 20’s I decided to embark on the task of at least attempting to collate some form of family history. Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society, Manchester Central Library, Manchester Social Services, Hunters Genealogical Services in London, …… the list goes on and on ….. I have folders, reams of paperwork, books, letters (no Internet like today) and still was none the wiser. I had my birth certificate, my parents marriage certificate and little else.
There are no records for a Norma Ketley or Ballantyne for December 1929, …… anywhere. The only time Norma Ballantyne was used was on the marriage certificate in a legal capacity.
If anybody has further information on this name, place and time period I would be very grateful for information. paul.alexander@mail.com
Today I am more optimistic, I have persevered with my little flock of Black Sheep and the results of which I am pleased to share with you here.
The pages here do not solely represent my immediate family, they are a collation of some of the information I have. If any of it is of use to you, then good, use it. …. however, there is always the old saying of ‘be careful of what you wish for’, there are many reasons people keep secrets about their family, I reckon mine did a good job of keeping the shadowy black flock away, unfortunately I had other ideas.
Currently Rochdale is one of my main areas of interest, Castleton, Wardleworth and Milnrow. Names of direct interest are Fred Alexander (snr) and his wife Elizabeth Alexander (formerly Hughes). Also, Fred Alexander son of above.
John Ketley of Essex moved to Loftus (formerly Lofthouse), Skinningrove and married Louisa Fickling of Saham Toney in St Leonards Parish Church, Loftus, Yorkshire. Currently focused on this area.
Enjoy the site.
Please note: apart from the main links on the right of the page, the ‘uncategorized’ section has some bits and bobs that may be of use. This is just a section for quick edits and misc. stuff I have done in the way of research.
If you wish to contact me, then please use:
as the email address.
By the way, sorry if I have not replied to your comments etc. please contact me directly if you wish to add further information or whatever.
Black Sheep Family History Research 