Thursday, February 11, 2010

Historical Background of Pemberton and Middleton

From British History web site a rich information source including gazetteers:
"Coal-mining is the principal industry. There are stone quarries, boiler works, iron foundry, cotton mill, and brick-making. The soil is loam and clay, with subsoil of clay, stone, and coal; potatoes and oats are grown, and there is some pasturage."
Apparently Lancashire was once named Lancaster.
Footnotes talk at some length about the Pemberton's beginning ca. 1200AD, including a George son of John.
A curiosity: "Roger Lowe records that on 1 June 1665 he went to see the burning well at Pemberton, 'and we had two eggs which was so done by no material fire'". This is probably natural gas. It is coal country.
A wonderful book, A Topographical Dictionary of England (by Samuel Lewis, Editor, 1848) talks of Middleton Hall, St Leonard church (where "Mrs Penberton from Middleton Hall" was buried), etc etc.

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