Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

I am researching my Wignall family history and am bound to say I haven't got very far - yet.

My first question relates to the Southport Visitor - Is there a library that keeps copies that can be accessed by the public? I once approached them direct but the response was very disappointing!

Legend has it that my great grandfather, James Wignall, died as a result of being kicked by a horse, which is quite feasible as he owned livery stables. I am interested to learn if this was reported as a story, and also if there was an obituary in the Visitor. Because Wignall is a very common name in the area, I believe, (am sending for a certificate later today) he died in the Oct Nov Dec quarter of 1942.

Any advice you can offer will be gratefully received.

P S They were qiute a large family - is anyone else researching them?

Hi Marg
A warm welcome to the forum.
I'm sure our members will be able to give you pointers.
Good luck with your search.

Tina

Hi and welcome to the forum. The Crosby Library holds microfilm copies of the Southport Visiter from 1844 to date.
Newspapers - holdings in various libraries

The Society holds a list of surnames that members sent in, unfortunately there is only one entry for Wignall, however in the Members Interests Directory, there are five in all, details of how to contact them here

Amended to correct location of microfilms - updated since our information was gathered. MA

Southport Visiter is on film at CROSBY Library. All the holdings for local history of the Sefton Borough are now held at Crosby Library.

With a date of death they may be willing to do a quick search of the paper for around that date. To search over a quarter would be time consuming.

Also at Crosby there is a large collection of Southport directories which would be a good tool to follow your family in. They also hold Electoral rolls for the Southport area.

Wignall is quite a common surname in the area.


The local and family history library service is now based in one centralised Local History Unit, which is the major public repository for local studies in Sefton. Library staff collect, preserve and exploit material relating to the area. The unit houses a unique collection - many items are not available anywhere else.

This single unit operates from Crosby Library and holds collections of material about the Bootle, Crosby, Litherland, Aintree and Maghull areas, as well as Formby and Southport.

The local history collections contain a wide variety of material on the history, topography and development of the locality. They also include more general information on Liverpool, Merseyside and the historic county of Lancashire.

Crosby Library, Crosby Road North, Waterloo, Liverpool L22 0LQ
Tel: 0151 257 6401 Local History direct line


Once you have a date of death and think he was buried in the area you could contact the following who hold the registers for the 2 local cemeteries.

Southport Crematorium
Address:
Southport Crematorium
Southport Road
Scarisbrick


Postcode:
PR8 5JQ


Email:
southport.crematorium@sefton.gov.uk


Telephone:
01704 533443

Thank you all for your help thus far.

Hilary - Thank-you, once I get the certificate and the date of death I will contact the library at Crosby with a view having a day out to going & having a look for myself - I presume they allow the public access to the records?
Sorry to appear dim but what information might be available via the crematorium? (in addition to the position of any grave)

Yes you can go to Crosby to look at the films. If you are coming a distance it might be worth contacting them to ask for a machine.

The records at the Crematorium will tell you which cemetery, grave number and if there is a gravestone. For a fee they will also tell you who else is in the grave and their age, address etc. If you get the grave number and area you can then go and take a photo if you wish and see who else is remembered on the gravestone.

Whereabouts did James live in Southport?

Thank you HilaryI'd not thought about that - it might help me go back a generation (or more).

He lived in Sefton Street.

The death registration for James Wignall in 1942 says he was born about 1860 so I think this could be him as it's Sefton Street.

1901 census 119 Sefton St Southport
James Wignall 40 cab proprietor bn Burscough
Selina W wife 38 bn Bushbury Staffs
James E son 15 groom, Margaret daur 14, Evan son 12, John son 11, Henry son 8, Winifred daur 6, Mary daur 3
all children born Southport

1891 119 sefton St Southport
James Wignall H M 30 cab proprietor bn Burscough
Selina W wife 28 bn Staffs Coven Heath
James E son 6, Margaret daur 4, Evan son 2, John son 1
Children born Southport

James married Selina W Pursall at St Paul's Church Southport 1882

1881 James a boarder 20 a porter bn Burscough at 5 Fisher Road with John Henry Dixon also a porter born Southport and his wife Mary Delia 26 bn Coven Heath Staffs

John H Dixon m Mary D Pursall at St Paul's Southport 1880

St Paul's church is no more but I think Crosby Library will have a picture. Sefton Street is the same houses so you could probably find the house on Street View.

Both marriages are from www.lancashirebmd.org.uk

Thank you Hilary you have been busy on my behalf! This will be the right man as my Grandad was called Evan and it's not a common name is it?
I really appreciate your kindness in putting this information together for me.
Thank you

I was looking for something last nigh in "Southport's Splendid Hearts" by Victoria Bannister when I saw

Harry Wignall of the RASC killed in action 3 September 1918. The write up taken from the Southport Visiter says he was the youngest son of Mr and Mrs James Wignall of 113 Sefton Street.

You can seee him also on www.cwgc.org

He was your grandad Evan's brother.

When you go to Crosby library they have books of the cuttings from the First World War so you could get the article referred to Southport Visiter 21.12 1918 page 10 Column 3 there is also a photo. Just tell them you want to see the 1918 First World War book of Southport - it's A3 size and bound in Burgundy. Tell them Hilary told you to ask for them. they know me!

Thank you Hilary - I'm looking forward to visiting the library at Crosby, it's somewhere I've never been - I did once venture into the Atkinson Library many years ago but wasn't sure just what I was looking for.