Sources of information

We are old getting older. That much I can say with absolute certainty! So I have decided that if I can pull together or out of my files - any sources of information that may be of use to users of this blog - then I will - and I will share them here. If anyone else has similar material - I encourage them to follow my example - as loss of such things would be a tragedy. Examples of what I have in mind are - from memory at this stage (refinement will come later hopefully):

Anything written by Professor David Heys of the University of Sheffield is fascinating and full of material relevant to a study of 'round here'.

Almost all of what he has published in the past is now 'out of print' and is unlikely therefore to be found in regular bookshops. BUT it is sometimes in 'secondhand bookshops' - to my certain knowledge - and of course it is likely to be found on such websites as EBay and Amazon. David Heys is a 'local' - from Penistone - and thus has an affinity with this area, as well as direct knowledge of it. David is still with us and may be the springiest of chickens, and if you ever get the chance to attend one of his talks - you should! - and it is very unlikely that you will be disappointed.

Almost the exact comment can be made about Professor Melvin Jones - except that he is not from Penistone - but maybe from the east of Barnsley, like Royston - nevertheless he is an authority on these parts. Sometimes he writes simply as Mel Jones.

Brian Elliott - who has written many things about Barnsley and its environs - or been the editor of books containing such material - including places around here - is a fine author - who happened to live for a time in Dodworth.

Sam Sykes, another son of Dodworth, wrote the definitive history of Dodworth and Stainborough in 1984. Copies of his thesis were lodged in the University of Sheffield Library, Barnsley Library (now the Barnsley Archives), and in Dodworth Library. Since the sharing of that work, Sam has written several items relevant to here including a shortened version of his thesis, and something about the prominent 'B' stones to be found in the Stainborough Valley, and about the lost village of Falthwaite, and the 'The Forfeits' or spelled properly The Faufitts. His work also deals with 'Sludgy Lane' - possibly the oldest dated 'trackway' around here.

A Canadian lady called Katherine Degnan, lived in Dodworth, in Holdroyd Yard, whilst writing her PhD about the village of Dodworth. That was about 10 years ago. A copy of what she wrote is in Dodworth Library.

By far the best history of Stainborough, in the time of the Wentworths (which may not be the most interesting time), was written by a woman called J.E. Humphries. It is a first class piece of work and fascinating to anyone interested in that time and place. Unfortunately the only place that I know where a full copy exists is in the University of Sheffield Library archives, but I understand that a shorter version is more readily available.

Many similar things are in Dodworth Library, ask the Librarian if in any doubt.

Some things are on the internet - interrogate Google...

Antiquarians - i.e. folks a long time ago who were interested in history and everything similar, such as archaeology, who were interested in this area, and whose work is still available in Barnsley Archives, include The Reverend Joseph Prince, of Silkstone Church, who wrote around 1830; Joseph Wilkinson of Barnsley, who wrote in the 1800's; a man named Jackson, who wrote around the same time as Wilkinson; and of course John Hobson - Dodworth's very own version of Samuel Pepy's - who wrote diaries detailing many things about this area, I think around 1700-1800. Hobson was incidentally connected to the Strutt family, some of whom still live in Dodworth. The towering figure of Joseph [yes they really were nearly all called Joseph] Hunter dominated historical matters in 'south Yorkshire', in the 1800's, as did Ralph Thoresby in the Leeds area. Joseph Kenworthy wrote and recorded much about the areas between here and Bradfield in the 1800's. Similarly an authority called Wilson lived at Broomhead Hall, near to the nearest stone circle, on the moors. Finally a man called Dransfield recorded much about Penistone and district during the late 1800 early 1900 period, and a man called G.N. Sykes from Huddersfield wrote a history of Silkstone that included stuff about the Huskar Disaster.

Many other people have written things about this area, and we are in danger of losing that heritage if we fail to use it and to preserve it - pity.