b'Blanche K. BrownMike & Kate Pratt: Based on material supplied by Elizabeth GreenacreThe Bishop Wilton Local History website has been a very useful means of acquiring historical material that might otherwise have been lost, as this article illustrates.In July 2007 we received an email out of the blue: Contributors to an album do not put their Hello, entries on consecutive pages so it is interesting to A number of years ago I acquired anreassemble them chronologically. This gives a better autograph type book which belonged to aindication of the album owners movements. Between woman called Blanche K Brown who was1918 and 1920 Blanche appears to have remained born in Bishop Wilton about 1886 and waslocal to Bishop Wilton. It is possible that she worked the daughter of George Brown. . The bookat Garrowby Hall as a number of entries bear this contains lots of writings from friends andlocation. It is equally possible that the contributors family and a few drawings and paintings.worked at Garrowby Hall and came into contact with If possible I would like to return it to theBlanche elsewhere especially as some seem to be descendants of Blanche Brown but if this isrelated. not possible I would like some suggestionsBy 1921 it is possible she was resident at Clifford as to what is best done with it. It would beHall, Burton-in-Lonsdale, North Yorkshire as this entry a shame to just keep it in my cupboard as itimplies:gives quite a lot of information about peopleIf by chance this book should roam, wrap it up in and around Garrowby and Bishop Wilton and send it home toI hope you can give some thought to this. Miss BrownBest wishes Clifford HallElizabeth Greenacre Burton.Luckily we had some knowledge of the BrownIt has to be noted that the entries for Clifford Hall family and of Blanche Keturah 1Brown as a resultare from various Dinsdales all dated Feb 25, 1925. of doing research for Christine Dinsdale of York.Was she just visiting relatives perhaps?As Blanche is not known to have married andTowards the end of 1925 the entries switch to as Christine is a descendent of George Brown,Tockwith. It is here that Christine Dinsdale has said Blanches father, we naturally thought of her as ashe thought Blanche lived out her life. We have yet to suitable recipient of the autograph album and repliedverify this and establish the date Blanche died.to Elizabeth Greenacre accordingly. Elizabeth dulyFor the record and to help with family history posted the album to us and our first task was to copyresearch, each entry in the album where the it and record the names and other details of thosecontributor has identified themselves is summarised who had contributed a page to the album. below (entries with initials only are excluded):The dedication on the inside of the album reads: NotesTo Blanche 1.1. Arthur Wordsworth included more From Doris information about himself: N. 28.49.92 Labour Wishing you happy returns. Corps. Late 21st Siege Battery, R. G. A.George Brown, Tailor and Draper of Bishop Wilton,2.2. There are two entries from Agnes Dinsdale, was married twice. With Sarah Brown (formerlyone dated 1921 and one in 1925 with a more Adamson), his first wife, he had three children,mature handwriting.Blanche, Elsie and Ernest. After the death ofSarah3.3. T. Mills entry is preceded by From - The old in 1891 at the age of 31, George married EmilyClock Longfellow - could this have been a Hardy and had three daughters, Betsy Norah (whoshop?died young), Doris and Freda. Freda was ChristineIt is uncanny how the history of some families begs Dinsdales mother. It was Doris who gave Blanche theto be remembered. Readers may recall that we were autograph album. supplied with a copy of a photograph that appeared We have the census for 1901 to support thein Bulletin 14 of the Brown family outside No. 13 Main contention that Blanche went into service, as she isStreet c1895. This showed Blanche at age 10ish. described as a General Domestic Servant at the ageAdded to this, it was a postcard, from a York dealer, of 15 with a retired Shipping Surveyor called Samuelof George Brown outside his house that got our Gladstone at Barmby Moor. collection going and led eventually to the formation of the Local History Group!1We are using the form Keturah which is how her birth record has it although other referencesuse Ketureh.308 BULLETIN 16'