This project is dedicated to the memory of my sister Rosemary ASPIN (Rosie) with whom I shared a fundamental inquisitiveness about our ancestors and background. This interest arose in childhood, and I recall that whilst we both pressed our grandparents about our roots, our approach to research was quite different and undertaken independently.

In the mid to late seventies, Rosie attended evening classes and learned some of the theory of genealogy. She put this, and information received from grandparents, to good use by producing some early family pedigree charts. At about the same time, my own involvement was of a more practical nature and I recall tracking down and visiting the sexton of the local Methodist circuit for Halifax. From him I obtained details of several family burials at Mount Tabor chapel (see item included in Other Stuff section), and made my own pilgrimage to those graves.

This early work did not progress for many more years, although we never lost our interest in the subject. Rosie, for example, obtained photographs of several family ancestors which she proudly displayed, and which are included in this work. But neither of us really had the time or resources to undertake the task sufficiently well. There were two main factors however, which prompted the recommencement of research and production of this Family History.

The first was Rosie’s death in 1999, which stimulated a fresh determination on my part to research and permanently record on her behalf, the family history which had so interested her. It is of great personal comfort to me and tribute to Rosie, that the information she contributed forms part of this work and provided a sound basis for further research. The second was the advent of personal computers and the internet in recent years. This technology has not only improved the availability of family history information and proved an important tool in recording and compiling this project, but has also offered (through the internet) the most appropriate method of displaying and sharing the information with the wider family and anyone else who is interested.