A family history trip to Calderdale - 6 Box Trees

There are several references to Boxtrees amongst records relating to the Hileys and Highleys of Halifax and district.

In 1633 Edith Hileley, of Boxtrees in Ovenden, made her will. Edith was the widow of Edmund Hileley of Sowerby, and previously the widow of Robert Starky.

James Crowther (who married Mary (Mally) Highley in 1811 - see no.1 in this series of posts) was born in 1787 while his family were living at Boxtrees.

The photos below show Boxtrees in May 2023. 

The next photo shows the view from Boxtrees across the valley to Mount Tabor and Pellon. Part of the woodland beyond the railway is Ramsden Wood.  John Crowther, son of James and Mary, was born here in 1811.

The railway is the 'Wheatley Viaduct', a 10-arched, 100 foot high viaduct which carried the High Level Railway across the Wheatley valley. The line carried passengers from 1890 to 1917, then became a goods-only line until 1960, and was finally dismantled.

A family history trip to Calderdale - 5 Mount Tabor

The Wesleyan Methodist chapel at Mount Tabor, Ovenden was built in 1820 by local men from the nearby quarry freely giving their time. The chapel was extended soon after and a Sunday School was built next door in 1836. In 1845 the chapel could accommodate 600 worshippers. In 2023 there were only 11 church members.

It was recently reported that the chapel and the graveyard had been sold for development.

Mount Tabor Chapel May 2023

There are two Highley graves in the New Yard part of the churchyard.

Frank Highley was a direct descendant of David Hiley, who was from Warley and born in 1700. 

Frank married Ada Ratcliffe in 1904. The marriage record shows that Frank was a Brass Finisher (Journeyman) and Ada was a Worsted Cloth Mender,  and they both lived in the New Pellon area of Halifax. 

Frank and Ada are buried here along with their children Phyllis and Selwyn. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        

May Townsend married Charles Herbert Highley in 1926. Charles was a descendant of Luke Highley, born in 1751.                                                                                                                                                                   May's parents Fred and Ruth are also buried in the grave.                                                                               

Burial records show that there are a number of other Highleys buried in the Old Yard part of the graveyard but these graves all appear to be grassed over and there are no stones to mark them.                                                            

                                                                                                                 

The Old Yard 

A family history trip to Calderdale - 4 Illingworth Moor Chapel

A church was first built at Illingworth Moor in 1800. Because of the number of people attending, a new, larger church was built and this opened in 1877. It was a Methodist church and it stayed in place until 2004 when it was demolished and replaced with a new all purpose building. 

The graveyard

Illingworth Moor chapel May 2023

There is one Hiley grave at Illingworth Moor. In it are buried Ernest and Mary (nee Hargreaves) Hiley and their children Herbert and George. Ernest was a direct descendant of David Hiley from Warley, born in 1700. 

In the 1921 Census, the family were living at 22 Grant Street, Halifax. Ernest was a Belt Maker with John Crossley & Sons Ltd (Carpet Manufacturers), and Herbert and George were both at school. Four older children are listed in the Census - Phyllis, Alvin, Gertrude and Elsie.

Ernest signed up in 1918, aged 38, and joined the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (2nd West Riding).

The Hiley grave at Illingworth Moor

A family history trip to Calderdale - 3 Moor End Church

A church at Moor End was first founded in 1717. A new church was built on the same site in 1810. The church was known as an Independent (Congregational ) church, but from 1972 was called Moor End United Reformed church. The church closed in 1980 and is now a private house.

Moor End church May 2023

Moor End graveyard

Abandoned church sign

There are two Highley graves.

Joseph Highley (1839-1908) was a descendant of Henry Hiley from Warley who died in 1732. Joseph married Betty Smith in Halifax Parish Church in 1862. The couple lived in Ovenden, Halifax and Joseph was a labourer.

Joseph and Betty had seven children, of whom Sarah Ellen was the first.

Sarah Ellen was a weaver and lived in Clough Lane, Mixenden, close to Moor End church where she is buried.

George was the fourth of Joseph and Betty's children. He married Elizabeth Hartley in 1914 and the couple had three children, James, Harry and Harold.

James was buried with his parents at Moor End.

The 1939 Register showed the family living at Mixenden Stones, not far from Moor End. George was a dairy farmer and James a Provender Mill Manager.