DOES anyone possess some historical info about the Middlehursts of Moss Bank? If so, a Chester correspondent, Susan Gray, would be delighted to hear all about it.

Susan, whose mother was a Middlehurst (known locally as the 'Miggies') is currently researching her family history.

"My mother's family lived (as I, myself, used to) in Moss Bank," she writes. "My grandparents, Matthew and Elizabeth Middlehurst, lived on Moss Bank Road and I believe that other relatives came from Pikes Brow Farm."

Winding the clock back to 1900-1920, Susan explains that her grandad played for the Moss Bank bowls club, believed to have been headquartered at the Black Horse pub.

Though she lived in Moss Bank from 1955 until 1973, Susan has no recollection of Pikes Brow Farm, the particular area it once occupied being now the site of houses and shops. Susan's grandparents lived in the district for 48 years, up to 1952, and her mother lived there all her life, from 1914 until 1990.

Among the more fascinating of Susan's forebears was John Middlehurst, a soldier in the Peninsular Wars and later a Chelsea pensioner. He was born at Windle in 1779 and died some time between 1851 and 1861.

Dishing out more clues she hopes that our readers can latch on to, Susan adds that he and wife Margaret had three daughters and a son during the first quarter of the 19th-century - Mary, Jane, Sarah and Henry.

Jane's two illegitimate children - John (born 1840) and Mary (1850) were baptised at St Aidan's Church, Billinge.

Susan signs off: "If any readers have knowledge of any of the above, or information about the family, I would be most grateful if they'd contact me."

HER address is: 17 Circular Drive, Chester CH4 8LV, Cheshire.

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