Hi Margaret there's not much in the newspapers unfortunately... as for more info beyond the parish registers I'd look into land ownership. The West Yorkshire registry of deeds is at Wakefield archives (dates from 1704) and might have details of the land at Whinny Royd, and possibly details of the family if property was being sold or inherited. Unfortunately the info isn't online. http://www.archives.wyjs.org.uk/archives-wrrd.asp I also googled Whinny Royd... http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-446305-whinney-royd-farmhouse-halifax this could be the farmhouse they lived in... you can see the location on the maps and zoom in http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=446305 and a photo of the farmhouse http://www.dalesman.co.uk/familyq/w2.htm - a Woodhead descendant on here who mentions Whinny Royd In the newspapers - in Feb 1789 William and Robert Woodhead were among a large number of gentlemen, clergy and principal inhabitants of Halifax and the neighbourhood who held a public meeting and sent a message to the then prime minister William Pitt praising his " faithful, steady and spirited administration" and saying they hoped the King would recover from his current illness. The King then was George III who was mentally ill possibly with a genetically inherited disease called porphyria which causes hallucinations. He had been ill since the summer of 1788. The Leeds Mercury (Leeds, England), Saturday, July 23, 1814 Three closes of rich meadow, arable and pasture land, two houses and a six bay barn, stable, cow house, and other outbuildings, yard and garden situated near the church at Mirfield and adjoining Blake Hall, lately in the occupation of William Woodhead and his under tenants. The house is very pleasantly situated, forming a most desireable residence for a genteel family or a woollen manufacturer, having a never failing water spring passing through the estate and being close to the turnpike road from Wakefield to Huddersfield and the Calder and Hebble navigation. Mirfield and Northowram are about nine miles apart so this may not be your William - although he might have 1827 William Woodhead of Haley Hill, Halifax, an excavator was committed to York Castle on a charge of having broken into the house of the Misses Watkinson in Halifax with intent to commit burglary. He was discovered in the cellar by a gentleman who was passing late at night who attempted to seize him but he escaped. However he left behind his hat and that led to the constable identifying him. At the trial at York Castle they said he was 31, the premises were a boarding school and a Mr Staveley passing the school saw a light in the cellar between 1am and 2am. He climbed over the railing, the light went out and a man sprang from the cellar. Staveley grabbed him, they struggled, the man climbed over the railing and swung at Staveley with an iron bar and got away. They found a leg of mutton and two loaves in a bag ready to be taken away and the hat. Woodhead was seen the next day in a new hat, two people swore the hat found at the scene was his old hat and Staveley swore he was the man who came out of the cellar. He was sentenced to death. This guy would be born 1797 so probably not your Robert's brother but thought it was worth including because of the Halifax connection. The Bradford Observer (Bradford, England), Thursday, August 21, 1834 On Tuesday week aged 75 Sarah, relict of the late Mr Robert Woodhead of Whinny Royd, Northowram best wishes Jane -----Original Message----- From: mmarion@rogers.com Sent: Thursday, August 16, 2012 3:04 AM To: YORKSGEN@rootsweb.com ; WOODHEAD@rootsweb.com Subject: [YORKSGEN] ROBERT WOODHEAD of Whinny Royd, Northowram I have been able to get my Woodhead family of Shelf back to ROBERT WOODHEAD, son of WILLIAM, born about 1752. Robert marries Sarah Ambler, May 9, 1774. He is referred to as ROBERT WOODHEAD of Whinny Royd, Northowram. Robert and Sarah have the following children: Hannah in 1775, William in 1776, Peter (my ancestor) in 1779, Ambler in 1789, Sam in 1791, Edmund in 1794, John and Tome (twins) in 1797 and Henry Alfred in 1800. I have two questions. Can someone do a look up in the newspapers about my Robert Woodhead of Whinny Royd. And my second question is, what resources can I use to flesh out more information on my Robert Woodhead. I have joined the Calderdale Family History Group. I have gotten the parish record cd's for Halifax and Coley church. I guess this is my brick wall. If Robert is not my brick wall, William of Shelf, his father, is most definitely. Any advice would be appreciated. Margaret Marion, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada ..... Ancestors in Yorkshire? http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/index.html; www.ryedalefamilyhistory.org; www.wharfedalefhg.org.uk; www.yorkshireparishregisters.com; www.yorkshireroots.org.uk; ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to YORKSGEN-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message