Lower Pools Farm

A web-site called GENI, that I don't know, has mention of his family

On Ancestry James B. WENSLEY's death is registered in 1942 at Whitchurch, Shropshire. This is the correct district for a death which occurred in Wem.

The Lower Pools Farm was located off the Ellesmere Road out of Wem, on the left hand side, down the lane past the Ditches Farmhouse. The Ditches was farmed by my Uncle and aunt and the Lower Pools was lived in by a family originally from Birkenhead called BENFIELD. Mrs BENFIELD was my aunt's sister.

I am surprised by this event. My family had/have a great store of local/family events in and around this area and I have never heard of it.

I would suggest that the Whitchurch Herald would have inquest details.

James WENSLEY was born in Birkenhead which would tie in in September Quarter 1929.

Hazel

Hello

Pools Farm, (as it is known now) Wem can be seen across the fields on Google Street View

You might like to try emailing the Whitchurch Library and ask them if they have a copy of the local newspaper, the Whitchurch Herald suggested by Havern, that they could look up the details.  It would help if you have the exact date so they could go straight to the correct weekly paper.  Do make it clear that you live abroad.

I notice his death is registered in Oct-Nov-Dec of 1942 but it is just possible he died during the last few days of Sept 1942.  You could purchase a copy of the death certificate to establish the exact date and place.  They are available online through the Certificate ordering service

Mike

Sorry Michael but The Pools Farm and Lower Pools are two different places and certainly were back in 1942. I was born in the front bedroon of The Pools Farm in January 1943 and lived there until it was sold in 1965. The Lower Pools was always attached in some way to The Ditches Farm, maybe due to the access. It is entirely possible that since the 1965 sale the land has been amalgamated, however in 1942 my parents farmed The Pools Farm, my Uncle and Aunt farmed The Ditches and the land around Lower Pools Farmhouse and buildings and the Benfields lived in the Lower Pools Farmhouse.

My grandparents lived in The Poold Farm before my parents

Hazel.

Hello Hazel

Thank you for correcting my mistake.

The area round The Ditches (looking south west) can be seen on this view from Google Street View.

Mike

Hi Mike!

Thanks for your information. Yes you are correct James died on the 23rd September 1942. I will get in contact with local library and I am hoping i might be able to get maybe copies of newspaper inquest hearings and maybe death notices, the family lived in Birkenhead when not holidaying in Wem. So do you think anything may have been reported in Birkenhead papers as well, do you know what that would have been called by any chance, I am feeling that I am now starting to getting a picture together of what my family was doing around that time. James Barry was my uncle, but of course I never knew him only heard of a few stories,

Cheers Mandy

Hi Hazel! Thankyou for info, very interesting your family is connected to those farms. Would your Uncle have been Horace WILLIAMS, as I have received a newspaper clipping from Wiki Wirrall with a little info on inquest and Horace states he lives at Ditches Farm and there is a friend who also speaks so am wondering if I might be able track down who he was. I would love to hear if you have any stories or photo's of the farming area which maybe releavant to the WENSLEY family. James Barry he was actually known as Barry not James as his Dad was James, so these were my Grandad and my Uncle.  :)  The accident!! happened on 23rd Dept 1942

Mandy

Hello Mandy

The subscription web site Find my Past has lots of indexed newspapers.  Click Search near top left and select Newspapers. Click on the date 1900-1949, then 1940-1949, then 1942, then September.  Put WENSLEY (caps not necessary) in the Last Name box and click the big blue search button.  You will get some references to places called Wensley but at about the 5th, 7th & 8th  items you should find your James Barry WENSLEY in the Liverpool Daily Post.

There is also an entry on 3rd October which you will need to read.

Mike

Hi, Yes my Uncle was Horace WILLIAMS. He was my father's younger brother.

Had to put your relative's name in Ancestry in the proper order otherwise it doesn't come up. Lots of people are known by their middle name but on official documents you have to use the correct order to get good results,

Not sure I have any photos of the Lower Pools Farm. It was not a place I went really, only as far as the red farm house at The Ditches when my relatives lived. I believe the farmhouse at the Lower Pools eventually fell down/was demolished probably in the late 1950's early 1960's. Only farm buildings remained and looking on Google these have been renewed. Note that the Google pictures were taken in 2009.

Hazel

Hi Hazel ,

Just in process of creating family tree and after googling Lower Pools have come across this thread . My great uncle was Horace John Williams of Lower Pools ! Have only just joined this history society so no idea yet as to how it works but if you read this would you please contact me ? thanks, Geoff

Hi Geoff, My connection with Horace Williams is that he was my uncle and he lived at The Ditches farm - not the Lower Pools. My dad was the eldest son of the family and we lived at The Pools Farm until 1965. If you read the other comments in this thread you will see how to identify the properties. 

I am interested in your connection to the family and if you let me have an email via the Webmaster on this site I will get in touch.

Hazel

Hi Hazel ,

Thanks for the offer of getting in touch . Have just emailed the webmaster with my email details .

My dad is your cousin i believe ,and  im working on the assumption your dad was Charles ? I'm just starting out really on the family tree so any family information will be invaluable .

Thanks again

Geoff

Hi Geoff,

I have emailed you on the address sent by the Webmaster. Yes my dad was Charles. Hazel