My maternal 2X great grandmother had what I considered a very different name. Born Richmal Hall in 1834 to Samuel and Sarah Hall of Newton Lancashire England.

Richmal was my grandmothers middle name. I always thought it was a pretty name, and often wondered where it came from. I do not remember if grandma told me it was a family name or if I just assumed that. With the name “Richmal” I assumed it would be easy to locate records on this relative, and it was. I found in the Ashton under lyne records the baptismal record for Richmal Hall.

I also noted back in 2000 that there was more then one Richmal Hall born in Lancashire county England.  There was a Richmal Hall born/christened 18 October 1801 in Bury to a Samuel and Mary Hall; a Richmal Hall baptized on 6 July 1834 to James and Richmal Hall also of Bury;

When we look at Richmal Hall’s marriage record to John Woolley Heap we see that her father is Samuel Hall whose profession is listed as a Moulder. Therefore we are assured that we have the correct Richmal since the profession of her father on the above baptism record is Iron Moulder. The other Richmal’s baptized in Lancashire county had fathers that were in the cotton industry.

I have not been able to find Richmal and her family in the 1841 or 1851 UK Census. The only possibility I have come up with is the item below.

Here we find a Samuel Hall about the right age and listed as an Iron Moulder. The child about the right age is Richmond who was originally listed as a female and then it was changed to male. Do you think this is our Richmal?

Once Richmal marries John Woolley Heap there are many records that document her and her family. If you look at the previous blog on John Woolley Heap you will find those records up until her death on 16 July 1888.

Richmal is shown above as the wife of John Woolley Heap and late of 32 Adelside Street, Stockport in Lancashire County. Her personal estate only amounted to a little over £93.

In checking out “Google Earth” I could not come up with an Adelside Street in Stockport. Possibly the street no longer exists or has been renamed.