Shawclough & Healey March 2020

The Family Tree
By Councillor Shaun O’Neill
Recent news that the 2021 Census
will be the last one to be carried out,
in its present format. It is envisaged
that the information required can now
be obtained a lot cheaper, through
electronic data like the electoral
register, National Insurance records
and even Facebook.
The first National Census was in 1801. It was
rumoured at the time that it was being used to
see how many men were available to fight in the
Napoleonic Wars. Since then, every ten years,
its main use is to collate information that gives an accurate estimate of
all the people and households in England and Wales on one particular
night. Even Harry Houdini couldn’t escape the 1911 Census where he
was recorded as being at a friends’ house and stating his occupation as
a Mysteriologist.
Many people now use the National Census to trace their own family
tree and will be able see the hand writing of their recent ancestors.
A new question being put on the 2021 will ask details of military
veterans. Hopefully the information won’t be used as it was in 1801!
Branching off neatly now to the story of our local Veteran cherry tree,
which according to legend is over 150 years old, this has been further
corroborated by the Healey Dell Rangers who have recently been
managing the woodland surrounding the ancient tree that has lived
through the Industrial Revolution, the American Civil War and both
World War conflicts. The Veteran Tree has also survived a multitude of
storms and hurricanes including the recent Ciara and Dennis tempests.
That just leaves the question, will our brave Veteran Tree be in line for
some kind of decoration!
Councillor Shaun O’Neill
Labour, Healey Ward.
Advice surgery every Thursday 1-2pm
@ Syke Community Base, Syke Chapel.
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