Mormons Search In Conisbrough, Birdwell and Wombwell Districts

September 1958

South Yorkshire Times September 6, 1958

Mormons Search In Conisbrough, Birdwell and Wombwell Districts

Six Americans of the Mormon sect arrived in South Yorkshire on Saturday to spend a week searching for relatives and the former bottles of their parents and grandparents who emigrated to the Salt Lake City area of Utah, U.S.A., at the end of the last century.

Two of the Americans, Mrs. Florence Clark of Provo, and Mrs. Bessie Bryan of Montana arrived at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Marshall of 4. Hamelin Road, Conisbrough, on Saturday. Mr. Marshall a cousin of Mrs. Clark.

Others who have come with the same purpose oh Mr and Mrs of Mr and Mrs Clarence James of Provo and Mr Mrs Frank Merryweather also of Provo, who are staying at the home of a cousin in Sheffield

This week the six people have been visiting the former homes of their parents in the homes of their relatives.

Mrs. Clark told a “South Yorkshire Times” reporter on Monday that they had inspected records at Somerset House in London to help them in their search.

Mr and Mrs Marshall who formerly came from Birdwell have been helping  the American visitors in their search in the Birdwell and the Conisbrough districts.

On Monday Mrs. Clark said she did not yet know how many relatives she had in the district but was hoping to find them all. She said her relatives included Clarence and Norrie Brown of Balby, Lois Marshall of Balby Street, Denaby, and Mary Knowles of Summer Lane, Wombwell. Her mother was 16 years old when she emigrated to America. Her name before she married was Catherine Anse4 and she lived in Hoyland Common.

Mrs.Clark who was unable to complete her investigation of relatives at Somerset House, was hoping to find relatives of her mother in the Hoyland Common district.

Mrs. Clark and her friend are staying in Conisbrough until tomorrow (Saturday). Then, with the rest of the Mormons, they are to witness the opening of the first Mormon Temple to be built in England. They are then going on a month’s tour of the Continent.

Mrs. Clark said that if she had not completed her quest this week she intended to return after her continental tour to complete the mission.

It is the first time Mrs. Clark has been to England and the first time she has met her cousin, Mrs Clarence Marshall. The first place he visited after arriving at the Marshall’s home was Conisbrough Castle.