Place:Finningley, Nottinghamshire, England

source: Family History Library Catalog

:the following text is based on an article in Wikipedia Finningley is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. Historically part of Nottinghamshire, Finningley lies along the A614 road, about six miles from the centre of Doncaster, at 53°29′N 0°59′W, and at an elevation of around seven metres above sea level. According to the 2001 UK census it had a population of about 1,450, increasing slightly to 1,497 at the 2011 Census. The parish church of Holy Trinity is Norman, with a 13th-century chancel. For more information, see the EN Wikipedia article Finningley. Historically, Finningley was an ancient parish in the Soke of Doncaster although it was located in Nottinghamshire. From 1894 until 1974, Finningley was located in East Retford Rural District in the Nottinghamshire. In 1974 it was absorbed into Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England.

A nineteenth century description

A Vision of Britain through Time provides the following description of Finningley from John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales of 1870-72:

"FINNINGLEY, a township and a parish in Doncaster [registration] district, and in Notts and [West Riding of] Yorkshire. The township is all in Notts; lies on the Doncaster and Gainsborough railway, 4½ miles N by E of Bawtry; and has a station on the railway. Acres: 2,360. Real property: £2,406. Population: 434. Houses: 94.

"The parish contains also the township of Blaxton, in [West Riding of] Yorkshire, and the township of Awkley, partly in W. R. Yorkshire, and partly in Notts; and its post town is Cantley, under Doncaster. Acres, 5,970. Real property, £5,812. Population: 896. Houses: 195. The property is divided among a few. The manor belonged to the Frobishers; one of whom was the arctic explorer, Martin Frobisher. Finningley Park is the seat of J. Harvey, Esq. The living is a rectory in the diocese of Lincoln. Value: £600. Patron: J. Harvey, Esq. The church has a pinnacled tower, and is pretty good. There are three Wesleyan chapels and two national schools."

Research Tips

• GENUKI on Finningley. The GENUKI page gives numerous references to local bodies providing genealogical assistance.
• The FamilySearch wiki on the ecclesiastical parish of Finningley provides a list of useful resources for the local area.
• A Vision of Britain through Time on Finningley.