Kerfoot and Holland Family

From Pam Richardson – December 2020

These are photos of my gt gt grandmother Mary Brown nee Kerfoot, who was born in Skelmersdale to John & Elizabeth Kerfoot nee Fildes. John was a farmer in Skelmersdale.  Mary married Peter Brown, another farmer, and lived all of her life around Skelmersdale and UpHolland.  I don’t know how old she was in these; she was born in 1834 and died in 1915.  Her dress in the photo on the right looks quite elaborate, could this be a wedding photo?  The man is unknown, could it be her father or her husband.  Whoever he is he seems to be wearing quite a strange outfit.

[Editor note: the photo inscriptions may hold clues to dating. Silas Eastham is quite a well known photographer, active in Ormskirk and Southport around 1860-1870. James Millard (Wigan) was active around 1880-1900. Silas Eastham-1 ; Silas Eastham-2 ; James Millard ; Wigan World link ]

Mary and Peter Brown had 3 daughters.  Elizabeth, their eldest daughter was my gt grandmother.  She was born in 1853 and married my gt grandfather, John Holland, a joiner and wheelwright from UpHolland.John set up Holland’s Joinery in UpHolland, which is still in business today, although it has been taken over by a large company.

Elizabeth Holland nee Brown /  John Holland with one of his daughters