In 1821, 15,000 people were recorded as living in the Northern Dales. 90 years later, the population had halved. Most of those who left were in their teens or twenties, leaving behind an aging population. Many emigrated locally to, say, Lancashire or the West Riding. But many went abroad. STEPHEN LONGSTROTH and his family lived at Arncliffe in nearby Littondale. In 1842 they packed their bags, journeyed to Liverpool and took a boat to America. They arrived in New Orleans, and became Mormons.  They later joined Brigham Young’s group of pioneers who trekked to Salt Lake City to set up the Mormon temple. Stephen Longstroth wrote letters home to family in the Dales, but he didn’t tell them he’d married off his three daughters to the same man, Willard Richards, in a single wedding. He realised the Dales were not yet ready for news of polygamy.

GEORGE SHEPPARD was born and raised in Settle, but moved to Lincolnshire for work as a labourer. In 1844, then aged 18, he was caught stealing a silver watch and sentenced to 10 years transportation to Van Diemen’s Land.