Robert Kerss 1788-1860

Robert was the father of Catherine Kerss.

Robert Kerss was born in Gateshead, Co Durham, England on 11 November 1788. He was the first son of Alexander Kerss, a "sugar baker" and Catherine Errington. Alexander was Scottish, and Robert was baptised in the Presbyterian Church on Silver Street in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, just across the River Tyne from Gateshead.

Robert's family stayed in Gateshead but when he grew up, Robert moved to Sunderland to work as a joiner (carpenter). It's possible that he was apprenticed to a Sunderland joiner - this is something I need to look into. The next record I've found of Robert is his marriage to Frances Hunter on 12 June 1815 at Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland, Co Durham. The couple moved across the river Wear to Monkwearmouth Shore, where they had three daughters:

Catherine Kerss 1817-1877
Elizabeth Kerss 1819-??
Mary Kerss 1822-??

Frances died in early November 1824 and was buried at Monkwearmouth Church.

Robert remarried a couple of years later. On 15 October 1826 he married widow Elizabeth Ridley (nee Bonner) at St Hilda's Church in South Shields. Elizabeth had married Robert Ridley in 1818, and had two children with him (Mary Ann born 1821 and John born 1823) before his death in November 1824.

In October 1839, Robert was a witness at his oldest daughter's wedding. Catherine gave her address as Lombard Street, in Sunderland, so it's likely that this was also Robert's address at the time. He was living there in 1841, when he was recorded on the census living with wife Elizabeth, her children Mary and John, and a 17 year old Alexander Kerss who I haven't yet identified.

During the 1840s the Kerss family moved back to Monkwearmouth. Elizabeth died there in September 1848 (she was buried on 3 September at Monkwearmouth Church).

Robert married for a third time on 28 May 1849 at Bishopwearmouth Church in Sunderland. This time his bride was widow Elizabeth Smith (nee Giles). He gave his residence at this time as Dunning Street, in the parish of Bishopwearmouth. By the time of the 1851 census, the couple were living on Wreath Quay on Monkwearmouth Shore, and the 62 year old Robert was a foreman joiner.

A couple of years later, the 1853 Ward's Directory records Robert as living in (and presumably running) the Hope and Anchor Inn on North Quay, Monkwearmouth Shore.

Robert died on 8 January 1860 following a concussion. The place of death is recorded as Zetland Street in Monkwearmouth - this seems likely to be his home address at the time as the 1861 census shows his widow Elizabeth running the Zetland Inn on Zetland Street. He was still working (at 74) as a foreman joiner.

Updated - 26 Feb 2011: I've now found information on Alexander Kerss.