On This Day ... 31 July

1802     Jane Leeming was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of John Leeming and Mary Huntridge.

1846     Emma Darby was born in Freeman St, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. She was the daughter of Henry Darby and Ellen Haywood.

On This Day ... 30 July

1801     Ann Wren was born in Simonburn, Northumberland, England. She was the daughter of William Wren and Ann Sisterson.

1836     Jane Jones was born in Mochdre, Montgomeryshire, Wales. She was the daughter of John Jones and Martha Bowen.

Thomas Pattison and Elizabeth Burrell

Thomas Pattison was born in 1756 in at Penny Fine in Lamesley parish, Co Durham, England. He was baptised at St Andrew's Church, Lamesley on 17 October 1756.

On 20 December 1788 Thomas married Elizabeth Burrell at St Andrew's Church.

Thomas and Elizabeth had several children:

Hannah Pattison b1790
John Pattison b1791
Thomas Pattison 1793-1793
Thomas Pattison 1795-1866
Sarah Pattison 1796-1796
(possibly) William Pattison 1798-1798

Thomas and Elizabeth lived initially at Penny Fine, and later at Cow Close, both in the parish of Lamesley. Both areas on old maps appear to be agricultural, so it's possible that Thomas worked in farming, but I've found no reference to any occupation.

So far, I've found no reference to any further children, or to the deaths of Thomas or Elizabeth. I've also not yet found any record of the birth of Elizabeth.

On This Day ... 29 July

1832     Martha Jones was born in Mochdre, Montgomeryshire, Wales. She was the daughter of John Jones and Martha Bowen.

1849     Ralph Milbank Hudson was born in West Boldon, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Ralph Milbank Hudson and Elizabeth Robson.

1908     James Lamb married Margaret Burdis in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. James was the son of John Lamb and Margaret Gerrard.

On This Day ... 28 July

1752     John Powell married Mary Lloyd at St Cynllo's Church, Nantmel, Radnorshire, Wales. They were my 5 x great-grandparents.

1799     Richard Hunter was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Thomas Hunter and Eleanor Horsley.

1874     Frederick Dawson married Catherine Edith Hudson at St Mary's Church, Easington, Co Durham, England.

Wordless Wednesday - Schoolfriends

These young ladies were schoolfriends of Phyllis Pugh.

On This Day ... 27 July

1809     Thornton Bulmer was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Francis Bulmer and Alice Harding.

1811     Roland Gray Coulson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Thomas Coulson and Isabella Bulmer.

1881     John Jones died at Lodge Farm, Llandinam, Montgomeryshire, Wales. He was 82 years old and was my 4 x great-grandfather.

On This Day ... 26 July

1795     William Huntridge married Mary Soulsby at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

1880     James Patterson married Ann Bulmer at St Mary's Church, Easington, Co Durham.

1905     James Judson Ward married Alice L Linton in York Co, Ontario, Canada.

Amanuensis Monday - letter from Bill Hudson to Peggy November 26th, 1941

My grandfather Bill Hudson worked as a prison officer in Hong Kong from 1921 to 1941. He was still in Hong Kong in December of 1941 when the Japanese invaded and occupied the colony. My grandmother Peg and my father Peter had been evacuated to Australia in July 1940. Peg kept the last couple of letters Bill wrote from Hong Kong prior to the Japanese invasion, along with the letters he wrote immediately after liberation.

Most of the letters are long, so I'm going to serialise them over the next few weeks.

This is the second letter - the first starts here - and was written on 26 November 1941, less than two weeks before the Japanese invaded.

Page 1 is here

Page 2 is here

Page 3

Page 4 is here

Gowland is out of Hospital, but no leave was recommended. Did you know that Parry is only getting 16 weeks, a shame I think, seeing how sick he has been.

I am so glad Nelly gave you a Chinese Chow, you will have to show him big M.G. expect he will be after a job from him when he gets down, as he says he will have to find work when he settles down. Anyway they are going to live in a street, true to their form as they are Dreadnoughts! never mind Dear, I wish them all the luck possible.

You seem to have been the busy Housefrau that Sunday morning, how I wish I could have been there to help Cream and Fish certainly go together, get what I mean. By all means Peg, if Ada can put you up, go with them, how I wish I could come down, and enjoy the company of all of you, will have to see what I can do next year, in the way of my heart and B.P.!

So Sweetie Pie has a sore toe, well I hope it's better now, my face is nearly healed up now, I told the Old Man I fell, when alighting from a bus, Cdr!

I haven't been to the flicks for over a week, maybe when my face heals up, I have to go to the bank on Friday cos I draw the pay for the staff, will have to pull my cap well over my eyes, or else send Stuart down, I hate to be seen in public, showing scars. Yes it's my own fault Dear, and I don't ask for sympathy!

On This Day ... 25 July

1877     David Pugh died at Tynddol Farm, Llanbadarnfynydd, Radnorshire, Wales at the age of 71.  He was my 3 x great-grandfather.

1814     Edward Darby married Ann Whitehouse (nee Hobdey) at St Philips Church, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. They are my 4 x great-grandparents.

1831     John Wren Vipond Jackson married Agnes Hodgson at St Stephen's Church, Wolsingham, Co Durham, England.

On This Day ... 24 July

1793     Ann Yeal was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Robert Yeal and Dinah Hood.

1897     Alice Victoria Darby was born at 55 Fazely St, Birmingham, Warwickshire. She was the daughter of William James Darby and Elizabeth Read.

1905     Edward Bernard Gwyn Thomas was born in Bryngwyn, Radnorshire, Wales. He was the son of local rector William Thomas and Sarah Jane Pugh.

On This Day ... 23 July

1642     Cuthbert Burnop married Ann Smith at St Giles's Church, Durham, Co Durham, England. They are my 8 x great-grandparents.

George Gerrard and Janet Fyffe

Just a short one this week, as I don't know much about this couple.

George Gerrard married Jannet Fyffe at Barry Church, Barry, in the county of Forfar (now Angus), Scotland on 28 August 1796. George was a miller, working at Barry Mill. The couple settled in Barry, and had seven children there.

Margaret  1797-??
William 1799-??
David 1801-??
James 1803-1863
Mary 1806-??
George 1808-??
Janet 1815-??


George died in November 1837, having retired from working in the mill. Janet died a few months later, in March 1838. Both were buried at Barry Church.

I haven't yet managed to identify the baptisms of George or Janet, and neither burial gives an age at death to help narrow down the year of birth to make this task easier, so for the time being this is the end of the line for the Gerrards.

On This Day ... 22 July

1811     Jane Halliday was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of John Halliday and Jane Hudson.

1821     Richard Coulson married Ann Horsley at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham.

1911     Frederick Charles Sanders married Kate Lillian Darby at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Long Acre, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. Kate was the daughter of William James Darby and Elizabeth Read.

On This Day ... 21 July

1802     Ralph Haddock was born in Penshaw, Co Durham, England.  He was the son of Thomas Haddock and Anne Todner.

1827     Ann Barkwell was born in Spring Gardens, Sunderland, Co Durham. She was the daughter of Robert Barkwell and Ann Hudson.

1970     Richard Wilson Hudson died at Concord Repatriation Hospital, near Sydney, New South Wales, England. Dick was the son of Robert Hunter Hudson and Margaret Mossom, and emigrated to Australia after many years living and working in Hong Kong.

Wordless Wednesday - Gone Fishing

D J Pugh, sometime in the 1920s. Love the suit and tie!

On This Day ... 20 July

1697     Thomas Davison married Jeane Jackson at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.  They are my 7 x great-grandparents.

1807     Ralph Todner was born in Washington, Co Durham. He was the son of Ralph Todner and Mary Dand.

1907     Harry Hudson was born at 49 Crimdon St in West Hartlepool, Co Durham. He was the son of Robert Hunter Hudson and Margaret Mossom.

On This Day ... 19 July

1774     George Herring married Margaret Hastings at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.  They are my 5 x great-grandparents.

1807     John Halliday married Jane Hudson at St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth, Co Durham.

1812     Thomas Coulson married Margaret Colling at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool.

Amanuensis Monday - letter from Bill Hudson to Peggy November 26th, 1941

My grandfather Bill Hudson worked as a prison officer in Hong Kong from 1921 to 1941. He was still in Hong Kong in December of 1941 when the Japanese invaded and occupied the colony. My grandmother Peg and my father Peter had been evacuated to Australia in July 1940. Peg kept the last couple of letters Bill wrote from Hong Kong prior to the Japanese invasion, along with the letters he wrote immediately after liberation.

Most of the letters are long, so I'm going to serialise them over the next few weeks.

This is the second letter - the first starts here - and was written on 26 November 1941, less than two weeks before the Japanese invaded.

Page 1 is here

Page 2:

Page 3 is here
Page 4 is here

He was boasting about how he had worked his leave, of how he had the Government by the way he had applied, but little does he know that Bud had told how he had typed all of Cockeye's applications even to him drawing a month's pay in advance, so how Vi thinks she is going to get a lot of money out of him, God alone knows.  He boasted that he owed no money to anybody, but when I asked him for the 1.60 I had paid for his Taxi fare, he got a shock, and did not like it, anyhow, I got it from him. He could have cut my throat, he even shows his nastiness.

I beat it to catch the last bus at 10.30, so I got away sober, the others went on till late, and how Cockeye got back, I don't know or care. Anyway Peg, you have my full permission to leave, only I hope you have left some arrangements about Ada collecting your mail, cos i would hate them to fall into others hands. I do hope you managed a nice holiday chez Mrs Laing, I am dying to hear of your news, and journey.

Your letter came too late concerning the allotment, as I had already made £3.0.0 a month to your Mother, which I have been informed has been approved, so your Mother will get her first pay in February 1942.

From time to time I will try send Australian pounds, only they are very hard to get, and they are now $12.60 to the pound, and when I went on leave they were only $11.00, anyway I'll do my best to help my Sweetheart out. I have not seen Spoors for over a fortnight, so our friendship ends, he was very trying at times, and since he is acting P.O., he thinks nobody should speak to him, also I got fed up with him talking about the Committee! if I had not have taken my leave he would have never have got there, only you can't tell him.

On This Day ... 18 July

1801     David Gerrard was born in Barry, Angus, Scotland. He was the brother of James Gerrard.

1841     Thomas Lane Lilley married Catherine Read at St Phillips Church, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.  Catherine was the sister of Silvester Read.

Twenty five years later, on 18 July 1866, their daughter Elizabeth married Thomas Allen in Gillingham, Kent, England.

On This Day ... 17 July

1726     George Horsley married Mary Wilkinson at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.  They are my 6 x great-grandparents.

1866     John Lamb married Margaret Gerrard at St John's Church, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England. They are my 2 x great-grandparents.

1904     William Henry Darby married Jessie Hephzibah Pugh at St Bartholomew's Church, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. They are my great-grandparents.

On This Day ... 16 July

1889     Henry Thompson married Louisa Halliday at St Michael's Church, Sunderland, Co Durham, England.

1910     George Hudson married Charlotte Cooper at the Register Office, Hartlepool, Co Durham. George was the son of Robert Hunter Hudson and Margaret Mossom.

1914     Frederick Albert Darby married Elizabeth Hughes at the Register Office, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. Fred was the son of William James Darby and Elizabeth Read.

Thomas Hood 1763-1832 and Mary Robson 1768-1849

Thomas Hood was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England in 1763, and was baptised at St Hilda's Church on 11 December 1763. He was the son of Joseph Hood and Dinah Watt. It's likely that Joseph was a fisherman, and his son followed him into the trade.

On Christmas Day 1785 he married twenty year old Mary Harrison at St Hilda's Church. Thomas and Mary had two sons together:

Joseph born 5 May 1786, who died in February 1789.
Thomas Hood born 28 September 1787 (died December 1822)

Mary died in early October 1787, most likely as a consequence of childbirth.

Thomas remarried on 27 December 1788. His second wife was Mary Robson, the daughter of John Robson, a shoemaker, and Jane Coulson. Mary was born in 1768, in Hartlepool, and was baptised at St Hilda's Church on 21 February 1768.

Thomas and Mary had 9 children together:

Dinah, born 3 August 1790
Mary, born 21 September 1792, died April 1816
Joseph, born 14 March 1795, died April 1876
Benjamin, born 9 September 1797
John, born 4 February 1800, died 1 October 1803
Dorothy, born 5 November 1802, died June 1876
Elizabeth, born 31 May 1805, died August 1873
Margaret, born 21 April 1808, died 12 August 1873
Jacob, born 18 February 1812

Thomas died in August 1832, a victim of one of the cholera epidemics which hit England in the mid 19th century. He was 69 years old.

Mary survived that cholera outbreak, and continued to live in Hartlepool. In 1841 she was living with her youngest son Jacob (also a fisherman) on the High Street in Hartlepool. She died on 8 October 1849, like her husband the victim of cholera.

On This Day ... 15 July

1794     Richard Hudson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England.  He was the son of Richard Hudson and Patience Todner.

1886     Ralph Palliser Milbanke Hudson was born in The Cedars, Sunderland. He was the son of Ralph Milbank Hudson and Eliza Westropp Palliser.

1889     William H Pugh married Mary Jane Winnacott at Whitby, Ontario, Canada.

On This Day ... 14 July

1835     Edward Pugh married Jane Evans at St Anno's Church, Llananno, Radnorshire, Wales.

1852     Ralph Hudson died in Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham, England. He was 62 years old.

1863     James Gerrard died at Water Street, Elswick in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England. He was 60 years old and was my 3 x great-grandfather.

Wordless Wednesday - DJ Pugh

On This Day ... 13 July

1901     James Pugh died at Stowe Village, Shropshire, England. He was my 3 x great-grandfather.

On This Day ... 12 July

1801     Thomas Dalrymple was born at Old Luce, Wigtownshire, Scotland.

1824     Thomas Thompson married Mary Wealand at St Michael's Church, Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham, England.

1919     Frederick Edgar Jeffrey married Elma Martha Sonley at Prince Albert, Ontario, Canada.

Amanuensis Monday - letter from Bill Hudson to Peggy November 26th, 1941

My grandfather Bill Hudson worked as a prison officer in Hong Kong from 1921 to 1941. He was still in Hong Kong in December of 1941 when the Japanese invaded and occupied the colony. My grandmother Peg and my father Peter had been evacuated to Australia in July 1940. Peg kept the last couple of letters Bill wrote from Hong Kong prior to the Japanese invasion, along with the letters he wrote immediately after liberation.

Most of the letters are long, so I'm going to serialise them over the next few weeks.


This is the second letter - the first starts here - and was written on 26 November 1941, less than two weeks before the Japanese invaded.


Page 1
Page 2 is here

Page 3 is here

Page 4 is here

No 8, Wednesday 26.11.41
F Flat, Government Qrs, Arbuthnot Rd.


Sweetheart,


3 letters from you, they arrived on Monday 24th numbers 6, 7 and 8, written on November 9th, 12th and 16th. Well I am still living at Stanley, but I am afraid I must go to V.G. soon, as I must be on call most of the time. Bud finished yesterday, so I have been on all alone today. Actually I had not a lazy day. I hate to go and live with anybody else, especially in that old dump, I will miss my own home love, and I find out that he will not be going before Monday, so I want to stick out as long as I can here.  I guess this will not be a very long letter, and don't be surprised if Willie does not write you this Sunday, you will understand why. I have not seen M.G. to tell him what Ada is doing, as I leave here every morning on the 7.30 van, and catch the 5pm bus back.


I expect I'll see him over the weekend, so I will tell him all about what Ada is buying. I know he is taking the two easy chairs down, and all cutlery, glass and pots and pans, so tell her not to buy a lot of those things. 


The Lads at V.R.P. gave Bud a dinner party last night, so they asked me to go, old boasting Cockeye turned up he was not asked, and he was tight when he turned up. He is a low minded beast, and I am sure there is something wrong with him down below.


He was boasting about how he had worked his leave, of how he had the Government by the way he had applied, but little does he know that Bud had told how he had typed all of Cockeye's applications even to him drawing a month's pay in advance

On This Day ... 11 July

1758     Ralph Todner married Mary Dunn at St Mary the Virgin, Longframlington, Northumberland, England. They were my 4 x great grandparents.

1795     Thomas Haddock married Anne Todner at All Saints Church, Penshaw, Co Durham, England.

1819     John Horsley married Elizabeth Weastell at St Hilda's Church, Co Durham.

On This Day ... 10 July

1842     Elizabeth Hull was born in Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham, England.  She was the daughter of Robert Hull and Jane Hudson.

1859     Lancelot Hudson married Ann Mushens at St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth, Co Durham, England.

1883     Edward Lloyd Brunt married Alice Powell at St Garmon's Church, St Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales.

On This Day ... 9 July

1825     Elizabeth Ann Haddock was born in Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of William Haddock and Mary Hudson

1883     Elizabeth Sarah Darby was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. She was the daughter of William James Darby and Elizabeth Read.

1895     William David Pugh married Emma Mary Louisa Morrow in Pickering, Ontario, Canada.

George Horsley 1770-1851 and Margaret Herring 1776-1855

George Horsley was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England in 1770, and baptised at St Hilda's Church on 30 December 1770. He was the sixth of nine children of William Horsley and Margaret Lackenby.

His future wife Margaret Herring was also born in Hartlepool, in 1776 and baptised at St Hilda's on 24 November 1776.  Her parents were George Herring and Margaret Hastings.

I haven't got any records of profession of either set of parents, but Hartlepool at this time was a fishing village, and it's likely that the men were fishermen (and that the families had been fishermen for generations). The Herring family could hardly be anything else!

George and Margaret married on 17 February 1795 at St Hilda's Church in Hartlepool. They had 10 children together:

John Horsley 1795-??
George Horsley 1797-1868
Elizabeth Herring Horsley 1800-1876
Thomas Horsley 1803-1877
Mary Horsley 1805-1814
William Horsley 1807-1845
Ann Horsley 1810-1841
Robert Horsley 1813-1814
Margaret Horsley 1815-1835
Robert Horsley 1819-1885

George probably worked as a fisherman for most of his life. In his later years, he watched the port of Hartlepool change dramatically from a small fishing village in the 1830s to a bustling port and shipbuilding centre by 1850. Like many fishermen, he transferred his knowledge of the local currents to work as a pilot, helping visiting ships in and out of the harbour.

George worked as a pilot right up to his death in 1851 at the age of 80. Margaret survived him by a few years and died in 1855. Both were buried in St Hilda's Churchyard. Margaret left a will dividing her property among her children.

On This Day ... 8 July

1798     Ralph Todner was born in Fatfield, Co Durham, England. He was the first son of Ralph Todner and Mary Dand and only lived for 2 days.

1804     William Haywood married Ellen Perry in Wombourne, Staffordshire, England. They are my 4 x great-grandparents.

1897     Emily Wilson was born at 36 Gravel Walk, Ashford, Kent, England. She was the daughter of Kate Wilson.

and happy birthday to my mum, Judy.

On This Day ... 7 July

1771     Robert Bates married Thomasine Wren at St Stephen's Church, Wolsingham, Co Durham, England.

1822     Ellen Haywood was born in Masshouse Lane, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. She was the daughter of William Haywood and Ellen Perry and was my 3 x great-grandmother.

1837     James Pattison was born in Newbottle, Co Durham, England. He was the youngest son of Thomas Pattison and Ann Moor.

Wordless Wednesday - Jessie Pugh

Jessie Pugh around 1904.

On This Day ... 6 July

1798     Elizabeth Hudson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of William Hudson and Ann Bell.

1828     William Hudson married Elizabeth Taylor at Christ Church, Tynemouth, Northumberland, England. William was the son of Richard Hudson and Patience Todner.

1855     Henry Magee Hudson died in Sunderland, Co Durham. He was the 16 year old son of Lancelot Hudson and Isabella Wilkinson.

1868     George Horsley died at Hartlepool, Co Durham. He was 67 years old and was my 3 x great-grandfather.

On This Day ... 5 July

1759     George Todner married Hannah Johnson at St Giles's Church, Netherwitton, Northumberland, England.

1793     Mary Horsley was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of James Horsley and Jane Hood.

1881     Mary Pugh nee Nicholls died and was buried at Mesyrhelem Baptist Church, Radnorshire, Wales. She was the wife of Price Pugh.

Amanuensis Monday - letter from Bill Hudson to Peggy November 6th, 1941.

My grandfather Bill Hudson worked as a prison officer in Hong Kong from 1921 to 1941. He was still in Hong Kong in December of 1941 when the Japanese invaded and occupied the colony. My grandmother Peg and my father Peter had been evacuated to Australia in July 1940. Peg kept the last couple of letters Bill wrote from Hong Kong prior to the Japanese invasion, along with the letters he wrote immediately after liberation.

Most of the letters are long, so I'm going to serialise them over the next few weeks.

The first letter is dated Thursday 6 November, 1941, just over a month before the Japanese invaded Hong Kong. This is page 4.

Page 1 is here.
Page 2 is here.
Page 3 is here.

I am getting on fine, here I am on page 4, methinks I will be able to write again on Sunday.


Next week will be a heavy one, Friday 14th Geordies den, Saturday 15th the Aitkenhead Shield at K.B.B.C., Sunday  "Geordies" v "Langford" at Bowls, but I think I will miss that. Now don't be surprised if I don't write on that Sunday. Nice to give you plenty of warning. You see Dear, I am not now worrying about the P.W.I. job, I have my acting pay, yet the younger ones are not doing a thing about it, I have had my fight, it's up to them now Peg. The others don't know I am getting this pay, when they do, there will be some moaning!


I am just going to have another beer, yes I had one about 6pm, its now 7 pm, I expect soon Tai will be saying "Master dinner", I can smell it cooking, its good also. Am glad you got my Registered Letter, but it certainly took time enough to go. I allowed it 14 days, and I am sorry it did[n't] arrive in time for Peter's birthday.


Am I a nice Daddy to send money, I don't know what and how I have been doing with my pay before I had my leave I could not save a red cent. Talking of cents we have now 10cts and 5cts paper money, now they look very nice, but wait until they get old and worn.  Here is a couple for Peter to show his pals.


Hurry along with a few snaps, I am longing to see how you both look. Should I have another photo taken, a new big one, in my new suit. Glad you got the Cookery Book, now I hope soon you will receive the petticoat they had to be made to order Popeye had your measurements. Dinner is served "Master sick caru". Add a few love apples.


Love Willie


Half an hour later, I feel like a little Pig, my belly sticks out, is that rude. Nothing much on the news, the Reds are holding the Bosche, [??] he is. May I say, promise, X my fingers, that I will write on Sunday.


Love to my Peter and my Sweetheart, Ever and Always, Your Daddy Bill.


Gowland is still in Hospital, tired I think. B

On This Day ... 4 July

1728     Lancelot Hudson married Margaret Thew at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Longhoughton, Northumberland, England. This couple are my 5 x great-grandparents.

1800     Ann Coulson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Thomas Coulson and Isabella Bulmer.

On This Day ... 3 July

1604     George Sewell married Jane FLECK at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. This was George's third marriage. George is my 10 x great-grandfather.

1642     John Sewell married Alis Williamson at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool. John was the son of George Sewell, and this was John's third marriage. This couple are my 9 x great-grandparents.

1808     Ann Hudson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham. She was the daughter of George Hudson and Catherine Kerss.

1848     Elizabeth Darby was born at Freeman Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.  She was the daughter of Henry Darby and Ellen Haywood.

On This Day ... 2 July

1792     Elizabeth Hudson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Richard Hudson and Patience Todner. Her younger sister Margaret was born in Sunderland in 1798.

1898     Catherine Hudson was born at 7 Dalton Terrace, West Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Robert Hunter Hudson and Margaret Mossom.

1905     Frederick Robert Peters married Elizabeth Sarah Darby in St Bartholomew's Church, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. Elizabeth was the daughter of William James Darby and Elizabeth Read.

Matthew Wilson 1756-1823 and Jane Richardson d1801

Matthew Wilson was born in 1756 probably in North Yorkshire, England. In 1786 he married Jane Richardson at St Agatha's Church, Easby, Yorkshire.

The couple settled in Richmond, North Yorkshire and had several children there. According to the baptism records of his children, Matthew was working as a labourer, probably on a farm (on one baptism he was recorded as a "husbandman", so working with farm animals).

The children are:

John Wilson 1787-??
Mary Wilson 1788-??
Thomas Wilson 1790-??
Ann Wilson 1792-??
Ellen Wilson 1794-1874
Margaret Wilson 1798-??

Jane died in January 1801 and was buried in Richmond.

Matthew continued to live in Richmond, raising his children. At some point he appears to have moved to Darlington, Co Durham (like his daughter Ellen who moved there around 1822/23), and he died there in March 1823.

I know very little about this family, and haven't yet been able to find a baptism for either Matthew or Jane, so I'm unable to get back past them. I've also been unable to trace any of the children other than Ellen.

On This Day ... 1 July

1786     John Johnson married Isabel Todner at All Saints Church, Penshaw, Co Durham, England.

1795     Stormy Thompson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham. He was the son of John Thompson and Dinah Coulson.

1806     Margaret Horsley was born in Hartlepool. She was the daughter of John Horsley and Margaret Coulson.