Thursday 31 March 2011

On This Day ... 31 March

1755     John Wren married Ann Vipond at St Augustine's Church, Alston, Cumberland, England.

1833     Joseph Dinniss married Eleanor Leeming at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.  

1833     William Henry Todner married Mary Caldcleugh at St Margaret's Church, Durham, Co Durham.

1911     John Joseph Coulson died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Wednesday 30 March 2011

Wordless Wednesday - John Lamb


This picture of John Lamb was kindly provided by Ron Lamb. If anyone has any information or pictures of John or his family, or would like to know more about the family, we'd both love to get in touch. Please contact Ron at ron-lamb@comcast.net or me at rahudson.sunderland@gmail.com

On This Day ... 30 March

1817     Robert Hunter married Jane Pounder at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

1828     Henry Hudson married Margaret Sims at St Paul's Church, Jarrow-on-Tyne, Co Durham.

Tuesday 29 March 2011

On This Day ... 29 March

1801     Cuthbert Thompson aged 3, his brother Stormy aged 5, and John Horsley aged 5 all died in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. John was the son of James Horsley and Jane Hood. Cuthbert and Stormy were sons of John Thompson and Dinah Coulson. All three boys died of smallpox.

1875     Mary Elizabeth Lamb was born in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, England. She was the daughter of John Lamb, and emigrated with him to Vancouver, Canada.

1888     Laidler Peart married Annie Wren at St Stephen's Church, Wolsingham, Co Durham, England.

1914     John Lamb, my g-g grandfather, died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada at the age of 74. He had emigrated from England in his late 60s.

Monday 28 March 2011

Amanuensis Monday - the will of David Pugh 1877

John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog, has a weekly theme each Monday called Amanuensis Monday to encourage the posting of transcriptions of documents to preserve and publish their contents.


David Pugh was the father of Mary Ann Pugh who is one of the beneficiaries of the will.


In the name of God Amen. I David Pugh of Tin-y-dole in the parish of Llanbadarnfynydd in the county of Radnor Farmer, Do make this my last will and testament as follows, that is to say, I do give and bequeath to my wife Mary Pugh the sum of Ten pounds yearly and every year, so long as she remains a widow and unmarried. I do give and bequeath to my son Alfred Pugh the sum of nineteen pounds and nineteen shillings. I do give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Ann Pugh the sum of Three hundred pounds, also a case and drawers one pier looking glass and three chairs, and the aforementioned sum of Three hundred pounds is to be deposited in Mr Bank's Bank at Kington until she attains the age of Twenty one and the interest is to be paid to her, but if she dies before she attains the age of twenty one that sum of three hundred pounds is to go to my Executors, to be equally divided share and share alike between them. I do give and bequeath all the residue and remainer of my property whatsoever or wheresoever unto my two sons namely James David Pugh and Henry Pugh, whom I do nominate and appoint my sole Executors, jointly and they are to pay all my just debts and funeral expenses and the aforesaid legacies, and in closing up of my estate my son Henry Pugh is to have Forty pounds more than my son James David Pugh. And I do wish them to go on together with Tin-y-dole Farm. I do disallow all former wills made by me confirming this to be my last Will and Testament, whereunto I do set my hand this Twenty second day of June One thousand eight hundred and seventy six.


Signed published and declared by the testator David Pugh to be his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence at the same time do subscribe our names as witnesses:


[Signed] The mark X of David Pugh
[Witnesses] David Stephens, Abraham Hamer


Proved at Hereford on the 18th day of December 1877 by the oaths of James David Pugh and Henry Pugh the sons the Executors to whom Administration was granted.
The Testator David Pugh was late of Tinydole in the parish of Llanbadarnfynydd in the County of Radnor Farmer and died on the 25th day of July.

On This Day ... 28 March

1801     Elizabeth Lakinby was born in Hartlepool,  Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Thomas Lakinby and Martha Robson.

1848     Gwen Powell was born in Saint Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales. She was the daughter of Edward Powell and Ann Price.

1898     Matthew Summers Hammond married Jane Hannah Burlinson at St Michael's Church, Bishopwearmouth Parish, in Sunderland, Co Durham.

Sunday 27 March 2011

On This Day ... 27 March

1802     Mary Ann Young was born in Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of William Young and Margaret Hudson.

1822     Mary Kerss was born in Monkwearmouth Shore, Co Durham. She was the daughter of Robert Kerss and Frances Hunter.

1912     Trevor James Pugh was born in Rhayader, Radnorshire, Wales. He was the son of David James Pugh and Delilah Hughes.

Saturday 26 March 2011

On This Day ... 26 March

1788     Eleanor Hunter was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. Her parents were Thomas Hunter and Eleanor Horsley.

1808     Catherine Kerss was born in Gateshead, Co Durham. She was the daughter of Alexander Kerss and Catherine Errington.

1883     William Henry Levitt married Ellen Massum Horsley in St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool. Ellen was the daughter of Wilson Mossom and Margaret Horsley.

And a happy birthday to my brother Ben!

Friday 25 March 2011

James Gerrard 1803 - 1863 and Isabella Marshall 1801 - 1872

This is a summary of what (I think) I know about James and Isabella.
James Gerrard was born on 30 June 1803 in the parish of Barry, Angus County, Scotland. He was the son of miller George Gerrard and Jannet Fyffe. James was, as far as I know, the fourth of seven children.

At some point he came south to Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England. I can't find him on the 1841 census in England or Scotland, but in 1845 he was named as the father of Margaret Gerrard on her birth certificate. Margaret's mother was named as Isabella Gerrard formerly Marshall.

By 1851, the family, consisting of James, Isabella, Margaret and Mary Ann and John Stewart were living in Whickham, Co Durham, England. Mary Ann and John are listed as daughter and son of James, but I suspect that they are actually Isabella's children from a previous relationship.

In 1861 the family were back in Newcastle, living in the Elswick area. James and Isabella were enumerated on the census with their daughter Margaret, and a visitor, Mary A Moffatt - I think this is Mary Ann Stewart, now married, visiting her mother.

James died on 18 July 1863 of phthisis (probably tuberculosis). He had worked as a miller all his life and the flour dust may have contributed to his relatively early death.

Isabella was born around 1801, according to the 1871 census in West Silverton, Northumberland. As with James, I haven't yet found her in 1841. In 1871 following James' death she was living with her now-married daughter Margaret and her family. Isabella died on 23 August 1872.

The problem with this story is that there are so many gaps. I can't find a marriage record for James and Isabella, can't find either of them in 1841, can't find an earlier marriage for Isabella, and can't find a birth/baptism record for Isabella Marshall anywhere. And I can't find a place called West Silverton in Northumberland. The whole thing is further complicated by the spelling of the surname - I think it's different on nearly every document I have. So far I've spotted Gerrard, Gerard, Girard, and Jerrard. I've clearly got a lot of work to do here.

On This Day ... 25 March

1797     Ann Hunter was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Thomas Hunter and Eleanor Horsley.

1848     William Colling married Jane Turner at St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth, Co Durham. Jane was the daughter of Francis Turner and Sarah Hudson.

1920     Ralph Palliser Milbanke Hudson died in Sunderland, Co Durham, of injuries sustained in 1917 during World War One.

Thursday 24 March 2011

On This Day ... 24 March

1870     Henry Wideman was born in Ontario, Canada.

1901     Silvester Read was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He was the son of William Read and Annie Beatrice Deakin.

1958     Catherine Gray nee Hudson died at Shotley Bridge Hospital, Consett, Co Durham, England. She was my great-aunt.

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Wordless Wednesday - New Car

Peter Hudson, aged about 4, on balcony of the family's flat in Stanley, Hong Kong.

On This Day ... 23 March

1806     Benjamin Robson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Mills Robson and Martha Allison.

1810     Robert Haddock was born in Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham. He was the son of William Haddock and Mary Hudson.

1855     Margaret Horsley (nee Herring) died in Hartlepool at the age of 79.

1855     Pryce Pugh married Martha Jones at All Saints Church, Mochdre, Montgomery, Wales. The couple lived most of their lives at Cwmderw farm in Llananno, Radnorshire.

Tuesday 22 March 2011

On This Day ... 22 March

1805     Ninian Steel married Mary Kerss in Coldstream, Berwickshire, Scotland.

1812     John Child married Susanna Shore in St Mary's Church Handsworth, Staffordshire, England.

1869     Judson Adamrun Pugh was born in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Thomas Pugh and Ann Evans.

Monday 21 March 2011

Amanuensis Monday - the will of Margaret Horsley

John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog, has a weekly theme each Monday called Amanuensis Monday to encourage the posting of transcriptions of documents to preserve and publish their contents.


Margaret Horsley was the widow of George Horsley, and she died in 1855 in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. The couple were my g-g-g-g grandparents.



This is the last Will and Testament of me Margaret Horsley of Hartlepool in the County of Durham, Widow. I give and devise all those my freehold messuages or Dwelling houses hereditaments and premises situate in Northgate Street in Hartlepool aforesaid now in the occupation of myself and my Tenants Jacob Robson and others with their and evrey of their appurtenances unto and to the use of Richard White of Hartlepool aforesaid Gentleman and Thomas Watt the Elder of the same place, Pilot, their heirs and assigns for ever upon the trusts following, that is to say upon trust that they the said Richard White and Thomas Watt or the Survivor of them or the Heirs or assigns of such survivor do and shall as soon as conveniently may be after my decease absolutely, sell and dispose of all the said messuages or Dwelling houses and premises either by public auction or private contract to any person or persons whomsoever and altogether or in parcels for the best price or prices that can be had or gotten for the same and make and execute all necessary conveyances and assurances to the purchaser or purchasers thereof respectively. And I declare and direct that my said trustees and the survivor of them and the heirs and assigns of such survivor shall stand possessed of and in the money to arise and be produced by such sale or sales or rents previous thereto, in trust to pay thereout all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses and all costs and charges incident to such sale or sales and also the legacy hereinafter mentioned and subject thereto. In trust for all and every of my children share and share alike and I direct that all and every the lawful child and children of my sons and daughters respectively who are now dead or who may die before me (including Robert Horsley Natural Child of my son William Horsley deceased) shall have and take and be entitled to the same share or shares of and in the trust monies as their deceased parents respectively would have been entitled to if living under this my will such share or shares to be paid to the child if only one and to be equally divided amongst them if more than one. And I hereby direct that the Receipt or Receipts of my said Trustees or Trustee shall exonerate the parties taking the same from the payment of all monies therein expressed to be received or from seeing to the application thereof. I give and Bequeath all and every my household goods and furniture and all other my personal estate and effects (save and except a double chest of drawers and an eight days clock which I Bequeath to my son Robert Horsley) unto my daughter Elizabeth Horsley. And I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Horsley the widow of my late son John Horsley the sum of five pounds which I direct shall be deducted from the shares of the trust monies to which my grandchildren George Horsley and Margaret Lister shall be entitled under this my will and I constitute and appoint the said Richard White and Thomas Watt the Elder Trustees and executors of this my will. And I declare and direct that they shall not be answerable for the acts receipts neglects or defaults of the other of them and by no means for involuntary losses happening in the execution of the trusts of this my will. In witness whereof I the said testator Margaret Horsley have to this my last will and testament set my hand, this ninth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty four.


Margaret X Horsley her mark.


Signed by the said Testatrix Margaret Horsley Widow as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us present at the same time, in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.


Edward Chapman, chemist and druggist Hartlepool
Thos Hutchinson, solicitor, Hartlepool.


On the 7th day of April in the year of our Lord 1855 Richard White of Hartlepool in the County of Durham Gentleman and Thomas Watt the elder of the same place, Pilot, the Executors names in the within written will were duly sworn as usual - effects sworn under £20. And that the Testator died on the 23rd day of March 1855.



On This Day ... 21 March

21 Mar 1813     Mary Halliday was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of John Halliday and Jane Hudson.

21 Mar 1915     Robert Pugh was born in Chicago, Cook Co, Illinois, USA. He was the son of Christopher Thomas Pugh Jr and Olga Servas

21 Mar 1919     William Hudson was born in West Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Robert Hudson and Daisy Clarke and a first cousin to my father. William fought in World War Two and died near Florence, Italy in 1944.

And finally, happy birthday to my brother Duncan!

Sunday 20 March 2011

On This Day ... 20 March

1866     Andrew Thomas died in Rhayader, Radnorshire, Wales. According to his death certificate he was 97 years old, a master grocer and he died of bronchitis. He was a 4 x g grandfather of mine.

1904     Ann Hughes nee Morgan died at Upper Dolelfe farm, Saint Harmon, Radnorshire. She was 88 years old.

Saturday 19 March 2011

On This Day ... 19 March

1800     William Haddock was born in Penshaw, Co Durham, England. His baptism record described him as: second son of Thomas Haddock, keelman, native of this chapelry by his wife Ann Todner, native of Washington parish.

1801     Elizabeth Robson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham. Her baptism record described her as the fourth child of Mills Robson, by his wife Martha late Allinson of Sunderland.

1930     John William Hudson married Margaret Ann Lamb, at St Mary the Virgin Church, Longframlington, Northumberland, England. They were my grandparents.

Friday 18 March 2011

Alexander Lamb and Mary Rathie

Alexander Lamb was born on 26 February 1815 in Kelso, Roxburgh, Scotland, the son of John Lamb and Elizabeth Munro.

I know very little about Mary Rathie other than she was born around 1814, probably in Roxburgh county.

The couple married, probably in about 1836 (as their first known child was born in 1837) and probably in Roxburgh county. I haven't been able to find a record of this yet.

They had four children that I know of:

Mary 1837-??
John 1839-1914
Clement 1840-??
Alexander 1842-??

The couple appeared with the first three children on the 1841 census, living in Ladyrig, Roxburgh. By 1851 Alexander was living with all four children at Crookedshaws Farm, Moorbattle, Roxburgh. He is listed as married but Mary isn't with him, and I can't find her anywhere else.

Alexander died on 4 March 1857 of pneumonia. He was buried in Roxburgh Church Yard.

When Mary married in 1859 her parents were named in the marriage certificate - both of them were listed as deceased. I suspect that Mary Rathie had died before 1851 but haven't found a record - burial records for Roxburgh are probably a good place to start, but I'm not sure what records were kept and what has survived.

On This Day ... 18 March

1824     John Onions married Hannah Cooper in St Philips Church, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England.

1856     Richard Leighton married Margaret Hudson in St Thomas Church, Stepney, Middlesex, England.

1893     Henry Darby died in Birmingham. He was 76 years old and died of old age.

Thursday 17 March 2011

On This Day ... 17 March

1796     Joseph Bowater was born in Dudley, Worcestershire, England. He was the son of Benjamin Bowater and Phebe Bennett.

1811     Jane Todner was born in Chester-le-Street, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Richard Todner and Eleanor Rutherford.

1809     Lancelot Hudson died in Sunderland, Co Durham. He was 6 months old, the son of William Hudson and Ann Bell, and died of the measles.

Wednesday 16 March 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Bill and Peggy's wedding


L-R (probably) Robert Curtis, Margaret Bell, Bill Hudson, Peggy Lamb, William Wick.

The marriage certificate records Robert Curtis and Margaret Bell as the witnesses (best man and maid of honour?) and William Wick as the Vicar.

On This Day ... 16 March

1778     Ralph Hudson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Lancelot Hudson and Elizabeth Wardell.

1789     Elizabeth Horsley was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham. She was the daughter of James Horsley and Jane Hood.

1799     James Barclay Coulson was born in Hartlepool. He was the son of Thomas Coulson and Isabella Bulmer.

1846     Hugh Powell was born in Saint Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales. He was the son of Edward Powell and Ann Price.

Tuesday 15 March 2011

On This Day ... 15 March

1777     Hugh Pugh was born in St Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales. He was the son of Hugh Pugh and Elizabeth Richards, and emigrated with his family to Ontario, Canada in the 1840s.

1830     Ann Todner Blench was born at Sheep Hill, Tanfield, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Wheatley Blench and Anne Todner.

1858     Emily Constance Hudson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham. She was the daughter of Ralph Milbank Hudson and Elizabeth Robson.

Monday 14 March 2011

Amanuensis Monday - the will of Lancelot Hudson 1856

John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog, has a weekly theme each Monday called Amanuensis Monday to encourage the posting of transcriptions of documents to preserve and publish their contents.


Lancelot Hudson was a first cousin of my g-g-grandfather George Hudson. He married Isabella Wilkinson, and they had two children, Henry and Isabella, neither of whom are mentioned in the will. Henry died in July 1855 (after the will was written), and so far, I've found no sign of Isabella after her baptism.

This is the last Will and Testament of me Launcelot Hudson of the Borough of Sunderland in the County of Durham Shipowner and Master Mariner made this third day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty five.

I give devise and bequeath All my real and personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature or kind so ever which I may be seized or possessed of at the time of my decease unto Martin Lowe of Sunderland aforesaid Shipbroker and Martin Lowe the Younger of the same place Shipbroker their heirs sequels in right executors administrators and assigns of the Survivor of them, Upon trust as soon as conveniently my be after my decease to convert the same into money and out of the proceeds thereof in the first place to pay and discharge all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses and all costs and charges to be incurred in and about the carrying out of the trusts of this my Will and in the next place to invest so much of the surplus of the proceeds of my said real and personal estate as will secure a clear annual sum of twenty six pounds to be paid and applied to the use of my dear Wife Isabella for and during the term of her natural life such Annuity to be paid by four equal quarterly payments on the thirteenth day of May, the thirteenth day of August, the thirteenth day of November and the thirteenth day of February in every year during the term aforesaid.

Provided always and I hereby empower my said Trustees or the survivors of them if they or he shall so think fit to purchase a Government Annuity for the said sum of twenty six pounds to be paid and applied to the use of my Wife in manner aforesaid

and as to the residue of my said Real and personal estate and effects I do hereby declare the same shall as to one fourth part or share thereof be in trust for my sister Margaret Wallace, the wife of Dent Wallace to and for her own separate use and benefit and free from the debts control and engagements of her present or any future husband with whom she may intermarry.

As to one other fourth part or share thereof the same shall be In trust for my sister Sarah Turner, the widow of Francis Turner to and for her own separate use and benefit free from the debts and control of any future husband with whom she may intermarry.

As to one other fourth part or share thereof the same shall be In trust for my dear sister Elizabeth Elliott the wife of John Elliott to and for her own use and benefit and free from the debts control and engagements of her present or any future husband with whom she may intermarry.

And as to the remaining one fourth part or share thereof the same shall be In trust for all and every the Child and Children of my sister Jane Halliday deceased who shall be living at the time of my decease in equal shares and proportions as Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants.

I hereby declare that the receipts of the said Margaret Wallace, Sarah Turner, Elizabeth Elliott and the Children of the said Jane Halliday deceased respectively shall be sufficient discharges to my said Trustees and Executors for their respective portions of such residue.

I appoint the said Martin Lowe and Martin Lowe the Younger Executors of this my Will and declare that their receipts shall be good and valid discharges to purchasers of any portion of my real and personal estate and that such purchasers shall not be obliged to see to the application of the purchase moneys acknowledged by such receipts to be received and I hereby declare that my trustees and executors shall not be answerable for involuntary losses.

I hereby revoke all former wills by me made.  In witness whereof I have thereunto set my hand the day and year first above written.

L Hudson

Signed by the said testator Launcelot Hudson as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses the word “Widow” in the fifth line from the top of the second page and the words “her present or” in the seventh line from the top of the second page having been first made and erased.

Jno Hucarper Sol Sunderland
Ames Eglington his clerk

On the 29th day of August in the year of our Lord 1856 Martin Lowe of Murton Street in the Borough of Sunderland in the County of Durham, shipbroker and Martin Lowe the younger of Murton Street in the Borough of Sunderland in the County of Durham Shipbroker, the Executors named in the within written will were duly sworn as usual.  Effects sworn under £4000.  And that the Testator died as is supposed at Sea after the second day of January 1856.

Before me John B Dykes, Surr.

On This Day ... 14 March

1795  Joseph Hood was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Thomas Hood and Mary Robson.

1799     John Wren was born in Simonburn, Northumberland, England.  He was the son of William Wren and Ann Sisterson.

1819     Richard Hudson married Maria Ann Butterfint in St Dunstan's Church, Stepney, London. The couple subsequently set up home in Richard's home town of Sunderland, Co Durham.

Sunday 13 March 2011

On This Day ... 13 March

1788     Richard Johnson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was the son of James Johnson and Ann Coulson.

1900     Dora Coulson was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England. She was the only daughter of John Joseph Coulson and Isabella Lamb.

1915     Henry Owen Dabridgecourt Becher died - he was killed in action at Bois Grenier, Armentières, France, serving in the British Army.

1960     James Lamb died in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was born in Newcastle, England and emigrated to Canada as a young man.

Saturday 12 March 2011

On This Day ... 12 March

1830     Ann Isabella Dixon was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of William Dixon and Jane Hudson.

1855     William Pattison married Anne Brown at St Helen's Church, Kelloe, Co Durham.

1877     Thomas Bulmer married Mary Ann Chattoe at St Mary's Church, Easington, Co Durham.

1908     Alfred George Milbanke Hudson died in Sunderland, Co Durham. He was 52 years old.

Friday 11 March 2011

George Horsley 1797-1868

George Horsley was born on 8 December 1797, the son of George Horsley and Margaret Herring. George was the second of ten children born to George and Margaret in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.
At this time Hartlepool was still a small fishing village, and both the Horsleys and the Herrings had lived there for many generations.

On 5 November 1820, George married Sarah Watt at St Hilda's Church in Hartlepool. Sarah was born on 1 September 1798, in Hartlepool, the daughter of Thomas Watt and Mary Proud. By this time, George had become a fisherman, following his father's trade. The couple had three children together:

Sarah 1822-1881
George Jan 1823 - Feb 1823
Mary 1824-1835

Sarah Watt died in December 1826, leaving George to bring up his two small daughters.

He remarried on 15 November 1829, again at St Hilda's Church. Margaret Hood was born into an old Hartlepool family on 21 April 1808. George and Margaret had nine children together:

George 1830-??
Margaret 1832-1887
Thomas 1834-??
Mary 1837-?? (before 1841
Elizabeth 1838-1841
John 1840-1841
Mary 1842-1846
Elizabeth 1845-??
Mary 1847-1880

George was recorded on the censuses in 1841, 1851 and 1861 living at Wells Garth, Wells Yard and Wells Passage respectively. It's highly probably that this was the same place, a jumble of houses around a small yard running between the Town Wall and Southgate. See this site for pictures.

George died at Wells Yard on 6 July 1868. His wife Margaret survived him for a few years, dying on 12 August 1873, also at Wells Yard.

On This Day ... 11 March

1816     John Sterling died in Simonburn, Northumberland,  England. The 8 year old son of George Sterling and Isabel Makepeace drowned in a local stream.

Thursday 10 March 2011

On This Day ... 10 March

1770     Richard Hudson was born in Numbers Garth, Sunderland, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Lancelot Hudson and Elizabeth Wardell, and is my g-g-g grandfather.

1803     Samuel Kerss was born in Gateshead, Co Durham, the son of Alexander Kerss and Catherine Errington.

1805     Ann Whitehouse was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. She was the daughter of Joseph Whitehouse and Ann Hobdey.

1834     Josiah Pugh married Sarah George at St Anno's Church, Llananno, Radnorshire, Wales.

Wednesday 9 March 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Anyone for Tennis?

On This Day ... 9 March

1798     John Wren died in Wolsingham, Co Durham, England. He was only 10 years old.

1802     William Haddock married Mary Hudson at St Michael's Church, Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham.

1910     James Hudson was born in West Hartlepool, Co Durham. He was the son of Robert Hunter Hudson and Margaret Mossom.

Tuesday 8 March 2011

On This Day ... 8 March

1854     Ellen Colling was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of William Colling and Jane Turner, and was born on her father's 30th birthday.

1891     Margaret Johnston was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England. She was the daughter of Peter Johnston and Isabella Lamb.

1921     Jane Weir nee Pugh died in Port Perry, Scugog Township, Ontario, Canada.

Monday 7 March 2011

Amanuensis Monday - the will of Thomas Hudson 1827

John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog, has a weekly theme each Monday called Amanuensis Monday to encourage the posting of transcriptions of documents to preserve and publish their contents.

Thomas Hudson was the brother of Richard Hudson, his wife Mary was the sister of Richard's wife Patience. The witnesses were Thomas and Mary's two eldest children, Ralph and Mary.

This is the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Hudson of Bishopwearmouth in the County of Durham, Agent, made this twenty sixth day of June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twenty seven.

First I charge my effects with the payment of all my just Debts Funeral Expences [sic] and the Charges of proving this my Will. 

I give and bequeath unto my dear Wife Mary Hudson all my Household Furniture Plate Pictures Linen China Wearing Apparel parts of Shares of Steam Boats and all my Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of whatever Nature or Description the same my be to hold the same unto my dear Wife Mary Hudson her Executors Administrators and Assigns forever.  I Hereby revoke all my former Wills, declare this to be my last Will and Testament and hereby appoint my said Wife Mary Hudson sole Executrix thereof.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year first above Written.

Thos Hudson

Signed sealed published and declared by the said Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as Witnesses

Ralph Hudson
Mary Haddock.

On This Day ... 7 March

1801     Ann Coulson died in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was only 8 months old, and was the daughter of Thomas Coulson and Isabella Bulmer.

1827     Lancelot Haddock was born in Sunderland, Co Durham. He was the son of William Haddock and Mary Hudson .

1836     Gabriel Makepeace married Ann Ions in Haltwhistle, Northumberland, England.

Sunday 6 March 2011

Research plan for John Heighington

Objective:   Find birth/baptism record for John Heighington, father of Wilson Mossom, and thereby identify his parents.

Known facts:
1.            John Heighington was listed as the father of several children of Ellen Mossom, in the baptism records of St Cuthbert’s Church, Darlington, Co Durham:
a)            Eleanor Mossom, baptised 13 August 1826, daughter of John Heighington and Eleanor Mossom.
b)            John Heighington, baptised 20 September 1829, son of John and Eleanor Heighington.
c)            Wilson Mossom, baptised 10 June 1832, son of John Heighington and Eleanor Mossom, an unmarried woman.
d)            George Mossom, baptised 30 June 1837, illegitimate son of Eleanor Mossom, widow.
2.            The 1841 census shows John Heighington living in a household on Church Row, Darlington with “Ellen Heighington”, two of Ellen’s children from her marriage to Thomas Mossom, and the four children listed above, all listed with surname Heighington. John’s age was stated to be 50, which suggests a year of birth in the range 1786-1791 (ages on the 1841 census were rounded down to the nearest 5 years).
3.            In 1851, Ellen Mossom is head of her household in Church Row, with several of her children living with her. She has reverted to her original married name, and is listed as a widow. Her sons John and Wilson are now listed as Mossom rather than Heighington.
4.            There is a death registered, for a John Heighington of Church Row, but his age is listed as 83, and the cause of death is given as old age. This age is repeated on the burial record. This suggests a birth around 1765.

The death record contradicts the census– it seems unlikely that the same man could be described as 50 in 1841, then 83 in 1849.

Issues to resolve:
1.            Does the death certificate relate to the man shown on the census?
2.            If so, which age is closer to his actual age?
3.            Exactly when and where was he born?

Further questions:
1.            Why didn’t he marry Eleanor Mossom – she was free to marry, so was it that he was already married? If so, to whom.

Research strategy:
I need to answer the first question before I can do any further work, but I think the only way is to do a detailed study on any (John) Heighingtons I can find in census or parish records in the area. Heighington isn’t a common name, even in the Darlington area. For now, the search should be limited to people born in Co Durham, as the census stated that John was born in Co Durham – it correctly stated that Ellen and her first daughter weren’t, so it should be safe to assume, as a starting point at least, that John was born in Durham.

I’ve already done some preliminary work on this, using indexes at Durham Record Office, so I need to pull together my notes on this, and map the areas which have been investigated. Once I've done this I can determine some more exact steps to take - does anyone have any ideas for other places I could look?

On This Day ... 6 March

1802     Mary Ann Jackson was born in Wolsingham, Co Durham, England.  She was the daughter of John Wren Jackson and Margaret Emerson.

1804     Ralph Coulson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham. He was the daughter of Thomas Coulson and Isabella Bulmer.

1898     Margaret Jane Powell was born in Saint Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales. She was the daughter of Thomas Pryce Powell and Sarah Ann Meredith.

Saturday 5 March 2011

On This Day ... 5 March

1833       John Pugh was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He was the son of John Pugh and Charlotte Harrison and the brother of Christopher Thomas Pugh.

1895       Gladys Hughes was born in St Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales. She was the youngest daughter of Morgan Hughes and Jane Eliza Powell.

1938       Ralph Milbank Hudson died aged 73 in Yarm, North Yorkshire, England. He was the Member of  Parliament for Sunderland from 1918 to 1922.

Friday 4 March 2011

Ellen Wilson 1794-1874

Ellen Wilson was born in Richmond, North Yorkshire, England in 1794, the daughter of labourer Matthew Wilson and his wife Jane Richardson. She was baptised Eleanor Wilson in St Mary's Church, Richmond on 25 May 1795.

On 25 November 1816 she married Thomas Mossom at St Mary's Church. At the time of his marriage, Thomas was living in Patrick Brompton parish, but by the birth of their first child, William, the couple were living in the parish of Easby. The second, Thomas, was born in Middleton Tyas, and by the time Mary Jane was born in 1824 the couple had moved into Co Durham and were living in Darlington.

Thomas Mossom senior died in April of 1824 and was buried at St Cuthbert's Church, Darlington.

Within a couple of years of Thomas' death, Ellen had formed a relationship with John Heighington. The couple didn't marry (I assume he was already married, and divorce was virtually impossible at this time in England) but they had several children together and lived together at Church Row in Darlington (opposite St Cuthbert's Church).

The 1841 census shows the family living at Church Row, with Ellen and the younger children using the surname Heighington, while her two older surviving children use Mossom. The girls (in their late teens) are working as wool spinners, while the younger boys are also working in the wool industry (I can't read/figure out the abbreviation).

John Heighington isn't present on the 1851 census. Ellen is the head of the household, still living on Church Row. The remaining children are all using the name Mossom now. It's not clear if John died or left - there is a death registered for a John Heighington of Church Row, but the age on the death certificate and burial record doesn't tie in with the census by about 30 years.

During the 1850s several of Ellen's children moved to the nearby boom-town of Hartlepool. Ellen also moved there and appears to have spent the rest of her life living with her daughter Mary Jane, who had married William Ashcroft.

Ellen died on 5 October 1874 in Hartlepool, and was buried in the town's Spion Kop Cemetery.

Ellen's children from her marriage to Thomas Mossom:
William Mossom 1819-1846
Thomas Mossom 1822-??
Mary Jane Mossom 1824-??

Ellen's children from her relationship with John Heighington:
Eleanor Mossom 1826-1876
John Heighington Mossom 1829-1866
Wilson Mossom 1832-1896
George Mossom 1837-??

On This Day ... 4 March

1782       Benjamin Bowater married Phebe Bennett in Dudley, Worcestershire, England.

1798       John Leeming married Mary Huntridge at St Hilda’s Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

1853       Morgan Hughes was born at the Severn Arms (also known as Upper Dolelfe), St Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales.

1857       Alexander Lamb died at Eckford, Roxburgh, Scotland. He was just 41 years old. Alexander was the father of John Lamb.

Thursday 3 March 2011

On This Day ... 3 March

1788       Mary Horsley was born in Hartlepool, the daughter of Richard Horsley and Elizabeth Reevely. She married Mills Robson.

1801       Samuel Kerss was born in Gateshead, Co Durham. He was the son of Alexander Kerss and Catherine Errington.

1816       Robert Hunter married Mary Hood at St Hilda’s Church, Hartlepool. Mary died only a month later.

1825       Isabella Wallace was born in Sunderland, Co Durham. She was the daughter of Dent Wallace and Margaret Hudson.

1844       Henry Weatherall married Jane Hood at St Hilda’s Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

Wednesday 2 March 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Shek O Beach, Hong Kong, 1936

On This Day ... 2 March

1801       Ann Coulson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Robert Coulson and Barbara Smelt.

1883       Margaret Powell nee Jones died in St Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales. She was the wife of David Powell.

1887       William Meek married Mary Alice White in Pickering, Ontario, Canada.

1898       James Moyes married Mary Haddock Dalrymple in Sunderland, Co Durham, England.

Tuesday 1 March 2011

Review of February goals - and some goals for March

There's no point in setting goals if you don't see how you did, and at least hold yourself responsible, so here goes:

Review of February

My original February goals are set out here.

Blog postings: I aimed for 12, apart from the "on this day" posts and got there - 45 in total for February so 17 written. I also added a blog page as intended, listing the ahnentafel for my grandfather Bill Hudson.

Research: I aimed for 2 full-fledged research plans. These were both written, but only one was published. The other one succeeded so quickly that I didn't get to blog it, and instead blogged the results. I also aimed for 1 research trip, and managed 2 - I had a long weekend off work and made it to Northumberland Archives and Durham Record Office.

Indexing: I aimed to index 300 names on Family Search. Thanks to Super Indexing Sunday, I made a total of 479.

Organisation: I stopped counting the files I renamed, but I think overall I met my target. I also had a partial change of heart about the source citations - there have been a few blog postings discussing source citations, and on reflection I think that my citations aren't that bad - they may not be perfect but they do the job. So I don't think I hit this target, but I've still tidied up a few. I did scan a lot of photographs, helped by the discovery that my new scanner can scan several images at once!

Overall, I made some progress in February, and it feels like I haven't done that for some time.

Goals for March
More of the same I think...

Research plans 
  • write at least 2 research plans, one on John Heighington
  • follow up on the Frances Hunter research plan
Blog
  • write at least 12 blog postings, aside from "On This Day" posts
  • add blog page for Margaret Lamb's ancestors
Indexing
  • index 350 names
Organisation
  • focus on tagging files with ID numbers - try to get through 500 this month
  • continue scanning my grandmother's photographs.

On This Day ... 1 March

1714       William Mason married Jane Timons at St Thomas’ Church, Dudley, Worcestershire, England.

1785       James Horsley married Jane Hood at St Hilda’s Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

1835       Robert Hull was born in Sunderland, the son of Robert Hull and Jane Hudson.

1883       Jane Hudson Burlinson, nee Rackley died in Sunderland, Co Durham.

1908       Ralph Milbank Hudson died in Sunderland at 94 years old.