For the sake of those unfortunate enough not to have been brought up on Tyneside, I thought it might be useful to explain how dominant these two surnames are to those of us who were:-) The two families contributed a massive amount to the way industry and trade developed. Fenwick's department store - of Bond Street, York, Canterbury, etc., but above all of Northumberland Street in Newcastle. Famous for their Christmas window displays, carrying on since 1971 where Callers left off after their disastrous fire. I'll leave those who know about the genealogy to add more of that, but for starters just have a look at the shop windows for the last few years and you'll understand why we Geordies, Northumbrian's, and even Mackems, have a soft spot for Fenwick's - especially since Binn's and Bainbridge's got swallowed by the House of Fraser and the John Lewis Partnership. 2009 http://newcastlephotos.blogspot.com/2009/11/fenwicks-christmas-window-2009.html 2008 http://newcastlephotos.blogspot.com/2008/12/fenwicks-christmas-window-2008.html 2007 http://newcastlephotos.blogspot.com/2007/12/fenwicks-window-2007.html All these pictures seem to have been taken at dead of night as most of the waking day you can't get near the windows for children and adults alike! And a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Rn4043xDFk William Armstrong - industrialist and much more. Armstrong's factory! Blaydon Races. Battleships. Engineering. Armaments. Jesmond Dene. Cragside at Rothbury. And more! DOH, how can anyone with North East roots not know of the most famous Armstrong of them all? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Armstrong,_1st_Baron_Armstrong http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_Whitworth And of course that enduring anthem has to include a reference to his factory, a massive site on Scotswood Road - make sure the pronunciations are right - "Allan's Tyneside Songs" of 1891 version quoted here! Let's here you all singing. Aw went to Blaydon Races, 'twas on the ninth of Joon, Eiteen hundred an' sixty-two, on a summer's efternoon; Aw tyuk the 'bus frae Balmbra's, an' she wis heavy laden, Away we went alang Collingwood Street, that's on the road to Blaydon. (chorus) Ah me lads, ye shud only seen us gannin', We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin'; Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces, Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races. We flew past Airmstrang's factory, and up to the "Robin Adair", Just gannin' doon te the railway bridge, the 'bus wheel flew off there. The lasses lost their crinolines off, an' the veils that hide their faces, An' aw got two black eyes an' a broken nose in gan te Blaydon Races. (chorus) When we gat the wheel put on away we went agyen, But them that had their noses broke they cam back ower hyem; Sum went to the Dispensary an' uthers to Doctor Gibbs, An' sum sought out the Infirmary to mend their broken ribs. (chorus) Noo when we gat to Paradise thor wes bonny gam begun; Thor was fower-an-twenty on the 'bus, man, hoo they danced an' sung; They called on me to sing a sang, aw sung them "Paddy Fagan", Aw danced a jig an' swung my twig that day aw went to Blaydon. (chorus) We flew across the Chain Bridge reet into Blaydon toon, The bellman he was callin' there, they call him Jackie Brown; Aw saw him talkin' to sum cheps, an' them he was pursuadin' To gan an' see Geordy Ridley's concert in the Mechanics' Hall at Blaydon. (chorus) The rain it poor'd aw the day an' myed the groons quite muddy, Coffy Johnny had a white hat on - they war shootin' "Whe stole the cuddy." There wes spice stalls an' munkey shows an' aud wives selling ciders, An' a chep wiv a hapenny roond aboot, shootin' "Noo, me boys, for riders." (chorus) Chris Morgan Sheffield

I had, of course, heard of Baron Armstrong and already established that he lived at Cragside, Rothbury. However, I've not yet managed to link him to the Armstrong family of Alexander Armstrong, nor have I linked the Fenwicks of Embleton Hall, Longframlington, to Fenwicks department store. My dad owned an Armstrong-Siddeley Saphire motor car in the 1950s, a beautiful vehicle, but it was long after Baron Armstrong's death that Armstrong Whitworth took over Siddeley. -- Roy Stockdill Genealogical researcher, writer & lecturer Newbies' Guide to Genealogy & Family History: www.genuki.org.uk/gs/Newbie.html "There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about." OSCAR WILDE

Re the possible Fenwick connection: John James Fenwick, the founder of Fenwick's store, was born in Scorton, Richmond, Yorkshire in 1846 (see http://www.jesmondoldcemetery.co.uk/fenwick_44.html). His father, Thomas Fenwick (a butcher and farmer) was born in Bolton, Yorkshire in 1811-1812. John Charles James Fenwick (later of Embleton Hall) was born in 1845 in Ripon, Yorkshire. His father, James T. Fenwick (a physician) was born in Bamburgh 1800-1801. So, although both were born in North Yorkshire in adjacent years, the two families are unlikely to be related, unless much earlier. Neil --- On Mon, 26/7/10, Roy Stockdill <roy.stockdill@btinternet.com> wrote: > From: Roy Stockdill <roy.stockdill@btinternet.com> > Subject: Re: [DUR-NBL] Fenwick's and Armstrong's > To: DUR-NBL@rootsweb.com > Date: Monday, 26 July, 2010, 17:16 > <snip> nor have I linked the > Fenwicks of Embleton Hall, > Longframlington, to Fenwicks department store. <end snip> > > Roy Stockdill