I've just been looking through my Odds & Ends file, and came across this scrawled note that may be of use to someone: 'Family History Tracts #52' traces the FEARONS of Dean as traders in China; and their descendants in New Zealand. Chris chris@dickinson.uk.net

Dear Bridget and List Having had myself, husband, his grandfather and very many friends in the Merchant Navy I was glad that you brought up the subject of the memorials to those who died at sea whilst assisting the armed services by carrying troops and much needed supplies in wartime. Merchant ships can be commandeered at any time by the Government in a case of Emergency as were the cruise ship "QE2", school ship "Nevasa" amongst several others during the Falklands War and their civilian officers and crew go with them. We are all very proud of belonging to this service and tradition. The official UK and Commonwealth Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleet War Memorial is on Tower Hill in London. It is dedicated to "the men of the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets who gave their lives to preserve the nation and who have no grave but the sea". It was extended after WWII from that commemorating the Mercantile Marine as the service was known at the time of WWI during which your great-grandfather died. A picture of it can be seen on Commonwealth War Graves site at http://www.cwgc.org/lit/towerhill.pdf I found this website which might be of interest to you in recording the contribution, loss of life and ships, etc. of this service at http://www.british-merchant-navy.co.uk/ The major Merchant Navy ports have most likely their own memorials. Southampton has dedicated the bombed church of Holyrood to this effect. A new memorial has recently been dedicated in Liverpool to the MN dead of both World Wars. A picture is at http://www.ku.edu/~kansite/ww_one/naval/mnmemliv.htm Seafaring towns around the coast have their own personal memorials. St. James, Grimsby is one I know of whilst Aberdaron in Wales has its War Memorial almost exclusively dedicated to men of this service. In fact we make a point of looking out for them to reassure ourselves that these men and women have not been forgotten. We rightly pay tribute to our armed services but these men and women made a massive contribution and are quite often unsung. Can anyone add anything further to this? Jill

Is Kirkby Thore in this area? My interest is in the Taylor's who ran the Post office in the early 1900s. --------------------------------- Get a bigger mailbox -- choose a size that fits your needs.

Hello everyone, I would like to do some research into the WW1 service of my husband's grandfather, Thomas Tinnion from Barepot, Workington. All I know about this is what is stated on the birth certificate of his youngest son: Gunner no 1307 Royal Field Artillery. I have no idea how or where to start and should be most grateful for any advice or hints anyone can give me. Jennifer from Leeds (brought up in Seaton, Workington).

John Linton writes: >Hello Roger >It looks like it could be Workington Iron and Steel >Company,...good chance that some of our well >informed colleagues will be able to give >you more. <snip> > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Zimmer House" <zimmerhouse@bellsouth.net> >To: <ENG-CUL-COPELAND-L@rootsweb.com> >Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 6:56 PM >Subject: [CUL-COP] WI&S Co., in Workington > > >> While researching a relative, I came across a reference >>for the WI&S Company in Workington in 1915. Efforts >>to find the full name of that company using a search >>engine have been fruitless. Does anyone know what >>company it might have been and anything about it? <snip> Ah yes. Well worked out. This is where the National Register of Archives comes in so handy. Go to its site, put 'Workington' into the placename search, and you'll get a list of archives for Workington companies. http://www.hmc.gov.uk/nra/place_simple.htm In this case, there are three archives. The most likely one would seem to be '1850s-1981 : corporate, accounting, production and staff records' held at the Corus Colors Regional Records Centre. You can try using the contact address; or (a sneaky tip) you could try contacting by email the staff at the NRA Public Search Room at Chancery Lane, London. They have a catalogue of the archive and, in my experience, are very happy to look things up. They might give you a reference number quickly that you could then give to the Corus archive staff to look up the actual record. Chris chris@dickinson.uk.net

Hello Roger It looks like it could be Workington Iron and Steel Company,...good chance that some of our well informed colleagues will be able to give you more. John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Zimmer House" <zimmerhouse@bellsouth.net> To: <ENG-CUL-COPELAND-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 6:56 PM Subject: [CUL-COP] WI&S Co., in Workington > While researching a relative, I came across a reference for the WI&S Company in Workington in 1915. Efforts to find the full name of that company using a search engine have been fruitless. Does anyone know what company it might have been and anything about it? > > Thanks in advance. > > Roger Park > Atlanta, Georgia USA > zimmerhouse@bellsouth.net > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > >

Thank you, John. Many list members responded, providing much helpful information. I am grateful for all of it. Roger ----- Original Message ----- From: "john.linton1" <john.linton1@whsmithnet.co.uk> To: "Zimmer House" <zimmerhouse@bellsouth.net>; <ENG-CUL-COPELAND-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, November 11, 2002 2:04 PM Subject: Re: [CUL-COP] WI&S Co., in Workington > Hello Roger > > It looks like it could be Workington Iron and Steel Company,...good chance > that some of our well informed colleagues will be able to give you more. > > John > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Zimmer House" <zimmerhouse@bellsouth.net> > To: <ENG-CUL-COPELAND-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, November 10, 2002 6:56 PM > Subject: [CUL-COP] WI&S Co., in Workington > > > > While researching a relative, I came across a reference for the WI&S > Company in Workington in 1915. Efforts to find the full name of that > company using a search engine have been fruitless. Does anyone know what > company it might have been and anything about it? > > > > Thanks in advance. > > > > Roger Park > > Atlanta, Georgia USA > > zimmerhouse@bellsouth.net > > > > > > ============================== > > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, > go to: > > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > > >

Dear Gerald, I wonder if the following will help. I looked up 1881 census and found John Bigrigg born Cockermouth and Mary Ann born Cornwall. You said their son William was born the same year. Free BMDs. Found a marriage in September Quarter 1880 in Cockermouth Registration District. The female names on the same page were Elizabeth Glaister and Martha Madron or Madrom. Looked at 1901 census index and found John Bigrigg straight away living in Cockermouth as a Mason Labourer. His age corresponded to that of 1881 census. I brought up all the Bigriggs living in Cockermouth and from the Page ID (obtained as I was told by hovering over the far left column next to the name and reading off the bottom task bar). I am not 100% sure how all this works but the same Page ID brought up Martha aged 44 born Cumberland, Egremont Jonathan 17 Margaret 7 George 4 Florence 2 Mary 2 mths Does this sound like your family or part of it? If you think so then no doubt you could check by downloading the page. Looked IGI baptisms for a Martha Madrom or Madron around 1857. Madrom is obviously a misspelling. Madron also brought up Maddern and all found by IGI were in Cornwall. Getting warmer. There was a Martha baptised 1854 at Sancreed daughter of James and Mary which was the closest. Back to 1881 census to see if a James or Mary, the parents, were in Cumberland but I could not find them. There were quite a few MADDIRN and MADDERN all born Cornwall in Cumberland at that time. One was a JAMES MADDON, born c. 1857 in St. Just (the St. Just near Lands End is about four miles from Sancreed) , Iron Miner boarding in Egremont. I wondered if he could be a brother? This might give you something to look into. My own feeling is that there is a mixture between the two lots of census information. The correct name should be Martha and her birthplace might either have been Cornwall as in 1881 census or Egremont as in 1901 census. The family may have come to Egremont when she was a small child for her father to work in the Iron Mines there. I hope this helps and please let us know how you get on with your search. Jill

Hi Everyone I am having problems tracing the maiden name for the wife of John Bigrigg born 1851 in Cockermouth (son of Jonathon Bigrigg and Sarah Sherlock) In the 1881 census John Bigrigg was lodging in Ulverston with a Mawson family and his wife Mary Ann was staying in Cockermouth with Rose Watt. I think that she may have been pregnant at the time as a son William was born the same year. William and his brother Jonathon's births appear not to have been registered. In the 1901 census they are not traceable unless some strange spelling has been used. John was alive in 1909. Mary Ann may have been born in Cornwall or have had parents born there as her father may have been an Iron Ore miner but I have no concrete evidence to support this. Please can anyone help to solve this one? I am also researching the following Sandwith esp 1600 and 1700,s, Dodd, Law Graham and Vickers in Cumberland _________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail

Hi Folks....... I was just composing a post with regard to Chris' BBC statements on the subject of the order of children when a friend of mine who also does transcribing for a Jamaican site sent me this for the Cumberland researchers. It just goes to point out that the younger sons did EXTREMELY well in some instances.....pardon the HTML, but wanted to present it as Dorothy Kew did when she sent it to me........ Dorothy is an excellent genealogist who taught me what genealogy was all about and I know that she has interests in a Sewell in the CUL region, but so far hasn't found them. So enjoy and in particular......notice how many properties this man owned!!! (Pens are smaller estates). And Chris.....for the record, the BBC never met my family, grin........we don't fit into their classifications at all!! I am the oldest.....and have never been the quiet one, lol. Best..........Heather ---------------------------------------- >From the Daily Gleaner and DeCordova's Advertising Sheet, October 15, 1872: THE LATE WILLIAM SEWELL There are few to whom Trelawny has been more largely indebted than to the lamented gentleman whose decease we deplore. Large districts of the parish have undoubtedly, through his instrumentality alone, been maintained in cultivation. It is indeed no exaggeration to say, that most, if not all, of the numerous estates with which as attorney, lessee, or proprietor, he from time to time became connected, were by his skilful management, to the benefit of all classes, redeemed from threatened abandonment. The large measure of success which has attended his career as a sugar planter, a career in this parish extending over a period of thirty-four years, has been the well-merited result of the exercise of the soundest judgment ... and unswerving rectitude which characterized his every dealing... Mr. Sewell died possessed of Vale Royal, Arcadia, Lottery, Water Valley, and Gibraltar Estates, and Grange Pen, in Trelawny; Drax Hall and Cave Valley Estates, and Home Castle, Dornock, Hyde Park, and Dover Castle Penns, in St. Ann; all left by him in the highest state of cultivation. He was a native of Cumberland, but from his 21st year was a resident in Jamaica, engaged from first to last in agricultural pursuits. He died at Georgia Estate in this parish, the residence of Simon Thomson, Esquire, and was interred in Swanswick Church yard on the morning of the 8th. DQ

While researching a relative, I came across a reference for the WI&S Company in Workington in 1915. Efforts to find the full name of that company using a search engine have been fruitless. Does anyone know what company it might have been and anything about it? Thanks in advance. Roger Park Atlanta, Georgia USA zimmerhouse@bellsouth.net

You are welcome Jill. I have been away for 24 hours and just now getting back on this. Ron has the 'sheep' one figured out and I will send it via email. I found Sarah's 'answer'......it was a question to a Rootsweb group by a person named Kathy and her reply. The webpage this Kathy refers to is full of 'maybes and probablys' and looks like someone's draft notes. However, I found several pages with this cryptonym explained and the 'proper' interpretation, which Ron finds to make more sense. There are 2 Hirams prominent in Masonry...... One quote is below........and it seems that it is common in the US at the present time......it applies to the 'Royal Arch' Masons......one of the branches of Masonry. >>H.T.W.S.S.T.K.S. (arranged in circle within keystone) Masonic >>"mark" of Ancient Grand Master. York Rite Royal Arch Mason. And leaving out the questionable 'Tyrian', it seems to make more sense as follows..... "Hiram, the Widow's Son, sent to King Solomon" OK.....Ron just found that one in his 'tomes' and that is the correct interpretation. I will forward more information by email as I don't want to bore the group, and frankly some of it is rather secret(?). (VBG) Cheers.......Heather > Thanks very much Sarah and Heather for your information. Also the unknown > Kathy mentioned in Sarah's reply. Now only the sheep to go! > > >The letters are read starting with the H. It refers to a Masonic motto for > a specific degree or level of Freemasonry. The motto associated with this > particular degree is denoted by H T W S S T K S (Hyram Tyrian, Widows Son > Sent To King Solomon). > > >Thanks so much to Bill and Aric and the others I heard from. You guys are > terrific! > Kathy> > > Jill > > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >

Thanks very much Sarah and Heather for your information. Also the unknown Kathy mentioned in Sarah's reply. Now only the sheep to go! >The letters are read starting with the H. It refers to a Masonic motto for a specific degree or level of Freemasonry. The motto associated with this particular degree is denoted by H T W S S T K S (Hyram Tyrian, Widows Son Sent To King Solomon). >Thanks so much to Bill and Aric and the others I heard from. You guys are terrific! Kathy> Jill

Dear Heather, I was hoping you would answer as I thought you and your husband would be most likely to know. I have been working on this family for some time before I unbelievably came across this gravestone which told me a lot of details about his wives plus the youngest daughter I knew nothing about. We had gone to Corney church primarily because John's great-grandparents were married there and another relative had been a Rector. I had asked Whitehaven Record Office if there was any record in Corney burial register but they didn't find one so I was not expecting to find a gravestone. I had only just learned that Sarah was the name of the first wife from the Workington burial register and this just confirmed she was the right one. I only looked at the stone as I was curious as to which important family it belonged to and could scarcely believe it when I found it was this family and answered a lot of our questions. This was a great reward after several hours in the Record Office finding nothing much at all :-)))) This was a traditional six pointed star with one triangle reversed above the other which appears to be what you would call the Shield of David or Seal of Solomon? It might have been the symbol of his Lodge or just the protection icon you explained? See how I am grasping at straws. I have tried googling for everything in sight which is how I found the Zetland DeGrey connection. The names Julian and Adrian seem to have vague connections with different branches of Knights Templars but I am trying to peer into his mind to see the significance. Oscar Wilde was a Mason but only became famous well after Julian was given this second name. The sheep may just have been because he was a farmer and showing where his money came from? Mind you he didn't put any wine barrels on for his former occupation. It is the letters which really get me as they are so evenly spaced around this shield type carving. Have tried to think what words they could stand for without success. We took a photo of this which I can send to you Heather or anyone else if it would help. I thought it might be the first words of a psalm or similar but can't think what. I am hoping it clicks in someone's mind. Of course they may be a mixture of symbols, some masonic and some not. I have tried looking up Workington Lodge and Whitehaven Lodge to see if they showed any symbols or names which might connect with above. I doubt there was a Corney Lodge as it is a remote village but maybe the town of Bootle. I couldn't find anything worthwhile. Tried the Masonic question and answer site and they refuted the idea that obelisks were exclusively Masonic but more just a fashion but this was the only one in this graveyard. I understand that a few years ago you could request Masons' details for free or a nominal fee but now they charge quite a bit. Do you know if this rumour is true or how far back they are likely to keep records? Certainly Henry seems well and truly immersed in the organisation. As Henry is only an offshoot of our family I don't want to spend a lot of money finding out. However he is a most intriguing character and I would love to know more. Any more thoughts, suggestions or help would be most welcome. Thanks for replying and taking an interest. Very best wishes, Jill

On our recent visit to Cumbria we found the following inscription on an obelisk in Corney churchyard of a family we were seeking. I wonder if anyone can suggest interpretations for some of the symbolism thereon. First a short run through of the family background. HENRY FLEMING, born 1835 at St. Bees, is known to have been a keen adherent of the Masonic Order. This first came to light when he forsook the family naming patterns and called the eldest son of his second marriage, born 1870, WILLIAM ZETLAND DEGREY FLEMING. I discovered that the middle two names were successive Grand Masters in the year William was born. Henry had previously been married to Sarah ? who appears to have been eight years older than himself. At this stage he was a Wine and Spirit Merchant in Workington as stated in his father's will. Sarah died at Workington in 1866 and was interred in St. Michael's Churchyard. Henry then married ELIZABETH PEEL, daughter of John a shipwright, in 1869 at Hatton on the Hill, Liverpool though she appears to have been born in Workington along with a sister Sarah Peel who died shortly after birth and a brother Thomas Williamson Peel. Elizabeth was baptised at three years old on the same day as Thomas W. who was presumably an infant. Henry and Elizabeth then lived at High Corney where he was a yeoman farmer and where their children were born. Again they followed few traditional naming patterns, the subsequent children being MARY ELLEN 1871-1872 (Mary was Henry's mother's name but the derivation of Ellen is unknown) FRED WALKER RICHARDSON 1872. (Walker and Richardson were both family surnames) JULIAN OSCAR PEEL 1873. (Peel obviously a family surname - no idea where Julian and Oscar come from) ADRIAN B. C. c. 1876 (Other names not yet known. Again Adrian is a fairly unusual name) HAROLD R. W. c. 1871 (Again other names not yet known) MARGARET MARY 1879-79 (Combined names of mothers of Elizabeth and Henry) Elizabeth then died at Corney in 1879. Following that Henry moved with his surviving sons to Stangray Hall, St. Bees where in 1881 he is given as of "No Occupation". I have not been able to find them in 1891 or 1901 census apart from the eldest son William Z.D. Fleming who had moved to Workington by 1901 where he was a Steelworker. He had married MAGGIE STAPLES BANKS and they had two daughters there before William emigrated to Indianapolis in 1909 where he followed the same trade. Maggie and the daughters followed a year later and they had a third born there. Back to the gravestone. This records both Henry's wives, Sarah and Elizabeth and the two daughters who died as infants. Above the inscription is the Masonic symbol of a square and compasses. Around the other three sides going clockwise are symbols as follows:- A Star of David A Sheep A Shield in which are arranged capital letters which starting from the top and going clockwise are H T W S S T K S I should be glad if anyone can shed any light on what these might mean. Also if anyone has a subsequent sighting of Henry and his sons I should be glad to hear of that too. Cumbria was as beautiful as ever despite the intermittent rain which is always good for a day in the Record Office or for making the waterfalls look more dramatic. Jill Coulthard

Hi Jill....... Well, you have managed to stump my Grand Poobah (Past Master in the Masonic Order.....grin). We have both been poring over two ancient tomes (1893) which are an Encyclopedia of all things Masonic. As to the 'Star of David'.........while it may look like such, did it only have 5 points?? There is also the 'Shield of David' which has 6 points. I will explain the symbolism on that one further down. But you often see the 6-pointed Star of David on things Masonic. Remember, this fraternal organization started in the days of King Solomon......a few eons ago. Sheep.......Ron never heard of that symbol. Looked under Ram......nothing. He tried to look up the letters inscribed as these books do give several, but nothing that fit. So only got 1 out of 3. 8-(( Shield of David is commonly known as the Seal of Solomon and I won't go into all the ancient Judaic history.....but it was a 'protection or talisman against all sorts of dangers'.....so not sure if that applies. Properly constructed, it should have had a four-letter Hebrew word in the centre. There was nothing under Star of David in these books.....but there is a 5 pointed Star. On reading about it, it was not terribly common either. So......back to the drawing board!! Ron knows a lot about the historic symbolism in Masons and your questions are a mystery to him, other than the Star of David. I am thinking to myself here that perhaps he was involved in one of the more obscure branches of Masonry, yet these books do get into that. Crossing my mind (besides the obvious Scottish Rite) is the Knights Templar. No particular reason, except that they were loosely affiliated. The Knights Templar being involved in the Crusades as protection for pilgrims to the Rock in Jerusalem.....if memory serves me right. And I will have to hit the books to pin down where St. Clair (Sinclair) Castle is as they meet there annually. Northern England comes to mind. HTH and I will check in a couple of other places.......perhaps via Google. But some of the books we own have way more information. Do you happen to know if his Lodge was called "blue" or "red"??? There are two branches in the Masons. Best.......Heather > Back to the gravestone. This records both Henry's wives, Sarah and Elizabeth and the two daughters who died as infants. Above the inscription is the Masonic symbol of a square and compasses. Around the other three sides going clockwise are symbols as follows:- > > A Star of David > A Sheep > A Shield in which are arranged capital letters which starting from the top and going clockwise are > > H T W S S T K S > I should be glad if anyone can shed any light on what these might mean. Also if anyone has a subsequent sighting of Henry and his sons I should be glad to hear of that too.

I would like to inform the list about my brother John Wright and me Miles Wright we emigrated to Australia from Whitehaven with our family in 1961 we were both called up for national service by the Australian government. john in 1965 and miles in 1968 we served in South Vietnam in 1966 and1969/70 in the 6th Battalion and 5th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment respectively. British boys have always been in the ranks of Australian armed services-Boer War-WW1-WW2-Korea-Malaysia emergency and no doubt many young men from Cumberland have served with the Australian armed forces. I hope this information that Cumbrians have served and died for dominion and/or commonwealth countries in the service of the British empire/commonwealth is thought provoking. cheers miles wright Subject: [CUL-COP] ADMIN: Remembrance Day, November 11th > As a form of remembrance, you may wish to post names or > biographies of any Cumbrians killed in action. > > I suggest that this should include not only the dead of the wars > of the 20th century, but also those of previous conflicts; and > any Cumbrians who may have been caught up in recent acts of > terrorism. >

A recent BBC programme has suggested that: (1) If you put two siblings in a room alone with their mother, the younger child will seek attention by being disruptive and the older child will seek attention by being non-disruptive; (2) this behaviour is continued into adult life; (3) many of the great innovators of history have been younger children. [presumably, middle children are disruptive in one environment and non-disruptive in another, and throughly unpredictable when all siblings are present?] The traditional historical argument is that younger sons of well-to-do families emigrated or started businesses because the older ones inherited - but could it be more to do with personality? What about the youngest daughter? She should be rebellious, but was often the one who had to remain at home to look after the ageing parents. Personality turmoil? So, what evidence do you have from your Cumbrian researches? Onlist, not to me privately, please. Chris chris@dickinson.uk.net

Schedule specifying all the Tithable Lands within the Township of Ennerdale : Owner - Occupier - Estate John Rogers - John Tyson - Gillerthwaite John Kirkhaugh - John Dixon - do. Jacob Dixon - do. - Bowness John Bowman - Self - Moreside Esther Burnyeat - George Newton - Beckfoot Joseph Wright - Self - Routon Joseph Peel - Self - Gill Incumbent of Ennerdale - John Bewsher - Whins Incumbent of Buttermere - Anthony Atkinson - ? Whins Joseph Atkinson - Self - Croft Thomas Slater - Thomas Robinson - Howside Joseph Dickinson - Thomas Pearson - How Hall Earl of Lonsdale - John Mossop - Crossdale Thomas Willan - Self - do. Henry Kendall - Jackson Mossop - do. Henry Frears - Self - do. Jeremiah Rawling - William Rawling - Moreside Mrs Thompson - Edward Parker - Laverick Hall John Dalzell - John Mossop - Cragg John Shepherd - Self - Moor End John Pagan - John Jackson - Moor End Joseph Fisher - Joseph Williamson - Bridge John Shepherd - E. Wilson - do. John Key - Self - do. Mrs Bragg - William Robinson - Birk Moss S. Cuthbertson - John Fisher - Fell End W. Towerson - Self - Gill Foot Chris chris@dickinson.uk.net

http://www.cwgc.org/