>Mary Nicholson/Wright/Jackson/Elliott "pure as the driven snow" Assuming she informed the 1841 census enumerator that she was 39 yrs of age and he followed instructions and rounded her age down to 35, Mary must also have been "smarter than the average" ! On every census up to her last one ?.. 1881, she is recorded as the "same" age.. i.e. born 1802 . Assuming that that is her death registration at Sunderland RD in 4th Qtr of 1882 , aged 82, Thomas, her youngest , was not as accurate with her age. ? Michael Dixon

Hi Just thought that I would apologise publicly to Mary Elliott/Jackson/Wright/Nicholson for maligning her character and insinuating that her children were illegitimate! The girl was as pure as the driven snow. She married Francis Jackson 11 February 1822 at Newcastle All Saints. They had a daughter Hannah, born in 1823 and then Francis died in 1824. Mary Ann then married Joseph Wright, 18 September 1825, Newcastle St John's, and they had three sons, Joseph (1826), John (1831), and William (1834). Joseph then died, sometime before June 1837. For on the 6th June 1837 Mary Ann married for the third time, to Francis (she must like the name!) Nicholson, The happy couple had three children, Francis and Mary(1838), and Thomas (1840). Having done his duty, Francis popped his clogs, before 1851, leaving Mary Ann a widow for the third time. So far as I'm aware, she did not marry again! I expect the men crossed the road to avoid her, I know that I would have! The family motto should be 'Touch Me Not!'. May I thank everyone who has been so kind as to help with this little episode and if anyone has a clue as to who Joseph Wright's parents are, I would love them forever!

Interested in JOHNSONs from Chester-Le-Street around 1775-1825. Tim

Hi Thanks to the people who have contated me about my request for information about the baptism of John Wright, I now know his Christening date and those of his two brothers. Joseph Wright 3 Dec 1826 John Wright 08 Feb 1832 William Wright 11 Dec 1834 Parents are Joseph Wright and Mary Elliott. Having gained this information - and a link to a new cousin - I would like to ask if anyone knows where I can find the following information. My new cousin has told me that Mary Elliott was previously married to Francis Jackson, 11 Feb 1822, Allendale. They had a daughter, Hannah, christened 7 September 1823 at Longbenton. Then Francis died in 1824 aged just 23 in Philadelphia. Mary Jackson (nee Elliott) then married Joseph Wright. My cousin tells me this occurred in Newcastle, St John's, 18 September 1825. I can't find this marriage on the IGI. I've used the batch number for the parish at the right time but with no joy. So my first request is: Can anyone verify this marriage and the date? Joseph Wright must have died sometime between1834 and January 1838 when Mary Wright(Elliott, Jackson), had twins Francis and Mary Nicholson. I haven't been able to trace this death. The closest is a Joseph Wright aged 73 in Monkwearmouth Shore but that seems a bit old, considering Mary is only 30! So second request is: Can anyone trace this death? After Joseph's death Mary Wright(Elliott/Jackson) marries again, this time to a Francis Nicholson. I can find no record of this marriage in the Newcastle, Durham or Sunderland online records or on FreeBMD. So third request is: Can anyone identify this marriage? She mustn't take very good care of her blokes because Francis Nicholson is dead by 1851! There is a possible death in Houghton Le Spring in the December quarter of 1840, which would mean that she was left with three children under five, plus the other four from her previous marriages. So fourth request is: Does anyone know anything about Francis Nicholson who died in 1840 in Houghton le Spring? >From 1826 onwards the family is in the Easington Lane area between Hetton and Houghton Le Spring so at the moment I am confining my research to that area. Thanks to anyone who has taken the time to read through this! Susan

Frances Nicholson married Mary Wright in Houghton-le-Spring 6th June 1837. Regards Stan Mapstone

Sorry about my first attempt at sending this - my fingers aren't working properly this morning. They must have a hang-over! In a message dated 23/06/2007 20:35:25 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Now my question-- I saw an earlier message on the list archives, saying that there were no parish registers from that time. My question is-- would the babies have just been baptized secretly somewhere? Wouldn't that have concerned the local vicar? And would John Strong here have to have also been married in an Anglican church? Ryton doesn't go back far enough in the IGI for me to check today. I'll have to get the microfilm. And, apparently he was a widower. Would his wife have been buried in the local Anglican church yard? Thanks, Paula At the time the Roman Catholics of Ryton parish were probably meeting in a room at Stella Hall. No registers are known and probably either none were kept or else any that were have not survived. Catholics were still officially persecuted, though Ryton seems to have been a fairly enlightened parish, where they were at least "tolerated", probably because the Tempest family of Stella were major land-owners and employers, as well as actually being from time to time, benefactors of the parish church! I would check out Ryton p[parish registers (brief details of each entry, but not full ones, are on the IGI) as she may have been baptised there anyway, but if she is not found I would expect it ot mean she was baptised at Stella but no record survives. Marriage was a different matter. Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753 (came into force 1 January 1754) made it illegal to marry in England and Wales anywhere other than in a Church of England Parish Church (with comparatively minor exceptions, for Quakers and Jews). Hence, given that weddings were usually held in the bride's parish, you should seek it in Ryton marriage registers (also summarised on the IGI). Hers being a Roman Catholic family, look out for it having been by Licence, not after the calling of Banns! If it was by Licence then check on the Bond and Allegation needed before a Licence could be issued. You say that "Ryton does not go back far enough in the IGI for me to check today". That is not so. Ryton baptisms and burials are included on the IGI from the start of the surviving registers in 1582! However, I would qualify that, as always, by saying that what is on the IGI is a summary only, with no extra detail and is only a transcript, probably of the H M Wood transcripts, so it is a copy of a copy and so has a high probability of containing errors. All burials in Ryton parish were in the churchyard of Ryton Holy Cross Parish Church, both Anglicans and Roman Catholics (and any others as well). That was because at the time in question it was the only burial ground in the parish. Ryton does seem to have followed the tradition that the land on the immediate north of the church building (the "Devil's side"), which would be danker and less sunny than the sought-after spaces on the south side, was reserved for local ne-er-do-wells, suicides, criminals and evil-doers in general. Roman Catholics would certainly be included in that definition somewhere! To this day, the gravestones on the immediate north side of the church do not include any very old ones, it not having become respectable until the mid-19th century, around the time (1830s) when RC churches became allowed and that at Stella was opened, with its own burial ground. Geoff Nicholson

I just joined the list. after a couple of years of ignoring my Durham ancestors. Today, someone mentioned the Papist returns of 1767, on the Lancashire list, and after I asked a couple of questions, that person was kind enough to look for my ancestors in the returns for Durham. I was looking for a Jacob Watson born about 1769 and Mary Strong born about 1764, who were married in 1797, and it's recorded at St. Thomas Aquinas, Stella, and in Ryton. I think that we've found Mary today, but not Jacob's family. Here's what I am pretty sure must be Mary in 1767: Ryton - Winlaton Town John STRONG; 29; bankman;29y Frances, dau.;6; - ; 6y Mary, do.; 3; - ; 3y Now my question-- I saw an earlier message on the list archives, saying that there were no parish registers from that time. My question is-- would the babies have just been baptized secretly somewhere? Wouldn't that have concerned the local vicar? And would John Strong here have to have also been married in an Anglican church? Ryton doesn't go back far enough in the IGI for me to check today. I'll have to get the microfilm. And, apparently he was a widower. Would his wife have been buried in the local Anglican church yard? Thanks, Paula

Susan, You have forgotten to tell us who He and his brothers are? Names please. Is the church Hetton Le Hole St. Nicholas? Janis

Thank you Stan and Alison, I will try to follow up your leads. Max

Hi I have a bit of a mystery surrounding one of my relatives born in 1832. According to informmation on the IGI he was Christened on the 8th February 1832 in Hetton. The mystery surrounds his parentage. I suspect he and his brothers were illegitimate although they are supposedly the children of Joseph Wright and Mary Elliott. I think the mother is a single woman called Mary Ann Emmerson. Her parents, I believe, were William Barnes Emmerson and Elizabeth Wright. If anyone has access to the parish records for this Christening, could they please let me know who is named as parents to this child? Thanks Susan

OK, I'm answering my own question here-- I think I just found the death of John's wife, and his marriage, at Family History online: From Family History Online: 2. Parish Ryton, Holy Cross, DUR Buried 3/05/1766 Name Mary STRONG aged – Abode Winlaton Occupation – Relationship da to relatives John Other info – Notes – Checked N Amount paid £0.07 1. Parish Ryton, Holy Cross alternatively Ryton in county Dur Married on 11/05/1761 Groom John Strong residence – other – Bride Mary Richardson residence – other – Orig – Checked N Amount paid £0.07 But then, I think I'm probably stuck at being able to find out John and Mary's baptisms? If they were born Catholic that is? Paula On Jun 23, 2007, at 12:36 PM, Paula Goodfellow wrote: > I just joined the list. after a couple of years of ignoring my Durham > ancestors. Today, someone mentioned the Papist returns of 1767, on > the Lancashire list, and after I asked a couple of questions, that > person was kind enough to look for my ancestors in the returns for > Durham. I was looking for a Jacob Watson born about 1769 and Mary > Strong born about 1764, who were married in 1797, and it's recorded > at St. Thomas Aquinas, Stella, and in Ryton. I think that we've found > Mary today, but not Jacob's family. Here's what I am pretty sure must > be Mary in 1767: > Ryton - Winlaton Town > John STRONG; 29; bankman;29y > Frances, dau.;6; - ; 6y > Mary, do.; 3; - ; 3y > > Now my question-- I saw an earlier message on the list archives, > saying that there were no parish registers from that time. My > question is-- would the babies have just been baptized secretly > somewhere? Wouldn't that have concerned the local vicar? And would > John Strong here have to have also been married in an Anglican > church? Ryton doesn't go back far enough in the IGI for me to check > today. I'll have to get the microfilm. And, apparently he was a > widower. Would his wife have been buried in the local Anglican church > yard? Thanks, Paula > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ENG-DURHAM- > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message

I just joined the list. after a couple of years of ignoring my Durham ancestors. Today, someone mentioned the Papist returns of 1767, on the Lancashire list, and after I asked a couple of questions, that person was kind enough to look for my ancestors in the returns for Durham. I was looking for a Jacob Watson born about 1769 and Mary Strong born about 1764, who were married in 1797, and it's recorded at St. Thomas Aquinas, Stella, and in Ryton. I think that we've found Mary today, but not Jacob's family. Here's what I am pretty sure must be Mary in 1767: Ryton - Winlaton Town John STRONG; 29; bankman;29y Frances, dau.;6; - ; 6y Mary, do.; 3; - ; 3y Now my question-- I saw an earlier message on the list archives, saying that there were no parish registers from that time. My question is-- would the babies have just been baptized secretly somewhere? Wouldn't that have concerned the local vicar? And would John Strong here have to have also been married in an Anglican church? Ryton doesn't go back far enough in the IGI for me to check today. I'll have to get the microfilm. And, apparently he was a widower. Would his wife have been buried in the local Anglican church yard? Thanks, Paula

Can anyone please let me know of the whereabouts of Torish Hill at Houghton le Spring. It was given as the address of Henry and Jane (nee Richardson) Thurlaway at the baptism of their daughter, Jane, at Houghton le Spring on 8th September 1754. Also if anyone is reseaching this family I will be pleased to be in contact. Max Procter Drysdale, Victoria, Australia

Sorry the cat jumped on the keyboard. Anybody have any info on the Parkin family of Chester Le Street . The family are descended from Richard Parkin of Chester Le Street born 1816. Thanks Jean Newbigin in Florida ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Hi Max, Go to http://www.durham.gov.uk/durhamcc/usp.nsf/pws/GIS+-+Online+Mapping and launch the GIS. Select 'Search' then 'coordinates' enter 430906, 547276 in the bottom boxes then click 'centre map' this is the location of Torish Hill. You can see it if you select the 1894-1899 map. Regards Stan Mapstone

Does anyone have a Parkin family in their tree from Chester Le Street? My husband has started looking at his mother's side of the family ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.

Hi Geoff, Thanks for all the wonderful information you gave me. I think I might go and order the film for the time period and see if I might be able to pick up anymore info. Thomas came to Australia and was a witness to his son Johns weding. Thanks again Ann

Dear Eng-Durham Listers Please any one researching Mc GIVERN in Gateshead from 1890. Regards Harold

Hi all, I am new to this list and am researching the following Thomas Landers B14 may 1799 @ Gateshead, I know his father is Jacob and mother Sarah. I would like to find other siblings and Thomas marriage Elizabeth Leighton. I don't know how big Gateshead is or anything about it so it might be to big a task to ask for TIA Ann in Melbourne.

In a message dated 17/06/2007 10:14:24 GMT Daylight Time, [email protected] writes: Thomas Landers B14 may 1799 @ Gateshead, I know his father is Jacob and mother Sarah. I would like to find other siblings and Thomas marriage Elizabeth Leighton. I don't know how big Gateshead is or anything about it so it might be to big a task to ask for Ann: First, the NDFHS (Northumberland and Durham Famiy History Society) microfiche indexes to ALL marriages in (a) Co Durham and (b) Northumberland (ie two series) 1813-37 do not mention any marriage between a Thomas Landers and an Elizabeth Leighton, so it would seem possible that they married out of this region. Second, according to the IGI, Thomas' baptism was at Gateshead on 24 November 1799. His mother's maiden surname is given on the IGI as Hall. That marriage is not on the Co Durham IGI but I did notice a brother Jacob being baptised at Gateshead on 23 ugust 1795. The date of Thomas' baptism is very good news for you, because it means it was during what is called by local researchers "The Barirngton Period" (1798-1812), when very detailed entries of baptisms were made in all the registers of Church of England churches throughout Durham Diocese (which at the time included roughly Co Durham and Northumberland). Details given, apart from the mother's maiden surname, include the name(s) of the parish(es) of which each parent was a native (ie the ones in which they had been born). We are also told where the child came in the family - 1st son, 4th daughter, etc. At the time the town of Gateshead all lay in one parish - St Mary's. Later many new parishes were carved out of St Mary's as with most of our larger towns. In the case of Gateshead the first one to be formed was St John's, Gateshead Fell, in 1825. Gateshead is a large town on the south bank of the Tyne, directly opposite Newcastle, to which it is joined by a series of bridges. Famously there were "five", but the number was only one until the High Level Bridge was opened in ?1849 and if we allow for the boundary changes of the mid-twentieth century, for the Metro Bridge and the Millennium footbridge, plus some replacements, it is now ten (I am still counting the High Level Bridge, although it is currently undergoing a long-term closure - we are promised it back next year). To some extent Gateshead has always been the "poor relation" of Newcastle, but in recent years it has closed the gap considerably, and some would say it has overtaken Newcastle, with its impressive Sage Concert Hall, innovative Millennium Footbridge (that has "Gateshead, not "Newcastle" in its official name so I count it as part of Gateshead), an deven the very oldest part of Gateshead - Bottle Bank - is now graced with the Gateshead Hilton Hotel. Out of the town centre the Gateshead Stadium is a centre for international athletics meetings, as well as hosting the annual National Family History Fair, and the "Angel of the North" sculpture which greets travellers approaching Tyneside from the south on the A1 has come to be accepted as an icon of the North-East (but not by all - certainly not by me, for various good reasons). The boundary expansion of 1974 means that the modern Borough of Gateshead includes rural and semi-rural areas including pleasant villages such as Whickham and Ryton, the lower part of the lovely Derwent Valley, including the Gibside estate (National Trust) and historic Chopwell Woods. Yes, Gateshead is large. Population statistics are: 1801 8,597 1811 8,782 1821 11,767 1831 15,177 1841 19,843 1851 25,570 1861 33,589 1871 48,627 1881 65,845 1891 85,692 1901 109,888 1911 116,917 1921 125,142 1931 122,447 1941 (no census) 1951 115,017 1961 103,178 1971 94,457 These statistics are from Frank Manders' "History of Gateshead". The 19th-century boom in population was mainly due to the industrial revolution and to Gateshead acquiring a large railway depot and also becoming the centre of the local chemical trade. The decline in the mid-20th century was mainly caused by slum clearance. Very rough estimates for earlier years, given by Manders, begin with 1,670 in 1548 and include 3,135 in 1621, 7,000 c1695 and 5,490 in 1751. Geoff Nicholson