Hi Can someone point me in the right direction for a place recorded on the 1871 census as being in Durham. The place name appears to be Dunsdon. Any help would be gratefully received. Regards, Anthony Anthony Oliver Tel: 01344 486 191 Mobile: 07813 902 947 Email: <mailto:anthony.oliveruk@btopenworld.com> anthony.oliveruk@btopenworld.com

John MOORE was born on 20 Jul 1880 in Eighton Banks, Lamesley, Durham, ENG, son of William George MOORE and Mary Jane PEARSON , died in Aug 1944 in Newcastle, Northumberland Co, ENG and was buried in Eighton Banks Churchyard. Noted events in his life were: * Census: 1901, Gateshead, Durham ENG. Stone Quarryman. * Occupation: 1914, Eighton Banks, Lamesley, Durham, ENG. 6 Hawthorne Terrace. Collier Stone Miner. * Occupation: 1925-1930, Gateshead, Durham ENG. Wagon Inn, Eighton Banks, Durham. * Residence: 1936, Newcastle on Tyne, ENG. 52 Atkinson Road * Occupation: 1943, Dartford, Kent Co, ENG. Munitions Worker (Vickers). Residence:   42 Dene Rd. John married Isabella RAMSDEN, daughter of James RAMSDEN and Anne GRAHAM, on 22 Dec 1908 in Heworth, Durham,ENG . Isabella was born on 1 Jan 1884 in Windy Nook, Durham, ENG , died in Dec 1949 in Dartford, Kent Co, ENG and was interred at Streatham Crematorium. Children from this marriage were: 1.Annie MOORE (born on 7 Jun 1909 in Gateshead, Durham ENG - died circa 1960 in Dartford, Kent Co, ENG 2. Jennie MOORE (born on 13 Feb 1914 in Eighton Banks, Lamesley, Durham, ENG - died on 18 Oct 2003 in Bodelwyddan, Wales) Regards, Sharon in Canada

In a message dated 30/03/2004 20:01:01 GMT Daylight Time, mwearing@rogers.com writes: Question 1: Can anyone tell me where someone born in Hendon might have been baptized. I have checked the Durham Record Office site, and they state that they have the baptism records from November 1852 to February 1962, and marriage records from April 1854 to February 1968. The building dates from 1852, but the living dates from 1854. Regards Stan Mapstone

In a message dated 30/03/2004 20:01:01 GMT Daylight Time, mwearing@rogers.com writes: Question 1: Can anyone tell me where someone born in Hendon might have been baptized. St. Paul's, Meaburn Street, Hendon from 1854, before that it was in Bishopwearmouth Parish. Regards Stan Mapstone

Hello County Durham list, I have an ancestor, Mary Ann NUNN, wife of James NUNN. Mary Ann is shown in the 1881 census as having been born in Hendon, County Durham, about 1859.. I looked on the map and it appears that Hendon is part of Sunderland. But I could not find Hendon listed in the list of parish registers for County Durham. Question 1: Can anyone tell me where someone born in Hendon might have been baptized. James was born in Walpole Suffolk in 1855. In 1881 James and Mary Ann were living in Washington, County Durham, with their daughter Jane Ann. Question 2: Would someone who moved from Suffolk to Washington likely have moved to work in the coal mines, and done so because of an agricultural depression in Suffolk? Any help much appreciated. Mike, in Toronto

In a message dated 30/03/2004 18:46:02 GMT Daylight Time, anthony.oliveruk@btopenworld.com writes: The place name appears to be Dunsdon. It is probably Dunston. Regards Stan Mapstone

In message <BAY12-F39NL13YJQAq80001c3d6@hotmail.com>, TO Rowell <rowell_genealogy@hotmail.com> writes >Hello List, > >Hope some one on the list might have an answer. > >On the Staindrop baptisms 1806-1921 I have found a Mother (relative) >who had three daughters Baptised 24 Sep 1828, 7 Apr 1833 and 11 Mar >1838 and on all baptisms she is shown as a Spinster. Was there common >law marriages back then? or might there be some other reason that >would cause her show this on the baptisms. I have seen one baptism >showing the mother as spinster, but three!!! > >I have ordered the 1841 Census for Staindrop to see if this might help, >but have my doubts. > >Thanks in advance, > >Thomas > > Hello Thomas, If the children had a middle name which was a surname, then that can sometimes be a pointer to the name of the father. I have an example in my family tree: Jane HOWE, a single woman had a child Thomas DENT HOWE, and DENT is not a name found anywhere else in the HOWE family, so I am pretty certain that Thomas' father was a Mr. DENT. Plus there were DENTs in the village where she was living at that time. I also have come across several instances of women having 2 or 3 children before they eventually married. Sometimes they did not marry. In that respect, things were not that different from modern times! Looking at the census is a good idea - you may find she is living with someone, has married, or else is with her parents. You could also try ordering a film of Staindrop Parish chest material, and looking for a "Bastardy Bond" or examination. These do not always survive, but are worth looking for. If a woman was unable to support herself & child financially, for example if her family rejected her, the parish overseers would try to find out who the father of the child was and either "persuade" the couple to marry, or if this was not possible get him to pay up! They wanted to avoid having to support the child on the parish, as this was expensive. If the child was raised in the local workhouse, they would usually be apprenticed at the age of 12, quite often to someone in a different parish, as that would then give the child settlement in the other parish, through having served an apprenticeship there. The rules of settlement can be quite complicated, and sometimes people were sent from parish to parish, until they found one that would accept them. If settlement papers etc. survive, they should be held at Durham CRO, which has a searchable database. Sometimes the parish overseers made one off payments to needy families, so it may be worth checking to see if there is any mention of the mother in the overseer's account books. <http://www.durham.gov.uk/recordoffice/usp.nsf> As well as looking at the 1841 census, also try to find out if the mother did later get married. If she was single in 1838, the marriage, if there was one, should be indexed in the GRO indexes. Hope this helps with a few ideas. -- Helen Oram

In a message dated 30/03/2004 10:51:51 GMT Daylight Time, helen@wtoram.co.uk writes: You could also try ordering a film of Staindrop Parish chest material, and looking for a "Bastardy Bond" or examination. These do not always survive, but are worth looking for. The bad news is that in general, for most Co Durham parishes they do not survive. The good news is that one of the few parishes for which they do survive is ... Staindrop! However, the Staindrop bastardy orders etc do not seem to go much beyond the end of the old Poor Law in the mid-1830s. Geoff Nicholson 57 Manor Park, Concord, WASHINGTON, Tyne & Wear NE37 2BU Ask for details of NBL/DUR family history research in depth by THE local expert, working for YOU.

In a message dated 30/03/2004 01:09:49 GMT Daylight Time, rowell_genealogy@hotmail.com writes: Was there common law marriages back then? In England and Wales there is no such thing as "common law marriage" (in spite of what you sometimes see in the media), whereby unmarried persons who live together and behave as if they were married are treated as man and wife. It has not been possible to enter into an informal marriage in England and Wales since the passage of Lord Hardwicke's Act in 1753. Regards Stan Mapstone

In a message dated 30/03/2004 01:09:49 GMT Daylight Time, rowell_genealogy@hotmail.com writes: three daughters Baptised 24 Sep 1828, 7 Apr 1833 and 11 Mar 1838 and on all baptisms she is shown as a Spinster. Was there common law marriages back then? or might there be some other reason that would cause her show this on the baptisms. . >From Lord Hardwicke's Marriage Act , which came into force on 1 January 1754 until the introduction of Civil Registation into England and Wales on 1 July 1837 all marriages in England and Wales, to be regarded as legal, had to take place in a Church of England parish church. There was therefore no such thing as "Civil Marriage" (Scotland was different). What there was in effect, however, was "common law marriage", whereby a couple who had never been through any form of marriage ceremony might be regarded as de facto married if they had lived together openly as man and wife for some time. However, such arrangements would not have been recognised by the church. . If the parish register describes a woman as a "spinster" then we have to accept that she was not married - or was not regarded by the church as married. She might have been living in a settled relationship with one man, who was the father of all her children, but to whom she was not married. That could be because he was unable to marry her, owing, perhaps to his already having a wife elsewhere. Remember that divorce was, for all practical purposes, not available in those days, and unlike today married couples were held to the vows they had made so "till death us do part" really did mean what it said. The answer to that situation was quite often to commit bigamy, but if others knew about wife no 1 then that might have been too risky. . The other explanation - that she was simply a loose-living woman with little idea of contraception - is one we shouldn't be too reluctant to apply to our families. Such women did - and do - exist and, more or less by definition, they are someone's ancestors! . To be honest, I think the latter explanation is more likely to be the truth, as if she was in a long-term relationship with one man then he might well have been named as the father in the register. . I note that one of the children you quote was born after 1 July 1837. There should be a birth certificate for him, and it would be worth your while to purchase a copy to see whether the father's name is filed in. At the time (until 1875) the father could be named purely on the mother's word. Geoff Nicholson 57 Manor Park, Concord, WASHINGTON, Tyne & Wear NE37 2BU Ask for details of NBL/DUR family history research in depth by THE local expert, working for YOU.

In a message dated 30/03/2004 01:09:49 GMT Daylight Time, rowell_genealogy@hotmail.com writes: On the Staindrop baptisms 1806-1921 I have found a Mother (relative) who had three daughters Baptised 24 Sep 1828, 7 Apr 1833 and 11 Mar 1838 and on all baptisms she is shown as a Spinster. Since sending my first response to this query I have had another thought, which may be relevant. . Staindrop was the centre of a district within which there were many Quakers. Quakers were, with Jews, the only exceptions tothe rule about weddings always having to be in a C of E parish church. However, although Quakers did conduct their own marriage ceremonies, many C of E clergy did not recognise them, so at one level we might say "Perhaps she was a Quaker". However, this raises the objection that Quakers did not believe in infant baptisms and in any case, had nothing to do with "the steeple house" as they called parish churches. I would therefore say that one scenario you should consider is that perhaps she was an ex-Quaker, who had left the Quakers and returned to the C of E. If that is so, then she would have had to have been baptised, as an adult, and there should be a baptism entry at some date in the register to record that. However, if so, that raises the question of why she and her "husband" did not go through a C of E marriage ceremony to make things completely OK by the C of E. I suppose they might have said that their Quaker wedding was valid in the eyes of the Law and that was all they were bothered about, but the local Vicar might have still been unwilling to recognise it as it was not C of E. It might even be that she had left the Quakers but he husband had not, though, if so, then that would have caused him a lot of grief with his "Friends"! The records of the Staindrop Monthly "Quaker" Meeting (Durham Record Office) might give you more information. Geoff Nicholson 57 Manor Park, Concord, WASHINGTON, Tyne & Wear NE37 2BU Ask for details of NBL/DUR family history research in depth by THE local expert, working for YOU.

In a message dated 29/03/2004 17:25:34 GMT Daylight Time, eric@multiline.com.au writes: Have been unable to trace this location which a line of ERRINGTON's seem to have originated from according to the IGI, Given that "Whelplatch" is not a Co Durham (nor Northumberland) parish, nor the name of any local nonconformist church, the only way in which that location would appear on the IGI is as part of one of the entries submitted, possibly many years ago, to the old CFI, by one of the Mormons' members. As such it will be one of the most dubious entries in what is never an entirely reliable "source". The possibility that the original submitter has mis-read some document is also high - very, very high, in my experience. Here I do think that has happened, and I would guess that what was intended was possibly "Whelp Letch". That is probably just the name of one individual farm: it is not a village or anywhere larger than that. It sounds vaguely familiar to me, though I cannot place it exactly! "Letch" is a local name for a stream - usually a slow-running one through low-lying, boggy, ground. Geoff Nicholson 57 Manor Park, Concord, WASHINGTON, Tyne & Wear NE37 2BU Ask for details of NBL/DUR family history research in depth by THE local expert, working for YOU.

Hello all, Have been unable to trace this location which a line of ERRINGTON's seem to have originated from according to the IGI, any ideas?, TIA, eric@multiline.com.au

I am a new member of this list. If SKS has access to an 1841 or 1851 census could they look in Darlington and see if they can find my ancestor Richard CARLTON, born abt May 1816 in Reeth or Grinton Yorkshire. In 1841 he should be with wife Hannah, born August 1808 in Laxton Yorkshire and daughters Ann, born Darlington 1839 and Jane ( my great grandmother) born King Street Darlington in December 1840. In 1851, Richard may be a widower, and there may be another daughter, Mary born May 1843. I have only just found Richard and his second family in Hull in 1871 and 1861. I have not found where Jane was in 1871, though she married in Liverpool in 1872. Many thanks for any help. Anne.

Hello List, Hope some one on the list might have an answer. On the Staindrop baptisms 1806-1921 I have found a Mother (relative) who had three daughters Baptised 24 Sep 1828, 7 Apr 1833 and 11 Mar 1838 and on all baptisms she is shown as a Spinster. Was there common law marriages back then? or might there be some other reason that would cause her show this on the baptisms. I have seen one baptism showing the mother as spinster, but three!!! I have ordered the 1841 Census for Staindrop to see if this might help, but have my doubts. Thanks in advance, Thomas _________________________________________________________________ MSN Premium includes powerful parental controls and get 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?pgmarket=en-ca&page=byoa/prem&xAPID=1994&DI=1034&SU=http://hotmail.com/enca&HL=Market_MSNIS_Taglines

Hello, I am new to this list and fairly new to tracing my family history, so please forgive me if my request is against the rules. I wonder if someone on the list has access to the 1851 Census for South Shields and could possibly do a look up for me, please. My great grandfather, Thomas BAIRD was born at 17 Chapter Row, Westoe on the 7th April 1849. I am trying to find the marriage of his parents, David BAIRD and Flora AIT....., can't make out her full surname on Thomas's birth certificate. I have searched 1837online from 1839 to 1849 but can't find their marriage so I am hoping they may be on the 1851 Census. If a look-up is not possible, any help or suggestions will be gratefully received. Thank you, Sue (Edinburgh, Scotland)

ADAMS family. This is my family in County Durham. In 1901 they were all in Jarrow, Monkton, or South Shields. John and Anna Maria ADAMS, both originally from Norfolk but living in Jarrow from at least 1891 and there. Their children were: (1) Thomas Henry born Norfolk in 1865/6 (2) Elizabeth Ann born Norfolk 1867 married Isaac HUMPHREY The rest were born in North Shields. (3) Edith Matilda 1870 married John George HUTCHINSON, children in 1901 census George N and Edith M (4) John J 1872/3 wife Elizabeth, children in 1901 census Mary E and Thomas E (5) Emma Anna Eleanor 1879 probably married James RIX, and in 1901 census in Norfolk, children Frederick and Eleanor (6) Charles William 1876/77 Two others Georgina born 1874/5 and Frederick 1881 are apparently not in the 1901 census. Any information about them or their descendants gladly received. M Adams

Hi My father worked at The Shields Engineering & Dry Dock Co. Ltd between 8th January 1945 - 25th November 1946 as an Apprentice Marine Fitter before serving in the Merchant Navy. Can anyone tell me anything about the said company and are records of such apprenterships recorded? Regards, Anthony Anthony Oliver Email: <mailto:anthony.oliveruk@btopenworld.com> anthony.oliveruk@btopenworld.com

Just wanted to say hello again. Its been a while since I was on this list. I have a particular interest in South Shields families at the moment. Some of the names I am researching are : ALLEN WOOD CRUTWELL FARADAY / FARRADAY MACK (originally from Norfolk...moved to South Shields) And I would especially be interested in hearing from anyone who has found a link between South Shields families and the Channel Islands (perhaps with the name LE SEELLEUR). thanks and best wishes Liz

I am researching the family of Jane HEPPLE, probably born in Teesdale, who married Stephen WOOD in Northallerton in 1838. Their daughter, Ann WOOD, was born in Darlington in 1844 and married George NEAL In Stockton in 1867. I would love to hear from anyone with a connection. Angela