Hi folks, Now that Margaret and Rob have solved the mystery of the diary writer, here are the bits that I gathered. I have a few more details like individual census returns, but this is the gist of it: My research suggests that the writer of the diary was Richard Bovil THOMPSON of Stobars Hall, Kirkby Stephen. In 1889 he was a 27-year-old single man, living at Stobars with his mother Annie and younger brother Gerard Elyetson THOMPSON. Richard was the son of Matthew THOMPSON, a landowner (450 acres in 1851), Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Westmorland. Matthew was born on 15 Jun 1815 in Kirkby Stephen, son of Richard THOMPSON and Mary née ELYETSON, who were married on 26 Oct 1812 at Ravenstonedale. Matthew THOMPSON married twice: Firstly, on 27 May 1845 at Ravenstonedale he married Mary DAWSON. With her he had three children: Mary bap. 27 Aug 1847 at Kirkby Stephen (she must be the "M." repeatedly mentioned in the diary), Sybil bap. 20 Oct 1848 and Richard bap. 30 Oct 1855, both of whom died at the age of a few days. The 1851 census showed Matthew THOMPSON, married and aged 35, in Kirkby Stephen (no address given) with daughter Mary aged 3 and three servants, but no sign of wife Mary. Matthew's wife Mary died on 19 Apr 1857. He married his second wife Anne HEWETSON (later always known as Annie), who had been bap. 02 Jan 1834 in Ravenstonedale. Their marriage produced three children: Richard Bovil (the writer of the diary) born December Quarter 1861, Gerard Elyetson ("G." in the diary) born March Quarter 1864, and Edith Annie ("E." or "Edie" in the diary) born March Quarter 1866. Matthew THOMPSON died on 09 May 1871 aged 55, but his widow Annie survived until March Quarter 1919, when she died aged 85. Richard and Gerard were at Stobars in every census between 1871 and 1901. It appears Richard never married. Gerard was still unmarried in 1901; there is a possible marriage to a Letitia E. IRVING in June Quarter 1918. However, in his will he left all his property to a HEWETSON cousin, so does not appear to have had any surviving dependants. I could not find Edith Annie in 1891, but she was still unmarried and living with her mother and brothers at Stobars in 1901. In 1889 Mary and Edith appeared to be living at Waterfoot in Dacre parish in Cumberland. I eventually found Mary on the 1891 census when she was staying with (her aunt) Agnes E. THOMPSON in a boarding house in Holdenhurst, Hampshire, and in 1901 aunt and niece were living together in Market Street, Kirkby Stephen, both single and living on their own means. In 1881 and 1891, a James FURNESS, a gardener, was living at the Lodge or Gardener's House at Stobars, and a labourer by the name of FURNESS is frequently mentioned in the diary. This man got me onto the right trail in the first place! The GANDYs lived at Skirsgill Park in Dacre parish. Henry and John (mentioned as Harry and Johnny GANDY in the diary) were aged 28 and 26 in 1889. The family was "living on their own means", and John and another brother were working as solicitors. Their father Henry Gandy, a retired Captain of the 83rd Regiment and Magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of Westmorland, had died in June Quarter 1888 (his horse was being sold in Penrith the following February, according to the diary). The family had six servants including a butler and a coachman in the 1891 census. The CHAMLEYs lived in Warcop on their own means. "C. CHAMLEY" was their son Charles Braithwaite, aged 18 in 1889. The WYBERGHs also lived in Warcop; their son Hilton was born in 1866 - he died in August 1889. Francis WYBERGH, father of this family, was a farmer, but by 1881 had retired and in 1891 was also said to be living on his own means. F. CHATFIELD, mentioned in July 1889, lived on his own means in Long Marton in 1891 with a wife, 3 children and 3 servants. So the THOMPSONs had plenty of equally privileged associates. I hope everybody enjoyed this little exercise! Petra

Petra, Thanks for sharing that Diary. Even though I could not take the time to try and solve it, I did read all that you posted and it was really great to read in his own shorthand some of what his life was like. It was also fun to hear the facts you presented at the end. Itenhanced the picture I had imagined from his words.  I really enjoyed it. As for the rest of the list I always read all the posts but never comment and I really should. I really appreciate all the articles that are transcribed and posted and I also find it interesting reading about others searches even if they are not mine. So Thanks to everyone who posts and like me just reads on the list. Kathy Smith ________________________________ From: Petra Mitchinson <Petra.Mitchinson@doctors.org.uk> To: Westmorland List <ENG-WESTMORLAND@rootsweb.com>; Cumberland Mailing List <CUMBERLAND@rootsweb.com>; CUL Google Group <Genealogy-Cumberland@googlegroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, October 14, 2009 7:50:42 AM Subject: [ENG-WESTMORLAND] 1889 Cumbrian Diary - Richard Bovil THOMPSON Hi folks, Now that Margaret and Rob have solved the mystery of the diary writer, here are the bits that I gathered. I have a few more details like individual census returns, but this is the gist of it: My research suggests that the writer of the diary was Richard Bovil THOMPSON of Stobars Hall, Kirkby Stephen. In 1889 he was a 27-year-old single man, living at Stobars with his mother Annie and younger brother Gerard Elyetson THOMPSON. Richard was the son of Matthew THOMPSON, a landowner (450 acres in 1851), Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Westmorland. Matthew was born on 15 Jun 1815 in Kirkby Stephen, son of Richard THOMPSON and Mary née ELYETSON, who were married on 26 Oct 1812 at Ravenstonedale. Matthew THOMPSON married twice: Firstly, on 27 May 1845 at Ravenstonedale he married Mary DAWSON. With her he had three children: Mary bap. 27 Aug 1847 at Kirkby Stephen (she must be the "M." repeatedly mentioned in the diary), Sybil bap. 20 Oct 1848 and Richard bap. 30 Oct 1855, both of whom died at the age of a few days. The 1851 census showed Matthew THOMPSON, married and aged 35, in Kirkby Stephen (no address given) with daughter Mary aged 3 and three servants, but no sign of wife Mary. Matthew's wife Mary died on 19 Apr 1857. He married his second wife Anne HEWETSON (later always known as Annie), who had been bap. 02 Jan 1834 in Ravenstonedale. Their marriage produced three children: Richard Bovil (the writer of the diary) born December Quarter 1861, Gerard Elyetson ("G." in the diary) born March Quarter 1864, and Edith Annie ("E." or "Edie" in the diary) born March Quarter 1866. Matthew THOMPSON died on 09 May 1871 aged 55, but his widow Annie survived until March Quarter 1919, when she died aged 85. Richard and Gerard were at Stobars in every census between 1871 and 1901. It appears Richard never married. Gerard was still unmarried in 1901; there is a possible marriage to a Letitia E. IRVING in June Quarter 1918. However, in his will he left all his property to a HEWETSON cousin, so does not appear to have had any surviving dependants. I could not find Edith Annie in 1891, but she was still unmarried and living with her mother and brothers at Stobars in 1901. In 1889 Mary and Edith appeared to be living at Waterfoot in Dacre parish in Cumberland. I eventually found Mary on the 1891 census when she was staying with (her aunt) Agnes E. THOMPSON in a boarding house in Holdenhurst, Hampshire, and in 1901 aunt and niece were living together in Market Street, Kirkby Stephen, both single and living on their own means. In 1881 and 1891, a James FURNESS, a gardener, was living at the Lodge or Gardener's House at Stobars, and a labourer by the name of FURNESS is frequently mentioned in the diary. This man got me onto the right trail in the first place! The GANDYs lived at Skirsgill Park in Dacre parish. Henry and John (mentioned as Harry and Johnny GANDY in the diary) were aged 28 and 26 in 1889. The family was "living on their own means", and John and another brother were working as solicitors. Their father Henry Gandy, a retired Captain of the 83rd Regiment and Magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of Westmorland, had died in June Quarter 1888 (his horse was being sold in Penrith the following February, according to the diary). The family had six servants including a butler and a coachman in the 1891 census. The CHAMLEYs lived in Warcop on their own means. "C. CHAMLEY" was their son Charles Braithwaite, aged 18 in 1889. The WYBERGHs also lived in Warcop; their son Hilton was born in 1866 - he died in August 1889. Francis WYBERGH, father of this family, was a farmer, but by 1881 had retired and in 1891 was also said to be living on his own means. F. CHATFIELD, mentioned in July 1889, lived on his own means in Long Marton in 1891 with a wife, 3 children and 3 servants. So the THOMPSONs had plenty of equally privileged associates. I hope everybody enjoyed this little exercise! Petra ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ENG-WESTMORLAND-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

This has been really interesting and although I didn't come near to solving it I have looked through all the info and wondered who it could be. I even had a bright idea it could have been HRH Prince Edward but then decided it wasn't such a bright idea after all! Judy -----Original Message----- From: eng-westmorland-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:eng-westmorland-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Petra Mitchinson Sent: 14 October 2009 15:51 To: Westmorland List; Cumberland Mailing List; CUL Google Group Subject: [ENG-WESTMORLAND] 1889 Cumbrian Diary - Richard Bovil THOMPSON Hi folks, Now that Margaret and Rob have solved the mystery of the diary writer, here are the bits that I gathered. I have a few more details like individual census returns, but this is the gist of it: My research suggests that the writer of the diary was Richard Bovil THOMPSON of Stobars Hall, Kirkby Stephen. In 1889 he was a 27-year-old single man, living at Stobars with his mother Annie and younger brother Gerard Elyetson THOMPSON. Richard was the son of Matthew THOMPSON, a landowner (450 acres in 1851), Justice of the Peace and Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Westmorland. Matthew was born on 15 Jun 1815 in Kirkby Stephen, son of Richard THOMPSON and Mary née ELYETSON, who were married on 26 Oct 1812 at Ravenstonedale. Matthew THOMPSON married twice: Firstly, on 27 May 1845 at Ravenstonedale he married Mary DAWSON. With her he had three children: Mary bap. 27 Aug 1847 at Kirkby Stephen (she must be the "M." repeatedly mentioned in the diary), Sybil bap. 20 Oct 1848 and Richard bap. 30 Oct 1855, both of whom died at the age of a few days. The 1851 census showed Matthew THOMPSON, married and aged 35, in Kirkby Stephen (no address given) with daughter Mary aged 3 and three servants, but no sign of wife Mary. Matthew's wife Mary died on 19 Apr 1857. He married his second wife Anne HEWETSON (later always known as Annie), who had been bap. 02 Jan 1834 in Ravenstonedale. Their marriage produced three children: Richard Bovil (the writer of the diary) born December Quarter 1861, Gerard Elyetson ("G." in the diary) born March Quarter 1864, and Edith Annie ("E." or "Edie" in the diary) born March Quarter 1866. Matthew THOMPSON died on 09 May 1871 aged 55, but his widow Annie survived until March Quarter 1919, when she died aged 85. Richard and Gerard were at Stobars in every census between 1871 and 1901. It appears Richard never married. Gerard was still unmarried in 1901; there is a possible marriage to a Letitia E. IRVING in June Quarter 1918. However, in his will he left all his property to a HEWETSON cousin, so does not appear to have had any surviving dependants. I could not find Edith Annie in 1891, but she was still unmarried and living with her mother and brothers at Stobars in 1901. In 1889 Mary and Edith appeared to be living at Waterfoot in Dacre parish in Cumberland. I eventually found Mary on the 1891 census when she was staying with (her aunt) Agnes E. THOMPSON in a boarding house in Holdenhurst, Hampshire, and in 1901 aunt and niece were living together in Market Street, Kirkby Stephen, both single and living on their own means. In 1881 and 1891, a James FURNESS, a gardener, was living at the Lodge or Gardener's House at Stobars, and a labourer by the name of FURNESS is frequently mentioned in the diary. This man got me onto the right trail in the first place! The GANDYs lived at Skirsgill Park in Dacre parish. Henry and John (mentioned as Harry and Johnny GANDY in the diary) were aged 28 and 26 in 1889. The family was "living on their own means", and John and another brother were working as solicitors. Their father Henry Gandy, a retired Captain of the 83rd Regiment and Magistrate and Deputy Lieutenant of Westmorland, had died in June Quarter 1888 (his horse was being sold in Penrith the following February, according to the diary). The family had six servants including a butler and a coachman in the 1891 census. The CHAMLEYs lived in Warcop on their own means. "C. CHAMLEY" was their son Charles Braithwaite, aged 18 in 1889. The WYBERGHs also lived in Warcop; their son Hilton was born in 1866 - he died in August 1889. Francis WYBERGH, father of this family, was a farmer, but by 1881 had retired and in 1891 was also said to be living on his own means. F. CHATFIELD, mentioned in July 1889, lived on his own means in Long Marton in 1891 with a wife, 3 children and 3 servants. So the THOMPSONs had plenty of equally privileged associates. I hope everybody enjoyed this little exercise! Petra ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to ENG-WESTMORLAND-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.421 / Virus Database: 270.14.9/2428 - Release Date: 10/13/09 19:11:00