Ancestry of Winifred Campling of Grimsby

I have recently made contact with a Miriam Cobley, wife of Wilton Cobley. Wilton's father was Carl Cobley,and his grandfather was George Quibell Cobley whose tree I have been compiling in another blog page.
Miriam now aged 93 has asked me to see if I can find anything about her mother's family history, so here goes.

Miriam told me that her mother, Winifred Campling had a sister called Edith who died in 1992 aged 92, so born in 1900, another sister called Mary who died aged 90, and sister called Jane born in Grasby, and brothers called Percy & Frank and maybe more too. So I went first to search for Edith Campling born 1900 in Grasby, Lincolnshire, looking in the 1911 Census for England. This was the result.

George CAMPLING & Family living at Grasby, Lincolnshire.
1911: George CAMPLING, Head of the family, 61, Married, Farm Labourer, worker, born Riby, Lincolnshire
Christiana CAMPLING, Wife, 51, Married for 28 years, with 11 children born alive, 3 who have died and 8 still living, Born at Sea, A British Subject, by parentage
Percy CAMPLING, Son, 13, Farm Labourer, worker, born at Audleby, Lincolnshire.
Edith CAMPLING, Daughter, 10, Born Audleby, Lincolnshire
Winifred CAMPLING, Daughter, 7, Born Audleby, Lincolnshire
Frank CAMPLING, son, 4, Born Grasby, Lincolnshire
Elizabeth CAMPLING daughter, 7 months, born Grasby, Lincolnshire.
The family live on Brigg Road, Grasby, Caistor, next door to the Blue Bell Inn.

So straightaway something interesting-Christiana CAMPLING, born at sea, not say which sea, but from her age about 1860, with a parent who was British. This census shows Winifred CAMPLING born about 1904, and Edith her sister born about 1900, and also brothers of Frank born 1904 & Percy, born 1898 and a sister called Elizabeth. Okay Miriam mentioned Grasby, which is a small village between Caistor & Brigg, on the Lincolnshire Wolds. Audleby, that was puzzling, 

So ten years earlier in the 1901 census

1901 Census: Audleby, Lincolnshire:

Living in a four roomed house, and living next door to Charles Wilson a horse dealer in Audleby Villa.

George CAMPLING, head of family, married, 51, Farm Labourer, Born Riby, Lincolnshire

Christiana CAMPLING, wife, married, 39, Born Hamburg, Germany, B.S. (British Subject)

Jane A CAMPLING, daughter, 15, born Scawby Brook, Lincolnshire

Georgiana A CAMPLING, daughter, 10, Born Searby, Lincolnshire

Bertha C CAMPLING, daughter, 6, Born Audleby, Lincolnshire

Percy CAMPLING, son, 2, Born Audleby, Lincolnshire

Edith H. CAMPLING, daughter, 3 months, born Audleby, Lincolnshire.

So something more about Christiana-born in Hamburg, Germany, so most likely she was born on a ship on the German Ocean-the North Sea. Also a daughter Jane A., born 1886, Georgiana A. in 1891, Bertha C., born 1895-so George & Christiana moved around a bit in Lincolnshire.

1891 Census, Living in Searby Village, near Brigg:

George CAMPLING, head of family, Married, age 41, Agricultural Labourer, Born Riby, Lincolnshire

Christiana CAMPLING, wife, married, 29, Born at Sea, (British Subject)

William CAMPLING, son, 15, Agricultural Labourer, born Roxby, Lincolnshire

Charles CAMPLING, son, 13, Agricultural Labourer, born Roxby, Lincolnshire.

Jane Ann CAMPLING, daughter, 5, Scholar, Born Searby, Lincolnshire

Georgiana CAMPLING, daughter, 6 months, born Searby, Lincolnshire.

So another sibling for Winifred-William born 1876, Charles, born 1878, and maybe Jane Ann born in Searby as opposed to Scawby-that might be spelling &transcription.

So it looks like they were in Searby in 1886 judging on the age of Jane Ann CAMPLING, and once again Christiana says she was born at sea, about 1852, but still a British Subject. The other two sons, William & Charles were born in Roxby, which is near Risby, Lincolnshire, that's south west of Caistor, as opposed to Searby which is north east of Caistor. So George CAMPLING worked as a farm labourer in several different places mostly in tied rented property.

1881 Census: Owston Farm & Houses, in the district of Gainsborough, Lincolnshire.

George CAMPLING, head, married, 31, Shepherd, born Riby, Lincolnshire

Ann Elizabeth CAMPLING, wife, married, 27, Born Brigg, Lincolnshire

Frederic George CAMPLING, son, 7, Scholar, born High Melwood, Lincolnshire.

William CAMPLING, Son, 5, Scholar, born Roxby, Lincolnshire

Charles CAMPLING, son, 3, Born Roxby, Lincolnshire.

Sarah Elizabeth CAMPLING, daughter, 11 months, born High Melwood, Lincolnshire.

2 addresses away is the hamlet of Low Melwood, Lincolnshire, so maybe where they are living is High Melwood.

It looks like George was married twice, once to Ann Elizabeth and then to Christiana. So some of the children in this census are children of George and Christiana and others's mother is Ann Elizabeth. Now to find the death of Ann Elizabeth and George's marriage to Christiana, which will then show whose children she was the mother for.
So I went to search for the second marriage to a lady called Christiana, born at sea and found this record on FreeBMD
Marriages Dec 1886: FreeBMD: http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/search.pl
CAMPLING George Glanford B. 7a 1333
Eggers Christiania Glanford Brigg 7a 1333

Maybe the record of marriage might show a bit more about Christiana's parentage, but it might not of course, depending on what she knew about her birth etc, however I have found this now which is pretty interesting when you read the following Census records for 1871 & 1881.

Christiana Thompson Eggers, England Births and Christenings
Name Christiana Thompson Eggers, Female, 20 Nov 1864, Horkstow, Lincoln, England daughter of Wilhelmina Inderina Carlotta Eggers:
 "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N68X-438 : accessed 9 December 2015), Christiana Thompson Eggers, 20 Nov 1864; citing Horkstow, Lincoln, England, reference item 2 p 48; FHL microfilm 1,450,458.

I tried to look up the same baptism on Lincstothepast, but the baptisms http://www.lincstothepast.com/Baptisms/723310.record?pt=T are at Lincolnshire Archives. The name Wilhelmina Inderina Carlotta Eggers is a transcription from the original, held by Lincolnshire Archives-Carlotta could be Charlotte, or the German equivalent. The second forename THOMPSON might indicate her father's name, and as she says that she was born at sea on several occasions, 1871, 1881, 1891 & 1911, and only in 1901 did she say Hamburg, Germany, maybe she was born at sea,with a mother from Hamburg.

Not sure how significant it is but you will note that there is a person called THOMPSON with the family in both 1871 & 1881, and in 1867, the family were in Horkstow, Lincolnshire when their son Charles was born. However I noticed that in the census of 1881, the Simpson family have a child called Goodhand SIMPSON, such a strange choice for a forename, usually a surname, but then searching FreeBMd for a marriage of Charles Simpson to Mary I found this marriage: Marriages Jun 1860   (>99%) Goodhand Mary Elizabeth ,  Glanford Brigg, 7a, 1401 & Simpson George ,  Glanford Brigg,  7a, 1401. So George Simpson’s wife was Mary Elizabeth GOODHAND. Mary was the daughter of Charles & Mary Goodhand, born in Worlaby, Lincolnshire, this is the baptism. November 25 1838, Mary Elizabeth, daughter of Charles & Mary Goodhand of Worlaby, Shepherd. So no link to a Thompson there.

Christiana CAMPLING in 1871 CENSUS
PotterHanworth
3: Ealand’s Fen Potterhanworth: Owner Robert EALAND
George SIMPSON, Head, Married, 32, Farm Bailiff,born Tealby, Lincolnshire
Mary SIMPSON, Wife, Married, 33, Bailiff’;s Wife, Born Worlaby, Lincolnshire
Charles SIMPSON, Son, 4, Scholar, Born Horkstow, Lincolnshire
Harriet SIMPSON, daughter, 2, Born, Potterhanworth, Lincolnshire
Mary SIMPSON, daughter, Born, Potterhanworth, Lincolnshire
George THOMPSON, Servant, Unmarried, 21, Farm Servant, Born, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire
John BROWN, servant, Unmarried, 18, Farm Servant, Born, Surfleet, Lincolnshire
Charles CLAPTON, Servant, Unmarried, 16, Farm Servant, Born, Fishtoft, Lincolnshire
Sophia GARNER, 17, Servant Domestic, Born, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Christiana Eggers, Boarder, 6, Scholar, born, On The Ocean

Christiana EGGERS in 1881 Census: (Glentworth, Lincolnshire)
George SIMPSON, Head, Married, 42, Foreman, Born Ottley, Lincolnshire
Mary E  SIMPSON, wife, married, 42, Born Worlaby, Lincolnshire
Christiana Eggars, servant, Unmarried, 17, Born at Sea
Charles SIMPSON, Son, 15, Ding Boy, Horkstow, Lincolnshire
Harriet SIMPSON, daughter, 11, Scholar, born Potterhanworth, Lincolnshire
Mary C SIMPSON, daughter, 11, Scholar, born Potterhanworth
Thomas SIMPSON, son, 9, ditto, born, ditto, ditto.
Goodhand SIMPSON, 7, ditto, born Rocksby, Lincolnshire
Charles Garrit, servant, Unmarried, 19, Farm Servant, born Barrow, Lincolnshire
Henry Pennington, servant, Unmarried, 18, ditto, born Hibaldstow, Lincolnshire
Joe Green, servant, unmarried, 18, ditto, born Middle Rasen, Lincolnshire
Robert THOMPSON, servant, Unmarried, 19, ditto, born Cattlethorpe, Lincolnshire
Henry Harries, Labourer, 21, Ag Labourer, born Ossington, Lincolnshire

So then I went in search of his first wife in the census and marriage records. Firstly 1861 census for George Campling

Well George wasn't married in 1861, he was living at home with his parents William Campling and his wife Elizabeth. The record states:
Riby Village:
William Campling, head, Married, age 46, Agricultural Labourer, Born Binbrook, Lincolnshire
Elizabeth Campling, Wife, married, age 46, Labourer’s Wife, born Laceby, Lincolnshire
Jane Campling, Daughter, Unmarried, 14, Labourer’s daughter, born Laceby, Lincolnshire
George Campling, son, unmarried, 11, Scholar, Born Laceby, Lincolnshire

So now we know that Winifred's paternal grandfather was called William and her paternal grandmother was called Elizabeth, and George had a sister called Jane who was 3 years old than himself.

Okay so I can search for this family soon, but to get back to George first lets look for him in 1871 if we can find him that is. I have found in my searches for him that sometimes he uses Camplin as opposed to Campling. Maybe he wasn't sure of the spelling.

Well I searched for George in the 1871 Census for Riby and couldn't find him-his parents were there but not George or the rest of the family either, so George has gone on to work somewhere else.Well I can't find him despite many choices of name search, so to FreeBMD to find his marriage to an Ann Eliza/Elizabeth.

This was the result: Marriages Mar 1873    

CAMPLING, George, at  Glanford Brigg, 7a, 902   

Curtis, Ann Eliza W at Glanford Brigg, 7a, 902

So George married Ann Eliza W Curtis in the March quarter of 1863 at Glanford Brigg, well I thought that was a registration district as opposed to a place, but at least I have a record if I want to send for a certificate. A bit more information comes from Family Search Website

 George Campling, born 1850, Age, 23, son of William Campling

Married Ann Eliza Wilson Curtis, born 1854, 19, daughter of George Wilson CURTIS

On 10 March 1873, at Glanford-Brigg, Lincolnshire, England

Source:

"England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NX73-KMY : accessed 12 December 2015), George Campling and Ann Eliza Wilson Curtis, 10 Mar 1873; citing Glanford-Brigg, Lincoln, England, reference 2:3JMVTQL; FHL microfilm 1,450,443.

Their children were, the dates were their baptisms-so George & Ann Eliza moved around a bit again.

a. Frederick George Campling, 30 Mar 1874, Glanford Brigg, Lincolnshire, England son of George &
Ann Eliza.
b. Charles Campling, 20 June 1880 Owston, Lincolnshire, England George & Annie
c. Sarah Elizabeth Campling, 20 June 1880 Owston, Lincoln, England, George &Annie
We know from the 1881 census above that there more children than above in the family then, and that Ann Elizabeth was born in Brigg and not Glanford Brigg as above. Ann Eliza Campling died in 1881:

Deaths Dec 1881 , Campling,  Ann Eliza age  27    Glanford Brigg  7a, 376
Sarah Elizabeth Campling died in the March quarter of 1882 aged 1 in Glanford Brigg Registration area so probably at Roxby cum Risby or Owston Ferry.

So Ann Eliza Campling, George’s first wife died in the December quarter of 1881 aged 27, so born about 1854. On Ancestry there are some other persons researching the same Campling family, so I thought I would have a look at some of their research and see if it helps me at all. I also today tried to find George Campling's grandfather, and where he was was born. All the sources I have looked at so far indicate that he was born about 1815 and in Binbrook, Lincolnshire. There were two parish churches in Binbrook, St Gabriel is the oldest, and was used in the days of this Campling family but looking through the baptisms on Lincstothepast from 1812 to 121, no Camplings were christened in that place, so they must have been christened elsewhere. Anyway lets get back to Ann Eliza/Elizabeth Wilson CURTIS, George Campling's first wife. The census of 1881 says she was born in Brigg, and on the marriage record to George Campling her father is mentioned as George Wilson Curtis, well at least someone called George Wilson was present at the marriage as a witness.

I have been looking up this story of this lady and think have found the answer. When she was born in 1854 as per the record, her father was George Wilson and her mother was Sarah Curtis, then still married to John Curtis, but I think he had deserted her, and she was now co-habiting with George Wilson in Scawby & Sturton near Brigg.
In  the  1851 census: Scawby, Lincolnshire:- James Street:
George B. Wilson, Head, Unmarried, 31, Poulterer, born North Kelsey, Lincolnshire
Sarah CURTISS, House-Keeper, Married, 23, born Worlaby, Lincolnshire
Joseph PEARSON, Visitor, 1, Born Broughton, Lincolnshire.

Maybe that's why there is no baptism for her at that time. However in the June quarter of 1858, her mother Sarah Curtis nee Pearson, marries George Wilson. (see Free BMD Marriages Jun 1858: Curtis, Sarah & Wilson, George:- Glanford Brigg: 7a: 1290

I have now obtained a copy of this marriage record which I have transcribed thus:

1858 Marriage, solemnized by Banns in the Parish Church of Scawby in the County of Lincoln.

125: 26^th May 1858, George Wilson of age Bachelor Labourer of Scawby, father unknown as is occupation & Sarah Curtis, of age, Widow, of Scawby, daughter of William Pearson, Tailor were married in this church: Both bride & groom signed the record.

Note Sarah describes her marital status as widow & that George Wilson cannot name his father, not his occupation. This fits very well with a christening record I found for a George Wilson at Redbourne Church on 18 November 1817.

 Redbourne Parish Records - Baptisms (1816-1818) 18th November 1817, George, illegitimate son of George Vernart & Elizabeth WILSON, of Redbourne, father's occupation, sailor. by Robt' Palmer.

- Ann Eliza is christened on 3rd June 1858, at Glanford Brigg-not sure where that is exactly-it wasn't at Scawby, so maybe at Brigg. So maybe Sarah & George were married before that date, now I know that they were, and so was their son George Frederick Wilson-such a happy day that must have been for this family, two people happily married at last christening their two young children at the same time.

She had previously married John Curtis at Elsham, Lincolnshire, on 3 July 1844-seehttp://mi.lincolnshiremarriages.org.uk/  Glanford Brigg sheet)

3 July 1844, John Curtis, son of John Curtis married, Sarah Pearson, daughter of William Pearson at Worlaby, Lincolnshire. (Ancestry-& Family Search)

Marriage of John CURTIS to Sarah PEARSON 03 July 1844 at Elsham, Lincolnshire.

John Curtis, son of George CURTIS, & Sarah PEARSON daughter of William PEARSON were married by Banns on 3 July 1844 in presence of parents

Source: "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVJT-FLX : accessed 15 December 2015), John Curtis and Sarah Pearson, 03 Jul 1844; citing Elsham, Lincoln, England, reference ; FHL microfilm 1542178 IT 5.

Looking in the 1841 Census for Worlaby, for the Pearson family & Curtis Family, this is the entry for both families:
George CURTIS, age 50, Pensioner, Born Lincolnshire
Hannah CURTIS, age 50, Born Lincolnshire
Thomas CURTIS, age 20, Born Lincolnshire
John CURTIS, age 15, born Lincolnshire
Hannah Hill, age 9, born Lincolnshire

William PEARSON, age 35, Tailor, Born Lincolnshire
Sarah PEARSON, age 36, Born Lincolnshire
Mary PEARSON, age 15, Born Lincolnshire
Sarah PEARSON, age 14, Born Lincolnshire
Edward PEARSON, age 12, Born Lincolnshire
William PEARSON, age 10, born Lincolnshire
John PEARSON, age 7, born Lincolnshire
Eliza PEARSON, age 5, born Lincolnshire
Pricila PEARSON, age 3, Born Lincolnshire
Paul PEARSON age 2 weeks, born Lincolnshire

So having found the Curtis family in Worlaby on the same page of the census as the Pearson family, and having found the marriage details above showing the parents of John and his wife Sarah I went looking for the Curtis family in the census following the 1841 Census. Yes I had found Sarah Curtiss nee Pearson living in the same household as George Wilson and acting as his house-keeper, so I went searching for Thomas Curtis and found that he married a Maria Girdham of Worlaby on 7 July 1841 at Elsham, Lincolnshire the same church as his brother John in 1844. In the 1851 census, Thomas & Maria are living in Grasby, Lincolnshire, Thomas a part publican and small time farmer, but more crucially to prove the fact that it was the correct person his sister-in-law, Mary Girdham was also at the house. Thomas's birthplace in this census is shown as Bleasby, Lincolnshire, which is a small place near Legsby but doesn't have a church. I had already found that both boys were christened in Legsby Parish church, so thought that's where they were born too, but seeing the 1851 Census for Thomas realised that the family in the early 1820's lived in Bleasby, not Legsby, but were just christened there, Thomas in 1817 & John in 1823.

On the above photograph, Bleasby is just below Legsby, where you can see the symbol for a church with a tower-that black square block with a cross. This is that church

So looking through the census for Thomas & his wife Mary I soon found that the marriage broke down, and Mary went back to live in Worlaby with her parents where she had a son called Thomas born about 1856, but not christened in Worlaby. Well there is a child at the same house as her but the relationship between that child and Mary's father is nephew, so maybe the child isn't hers & her husband Thomas. Meanwhile, Thomas Curtis, her husband carried on living in Grasby by himself until he died in 1881 and was buried in All Saints Churchyard on 22 September 1881. Mary too stayed in Worlaby until her death in 1876, and she was buried in Worlaby St Clements Churchyard on on 29th November 1876. By that time her son  Thomas who was an apprentice shoemaker in 1871, was married to Emily. 

So then I started looking for a John Curtis, born in Bleasby in 1823, and to my surprise there he was in Worlaby, working as a carrier, and living with Jane Curtis, born Ferriby, aged 26 whom he  he calls his wife. So what was his wife Sarah to do when he deserted her and went off and lived with another woman-she had to earn some money somehow, so she went to live with George Wilson. I can't find a record of John marrying this Jane before the census entry of 1851, but according to Worlaby by Brigg Parish Records - Baptisms (1851) December 21, 1851, Mary Jane daughter of John & Jane CURTIS of Worlaby, Labourer, by Rich'd Boty, Vicar.

Then this child as well: Worlaby By Brigg Parish Records - Baptisms (1852-1853)

December 21 1852, George Son of John & Jane CURTIS, of Worlaby Vicarage, father's occupation, Carrier, by Rich'd Boty, vicar. I wonder why John & Jane Curtis were living at Worlaby Vicarage when their child George was christened? Maybe things were getting a little difficult. 

Just received the birth certificate of Winifred CAMPLING and marriage certificate of George & Christiana CAMPLING.

1903 Birth in the Sub-district of Caistor in the County of Lincoln

348: Twenty Second September 1903 in CaistorRD: Winifred: girl: (daughter of) George Campling & Christiana Campling formerly Eggers, Father’s occupation Agricultural Labourer-Foreman, Informant: C. Campling, mother, at Audley Top, on 31 October 1903 to Septimus Skipworth, Registrar.  Note the family lived at Audley Top in 1903, not where I thought it was near Audley House.

This a map showing Audley Top:

Below is a copy of George Campling's marriage record

1886 Marriage Solemnized at Primitive Methodist Chapel Bridge Street, Brigg in the District of Glanford Brigg in Lincolnshire

156: Twentieth October 1886, George Campling 35 years, Widower, Farm Labourer of Scawby Brook, son of William Campling (deceased) Husbandman & Christiana Eggers, 23 years, spinster, Housekeeper, of Scawby Brook, (no details known of her father) were married in the Primitive Chapel by John Wilson; Both persons signed the certificate, witnessed by Fred Speed & Mary Jane Driffill. (A. M. Sergant Registrar.

So Christiana never knew the name of her father-the only thing I can discover was that he was British, because of the note on the 1901 & 1911 Census-British Subject by Parentage.

"Christiana CAMPLING, Wife, 51, Married for 28 years, with 11 children born alive, 3 who have died and 8 still living, Born at Sea, A British Subject, by parentage"

Just who were these children that Christiana & George had that died before the census of 1911?

To find out I went to a CD I have in my possession produced by Lincolnshire Family History Society called "Lincolnshire Parish Register Burials Volume 2 1813-1900, Haverstoe, Westwold & Yarborough Deaneries"

If you want a copy of this CD, then it's accessible from this organisation at http://www.lincolnshirefhs.org.uk/index.php/publications  It seems that all the parishes of Lincolnshire were grouped together in what is known as Deaneries-the same organisation has a map on its website showing the deaneries and the parishes within them. This is the pdf of the deaneries within Lincolnshire

 http://www.lincolnshirefhs.org.uk/images/lfhs-publications/DeaneryMap.pdf

 The list shows which publications contain entries for a each parish. If you have ancestors from a particular parish, you can easily see which publications might be of interest to you.

http://www.lincolnshirefhs.org.uk/images/lfhs-publications/PublicationsCoverage.pdf

 The LFHS uses volunteers, like me to help them transcribe the information from the parish records and then publishes them for anyone to purchase and use. So that's what I turned to when I wanted to discover the identity of the children that Christiana was talking about.

I couldn't find the christening of Florence Minnie & Margaret Campling on any online records, so asked at Grimsby Central Library, Local Studies Department if they could help. Sure enough they found the christening of Margaret Campling-well it was a very smudged entry, that I had to ask Lincolnshire Archives if they could help decipher the image as they have the original records. They confirmed that the entry was that of Margaret.

1. Florence Minnie CAMPLING, buried 15 November 1888, at Searby Cum Ownby, St Nicholas, died at Searby, aged 1plus.

2. Margaret Campling: Christened “Privately baptised being sick” July 15th, 1888, Margaret, daughter of George & Christiana Campling of Searby, Father’s occupation, Labourer, by T J M Townsend, vicar.

Margaret Campling, buried 30 September 1888 at Searby Cum Ownby, St Nicholas died at Searby as an infant.

3. Mary Rose Campling,christening, 3 Aug 1893, at Searby Cum Owmby, Lincolnshire, England daughter of George & Christiana.

Burial: 14 September 1893, died at Audleby, aged 6weeks, buried at Searby cum Owmby, St. Nicholas.

So these are the children she was talking about.

Now to get back to the story of John Curtis & his wife Sarah Pearson-remember in 1851, she was in the same house as George Wilson in Scawby and acting as his house keeper with a small child called Joseph Pearson aged 1, born at Broughton by Brigg in 1850. John Curtis in that same year was in the same house in Worlaby as a Jane CURTIS, his wife, born in South Ferriby. This couple have 2 children born to them & christened at Worlaby, Mary Jane in 1851 & George in 1852, but then 10 years later, Jane is living in Priestgate, Barton-on-Humber, Lincolnshire, 

1861 England Census for Jane Dunn

Lincolnshire St Peter District 13

Barton-on Humber

Jane DUNN, Head, Unmarried, 32, born Ferriby, Lincolnshire

Mary J DUNN, 9, Scholar, born Worlaby, Lincolnshire

Sarah A. DUNN, 7, born Worlaby, Lincolnshire

Emily Blakestone, Nurse Child, 3, born Hull, Yorkshire

Havila SMITH, Visitor, Married, 51, Nurse in Domestic Service, Born Barton, Lincolnshire.

I can find the christening of Mary Jane CURTIS at Worlaby, but despite looking through all the christenings there, there isn't a record of a Sarah A CURTIS or DUNN being christened there or at Barton-on-Humber St Peter. By this census of 1861, whereas Jane Dunn is in Barton-on-Humber with the family, John CURTIS is nowhere to be seen. Maybe that was why Sarah felt she was able to marry George Wilson in 1858 and so legitimise her children with him. Certainly after that date she and George had several children together, with George dying sometime between 1871 & 1881. Sarah died in 1912. Sarah named her self as a widow on he marriage record, so maybe John CURTIS was dead. 

Sarah's father, William Pearson, like the rest of his family left the countryside of Lincolnshire and went into the industrial cities to find work. William went to Sheffield as did his sons Robinson Paul & Edwards, whilst William & Peter went to Dewsbury. William Pearson, father of these children went to Sheffield, re-married after his first wife and mother of the children died in 1849 in Broughton by Brigg. William died in 1875-his death was announced in a local newspaper-

Sheffield Daily Telegraph-DEATHS: PEARSON; June 8, William PEARSON, tailor, 17, Johnson Street, aged 73.

All William Pearson's children were born between him and his wife Sarah Robinson-the last being named after his wife's maiden name Robinson, though he used his second forename Paul as his main forename. In 1851, William has given up being a tailor in the small village of Worlaby and moved to Broughton by Brigg where he is a licensed victualler-a publican, so maybe by then so many people have moved from Worlaby, that there isn't any work for a tailor. Some after 1851 he goes to Sheffield and re-marries, because 20 years later that's where he is, but I can't find him yet in 1861 Census or the maiden name of his wife Ann or when & where they married. 

So now I am going to again at this little girl born at sea, or on the ocean, Christiana Thompson EGGERS, who became George CAMPLING's second wife & Winifred's mother in 1904. In the 1871 Census above she is with the SIMPSON family in Potterhanworth with George SIMPSON born Tealby & Mary SIMPSON nee Goodhand, born Worlaby, Lincolnshire. Christiana was christened at HORKSTOW, Lincolnshire, which you can see on the map below which I own.

Horkstow is a hamlet with a church with a tower just a few miles north of Worlaby, and not far from South Ferriby & Barton upon Humber. So with the child being christened in Horkstow, and Mary SIMPSON being brought up at WORLABY it's much more likely that the child was adopted by Mary's family than that of her husband George SIMPSON who was from Tealby, a little further south from Worlaby. I have found their marriage, 15 May 1860 & Elsham Parish Church-you can see it on the above map, that black square with a cross on it, another church with a tower.The Source of their marriage:

England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NVJT-JFR : accessed 29 December 2015), George Simpson and Mary Elizabeth Goodhand, 15 May 1860; citing Elsham, Lincoln, England, reference ; FHL microfilm 1542178 IT 5.

A year later, in the census of 1861, the Simpson family are in South Killingholme with a young son called John, aged 2months-the christened him on 26 February 1861 at Killingholme Parish Church.

Killingholme Parish Records - Baptisms (1861-1862)

26 February 1861, John son of George & Mary Elizabeth SIMPSON, of South Killingholme, Labourer, by J Byrom vicar

Source: http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=543178&iid=275909

At this time Christiana hasn't been born-she was christened at Horkstow Parish Church on 20 November 1864. 

Going through the baptisms at Killingholme Church after 1861-the christening of John SIMPSON, there are not any other christenings for that family there, so they must have moved on somewhere else. In the Census of 1871, when Christiana is at the home in Potterhanworth, there isn't a John SIMPSON there born South Killingholme, so I think he must have died between his christening in 1861 and 1867, when their next child appears to have been born in Horkstow according to that Census.Well it wasn't at Killingholme, have checked all the burials there up to 1868 and no one by the name of SIMPSON was buried there. However in Horkstow, there is this burial: Burials at Horkstow:

170: George SIMPSON, of Horkstow North Grange? buried 26 August 1863, an infant, source:http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=528438&iid=402799.

There isn't anyone called EGGERS buried at Horkstow at all, so after Christiana was christened there on 20 November 1864, the question has to be was her mother present at it-was her father there, and if they both were there or one of them was what happened to them afterwards. The SIMPSON family could have just adopted the little girl and taken them with her when they left Horkstow and moved to Potterhanworth for 1871. 

Great News, tonight I have found something about the birth of Christiana EGGERS:

Lincolnshire Chronicle - Friday 30 September 1864

Barton Police Monday before G. C. Uppleby Esq., (Chairman), R. J. Taylor and T. Tombleson, Esqs.)-Wilhelmina Juderica Carlotta EGGERS, a German woman, about thirty years of age, residing at 25, Bellevue-terrace, Hull, who appeared in a very dejected state, was brought up charged with leaving the her infant child chargeable to the parish of BARROW-It appeared from the evidence produced that a man named John THOMPSON, late of Blackfriar-gate, Hull, but now residing in New Holland, is the putative father of the child and was ordered by the magistrates at Hull in April last to pay 2s 6d per week towards its maintenance. This payment, however has never been enforced, and the Hull magistrates refuse to grant the woman power to enforce payment upon the grounds of no jurisdiction, the child being born at sea. The woman being in a state of complete destitution went to Thompson’s House, at Barrow in the hopes of obtaining some money, but finding this impossible, determined to leave him the child. THOMPSON, who it appears has been recently been married to another woman, took it to the Barrow Union.-Sentenced to one month’s imprisonment. The woman’s case excited a good deal of commiseration, and there was some talk of getting up a subscription for her relief. Then I found the death of Wilhelmina in Hull-

Deaths Jun 1870   Eggars so born 1834, Wilhelmina 36 Hull 9d 153, so someone must have registered the death and buried her, wonder who that was. The death certificate states :Death certificate shows that Wilhelmina EGGARS was working as a domestic servant when she fell ill with TB, and died in Hull Infirmary, Prospect Street on 14 June, 1870.
Detail: 1870 Death in Myton, Hull; 137: 14 June 1870 at Infirmary, Prospect Street, Hull, Willelmina EGGARS, female, 36, years, Domestic Servant, Cause of Death- Plithisis Pulmonalis or consumption (Tuberculosis), Informant H. Lower in attendance at Infirmary, Prospect St, Hull- Registered on 16 June 1870, Rob Middle, Registrar.

So it appears that after her one month's imprisonment, she went back to live in Hull again, maybe to Bellevue Terrace as before. John THOMPSON, though the father of child, but married to someone did not want the child as he had a new wife.
 In the September quarter of 1864 a John Simpson THOMPSON did marry in Glanford Brigg Registration district which does include Barrow on Humber, Free BMD again: He married a Frances Parker. This marriage took place at Barrow on Humber on 5 September 1864, John was aged 23 and his wife Frances Parker 24. Just wonder if there aren't too many co-incidences here with a John SIMPSON Thompson marrying in 1864, and a little orphan girl called Christiana being brought up in a family where the head of the family is called George SIMPSON. If I can find more details of the marriage, maybe might find more. Of course the John THOMPSON with an illegitimate daughter may not have registered his marriage-many didn't in those days.

Yes I know the image is of very poor quality, so I will transcribe it thus:

1864 Marriage Solemnized in the Parish Church in the Parish of Barrow on Humber, in Lincolnshire.

282: 5th September 1864, John Simpson THOMPSON, 23, Bachelor, Farmer, of New Holland, Father's name-New Holland, Farmer & Frances PARKER, 24, spinster, of Heighington, Heighington, Clerk. witnessed by Tho Thompson & Eliza MetcalfeThompson. 

The person writing out this record did not put in the name of the father of both parties, so I wasn't sure who exactly this John Simpson Thompson was-but there was a clue, the witness Eliza Metcalf Thompson, maybe if I found her then I might find out why she was in Barrow witnesses John Simpson Thompson being married. I had a look at Family Search for Eliza & John Simpson Thompson.

Eliza Metcalfe Thompson

England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975

christening: 8 July 1838 WALTHAM, LINCOLN, ENGLAND

father: Thomas Thompson

mother: Mary Anne

Also: Waltham Parish Records - Baptisms (1838)

July 8 1838, Eliza Metcalfe, daughter of Thomas & Mary Anne THOMPSON of Waltham, Farmer, by E. G. Marsh.

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=783209&iid=188964

 Then this too!

Waltham Parish Records - Baptisms (1840-1841)

17 January 1841, John Simpson son of Thomas & Mary Anne THOMPSON of Waltham, Farmer, by E. G. Marsh

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=783209&iid=188967

So Eliza & John & sister & brother in a family where their father is Thomas & mother Mary Anne.

So then this marriage:

Also Scawby Parish Records - Marriages (1826-1827)

Thomas THOMPSON of the Parish of Waltham in the County of Lincoln & Mary Anne PARKER of this parish were married by licence with consent of parents on 7th April 1827 in presence of Tho. Parker, James Parker, Sarah ? & Mary THOMPSON

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=649956&iid=354816

So Thomas THOMPSON of Waltham, married Mary Ann PARKER of Scawby, Lincolnshire on 7 April, 1827-the couple went back to live in Waltham, where they had a family together including Eliza Metcalfe THOMPSON & John Simpson THOMPSON.

This is the census entry of 1851 in Waltham

On 1851 census for Waltham is a John S Thompson in the family of Thomas Thompson & Mary Anne with a sister Eliza M Thompson. 

40 Cheapside: Thomas THOMPSON, Head, Married, 47, Farmer of 50 acres employing 1 labourer born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Mary A THOMPSON, Wife, Married, 46, Born Scawby, Lincolnshire

Ann THOMPSON, Daughter, Unmarried, 23, Dressmaker, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Mary J THOMPSON, Daughter, unmarried, 21, Employed at home, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

William G. Thompson, Son, unmarried, 18, Farmer’s Son, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Eliza M THOMPSON, daughter, 12, Born Waltham, Lincolnshire

John S. Thompson, Son, Unmarried, 10, Scholar, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Betsy S THOMPSON, daughter, Unmarried, 7, Born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Mary PARKER, mother-in-law, Widow, 80, Annuitant, Born Elsham, Lincolnshire

Sarah PARKER, Visitor, Married, 47, Born Scawby, Lincolnshire

Jabez PARKER, Visitor, 7, born Messingham, Lincolnshire

John STOW, servant, unmarried, 19, Farm Labourer, born Horkstow, Lincolnshire.

1861 Census for John S Thompson

Waltham Grange, Waltham, Lincolnshire

Thomas THOMPSON, Head, Married, 59, Farmer of 50 acres, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Mary A. THOMPSON, wife, Married, 55, Born Scawby, Lincolnshire

John THOMPSON, son, unmarried, 20, Agricultural labouer, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Betsey THOMPSON, daughter, 17, Servant, Born Waltham, Lincolnshire

1861 census for Eliza M. Thompson:

A house servant in the home Thomas SMALL in Bargate, Boston, Lincolnshire.

1871 Census for Eliza M THOMPSON

Dalty Street, South Myton, Parish of Holy Trinity, Hull, Yorkshire.

Jabez PARKER, Head, Widower, 27, Engine Fitter, born Messingham, Lincolnshire

Eliza M. THOMPSON, Cousin, unmarried, 32, House keeper, born Waltham, Lincolnshire.

So the forename Metcalfe and Simpson, in the names of John and his sister Eliza, must be connected to their family somehow. Searching for that took quite a while but I think I have made a hit. Going back a generation, I found that Thomas's THOMPSON's wife Mary PARKER, was born on 27 September 1807 in Scawby, Lincolnshire and christened there on on 25 October 1807. The christening record from Lincstothepast is mote helpful in that respect.

Scawby Parish Records - Baptisms (1807-1808) Mary Anne, daughter of George & Mary PARKER was born September 27th 1807 & christened October 25th 1807 Registered October 25th by Val Grantham, Vicar Source:
http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscrip
t.aspx?oid=649794&iid=355319
 So then I went searching for the marriage between George & Mary Parker of Scawby and using the same source found this marriage.

Scawby Parish Records - Marriages (1791) George PARKER of the Parish of Scawby, Bachelor, & Mary Metcalf of the same Parish, Spinster, were married by Licence on 4 March 1791 in presence of Richard Maw & James Parker: http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscrip

t.aspx?oid=545092&iid=354908

So that's the connection, Mary Parker's mother was formerly Mary Metcalf or was it Metcalfe? Looking at that census record above of 1851 in Waltham, there is a Mary PARKER, there an annuitant, aged 80 born Elsham, Lincolnshire. This is Mary Parker's mother, in receipt of an income from a will, so her husband George PARKER has died leaving a will which she is living on. So if I now look for a Mary Metcalf/e born Elsham about 1770. 

Elsham Parish Records - Baptisms & Burials (1768-1770) Baptisms 1770: Mary of Tho. & Eliz. Metcalfe Sept. 2nd. The records now are much less formalised so information is far less and up to the clerk of the parish if they had one or the minister to keep up the records to send to the diocese as you will see when you go to this source:

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscrip

t.aspx?oid=571556&iid=216544

So she was Mary Metcalfe not Metcalf, oh well just an e. Now for the forename Simpson.

So going back to the marriage above of Thomas THOMPSON & Mary Anne PARKER

Thomas THOMPSON of the Parish of Waltham in the County of Lincoln & Mary Anne PARKER of this parish were married by licence with consent of parents on 7th April 1827 in presence of Tho. Parker, James Parker, Sarah ? & Mary THOMPSON

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=649956&iid=354816

Thomas must have been born about 1806 so I went looking for his christening first to see if I could find it. This proved a blank, despite searching in Waltham Parish records I drew a complete blank, so now to could find a marriage between someone called SIMPSON and a THOMPSON. 

I have a CD which I purchased from Lincolnshire Family History Society. This society made up of members like me produces material which we family historians can use. The material is made by the members themselves transcribing parish records from Lincolnshire Archives-this is a long laborious task as many of the records as you have seen above are of poor quality many due to their age. The CD I used to help me find the SIMPSON connection is called: Lincolnshire Marriage Index, 1700 -1837, Volume 5 including the deaneries of Grimsby & Clee, Haverstoe, Manlake, Westwold & Yarborough. The CD cost £10, good value when you think of the work involved and the trouble and cost it would take anyone from outside Lincolnshire to obtain the same information.

I used the CD to find the record, then searched for it on lincstothepast as the information on the CD is copyright to the Family History Society and it wouldn't be fair to produce it here when all the work has been put in by volunteers. 

Waltham Parish Records - Marriages (1798-1802 Thomas THOMPSON and Mary SIMPSON widow both of this Parish were married by Banns 11th February 1800 in presence of Ed. Brown Ann Meenes

source: http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscrip

t.aspx?oid=631027&iid=189020

So Mary's maiden name wasn't SIMPSON, but she married someone with a surname of that name and her first husband died sometime and some place. But finding a SIMPSON that died prior to 1800, or a marriage between a SIMPSON and someone called Mary before 1800 in the locality of Waltham is quite a problem. 

So I had identified a John SIMPSON THOMPSON and verified that he was named after his grandmother or maybe dead grandfather. (i.e the first husband of Mary SIMPSON) as opposed to Thomas THOMPSON his father's father.

That 1851 Census holds other information that I followed up-the visitors at the house in 1851, well I have explained about Mary PARKER, formerly METCALFE, but the others-Sarah PARKER & Jabez PARKER. It turns out that Jabez was the son of Thomas PARKER and his wife Sarah

For a long time that was it as far as this family were concerned, but then yesterday, 26 April, 2016 I went to Hull History Centre in Worship Street, just near the Hull New Theatre. I wanted to see if I could find anything out about this phrase 

Lincolnshire Chronicle - Friday 30 September 1864-"It appeared from the evidence produced that a man named John THOMPSON, late of Blackfriar-gate, Hull, but now residing in New Holland, is the putative father of the child and was ordered by the magistrates at Hull in April last to pay 2s 6d per week towards its maintenance"

I had discovered that unmarried mothers to get maintenance paid them by absent fathers they had to go to the local magistrates to get an order made. These were called "Bastardy Hearings", often reported in local newspapers, but I didn't have any luck looking in them. I did discover that Hull History Centre had some of these "Hearings" but not for the date of 1864, but they did have the Minute Books of the Hull Magistrates Hearings. So I suppose that would be someone with a quill pen recording notes of the proceedings in long hand, which have been preserved and then microfilmed. The records are not edited so it was a matter of finding the right reel and scrolling through the record of 1864 to see if I could find anything. The facilities at Hull History centre are excellent, with modern Microfilm readers almost like computers. With the help of the staff there I was soon searching Roll 124 Kingston upon Hull Magistrates Court Minute Book DPM/1/77 & 78.

Soon I was in April 1864, and then there it was entry 660: on 15 April 1864: John SIMPSON THOMPSON, Bastardy. 

Hull Magistrates Friday 15th April 1864
John Simpson Thompson- Bastardy

David Jackson PB(s) G. On 7th ult. I issued a duplicate of Summons produced and served personally.
Interpreter Sworn (s) G.
Wilhelmina Frederica Carlotta Eggers (s) G. I have had a child (a girl) born 19 th March 1863 the father is John Simpson Thompson. I first had connection with defendant at my house in Hull 12 months ago last February. Defendant is a farmers labourer. Taken? he gets this case over he would  be a farmer, he wants to get it over as cheap as possible. I became acquainted with defendant through his brother and his brothers wife. The defendant had many times connection with complainant, he promised to marry her. He stayed till I in the night, he did not stay all night. Defendant is sure.
Eliza Bell (s) G. John Thompson came to Mr Wrights in January 1862 and asked for a German lady complainant went up to her room. I never saw him before.  I have heard defendant come calling between 12 & 1 o clock.
Sarah Overton (s) J. I saw John Thompson about 5 or 6 weeks since.  Complainant was sat on his knee at Mr Wrights- he said if I slept with complainant he would pay me 2/- a week. He has often given complainant money. Complainant told him I was to nurse the child and have 6/- for it. He said he would see about that afterwards.

Ordered To pay 5/- a week for 6 weeks then 2/6 a week afterwards. Midwife 10/- & costs

So I was so excited to see this entry

So she was called Wilhelmina Frederica Carlotta Eggers and that her daughter was not born at sea, but in her home in Hull on 19 March 1863. She was clearly German by nationality, an interpreter had to be sworn in to interpret for her. The other witnesses, Eliza BELL & Sarah OVERTON say they both saw THOMPSON with Wilhelmina EGGERS at Mr. WRIGHTS. I think I have identified "MR WRIGHTS" as the Spring Bank Tavern at 29 Spring Bank, Hull, just off Ferensway. She named the father of her child as John Simpson THOMPSON, correctly stating his occupation as being a farm labourer. She also states that she was introduced to John by his brother & brother's wife. So all this story of John going to Germany, meeting this German woman and their child being born at sea just wasn't true. So I was right after all, the man, John Simpson Thompson who married Frances Parker was the same man as the John Thompson who's name appears is that newspaper article.Now did  he have a brother who was married & lived in the same area as that of Wilhelmina Eggers? Yes, William George Thompson, the man in the census of 1851 who is with the rest of the family in Waltham above.

40 Cheapside: Thomas THOMPSON, Head, Married, 47, Farmer of 50 acres employing 1 labourer born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Mary A THOMPSON, Wife, Married, 46, Born Scawby, Lincolnshire

Ann THOMPSON, Daughter, Unmarried, 23, Dressmaker, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Mary J THOMPSON, Daughter, unmarried, 21, Employed at home, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

William G. Thompson, Son, unmarried, 18, Farmer’s Son, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Eliza M THOMPSON, daughter, 12, Born Waltham, Lincolnshire

John S. Thompson, Son, Unmarried, 10, Scholar, born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Betsy S THOMPSON, daughter, Unmarried, 7, Born Waltham, Lincolnshire

Mary PARKER, mother-in-law, Widow, 80, Annuitant, Born Elsham, Lincolnshire

Sarah PARKER, Visitor, Married, 47, Born Scawby, Lincolnshire

Jabez PARKER, Visitor, 7, born Messingham, Lincolnshire

John STOW, servant, unmarried, 19, Farm Labourer, born Horkstow, Lincolnshire.

In the 1861 Census William is with his wife Susan & son Thomas James Thompson in Great Passage Street, Myton, Hull Holy Trinity Parish, not so far from 23 Belle Vue Terrace which was off Alexandra Street in the same area about half a mile from each other. Certainly John Simpson Thompson is in Hull too in 1864 in Blackfriar gate, which is near the docks in Hull, and from the evidence given by Wilhelmina & Eliza Bell & Sarah Overton he was there in 1862 as well.I now want to read the court minutes at the Barton Police Magistrates Court to see what actually happened in that court room if the records have survived of course. I asked Lincolnshire Archives if they had the records for the Barton Magistrates Court in 1864, but unfortunately they have not survived, neither have the Poor Law records either, so I can't find out which prison Wilhelmina was sent to & whether her child went with her-certainly the child was in Horkstow in November 1864 because she was christened there.

So I still wonder if there is any connection between George Simpson who adopted little Christiana in 1864. Certainly George was living in Horkstow in 1864 as his son Charles was born there according to the census and he too was christened there.George Simpson was born in Tealby or Ottley in Lincolnshire according to the 1871 & 1881 census. In 1861 the family were in Killingholme, As it appears from above, the Simpson family were in Horkstow from around 1863 until at least 1869, because in that year they are in Potterhanworth where their daughter Hariot is born-their son Charles was born & christened in Horkstow in 1867.

Descendants of Thomas Dixon SNEATH & Clara Rowbotham

In a previous blog I mentioned the daughters of Thomas Dixon Sneath, my great grandfather & his wife Clara Rowbotham. These were the daughters:-

This was Thomas

And this was Clara Rowbotham

Eleanor was born in Newark, Nottinghamshire, where her father had a chemist shop at 26, Stodman Street on January 9 1882. She already had a sister Elizabeth born in 1879, and by the next census of 1891 she had 3 other sisters, Clara, in 1883, Florence in 1884 & Maud in 1887. More about her sisters later, just now let me start with Eleanor. On the 18th August 1904 she married John Arthur WILSON at Duncombe Street, Methodist Church, Grimsby, Lincolnshire. My father William Sneath Readman, always referred to Eleanor Wilson, nee Sneath, as Auntie Nellie. I think all the family attended Duncombe Street Methodist Church, so all were Wesleyan Methodists. Having been born in Newark in 1882, the family stayed there until about 1887, when they moved to Lincoln. I think that this was because her father's business in Newark went bankrupt, so he took a job with Boots, the Chemist in Lincoln. Maud Sneath, the youngest daughter was born in Lincoln on 17 August 1887. In the census of April 1891 the family are at 25, Mint Lane, Lincoln (now Mint Street). Soon after the census, the family move to Grimsby, where Thomas, her father, sets up another business in Hainton Square. Evidence for this comes from an advertisement in the Grimsby News, a local Grimsby Newspaper-in the edition dated 18 December 1906.

"THOS. D. SNEATH, CERTIFIED OPTICIAN AND CHEMIST,

is showing some excellent designs in gold filled eyeglasses, they are made for comfort, and certainly are a great improvement on what was formerly used. He also has a good supply of gold filled spectacles for reading and constant use in all the latest patterns. Alumine, nickel, and stell spectacles and folders in every pattern. In another window he has an assortment of all choicest perfumes in caskets, cut-glass bottles, from 6d to 12s. 6d ; fancy boxes of toilet soap, from 8 and half d to 2s. 6d; and many other toilet preparations of the very best quality. His address is Hainton-square, where he has been now for nearly 16 years, and will be pleased to see all old and new friends."

Here are the family in 1892:

Eleanor, Clara & Florence went to Welholme School, Grimsby-below is their school photograph of 1894.

The photograph shows 4 rows of girls, the back row, second  row in front of the back one, and the third row, below the second row with Clara Sneath & Eleanor Sneath standing next to each other on the right hand side, next to their teacher. In front of Clara is Florence Sneath sitting on a bench.

So Clara Sneath is standing behind her sister Florence (my grandmother), with her sister Eleanor stood next to her on her left.

In the  1901 Census the family are living at 11, New Street, Grimsby, Lincolnshire,  not far from the Town Hall, now a solicitor's office.

So for Eleanor born 1882, by 1894 she was 12, so walking to school from their home in New Street. I think she would have left school at the age of 14, the census of 1901 doesn't give her any occupation at all, so maybe she just helped in her father's shop at 14, Hainton Avenue.

Thomas D Sneath             47,  Chemist/Druggist, Own account, born Brant Broughton, Lincs

Clara Sneath       48, Wife, married, born Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Elizabeth Sneath              21, Daughter, Single, Chemist’s Assistant, born Newark, Notinghamshire

Eleanor Sneath 19, , daughter, single, no occupation shown

Clara Sneath       18, Daughter, Single, Teacher, (Board School), born Newark, Nottinghamshire

Florence Sneath               16, daughter, single, No occupation shown, born Newark, Nottinghamshire

Maud Sneath     13, Daughter, Single, born Lincoln, Lincolnshire

On the 18th August 1904 she married John Arthur WILSON at Duncombe Street, Methodist Church, Grimsby, Lincolnshire. I have been trying to find out about John Arthur Wilson. The information for this marriage came from the wife of their son Brian Wilson whom I went to see in her home in Grimsby prior to 2001. She showed me a photograph of John Arthur Wilson with his father William Wilson.

So straight away I knew that the father of John Arthur Wilson was William Wilson-that's him sitting in that boat alongside his wife with a hat and moustache-that's William with the hat and moustache not his wife!

So I went to the census as  usual to find the married couple, John & Eleanor in 1911, so where John was born and when.

On Census day 1911, John & his wife Eleanor, with no children, are living at 159, Durban Road, Grimsby. John is a timber merchant's clerk, age 34, born in Grimsby, Lincolnshire.  Eleanor, is a a housewife, aged 29, born Newark, Nottinghamshire, married for 6 years and living in a house with six rooms

This is a photograph of Eleanor in 1911.

John Arthur Wilson, before he married lived with his parents at 64, Heneage Street, now Heneage Road, Grimsby. This I think would have been a terraced house, probably not much changed from today. 

This the census of 1901:

William Wilson & Family in 1901 census:-

64, Heneage St, Grimsby

William WILSON, head,  married, age 59, Retired Grocer, of Welbourn, Lincolnshire

Florence L. Wilson, daughter, single, age 30, born Grimsby, Lincolnshire

John A. Wilson, son, single, 24, Timber Merchant’s clerk, born Grimsby, Lincolnshire

Wilfred E. Wilson, son, Single, 21, General Merchant’s clerk, born Grimsby, Lincolnshire.

That begs a question doesn't? Who was William' wife, and where was she in 1901?

Well I found the maiden name of William's wife when searching for their daughter Florence Louise Wilson on the 1881 Census.She was 10 years old at the time and staying with her grandmother in East Keal, Lincolnshire. I had to look up East Keal, found it near Spilsby on the A16. 

 Also at the house was her cousin William Arthur Allen.

The record states:

Dwelling Number 38 in East Keal, no street name mentioned on the record.

Mary Burt, grandmother, 81, born Heckington, Lincolnshire, ground keeper’s widow

Wm. Arthur Allen, grandson, 27, born 1854, Skirbeck, Lincolnshire, agricultural Labourer

Florence Louise Wilson, grand daughter, 10, born Grimsby, Lincolnshire, scholar.

So her grandmother's married name was BURT, so her daughter Mary's maiden name was BURT too. Florence had a brother called William, with BURT as his second forename. So using the surname BURT, the marriage of Florence's father to her mother should be reasonably easy to find.

There is a marriage on Free BMD for the March quarter of 1866 in the Spilsby Registration district

Marriages Mar 1866
Burt Mary Spilsby 7a 681 & WILSON William , Spilsby 7a 681
Any further information would require a certificate-the records on Lincstothepast don't have marriages that late. The other source, mi.lincolnshiremarriages.org.u, doesn't have the marriage either.
However I did find this baptism that does give the name of Mary BURT's parents:
Baptism
26 May 1838 • East Keal, Lincolnshire, England
No. 292: May 26th 1838, Mary Daughter of Thomas & Mary BURT of East Keal, Labourer
This record is on lincstothepast-http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscrip
t.aspx?oid=653223&iid=211181

Using the same website I then found the marriage of Mary BURT's parents in Coningsby, Lincolnshire, showing that  Mary BURT's maiden name was CLARK and her  father was called John, and that Thomas came from Billinghay, Lincolnshire, and had been married before, but his first wife died. It looks like either his sister of mother was called Charlotte.

02 December 1830 • Coningsby, Lincolnshire, England
No. 244: Thomas BURT of the Parish of Billinghay widower & Mary CLARK of this parish, spinster were married in this church by Banns on 2 December 1830 by Samuel Hillyard, minister of Tattersall, in presence of John CLARK & Charlotte BURT.

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=651404&iid=141931

So I went looking for the first marriage of Thomas BURT in Coningsby before 1830, and to be quick I used Family Search and found this record
:Name Thomas Burt
Spouse's Name Frances Vamplew
Event Date 16 May 1825
Event Place Coningsby, Lincoln, England

No. 158: Thomas BURT, of this Parish & Frances VAMPLEW of this parish were married in this church by Banns on 16 May 1825 in presence of Thomas Thornel & Susanna Burt.

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=651404&iid=141903

So Thomas married Frances Vamplew in Coningsby on 16 May 1825, but she must have died before his second marriage, so again on Family Search I went  looking for the burial of a Frances BURT in Coningsby and found that she died very soon after her marriage was buried in Coningsby churchyard.

Burial Date 18 Oct 1825, Burial Place Coningsby, Lincolnshire, England

Age 22, Birth Date 1803.

Sure enough there was this burial record.

445: Frances BURT, Coningsby, October 18th, aged 22. http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=780662&iid=143022

Okay so the birth date of 1803 was calculated by the taking the age at death from the year. A friend of mine with Vamplew ancestry has told me that Frances was the daughter of Peter & Martha Vamplew, nee Kent.. Going on that I searched first on Family Search for a Frances Vamplew born 1800 to 1805, daughter of Peter & Martha, and this was the result.
Name Frances Vanplugh
Gender Female, Christening Date, 07 Jul 1803
At GREETHAM, LINCOLNSHIRE,ENGLAND
Father's Name Peter Vanplugh
Mother's Name Martha
"England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NGHH-3T5 : accessed 20 November 2015), Frances Vanplugh, 07 Jul 1803; citing GREETHAM,LINCOLN,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 432,513.
So on Lincstothepast I searched in Greetham Parish Registers and this was the result.
Greetham Parish Records - Baptisms & Burials (1795-1803) Baptisms 1803 Frances daughter of Peter Vamplugh & Martha his wife 17th July, 1803

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=560212&iid=351975

Greetham is a village in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated 3 miles east from Horncastle, and 0.5 miles north from the junction of the A158 and B1195 roads. Greetham & Coningsby are about 12 miles apart.

Thomas BURT was from the parish of Billinghay when he married Mary CLARK, so after the death of Frances BURT in 1825 in Coningsby, Thomas went to Billinghay, which is only about 5 to 6 miles away.

The 1851 Census gave me the birth place of Thomas BURT and his wife Mary:

1851 census
Thomas BURT, head, Married, age 54, Farm Labourer, born Dogdike, Lincolnshire
Mary BURT, wife, married, age 57, , Born Heckington, Lincolnshire
Wm. BURT, son, single, age 15, Farm Labourer, born East Keal, Lincolnshire
Mary BURT, daughter, single, 13, Scholar, born East Keal, Lincolnshire
Elizabeth BURT, daughter, single, 10, Scholar, born East Keal, Lincolnshire

Dogdike? well according to Google maps is: Dogdyke is a hamlet in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated approximately 2 miles south from Tattershall, and at the confluence of the Rivers Bain and Witham, and close to where the River Slea joins the Witham.

Looking at this old map I have, you can see that Dogdyke doesn't have a church, so Thomas couldn't have been baptised there but in a church either at Tattersall or Coningsby.

So on Family Search, this is is what I found
England Births and Christenings
Name Thomas Burt, Male, Christening Date 15 Oct 1797
Christening Place CONINGSBY,LINCOLN,ENGLAND son of William Burt & Sarah.
On Lincstothepast

Baptisms Coningsby, Lincolnshire, 1797 Thomas son of William & Sarah BURT, October 15th, 1797.

http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=590683&iid=573207
So William & Sarah BURT lived in Dogdyke, but took son Thomas to Coningsby to be baptised on October 15, 1797. No doubt he had brothers and sisters too. It looks like he had a sister Mary in 1803 and a brother Isaac in 1795.
Baptisms 1795 on General Register:
Isaac, son of William & Sarah BURT, March 16
 http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=590683&iid=573201
Yes I have a marriage CD from Lincolnshire Family History Society

http://www.lincolnshirefhs.org.uk/images/lfhs-publications/PublicationsList.pdf
1700-1837 Volume 1: East Elloe, West Elloe, Holland
East and Holland West Deaneries CD Rom £10.00 £8.33
This shows a marriage
BURT William 10 Sep 1793 Lic/WB Billinghay FOWLER Sarah Skirbeck HE
On Lincstothepast website this marriage http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscript.aspx?oid=615888&iid=329381

William BURT of the Parish of Billinghay and Sarah FOWLER of this Parish both Single Persons were married by Licence on 10 September 1793 by John Simpson, curate in presence of Edward Scrimshire & Lydia Tobey.

So getting back to Thomas BURT and his wife MARY BURT nee Clark-his second wife, after 1851, what happens to them? First port of call-census.
I can't find the family in 1861 census, well not together anyway. By 1871, she is a widow, on Parish Relief, living with her grandson William Allen on Martin's Lane, East Keal. William Arthur Allen is 17 years of age  born in Skirbeck, Lincolnshire. William was born in 1854 in Skirbeck, Lincolnshire in 1853, the son of Arthur ALLEN & Betsey BURT. His mother Betsey BURT, married his father Arthur ALLEN at Boston St Botolph, Boston, Lincolnshire-the bell tower is known as "The Boston Stump" on 14th May 1852. In order to find this fact, I went to Free BMD and found the marriage in that record as Marriages June 1852- Boston 7a 622, then went to http://mi.lincolnshiremarriages.org.uk/  and downloaded the Boston spreadsheet, and then searched for ALLEN in the surname column-
1852, 14-May Allen, Arthur son of Matthew ALLEN married  Burtt, Betsey daughter of  Thomas BURTT at  Boston St Botolph, Lincolnshire.
Just found this entry too: Stamford Mercury - Friday 21 May 1852
Married: On the 14th inst.  Arthur ALLEN, of Skirbeck, to Betsy BURTT, of West-street, Boston.

However, Betsey died a few years later, the same newspaper has the entry:
Stamford Mercury - Friday 01 June 1855
Died: At East Keal, on the 27th,May, Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Arthur ALLEN, age 23.
East Keal Parish Records - Burials (1854-1856) 303: Elizabeth ALLEN, of East Keal, buried May 31st, age 23.

 So William Arthur ALLEN in the 1861 Census, he is at home aged 7, with his parents, Arthur & Mary ALLEN. So Arthur re-married soon after the death of Betsey:
Sure enough, he did  on 20 May, 1856 there is this record in the same Lincolnshire Marriage Index,  Allen, Arthur son of Matthew married Barrett,Mary daughter of Thomas BARRET at  Skirbeck St Nicholas, Skirbeck, Lincolnshire. Mary was born 11 March 1827 in Kirton Holme, a village just 4 miles west of Boston, Lincolnshire. She was baptised at Wesleyan Chapel, Red Lion Street, Boston, Lincolnshire on 22 March 1827, daughter of Thomas & Phebe Barratt, a carpenter & miller.

Sadly though the marriage of Arthur Allen and Mary Barrett did not last long after the 1861 Census, because Arthur died in December 1861-he was buried at Skirbeck Parish Church on 30 December 1861. This fact was discovered because William Arthur his son was with his grandmother in 1871, and Arthur couldn't been found in the census-his wife Mary is a widow in Skirbeck for some years so a search on FreeBMD revealed he died in the December quarter of 1861, and then a search on LincstothePast website for Skirbeck found this burial entry.
Arthur ALLEN, of Skirbeck, buried December 30, 1861, aged 40. R E Roy, Rector.
see for yourself at: http://www.lincstothepast.com/Skirbeck-St-Nicholas-Parish-Records---Burials--1861-1862-/612961.record?ImageID=331009&pt=T
So maybe William Arthur's grandmother Mary Burt nee Clark was responsible for bringing him up-he was only 7 when his father died and 2 when his mother died!

Meanwhile, William Arthur's grandmother Mary stays in East Keal; she's there in 1881 as we can see above:-
Dwelling Number 38 in East Keal, no street name mentioned on the record.
Mary Burt, grandmother, 81, born Heckington, Lincolnshire, ground keeper’s widow
Wm. Arthur Allen, grandson, 27, born 1854, Skirbeck, Lincolnshire, agricultural Labourer
Florence Louise Wilson, grand daughter, 10, born Grimsby, Lincolnshire, scholar.

So from this record we know that Thomas Burt, Mary's husband & Mary Burt's father was a ground keeper or is it grounds keeper. I can't find him or his wife in 1861 Census which is when it might mention where he was working and who he was was working for. All the children bar Charlotte are married, but I can't find her as well, so must conclude she is with her parents too. Well now I have found them in the 1861 Census. The only way to do it was to go to the home page, find 1861 census, and browse in the County of Lincolnshire for the village of East Keal, and there they were, transcribed as BUST instead of BURT.  Thomas BURT is shown as an agricultural labourer, with his wife Mary and son Isaac, an agricultural labourer too.In this way I found Mary BURT too, the future wife of William WILSON. She was working in the rectory in East Keal as a servant in the 1861 Census.Still can't find sister Charlotte though.

What about Mary Clark, the bride of Thomas Burt, who were her parents? Well from above her father's name was John-he was present at her marriage. Mary was baptised at Heckington Parish Church, Lincolnshire on 28 May 1799, as daughter of John Clarke & his wife Elizabeth-see record here:
http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/RecordDisplayTranscrip
t.aspx?oid=551004&iid=377808

Getting back to John Arthur Wilson and Eleanor-John Arthur, or Arthur as he was more readily known in both census records is shown to be a timber merchant's clerk. In fact the timber merchant in question was Bennett's of Grimsby-established in 1804 according to their website.
http://bennettstimber.co.uk/about-us


One of Eleanor SNEATH's sisters was Clara SNEATH, who was born on the 29th March, 1883, in Newark, Nottinghamshire at 26, Stodman Street, Newark.four years later she moved with her family to Lincoln where in the in the Census of 1891, the family are at 25, Mint Lane, Lincoln (now Mint Street). Soon after the census, the family move to Grimsby, where Thomas, her father, sets up another business in Hainton Square. Evidence for this comes from an advertisement in the Grimsby News, a local Grimsby Newspaper-in the edition dated 18 December 1906.

"THOS. D. SNEATH, CERTIFIED OPTICIAN AND CHEMIST,

is showing some excellent designs in gold filled eyeglasses, they are made for comfort, and certainly are a great improvement on what was formerly used. He also has a good supply of gold filled spectacles for reading and constant use in all the latest patterns. Alumine, nickel, and stell spectacles and folders in every pattern. In another window he has an assortment of all choicest perfumes in caskets, cut-glass bottles, from 6d to 12s. 6d ; fancy boxes of toilet soap, from 8 and half d to 2s. 6d; and many other toilet preparations of the very best quality. His address is Hainton-square, where he has been now for nearly 16 years, and will be pleased to see all old and new friends."

So here is the picture of the girls at school in 1894, with Clara stood next to Eleanor, with Florence, my grandmother, sat in front of her.

Seven years later according to the Census of 1901, Clara & her family are living in New Street, Grimsby, where Clara is working as a teacher at a Board School-maybe it was at her old primary school-called Welholme School-I don't have any records for her.

1901 England Census for Clara SNEATH
Lincolnshire-Great Grimsby-District 08
26, 11, New Street, Thomas D. SNEATH, Head, M, 47, Chemist & Druggist, own acc, born Brant Broughton, Lincs.
Clara SNEATH, wife, M, 48, born Nottingham, Notts.
Elizabeth SNEATH, daughter, Single, 21, Chemist & Druggist assistant, worker, born Newark, Notts.
Eleanor SNEATH, daughter, single, 19, born, Newark, Notts.
Clara SNEATH, daughter, single, 18, Teacher at a Board School, worker, born Newark, Notts.
Florence SNEATH, daughter, single, 16, Born, Newark, Lincs.
Maud SNEATH, daughter, single, 13, Born Lincoln, Lincs.

So clearly Clara was named after her mother Clara, wife of Thomas Dixon SNEATH, her father.

So in 1901, Clara(daughter was working as a teacher., maybe she was at Welholme School.
Ten years later, in the census of 1911, Clara is living at 160, Durban Road, Grimsby, now married to Edward Rawson BENTON.


Clara married Edward Rawson BENTON in the March quarter of 1909 somewhere in Grimsby. I have yet to discover the date of their marriage. I have looked in British Newspapers online but there is no record about that marriage, but maybe it was put into one of the local newspapers like Grimsby Telegraph or another local paper. Edward Rawson BENTON was the son of John Outwin BENTON & Mary RAWSON. Edward was born on 1st June 1880 probably at 90, Strand Street, Grimsby. His father John Outwin BENTON was employed as working joiner according to the 1881 Census. Ten years later according to the 1891 Census the family are living at 39, Pelham Street, Grimsby, where his father is still working as a joiner. Also in 1891, Edward had a brother called Percy and a sister called Gertrude.