Saturday 30 April 2011

On This Day ... 30 April

1786     William Yeal married Mary Horsley at St Hilda's Church, Co Durham, England.

1787     Richard Hudson married Patience Todner at Holy Trinity Church, Washington, Co Durham.  They were my great-great-great grandparents.

1825     Ralph Todner married Isabella Fawcet at St Nicholas Church, Newcastle, Northumberland, England.

Friday 29 April 2011

John Pugh 1807-1884 and Charlotte Harrison 1804-1864

John Pugh was born around 1807, probably at Bradeleys, Staffordshire, England. On 21 October 1828 he married 23 year old Charlotte Harrison at St Philips Church, Birmingham, Warwickshire. The couple set up home together in Birmingham.

They lived initially at Gosta Green, in the Aston area of Birmingham. Their first child, Charlotte Elizabeth, was born there on 25 August 1829. At this time, John was working as a "gilt toy stamper" ("toy" in this context means any little thing made of metal, such as a belt or shoe buckle, rather than a child's plaything).

Further children followed, and the family moved to Hospital Street, where they lived in one of Birmingham's infamous "courts". By 1841 there were five children living with the couple at Hospital Street, and John was working as a toolmaker. Ten years on, at the next census, they were still at Hospital Street, with two more children. The older children were all working, including 11 year old Emma who was listed as a day servant.

The children were:

Charlotte Elizabeth 1829-1882
John 1833-1910
Rosabella 1834-1907
Mary Ann 1836-1883
Emma 1839-1909
Christopher Thomas 1842-1914
Edward 1845-1888

By 1861 the family were living at New John St West, Birmingham, in a building called "Woodman Inn", though nobody in the family was listed as working in the inn. (There were two adult daughters living at home with no jobs listed though - maybe they were working in the inn?)

Over the next decade a lot changed. The family moved to London - at least John and Charlotte did, and some of their children also spent time in London. Charlotte died at 23 Walpole St, Deptford, London on 14 July 1864. Her death certificate states her husband was working as a general dealer. Daughter Mary Ann was the informant on the certificate and gave the Walpole Street address.

John remained in London, and by 1871 he was living with his daughter Charlotte and her husband Edward Haywood. Edward was a beer seller, and they lived in a pub called the Queen's Head in Deptford. Following Edward's death in 1874, the family seems to have drifted back to Birmingham. John was there in 1881, close to his old addresses at Pritchett St, Aston. He was listed as a brass founder / tool maker.

John died on 12 June 1884 at the Workhouse, Western Road, Birmingham.

Further research: I still haven't found any sign of a birth/baptism record for John Pugh. I have a possible birth record for Charlotte Harrison, but with her birthplace listed only as "London" I'm not sure I've got the right one.

On This Day ... 29 April

1846     Richard Hunter married his cousin Eleanor Hunter in St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

1848     Ann Read was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. She was the daughter of Silvester Read and Isabella Child, and only lived to the age of 2

1883     Matthew Gray was born in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. He was the son of Matthew Gray and Margaret Davidson.

Thursday 28 April 2011

On This Day ... 28 April

1807     Isabel Flint, nee Todner, died in Hemelspeth, parish of Felton, Northumberland, England. She was around 90 years old.

1840     John Price Pugh died at Brondrefawr Farm, Abbeycwmhir, Radnorshire, Wales. He was the son of Edward and Miriam Pugh and was only a few months old.

Wednesday 27 April 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Come for a ride?


Another of my grandma's pictures from Hong Kong.

On This Day ... 27 April

1800     Joseph Wren was born in Shibdon, a settlement in the parish of Ryton, Co Durham, England. He was the seventh son of John Wren and his wife Ann Brown.

1828     Richard Hudson married Elizabeth Tate at St Paul's Church, Jarrow-on-Tyne, Co Durham, England.

1840     John Read was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He was the son of Silvester Read and Isabella Child. He died at 3 years old.

Tuesday 26 April 2011

On This Day ... 26 April

1878     David Powell married Margaret Jones at St Garmon's Church, St Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales. The minister officiating at the marriage was Francis Kilvert, a clergyman who also kept a diary which was published many years after his death. Comments on this wedding are recorded in the published version of the diary.

1896     Wilson Mossom died at the Workhouse in Throston, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was 64 years old.

1905     Ralph Hudson was born in West Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Robert Hunter Hudson and Margaret Mossom, and emigrated to Canada in 1927. He is believed to have died in the 1930s but as yet I've not found any evidence of this.

Monday 25 April 2011

Amanuensis Monday - the will of William Pugh 1829

John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog, has a weekly theme each Monday called Amanuensis Monday to encourage the posting of transcriptions of documents to preserve and publish their contents.


William Pugh was the uncle of Mary Ann Pugh. He died at the age of 31 in 1829 and his will provided for the upbringing of his children. Digital images of the work can be seen on the National Library of Wales website.



The last will and testament of William Pugh of the Garth in the Parish of Llandilo Graban in the County of Radnor.


As follows


I nominate and appoint my Father Henry Pugh of Penwern and my brother Henry Pugh of Penwern and my brother in law Thomas Pugh Teisha in the Parish and County aforesaid Joint trustees or Guardians over my wife and children. I give and bequeath to my son William one hundred and fifty pounds, one hundred pounds to be paid to him when he comes to the age of twenty five years and the other fifty to be paid to him after his mother's Death and all the rest, residue and remainder of my property to be equally divided between my two daughters Anne and Margaret share and share alike, and my wife Margaret is to have the interest of the said property towards her maintenance and bringing of the Children during her natural life, provided she do not marry again, but if she marries again the trustees are to see that the interest of the said property is properly applied towards the bringing up and use of the children, except the interest of the hundred pounds, to be paid to my son William, the interest of which is not to be paid after it is payable to him.


Finally I nominate and appoint the aforesaid trustees to be joint executors of this my last will and testament revoking and disannuling all former will or wills by me made, ratifying and confirming this to be my last will and testament.


As witness my hand and seal this 28 Day of Jany 1829
William Pugh


Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of us William Williams Clk, Henry Pugh

On This Day ... 25 April

1817     Stephen Pugh married Frances Rees at St Cynllo's Church, Llanbister, Radnorshire, Wales.

1900     Richard Edward Hull Becher married Emily Constance Hudson in Christ Church, Sunderland, Co Durham, England.

Sunday 24 April 2011

On This Day ... 24 April

1806     Elizabeth Hansom was born in Brancepeth, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Thomas Hansom and Mary Wren.

1822     Robert Barkwell married Ann Hudson at Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland, Co Durham.

1885     David Easton died in Stranraer, Wigtownshire, Scotland. He was a doctor, aged 52, and died of typhus - contracted from a patient?

Saturday 23 April 2011

On This Day ... 23 April

1798     Ralph Todner married Mary Dand at St Michael's Church, Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham, England.

1836     Thomas Rodie Hudson Dalrymple was born in Stranraer, Wigtownshire, Scotland. His brother William Haddock Dalrymple was born there 20 years later in 1856. They were the sons of Thomas Dalrymple and Mary Eleanor Haddock.

1905     Percy Winlow Hudson died at the Kent County Asylum Chartham, near Canterbury, Kent, England. His body was returned to his home town, Sunderland, Co Durham, for burial a few days later.

Friday 22 April 2011

Silvester Read 1815-1879 and Isabella Child 1815-1857

Silvester Read was born in 1815 in Willenhall, a small town near Wolverhampton in Staffordshire, England. He was the son of Thomas Read and Ann Hill, and was baptised on 9 July 1815.

On 1 December 1833, Silvester married Isabella Child at Edgbaston Parish Church in Birmingham, Warwickshire. Isabella was born on 18 September 1815 at Navigation Street, Birmingham, the daughter of brass founder John Child and his wife Susanna Shore.

The couple settled in central Birmingham and had 11 children together:

Thomas Read 1834-1843
Isabella Read 1836-1909
Sylvester Read 1838-1895
John Read 1840-1843
Ann Read 1842-1844
Catherine Read 1844-1906
Thomas Read 1846-1848
Ann Read 1848-1850
Sarah Read 1850-1920
Elizabeth Read 1854-1921
Arthur Read 1856-1911

In the early years of the marriage, Silvester worked as a curry comb maker (1833-1838), but by 1840 he was working as an iron plate worker and he continued in this work for the next couple of decades.

Isabella died on 11 August 1857 after a long illness, leaving six children aged from 21 down to 1 without a mother.

Silvester remarried just over a year later, on 29 September 1858. His new wife was a widow, who had six children of her own. Ann Allen had been born Ann Terry on 20 January 1823 in Birmingham. She married Thomas Allen in late 1842, and lived with him in Aston (a suburb of Birmingham). Thomas died in 1855 (I think), leaving Ann to care for her children alone.

Initially, Silvester continued to be an iron plate worker. However, by 1861 the couple had moved in with Ann's mother-in-law, Catherine Allen, who ran a pub called the Fox and Grapes on Freeman Street, Birmingham. On the census, Silvester was listed as a licenced victualler (by this time the sale of alcohol was illegal without a licence) working beside Catherine.

Silvester and Ann had five children together:

Charles Abraham Read 1859-1935
Emma Lucy Read 1862-??
Alice Read 1863-1928
William Read 1865-??
Mary Read 1867-??

The couple continued to run the Fox and Grapes until Silvester's death on 15 September 1879. His will left legacies of £50 each to the surviving children of his first marriage, with the residue left to support his widow. Anything left after Ann died was to be divided between the children of the second marriage. Ann ran the pub alone until well into the 1890s, and died in 1897.

On This Day ... 22 April

1864     Joseph Peter Gibson was born in Ogden, Utah. He was the son of John Gibson and Mary Ann Blench.

1885     Zella Evans was born in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. She was the daughter of Josiah Evans and Alice Sebeck.

1886     Jedediah William Pidcock died in Utah, USA. He was 29 years old.

Thursday 21 April 2011

On This Day ... 21 April

1808     Margaret Hood was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Thomas Hood and Mary Robson and was my 3xgreat grandmother.

1809     Andrew Thomas married Mary Owen at St Garmon's Church, St Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales. They were my 4 x great-grandparents.

1903     Richard Farnell married Mary Davidson Pearson at Christ Church, West Hartlepool, Co Durham.

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Good Friday Hong Kong

On This Day ... 20 April

1846     Thomas Read was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He was the son of Silvester Read and Isabella Child, and only lived to the age of 2.

1872     James Evans married Rachel Sarah Morgan in Pickering, Ontario, Canada.

1929     Ronald Albert Darby was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He was the son of Frederick Albert Darby and Elizabeth Hughes.

Tuesday 19 April 2011

On This Day ... 19 April

1839     Michael Lewis married Mary Thomas in St Garmon's Church, St Harmon, Radnorshire, Wales.

1853     Robert Hunter Hudson was born in Middleton, Stranton, Co Durham, England. He was the son of George Hudson and Catherine Kerss and was my great-grandfather.

1870     William Alfred Cambier married Mary Elizabeth Hudson at St Michael's (Bishopwearmouth) Church, Sunderland, Co Durham.

and a happy birthday to my uncle Chris.

Monday 18 April 2011

Amanuensis Monday - the will of John Powell 1784

John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog, has a weekly theme each Monday called Amanuensis Monday to encourage the posting of transcriptions of documents to preserve and publish their contents.

John Powell was the father of John Powell whose will I published last week. He died in 1784, and his will is now in the collection at the National Library of Wales. Their collection of Welsh wills from pre 1859 can be viewed online.



In the Name of God Amen. I John Powell of the Parish of Nantmel in the County of Radnor calling unto mind the Mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed unto all Men once to die, do make and ordain this my last Will & Testament, touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this Life, in the following Manner & Form.


First, I give and bequeath to Mary, my dearly beloved Wife and unto John Powell my well-beloved Son, all my Household Goods, Debts, & moveable Effects, the same to be divided between them in equal Shares and Proportions; & I do also bind my Wife Mary Powell and Son John Powell by these Presents, jointly, and severally, to provide for & find my beloved Daughter Mary Powell with all Things necessary for a comfortable Subsistence during her natural life.


Also I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son in Law, Edward Arthur, the sum of ten shillings & sixpence, to be paid to him by my Executors.


Also I give & bequeath unto my beloved Daughter Gwenn, the Wife of the said Edward Arthur the sum of ten shillings & sixpence, to be paid by my Executors.


Also I constitute, make & ordain, my Wife Mary Powell & Son John Powell, my sole Executors of this my last Will & Testament ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this twenty forth day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty four.


Signed, sealed, published, pronounced & declared, by the said John Powell as his last Will and Testament in the Presence of us the Subscribers Evan Jones, Rees Jones.


X the mark of John Powell


Probate granted 6 December 1784

On This Day ... 18 April

1810     Thomas Usher was born in Washington, Co Durham, England. He was the son of William Usher and Jane Cummings.

1964     Charles Silvester Darby died in Chester, Cheshire, England at the age of 82. Charles was born in Birmingham, but emigrated to Canada as a young man. He was resident in Nanaimo, British Columbia but died during a visit to England.

1978     James Hudson died in Bristol, Avon, England. He was 68 years old. James was born in West Hartlepool, and spent a substantial part of his life working in Tanganyika/Tanzania.

Sunday 17 April 2011

On This Day ... 17 April

1799     Mary Yarrow was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of John Yarrow and Jane Horsley.

1886     Evangeline Bagshaw nee Pugh died in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. She was 30 years old and died in childbirth.

1897     Myrtle Annis Irene Pugh was born in Uxbridge Township, Ontario, Canada. She was the daughter of John Wesley Pugh and Athlinda Louisa Blackburn.

Saturday 16 April 2011

On This Day ... 16 April

1804     Isabella Johnson was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of James Johnson and Ann Coulson.

1805     Margaret Young was born in Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham. She was the daughter of William Young and Margaret Hudson.

1831     Ralph Hudson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham. He was the son of Ralph Hudson and Hannah Glenwright.

Friday 15 April 2011

Henry Darby 1816-1893 and Ellen Haywood 1822-1908

Henry Darby was born on 5 Oct 1816 at Meriden St, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, and christened at St Martin's in the Bull Ring, Birmingham on 5 May 1817. He was the son of locksmith Edward Darby and Ann Hobday.

Ellen Haywood was born on 7 July 1822 at Masshouse Lane, Birmingham, and christened on 3 September at St Philip's Church, Birmingham. Her parents were William Haywood and Ellen Perry.

On 9 June 1840 Henry and Ellen married at Handsworth Parish Church near Birmingham.  By this time Henry was working as a master saw maker, a trade he continued throughout his life, and the newly-weds settled at premises in Freeman Street, Birmingham.  Their first four children were all born at Freeman Street, an address the family would return to later.

They moved to Aston, where in 1851, the census shows Henry with one son, his mother-in-law and a servant.  Ellen was visiting family in Walsall. By now, Henry was employing an apprentice.  Further children were born in Aston, including the last, William James, in 1857.  In 1861, the family were living in Adelaide Street.  Henry's business was growing – he employed “1 man and 2 boys”, at premises in Freeman Street.  In 1871 they were still in Aston, but by 1881 Henry and Ellen, now with only one son living with them, had returned to Freeman Street.  In 1891 Henry and Ellen are listed on the census with William James, his wife, and 7 children living with them (possibly as William had only recently returned to Birmingham).

Henry died on 18 March 1893 aged 76. Ellen outlived him by 15 years, and also outlived all of her children, eventually dying on 11 September 1908 in Birmingham.

Henry and Ellen's children were:

Charles 1842-1866
Henry 1844-1873
Emma 1846-1864
Elizabeth 1848-1849
Edward 1850-1900
Mary Ann 1852-1876
William James 1857-1903

On This Day ... 15 April

1638     John Sewell married his first wife Alis Jefferson at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. John was my 9x great-grandfather.

1798     James Yeal was born in Hartlepool. He was the son of Robert Yeal and Dinah Hood.

1914     Charles Alexander Grant married Ella Mae Evans at 19 Edgewood Crescent, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Thursday 14 April 2011

On This Day ... 14 April

1880     John Chapman married Harriet Linton in Uxbridge Township, Ontario, Canada. On the same day, John's first cousin, Josiah Evans, married Alice Sebeck in Uxbridge Township, Ontario, Canada.

1908     Herbert Cooper married Cora Alice Evans in Pickering Township, Ontario, Canada. Cora was the daughter of Josiah and Alice Evans.

1918     William Henry Makepeace died in Belgium, fighting in World War One. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial.

Wednesday 13 April 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Peggy Hudson 1930


Peggy Hudson, probably September 1930, on voyage from London to Hong Kong.

On This Day ... 13 April

1771     James Johnson married Elizabeth Coulson in St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

1854     Amy Beatrice Hudson was born in East Boldon, Co Durham. She was the daughter of Ralph Milbank Hudson and Elizabeth Robson.

1966     John William Hudson died in Ashington General Hospital, Northumberland, England. He was 71 years old, and was my grandfather.

Tuesday 12 April 2011

On This Day ... 12 April

1840     George Todner married Jane Richey at St Michael's Church, Houghton-le-Spring, Co Durham, England.

1906     Byron Franklin Madill married Sadie E Oatman at Tilsonburg, Oxford Co, Ontario, Canada.

Monday 11 April 2011

Amanuensis Monday - the will of John Powell 1837

John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog, has a weekly theme each Monday called Amanuensis Monday to encourage the posting of transcriptions of documents to preserve and publish their contents.


John Powell was the grandfather of Jane Eliza Powell. He died in 1837, and his will is now in the collection at the National Library of Wales. Their collection of Welsh wills from pre 1859 can be viewed online.



Let this Will be Registered the same having been duly proved by Meredith Powell one of the Executors saving the right of the other executors therein named.  Effects sworn under Four Hundred and Fifty Pounds before me.


15 September 1837


I John Powell of Gilvach in the parish of Nantmel in the County of Radnor farmer being of sound mind and understanding praised by God for the same do make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following, first I give and devise to my dear Wife Jane Powell the sum of Ten pounds per Annum to be paid half yearly on the 29th of Sept and the 25th of March in cash and every year also my best bed and bed cloths also my best chest and drawers and six of my best chairs and I charge my farm of Henrhiew situate in the parish of St Harmon in the County of Radnor with the payment of the said annuity for and during the term of the natural life and in case my executors hereinafter named shall refuse or neglect to pay to my said wife the said annuity as the same […] due namely five pounds on the 29th of Sepr and the like sum on the 25th day of March in cash and every year, it is my Will that she will [...] the usual forms of landlord and distrain from the said premises for her annuity. to my eldest son John Powell I give and bequeath the sum of twenty pounds to be paid twelve months after my decease, to my daughter Elizabeth I give and bequeath the sum of one hundred pounds to be paid in like manner, also I give and bequeath to my daughter Gwennifried now married to John Evans of Berthably the remainder of the farm Pengoyed should be her fortune, in case any part of the said sum should remain paid at the time of my decease.  To my three sons now living with me (namely) Meredith, Edward and David Powell, I give devise and bequeath to them and their heirs [...], the whole of my property real and personal share and share alike, after due payment of the same named legacies likewise the payment of all my last debts which I charge my entire property with and funeral and testamentary expenses and lastly I nominate and appoint my two sons Meredith and Edward Powell joint executors of this my will published and declared this 3 day of March 1836 as my last will and testament who at my request and in my presence and in the presence of each other have subscribed their names as witnesses.




On This Day ... 11 April

1807     Henry Hudson was born in Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Thomas Hudson and Mary Todner.

1816     Thomas Hudson and Eleanor Nevison married in Christ Church, Tynemouth, Northumberland, England.

1905     Margaret Anne Lamb was born in Bloemfontein, Orange River Colony, South Africa. She was the daughter of Alexander Lamb and Martha Ann Pattison, and was my grandmother.

Sunday 10 April 2011

On This Day ... 10 April

1798     Thomas Handson married Mary Wren at St Stephen's Church, Wolsingham, Co Durham, England.

1803     Esther Hudson was born in Bishopwearmouth, Co Durham. She was the daughter of William Hudson and Ann Bell.

1839     Hugh Pugh married Hannah Smith in Pickering Township, Upper Ontario, Canada.

1849     Thomas Williams married Elizabeth Hood at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham.

Saturday 9 April 2011

On This Day ... 9 April

1809     John Leeming was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham. He was the son of John Leeming and Mary Huntridge.

1827     Dent Wallace was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Dent Wallace and Margaret Hudson.

1879     Charles Pugh married Mary Elizabeth Linton at Stouffville, Ontario, Canada.

1912     Norman James Darby was born in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, USA. He was the son of William Henry Darby and Jessie Pugh, and was my grandfather.

Friday 8 April 2011

Ralph Brown 1806-1855 and Mary Hall 1810-1866

Ralph Brown was born at Howden Dock in the parish of Wallsend, Northumberland, England on 13 March 1806, the son of John and Martha Brown. His family moved south into County Durham during his childhood.

Mary Hall was born in Ouseburn, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, on 29 June 1810. She was the daughter of George Hall and Mary Haswell.

Ralph married Mary on Christmas Eve, 1830 at St Michael's Church, Houghton-le-Spring, Co Durham. The couple settled in Easington Lane, close to Ralph's parents.

On the 1841 census they are shown living at Brick Garth, Easington Lane, with four children:

Anne born 1831
Martha born 1833
John born 1839
William born 1840

Ralph was working as a coal miner.

By 1851 the family had moved to Coxhoe, Co Durham. There was another child, George, born 15 January 1842 at Brick Garth. Daughter Martha had died in 1850, and son William isn't on the census with them, but I haven't yet been able to trace what happened to him. Ralph was recorded on the census as an overman (supervisor) at the local colliery.

Ralph died on 20 February 1855, a few weeks short of his 49th birthday. Mary continued to live in Coxhoe, and was shown on the 1861 census with sons George (a coal miner) and Ralph (a 9 year old scholar) and also William Hall - listed as a boarder but possibly a relative. Mary died on 24 August 1866 at only 56, and was buried with her husband in St Helen's Churchyard, Kelloe.

I need to do more work to fill in the gaps in this family. Looking at the dates of birth, there must have been more children born in the 1830s, and probably in the 1840s, but I haven't been able to find any birth or baptism records for the children I know about. I need to follow up on the disappearance of William Brown. I'd also like to find out who William Hall is.

On This Day ... 8 April

1792     Eleanor Yeal was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of William Yeal and Mary Horsley.

1875     Anne Pugh nee Ingram died in Montgomeryshire, Wales and was buried at Bwlch-y-sarnau Baptist Chapel, Radnorshire, Wales. She was the widow of Stephen Pugh, the first minister of the chapel.

1903     Morgan Thomas Evans married Elizabeth Linton in Claremont, Ontario, Canada.

Thursday 7 April 2011

On This Day ... 7 April

1804     Margaret Hood was born in Hartlepool, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of William Hood and Alice Shepherd.

1851     Catherine Edith Hudson was born in East Boldon, Co Durham. She was the daughter of Ralph Milbank Hudson and Elizabeth Robson.

1925     George Winlow Lindars Hudson died in London at the aged of 80.

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Bill Hudson

Bill Hudson, probably September 1930, on the voyage from England to Hong Kong.

On This Day ... 6 April

1828     Jacob Hood marrieid Ann Pounder at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

1846     George Robson was born in Hartlepool. He was the son of Mills Robson and Elizabeth Leeming.

1865     Thomas James Denton was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. He was the son of Henry and Eliza Denton.

Tuesday 5 April 2011

On This Day ... 5 April

1761     William Horsley married Margaret Lackenby at St Hilda's Church, Hartlepool, Co Durham, England.

1832     Joseph Edwin Frost was born in Clerkenwell, London, England. He was the son of Isaac and Sarah Frost.

1843     Ralph Hudson was born in Vine Street, Sunderland, Co Durham. Ralph was the son of Robert Heightley Hudson and Susanna Morrow. Susanna was not married to Robert, but was the widow of Robert's uncle Richard.

1924     Elizabeth Charlotte Pugh, nee Hamer, died in Llanbadarnfynydd, Radnorshire, Wales. She was the widow of Henry Pugh and lived at Tynddol farm.

Monday 4 April 2011

Amanuensis Monday - the will of Thomas Hughes 1893

John Newmark, who writes the TransylvanianDutch blog, has a weekly theme each Monday called Amanuensis Monday to encourage the posting of transcriptions of documents to preserve and publish their contents.

Thomas Hughes was the father of Morgan Hughes. He spent most of his adult life living at Upper Dolelfe farm in Saint Harmon (on the road from Rhayader to Llangurig), and died there in 1893.

BE IT KNOWN that at the date hereunder written the last Will and Testament of Thomas Hughes late of Upper Dolelfan in the parish of St Harmon in the county of Radnor, farmer, deceased, who died on the 19th day of August 1893 at Upper Dolelfan aforesaid within the District of the Counties of Radnor, Brecknock and Hereford, was proved and registered in the District Probate Registry of Her Majesty's High Court of Justice at Hereford and that Administration of the personal estate of the said deceased was granted by the aforesaid Court to John Hughes of Upper Dolelfan aforesaid, farmer, the son of the deceased, one of the Executors named in the said Will He having been first sworn well and faithfully to administer the same.  Power being reserved of making the like grant to Anne Hughes, Widow, the relict of the said deceased, the other Executor.


Dated the 18th day of October 1893


Gross value of Personal Estate  £1,040.9.6
Net value of Personal Estate      £920.19.9
No leaseholds
Extracted by H V Vaughan, solicitor, Builth




This is the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Hughes of Upper Dolelfan in the parish of Saint Harmon Radnorshire Farmer.  Subject to the payment of all my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses and the legacies hereinafter bequeathed I give devise and bequeath to my wife Anne Hughes one moiety of my real and personal estate and effects wheresoever situate and of whatsoever kind for the term of her natural life and after her decease I give devise and bequeath the same to my son John Hughes and as to the remaining moiety of my real and personal estate I give devised and bequeath the same absolutely to the said John Hughes I direct that my said wife and said son John shall continue to carry on the farming business now carried on by me during the term of the life of my said wife the profits arising from such farming business to be equally divided between them.  In the event however of my said son John Hughes desiring to discontinue the said partnership then I direct that he shall pay to her one half of the value of my farming stock and farming effects to and for her own use during the term of her natural life and after her death such sums to revert to my said son John Hughes in accordance with the previous provisions of this my Will such value to be ascertained at the time of my decease by a valuation to be made as soon as convenient after my decease.  I give and bequeath to my Daughters Anne wife of Edward Jones of Aber in the parish of Llangurig, Elizabeth wife of John Pugh of Brithdir also in the parish of Llangurig, Catherine wife of John Lewis of Cwmyrychen in the parish of Saint Harmon and Harriet wife of Richard Ingram Ten pounds each also to my Sons Morgan Hughes of Vedw and Evan Hughes of Penrhiw both in the parish of Saint Harmon aforesaid and Richard Hughes of London House West Street Rhayader in the County of Radnor the sum of Ten Pounds each in all Seventy pounds the same to be paid to them (or in case of their decease to their respective representatives) within twelve calendar months after my decease hereby revoking all former Wills heretofore made by me I hereby declare this to be my last Will and Testament and appoint my said wife Anne Hughes and my said son John Hughes to be joint Executors.  Dated this fifth day of June 1890.  Thomas Hughes.






Signed, published and declared by the said Testator Thomas Hughes as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
Edw. Wood  Solicitor Rhayader
Jno. Jones, Clerk to Mr Wood




Proved at Hereford on the 18th day of October 1893 by the oath of John Hughes, the son, one of the Executors to whom administration was granted.  Power being reserved of making the like grant to Anne Hughes, Widow, the Relict, the other Executor.
The Testator Thomas Hughes was late of Upper Dolelfan in the parish of Saint Harmon in the County of Radnor Farmer and died on the 19th day of August 1893 at Upper Dolelfan aforesaid.
Gross  £1,040.9.6


HV Vaughan, Solicitor, Builth

On This Day ... 4 April

1846     Michael Usher married Elizabeth Scott at St Mary's Church, Gateshead, Co Durham, England.

1900     Henry Wideman married Elizabeth Jane Pugh in Ontario Co, Ontario, Canada.

Sunday 3 April 2011

On This Day ... 3 April

1851     Eliza Alice Hudson died in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of George Winlow Hudson and Elizabeth Hughes, and was only 3 years old.

1852     Jane Powell, nee Owens, died in Nantmel, Radnorshire, Wales. She was 80 years old. Jane was my g-g-g-g-grandmother.

1870     David Lewis married Nancy Cowan at Uxbridge Township, Ontario Co, Ontario, Canada.

Saturday 2 April 2011

Review of March goals; some April goals

Review of March


Research plans 

  • write at least 2 research plans, one on John Heighington. Wrote a plan for John Heighington, and spent some time working on the Heighingtons. I need to get to Durham Record Office to follow up, and this will require a day off work. Didn't manage to write a second plan.
  • follow up on the Frances Hunter research plan. Didn't make any progress here.

Blog

  • write at least 12 blog postings, aside from "On This Day" posts. Done
  • add blog page for Margaret Lamb's ancestors. Done

Indexing

  • index 350 names - did more, despite Family Search Indexing's problems during the month.

Organisation

  • focus on tagging files with ID numbers - try to get through 500 this month. Did a lot more than 500. Will still take me several more months to do this.
  • continue scanning my grandmother's photographs. Got through a fair amount of these. Still have a couple more albums to do.



Goals for April
More of the same I think...


Research plans 

  • Make some progress on Frances Hunter - at least to the point of having some targets for my next trip to DRO (which will probably be May as I can't see me having time off in April).
  • Finish writing research plans for John Pugh and Charlotte Harrison - I drafted these over Christmas but never completed them or did any actual research.

Blog

  • write at least 12 blog postings, aside from "On This Day" posts
  • add blog page for Norman Darby's ancestors

Indexing

  • index 350 names

Organisation

  • Continue tagging files with ID numbers - get at least 500 done this month
  • Continue scanning my grandmother's photographs.

On This Day ... 2 April

1793     Lancelot Hudson was born in Sunderland, Co Durham, England. He was the son of Thomas Hudson and Mary Todner.

1795     Thomas Hudson was born in Sunderland on his brother Lancelot's second birthday.

1803     Christiana Whitehouse was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. She was the daughter of Joseph Whitehouse and Ann Hobdey.

Friday 1 April 2011

Thomas Pattison 1795-1866 and Ann Moor 1799-1883

Thomas Pattison was born in Ravensworth, Lamesley, Co Durham, England in 1795, the son of Thomas Pattison and Elizabeth Burrell. He was baptised in St Andrew's Church in Lamesley on 27 September 1795.
On 31 May 1819 he married Ann Moor at Holy Trinity Church, Washington, Co Durham. She was born on 2 June 1799 at Whickham, Co Durham to parents John Moor and Hannah Wren.

The newly married couple settled in the pit village of Newbottle, in the parish of Houghton-le-Spring, Co Durham, where Thomas worked as a coal miner. All their children were born in Newbottle:

Elizabeth Moor Pattison 1820-1887
Hannah Pattison 1823-1853
Barbara Pattison 1825-1830
William Pattison 1827-1905
Thomas Pattison 1830-1902
Barbara Pattison 1832-1832
John Pattison 1833-1893
James Pattison 1836-1836
James Pattison 1837-1838

A couple of years after the death of their youngest son, the Pattisons moved to a new coal mine at Oxclose, Coxhoe, Co Durham. By 1851 the family had moved to West Hetton Houses on the other side of the village of Coxhoe. By now all the surviving sons were working in the mine. The family were still at West Hetton Houses in 1861, but William and Thomas Jr had moved out. Thomas Sr was still working in the mine at 66 years old. Thomas died at West Hetton Houses on 10 April 1866.

Ann lived out the rest of her life with her son John in Coxhoe. By 1871 they were living in Sandgate, and in 1881 at Prospect Place. She died on 1 June 1883 at West Hetton, Coxhoe, and was buried beside her husband at St Mary's Church, Coxhoe.

On This Day ... 1 April

1823     Thomas Jones married Elizabeth Williams at St Peter's Church, Llanbedr Painscastle. Elizabeth was my g-g-g-g grandmother.

1827     Mary Anne Furnas was born in Monkwearmouth Shore, Co Durham, England. She was the daughter of Joseph Furnas and Isabella Wealand.

1864     John Wilkinson married Catherine Graham in Buckworth, Victoria, Australia. John was born in Houghton-le-Spring in Co Durham, England in 1826 and emigrated to Australia around 1859.