UPDATED JUNE 2022
The Brown Family Tree was fully updated during 2022 with the addition of new chapters and whole new sections about the Vasey, Ramshaw, Tindale and Jobson families. To accommodate the new information, many new chapters have been added. This meant that the whole of Part Two of this blog had to be re-numbered.
The Brown Family make up the second main branch of the tree to migrate from England. They originally came from the Newcastle on Tyne region in the north of the country. Below are diagrams showing how members of the Brown family fit into our extended family tree. Also below are diagrams showing the Vasey, Ramshaw, Tindale and Jobson families.
Significant Historical Events that members of our Brown Family lived through in Victoria
Members of our Brown family lived through the early days of Melbourne and watched it grow from a large town to a large city. Above are some of the historical events that occurred during their first fifty years in Victoria.
GM Elizabeth May Brown was born in 1879 to GGP Richard Vasey Brown and Elizabeth Stewart in St Kilda. She lived in the family home at 75 Inkerman St with her parents until her late twenties.
On the 9 May 1905, May aged 26 ran the following advert in 'The Age'; "Dress Making-Competent, bodice, hand and improvers. M. Brown, 75 Inkerman St, St Kilda". On 12 Jul she ran a different version in the same paper; "Dress Making.— Experienced Skirt, Hand, used, good work; constant, suitable. Miss Brown,75 Inkerman St., St. Kilda".
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Brother-in-law John Perry was running several businesses from his farm; including farming, being a stock agent, running a coach business and doing the mail run in the 1850's. In the latter half of the 1850's, GGF Richard Vasey Brown (b1828) formed a partnership with Fanny's husband John Perry to run a butcher/slaughtering business at Elphinstone, which was given as his home address. In fact, it may have been in the early days of this partnership that Fanny first met John.
GGF Richard Vasey Brown 39 (really 41) married the much younger GGM Janet Stewart 24 in 'The Manse', Presbyterian Church, Emerald Hill on 11 May 1870. At the time, Richard had been living in St. Kilda and working as a labourer. Scottish born Janet, who had only been in the colony for a few years, was living in Emerald Hill and was working as a servant. One of the witnesses to the wedding was Walter Perry 27, who was the son of John Perry and stepson of sister Fanny Perry nee Brown. (See 27.5). The marriage registration above confirmed that Richard was a 'bachelor', that he been born in Greatham, Lincolnshire and his parents were Richard Vasey Brown printer, and Elizabeth Booth. (For more details about GGM Janet Stewart's early life see Part 7: The Stewart Family Tree)
In 1870-1871 Richard Vasey Brown labourer, was paying rates on a three roomed house in Union St, Prahran, but by the following year he was working as a cabinet maker and the family had moved to a four roomed house at Roseneath Place, Emerald Hill
The AER listed Richard living in Farmer St, St.Kilda in 1880. Soon after the family moved to a house at 75 Inkerman St, St Kilda, which they named 'Muir'. (That was Janet's mother's maiden name see Part 7 of this Blog). They would live in this house for almost forty years.
In the early part of that decade, Richard ran many adverts (monthly) like the following in the 'The Telegraph', 4 Oct 1884, "Richard V. Brown, Inkerman Street, St. Kilda, Near Market. Furniture removed by spring vans and packed for shipment. Mattresses Made to Order and Re-made. Carpets beaten and laid down".
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| Presbyterian Church Inkerman St, St Kilda |
Notes relating to the The Will of Janet Brown nee Stewart signed 11 Dec 1915 (above) From the Family Tree on Ancestry.com titled VivienneClarkWooster
Executrix and executor was named as eldest daughter Janet Stewart Bruce, wife of Alexander Wilson Bruce, grocer of Ormond and Son-in-law Henry Leslie Thoms plumber of Kyabram.
I give and bequeath to Daughter Kate Muir Thoms of Kyabram piano, furniture, pictures, ornaments and personal items.
The Residue of rest of my property to my eight children in equal shares:-
- Richard Vasey Brown of St Kilda cabinet maker
- Henry Stewart Brown of Kalgoorlie miner
- Edwin Douglas Brown of St.Kilda coach painter
- Herbert Duncan Brown formerly of Melbourne, grocer, but now on active service with the Australian Expeditionary Force (see codicil below)
- Janet Stewart Bruce
- Elizabeth May Smith of Bell St Coburg, the wife of Alexander Smith, grocer
- Kate Muir Thoms
- James Allan Brown formerly of Kyabram farmer but now on active service with the Australian Forces.
- Correction made to son-in-law’s name Harry Leslie Thoms NOT Henry Leslie Thoms
- All medical expenses paid by above to be refunded
- All travel costs from Melbourne to Kyabram by daughter Janet Stewart Bruce to refunded
- Granddaughter Bessie Thoms to receive 8 shares in Kyabram Butter factory
- All bequests to son Herbert Duncan Brown to be revoked
- Residue of estate NOT to be distributed until after lease of Janet’s property to Harry Leslie Thoms expired on 1 Dec 1920
- If any child of Janet’s predeceased her, their share of the estate would be shared equally by their offspring.
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John was born at Emerald Hill in 1872 to GGP Richard Vasey Brown and Janet Stewart. He died as a child in 1878 aged 6.
There are many reports c1900 of Henry Brown applying for prospecting leases. Many of these have Henry’s full name, but some of the early applications leave out his middle name. The first of the latter was for a joint lease of 12 acres in 1899 when Henry was in his mid-20’s (Coolgardie Herald 11 Aug 1899). The 1903 AER lists a miner named Henry Brown living at Maritana Hill, but as he lived with two other men with the same surname this is likely to be a different man.
The first reliable record I have found relating to Henry as an adult was a reported theft from his Bulong Rd camp, of possessions valued £6 in 1902 (Kalgoorlie Miner 19 Nov 1902). Bulong Rd starts in East Kalgoorlie and heads east. In 1905 Henry Stewart Brown married Elizabeth Jane James at Kalgoorlie. During the next decade they had three children; the first son, named after Henry, was probably born in 1906 at Coolgardie.
A report in the Evening Star (7 Aug 1905) indicates that Henry Stewart Brown first applied for the lease of 4073E in early Aug. In 1906 Henry made a second application for the mining lease of 10 acres known as the ‘N.Q.V’ or no. 4073E. (Kalgoorlie Miner 23 Jan 1906). Later that year, in August, he did find some gold but was involved in a complex court dispute related to amounts owing to him amounting to £6. The report indicates that “Henry took up the ground” in Oct 1905. He seems to have also taken up the Gold Mining Lease no. 4219E by way of forfeiture, but this lease was forfeited by him in Nov 1906 (See Kalgoorlie Miner 7 Nov 1906 below). The Goldfields Warden described Henry as “not very brilliant, but honest”. Apparently the 4073E goldmine was about 300 feet deep, so needed a few men to work it. In the end Henry was awarded about half the amount he had claimed. (GML 4073E may have been located near Burbanks south of Coolgardie).
In 1909 Henry Stewart Brown was listed on the AER as a miner and then a mill hand at G.M. Lease, 2139 Kitchener Rd, Kalgoorlie. Henry and wife Elizabeth Jane Brown nee James lived at that address at least until 1914. Another son was possibly born to the couple in 1911. He was named James Brown and was probably born in Boulder, Kalgoorlie in 1911 which is in the same vicinity as Kitchener Rd.By 1916 Henry and Elizabeth had moved 1 km to 86 Campbell St, Mullingar and Henry’s occupation was listed as plumber. Wife Elizabeth’s middle name was listed as ‘Jean’. Mullingar was an early name used for the Kalgoorlie area but later referred to an area just north of the city.
The next article about an incident the following year does not reflect well on Henry’s character (Evening Star, 18 Aug 1917).
According to the 1917 AER, the occupation of Henry Stewart Brown of 1388 Eric St was still plumber, so Henry must have trained as a plumber before he moved to W.A. and then reverted to that job in 1916 and later did gold prospecting as a side-line. The AER had the same details in 1919 but from 1920 to 1925 wife Elizabeth was missing from the roll. When Henry moved to Fremantle in the 1930’s and again when he returned to Victoria in the 1940's he once again worked as a plumber. Eric St, Mullingar, Kalgoorlie no longer seems to exist, but would have been located to the south of the city centre.
Henry’s mother died at Kyabram, Vic in 1817 and Henry inherited a shared portion of her estate. The will tells us that in 1917 Henry was a miner living and working in Kalgoorlie. In 1918 Henry applied for licences to prospect in two areas (one 14 acres and one 18 acres) in the Kalgoorlie area (Kalgoorlie Miner 26 Mar 1818). In that year Henry was in trouble again when he was accused of being in possession of a tyre suspected of being obtained illegally (Kalgoorlie Miner 19 Jul 1918). That case was based on very flimsy evidence and was dismissed by the magistrate. It is interesting to note that the reporter noted that the accused was of “a respectable appearance”. In 1919, along with James McCullock, he applied for a third site of 12 acres at Williamstown (not far from Bulong Rd).
In 1923 Henry Stewart Brown and Alexander McLeod applied for a mining lease over 12 acres at Mt Charlotte, which they rather hopefully named the ‘Big Genuine’. (The Sun 18 Feb 1923). A second edition of the AER in 1925 listed Henry, a plumber, as living alone in Austral St, Kalgoorlie (not far from Bulong Rd).
By 1831 Henry senior had moved to Fremantle to live with his wife Jean Elizabeth Brown at 88 Carr St, Fremantle where Henry worked as a plumber. This suggests that Henry’s wife moved from Kalgoorlie in the 1920’s, and that they reunited in the 1930’s. In 1934 Henry and Jean were living at 57 Guildford Rd, Maylands in Fremantle. Jean may have been unwell because she died in 1936 at Fremantle.
During 1936 Henry returned to Kalgoorlie and his mining operation became a family affair. On the 1936 AER, Henry senior was listed living at Grants Patch with Henry Stewart Brown jnr, miner, and James Brown, mine worker (probably sons named after himself and his brother). Grants Patch is 50km north of Kalgoorlie.
By the following year (1937) Henry Stewart Brown senior (aged 62) had moved back to his Austral Road claim and was working as a prospector, whilst his two sons still resided at Grants Patch and worked as miners.
The death record states that he spent a total of 21 years in Vic and 57 years in Western Australia. This is obviously incorrect. The way I interpret these figures is that Henry spent the first 21 years of his life in Vic, and then moved to WA in 1896. His last 57 years were spent mostly in WA until he returned to Vic around 1940. Unfortunately, although Henry was listed as a widower, the certificate contains no names for his deceased wife and states that there were no (known) children. This information would have been supplied by Henry’s only surviving sibling, youngest brother James, who was only a young boy when Henry left Victoria, and probably had a very limited knowledge of Henry’s life.
The death notice in 'The Age' 5
Jul 1954 only mentioned one of Henry’s siblings (James Brown), because all the
others were deceased; "On July 3 (suddenly), Henry Stewart Brown, loved
brother of James".
Probate was granted on 28 Nov 1955. Henry's occupation was listed as labourer and he was cremated at Springvale. The public trustee placed the above advert in The Argus 5 July 1955.
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NOTE: There was another man named Alexander Wilson Bruce who lived in St.Kilda
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Edwin's wife placed a bereavement notice in the paper (The Argus 2 Sep 1937), thanking people for their kindness and support. The notice provides Edwin's long-term address and places his death around Aug 1937. It mentions nephews and nieces. On the Brown side the word nephew may have been referring to Allan Smith (son of May Smith nee Brown), as the family seemed to be unaware of the nephews in W.A. (see above). Of course, there may have been more nephews and nieces on the Summer’s side of the family. A.A. Sleight was a firm of undertakers. Alice Brown nee Summer's house was put up for sale later that month.
A Death Notice in The Argus (8 June 1943) tells us that Alice May Brown, wife of the late E. D. Brown (late) of 80 Inkerman St died on the 14 June. The ad was inserted by S. B. Smith and family (Alice’s sister). According to Vic BDM Alice was 52.
NOTE RE ANOTHER Edwin. D. Brown: From 1838 to 1941 remembrance notices were run in 'The Argus' annually on 7 Feb each year. Confusingly these notices apply to another Edwin Douglas Brown who died, at the age of 21, only months after 'our' Edwin Douglas Brown. He died in Prahran in Feb 1938 as a result of an accident. Vic BDM records confirm that these were two separate men with the same name who died one year apart.
One of these memorial notices
(The Argus 7 Feb 1939) reads; "In memoriam Brown - In loving
memory of our dear son and brother Edwin Douglas who died on the 7th February
1938 as a result of accident, 'Gone from us that smiling face his pleasant
cheerful ways. The heart that won so many friends, In bygone happy days.
Sweetest memories fond and true, Will always linger Doug of you.' Inserted by
his loving parents and brother Caulfield."
A report in 'The Age' 1 Aug 1837 may provide a clue as to how the above
Edwin may have died. The report details a police 'complaint' "against
Edwin D. Brown, whom (it was) alleged had at 5.45 p.m., on June 24, driven a
motor truck near Springvale, at a speed of from 37 to 39 miles per hour.
Defendant was carting milk cans. He was found guilty and was fined £7, with 2/6
costs". (This was unlikely to be 'our Edwin D. Brown; see above)
Herbert was born in 1883 to GGP Richard Vasey Brown and Janet Stewart and lived with his family until 1911. The 1908 AER listed Herbert as living in the family home at 75 Inkerman St and his occupation was monumental mason, but the following year he was at the same address with a new occupation of 'grocer'. It is interesting to note that Herbert Brown, his sister May's husband GF Alexander Hubert Smith and sister Janet's husband Alexander Wilson Bruce, were all grocers at about the same time. Alexander Wilson Brown was listed as a grocer from at least 1903 (AER). There is no evidence that they worked together, but in all likelihood their decisions to work in this field would have influenced each other.
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| Private Herbert Duncan Brown |
Duncan's widowed wife married John Martin in the same year that Herbert died and became Mrs Dora Martin. By 1921 she was living in Ulverstone in Tasmania. She lost contact with Herbert's siblings and the military file contains correspondence from both Herbert's sister Janet Bruce nee Brown, and from his widow, in relation to who would receive Herbert's war medals.
Duncan was born in 1885 to GGP Richard Vasey Brown and Janet Stewart, but died at the age of one in 1886. 'Muir' was his grandmother's maiden name.
In 1911 Katie 25 married Harry Leslie Thoms 26 plumber. Soon after their marriage the couple moved to Taripta, 6 km north of Kyabram, where Harry worked as a plumber. Katie's parents GGP Richard Vasey Brown and Janet Brown nee Stewart moved to Taripta too, possibly so their daughter could help care for Richard who was now in his mid eighties. Richard must have been frail because he died in 1913.
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| Kyabram Free Press 26 Jan 1917 |
During the war in 1942 they moved closer to Melbourne. Katie Muir Thoms was living at 29 Highett Rd, Sandringham. Her husband in his fifties was living at Royal Park serving with the Australian Citizen Military Forces. His next of kin was listed as K.Thoms (Kate). After the war the couple moved to 82 Belmore Rd, Balwyn and although Harry Leslie Thoms was in his sixties he was still working as a plumber.
Kate Muir Thoms nee Brown died at the age of 63 on 11 Jul 1851 at Balwyn. Their two known children were Janet Elizabeth Thoms (later Axford) b1912 and Jessie Mabel Thoms (later Jack) b1916. There was a death announcement in The Argus 12 Jul 1951; "THOMS. On July 11, at her residence, 82 Belmore road, Balwyn, Katie, beloved wife of Harry Thoms and loving mother of Bess (Mrs. Axford) and Jessie (Mrs. K. W. Jack), fond mother-in-law of Viv and Keith [Jack], loving mamma [grandmother] of Sheena, Perry, Harlie, Douglas and Peter. Peacefully sleeping". Harry survived for another decade. The Grave Record (below) for Katie and Harry at Boroondara Cemetery reads as follows; no 26 : Katie Thoms loving mother of Bess & Jess & Harry L Thoms.
NOTE 2: Daughter Janet Elizabeth Thoms married Vivian James Perry Axford, mechanic in 1938. Although Vivian lived in Adelaide, they possibly met at the Ballarat South Street Music Competition as they both performed there in 1837. An article in the 'Frankston Standard' 27 May 1938, described a performance in the following year; "Miss Bess Thoms, of Frankston and Mr. Vivian Axford, of Adelaide, who have been delighting various Frankston audiences recently with their beautiful singing, were among the successful competitors in the competitions held at Bendigo this week. Miss Thoms and Mr Axford won the open duet with 89 points." There are many other short reports about them up until the mid 1940's.
World War One started in 1914 and a wave of Australia's young men joined the AIF. Among those that signed up were two of the Brown brothers; Herbert and James. James (Private no. 1356) joined the AIF on 2 Aug 1915. Strangely, on his enlistment form above he nominated his age as 22 when in fact according to the Vic BDM he was 26, He named his mother as Janet S Brown of Kyabram and stated that his father was deceased, so it is definitely him.
On the 10 November 1915 he embarked from Melbourne on the ship HMAT Ascanius A11. The embarkation record tells us that James 26 was single, living in Ormond and his occupation prior to enlistment was listed as 'farmer'. His next of kin was listed as his mother GGM Janet S Brown of Kyabram. The war brought personal tragedy to the family in 1817 when on the 26th January 1917, James' brother Herbert Duncan Brown, was killed in action in France. His brother's death notice in 'The Age' listed James Allan Brown as being on active service. James served in Egypt, Tunisia and France. He returned to Australia on 31 May 1919 and was discharged from the AIF on 15 Aug 1919. A note on James' war record states that he was discharged, because he was medically unfit through an unknown "disability, due to his military service". His address after the war was 150 Glen Eira Rd, Elstenwick. (This was his sister Janet's address.)
From 1949 to 1954 there was another change in address, but not in occupation. The couple were running a poultry farm in Rattray Rd, Montmorency where they lived until James passed away in 1960 aged 71.
James died on 1 Mar 1960 and the death registration (Vic BDM) records his parents as Richard Vasey Brown and Janet Stewart. James was buried in Fawkner Memorial Park. James' age was incorrectly stated at the cemetery. The plaque on his grave states 67, but the burial record correctly states an age of 70.
Florence Rose Brown nee Wallace died at Heidelberg on the 24 Apr 1975 and was buried at Springvale Botanical Cemetery. There were no known children.
GGGF Richard Vasey Brown was born on 4 Jun 1804 at Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland. He was the first to be given the rather grand forenames of 'Richard Vasey' and was baptised at the age of three in the Nonconformist Church, St Nicholas, Newcastle Upon Tyne on 2 Aug 1807. His parents were GGGGP William Brown b1775 and Sarah Vasey b1779. In the early 1800's Richard's parents moved their family 160 miles south to Lincolnshire and that is where Richard met his future wife.
On 28 January 1828 GGGF Richard Vasey Brown 23 married older woman GGGM Elizabeth Booth 29 at Grantham, Lincolnshire and they settled there to have their family. Their first four children (Richard 1828, Elizabeth 1831, Sarah 1832 and Maria 1834) were baptised in Grantham, with the family abode listed as Little Gonerby, but their last child, Fanny, was born in 1838, 30 miles away in Boston, Lincolnshire. Their first son, GGF Richard Vasey Brown, was born on 28 Nov 1828 and named after his father.
NOTE: Interestingly, Richard chose not to follow his uncle Thomas Brown b1789 who had migrated to Canada with his family in 1846 and established a successful business in Toronto.
Elizabeth Booth was probably born in early 1798 and was baptised in Jan of that year at 'St Marys and St Peters' church in Harlaxton, Lincolnshire to parents GGGGP John Booth and Ann Briggs (from 1851 census and Death Registration). The Vic BDM records her mother as 'Elizabeth Unknown', but this could be an error as it relied on the memory of the informant at the time. Harlaxton is just 3 miles from Grantham where Elizabeth 30 married Richard Vasey Brown 24 in 1828. Elizabeth and Richard had five known children and moved to Australia in 1852. See 26.0 for more about Elizabeth Brown nee Booth's married life.
GGGM Elizabeth Brown nee Booth died on 3 Jan 1876. Her death was registered at Taradale but she was probably living with one of her widowed daughters; Elizabeth Rohsburn nee Brown and/or Fanny Perry nee Brown who lived in the Taradale area at this time. She had a recorded age of 78 and her father was listed as John Booth.
26.2 GGGGP John Booth (1766-1833) & Ann Briggs (1773-1846)
John Booth was born c1766 (from death record). There is no known baptismal record for John but he may have been born in any one of the villages close to Harlaxton, Lincolnshire.
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| Harlaxton Marriages 1792 |
GGGGP John Booth and Ann Booth nee Briggs had six known children who were all baptised in St Marys and St Peters Church, Harlaxton; Mary Booth bap 23 Aug 1795, GGGM Elizabeth Booth bap Jan 1798, Sarah Booth bap20 Nov 1800, John Booth bap 12 Jul 1805, Frances Booth 1808-1808 and Francis Booth 1813. All children were born in Harlaxton and GGGGF John Booth was listed as a labourer on some baptism registrations. Sarah (d30 Nov 1800), Mary (d6 Dec 1800) and Frances (d22 Jan 1808) all died as infants.
GGGGM Ann Booth nee Briggs aged 74 died at Bottesford, but was buried with her husband at Harlaxton on 20 Dec 1846.
John Briggs was born at Denton, Lincolnshire (1 mile from Harlaxton) in 1727 to GGGGGGF Thomas Briggs. Mary Clark was probably baptised at Braceby (10 miles from Denton) in 1838 by parents GGGGGGP Robert and Mary Clark. In 1756 John Briggs married Mary Clark in Harlaxton. After their marriage they settled in Harlaxton to have their family. The following 'Briggs' children were baptised by John and Mary Briggs at Harlaxton between 1760 and 1800; Sarah Briggs 1 Mar 1760, Ann Briggs 1763-1763, Thomas Briggs 20 Aug 1770, GGGGM Ann Briggs 17 Sep 1773, Samuel Briggs 16 Jun 1776, George Briggs 1779-1780, William Briggs 1785, Sarah Briggs 18 Jun 1787, George Briggs 3 Oct 1790, John Briggs 3 Apr 1792, Jane Briggs 11 Jun 1794, Edward Briggs 10 Apr 1796 and George Briggs 4 Mar 1798. These births cover a 40 year period and there were two daughters named Sarah. This suggests that there were two couples named John and Mary Briggs with the second couple starting their family in 1785. It seems that our John and Mary’s family finished with baby George in 1779 when Mary Briggs nee Clark was 41 years old. GGGGGF John Briggs died in 1785 leaving Mary with four surviving children.
27.0 Five Children of GGGP Richard Vasey Brown (1804-1855) & Elizabeth Booth (1798-1876)
The arrival of the family
coincided with the great Victorian Goldrush, but no records link the family
with any activities associated with this event. As a vast number of men had
travelled to the goldfields, there were labour shortages in Melbourne so
members of the Brown family would have had no difficulties in finding work and
the four daughters no trouble in finding suitors.
Richard was baptised on 26 Nov 1828 in Grantham, Lincolnshire to parents GGGP Richard Vasey Brown (1804-1855) and Elizabeth Booth (1798-1876). He was the second of our ancestors to be given the forenames 'Richard Vasey'. By the time of the 1841 census the family were living in Leicester St, New Sleaford and the family consisted of parents GGGF Richard Vasey Brown 35 bookbinder and GGGM Elizabeth Brown 40 and children GGF Richard V Brown 12, Elizabeth Brown 10, Mary Brown 6 and Frances Brown 3. In 1852 Richard and his parents migrated to Victoria, Australia, and Richard b1828 married GGM Janet Stewart in Melbourne. He went on to have eleven children. See 24.2 for more information about the lives of GGP Richard Brown and Janet Stewart.
(More information about the Rohsburns is available on Ancestry.com family tree of DavidJClarkinOz)
Within a year of arriving, on 20 May 1854 at St Kilda, Elizabeth 22 married Alfred Rohsburn 23 (born in Sweden), a lime burner at the “Licenced Schoolhouse” in St.Kilda according to the rites of the Church of England.. Both had been living in Prahran, but Alfred’s usual place of residence was listed as Point Nepean. Elizabeth’s parents were Richard Brown printer and Elizabeth Brown nee Booth. Alfred was born in Stockholm but interestingly Elizabeth listed her place of birth as Southampton! Witnesses at the wedding were Elizabeth’s siblings Richard and Maria Brown.
NOTE from the Nepean Historical Society website (Edited): In 1838 much building construction was under way in Melbourne and lime was needed for cementing the stone blocks together. Lime burning became the chief means of livelihood in the area from 1840 onwards. Much of the work force used to operate the kilns came direct from the sailing ships which anchored off The Heads in order to take on board supplies of fresh meat and vegetables; sorely needed after months of dry rations. Housing was most primitive, just wattle and daub huts, tents and bark humpies. Early records indicate that by 1845 there were 17 kilns burning lime.
The couple went on to have nine children and their places of birth illustrate their movements around the state. Their first two children Richard Vasey Rohsburn (1855-1922) and Alfred Rohsburn b1858 were born in Prahran. Son Alfred died as an infant.
In 1865 a Frederick Rohsburn carpenter was declared insolvent at Elphinstone. He was possibly Alfred's brother, as that was the name Frederick gave to his third son. In that same year, a meeting of creditors of Frederick Rohsburn carpenter of Elphinstone was announced in The Age on 8 Aug. Five years later brother Frederick died of heart disease in the Castlemaine Hospital aged 41.
Sarah was born in 1832 and baptised at Grantham, Lincolnshire on 28 Dec 1832. In 1841 she was listed as living in Bottesford (7 miles from Grantham) with her 68 year old widowed grandmother (GGGGM Ann Booth nee Briggs), who was head of the household. By 1851 Sarah was back with her parents, who had moved to Paradise Rd, Southampton. This move of 180 miles was possibly in preparation for their migration to Australia. According to the census of that year the household consisted of Richard Brown 46 bookbinder, Elizabeth Brown 52, Elizabeth Brown 20 dressmaker, Sarah Brown 18 dressmaker, Maria Brown 16 and Fanny Brown 13.
In 1852, the family left England to sail to Melbourne on the ship 'Northumbria', arriving in early 1853. The passenger list indicated that Sarah Brown was 20 years old at that time.
Like her older sister, Sarah did not take long to find a husband. In 1854 aged 22, she married John Cockshutt Bland (Vic BDM). John Bland was the captain of the ship Northumbria, which brought the Brown family to Victoria in 1853. In Dec 1853 Captain Bland was the subject of report relating to a shipping accident that occurred to the Northumbria in Melbourne Harbour. In that same year there was an unclaimed letter for Captain John Bland of the Northumbria at the Melbourne GPO. The Mercantile Navy List of 1848 confirms that ‘John Cockshutt Bland’ was the master of the Northumbria. After 1854 there are no reports listing Captain Bland nor his ship the Northumbria, so he either retired, lost his job or died at sea.
Alternatively, John Cockshutt
Bland died in the 1860's (probably in 1865 at the age of 51). If this is correct,
John had been born in 1814 in Scotland and his parents were James Bland and
Sarah Easton. There were no known children from this marriage. We do not know for certain what happened to John Bland, but we do know that Sarah was widowed during the mid 1860's.
In the 1870's John and Sarah Ferguson had two daughters; Henrietta Elizabeth Ferguson b1872 and Alice Christina Ferguson b1875. Both births were registered in Castlemaine to parents William Ferguson and Sarah Jane Ferguson nee Brown (Vic BDM), The birth registrations confirm that their mother was Sarah Jane Brown.
The 'Mount Alexander Mail' 6 Nov 1894 reported on daughter Henrietta's wedding as follows; "An interesting wedding was celebrated at St.Mary's R.C. Church recently, when Miss Hettie Ferguson, of Sutton Grange, and Mr Owen Ludlow were united in the holy bonds of matrimony.....The ' dejeuner' was served at the residence of the bride's parents, and the building was tastefully decorated for the occasion......A dance was subsequently held at Miss E. Ferguson's farm, which was heartily entered into by those present". Another article mention Henrietta's sister Alice but there was no mention of her mother. Sister Alice was also mentioned in the paper several times for winning academic and sports prizes.
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| Bendigo Advertiser 7 Aug 1914 |
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| Bendigo Independent 10 Aug 1914 |
Daughters Henrietta Ludlow nee Ferguson died in 1926 and Alice Ferguson died in 1953 and their death registrations both listed their mother as Sarah 'Unknown'. The confusion possibly related to the fact that Sarah had had a previous marriage and surname.
Maria was born in 1834 and baptised on 13 Jan 1835 in Grantham, Lincolnshire. At the time of the 1841 census the family were living in Leicester St, New Sleaford and the family consisted of GGGF Richard Vasey Brown 35 bookbinder, GGGM Elizabeth Brown 40, GGF Richard V Brown 12, Elizabeth Brown 10, Mary (Maria) Brown 6 and Frances Brown 3. By 1851 the family had moved to Paradise Rd, Southampton. This move of 180 miles was possibly in preparation for their migration to Australia. According to the census of that year the household consisted of Richard Brown 46 bookbinder, Elizabeth Brown 52, Elizabeth Brown 20 dressmaker, Sarah Brown 18 dressmaker, Maria Brown 16 and Fanny Brown 1.
In 1852, the family left England to sail to Melbourne on the ship 'Northumbria', arriving in early 1853. The passenger list included her parents, brother and three sisters Elizabeth Brown 22, Sarah Brown 20 and Fanny Brown 14. Maria was listed as being 18 years old.
Maria not only married Captain John Redmond Clark (1831-1906) in 1858, but she gave birth to a second daughter named Helen J. Clark in that year. See Vic BDM birth registration above. They had six daughters and one son, who were Sarah Ellen Francis Brown (went by the name Fanny) c1855, Helen Jeffrey Clark (Smith) 1858, Louisa Maria Clark (1861-1937), Christina Clark (1863-1943), Rosina Elizabeth Clark (1866-1957), Mary Janet Clark (1869-1958) and John David Clark (1871-1941). All children except Fanny were born at Emerald Hill (South Melbourne) and Maria seemed to live her whole life in this area. Daughter Helen married Arthur Smith in 1893, but sadly she died at her residence, 149 Nelson Rd, South Melbourne, a few years later in 1900. Her death notice tells us that her father was Captain John Clark.
Maria's husband John Clark died aged 73 in 1906 at his home at 161 Nelson Rd. An obituary published in ‘The Age’ 12 May 1906 gives many details about his illustrious 50 year sailing career. Some highlights include that he became a captain at a young age, visited most major ports in the world and never lost a ship or had a serious accident. Family members mentioned included his widow, grown up family and son-in-law Captain George Smith. The article also mentions that in his early days, John was an officer on the ship ‘Antillus’ commanded by Captain Bland. Was the latter, Captain John C. Bland who married Maria’s sister, Sarah Jane Bland in 1854?
John Clark’s death notice listed his family as wife Maria Clark and children Mrs Captain George Smith (Louisa), Mrs George Deal (Christina), Mrs Henry William Bolton (Rosina), Mrs Charles Allan Smith of Sydney (Mary), the late Mrs Arthur Smith [Helen], Fanny Clark and David John Clark. Interestingly, three of Maria’s daughters married men with the surname Smith. They may have been related.
In 1906 the widowed Maria moved in with her unmarried eldest daughter Fanny Clark, draper at 161 Nelson Rd, South Melbourne and was still there in 1913. During this period youngest son John David Clark, electrician, was living next door at 159 Nelson Rd. The situation was the same in 1916 except Fanny was living elsewhere and son John David Clark electrician had moved to 155 Nelson Rd with his wife Elizabeth Clark. By 1921 Maria had moved into another house with unmarried daughter Fanny at 188 Banks St, South Melbourne.
Frances, or Fanny as she was known, was born in 1838 and baptised on 27 Mar 1838 at St Botolph's after the family moved to Boston, Lincolnshire. At the time of the 1841 census the family were living in Leicester St, New Sleaford and the consisted of GGGF Richard Vasey Brown 35 bookbinder, GGGM Elizabeth Brown 40, GGF Richard V Brown 12, Elizabeth Brown 10, Mary Brown 6 and Frances (Fanny) Brown 3. By 1851 the family had moved to Paradise Rd, Southampton. This move of 180 miles was possibly in preparation for their migration to Australia. According to the census of that year the household consisted of Richard Brown 46 bookbinder, Elizabeth Brown 52, Elizabeth Brown 20 dressmaker, Sarah Brown 18 dressmaker, Maria Brown 16 and Fanny Brown 13.
In 1852, when Fanny was 14, the family left England to sail to Melbourne on the ship 'Northumbria', arriving in early 1853. The passenger list included her parents, brother and three older sisters Elizabeth Brown 22, Sarah Brown 20 and Maria Brown 18.
At some stage William met a very young GGGGM Sarah Vasey who was baptised on 18 Oct 1778 at Hamsterley, a small hamlet about 12 miles from Newcastle. Sarah had been orphaned when she was 14 and was probably working in the Newcastle area as a servant to support herself. On 2 May 1795, When Sarah was only 17 or 18 she married William who was 21.
In the early 1800's William's father started advertising the business as "Brown & Sons", and William and his brother Thomas were both helping to run the business. For an unknown reason, perhaps family discord or a need to expand the business, William decided to look for other opportunities. At some point between 1806 and 1810 William moved his family 150 miles south to Lincoln, Lincolnshire where their next child Emerson Charnley Brown (1810-1851) was born. The name 'Charnley' was given in honour of the son of the man (William Charnley 1727-1803) who took William's father Thomas on as an apprentice. Emerson Charnley took over William Charnley’s business after his father died in 1803.
A few years later William and Sarah made their final move to Boston Lincolnshire, where Sarah had her last child at the age of 44, who they christened George Ernest Brown (1822-1888). Presumably George came as a surprise because there was a twelve year gap between him and his older brother!GGGGF William worked as a bookbinder in Boston and passed on the skills to his three sons, who all went into that trade. The reason for the relocations above, were probably to do with William moving his family so he could take advantage of employment opportunities for himself and his sons.
Thomas was born on 4 Mar 1798 and baptised a few months later on 20 May, 1798 at St Johns Church, Newcastle Upon Tyne. His parents were listed as William Brown, bookbinder and Sarah Vasey. In the early 1800's, Thomas as a young boy, moved to Lincolnshire with his family, eventually settling in Boston. He would have learned the bookbinding trade from his father. At some stage Thomas moved 70 miles to Rotherham, Sheffield where he met his wife.
A month later, son George Vasey Brown also died, at the age of 3 in a tragic accident. The family were living in 'Brown St' at that time and the incident was described in the newspaper article above. Thomas would have found it hard to raise his young family alone.
Thomas Brown 42, married the younger sister of his first wife; Eliza Wortley aged 32 in Oct 1840. Early the following year they had a son, whom they named George after the earlier child who had died (EBI).
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| 1841 census Sheffield: Thomas was listed on the previous page |
Thomas' second wife Eliza Brown nee Wortley aged 34 (really 39) died on 6 Jan 1846 in the family home at 2 Devonshire Lane, Sheffield. Her death certificate listed Pulmonary Consumption as the cause of death. Husband Thomas Brown, bookbinder, was present at the death.
Ann was born on 12 Feb 1800 and baptised at Newcastle Upon Tyne on 22 Mar 1801. She was the first daughter born and named after her aunt Ann Nicholson nee Brown, born just 14 years before, in 1786. No further definitive records have been found, so she may have died as a child.
William was born on 26 Jan 1806 in Newcastle and baptised on the same day as his brother above (2 Aug 1807), at the Nonconformist Chapel in St Nicholas Parish, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Tindale was his grandmother's maiden name. As a young boy, William moved to Lincolnshire with his family, eventually settling in Boston. He would have learned the bookbinding trade from his father.
William in his early 20's married a woman called Sarah (unknown surname, but possibly Collish) and they had one child, who they named William Tindale Brown after his father. No marriage registration has been found.
The baptism of their only son on 22 Mar 1832 at St. Botolph's, Boston, Lincolnshire, gives the only clue as to the name of the wife of William Tindale Brown senior b1806. Son William probably died in 1915 at Grantham aged 83 (born 1832).
William Tindale Brown snr was buried at St Botolphs on 3 Sep 1837 aged 31 leaving his wife Sarah with a 5 year old son. His early death explains his small family.
29.6 Emerson Charnley Brown (1810-1851)
Emerson married Maria Routen (1810-1887) on 29 Mar 1831 at Boston, Lincolnshire. One of the witnesses was Ann Haddon. They had four daughters who were Maria Brown (1832-1847), Betsey Routen Brown (1834-1895), Sarah Vasey Brown (1835-1835) and Sarah Ann Brown (1836–?).
In 1841 the family was living in Fountain Lane, Boston, Lincolnshire with Emerson's widowed mother GGGGM Sarah Brown nee Vasey 63. Emerson Brown 37 and his brother George Ernest Brown 19 were working as book binders, with the business listed in Emerson's name. Other residents of Fountain Lane were Emerson's wife Maria Brown 32 and their children Maria Brown 9, Betsey Brown 7 and Sarah Brown 5. In 1842 Emerson Brown was listed as 'bookbinder only' and his business address was in Archer Lane, Boston.The 1849 Post Office Directory listed Emerson and brother George as bookbinders back in Fountain Lane.
In the 1861 census the widowed Maria Brown nee Routen 52 was living with her parents at Witham Green, Boston. Living in the house were William Routen 80 (b.Grantham), retired, Maria Routen 72 (bBoston), Maria Brown nee Routen and brother James Routen 32 hairdresser. Daughter Betsy Routen Brown married Charles Green in 1863 in Boston.
George was born in 1822 in Boston, Lincolnshire and went by the names George or Ernest at different times. In 1841 George Ernest 19 was living in Fountain Lane, Boston, Lincolnshire with his widowed mother Sarah Brown nee Vasey 63. He was working with his older brother Emerson Brown 37 as a book binder in Emerson's business in Archer Lane.
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| 1861 census Boston |
George Ernest Brown died at the age of 66, in Boston on the 8 Jan 1888 leaving an estate valued at £643. His wife Mary Ann Brown nee Rayner "the widow of the late G.E.Brown" died in Boston ten years later at the age of 81.
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| Baptisms 27 Jul 1747 St James Independent or Congregational Church, Blackett St, Newcastle Upon Tyne |
Thomas b1747 was the earliest 'Brown',
for which reliable records are available, and was the man who took the family
into the bookbinding trade, which lasted several generations. He started life
as the son of a woodman or carpenter. His family were reasonably well off and
had enough assets to warrant his father GGGGGGF William Brown writing
a will. (see 33.0) Thomas was the sixth son in his family, which
meant that the family business would pass to his older siblings and Thomas
had to find his own career. To start him off in life Thomas’
father found (and paid £50 for) an indentured apprenticeship position as a
stationer. There is a very good article about the Brown Bookbinding business
over several generations in Issue 10 of 'Quadrat Magazine',
www.bookhistory.org.uk/media/quadrat/.
Thomas was apprenticed at a young age to the leading Newcastle bookseller William Charnley and was admitted by servitude to the 'Incorporated Company of Stationers' in Newcastle upon Tyne on 8 December 1774. If Thomas started his training at the age of 16 (1764, see extract above from bookhistory.blogspot.com), it took him 10 years to get qualified to the level where he could start his own business! Below is an excerpt from the Brown-Spoor society book, delivered by Rev George Martin Brown, Jan 17, 1924:
"Our grandfather, Thomas Brown, was born at Wylam, near Newcastle, July 22, 1747, and commenced business in Newcastle in 1774 as a bookbinder, and was admitted a member of the Stationers' Company, in which he diligently engaged for forty-eight years. A record of his life says he was diligent in business and his religious duties, an upright man in the world, and of much repute in his business connections. He was called the father of the trade in the North of England, and on the 22nd day of August, 1774, was admitted a free burgess of the Corporation of Newcastle-upon-Tyne".
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| Poll Book & Electoral Register 1774: Thomas and George Brown were both listed |
Thomas and George Brown were both listed on the Poll Book & Electoral Register 1774 (above) and entitled to vote. They chose to vote for different candidates! They were both listed as upholsterers from 1774 to 1777 and George may have been a relative
NOTE: George Brown (a different family), gentleman (and upholsterer) eldest son was the main beneficiary in the will of his father Thomas Brown a very wealthy upholsterer who died Newcastle in 1781. Other beneficiaries included George’s siblings when they attained the age of 21; daughter Barbara Brown £50, son Richard Brown 1 guinea, son James John Brown funding of his apprenticeship, son Samuel Brown and various friends who were named as trustees along with George. (See Family Search website)
The baptism registrations list the Parish of St Nicholas for son William and then the Parish of St John for all the other children, so the family may have changed addresses in 1776. The baptisms probably took place in Wesleyan Chapels such as the Brunswick Wesleyan Chapel which had been operating in Brunswick Place since the early 1700's and some of Thomas’ grandchildren were baptised there. Another possibility is that the baptisms took place in the same chapel, but the Parish boundaries changed.
In 1778 GGGGGF Thomas was running his business at the 'Groat Market' and was listed at that address up to 1801 in various directories such as the 1782 Newcastle and Gateshead Directory. Later addresses for his business include Nun’s Gate and the Arcade. The latter is shown in the ticket below. The Arcade was demolished in 1963.
"On Sunday the 17th, Thomas Orton, an Indentured Apprentice, to Thomas Brown, of this town, Bookbinder, run away and was seen at Darlington this week. He is 18, rather stout, with red hair sometimes tied behind." He was wearing "a round hat and buckle, blue coat, black and white striped waistcoat, corduroy breeches and white stockings. Whoever shall harbour the said Thomas Orton will be rigorously prosecuted."
According to a note on www.rootschat.com/forum/, Thomas was admitted to the 'Company of upholsters, Tinplate workers and Stationers' in 1774. In various directories from 1774 to 1780's he was listed as an 'upholster', but later on in his career, he was listed as a bookbinder and stationer.
GGGGGF Thomas took on both of his surviving sons as apprentices. When eldest son GGGGF William b1775 qualified as a bookbinder he joined his father in the business, which then appeared in directories as 'Thomas Brown & Son'. Around 1810 eldest son William left the business and it was eventually taken over by his younger brother Thomas Brown b1789. In 1811 the address of Thos Brown bookbinder was given as ‘Head of the Side’, Newcastle, but whether this was the father or son is unknown.
William Charnley, one of the most respected booksellers outside of London, served his apprenticeship with Martin Bryson (1722-1755) and became a freeman of the Newcastle Company of Stationers in 1749. He was taken into partnership by Bryson in 1751 and succeeded to the business in 1755. In 1771 his shop [located at the Bridge-end, in Newcastle upon Tyne] was destroyed by the great flood that washed away the old Tyne Bridge. Struggling financially from the disaster, he was declared bankrupt in 1773 when his circulating library (which had escaped the flood) was sold and the paper mill that he had established at Warden near Hexham was advertised for sale. He soon recovered, however, moved his shop to safer quarters in the Groat Market, and was able to pass on a successful business to his son Emerson Charnley. (https://www.quaritch.com/)
Ann was probably born in 1846 and baptised by her father John Tindale b1724. Records relating to the baptism location are not entirely clear. According to Freereg she was baptised at St Cuthberts at Hebburn with the family abode given as Earsdon. However, Family Search lists the baptism at Hebron, which is very close to the hamlet of Earsdon near Morpeth and 20 miles north of Newcastle. The baptism records were not referring to Hebburn located in Newcastle.
Ann Tindale married Thomas Brown on 23 Jan 1774 at Saint Nicholas Parish, Newcastle Upon Tyne. (see above) The church was listed as a 'nonconformist church' and was probably Wesleyan.
GGGGGM Ann Brown nee Tindale was buried on 23 May 1824 at St. Johns, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northumberland. For more about Ann's married life and her family see 30.0 above.
The Tindale and Jobson families lived in locations such as Hebburn, Hebron, Tritlingham, Earsdon, Bothal and Felton in northern Northumberland, twenty miles north of Newcastle. These hamlets are all within a few miles of Morpeth. Hebburn, (or Hebron, or Hepburn), was a parochial chapelry near Morpeth. The small village of Hebron is three miles N.W. of Morpeth. The Hebburn Parish contains the townships of Causey Park, Cockle Park, Earsdon Forest, Fenrother, Hebron, Shield-Hill, and Tritlington. However, confusion can be caused by the fact that there are towns named Hebburn (near Jarrow) and Earsdon (near Whitley Bay) on the outskirts of Newcastle. Many of the records also indicate the Jobsons were dissenters, who had rejected the Established Church (Church of England) in favour of alternative faiths.
NOTE: Many Jobsons have the same Christian name as each other and lived in close proximity. There are hundreds of individual records available, but there are also gaps in the records. Some of the information below is based on educated guesses linking known records in a way that makes sense. Further work is needed to confirm some of the details.
31.1 Diagram 2 showing Tindale & Jobson Ancestors
Mary Jobson was baptised in 1723 at Felton by her parents Robert Jobson and Jane Davison. John Tindale was baptised five miles away at Earsdon in 1724 by his father also named John. John Tindale married Mary Jobson in Hebburn in 1745 and their only known child was GGGGGM Ann Tindale baptised at Hebburn in 1746 or 1747. There are some records that indicate Ann was born and buried on 1 Feb 1746 so our Ann may have been the second daughter with that name baptised in Sep 1746.
GGGGGGM Mary Tindale nee Jobson died in 1756 and was buried at Hebburn. The burial document listed her as the wife of John Tindale and her family abode as Earsdon. John Tindale was buried at Hebburn in 1786 and the family abode was listed as Earsdon Moor. According to the above records the family seems to have lived their whole lives at Earsdon. This is confirmed by the 1774 Poll Book which listed John Tindale of Earsdon West near Morpeth.
The will of Mary’s father, Robert Jobson (c1700-1774), written in 1774 bequeathed £20 to his son-in-law) John Tindale of Easden Moorhouse, husbandman (there was no mention of Mary because she was deceased). Executors of the will included John Jobson (son) and John Tindale (son-in-law).
31.3 GGGGGGGP Robert Jobson (c1700-1774) & Jane Davison (1701-1768)
The main document listing details of Robert’s life is his will. Robert Jobson (c1700-1774), of Tritlington died on 15 Nov 1774 and was buried at Hebburn. His will written 18 July 1774 bequeathed sums to his son-in-laws Robert Pringle of Morpeth £100 (also £30 to Robert’s underage grand-daughter Mary Pringle) and John Tindale of Easden Moorhouse, husbandman (£20 left to John the widowed husband of daughter Mary Tindale nee Jobson). Others listed in the will were son John Jobson b1755 of Lilburn, Jane Jobson, daughter-in-law and widowed wife of son Christopher Jobson c1734 and Christopher’s daughters (Robert’s granddaughters) Elizabeth, Jane and Mary Jobson (all under 21). Executors of the will were John Jobson (son), John Tindale (son-in-law) and Thomas Pinkney the younger of Eshot.
GGGGGGGF Robert had married GGGGGGGM Jane Davison (b1701 Felton) in 1722 at Felton and they went on to have at least five children; probably baptised in Felton. Two women died at Tritlington and were listed as “wife of Robert Jobson”. These were Jane Jobson nee Davison who died in Tritlington in 1768 and Margaret Jobson nee Hunter who died in Tritlington in 1770. One of these (probably Margaret) would have been the wife of Robert’s son, also called Robert. The death of GGGGGGGF Robert’s wife Jane in 1768 explains why she was not mentioned in his will.
31.4 Five Children of GGGGGGGP Robert Jobson (c1700-1774) & Jane Davison (1701-1768)
Robert’s will listed four children who were alive in 1774. There was at least one other child who predeceased his father. Baptism records have not been found for all of them, but it seems the family lived in Felton prior to moving to nearby Tritlington.
i) GGGGGGM Mary Jobson (1723-1756)As with her sister Barbara, Mary was not mentioned in her father’s will by name, but her husband was listed as a beneficiary and was one of the executors of Mary’s father’s will. Mary was baptised at Felton by Robert Jobson in 1723. She would have been in her early twenties when she married GGGGGGF John Tindale in Hebburn Parish in 1745. She went on to live at Earsdon with her husband and family for the rest of her life. Mary was not mentioned in her father’s will because she predeceased him. Mary Tindale nee Jobson was buried at Hebburn on 26 Feb 1756. Her spouse was listed as John Tindal.
ii) Barbara Jobson (c1730-c1770)
Barbara was not mentioned by name, but her husband was listed as one of the main beneficiaries and one of the executors of Barbara’s father’s will. Going by the date of her marriage and age of her husband, Barbara was probably born around 1730. Barbara Jobson married Robert Pringle (b1729 Felton) in 1750 at St Cuthbert’s (variously recorded as in Hebron, Bothal and Morpeth). She had at least two daughters; Barbara Pringle b1753, who was buried in Bothal in 1769 and Mary Pringle c1751, who was listed in her grandfather’s will. No other baptism or burial records have been found for anyone in this family, but they seem to have lived in Morpeth. Barbara c1730 was not mentioned in her father’s will because she probably predeceased him.
iii) John Jobson (c1732-1810)John Jobson was listed as “of Lilburn” in his father’s will, which is 20 miles north of Felton. No baptism registration has been found, so his birth date is taken from his age at death. John Jobson a farmer may have been buried at Old Bewick Chapel near Lilburn, in 1810 at age of 78. No more is known.
iv) Christopher Jobson (c1734-1774)Christopher, a bachelor, married spinster Jane Pinkney in 1770 at Felton (her father may have been Thomas Pinkney mentioned in the will above). Christopher signed his name, and the marriage was witnessed by James Pringle (perhaps a brother of Robert Pringle mentioned in the will above). Christopher and Jane had three daughters, Elizabeth, Mary and Jane born between 1770 and 1774, but no baptism records have been found for these girls. Christopher was listed as deceased at the time his father’s will was written. He died just a few months before his father and was buried in the same cemetery on 12 June 1774. The will was written one month after his death on 18 July 1774. Robert provided for Christopher’s widow Jane and the couple’s three daughters Elizabeth, Jane and Mary Jobson, who were all under the age of 21 at that time.
v) Robert Jobson (1735-1765)Robert was baptised at Felton by his father Robert Jobson in 1735. In 1754 Robert married Margaret Hunter at locations variously recorded as Hebron, Bothal and Hebburn. Witnesses were John Wilson and Henry James. Margaret Jobson nee Hunter (wife of Robert) died in Tritlington in 1768. Robert, (son of Robt Jobson) of Tritlington was buried in 1765. Neither Robert junior nor his wife were mentioned in his father’s will because they predeceased him and there are no records of any children.
NOTE: There was another Robert Jobson living twelve miles away at Ritton White House who can be confused with the above Robert Jobson of Felton and Tritlington. Baptism records indicate that that Robert married a woman named Eleanor around 1748, and they settled at Ritton White House near Netherwitton. Children born to the couple include Christopher Jobson 1748-1774, Joseph Jobson 1749-1771, Robert Jobson 1751-? and John Jobson 1755-? and all were baptised at Ritton White House. On the baptismal records Robert and Eleanor (like many in the extended Jobson family) were described as “dissenters”.
We know that Thomas and Ann had nine children from the information on their gravestone. Three children survived to adulthood and the gravestone tells us that there were six babies who died as infants (in italics below). Eight of the children were GGGGF William Brown (1775-1832), Ann Brown (1776-1786), John Brown (1781-1781), Margaret Brown 1783-1786, Ann Brown (1786-1853), Margaret Brown (1787-?), Thomas Brown (1789-1862) and Elizabeth Brown (1792-1794). There must have also been another child (perhaps unnamed) probably born between 1777 and 1779. Apart from William who was baptised in St Nicholas, the rest of the children seem to have been baptised at St Johns Nonconformist Church in Newcastle, which was where their parents were buried.
William was probably born at the end of 1774 but baptised on 22 Jan 1775 at Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland by parents Thomas and Ann Brown nee Tindale.
William 21 married GGGGM Sarah Vasey 18 (1778-1832) on 2 May 1795 at St John's. Newcastle. As a qualified bookbinder William joined his father in the business, which was renamed 'Thomas Brown and Son' around 1800. A few years later, brother Thomas b1789 also joined the business.
After the birth of their first four children (around 1808) the family moved 150 miles south to Lincoln. The reason why William moved such a long distance, and his younger brother Thomas took over his father's business in Newcastle, instead of GGGGF William is unknown. For more about GGGGP William and Sarah Vasey's life see 28.0.
32.3 Unknown Child (1778-1778)
Probably born in 1778 and died in the same year.
32.4 John Brown (1781-1781)
John Brown was baptised by Thomas and Ann Brown at St John the Baptist in Sep 1781 and was buried in the same church in Dec 1781.
32.5 Margaret Brown 1783-1786
Margaret Brown was baptised by Thomas and Ann Brown at St John the Baptist in 1783 and buried in the same church in 1786.
32.6 Ann Brown (1786-1853) later
Nicholson
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Baptisms 1811; Tynemouth Methodist Chapel in Howard Street Ann Nicholson born 5 Apr 1811 and baptised 17 Apr 1811
The above two baptisms confirm that Ann Brown nee Nicholson was married to plasterer Thomas Nicholson, that they lived in the Parish of Tynemouth (9 miles from Newcastle) from at least 1811-1813 and that Ann was the daughter of Thomas Brown bookbinder and stationer of Newcastle on Tyne.
 NOTE: John Dobson was a leading Newcastle architect at this time and was well known for designing several churches. The fact that Thomas gave his son the same name may be related to Thomas' religious convictions, admiration for the man's designs or the fact that Thomas may have worked for the archtitect. 
NOTE: According to the birth of their children Thomas and Ann moved house several times and their children all seem to have been baptised according to the Wesleyan tradition. Their last two children would have been baptised during the construction of the Wesleyan Chapel in Brunswick Place (completed 1824). |
Of their children, sons Thomas Brown Nicholson and George Dobson Nicholson, both married and became plasterers like their father.
Margaret Brown was baptised by Thomas and Ann Brown, bookbinder at St John the Baptist in Oct 1787. No more is known.
Thomas Brown jnr was formerly admitted to the 'Incorporated Company' by patrimony on 29 April 1813. On 08 Feb 1820 Thomas Brown jnr married Ann Hetherington at All Saints Church, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. Thomas address was listed as Nuns Gate in 1824. Sadly Ann Brown nee Hetherington "died August 21st 1824 Aged 26 Years, after an Illness of 4 Years and 6 Months, which she bore with unexampled Patience and Resignation". She was buried at St Johns, Newcastle alongside Thomas' parents.
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| Thomas Brown 1789-1862 |
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| Pigot's Directory 1829 |
In the 1841 census Thomas Brown 50 bookseller was living in Mosley St, Newcastle with his family; Ann Brown 35, Thomas Brown 12, Robert Brown 10, John Brown 9, Richard Brown 7,William Brown 5, George Brown 3 and Ann Brown 2.
32.9 Elizabeth Brown (1792-1794)
Elizabeth Brown was baptised by Thomas and Ann Brown, bookbinder at St John the Baptist in 1792 and buried in the same church in 1794.
33.0 GGGGGGP William Brown (1704-1771) & Margaret Wales (1713-1757)
Thomas Brown b1747 was born in Wylam, but baptised at nearby Ovingham (13 miles from Newcastle) on 23 Jul to parents GGGGGGP William Brown and Margaret Wales. Wylam, was a part of Ovingham Parish until 1887. The Ancestry.com family tree titled ‘Jamesfeenstra’ favours this date of baptism based on the chronological and geographical match and Thomas naming his first-born son William, and his second and third-born daughter Margaret after his parents. The two locations were three miles apart.
GGGGGGF William Brown was born in the Wylam area around 1700. He may have been baptised in Ovingham in 1691 to William Brown or more likely in Heddon on the Wall in 1704 to Richard Brown and Margaret French (m.1698). Although his birth details are uncertain, several documents confirm that he died in Wylam in 1771 and was buried in Ovingham. Siblings born at Heddon on the Wall were Ann Brown 1699, Richard Brown 1707, Margaret Brown 1711 and Thomas Brown 1714.
Margaret Wales was born to Robert Wales in 1713 at Newburn, 4 miles from Ovingham. She married at the age of 18 in 1731 in her hometown and had her last child at the age of 44. In 1744 GGGGGGP Margaret’s father GGGGGGGF Robert Wales of Stamfordham (8 miles from Newburn) died. Robert’s will written in 1742 includes as beneficiaries his second wife Bridget, his daughter GGGGGGP Margaret, and her husband William Brown as well her ten siblings.
Children baptised by William and Margaret Brown at Ovingham were William 1732-before 1757, John 1737-before 1771, Eliza 1739-?, Robert 1743-before 1771, Richard 1744-1814, Henry 1746-1796, GGGGGF Thomas 1747-1822, Michael 1751-1752, Michael 1753-1753, Dorothy 1754-1778, Mally (Molly) 1755-1755 and William 1757-1757. The baptisms of the first six children only listed William as their parent, but as the births were consecutive, they were likely to be from the same father. Of the twelve children, at least three died as infants, which explains the closeness of some of the pregnancies.
It seems that Margaret Brown nee Wales died soon after the birth of her last child in 1757. William was left with a family of young children to care for. In 1765 William a widowed carpenter married his second wife, widow Hannah Chater at Heddon on the Wall, which was 3 miles from his home at Wylam. The marriage allegation declared that both parties were aged 30 years and upwards, which was certainly true in both cases, William was probably at least 60 and Hannah about 36. William signed his name. Hannah Chater was formerly Hannah Robson and had been baptised in Whalton in 1728. She had married John Chater in 1751 but he had died at Heddon on the Wall in 1762. It seems that Hannah gave birth to a son named William and he was baptised in 1767 at Ovingham. Another son named James was baptised in Feb 1771 and was listed as the “posthumous son of William Brown late of Wylam deceased.” Hannah was in her early forties and named her son after her own father.
William Brown died in 1771. In the probate bond, eldest son Richard Brown of Wylam, a beer brewer, was bound to ensure that his stepmother Hannah Brown fulfilled the wishes set out in the will of his father, William Brown woodman (carpenter). Son Richard signed his name and left a will after his own death.
33.1 Adult Children of GGGGGGP William Brown & Margaret Wales
According to the probate bond for William’s will, son Richard was the eldest surviving son in 1771. His older brothers died as infants or at a young age. Five children were known to have children themselves.
· i) Elizabeth (Eliza) Brown 1739-? Married Benjamin Swinburn in 1775 and settled at Wylam where at least one child named Benjamin was born in 1779.
· ii) Richard Brown (1744-1814) married Ann Sugden in 1772. Richard and Ann settled at Wylam where Richard started a successful brewing dynasty that lasted for at least a few generations. Their children baptised at Ovingham were Ann 1774, Margaret 1776, Jane 1778, Elizabeth 1779-1826, Mary 1781, William 1782-1815 (also a brewer, buried at Ovingham aged 33 and left a detailed will), Dorothy 1783, Richard Johnson 1785, Eleanor 1787, Christian 1789, Frances 1793, Isabella 1794 (father’s occupation brewer). Richard Brown died at Wylam in 1814 aged 71, but probate was not finalised until 1829 by his grandson William Johnson Brown brewer (son of William Brown b1781). Richard Brown’s headstone marks his grave in Ovingham Cemetery.
· iii) Henry Brown (1746-1796) married Elizabeth Thistlewaite in Ovingham in 1778. Children born to the couple were Margaret 1780, Henry 1785-1786 and William 1787. Elizabeth, wife of Henry died in 1790 and Henry Brown of Wylam died in 1796.
· iv) GGGGGF Thomas Brown 1747-1822 married GGGGGM Ann Tindale in 1774 at Newcastle and had at least ten children, but not all survived.
· v) Dorothy Brown (1754-1778) married Ralph Bates (b1748) in Ovingham in 1778. Dorothy Bates of Broomhouses aged 24 died soon after the birth of her only child, also named Dorothy Bates, in 1778. Husband Ralph died in 1790 at the age of 40. A headstone marks their grave at Ovingham.
34.0 GGGGGGGP Richard Brown (c1675-1763) & Margaret French (c1678-1769)
GGGGGGF William Brown was born in the Wylam area in 1704 to Richard Brown and Margaret French who were married in Ovingham in 1698. No baptism record has been found for Richard Brown, Margaret French or her siblings, but we do know a little bit about Margaret’s family. Margaret’s brother Robert French yeoman married Margaret Slater (c1675). In 1701, three years after his sister’s marriage, Robert was married in the same church at Ovingham. Robert French of Wylam wrote a will in 1717 and listed the beneficiaries as his wife, Margaret French (nee Slater), brother Thomas French, sister Ann French and sister Margaret Brown (nee French). Robert French died in his mid-thirties and had no children. Probate was granted in 1718 after Robert’s death and Margaret Brown nee French would have received her inheritance then.Richard and Margaret Brown nee French settled at Heddon on the Wall (2 miles from Wylam) and their five known children born there were-
i) Ann Brown 1699-? married Luke Robson in 1720 at Bywell, 3 miles from Ovingham. They had at least six children baptised in Bywell, Jane 1721, James 1725, Luke 1727, Luke 1730, Ann 1733 and Elizabeth 1738. Ann would have been close to 40 when she had her last child.
ii) GGGGGGF William Brown 1704-1771 married Margaret Wales in 1731 at Ovingham. William died at Wylam and was buried at Ovingham (4 miles apart). See 33.1
iii) Richard Brown 1707-1770 Richard Brown died at Wylam and was buried at Ovingham. His occupation was mason.
iv) Margaret Brown 1711-1778 Buried at Heddon on the Wall.
v) Thomas Brown 1714-1781 Thomas died at Wylam in 1781 and was buried at Ovingham. His occupation was horsekeeper.
GGGGGGGF Richard Brown died and was buried at Heddon on the Wall in 1763. Margaret Brown nee French was buried at Heddon on the Wall in 1769.
35.0 Diagram 3 showing Early Brown, Tindale, Jobson & Wales Ancestors
WALES FAMILY TREE
36.0 GGGGGGGP Robert Wales (c1680-1744) & Ann Longridge (1683-c1717)
GGGGGGM Margaret Wales was born to yeoman Robert Wales c1680 and his first Unknown wife in 1713 at Newburn, 4 miles from Ovingham. GGGGGGGF Robert may have been born and baptised at Heddon on the Wall in Feb 1688 by John Wales, but as none of his children were named John this is unlikely. There is a will written by William Wales in 1717 that names son Robert at Stamfordham and in view of the fact that Robert named his first son William, he could be Robert’s father. Stamfordham is 2 miles from Dalton where the family abode was listed in baptism records, and 8 miles from Newburn.
Robert married Ann Longridge in 1707 at Newburn and they settled at Dalton, where they had five children. Dalton is a few miles north of Heddon on the Wall. Ann Longridge was baptised under the name Susanna at Newburn in Dec 1683 by her father Michael Longridge. In 1718 Robert was listed as the main beneficiary of his father’s will in which he inherited the family property at Stamfordham.
36.1 GGGGGGGF Robert Wales (c1680-1744) & Bridget Wheldon (1697-?)
After his first wife died in her late thirties around 1717, Robert married Bridget Wheldon at Newburn in 1719 and had a further nine children. In 1744 GGGGGGP Margaret’s father GGGGGGGF Robert Wales of Stamfordham (8 miles from Newburn) died. Robert’s rather long and rambling will, written in 1742 included his wife and eleven surviving children as beneficiaries. Deceased children (not beneficiaries) are shown below in italics.
36.2 Fourteen Children of Robert Wales (c1680-1744) from Two marriages
i) William Wales (1708-c1708) Named after his grandfather and probably died as an infant
ii) Elizabeth Wales (1710-?), wife of William Pruddoe. Married at Newburn in 1729
iii) GGGGGGP Margaret Wales (1713-1757) Baptised at Newburn but family abode given as Dalton. Margaret married William Brown at Newburn in 1731. The will stipulates Margaret’s inheritance but also has a specific clause relating to her husband William Brown and conditions under which Margaret’s share shall be distributed amongst her siblings. This clause is hard to read.
iv) Michael Wales (1715-?) Described as the eldest son in the will and named after his grandfather on his mother's side.
v) Dorothy Wales (1717-?) wife of George Milburn. Married at Hebburn in 1741
Children of Robert Wales’ 2nd marriage in 1719 to Bridget Wheldon (1719-?)
Bridget had been baptised in Newburn in 1697 by her father Martin Wheldon. All children were baptised at Newburn but the family abode was listed as Dalton
i) Ann Wales (1720-after 1750)
ii) Robert Wales (1721-1721) Named after his father and probably died as an infant
iii) Mary Wales (1723-1750) Mary never married and wrote a will in 1750 in which she nominated her beneficiaries. They were her three surviving brothers William, Robert and Martin and her three sisters Ann, Jane and Bridget as well as her mother Bridget Wales nee Wheldon. Probate on the will of Mary Wales, spinster of Stamfordham, was granted after her death in 1750. She was o nly 27.
iv) Richard Wales (1725-1725) Probably died as an infant
v) William Wales (1728-after 1750) May have married Elizabeth Johnson in 1753 at Ovingham.
vi) Robert Wales (1730-after 1750)
vii) Bridget Wales (1733-after 1750) married John Fram at Stamfordham in 1753 and had at least one child named Bridget in 1757.
viii) Jane Wales (1736-after 1750)
ix) Martin Wales (1739-after 1750)
37.0 GGGGGGGGP William Wales (c1645-1718) & Ann Whetstone (c1755-?)
There are not many records pertaining to William Wales c1645, but there are records that show that members of the Wales family were living in Stamfordham from the early 1600’s.
William Wales probably married Ann Whetstone at Stamfordham in 1670 and GGGGGGGF Robert was probably born there around 1680. William Wales made out his will in 1717 and listed the family home at Dalton. The beneficiaries were made up of his children, but no wife was listed, so she may have been deceased. Ann Whetstone must have been born before 1652 to be married in 1670, which would mean her last child was born around 1690.Going by the birth dates of the children below it seems that William Wales may have married a second time (after his first wife died).
William’s children are listed below and most were listed in the will that he signed in 1717. Those that predeceased their father are written in italicsi. John Wales 1671-1671. Probably died as an infant
ii. Margaret 1674-?
iii. Dorothy 1679-?
iv. Son and heir GGGGGGGF Robert Wales (c1680-1744). In 1717 William listed Robert as “children by my son and heir Robert Wales”, and we know that at this time GGGGGGGF Robert had at least 4 living children. For more information about Robert see above. Robert inherited his father’s Stamfordham property in 1718 and died there in 1744.
v. John 1682-1730 John married Margaret Wales in 1712 at Heddon on the Wall, five miles from Stamfordham and that is where his children were baptised. John died at Cheeseburn Grange in 1730, less than one mile from Stamfordham. In his will written in 1728 John listed his three sons as George, Thomas and William 1715 and daughters as Margaret (married John Wales in 1712, and her eldest son was John b1713) and Mary. John made his mark
vi. George 1683-? Probably died as an infant
vii. Thomas 1685-?
viii. William 1687-?
ix. Jane 1688-?
x. Barbara 1691-? Probably died as an infant
xi. Henry 1693-? Probably died as an infant
xii. Elizabeth 1699
38.0 Reserved for Future use
39.0 Vasey families living in the Hamsterley area.
There are many records relating to Vasey family relatives living in the Bishop Auckland/Staindrop region of Durham in the early 1700’s. They seem to have descended from a common ancestor in the Witton le Wear area. I have tried to use original sources to trace and connect Vasey relatives, but as there are many gaps in the records there may be errors in the relationships described below. Below is a diagram showing how members of our early Vasey Family were related.
Although the Vasey surname spread throughout England, according to Ancestry.com over a third of all Vaseys lived in Durham in 1891. Surnamedb.com says various spellings of the surname include Vaisey, Vasey, Vassay, Vassey, Vassie, Voysey and Pheasey. Although the name has its origins in an Anglo-Norman-French word "enveisie", meaning playful or merry, the name is English and was known in England as early as the 12th century.
39.1 Diagram 4 Showing Vasey Family Ancestors
In 1715, during the Jacobite rising, an army of Jacobite supporters marched on Newcastle. Many of the Northumbrian gentry joined the rebels. The gates of the city were closed. This proved enough to delay an attack until reinforcements arrived forcing the rebel army to move across to the west coast.
In 1745, during a second Jacobite rising in favour of the Young Pretender, a Scottish army crossed the border led by Bonnie Prince Charlie with the aim of attacking London. The Newcastle town walls were strengthened, most of the gates were blocked up and some 200 cannon were deployed. 20,000 regulars were billeted on the Town Moor. These preparations were enough to force the rebel army to travel south via the west coast. They eventually retreated back to Scotland and were finally defeated at Culloden in 1746.
Our early Vasey, Ramshaw, Bouser, Brown, Tindale etc relatives would have lived through these times and would have been very close to the areas where the Jacobite and Redcoat armies marched through. Further north in central Scotland, another branch of the family (McFarlanes) were supporters of Bonnie Prince Charlie's army.
39.3 Other Historical records
A great resource for information about wills and probate is familyrecords.dur.ac.uk/nei/data/simple.php eg.
• Thomas Vasey of Bedburne Hall (son of Anthony and Ann Vasey and brother of Cuthbert Vasey, tailor of Hamsterley died in 1765. Bedburn is 1 mile east of Hamsterley.
• There is a record of Ralph Vasey paying the hearth Tax in Wolsingham (17 miles from Gainford but only 8 miles from St Helens) in 1666. Also Thomas Vasey, gent occupied a larger house in the same area.
Sarah Vasey was baptised on 18 Oct 1778 at Hamsterley a small hamlet 12 miles from Newcastle. Her parents were GGGGGF Richard Vasey (1741-1792) and GGGGGM Margaret Ramshaw (1752-1791). After the death of her youngest sister Margaret in 1790, Sarah’s family moved 20 miles from their farm at Pool Tree near Hamsterley to a new property at Herrington. Sadly, early the following year, Sarah’s mother died, and then in 1792 her father died. Sarah was left an orphan at the age of 14. Presumably her older siblings cared for her. She was left a significant inheritance that was held in trust until she reached the age of 21 (see below). However, there would have been pressure for her to support herself, so it is no surprise that she married whilst she was still a teenager. Whilst living at Herrington, Sarah made the ten mile trip to Newcastle, either to find work, or perhaps to get a book repaired. She would have been accompanied by a brother or other relative, but on one of these visits to the city she met a young bookbinder named William Brown, and they struck up a friendship. Romance blossomed and William started courting Sarah.
Sarah, at the young age of 17 or 18, married GGGGF William Brown 21 (1775-1832) on 2 May 1795 in St John's Parish, Newcastle and they had at least seven known children (see 29.0).
GGGGM Sarah Brown nee Vasey died on 27 Jul 1844 aged 66 and was buried at Boston on 31 Jul 1844. See 28.0 for more information about her married life.
Richard was baptised on 23 Apr 1741 at Auckland Saint Helen, Durham by his parents Ralph Vasey and Mary Bowser. His grandson’s (Thomas Brown 1798-1868) death registration notes that Richard was a "native of Stone Chester" in St Helens Parish. There are at least two other records linking Richard to Stone Chester. In 1778 “Richard Vasey of Stone Chester” was a witness on the Marriage Allegation for Henry Curry’s engagement to Richard’s sister-in-law Sarah Ramshaw. This location is also listed in the Hamsterley Baptism Records as the abode of Henry and Sarah Curry nee Ramshaw for the baptism of their daughter Sarah on 10 Mar 1790. Another family connection to Stone Chester is the listed abode of 63 year-old Margaret Vasey when she was buried at Hamsterley in 1856. Margaret b1793 was the daughter of Cuthbert Vasey b1751 of Hamsterley’s second marriage. Cuthbert was Richard’s brother-in-law through his first marriage to Margaret Vasey nee Ramshaw.
NB: “Stone Chester” appears to have been a general locality description, which possibly encompassed Pool Tree. Modern day ‘Lower Stone Chester Farm’ is located off Daniel Rd about 1 mile south of Hamsterley, 3 miles east of Pool Tree Farm (DL13 3QW), 4 miles west of St Helen and about 4 miles north of Evenwood. The Stone Chester Farm managed by the Curry family was probably located nearby, but possibly closer to Pool Tree.
In 1745 Richard’s brother Thomas Vasey was baptised in St Helen Parish, which was a few miles from Stone Chester, but tragically their father (GGGGGGF Ralph Vasey) died the following year in his mid-thirties. Ralph Vasey was buried on 19 Apr 1746 at his place of marriage (Gainford) with his abode listed as Evenwood (Source: The Burial Parish Registers of Gainford). His early and perhaps sudden death explains the small family and also why he left no will.
Richard’s mother would have struggled to raise her young family alone. She may have remarried (possibly William Downes at St Helen in 1754). Alternatively, the family may have gone to live with Ralph’s father Richard Vasey of Bishop Auckland or Ralph’s brother Richard Vasey of Quarry House. The boys would have been very helpful to their ageing grandfather and/or uncle and would have assisted with management of the property. This would also have given them an opportunity to learn the necessary skills needed to manage their own properties when they were adults.
Richard’s grandfather (Richard Vasey of Bishop Auckland c1674) died in 1760 and in his will (written in 1758) he bequeathed the bulk of his estate to his widow (second wife Ann Proctor), and then on her demise, his assets were to pass to his grandsons Richard and Thomas Vasey, with far lesser amounts bequeathed to his many other grandchildren. This also suggests that he was particularly close to the brothers. Grandfather Richard’s properties were located at Woodhouses, St Helens, about 4 miles from Stone Chester.
On reaching the age of 21 in the early 1760’s Richard may have received his inheritance, which enabled him to purchase Pool Tree Farm. GGGGGF Richard Vasey 24 married his first wife, Elizabeth Heron (aged 20), on the 14 May 1765 at St.James, Hamsterley. Elizabeth gave birth to four children, Thomas Vasey baptised Feb 1766, Ralph Vasey (1767-1814), Ann Vasey b Feb 1769 and Richard Vasey c1770-1777. All children were baptised in Hamsterley and the three sons were named after Richard’s brother Thomas, his father, and himself. Elizabeth Vasey nee Heron died in 1770, probably after giving birth to her fourth child who was named Richard (who also died young). Elizabeth was aged 24 (b.1746) and probably died from complications after childbirth, leaving GGGGGF Richard to care for his four young children. There is a burial record at Hamsterley for “Richard the son of Richard Vasey of St Helen Parish Auckland” dated 24 Feb 1777. Unfortunately, there are significant gaps in the Hamsterley records in some years, so it is possible that there were other deaths that we do not know about.
In 1767 Richard’s uncle Richard Vasey of Quarry House c1705 died and was buried at Staindrop. A Durham probate document records that Richard and his brother Thomas were bound to ensure that Uncle Richard’s wife Lucy Vasey “widow and relict” distribute the assets of her late husband, “Richard Vasey of Quarry House yeoman deceased”. Richard Vasey of Pool Tree in Hamsterley and Thomas Vasey of Quarry House yeoman are listed as “nephews and next of kin”. The document was signed by both Richard and Thomas. It seems that Uncle Richard had no surviving children of his own and chose his eldest living nephews (children of his brother Ralph) to do this task.
GGGGGF Richard’s step grandmother, Ann Vasey nee Proctor, “widow of Richard Vasey (c1674) of St Andrew”, died in 1776. Her will bequeathed the bulk of her assets to her nephews John and Nicholas Proctor. There were no children from her marriage with grandfather Richard c1674. However, she did provide for Isobel Bell (“daughter of my late husband Richard Vasey”) and grandson Thomas Vasey b1745. There was no mention of the other grandson, GGGGGF Richard Vasey b1741. This was probably because, as the eldest son, he had already been provided for, through his father’s will (see above) and possibly his uncle’s will as well.
In 1771 less than a year after the death of his first wife, Richard started courting his future second wife. GGGGGM Margaret Ramshaw (who grew up on nearby Ravensford Farm) was baptised in Hamsterley on 15 Mar 1752 by her parents William and Sarah Ramshaw. Margaret had four known siblings who were Mary Ramshaw baptised 21 Oct 1753 and died 1790 (married Cuthbert Vasey of Hamsterley b1751), Sarah Ramshaw baptised in Hamsterley on 19 Nov 1758 and married Henry Curry, Ann Ramshaw 24 Apr 1763 and William Ramshaw 10 Nov 1765.
Margaret's parents GGGGGGP William and Sarah Ramshaw were married in 1751 at Hamsterley. Margaret’s father William died in 1765 and Margaret inherited £100. See below for information about GGGGGGM Sarah Ramshaw’s will. NOTE: The surname is variously spelt as Ramshaw or Ramshey.
A probate document dated 1790 binds GGGGGF Richard Vasey of Pool Tree yeoman, Henry Curry of “Hill Top” (possibly meant to read ‘Toft Hill’, which was less than 2 miles from Stone Chester Farm) yeoman, Cuthbert Vasey of Hamsterley, tailor and Thomas Armstrong yeoman to ensure GGGGGM Margaret Vasey wife of Richard Vasey and Sarah Curry wife of Henry Curry, the daughters and only next of kin of GGGGGGM Sarah Ramshaw (nee Hardy) late of Hamsterley deceased widow, make a true inventory of the latter’s goods and chattels and distribute those according to the wishes laid out in her will. Henry Curry was husband of Sarah Ramshaw (sister of Margaret) and brother-in-law to Richard.
NOTE: Cuthbert Vasey of Hamsterley, tailor was from a different Vasey tree. Members of that ‘clan’ mainly lived in the township of Hamsterley and followed trades such as tailoring or shoemaking. They were very likely related to our Vasey’s, but their branch of the tree possibly separated in the early to mid-1600’s. Cuthbert had a connection to our tree through his wife Mary who was the sister of Richard’s wife Margaret.
Sadly, baby Margaret Vasey died as an infant in March 1791 at Pool Tree and was buried at Hamsterley. During the same year, Richard and Margaret Vasey moved 25 miles closer to the coast to West Herrington in the Houghton le Spring area. The move may have been to help cope with the tragic deaths of two young daughters, for health reasons or to be closer to family members or a mix of these reasons. In 1790 Richard was listed on the Electoral Roll as owning land at West Herrington which was rented to George White and others, but it seems that Richard and Margaret still resided Pool Tree for some of the time.
GGGGGM Margaret Vasey nee Ramshaw died the following year on 9 Feb 1791 at the age of 39. The Hamsterley burial record notes that Richard and Margaret were living at Houghton le Spring at the time of her death.
In memory of Elizabeth Vasey, wife of Richard Vasey of ‘Powtree’ [Pool Tree] who died June 28, 1770 aged 24 years. Also, Margaret the second wife of the foresaid Richard Vasey who departed this life June 8th 1792 aged 51 years.
The death of both parents meant the nine surviving children (aged from 7 to 18) including GGGGM Sarah Vasey had to support and care for themselves, although they may have had help from their extended family.
The will of Richard Vasey of West Herrington (familyrecords.dur.ac.uk) was written on the 10 Apr 1792 and probate granted in 1796. Three of his properties were listed; Blazing Hill at Bedburn, Pool Tree farmhouse at Lynesack and Richard’s farm at West Herrington. Richard’s eldest son Thomas Vasey b1766, Thomas Bainbridge of Hilton Castle (near West Herrington) and John Vickers of Hamsterley were appointed to manage his assets in trust. Of Richard’s thirteen children from two marriages only nine were named in the 1792 will. The others being the first Richard 1770-1777, John 1772-?, Mary 1774-? and the first Margaret 1788-1788, were deceased. Children named as beneficiaries (with particular bequests in brackets) were five sons, Thomas b1766, William b1783, Ralph b1767, Richard b1780 (he was given his father’s mule and farm stock) and George b1785 and four daughters Ann b1769, Lucy b1776, Sarah b1778 and Margaret (each daughter to inherit half the amount inherited by each of the sons). The six children (Richard, William, George, Lucy, Sarah and Margaret from second marriage) under the age of 21 (in 1792) were to be financially cared for in terms of their maintenance, education and general benefit.
40.2 Pool Tree Farm (Postcode DL13 3QW)
Pool Tree farm is located on an unnamed Road between Windy Bank Road and Crane Row Lane, just north of Softly. It abuts Linburn Beck (Stream). Sometimes the address is listed as Pool Tree, Lynesack. The name is derived from “tree by the pool”, and probably is named after a location in Linburn Beck. The property still exists and was listed on the internet in relation to a proposed windfarm and is the location of sheep dog trials.
Pool Tree Farm was close to other farms owned by relatives. Stone Chester Farm, owned by Henry and Sarah Curry nee Ramshaw was located off Daniel Rd about 1 mile south of Hamsterley and 3 miles east of Pool Tree Farm (DL13 3QW). Ravensford Farm was the Ramshaw family property where GGGGGM Margaret and Sarah Ramshaw grew up. It was just north of Linburn Beck on an unnamed road off Saunders Avenue and was located between Stone Chester and Pool Tree Farms.
41.0 Thirteen Children of GGGGGF Richard Vasey (1741-1792) & his two wives
GGGGGF Richard Vasey 24 married his first wife, Elizabeth Heron (aged 20), on the 14 May 1765 at St.James, Hamsterley and she gave birth to four children (27.1 to 27.4 below). In 1771 Richard 30 married his second wife GGGGGM Margaret Ramshaw. They had nine children (27.5 to 27.13 below)
41.1 Thomas Vasey (1766-1849)
Thomas was baptised in Hamsterley in Feb 1766 and named after Richard’s brother. In the late 1780’s Thomas in his twenties, moved to the Houghton le Spring area. Within a few years his parents and some of his siblings had also moved to the area. Thomas was the eldest son and named as one of the executors of his father’s will in 1792.
In that same year (1792) Thomas a bachelor over the age of 21, and at that time a resident of Houghton le Spring, married Jane Middleton, 21 year spinster of Staindrop. The Marriage Allegation was published two months before that of brother Ralph (see below) and both allegations were witnessed by innkeeper William Dixon of Durham. The couple moved to Evenwood, just a couple of miles from other Vasey relatives at Pool Tree and Stone Chester. The property must have been very costly because Thomas borrowed around £800, with details of the debt outlined in wife Jane Vasey nee Middleton’s will written in 1798. (She did not actually die until 28 years later.) The will lists debtors who included Ralph Wade, William Hutchinson, John Vasey (not brother John as he died young, and would not have been wealthy at a young age anyway) and Francis Sanderson of Toft Hill (b1748-1819).
From 1798-1800 and in polls held in 1820 and 1832 Thomas was listed in land records as occupying his farm at Evenwood and lived there for the rest of his life. In 1825 his wife Jane Vasey of Evenwood, aged 53 died and was buried at Staindrop. The following year her will (written in 1798) was lodged for probate. No executor was named in the will but Thomas being the next of kin, was tasked with carrying out the will’s instructions. No children were listed.
Later that year, the widowed Thomas Vasey married Elizabeth Robinson (1798-1834) at St.Helen. Over the next few years Elizabeth had three children, all baptised St Helen.
ii. Jane Middleton Vasey (1829-?) was baptised by Thomas Vasey and Elizabeth Robinson.
iii. In 1834 their third and final child, Marianne Vasey, second daughter of Thomas Vasey farmer and Elizabeth Robinson of Evenwood was baptised. She probably died as an infant.
Thomas’ second wife died shortly after the last birth (possibly along with her baby), probably as a result of complications at the birth. Elizabeth Vasey, wife of Thomas Vasey of Evenwood was buried at the age of 36.
The 1841 census records Thomas 70 of independent means living at Evenwood with his only surviving daughter Jane Vasey 10 (really 11). Thomas Vasey of Evenwood was buried at St. Helen aged 84 in 1849.
41.2 Ralph Vasey (1767-1814)
Ralph Vasey was baptised in Hamsterley in 1767 and named after Richard’s father. Ralph was listed as a beneficiary in his father’s will in 1792 and was probably living in the Houghton Le Spring area before the 1790’s, at which time his father and stepmother came to live nearby.
Ralph, a bachelor, married the much older widow Mary Everick or Everett nee Stephenson c1750, at Houghton le Spring in 1792. They were both listed as being above 25 years old, but only Ralph was actually that age. His wife was in her early forties and this explains why there were no children born from this marriage. The Marriage Allegation was published two months after that of brother Thomas (see above) and both allegations were witnessed by innkeeper William Dixon of Durham. From 1798 to 1800 Ralph was listed as a landholder in Painton and Penshaw. In Nov 1811 Mary Vasey (native of Newbiggin North at Barnard Castle) died at the age of 61. She was described as the wife of Ralph Vasey farmer of Shiny Row.
After his first wife died, widower Ralph Vasey wasted no time in marrying spinster Dorothy Everett in 1811. Both were listed as being over the age of 30 and Dorothy who was 36, was Ralph’s step-daughter. Interestingly there was an unusual note added to the marriage registration by the minister saying Dorothy had been baptised in Penshaw in 1775 by Stephen and Mary Everett (Ralph’s first wife). This time grocer Joseph Gibson of Penshaw signed the allegation. In 1813 Mary Vasey was the only known child born to Ralph Vasey farmer of Shiny Row and his wife Dorothy Everett. She was baptised at Penshaw. Tragically Dorothy died at Shiny Row soon after childbirth aged 37.
Ralph Vasey had lost two wives and was probably struggling with his own health. He lived at Shiney Row, Penshaw, 3 miles from Houghton until his death at the young age of 47 in 1814. His orphaned daughter Mary Vasey (1814-1872) born in Shiney Row, Durham married George Wigham on 4 Jun 1837 in Bishop Auckland.
41.3 Ann Vasey (1769-?) later Fawcett
Ann Vasey was born at Pool Tree Farm and baptised in Hamsterley in Feb 1769. She was listed as a beneficiary in her father’s will in 1792 and probably moved to Penshaw with her parents and brothers in the early 1790’s. Ann Vasey married Thomas Fawcett at Penshaw on 3 Nov 1811. Witnesses were Thomas Crake and Robert Mitcheson. Both were of the Penshaw Chapelry and neither party signed their name. Ann was married just a month before her brother Ralph married his second wife in the same church.
Thomas and Ann Fawcett baptised their first child Margaret (named after Ann’s stepmother) in 1812 at Penshaw. A note in the baptism record indicates that Thomas came from Tanfield Parish and Ann from Hamsterley Parish and that Thomas worked in the coal mines as a pitman. Another daughter named Hannah was born in Colliery Row, Houghton le Spring in 1815 to Thomas Fawcett a pitman and his wife Ann. No more is known.
41.4 Richard Vasey (c1770-1777)
No baptism record has been found (there are pages missing at Hamsterley), but there is a record for Richard Vasey buried at Hamsterley “son of Richard Vasey, family abode St Helen Parish” dated 24 Feb 1777. He was named after his father.
41.5 John Vasey (1772-c1775)
John Vasey was baptised at Hamsterley in 1772 and was named after one of Richard’s uncles. As he was not mentioned in his father’s will written in 1792, John must have died before the age of 20. No burial record has been found and he probably died as an infant during one of the years that church records are missing.
41.6 Mary Vasey (1774-c1775)
Mary Vasey was baptised at Hamsterley in 1774, but as she was not mentioned in her father’s will written in 1792, she probably died at a young age.
41.7 Lucy Vasey (1776-c1847)
Lucy Vasey was baptised in Hamsterley in 1776 and named after Richard’s aunt Lucy Vasey nee Williamson who was married to Richard’s uncle Richard Vasey of Quarry House and later to cousin John Vasey of Quarry House. She was listed as a beneficiary in her father’s will in 1792.
Lucy married Stephen Smith in Sunderland in 1797. In 1799 Jane Vasey, their first daughter, was born in Sunderland. The parents were listed as Stephen Smith of St Andrews (b1776 Midridge) and Lucy Vasey of Hamsterley. By 1803 they were living in Houghton le Spring where Lucy gave birth to baby Margaret. The baptism record reads Margaret, second daughter of Stephen Smith, hatter, native of Midridge (5m from St Helen) and Lucy Vasey of Hamsterley.
Lucy Smith nee Vasey may have married Adam Smith in 1829 at Houghton le Spring. Both were “of this parish” and the witnesses were George Wilson and Ann Watson. Neither party signed their name.
Lucy Smith probably died in Merrington One Row (close to Darlington) in 1847 aged 70 and was buried at Merrington (12 miles from her birthplace).
41.8 GGGGM Sarah Vasey (1778-1844)
Sarah Vasey was baptised in Hamsterley in 1778 and named after her grandmother on her mother’s side (Sarah Ramshaw nee Hardy). She probably moved to Penshaw with her parents and brothers in the early 1790’s and was listed as a beneficiary in her father’s will in 1792. Sarah, at the young age of 17, married GGGGF William Brown 21 (1775-1832) on 2 May 1795 in St John's Parish, Newcastle and they had at least seven known children. See 28.0 for more information about her married life.
41.9 Richard Vasey (1780-?)
Richard Vasey was baptised in Hamsterley in 1780 and named after his father (and deceased younger brother). Richard was listed as a beneficiary in his father’s will in 1792, but there are no further records after that.
41.10 William Vasey (1783-1853)
William Vasey was baptised in Hamsterley in 1783 and named after his grandfather on his mother’s side (William Ramshaw). William was listed as a beneficiary in his father’s will in 1792.
There were several William Vasey’s who married around this time. William may have married Dorothy Ward (b1777 Bishop Auckland) in 1804 at Northallerton (30 miles from Hamsterley). However, there are three reasons that cause doubts, which are; the distance to Northallerton, the children’s names are not typical of our Vasey family and Dorothy would have been in her mid-forties when she had her last child. Their ten children baptised at Northallerton were Dorothy (Dec) 1804-1873, Elizabeth 1806, William 1806, Stephen 1809-1841, John 1812, George 1813, Thomas 1815, Farrow 1817, Joseph 1819 and Rachel 1821. The family’s abode at this time was Romanby and William was listed as a husbandman (farmer). Interestingly not long after Dorothy had her last baby, her first daughter Dorothy was about to get started. Daughter Dorothy Vasey aged 21 gave birth to an illegitimate daughter named Jane in 1825 at Northallerton.
William probably died in Northallerton in 1853 with a reputed age of 75 and Dorothy died in 1867 at the age of 90
41.11 George Vasey (1785-?)
George Vasey was baptised in Denton about one mile from Summerhouse near Gainford in 1785 (Fam Search). He was listed as a beneficiary in his father’s will in 1792. No more is known, and he may have died as an infant
41.12 Margaret Vasey (1787-1787)
Margaret was baptised at Denton as was her brother George, with the family abode given as ‘Houghton’ (le Spring?). No burial record has been found but she must have died as an infant because a daughter with the same name was born in 1790
41.13 Margaret Vasey (1790-1790)
Margaret Vasey was born at Pool Tree and baptised in Hamsterley in 1790. She was named after her mother and deceased sister. Records show she died at Pool Tree a few months after her birth, but strangely she was listed as a beneficiary in her father’s will in April 1792. Perhaps the will was copied from an earlier draft and was not altered to record her death.
Ralph 25 married GGGGGGM Mary Bouser (or Bowes) on 8 May 1739 at St Marys, Gainford, Durham (3 miles from Summerhouse). Mary Bowes who was possibly born in St Helens in 1704 to Henry Bowes. They were both listed as ‘of this parish’, which again indicates that they were both born nearby. After their marriage, the couple settled in St Helen where they started their family. Their first son GGGGGF Richard Vasey (1741-1792) was born on 23 Apr 1741 at Auckland, Saint Helen.
Their second son Thomas Vasey (1745-1826) was also baptised at Auckland St Helen. Tragically GGGGGGF Ralph Vasey died the year after the birth of his youngest son. He was buried on 19 Apr 1746 at his place of marriage (Gainford) with his abode listed as Evenwood, a few miles from Summerhouse. His early and perhaps sudden death also explains why he left no will. Mary Bowes’ age (35) on marriage and her husband’s death at a young age explain the small family. Mary Vasey nee Bowes was buried at Gainford in 1782. (Gainford register Vol.1).
See 40.1 for information about Richard’s early life and his marriages to Elizabeth Heron and GGGGGM Margaret Ramshaw and his thirteen children.
42.2 Thomas Vasey (1745-?)
Thomas Vasey was baptised by GGGGGGF Ralph Vasey on 25 Aug 1745 at St Helen. Sadly, Thomas’ father died the following year leaving his mother to support and raise two young boys by herself. The family may have gone to live with Ralph’s father Richard Vasey of Bishop Auckland b1764 or Ralph’s brother Richard Vasey of Quarry House. The boys would have been very helpful to their ageing grandfather and/or uncle and assisted with management the property. This would also have given them an opportunity to learn the necessary skills needed to manage their own properties when they were adults.
Thomas’ grandfather (Richard Vasey of Bishop Auckland c1674) died in 1760 and in his will (written in 1758) he bequeathed the bulk of his estate to his widow (second wife Ann Proctor), and then on her demise, his assets were to pass to his grandsons GGGGGF Richard and Thomas Vasey, with far lesser amounts bequeathed to his many other grandchildren. Grandfather Richard’s properties were located at Woodhouses, St Helens, about 4 miles from Stone Chester.
In 1767 Thomas’ uncle Richard Vasey of Quarry House c1705 died and was buried at Staindrop. A Durham probate document records that Thomas and his brother Richard were “bound” to ensure that Uncle Richard’s wife Lucy Vasey “widow and relict” distribute the assets of her late husband, “Richard Vasey of Quarry House yeoman deceased”. “Richard Vasey of Pool Tree in Hamsterley and Thomas Vasey of Quarry House yeoman were listed as “nephews and next of kin”. The document was signed by both Richard and Thomas. It seems that Uncle Richard had no surviving children of his own and chose his eldest living nephews (children of his brother Ralph) to do this task.
In 1770 Thomas probably married Mary Hutchinson (c1749 Romaldkirk, about 4 miles from Quarry House) at Auckland St Andrew. Two of Thomas’ uncles married sisters from the Hutchinson family of Romaldkirk; William Vasey c1712 married Mary Hutchinson in 1736 and George Vasey b1719 married Tamar Hutchinson in 1746. Thomas’ wife was possibly a daughter of the sister’s brother Henry b1712 at Romaldkirk.
Mary Vasey nee Hutchinson, “wife of Thomas”, may have died at Streatlam, (near Barnard Castle) in 1786. Thomas’ date of death is unknown and there were no known surviving children.
Richard Vasey was probably born at Witton le Wear in 1674 to Thomas Vasey (c1650-1734) and Ann Cuming (1653-1684). Witton le Wear is just a few miles from St Helen and Hamsterley and ten miles from Summerhouse. Richard’s only known sibling was a brother named Cuthbert who was born in 1679. (See 45.0) The many descendants of the brothers (including our relatives) mainly settled in the triangle bordered by St Helen, Darlington and Barnard Castle. Although there are some gaps and uncertainties in the Birth, Death and Burial records, our Vasey relatives do appear together on many other documents such as marriage allegations and wills.
Richard Vasey b1674 married Mary Unknown near Gainford in the early 1700’s. They seem to have settled 6 miles south of St Helen’s at Summerhouse near Gainford and 5 miles from Staindrop, where they had five children. A baptism registration has only been found for the last child, but the existence of the other children is confirmed by other documents [see below] Also see chapter 44.0 for more detail about their lives.
The five children and the documents that link them to each other.
i) Richard Vasey of Quarry House (c1705-1767) His will names brother Ralph’s sons as his nephews and next of kin, see 44.1
ii) John Vasey of Summerhouse (c1707-1734) A probate document dated 1748 lists his father as Richard Vasey widower and gent of Summerhouse. This document is also signed by John’s brother-in-laws William Carter and John Snaith; husbands of John’s sisters
iii) GGGGGGF Ralph Vasey (1711-1746). Ralph’s sons were listed in his father’s (Richard b1674) will dated 1758 and son Thomas was listed as a grandson in the will of Richard’s second wife.
iv) Mary Vasey (c1713-1760) Mary’s husband William Carter of Summerhouse was a signatory on Mary’s brother John Vasey’s probate bond (1748) and he was also listed in Richard’s (b1674) will of 1758. Their children were born at Summerhouse.
v) Isobel Vasey (1716–c1780) A record lists Isobel being baptised at Staindrop, 5 miles from Summerhouse in 1716 by Richard and Mary Vasey. Her husband John Snaith of Coniscliffe was a signatory on brotherinlaw John Vasey’s probate bond (1748) and was also listed in Richard’s (b1674) will of 1758. Also, Isobel was mentioned in her stepmother’s (Ann Proctor) will of 1776 under her married name from her second marriage, which was Bell.
In 1734 son John Vasey of Summerhouse was buried at Gainford. His death must have been expected because he left a will which was not enacted until 1748. In 1742 Richard’s first wife Mary Vasey nee Unknown of Summerhouse was buried at Gainford.
In 1748 widower Richard Vasey of Summerhouse, Gainford, William Carter of Summerhouse (son-in-law) and John Snaith of Conscliffe (son-in-law) were bound to ensure that Richard Vasey b1674, father of John Vasey of late of Summerhouse, distributed the assets of his son according to the terms laid out in the will. Richard b1674 did not sign his name but made his mark on the probate bond.
Around 1750 Richard Vasey moved 12 miles from Gainford to Woodhouses just north of St Helen. In 1751 Richard married his second wife, Ann Proctor (1726-1776), at St Andrew. A decade later in 1760 Richard Vasey of Bishop Auckland (and Summerhouse) was buried. His will was written in 1758 and Richard signed this with his mark again, which helps confirm that it was the same man. His main asset was his house at Woodhouses, with his beneficiaries listed as
•William Carter of St Helen (son-in-law)
•Cuthbert Bell of St Helen (possibly the future father-in-law of daughter Isabel.)
•wife Anne Vasey nee Proctor sole executrix
•2 grandsons GGGGGF Richard b1741 & Thomas Vasey b1745 (sons of Ralph Vasey)
•3 grandchildren- William c1739, George b1746 and Mary Carter b1749) all under 21 (All born at Summerhouse and baptised at Gainford by daughter Mary Carter nee Vasey)
•7 unnamed grandchildren (all under 21), offspring of the “late son-in-law” John Snaith and Isobel Snaith nee Vasey
Ann Vasey nee Proctor widow of Richard Vasey of St Andrew died in 1776. Her will listed her nephews John and Nicholas Proctor, but she also made provision for Isobel Bell (nee Snaith nee Vasey) “daughter of my late husband Richard Vasey” and grandson Thomas Vasey b1745. Grandson GGGGGF Richard Vasey was not mentioned in his step-grandmother’s will, possibly because he had already inherited the bulk of his grandfather’s assets when he turned 21 in 1762.
44.0 Five Children of Richard Vasey (1674-1760) & Mary Unknown of Summerhouse
A baptism record has only been found for one of the five children, but the documents that link them to each other are shown in square brackets in the above chapter.
44.1 Richard Vasey of Quarry House (c1705-1767)
No baptism registration has been found for Richard, but he was probably born in the early 1700’s. In 1737 Richard Vasey the younger of Summerhouse, gent, leased land in Woodland called Lowfield, Highfield and East Close (Durham Record Office) near Darlington. In 1739 Richard Vasey the younger, gent, was listed as a resident of Summerhouse. Richard possibly married an unknown woman around 1740. In 1742 John Vasey was baptised by Richard Vasey at St Helens (FS) 6 miles from Summerhouse, but his mother and probably her son must have died shortly afterwards.
In 1749 Richard Vasey married Lucy Williamson (c1720) at St Oswald, about 10 miles from Summerhouse. This was most likely Richard’s second marriage. Records show that Richard Vasey occupied Quarry House, Barnard Castle from at least 1761 and owned land at Hilton, not far from Summerhouse. In 1765 Richard Vasey gentleman of Quarry House was listed on the Marriage Allegation for his cousin Cuthbert Vasey 45 (really 50) of West Lodge, Barnard Castle (b1714 Staindrop). Cuthbert was the son of Richard’s uncle, Cuthbert Vasey b1679.
On 14 Dec 1767 Richard Vasey of Quarry House was buried at Staindrop. No age is recorded, but he was probably in his sixties. Richard left a will but only the binding agreement below is available and the details listing beneficiaries are unknown. He appears to have had no surviving progeny.
In 1767 a binding agreement was drawn up to ensure that Richard’s widowed wife Lucy distributed Richard’s assets according to the terms outlined in his will. Witnesses who signed the document were
- GGGGGF Richard Vasey of Pool Tree, Hamsterley “the natural and lawful nephew of Richard Vasey of Quarry House” (son of Richard’s deceased brother Ralph)
- Joseph Cradock of Denton
- Thomas Vasey of Quarry House probably Richard of Pool Tree’s brother b1745 so also a nephew
Richard’s widow Lucy survived him by many years and a year after his demise she married John Vasey, the 21 year old son of Richard’s cousin Cuthbert Vasey the Elder (1714-1813, See 46.3). John became known as John Vasey of Quarry House (See 46.31).
44.2 John Vasey of Summerhouse (c1707-1734)
John Vasey died young, but his death must have been expected because he left a will, which was the subject of a binding agreement for his father in 1748. (See above) There is no record of a marriage or children.
44.3 GGGGGGF Ralph Vasey (c1711-1746) & Mary Bowser
Ralph also died at a relatively young age and left a young family but no known will. See 42.0 for more information about his married life.
44.4 Mary Vasey later Carter (c1713-1790)
Mary Vasey was probably born around 1713 and was 21 when she married William Carter (b1696 Richmond, Yorkshire) at Gainford in 1734. The couple had five known children all baptised at Summerhouse, Gainford (p.434 of Gain Reg). The children werei. John Carter (1736-c1750) No more known
ii. William Carter (c1739-?) (no baptism record found), Beneficiary of his grandfather’s will so he must have died after 1760
iii. Rachel Carter (1741-1750, died and buried at Gainford (FS),
iv. George Carter 1746-1773 Beneficiary of his grandfather’s will. George Carter (“son of William Carter of Walworth”) died in 1773 and was buried at Gainford
v. Mary Carter 1749-? Beneficiary of her grandfather’s will so she must have died after 1760. Daughter Mary Carter married George Dent of Heighington in 1779 at Gainford. They settled at Denton just one mile from both Summerhouse and Walworth. Known children include Margaret 1781, George 1782 and Mary 1786. Mary Dent nee Carter was 37 when she had her last child.
William, George and Mary Carter were beneficiaries of their grandfather’s will when he died in 1760. In 1748 William Carter b1696 of Summerhouse was bound to Richard Vasey of Summerhouse in a probate document (see above). William Carter b1696 was also mentioned in Richard’s will written in 1758.
William and Mary Carter nee Vasey seem to have moved the West Herrington area, possibly soon after Mary’s parents made the move. William Carter was buried at Penshaw in 1771 with the family abode listed as Biddick. Mary Carter “wife of William Carter” was buried at Penshaw in 1790 with the family abode also listed as Biddick.
44.5 Isobel Vasey later Snaith (1716-1790)
Isobel Vasey was baptised at Staindrop by Richard and Mary Vasey in 1716. Isobel, a minor, married John Snaith of Coniscliffe (1709-1755) in 1735 at Gainford. There were seven known children baptised at Coniscliffe by John and Isobel Snaith. The number of children was confirmed in Isabel’s grandfather’s will of 1758. (although he did not take deceased children into account.) Grandfather Richard’s will also confirmed that Isobel’s husband John Snaith was deceased before 1758. Seven known children werei. Elizabeth Snaith 1736-1736
ii. John Snaith 1737-?
iii. Richard Snaith 1739-?
iv. Frances Snaith 1741-1750
v. Elizabeth Snaith 1744-? Named after her deceased sister.
vi. Mary Snaith 1746-1754
vii. Rachel Snaith 1750-?
John Snaith of Coniscliffe was a
signatory on brother-in-law John Vasey’s probate bond (1748) and was also
listed in Richard’s (his father-in-law) will of 1758. Sadly, on 12 Nov 1755
John Snaith of Gilling was buried at Coniscliff. Isobel was left with a large
family of young children to provide for. In 1758 Isobel Snaith, widow of
Gilling West (9 miles from Coniscliffe) married Thomas Bell tile maker of Middleton
Tyas at Gilling West (3 miles apart). The witnesses were Messrs Gordon and
Watson.
Isobel Bell nee Snaith nee Vasey was listed in the 1776 will of her stepmother Ann Vasey nee Proctor. Isobel’s surname was filled in later, as if the author was not quite sure of it. This document confirms Isabel’s second marriage. Isabel possibly died in Aysgarth in 1790.
45.0 Cuthbert Vasey (1679-c1750) Brother of Richard Vasey b1674
Cuthbert Vasey was probably born at Witton le Wear in 1679 to Thomas Vasey (c1650-1734) and Ann Cuming (1653-1684). Witton le Wear is just a few miles from St Helen and Hamsterley. Cuthbert’s only known sibling was brother GGGGGGF Richard who was born in 1674 (see 43.0 above). Descendants of the brothers mainly settled within 10 miles of St Helen and sometimes appear together on documents.
Cuthbert Vasey b1679 married an unknown woman c1708. It was possibly his second marriage and there seems to have been at least six children born to the couple. More information about their lives is found below (See 46.0).
It seems that like his brother Richard b1674, after his marriage, Cuthbert moved south from his birthplace of Witton le Wear and settled north of Staindrop in the vicinity of Raby Park. His six surviving children also settled nearby in various localities. No death record has been found but he probably died in the first half of the 1700’s.
46.0 Six Children of Cuthbert Vasey (1679-c1750)
Cuthbert Vasey b1679 married an unknown woman c1708 and there seems to have been at least six children born to the couple. Baptism records have only been found for some of them, but other documents link them together as a family. More information about their lives is found below.
46.1 Thomas Vasey of Barnard Castle (c1709-1798)
No baptism record has been found. The year of birth is taken from Thomas’ burial record. He was named after his grandfather.
Thomas married Jane Jobling (b1703 at nearby Kirk Merrington) at St Andrew in 1729. Four known children were baptised by Thomas Vasey at St Andrews
i) Thomas Vasey (1730-1732) died as an infant
ii) Mary Vasey (1733-1780) Possibly married John Pearson
iii) Elizabeth Vasey (1736-1738) died as an infant. She was possibly named after her grandmother.
iv) Jane Vasey (1738-1793) was named after her mother and was baptised when her mother was in her late thirties. Daughter Jane probably married 35 year old bachelor farmer Anthony Clark at St Andrews in 1757 aged 19 with the consent of “Thomas Vasey, her lawful father”. She had one child named Mary born in 1761 at St Andrews. Tragically, her husband died at St Andrews in 1765. Jane and her daughter moved in with her father who was residing at Barnard Castle. Widow Jane Clark nee Vasey died at Barnard Castle in 1793.
In 1769 Jane Vasey nee Jobling “wife of Thomas Vasey” was buried at St Andrews. Thomas did not remarry and moved to Barnard Castle. All his children and grandchildren predeceased him, and this is confirmed by his will in which only brothers, nephews and nieces were mentioned. By 1790 Thomas Vasey was recorded as occupying land in Barnard Castle.
Not much else is known about the life of Thomas. He was buried at Barnard Castle in 1798 at the reputed age of 88 with a will written in 1797. His assets include his dwelling house which had been purchased off George Dawson. Thomas’ nephew George Vasey b1773 (see below) also lived in Barnard Castle, owned houses there and was a friend of the Dawson family, but Thomas did not include him in his will. The following people were listed in the will. [Square brackets indicate more information about the relationship and colors indicate how Thomas grouped people; presumably according to importance to him as well as their family relationship. The main groups were brother Cuthbert and children (blue), sister Elizabeth and children (green), children of brother George (purple) and children of brother John (orange). All other siblings, nephews and nieces apart from George b1773 were deceased.]
• nephew Cuthbert Vasey the younger of Middleton Tyas; a main beneficiary and executor [b1753, son of brother Cuthbert 1714-1813]
• nephew William Vasey of Hilton (near Barnard Castle) 1757-1810; a main beneficiary and executor [son of brother Cuthbert]
• Brother Cuthbert Vasey the elder 1714-1813
• Elizabeth Gibson widow c1717-1801 [Thomas’ sister who married John Gibson in 1744]
• nephew John Vasey of Quarry House 1747-1819 £80 [son of brother Cuthbert’s first marriage]
• nephew Thomas Vasey (1770-1854) £20 of Ingleton? [son of brother Cuthbert’s second marriage]
• niece Elizabeth Vasey (1778-1837) £20 [unmarried daughter of brother Cuthbert from his second marriage who married William Longstaff in 1797]
• niece Margaret Stobbart nee Vasey (1767-1810) wife of Thomas Stobbart £20 and daughter of brother Cuthbert’s second marriage who married Thomas Stobbart in 1785]
• godson John Gibson the younger (1745-?) £15 [son of sister Elizabeth Gibson]
• niece Hannah Nicholson (1748-1819 or 1840) £15 [nee Gibson] wife of Edward Nicholson [daughter of sister Elizabeth Gibson nee Vasey who had married Edward in 1789 at Staindrop]
• niece Ann Nicholson (1749-?) wife of John Nicholson £15 [daughter of sister Elizabeth Gibson nee Vasey who married John Nicholson of Staindrop at Middleton in Teesdale (10 miles from Barnard Castle) in 1773.
• niece Margaret Tullan (b1747) wife of John Tullan £15 [daughter of Thomas’ brother George]
• niece Mary Bainbridge nee Vasey (b1736) wife of Thomas Bainbridge 1734-1816, £20 [There is no record of a Mary Vasey being born to one of Thomas’ brothers, but it is possible that she was born to brother George, perhaps from a first marriage. Her position in the will supports this theory. She married Thomas Bainbridge in 1776 at Staindrop. Her only known child was daughter Elizabeth Bainbridge baptised at Staindrop in 1777, when Mary was 40. Thomas Bainbridge died in 1816 aged 82 and Mary Bainbridge nee Vasey died at Barnard Castle in 1821 at the reputed age of 85 (b1736).
• nephew Richard Dawson £20 [son of an unknown sister. Richard probably married Mary Watson in 1760 at Staindrop and was probably related to George Dawson of Barnard Castle, previous owner of Thomas’ house]
• niece Sarah Spurs widow of Ingleton £20 [Sarah Vasey 21 year old spinster (1753-?), daughter of deceased brother George and wife Tamar Vasey, married 25 year old bachelor Matthew Spurs, mariner, in 1774 in Monkwearmouth. Known children were Thomas Spurs b1774 and George Spurs b1776 at Monkwearmouth]
• nephew John Vasey of West Auckland (1754-1819) £30 [Son of deceased brother John and Eleanor Vasey of West Auckland]
• niece Elizabeth Vasey (1757-?) “daughter of my brother John Vasey” £10 [probably remained unmarried]
46.2 William Vasey of St Andrew (c1712-1786)
There is no baptism record for William, but circumstantial evidence points to a birth around 1712. There is a birthing gap in this year and William was most likely a few years older than his wife. Circumstantial evidence that points to him being a son of Cuthbert includes:-
A) He initially settled in the St Andrews area not far from his older brother Thomas
B) His brother George also married one of the Hutchinson sisters (it was not uncommon for two brothers to marry two sisters. The fact that the sisters originated in Romaldkirk also suggests that Thomas and George grew up in the Staindrop /Barnard Castle area which was less than ten miles away.
C) Our later Vasey families frequently had a son named William, and William himself used two common Vasey names for his sons named John and George.
In 1736 William Vasey married Mary Hutchinson (1716 Romaldkirk to Henry Hutchinson) at St Andrew. There were four children baptised by William and Mary at St Andrews.
i. John Vasey of Bishop Auckland 1737-1766 baptised by William
ii. Hannah Vasey 1738-1747 baptised by William and buried at St Andrews
iii. William Vasey 1741-? baptised by William. Married Margaret Pellet (1750-1804) in 1777. “Margaret, widow of William Vasey” may have died in 1804 at Bishop Auckland. If this was the case William was listed as a weaver.
iv. George Vasey 1743-c1750 baptised by William
In 1786 William Vasey of Ferryhill was buried at Kirk Merrington (5 miles from St Andrews).
46.3 Cuthbert Vasey the Elder of Raby Park (1714-1813)
Cuthbert later in life became known as Cuthbert the Elder to distinguish him from his son. No baptism record has been found, but his age at death indicates a birth in 1714. He was named after his father (see 45.0). Around 1740, Cuthbert married his first wife Elizabeth Unknown and they had six known children born in Staindrop. The children werei. George Vasey 1745-c1760
ii. John Vasey of Quarry House 1747-1819. Married widow Lucy Vasey in 1768 (see 44.1)
iii. Thomas Vasey 1748-c1760
iv. Cuthbert Vasey the Younger of Middleton Tyas 1753-c1803. Married Ann Horn at Middleton Tyas in 1782
v. Elizabeth Vasey 1755-c1760
vi. William Vasey of Hilton 1757-1809. Married Mary Watson in 1790
Cuthbert’s first wife Elizabeth Vasey nee Unknown died in the early 1760’s, but no burial record has been found. In 1765 Cuthbert a widowed farmer of West Lodge, Staindrop with a young family, started courting 24 year old spinster Elizabeth Moncaster of Barnard Castle (b1740 St Helen). Preparations for marriage were well advanced and Cuthbert and his cousin Richard Vasey of Quarry House (see 44.1) were listed on the Marriage Allegation. Richard of Quarry House was the son of GGGGGGGF Richard of Summerhouse b1674 who was the brother of Cuthbert’s father. The marriage of 1765 did not proceed (it was only proposed) and three years later 28 year old spinster Elizabeth Moncaster of Barnard Castle married Michael Thompson, a 20 year old minor at Barnard Castle.
The following year Cuthbert did find a second wife and someone to help care for his children. In 1766 he married Ann Anderson (1741-1792) at Staindrop and moved to Raby Park. Ann was baptised in 1741 at nearby Romaldkirk, but the surname was spelled Enderson. This was obviously an error as there are no other records with that surname in Durham. There were five known children from the second marriage baptised in Staindrop and these were
i. Margaret Vasey 1767-? Married Thomas Stobbart in 1785 at Staindrop
ii. Thomas Vasey of Ingleton 1770-1854. Married Elizabeth Eales in 1792 at Staindrop
iii. George 1773-1853 married Ann Lightburn in 1812 at Barnard Castle
iv. Richard 1776-c1780 Probably died as an infant
v. Elizabeth 1778-? Married William Langstaff in 1797 at Barnard Castle
[NOTE: Two other children were baptised by a “Cuthbert and Ann Vasey of Motherley House”. They were William 1784 and Nancy 1786. The parents of these children were not Cuthbert and Ann Vasey nee Anderson because Ann was too old to conceive the latter child and Cuthbert already had a living child named William]
Cuthbert was listed as a church warden at Staindrop in 1776. On Jun 20, 1792, Ann “wife of Cuthbert Vasey of Raby Park” was buried at Staindrop. In 1798 Cuthbert b1714 was the only surviving sibling of Thomas Vasey b1710 and was a beneficiary of Thomas’ will, as were six of his children. These children were John b1747, Cuthbert b1753, William b1757, Margaret b1767, Thomas b1770 and Elizabeth b1778 who lived past 1797. Strangely there was one other sibling named George b1773, who was not named in his uncle Thomas’ will. Cuthbert Vasey b1714 died at Barnard Castle in 1813 aged 99.
46.31 Eleven Children of Cuthbert Vasey (1714-1813) & 2 Wives
i) George Vasey (1745-c1760) was baptised by Cuthbert and Elizabeth Vasey at Raby Park, Staindrop. Named after uncle. He died before 1773 and another child was given this name.
ii) John Vasey of Quarry House (1747-1819) was baptised by Cuthbert and Elizabeth Vasey at Staindrop. John 21 married his uncle Richard’s widowed wife Lucy Vasey nee Williamson (in her forties; see 44.1) in 1768 and moved into her home named Quarry House. John was listed as a church warden at Staindrop during some years between 1770 and 1784. Lucy died at Quarry House in 1789 and had no known children. In 1798 John 51 married his second wife, 21 year old spinster Elizabeth Leyburn (b1777 Whickham). The Marriage Allegation was witnessed by Bishop Auckland innkeeper Richard Williamson, who may have been a brother of John’s first wife Lucy Vasey nee Williamson. In that same year John was a beneficiary of his uncle Thomas Vasey’s (1709-1798) will.
John Vasey of Quarry House died in 1819 at the age of 73 and was buried at Staindrop. There were no known children born to either of his marriages and his will written in 1818 only lists nephews and nieces (children of brothers Cuthbert and William) in addition to his wife. The beneficiaries [my comments in square brackets] were
•Nephew William Vasey of Lumley, Chester le Street “son of brother Cuthbert” (1753-1803) [see iv below]
•Nephew John Vasey of Hilton b1791 later at Walworth, Heighington “son of brother William Vasey” (1757-1809) [see vi below]
•wife Elizabeth Vasey nee Layburn
•Robert Layburn of Newcastle flaxdresser (brotherinlaw)
•Elizabeth Longstaff nee Vasey (1778-1837) “daughter of brother Cuthbert” [see xi below]
•Niece Elizabeth Wade (nee Vasey (1793-?) [daughter of brother William Vasey (1757-1809) who married William Wade in 1814 at Staindrop see vi below]
•Nephew Thomas Vasey of Ingleton (1770-1854) [son of brother Cuthbert?]
•Niece Mary Jamison nee Vasey (1797-?) [daughter of brother William who married John Jamson husbandman (b1788 at Ingleton) in 1818 at Staindrop, “with consent of friends” (her parents were deceased). One witness was brother-in-law William Wade cabinet maker, see vi below]
•William Jamson of Ingleton and his wife Mary of Ingleton. [Parents of John Jamson].
iii) Thomas Vasey (1748-c1760) was baptised by Cuthbert and Elizabeth Vasey at Staindrop. There were no marriage or burial records relating to this Thomas. He must have died before 1770 when another child was given this name.
iv) Cuthbert Vasey of Middleton Tyas (1753-c1803) was baptised by Cuthbert and Elizabeth Vasey at Staindrop and was known as Cuthbert the younger to distinguish him from his father. He was the third known Cuthbert in his family tree. In the 1770’s Cuthbert moved a few miles south into North Yorkshire. In 1782 Cuthbert Vasey the younger married Ann Horn (1764-1792) in the town of her birth, Middleton Tyas (14 miles from Staindrop). There were four known children.
· Elizabeth Vasey (1783-c1870) was baptised by Cuthbert and Ann at Middleton Tyas. She seems to have never married. and may have died in Sunderland in 1870 aged 86
The family must have moved back to Staindrop because their next two children were born at Motherley House, Staindrop. (This may have been a maternity home for expectant mothers).
· William Vasey of Croxdale & Sunderland Bridge (1784-1864) born at Motherly House. In the early 1800’s William moved to Sunderland Bridge near Croxdale where he was a farmer. A few years later he moved to Lumley and in 1818 was appointed executor and was a beneficiary of his Uncle John’s will. William married spinster Mary Anderson (b.1794 Lumley) in 1826 at Chester. One of the witnesses was cousin John Stobbart b.1805 son of aunt Margaret Stobbart nee Vasey (see vii below). All parties signed their names. From 1841 to 1861 William (b1784 Streatlam; halfway between Barnard Castle and Staindrop) was working as a toll collector and living at Sunderland Bridge with wife Mary (b.Lumley). Their sons were William (b1828 Sunderland Bridge) a schoolteacher, and John b1832 (from 1841 census; died before 1851 census). In 1858 son William and his mother Mary were both working as schoolteachers at Sunderland Bridge. The following year, son William died at the age of 32. Mary Vasey died in 1863 aged 69 and William died in 1864 aged 79. The three are buried together with a headstone at Sunderland Bridge.
· Nancy Vasey (1786-1786) was their third child. She was born at Motherly House but died as an infant.
· Thomas Vasey of Bishopwearmouth (1789-1868) was their fourth child. No baptism record has been found, but the 1851 census tells us that he was born in 1789 at Middleton Tyas. Thomas married in 1810. The Marriage Allegation tells us that Thomas Vasey 21 bachelor and husbandman of Hilton Ferry married his cousin, Elizabeth Bainbridge (33yo), spinster at Bishopwearmouth. Elizabeth’s reputed age varied throughout her life, but she was born in 1777 in Staindrop to Thomas and Mary Bainbridge nee Vasey (married 1766, see NOTE below). The witness to the marriage allegation was John Bewick. Two children were born at Bishopwearmouth, William Vasey in Dec 1810 and Thomas Bainbridge Vasey in 1812. In 1851 Thomas 62 year old labourer (b.Middleton) and Elizabeth 72 (b. Staindrop) were still residing in Bishopwearmouth. Things were much the same in 1861. Thomas was 74 (b.Staindrop) and Elizabeth was 86 (b.1777 Staindrop and really 84). Thomas died at Bishopwearmouth in 1868 at the reputed age of 86 (really 80). Elizabeth died two years later in 1870 at the reputed age of 86 but really 92.
NOTE: Elizabeth Bainbridge b1777 was the daughter of Thomas and Mary Bainbridge nee Vasey (married in Staindrop 1776). Thomas’ father Cuthbert Vasey and Mary Bainbridge nee Vasey were cousins with Cuthbert jnr born (1753) to Cuthbert senior (b1714, see 46.31) and Mary c1740 probably born to George Vasey b1719 (see 46.5). Both Cuthbert Vasey the younger and Mary Bainbridge, were beneficiaries of Thomas Vasey’s will in 1798 and were described as nephew and niece respectively.
In 1792 with four young children to care for Cuthbert Vasey 40 married Frances Stevenson 22 (b1769 at Raby Park). A witness at the marriage was John Appleby. The couple had one child named Jane Vasey (1795-1816) baptised by Cuthbert and Frances Vasey at Barnard Castle. Unmarried daughter Jane had a baby who she named Frances (after her mother) in 1816 at Barnard Castle. Sadly, both Jane and her daughter died in childbirth in 1816. In the 1790’s Cuthbert moved back to Middleton Tyas and this was confirmed by brother Thomas’ will written in 1797 and by land tax records dated from 1797 to 1799.
Cuthbert Vasey the younger b1753 died before 1817, as brother John did not list him in his 1819 will and widow Frances Vasey remarried in 1817. No burial record has been found, but some family trees list him as being buried at Lambton (near Houghton le Spring) in the early 1800’s. Cuthbert’s widowed wife Frances Vasey (age 47) married George Brunskill (1765-1837) bachelor at Barnard Castle. Both were from Barnard Castle and witnesses were Thomas Stephenson and Ellen Iveson?
v) Elizabeth (1755-c1760) was baptised by Cuthbert and Elizabeth Vasey at Staindrop. She died before 1778 when another child was given that name.
vi) William Vasey of Hilton (1757-1809) was baptised by Cuthbert and Elizabeth Vasey at Staindrop. In 1790 William Vasey of Hilton married Mary Watson (1766-1817 Barnard Castle) at Staindrop. There were three known children baptised at Hilton and these were confirmed by William’s will of 1809 and their uncle John’s will of 1819. The children were
· John Vasey of Hilton & later Walworth (1791-1858)
John was born at Hilton and baptised by his parents William and Mary Vasey at Staindrop. He inherited his father’s farm when his father died in 1809, which was held in trust for him until he turned 21. In 1816 John Vasey of Hilton, farmer, married Mary Burn 21+ of Gainford, at Gainford. The family lived at Hilton/Ingleton before moving 8 miles to Cockerton. There were six known children baptised at Staindrop at first, then at Darlington
i. Elizabeth Vasey (1817-1831) was baptised by John and Mary of Hilton, farmer. Elizabeth died Cockerton aged 14 in 1831
ii. Mary Vasey (Sep 1818-?) twin was baptised by John and Mary of Hilton, farmer. The twins may in fact be the same person. Christopher Simpson (b1818 Hope, Yorkshire) married Mary Ann Vasey (b1818 Barnard Castle) c1840. In 1848 they had a son. Most of their children were baptised at Barnard Castle.
iii. Ann Vasey (Sep 1818-?) twin was baptised by John and Mary of Hilton, farmer. christened as William Vasey Simpson named after his grandfather. As explained above this baptism record may be an error. There is no record of a marriage or death of Ann Vasey b1818
iv. Jane Vasey (1820-?) was baptised by John and Mary Vasey of Cockerton
v. Margaret Vasey (1824-1825) to John and Mary Vasey at Cockerton. Baptised 1824 and buried in 1825 aged 1. John was listed as a labourer.
vi. William Vasey (1830-?) was baptised by John (a labourer) and Mary Vasey at Cockerton
In 1819 John was an executor and beneficiary for the will of his uncle John Vasey of Quarry House. The will confirmed that John and his family were living at Walworth, Darlington 3 miles from Cockerton. John Vasey was buried at Darlington in 1858 aged 68 (FS)
· Elizabeth Vasey (1793-?) 21 year old spinster of Hilton, who married William Wade (b1772 Barnard Castle) cabinetmaker bachelor of Staindrop in 1814. Three known children were baptised at Staindrop:
i. Mary Wade b1815 twin
ii. Elizabeth Wade b1815 twin. Interestingly Elizabeth’s brother John also had twins born a few years later. The twins probably died as infants.
iii. Ann Wade b1817.
Elizabeth Wade was a beneficiary of her Uncle John’s will. No more is known about William or Elizabeth Wade nee Vasey
· Mary Vasey later Jameson c1798. No baptism registration has been found for Mary, but her birth was confirmed by her father’s will. Like her siblings she was orphaned in 1817, after her mother died. Mary moved into Quarry House, the home of her Uncle John, and possibly worked for him as a servant or carer. When “Mary Vasey of Quarry House” married John Jameson, husbandman, in 1818 at Staindrop, she needed the “consent of friends”, one of whom was brother-in-law William Wade. Their only know child was William Jameson born in 1820 and named after his grandfather. Mary Jamison nee Vasey and her husband’s parents were also beneficiaries of her uncle’s (John Vasey of Quarry House) will.
In 1800 William, like his brothers, acted as church warden at Staindrop. In 1809 William Vasey farmer of Hilton was buried at the age of 51. He died of a “stomach complaint”. His will was written in the same year and probate was granted in 1810. Beneficiaries were his wife Mary Vasey nee Watson and his three children, who were all under 21. Also mentioned were friends Henry Watson (Mary’s brother b1768) and brother Thomas Vasey (1770-1854) who were the appointed executors. In 1817 Mary Vasey nee Watson of Hilton died aged 51 years. She was buried at Staindrop with her husband. In 1819 all three of the children of William were listed in the will of William’s brother John of Quarry House [see ii above].
vii) Margaret Vasey later Stobbart (1767-1810) was born at Raby Park and baptised by Cuthbert and Ann. Margaret married Thomas Stobbart (1760-1816) at Staindrop in 1785. They had eleven known children baptised at Barnard Castle. There was an Unknown daughter born 1787, Margaret Stobbart 1789-?, Elizabeth Stobbart1790-1820, George Stobbart 1792-1830, Dorothy Stobbart 1796-?, Thomas Stobbart 1797-?, William S 1801-1806, Robert Stobbart 1802-1825, John Stobbart 1805-?, Jane Stobbart 1807-? and William Stobbart 1810-? The baptism records confirm that Margaret was the daughter of Cuthbert Vasey and that the family variously lived at Stainton, Roger Moor, Holdsworth and Marwood. In 1810 Margaret Stobbart nee Vasey of Holdsworth, native of Raby Park died after childbirth and was buried at Staindrop at the age of 43.
Margaret’s brother William Vasey of Sunderland Bridge (1784-1864) married spinster Mary Anderson (b.1794 Lumley) in 1826 at Chester. One of the witnesses was Margaret’s son John Stobbart b1805. (see iv above)
viii) Thomas Vasey of Hilton/Ingleton (1770-1854) baptised by Cuthbert and Ann Vasey of Raby Park. A 1792 Marriage Allegation indicates that Thomas Vasey of Ingleton 21, native of Raby, married Elizabeth Eales 21 year old spinster of Raby Park. The marriage took place at Staindrop and was witnessed Thomas’ uncle John Vasey of Hilton b1721 (see 46.6) Seven known children were born to the couple and baptised at Staindrop, but the family lived at Ingleton. Most children were named after Thomas’ brothers and sisters.
i. Christopher Vasey (1793-1851) 1st son was named after Elizabeth’s father. He married Jane Pasman in Ormsby in 1829. The couple settled at Egglescliffe and were there for the 1841 and 1851 census. Christopher’s place of birth was given as ‘Raby’ and he was listed as a labourer.
ii. John Vasey (1796-1825) No baptism record but a death record confirms his death at Hilton and burial at Staindrop.
iii. Thomas Vasey (1798-1881) 3rd son and born at Hilton. Thomas Vasey of Hilton was listed in his Uncle John Vasey’s will of 1819.
iv. Mary Vasey (1800-1837) 4th child and his father was listed as a native of Ingleton and mother a native of Raby Park.
v. George Vasey (1803-1830) George may have died in Auckland St. Andrew in 1830 at the age of 27.
vi. William Vasey (1806-1877) born at Ingleton and baptised at Staindrop. In 1830 William married Elizabeth Myers (b1811) at St Andrews. They settled near St Helen’s at first, then moved to Eldon near Elizabeth’s hometown of Shildon. Their nine children were Thomas Vasey 1830, Robert Vasey 1833, Elizabeth Vasey 1835, William Vasey 1838, John Vasey 1841, George Vasey 1843, Catherine Vasey 1846-1847, Catherine Vasey 1848 and Thomas Robert Vasey 1850. Their first three children were baptised at St Helen with William’s occupation listed as “pitman”, the mother was listed as Elizabeth Myers and the family abode as Brusselton, which was close-by. The family details were confirmed in the 1841 to 1861 censuses. William’s death was registered in Auckland in 1877 when he was 71.
vii. Nancy Vasey (1811-c1811) 7th child died as an infant. Named after her cousin, daughter of Cuthbert b1753. Both parents were native to Raby Park. Elizabeth was around 40 when she gave birth to her last child
In 1809 Thomas was an executor for brother William’s will. In 1826 wife Elizabeth Vasey nee Eales died and was buried at Staindrop. In this same year Thomas fathered an illegitimate child named Sarah. No baptism record has been found, but Sarah was recorded as being 15 in the 1841 census living with her father Thomas a 72 year old labourer, his second wife Eleanor 55 and son John 12.
Thomas Vasey, widower married his second wife Eleanor Wandless nee Trotter (b1785-1858) widow in 1828 at Staindrop. Witnesses were John Hutchinson and Robert Wilson. The couple moved to the Hilton/Ingleton area and that was where one more child was born to Thomas in 1829 named John Vasey (named after his deceased younger brother).
The 1841 electoral roll confirmed the family address as Queen St. Hilltop (or Hilton) “near Winston”. The family were still at Hilton in 1851. Thomas was an 83 year old labourer (b. Raby Park) and wife Eleanor was 68 (b.1785 Evenwood). Thomas Vasey of Hilton died at Hilton and was buried at Ingleton aged 88 (really 84). Eleanor (Ellen) Vasey’s death was recorded in 1858 at Teesdale Union. She was buried at Barnard Castle aged 75 (really 73)
ix) George Vasey of Barnard Castle (1773-1853) baptised by Cuthbert and Ann of Raby Park. For an unknown reason George was not mentioned in his uncle’s 1797 will. George married Ann Lightburn in 1812 at Barnard Castle and from at least 1820-1841 he occupied a house there. In 1841 George 70 of independent means was living at Newgate, Barnard Castle with wife Ann Vasey nee Lightburn 70. Wife Ann must have died in the 1840’s and George remarried (c1849) another much younger woman named Ann Rutherford (b.1814 Darlington to William Rutherford). Together they had George’s only known child, a son named after his father and born at Barnard Castle in 1850.
In 1851 George 82 (really 78 and born at Raby Park) proprietor of houses, wife Ann 37 and son George 7 months were living in Newgate St, Barnard Castle. George Vasey died at Barnard Castle in 1853 at the age of 80. His wife Ann died after the will was written, but just a few months before George died. She was buried in Barnard Castle in Dec 1852 aged 38. George’s will of 1853 (written in 1851) lists his friend Jonathon Dawson grocer of Barnard Castle, his (late) wife Ann Vasey nee Lightburn, his son George Vasey who was an infant and his great niece Eleanor Simpson (b.1846 Barnard Castle; from 1851 census), daughter of Christopher Simpson farmer of Hope (b1818 Hope), husband of George’s niece Mary Ann Vasey (daughter of nephew John Vasey of Hilton and Walworth b1791, see vi above).
x) Richard Vasey (1776-?) baptised by Cuthbert and Ann at Staindrop. As he was not mentioned in his uncle’s will he probably died before 1797.
xi) Elizabeth Vasey later Longstaff (1778-1837) baptised by Cuthbert and Ann Vasey at Staindrop. Elizabeth married William Longstaff in 1797 at Barnard Castle. They had four known children. Their first born was Christopher Longstaff, “son of William Langstaff of Hollybush farmer and his wife Elizabeth daughter of Cuthbert and Ann Vasey of Raby Park”. Other children were William Longstaff of Rabbit Knot b1801, Thomas Longstaff of Hollybush b1805 and Elizabeth Longstaff b1813, daughter of William & Elizabeth Longstaff, husbandman of Barnard Castle. Around 1814 the couple seperated and Elizabeth gave birth to two more children George Longstaff b1816 to Elizabeth “apart from husband for more than 5 years”, and in 1819 Jane Longstaff born to Elizabeth, “wife of William living apart more than 6 years by her own confession”. In 1837 Elizabeth Longstaff nee Vasey of Staindrop was buried at Stain aged 58.
46.4 Elizabeth Vasey later Gibson of Gainford (c1717-1801)
No baptism record for Elizabeth has been found, but she is listed as Thomas’s sister in his will of 1797. This document also informs us that she died after that date. However, her age of 88 on the burial record is wrong because she would have been about 40 when her last child was baptised in 1760. This would have meant a birth just prior to 1720.Elizabeth Vasey was probably born around 1717 in the Staindrop area about the same age as her future husband. In 1744 she married John Gibson (b1717) at Staindrop. This supports the contention that she was born near Staindrop because the wife’s birthplace was the usual location for a wedding. John and Elizabeth settled at Piercebridge and that is where most of their six children were born. They were baptised about 3 miles away from home at Gainford, with the details published in the Parish Registers of Gainford. The six children of Elizabeth Vasey and John Gibson were;
i. John Gibson the younger 1745-1826 Birthplace unknown but baptised in Gainford. John a grocer and bachelor married Mary Lonsdale (b1746 Barnard Castle: F.S) spinster at Barnard Castle in 1773. Although the marriage Allegation states that they were both 24 years and upwards, their baptism records show they were both closer to 27 years old. Known children with their baptism dates born to the couple in Barnard Castle were John Gibson 1775, Elizabeth Gibson 1777-1781, William Gibson 1778, Thomas Gibson 1780-1781, Mary Gibson 1781-?, Hannah Gibson 1782, Thomas Gibson 1787, Mary Gibson 1790 and Frances Gibson 1791. Mary was around 44 when she gave birth to her last child. The children were named after John, his wife and his siblings. In 1798 John was a beneficiary of the will of his godfather, Uncle Thomas Vasey. Mary Gibson nee Lonsdale “wife of John Gibson, merchant”, died at the reputed age of 60 (really 66) in 1812. John died at Barnard Castle in 1826 at the age of 80.
ii. Hannah Gibson 1748-? born at Pearcebridge. Hannah married Edward Nicholson (b1758 Eggleston) in 1789 at Staindrop. The couple settled in Eggleston where Hannah gave birth to three known children named Hannah Nicholson 1790-1808, Thomas Nicholson in 1792 and John Nicholson in 1795. In 1798 Hannah Nicholson nee Gibson, “wife of Edward Nicholson” was a beneficiary of the will of her uncle Thomas Vasey.
iii. Thomason Gibson (named after her uncle) but later went by the name Ann Gibson 1750. Born at Pearcebridge. Ann Gibson married John Nicholson (b1731 Cotherstone) of Staindrop at Middleton on Teesdale in 1773. The couple settled in Staindrop and Ann gave birth to John Nicholson in 1774, Richard Nicholson in 1777, William Nicholson in 1779, Ann Nicholson 1783-1797 (d.Wackerfield), Mark Nicholson 1785 and Hannah Nicholson 1787. Ann was in her late thirties when she had her last child. In 1798 Ann Nicholson nee Gibson, “wife of John Nicholson” was a beneficiary of the will of her Uncle Thomas Vasey
iv. Francis Gibson 1753-? Born at Pearcebridge
v. Thomas Gibson 1756-? Born at Pearcebridge
vi. Mary Gibson 1760-? Born at Pearcebridge when Elizabeth was about 42.
Elizabeth Gibson’s husband John Gibson died at Wackerfield in 1773 and was buried at Staindrop. In 1798 Elizabeth and three of her surviving children were beneficiaries of the will her brother Thomas Vasey 1710-1798. This confirms that her other three children were deceased by 1798. Widow Elizabeth Gibson died in 1801 at Wackerfield, 1 mile from Hilton). She was buried next to her husband at Staindrop aged 88.
46.5 George Vasey of Staindrop (1719-c1760)
George was baptised in 1719 at Cockfield (3m from Staindrop) by Cuthbert Vasey and an unknown mother. George possibly married an unknown woman c1740 and had a daughter named Mary Vasey. Mary Bainbidge nee Vasey c1740 was listed as a niece in her uncle Thomas Vasey’s will in 1798. If this is the case, George’s first wife died soon after childbirth.
In 1746 George Vasey married Tamar Hutchinson (b1718 Romaldkirk 6m from BC) at Staindrop. A decade earlier George’s brother William had married Tamar’s sister Mary Hutchinson (See 46.2). George and Tamar had three known children (in addition to George’s first child named Mary c1740) baptised at Staindrop who were:-
i) Margaret Vasey b1747. She may have married John Tullan c1780. Margaret Tullan (nee Vasey) was listed as a niece in the will of her uncle Thomas Vasey (see above). No more is known
ii) George Vasey 1750-c1750. George probably died as an infant.
iii) Sarah Vasey (1753-c1840) married 25 year old bachelor Matthew Spurs, mariner, in 1774 in Monkwearmouth. Known children were Thomas Spurs b1774 and George Spurs b1776 baptised at Monkwearmouth. Sarah’s husband died around 1780, so she was listed as a widow in the will of her uncle Thomas Vasey (see above). Sarah Spurs widow of Ingleton inherited £20. She was possibly living near one of her relatives in the Hilton area.
George died before his brother’s will was written in 1797 (probably in the mid 1700’s), but no more is known about him.
46.6 John Vasey of Hilton (1721-1796)
John was baptised by Cuthbert at Barnard Castle in 1721. In 1753 he married Eleanor White at Gainford and there were two known children. First born was John Vasey (1754-1819) baptised at Staindrop, who became known as John Vasey of West Auckland (see below). In the mid 1750’s John b1721 moved to Hilton and daughter Elizabeth Vasey (1757-?) was born at nearby Langton in 1757 and baptised in Gainford Parish. Both children were mentioned in the will of their uncle Thomas written in 1797.
In 1792 John Vasey of Hilton witnessed the Marriage Allegation of his nephew Thomas Vasey of Ingleton b1770 (Son of brother Cuthbert) The two men were neighbours because their farms were just one mile apart. In 1792 wife Eleanor Vasey of Langton (2 miles from Hilton) was buried at Gainford. In 1796 John was buried next to his wife at Gainford aged 76 (FR). He was not a beneficiary of his brother Thomas’s will because he predeceased his brother.
46.61 John Vasey of West Auckland (1754-1819) Son of John Vasey (1721-1796)
John was baptised at Staindrop by John and Eleanor Vasey. In the 1770’s he moved to West Auckland andin 1777 married Mary Smith (1747-1809) at St Andrews. They were both listed as “of this Parish”. Six children were born to the couple at West Auckland. They were
i. Elizabeth Vasey 1777-1849. Married George Morrell in 1796 at West Auckland
ii. Margaret Vasey 1779-1819 Married Mathew Gibbon in 1798 at St Helen.
iii. Mary Vasey 1781-1783
iv. Ann Vasey 1782-?
v. William Vasey 1783-?
vi. John Vasey 1788-? Possibly married Joice Hodgson (b1765) in 1812 at St Helen. Joice Vasey of West Auckland died in St Helen in 1846 with a reputed age of 94, but really 81.
In 1798 John “of West Auckland” was listed as a nephew in the will of Thomas Vasey b1710. In 1809 Mary Vasey 62 “wife of John Vasey” was buried at St Helen. The family abode was listed as West Auckland. A decade later in 1819 John Vasey, blacksmith of West Auckland was buried next to his wife at St Helen aged 66.
47.0 Cuthbert Vasey of Hamsterley, tailor (1751-1823)
Cuthbert was probably related to GGGGGF
Richard Vasey. My research suggests that he was a distant cousin, probably
descended from a common ancestor at Witton le Wear. Cuthbert and his
descendants tended to follow trades such as tailoring and shoemaking for their
occupation, whereas Richard and his descendants were mostly farmers (until the
industrial revolution took hold in the 1800’s).
Cuthbert Vasey was baptised in 1751 at Aycliff by parents Anthony and Ann Vasey. Anthony Vasey was a tailor in Hamsterley and Cuthbert also took up that trade. In 1772 Cuthbert married his first wife, Mary Ramshaw (1753-c1785) at Hamsterley. This made him a brother-in-law to GGGGGF Richard Vasey, who had married Mary’s sister Margaret Ramshaw the year before. Cuthbert and Mary had five children, all born in Hamsterley. They were
i. 1773-1806 William Vasey who became shoemaker
ii. 1775-1775 Anthony Vasey who died as an infant
iii. 1776-1832 Mary Vasey who possibly married Jane Kelly of Jarrow at Hamsterley in 1800.
iv. 1779-1799 Anthony Vasey who became a tailor like his father, but died young NKC
v. 1781-1850 John Vasey baptised by Cuthbert and Mary Vasey. Possibly became a flax dresser and settled in Barnard Castle. In 1841 John Vasey 60 was living there alone, next to the Langstaff family who were cordwainers. John was buried there in 1850 aged 68
Mary Vasey nee Ramshaw died in the 1780’s. In 1790 there is a probate document that binds Cuthbert Vasey of Hamsterley, tailor and GGGGGF Richard Vasey of Hill Top to distribute the assets of Cuthbert’s wife, the deceased Mary Vasey nee Ramshaw. In 1786 Cuthbert Vasey widowed tailor of Hamsterley married his second wife, Margaret Dawson (1760-?). Margaret was a 25 year old spinster from St.Andrews. One of the witnesses at the marriage was brother John Vasey of Wardenlaw (1759-1810). The four known children from the second marriage born at Hamsterley were:
i) Joseph Vasey (1787-?) baptised by Cuthbert and Margaret Vasey nee Dawson, who married Martha Sanderson in 1807
ii) Ann Vasey (1790-?)
iii) Margaret Vasey (1793-?)
iv. Jane Vasey (1797-?) who married John Malcolm (b1795 Barnard Castle) in 1826 at Hamsterley. One of the witnesses was sister Margaret Vasey. John and Jane and their families were listed in the 1841 to 1861 censuses at Hamsterley. John was a labourer and the place of birth of their children shows that the family had lived at Rumby Hill, Bishop Auckland and Wolsingham.
Cuthbert had close connections to the local church. From 1812-22 he witnessed more than ten marriages. In 1814 Cuthbert was listed in his father’s will. 1814 The will of Anthony Vasey (1724-1814) farmer of Wardenlaw was written in 1808. Four of Anthony’s children were listed
- Son Cuthbert Vasey (b1851 Aycliff, died 1823)
- Daughter Ann Hall nee Vasey (b1767 Bedburne Hall). Married John Hall and died in 1844
- Son John Vasey (1759-1810) joint executor of the will but died in 1810 at Wardenlaw
- Son Lancelot Vasey (1762-1835) of Wardenlaw joint executor. Lancelot died in 1835 at Houghton le Springs
Cuthbert Vasey, tailor of Hamsterley, was buried in 1823 with his age listed as 72.
48.0-49.0 Reserved for Future use
Ramshaw/Ramshey Family Tree
Early members of the family were illiterate and the spelling of the surname was chosen by the person writing the record. Later, family members generally chose one of the above spellings, but the former spelling was more common in later years. I have generally used this spelling to avoid confusion.
There is a hamlet named Ramshaw in the county of Durham, which is part of the civil parish of Evenwood. It is situated to the west of Bishop Auckland. There could well be a connection between this hamlet and our Ramshaw relatives whose ancestors originated in this area. It is interesting to note that the surname Ramshaw is often said to derive from the name Ravenshaw or someone who lived by the ‘raven wood’. Perhaps in our family’s case their surname derived from Ravensford? Ramshaw Village and Hamsterley are only 4 miles apart.
50.0 Diagram 5 Showing Ramshaw
& Hardy Family Ancestors
GGGGGM Margaret Ramshaw was baptised in Hamsterley on 15 Mar 1752 by her parents William and Sarah Ramshaw nee Hardy. However, identifying the father of GGGGGGF William Ramshaw is more difficult. There are at least two possibilities; either Robert Ramshaw or Nicholas Ramshaw who were both sons of William Ramshaw c1655 (both men had sons named William). The will of William’s c1711 grandfather, GGGGGGGGF William Ramshaw c1655 of Ravensford written in 1726, lists his grandson William, son of Nathaniel Ramshaw b1693, as a beneficiary of his will. This William was not likely our Ancestor for the following reasons
a) It seems that the reason that William, the son of Nathaniel, was the sole grandchild listed in the will, was because his father (Nathaniel) was deceased. The grandfather wanted to make sure his grandson was provided for. The note identifying this William as the son of Nathaniel is added as an afterthought which suggests that there was more than one William, and the note was added to clarify which William was the beneficiary.
b) Presumably ownership of Ravenswood Farm passed from GGGGGGGGF William Ramshaw to his eldest son who was Robert Ramshaw b1680. Robert Ramshaw had five known children including Thomas Ramshaw b1724 and Margaret Ramshaw b1719. No baptism record has been found, but it is very likely that Robert also had a son named William Ramshaw (GGGGGGF) possibly born in 1711, the year after his parent’s marriage. William would have been Robert’s first son and would have inherited the farm from his father when Robert died. The main supporting evidence for this is that Thomas Ramshaw b1724 (see 51.2) left a detailed will which lists his siblings as William and Margaret.
c) We know that GGGGGGF William ultimately inherited Ravensford Farm. The farm would have been inherited by the eldest surviving son in each generation, which was the tradition at the time.
Taking the above points into account, it seems likely that GGGGGGF William Ramshaw was born to GGGGGGGP Robert Ramshaw and Margaret Emerson. He was a grandson of GGGGGGGGF William Ramshaw c1655 and a first Unknown wife c1660.
GGGGGGF William Ramshaw c1711 married Sarah Hardy (b1728 Hamsterley; daughter of William Hardy) in 1751 at Hamsterley. They had five known children; GGGGGM Margaret Ramshaw, Mary Ramshaw baptised 21 Oct 1753 and died 1790 (married Cuthbert Vasey; see 52.2), Sarah Ramshaw baptised in Hamsterley on 19 Nov 1758 and married Henry Curry (See 52.3), Ann Ramshaw 24 Apr 1763-1763 and William Ramshaw 10 Nov 1765.
GGGGGGF William Ramshaw c1711 of Ravensford, Hamsterley wrote his will on 21 Jun 1765 and died later that year. The main bequest was that all of his estate at Ravensford was to be left to “my beloved wife Sarah Ramshaw.” William mentioned that Sarah was pregnant at that time, and should she have a son, the inheritance was to include him. His daughters were listed as GGGGGM Margaret Ramshaw, Mary Ramshaw and Sarah Ramshaw who were to receive £100 each. William made his mark and throughout the will his name was spelt Ramshey, but on the covering sheet the surname is spelt Ramshaw. As it turned out, later that year, Sarah did give birth to a son who was named William after his father. The baptism record reads, “10 Nov 1765, William the son of Sarah Ramshaw, his father William of Ravensford deceased”.
GGGGGGM Sarah Ramshaw nee Hardy, widow, survived another 24 years and passed away in Dec. 1789. Her will provides the names of her two surviving daughters and their husbands. A document dated 1790 binds Richard Vasey of Pool Tree yeoman, Henry Curry of Hill Top yeoman, Cuthbert Vasey of Hamsterley tailor and Thomas Armstrong yeoman to ensure GGGGGM Margaret Vasey nee Ramshaw, wife of Richard Vasey, and Sarah Curry nee Ramshaw, wife of Henry Curry, the daughters and only next of kin of GGGGGGM Sarah Ramshaw, late of Hamsterley deceased widow, make a true inventory of the latter’s goods and chattels and distribute those according to her wishes laid out in her will.
51.1 Ravensford Farm, Hamsterley (Postcode DL13 3NH)
Ravensford Farm is one mile south of Hamsterley just north of Linburn Beck on an unnamed road off Saunders Avenue. The property is less than 3 miles from Richard and Margaret Vasey nee Ramshaw’s property at Pool Tree (DL13 3QW) where Margaret lived after her marriage. Both properties abut Linburn Beck. Ravensford is just one mile from Stone Chester farm where Margaret’s sister Sarah Curry nee Ramshaw lived after her marriage. The Ramshaw/Ramshey family owned the property from at least the early 1700’s to 1765.
Ravensford Farm still exists today and has held Open Gardens in the past. Websites inform us that: Ravensford Farm goes back to the 1400’s and ”30 years ago the house was a ruin and the garden non-existent” and that the house was supposedly once occupied by Dick Turpin. (See Ravensford Farm Facebook page)
51.2 Thomas Ramshaw (1724-1770) (brother of William b1711)
Thomas Ramshaw was the brother of GGGGGGF William Ramshaw c1711 (from Thomas’ will). At the reputed age of 28 (really 32) in 1756 Thomas (b.1724) a bachelor married 47 year old widow, Mary Walton at Hamsterley. The marriage allegation describes Thomas as a yeoman and the document is signed by him. Due to Mary’s age, the couple had no children. In his will written in 1769 Thomas listed his wife Mary Ramshaw nee Walton and the four surviving children of his deceased brother GGGGGGF William Ramshaw c1711, who were named as Margaret, Mary, Sarah and William. They were to receive their inheritance when they attained the age of 21. Thomas also provided for the children of his sister Margaret Simpson nee Ramshaw, wife of Robert Simpson. The children Robert Simpson, Alice Simpson and William Simpson were to receive their inheritance after the mother died or after they reached the age of 21. Thomas appointed Christopher Ramshaw b1737, gentleman of Evenwood and William Blackett of Hamsterley to carry out the provisions of the will. One witness to the will was Silas Ramshaw (probably a cousin born to uncle Silas Ramshaw, see 54.3).
51.3 Margaret Ramshaw (1719-1772) later Simpson (sister of William b1711)
Margaret Ramshaw was a sister of Thomas b1724 and GGGGGGF William Ramshaw c1711. She was born to Robert Ramshaw b1680 and Margaret Emerson at Ravensford, Hamsterley and was named after her mother.
Margaret Ramshaw married Robert Simpson in 1748 at Hamsterley. It may have been Robert’s second marriage. The couple had three known children named Robert Simpson 1752, Alice Simpson 1756 and William Simpson 1759. Margaret was 40 when she had her last child. Margaret and her three children were listed in her brother Thomas’ will written in 1769. Margaret’s children were to receive their inheritance after their mother died or after they reached the age of 21.
There is a probate record dated 1772, whereby Robert Simpson of Crane Row, Hamsterley was bound to administer the will of his deceased wife, Margaret Simpson, late of Crane Row. Robert made his mark on this document. Robert probably died in the parish of St Helens in 1790 and was buried at Hamsterley.
NOTE: Crane Row Lane is 3 miles south of Hamsterley and about 2 miles south of Ravensford Farm
52.0 Five Children of GGGGGGP William Ramshaw (c1711-1765) & Sarah Hardy (1728-1789)
Of William and Sarah’s four daughters and one son, only three daughters survived their father and were mentioned in his will.
52.1 GGGGGM Margaret Ramshaw (1752-1791)
Margaret Ramshaw grew up on Ravensford Farm and would have known neighbour Richard Vasey who owned Pool Tree Farm just a few miles along Linburn Beck. In 1765 Margaret received an inheritance from her father. In 1769 Margaret was listed in the will of her uncle Thomas Ramshaw b1724 (see 49.2). After GGGGGF Richard Vasey’s first wife died in 1770 leaving him with a young family, Richard started courting Margaret. Richard married Margaret Ramshaw in 1771 at Hamsterley and she had eleven children, but not all survived. See 40.1 for more information about Margaret’s married life.
52.2 Mary Ramshaw (1753-c1785)
Mary was baptised 21 Oct 1753. In 1765 Mary received an inheritance from her father and in 1769 Mary was listed in the will of her uncle Thomas Ramshaw b1724 (see 49.2). In 1772 Mary married Cuthbert Vasey, a tailor in Hamsterley (see 47.0). Cuthbert Vasey was baptised in 1751 at Aycliff by parents Anthony and Ann Vasey. Cuthbert’s marriage made to Mary made him a brother-in-law to GGGGGF Richard Vasey, who had married Mary’s sister Margaret Ramshaw the year before. Cuthbert and Mary had four children, all born in Hamsterley. They were
i. William Vasey (1773-1806) who became shoemakerii. Mary Vasey (1776-1832) who possibly married Jane Kelly of Jarrow at Hamsterley in 1800.
iii. Anthony Vasey (1779-1799) who became a tailor like his father, but died young NKC
iv. John Vasey (1781-1850).
Mary Vasey nee Ramshaw died in the 1780’s. (See 47.0 for more information)
52.3 Sarah Ramshaw (1758-?)
Sarah was baptised in Hamsterley on 19 Nov 1758. In 1765 Sarah received an inheritance from her father and in 1769 Sarah was listed in the will of her uncle Thomas Ramshaw b1724 (see 49.2). In 1778, whilst still a minor (under 21) Sarah married Henry Curry (1757-1813) at Hamsterley. Sarah had the permission of her widowed mother, and this declaration was witnessed by brother-in-laws Richard Vasey of Stone Chester and Cuthbert Vasey tailor of Hamsterley. They had seven known children baptised at Hamsterley; Margaret Curry 1779-?, Ann Curry 1781-?, Richard Curry 1783-?, Henry Curry 1785-1854, Sarah Curry 1789-1790, Sarah Curry 1794-? and William Curry 1805-? According to the baptism record, the last child was the third son. This record also tells us that Henry had been born in East Harrington and Sarah was born in Hamsterley. The family abode was listed as Wedder Hill for some baptisms and Stone Chester for others. Henry probably died at Toft Hill in 1813.
52.4 Ann Ramshaw (1763-c1763)
Ann was baptised on 24 Apr 1763 and as she was not mentioned in her father’s will in 1765, she must have died as an infant.
52.5 William Ramshaw (1765-1829)
William was baptised on 10 Nov 1765. In 1765 William received an inheritance from his father, who died shortly after William’s birth. In 1769 William was listed in the will of his uncle Thomas Ramshaw b1724 (see 49.2). William may have married Margaret Griffith (b1770) in 1802 at Hamsterley. There were no known children. Margaret died at Hamsterley in 1828 aged 58 and William died in Hamsterley in 1829 at the reputed age of 67 (really 65). There were no known children.
53.0 GGGGGGGGP
William Ramshaw (c1655-1727) & Two Wives
According to a will written in 1726 William Ramshaw owned Ravensford Farm and he died there the following year. In his will he listed his “dear wife Mary Ramshaw” (second wife) and sons GGGGGGGF Robert Ramshaw, Benjamin Ramshaw, Jonathon Ramshaw, Silas Ramshaw and Samuel Ramshaw, grandson William Ramshaw, “son of Nathaniel Ramshaw” and daughters Mary Ramshaw and Jane Ramshaw (the latter two under 21). The probate bond dated Oct 1727 listed Mary Ramshaw, widow, and her son Samuel Ramshaw, who signed his name. Interestingly GGGGGGGGF William’s surname was written as Ramshaw, but son Samuel signed as Ramshey. The baptisms shown below suggest William married twice; to an unknown woman around 1679 and later to Mary Unknown around 1704. The fact that he included some of his children from each of his two marriages in his will is evidence that he that he had been married twice.
Hamsterley baptism records show William had the following children GGGGGGGF Robert Ramshaw 1680, Thomas Ramshaw 1683, Unknown (Silas) Ramshaw 1685, Ralph Ramshaw 1688, Samuel Ramshaw 1691, Nathaniel Ramshaw 1693, Dorothy Ramshaw 1696, Joseph Ramshaw 1699 and Margaret Ramshaw 1701. These offspring were probably from a first marriage to an unknown spouse (c1660-c1702). The following children were born from a second marriage to Mary Unknown; Benjamin Ramshaw 1705 Jonathon Ramshaw 1707, Phyllis Ramshaw 1709, Mary Ramshaw 1713 and Jane Ramshaw 1715. It seems that by the time his will was written in 1726 only seven of his fourteen children were still alive.
In 1727 Mary Ramshaw was bound to carry out the wishes expressed in her husband’s will. The witness was stepson Samuel Ramshaw b1691.
54.0 Nine Children of William
Ramshaw (c1655-1727) & His First Wife
The children below are probably
from William’s first marriage. His second marriage to Mary
Unknown produced another five children. Children born from a second
marriage to Mary Unknown were Benjamin Ramshaw 1705, Jonathon Ramshaw 1707, Phyllis
Ramshaw 1709, Mary Ramshaw 1713 and Jane Ramshaw 1715. Only children from his first marriage are detailed below.
54.1 GGGGGGGF Robert Ramshaw (1680-?)
Robert was baptised in Hamsterley in 1680 by his father William Ramshaw. He married Margaret Emerson in 1710 at Hamsterley. Margaret was baptised at Stanhope (11 miles from Hamsterley) in 1681 by her father GGGGGGGGF Cuthbert Emerson. Children baptised at Hamsterley include Robert Ramshaw c1711, Thomas Ramshaw 1713-c1720, Robert Ramshaw 1715-c1715, Margaret Ramshaw 1719-1772, Alice Ramshaw 1721-c1721 and Thomas Ramshaw 1724-1770. Margaret was 43 when she had her last child. It seems that three of Margaret’s children died young as no other records relating to them have been found. See 51.0 to 51.3 for more information about the three children who survived to adulthood.
No baptism record has been found, but Robert’s first son was probably GGGGGGF William Ramshaw born in 1711, the year after Robert’s marriage. William was named after his grandfather. Robert inherited Ravensford Farm from his father in 1727 and then would have passed it on to his eldest son GGGGGGF William c1711 after his death. No burial record for either GGGGGGGF Robert Ramshaw or his wife Margaret has been found.
54.2 Thomas Ramshaw (1683-c1683)
As Thomas was not listed in his father’s will, he must have died prior to 1726. There is no record of a marriage so he may have died as a child.
54.3 Silas Ramshaw (1685-?)
Silas married Ann Stephenson in 1736 at St Helen. Children baptised at St Helen include Christopher Ramshaw 1737 and William Ramshaw 1740. Silas was mentioned in his father’s will, so he died after 1726.
54.4 Ralph Ramshaw (1688-?)
Ralph married Mary Coale in 1711 at Hamsterley. As Ralph was not listed in his father’s will, he must have died prior to 1726.
54.5 Samuel Ramshaw (1691-1777)
Samuel married Elizabeth Simpson in 1716 at Hamsterley. Children baptised at Hamsterley include Ann Ramshaw b1720, Ralph Ramshaw 1721, Elizabeth Ramshaw 1726 and Hannah Ramshaw 1737. In 1727 he was a witness on the probate document for his father’s will. Samuel may have died in Hamsterley in early 1777.
54.6 Nathaniel Ramshaw (1693-c1725)
Nothing is known about Nathaniel apart from the fact that records indicate he married c1720, had a son named William Ramshaw c1720 and died before 1726 when his father’s will was written.
54.7 Dorothy Ramshaw (1696-c1696)
As Dorothy was not listed in her father’s will, she must have died prior to 1726. There is no record of a marriage, so she probably died as a child.
54.8 Joseph Ramshaw (1699-c1699)
As Joseph was not listed in her father’s will, he must have died prior to 1726. There is no record of a marriage, so he probably died as a child.
54.9 Margaret Ramshaw (1701-c1725)
Margaret married William Paxton in 1724 at St Helen and died before her father wrote his will in 1726
55.0 GGGGGGGP William Hardy (1703-1770) & Mary Clye (c1700-1759)
William Hardy was born in 1703, probably to Robert Hardy and Ann Gibbon (married 1698), in the Hamsterley area. He became a blacksmith and judging by the assets listed in his will, was a reasonably wealthy man. He married Mary Clye in Hamsterley on 18 Aug 1723 and had at least seven children; William 1724, John 1726, GGGGGGM Sarah 1728-1789, Margery 1732-1732, Mary 1733, Margery 1735 and Ann 1743. All children were baptised at Hamsterley. Wife Mary died in 1759 at the reputed age of 63 and was buried at Hamsterley. William died in Sep 1770 at the age of 63 and was buried with his wife. There is a headstone in Hamsterley Cemetery marking the graves.
Most of what we know about William is what we can glean from his will, which was written in Apr 1766. I have summarised some of the main provisions. “William Hardy the elder blacksmith of Hamsterley I give and bequeath to my son William Hardy and daughters Sarah Ramshaw wife of William Ramshaw, Mary wife of Nicholas Kilburn and Margery wife of Thomas Dumwell £10 apiece. I also bequeath to my son John Hardy all the allotment given to me by the commissioners according to the Act of Parliament dividing the Commons within the Parish. I also give £20 to my daughter Ann Hardy and my dwelling house where I now live with the stables and Smith shop along with the new house, however, should Ann die before she is married her share be divided amongst the other children. I appoint daughter Ann as the executrix of my will. Probate granted in May 1771 to Thomas Heron and Ann Watson (late Hardy)”. The “Smith Shop” mentioned in the will confirms that William like his two eldest sons was a blacksmith.
56.0 Seven Children of GGGGGGGP William Hardy (1703-1770) & Mary Clye (c1700-1759)
55.1 William Hardy (1724-1796)
William was baptised in 1724 and married Margaret Hodgson in Oct 1743 at Hamsterley. According to his father’s will (1766) William was a blacksmith like his father and had a son named William. Children born in Hamsterley to William and Margery were William Hardy 1748, John Hardy 1751, Jane Hardy (later Hodgson) 1755, Mary Hardy (later Snaith) 1758 and Margaret Hardy spinster c1744.
Later in life William b1724 became the Parish Clerk at Hamsterley and was buried in 1796 aged 72. A probate bond dated 1796, lists people responsible for fulfilling the wishes expressed in William’s will as his children. Listed were Thomas Hardy of Lincoln, John Hardy of Hamsterley, Jane Hodgson of Hamsterley, widow, Robert Snaith of Hamsterley, Margaret Hardy spinster of Hamsterley, John Ashbridge, George Langstaff, shopkeeper and Francis Johnson, innkeeper. The beneficiaries of the will of William b1724 were his children listed as Thomas Hardy, John Hardy, Jane Hodgson widow, Mary Snaith wife of Robert Snaith and Margaret Hardy.
56.2 John Hardy (1726-1810)
There were two John Hardy’s born in Hamsterley in 1726 (one to William Hardy and one to John Hardy). One married married Dinah Burrel in 1748 and the other married Ann Mayor in 1755. Fortunately, burial records name the mother and residence of the family (Copley). Using this information, we can determine that John Hardy son of William Hardy married Ann Mayor and had the following children, Jane 1756, Mary 1758, Ann 1760, William 1764, Elizabeth 1767 and Margery 1771-1805. All children were baptised in Hamsterley. Both families followed the occupation of blacksmiths. John born to William was a beneficiary of his father’s will, written in 1766. He was a blacksmith like his older brother and father and was buried in Hamsterley in 1810 at the age of 84. His abode was listed as Copley Bent, 5 miles south of Hamsterley and close to the Ramshaw property, Ravensford Farm.
John wrote his will in 1808, and this document indicates that he was a very wealthy man who owned several properties including one or more collieries (coal mines). He listed his abode at that time as being Trough Bent in the township of Lynesack and Softley in the Parish of St Andrew Auckland. (1 mile from Copley) Beneficiaries listed were eldest son William, wife Ann Hardy (nee Mayor), daughter jane Kirkup wife of John Kirkup, daughter Ann Parnaby wife of Christopher Parnaby, son-in-law William Parnaby and his wife Elizabeth and their children, son-in-law George Taylor and his wife Mary, daughter Sarah Hardy, granddaughters Ann, Margaret and Margery daughters of son-in-law Ralph Bradley, grandson John Kirkup and grandson John Parnaby. John made his mark and signed the will with his seal. Probate was granted to wife Ann in 1811.
NOTE: The will of John Hardy, blacksmith of St Andrews written in 1814 indicates he was unwell in his latter years, “weak of body but of perfect mind and memory”. He listed a main beneficiary as nephew William White but also listed his sister Jane and her husband John White. This John is not related. He was the son of John Hardy who married Dinah Burrel and was not the son of William Hardy.
56.3 GGGGGGM Sarah Hardy (1728-1789)
Sarah married GGGGGGF William Ramshaw in 1751 and had 5 children. Along with her husband, she was listed in her father’s will written in 1766. See 49.0 for more about her married life.
56.4 Margery Hardy (1732-1732)
Margery was baptised in 1732 but died as an infant.
56.5 Mary Hardy (1733-1789)
Mary was baptised in 1733. According to her father’s will (1766) she married Nicholas Kilburn in 1757 at Hamsterley. They settled in Witton le Wear where they had their family consisting of John 1757, William 1761, Nicholas 1763, Mary 1767-1768, Henry 1769 and Mary 1771-1773. Mary probably died in 1789 (son John was listed on the burial record) and Nicholas died in 1790. Both were buried at Witton le Wear.
56.6 Margery Hardy (1735-?)
Margery was baptised in 1735 and named after her deceased sister. According to her father’s will (1766) she married Thomas Dunwell/Dumble in 1759 at Chester le Street. No more is known.
56.7 Ann Hardy (1743-1803)
Ann was baptised in 1743. In 1766 she was appointed executrix of her father’s will. Probate was granted in 1771, after her father’s death and after her marriage. In 1770 Ann married 28 year old bachelor William Watson, butcher, at Hamsterley. There were four known children baptised at Hamsterley; William Watson 1773, Mary Watson 1776-1776, Mary Watson 1778 and Joseph Watson 1881-1865. Ann died in Hamsterley in 1803 at the age of 61. She was listed as the widow of William Watson, butcher, and her abode given as Hamsterley. Son Joseph died in Hamsterley in 1865 and his grave is marked by a headstone listing his wife and children.
57.0-59.0 Reserved for
Future use
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