TrunkCalls

2010-12-23T15:29:00.000Z

Christmas 2010

Here's a bit of research from Austria, recently published, which shows us that thinking about our ancestors can improve our own mental agility.

After a heavy session trying to dig material out of archives, I don't normally notice this effect! But I do know what they mean. Genealogy is often suggested as a form of therapy on the continent.

I love that this research paper quotes Plutarch:

It is certainly desirable to be well descended, but the glory belongs to our ancestors. (Plutarch 46–120 AD)

Census 2011

2010-11-10T14:31:00.001Z

2011 Census: 27 March 2011

Helping history take shape

For thousands of genealogists and amateur family historians, the census is helping to re-trace family connections through the ages.

The personal information shared at every census is kept confidential for 100 years. After that, it’s there for the public to explore and find out more about the life and times of their ancestors.

Have you ever ‘lost’ a member of the family, only to rediscover the connection (and perhaps other relatives now living) as you retrace your steps through family history? How thrilling it is to find a long lost name turn up on an old census return. And to see how the famous and infamous completed their census returns long ago.

The 2011 Census is using its online channels to bring professional and family historians together: through the 2011 Census Family History Facebook group and a dedicated family history section on the census website.

Taking part on 27 March 2011 is your chance to help future generations discover their past. By completing your census questionnaire you leave your mark on history. And maybe that’s something your friends and colleagues hadn’t thought about. So we hope you’ll encourage them to do their bit too.

OK. So what do you need to do?

Simply complete your census questionnaire. Every household will get one. All you need to do is answer a few questions about yourself and the people who share your household with you on census day. Everything you tell the census is in strictest confidence and will only be used to produce statistics. ONS will not share your personal information with anyone else.

You can complete your questionnaire online – or by post. But you must do it and get your questionnaire in as soon as possible after census day. (Of course you can also do both of those! Fill in the form online to satisfy the legal requirement, and then also fill out the paper form, and securely store it with your other family history documents, to give descendants a glimpse into their history.)

Present day census population statistics are mainly used to identify and understand the variety of needs for public services. They help local authorities, healthcare organisations and other census users to plan services around the needs of local people.

So the census needs everyone to take part in helping tomorrow take shape – and by doing that we help to shape history too.

For more information, visit www.census.gov.uk

Finding Cousins

2010-02-07T14:24:00.002Z

I'd like to pass on information about a genealogy service which is easy & free. It may help you a great deal if you are researching your own family. Lost Cousins is the name - why not go & have a look?

It works by asking you to enter details of the census pages (e.g. the 1881 census of England & Wales) on which your ancestor appears. Anyone who matches with you will be brought to your attention, so you can share research.

Currently LostCousins can only help people who had relatives (not necessarily direct ancestors) living in the US, Britain or Canada in 1880-81, or in England & Wales in 1841.
Also, latest addition is the1911 census of Ireland.

View the excellent free newsletter here.
It is free to join Lost Cousins, and seems to be a very good idea.

Another way of matching up with other researchers is Genes Reunited (small fee), and an interesting one which matches up folk looking at the same geographical area is Ancestral Atlas. Do let me know if you give them a go - what do you think?

Sorry I haven't written

2010-01-27T09:30:00.002Z

As you can see, I've been a bit busy recently. So no new posts.

(Click on image. Great puns at the end of that post, but do watch out for the language.)

Uncle Remus??

2010-01-03T17:39:00.007Z

Thanks to relatives who have passed this note to me - it's "doing the rounds". So it may well not be true, but it's a nice story...

Judy Wallman, a professional genealogy researcher in southern California, was doing some personal work on her own family tree. She discovered that Congressman Harry Reid's great-great uncle, Remus Reid, was hanged for horse stealing and train robbery in Montana in 1889. Both Judy and Harry Reid share this common ancestor.

The only known photograph of Remus shows him standing on the gallows in Montana territory:
On the back of the picture Judy obtained during her research is this inscription: 'Remus Reid, horse thief, sent to Montana Territorial Prison 1885, escaped 1887, robbed the Montana Flyer six times. Caught by Pinkerton detectives, convicted and hanged in 1889.'

*****

So Judy recently e-mailed Congressman Harry Reid for information about their great-great uncle.

Believe it or not, Harry Reid's staff sent back the following biographical sketch for her genealogy research: "Remus Reid was a famous cowboy in the Montana Territory. His business empire grew to include acquisition of valuable equestrian assets and intimate dealings with the Montana railroad. Beginning in 1883, he devoted several years of his life to government service, finally taking leave to resume his dealings with the railroad. In 1887, he was a key player in a vital investigation run by the renowned Pinkerton Detective Agency. In 1889, Remus passed away during an important civic function held in his honor when the platform upon which he was standing collapsed.'

Now that's how it's done, Folks! That's real POLITICAL SPIN!!

Caution, you may see the same note with different names!!
(In fact, Snopes tells us the story is false.)

As Tina said - CAVEAT EMPTOR... when it comes to reading other folks' history. Always try and see original sources!

And while we are talking about how important it is to think for yourself...I was pointed towards this site, Kill or Cure?, by the marvellous Ben Goldacre.

What need to tell...

2008-10-30T10:00:00.001Z

This post was originally posted for Remembrance Day 2009. I thought it a good time to type out this poem & share it with folks.

My Grandad, Bill Keay, kept this poem:

"D-Day Xmas 1946
Lance Corporal W Keay
Royal Black Watch Highlanders "

"A crescent moon enough to shed
Upon the field where lie our dead
A shimmering, ghostly light to show
Where Britain’s heroes met the foe.

"What need to tell of clash or din
Or the deadly bayonet driven in
The shrieks and cries of those in pain
Or men becoming beasts again.

"To see men fight and, writhing, die -
Though describe like Zola I’ll not try –
But, when all’s over, I could say
The best of mankind died today.

"Ye British wives and daughters too
Hold high your heads. It was for you
Those heroes made their last advance
To find a grave
Somewhere in France."

Thanks to Mum for passing it on to me - we aren't sure who wrote it, though. I used Goggle and found only this page (Link here...you'll need to scroll down to the very base).

French writer Emile Zola - some of his work found here.

A great little BBC program which you can hear by visiting this page, it explains why we use Poppies to remember the Great War.

...Lest we forget...

Interesting names

2008-10-10T09:30:00.005+01:00

I do find some interesting names as I look down lists for relatives:

Born in London, in 1897 (Year of Victoria's Diamond Jubilee) Henry JUBILEE Treherne. Sweet!

Born in Ontario 1874, Annie Temperance Smith. Died of cholera as an infant.

These next ones were pointed out to me on The National Archives pages - curious names from the 1881 Census include: a man called Donald Duck; a GP called Dr Robert De'ath; William Neal, who had no occupation because he was "too idle", and the Munslow twins called "Bank" and "Holiday".

When I saw these pages on The Genealogue, I realised I'm a mere amateur.

While we are name dropping, here's a site which is the Genealogist's equivalent of 'Hello' magazine!

1911 Census Returns

2008-10-09T09:30:00.009+01:00

News of the release of the 1911 Census data has spawned a wide variety of interest in the media, mainly showing us who's who:
The Guardian found Virginia Woolf and the ancestors of Kate Moss.
The Yorkshire Post looked up Parky, Alan Bennett & Rowntree.
The NME looked up The Arctic Monkeys.

See also a link here - I enjoyed the 'finds' at the bottom of the page.
The Census search site itself (1911census.co.uk) has 3 pages of discussion on the social history of the period, beginning here.

Census returns are kept securely until they are 100 years old, to protect the privacy of the people named in them. The 1911 National Census data, however is being released slightly early (Why? - see this article from 2006) - with a column on infirmities blacked out until 2012. What a huge job the achivists have done to get this all online! Especially as this year's data has been stored in the form of the original handwritten sheets from each house, (rather than the enumerators' collated sheets).

England & Wales Census data: All the English counties are now available. Wales are yet to come online. The index can be searched for free at Find My Past, and images of the original documents can be viewed (pay-per-view).

Scottish Census data: In Scotland, the census data was protected more strongly, and so will be released on 5th April 2011. Previous years - see here.

Irish Census data: can be searched at the National Archives, Dublin. See here. Also (May 2010) the Irish Census for 1901 is to become freely available soon, at The National Archives site.

So far I've searched indexes for some of the Armitage family in Yorkshire/Lincolnshire, also for Harry Sennett & Katura in the Midlands.
North Yorkshire and Durham records have come online - some details have been added into these posts so do take a look before you search.

The 1911 website folks sent me the following blurb;
What did your Yorkshire and Durham ancestors do for a living?
The North of England had emerged from the shadow of the South by 1911, and was home to several industries that were at their peak or vigorously expanding, such as coal mining, ship building and metalworking. In 1911 these industries employed people in their thousands and if you have ancestors in the area, you may well find them in an occupation related to one of these industries.
So far on the census, we have found numerous people employed in Durham and Yorkshire’s major industries, which include thousands of coal miners and metalsmiths; farmers and farm workers; cod and herring splitters and fish dealers; and weavers and spinners.
County Durham: coal, ships, chemicals and glass
One of Durham’s biggest industries in 1911 was coal mining. Much of the coal was exported, and associated with this was a transport industry that grew up to move the vast tonnage of coal produced. The railway network connected the mining and industrial districts with the coast, where the coal was delivered to ships that exported it overseas, and the shipbuilding industry centred in the shipyards at Sunderland, Hartlepool, and Stockton-on-Tees was the largest in Britain.
Other Durham industries in 1911 included paper, tool and chemical manufacturing, the production of salt from brine, limestone production, as well as glass, bottle and earthenware manufacturing in Sunderland.
The Yorkshire Ridings
In terms of geography, Yorkshire was predominantly an agricultural county, though large numbers of people were employed in manufacturing and coal mining. Heavy industry and coal mining were concentrated in the south of the West Riding, in what is now known as South Yorkshire, and Sheffield was world famous for its metalwork and cutlery.
A woollen manufacturing industry had grown up in the West Riding in the industrial revolution, and was still thriving in 1911. Different towns became associated with the different kinds of wool and woollen products they produced; for example, Huddersfield was a producer of fine suit wools, while Dewsbury and Batley were associated with mungo and shoddy (fabrics made from a yarn spun from recycled off-cuts and rags).
The Humber ports of the East Riding served the West Riding coal fields, and were home to another large shipbuilding centre, plus a prosperous import-export trade, which included grains, fruit, as well as vast numbers of people en route from Northern Europe and Scandinavia to the USA. And of course Grimsby and Hull were also centres of trawler fishing, and related fish processing and curing industries.
Unusual Occupations
Alongside the major industries of County Durham and Yorkshire were smaller, specialist industries – and among the occupations listed we have found a mole catcher, a silk winder and a lab technician in a paint factory.
North Yorkshire was known for the mineral content of its water, and in 1911 Harrogate was a prosperous spa town, while the qualities of the water had facilitated a brewing industry in other North Yorkshire towns such as Tadcaster.
As well as the ubiquitous woollen mills in the West Riding, there were a small number of silk mills.
Some smaller industries grew up to service the larger industries and also to make use of their by-products. In Grimsby and Hull there were several manufacturers of fish by-products, including cod liver oil and fish manure. The import of seed to Hull led to seed and grain processing, which in turn spawned a new industry in oil extraction, and there were several plants in the East Riding that produced the technical oils needed to oil the machinery of the nearby industries, as well as to manufacture edible oils, animal feed and paint.

Are you going to spend your Hard-Earned Cash?
So, if any cousins out there decide to go ahead & look further for some relatives (i.e. actually pay to view the whole image & data on a 1911 census return) then it would be very useful if you could share the results with the rest of the family through this blog. {Thanks to Elliot for doing just that, and then some!} You can simply post a comment or send an email to me. That way we don't pay 1911-census-rip-off.com (as some are calling it!!) any more than we must. {Worried about copyright? That's why I don't post up the whole image of any original documents - just snippets of transcriptions is OK, as it's only for our use.}

Actually, I think the fee is quite fair - there has been a lot of work done here. Anyone who doesn't want to pay for lots of sheets can simply wait a few years; then it will be much cheaper, as was the case with the 1901 census. In my particular case, I'm going to wait until all the English counties become available, then I can better prioritise what I'd like to see in full, if any.

Soapbox moment over...

"And now for something completely different!"

2008-09-30T21:48:00.063+01:00

A Family of Fitzpatricks (July 2008, updated November '08)
Searching for the relatives of my Grandma A on the internet is where I first caught the bug for genealogy, as it was fascinating to me to see that first listing of a whole family living in Tudhoe (Co. Durham) from the 1901 Census. The family continued to live in the village, so that made it the most obvious branch of the family with which to start.
Tudhoe Village is adjacent to the old colliery town of Tudhoe; of course the colliery has long since closed.

For this posting I will begin to focus on the Sennett family, which is to say the ancestors of my maternal Grandma. She was born Mary Sennett, in November 1923 in Tudhoe Village. She was one of three children. Her parents were Elizabeth (born Fitzpatrick) and James Sennett. I am one of her three grandchildren and four children. Sadly, Mary died last year after a long illness.

The Census of 1901 finds Mary's mother’s family at Tudhoe Mill, Tudhoe Village
{Lots more details on the National Census here}
{Details recorded are: Name , Age Last Birthday, Profession, Where Born}

Thomas Fitzpatrick, Head of Family, (49) Mason Labourer, born Ireland
Francis {sic} Fitzpatrick, Wife, (47) born Durham
and their children living at home, all were born in Durham;

Mary Hannah Fitzpatrick, Daughter, Single, (16),
William Fitzpatrick, Son, Single, (14) Gardener,
Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, Daughter, Single, (13),
Thomas Fitzpatrick, Son Single, (10),
Francis Fitzpatrick, Daughter, Single, (8),
Catherine Fitzpatrick, Daughter, Single, (6)

It's strange indeed to see the census enumerator's handwritten records of a schoolgirl who we came to know as an 'ancient ancestor'. The name Elizabeth has been passed down through the family. By the way, it seems daft not to be able to put that image of the census page up on the blog - but they are copyrighted and I'm not really supposed to. Contact me if you'd like to see it, rather than paying again to see the file via the National Census website.

Looking further
More on Tudhoe Mill, here.

Here are some extra details to flesh out the above people. Most of these dates have come from Grandma's records and memories, and confirm details I found in the Registries of Births etc for Durham.
You'll note that few in the family were happy with their given names! Nance, Bill, Lizzie, Tot, Molly, and Kitty.

The father Thomas Fitz possibly was perhaps born in Co. Mayo, maybe. {Actually I now know he was born in Co. Tipperary.} He died March 11th 1921, aged 68. Gran remembered that one of his jobs as a Mason with the Salvin Estate was to work on Burn Hall, Durham (see links below). I wonder if he was working with his father? In earlier records, Thomas is described as a Labourer.

This photo shows our Thomas Fitzpatrick {Frances' husband} seated in the centre (arms crossed) in front of Burn Hall with the team! Remember that in the 1901 Census, Thomas is recorded as a Mason Labourer. Presumably the Master Mason is in the centre, holding his tools. You'll see that one man is wearing a Bowler Hat - he was the gaffer. {Thanks Hilary!}

Stonemasons working on alterations at Burn Hall, Co. Durham (1890's??)

Frances (definitely not Francis) was born a Ranson at Seaham Harbour, in 1854. She married Thomas in Durham in 1882, when they were aged 30 & 28. (The entries for these dates at the Registrar are searchable online, so the dates are confirmed.) She died Sept 12th 1929, aged 75. More details on Frances are available in a later post - click here.

Margaret and Bridget Fitzpatrick
The next two people were not living in the Tudhoe Mill home on Census night, 1901, but they are known as older children of Frances & Thomas. They had probably left home at the time of the 1901 census - see a later posting for more details on them.

Margaret Ellen - never married and became Housekeeper to a Judge - they moved South & she went with them (don't know when??). Born in 1882, so aged 19 in 1901. {Coincidentally, 1882 was the year of the Tudhoe Colliery disaster}
Bridget, known as Biddy, who married Frederick Hedley in 1914 (in D'ham West district), they went to live at Fir Tree near Crook. Born 1883 - so aged 18 in 1901.

The younger children listed as living at the Tudhoe Mill home were:

Mary Hannah Fitzpatrick
(known as Johanna, or Aunt Nance)
Aunt Nance is remembered for being great fun to be with - very lively! She was born in 1885 and married Michael Murray from Spennymoor (a Coal Driver Underground, from 1901 census) in 1909.
She had 10 bairns; Molly, Mabby, Kitty, Tresa, Mickey, Tommy, Jackie, Billy, Nora, Betty…we all remember the way Gran would reel off the list, it was very sing-song!

Tresa was married to Lt. Commander Pallister, MBE {who worked on the Ark Royal, a trainer of Prince Charles}.
Tommy was a submariner.
Jackie worked as a bricklayer with the NCB.
Nora died aged only 7.

There are still many Murrays in the area. I am now in contact with a grandchild of Nance & Michael Murray, who has done a great deal of research into the family history and is being very helpful in passing on lots of facts & stories - as well as corrections! Thankyou Hilary.

Also a roving reporter for Trunk Calls (Hello Mum!) has had a charming time having a chat with the lovely Jack Murray, who still lives in the area and is doing very well thank you! He was Mayor of Spennymoor in 1976 (see link here for photo). A note should appear someday about his recollections of the Fitzpatricks & Murrays.

William Fitzpatrick

On the left, we see a photo of Will with his niece Mary Sennett; and on the right, his wife Dolly.

Will was born in 1886 and married Dorothy Ritson from Wheatley Hill in 1926.
He died in Oct 1952, aged 66. More in a later post on Will & Dolly.

Elizabeth Ann Fitzpatrick, our Lizzie
She was born in 1888 and married our James Sennett in 1913. She died in April 1971 or was it 1974?, aged perhaps 86. James died aged 66 in 1958. They had 3 children; Austin {Max} (born 1914, died 1991), John {Jack - a post will arrive soon} (born 1917, died 1978), and Mary (my Gran, born 1923, died 2007)

Thomas (Tot) Fitzpatrick
He was born in 1891, and was a boxer. He was a soldier in WW I with the Durham Light Infantry. He was lucky, returning home to marry & have 3 children.
More on our Tot and his family in another post - click here.

Francis (Molly) Fitzpatrick
As her middle name was Mary (I think!), she was known as Aunt Molly. She was born in June 1893 and married William K. Clarehugh in 1916. Uncle Bill died in 1954. (She is in pictures below.) They had one son, Billy. (Not sure if he went on to have children, though I believe he did get married.)

Catherine (Aunt Kitty) Fitzpatrick
She was born in June 1895 & married Wilfred Carr in 1919. They moved to Blackhall Rock & had 3 kids (possibly 4??): Wilfred, Frances (who married a Paddy Hogan & had 2 children, Michael & Patricia), Winifred.
Aunty Kit is remembered for making a great fuss of all the bairns - though they only got to visit at New Year. (She is in pictures below.)
Uncle Wilf was "a gentle soul, very cosy".

Kitty was definitely the youngest of the Fitzpatricks; there were no others born after 1901.

FITZPATRICKS
It can be seen from this that there were Fitzpatrick descendents from the children of Tot Fitzpatrick. I don't think the other son, Bill, had any children - and all the other children of Thomas & Frances were women and took their husband's family name. So, no other grandchildren would be taking that name.

Now for some Photographs
Here's a photo (below) of those sisters, at Marian's Baptism (early 1950's). Click on the image to expand it. I'll let the baby in this shot explain who they all are (left to right) ..."I'm surprised they are not all wearing their shades as they gaze upon mine brilliance. Nunc (Austin Sennett) in shades with Lizzie Sennett and little Tina beside him. My Great-Aunt Mollie (Clarehugh) holding me so I suppose she was my Godmother.... She was always a sweetie. Mary Armitage on the right."
Sennett's and in-law's. This next photo shows many jolly folks we don't know but extreme left rear is Uncle Bill Clareheugh [Molly's husband], extreme left front is Uncle Wilf Carr, Grandad Sennett second from the right and, as usual, centre front is Nuncy (Austin Sennett). Bernie has pointed out that her dad (Jack) was always centre front as well but sensibly put it down to the fact that they were not tall!!

On the right here, a rare photo of Uncle Will and a young Jack Sennett.

In the photo we see (left to right) Mary Sennett, Lizzie Sennett, Uncle Will with cap, cousin Billy Fitzpatrick and Jack Sennett (Mary's brother).
The tough-looking dog belonged to Uncle Will.

Now for a shot we shall call 'The Sennetts visiting the Sennetts', cos that keeps everything nice n' clear (I haven't worked everybody out in this one yet!!)...

This was taken in Lizzie's front garden at the bottom of Tudhoe Village. We see (left to right):
Jane Sennett (William's wife?, James' mother),
perhaps James Sennett?? (we can't see him very well),
Lizzie Sennett,
Uncle Harry Sennett,
his wife Aunty 'Jim' with what I can only presume is a dog,
Mary Sennett (just visible!) with her curlers in, holding Cracker the dog {we know Mary was born 1923 - this helps us to date the photo as she looks to be in her late teens},
William Sennett (James' Father, rather then his brother?),
and Pat O'Connor - a friend of Mary's who died of TB, aged just 19.

To know more about the Sennetts (ie. James' family), see this post and further on to this about Harry & Jim.
Sennett One-Name Study
A fascinating One-Name Study of all the Sennetts is beginning - not just the Durham Sennetts, though! There were also Sennetts in Ireland, Cornwall, Stretham, Yorkshire and Hampshire. If you'd like to know more, please get in touch with the main researcher (not me!!!), using the email address sennett@one-name.org

Finally, here's a later photo of the three younger sisters enjoying a hat festival at Austin's wedding, (1964). We see (L to R) Aunt Kit, Aunt Molly, and Grandma Lizzie Sennett (lovely flowers!).

Maybe these links will be of interest
Google satellite map of Tudhoe Village & Tudhoe Mill

A guide to the British Census
A gateway to Registrars of BMD in the North East of England
Durham Record Office - a mine of information, geddit?
Durham Cathedral, it's just beautiful & you should see it!
Durham Mining Museum

History of Burn Hall, Durham
Estate agent shots of Burn Hall
Prize for Burn Hall

Okay, hope all the Armitage/Sennett branch of the family have found this page and are happy now. Cheers!

More on the Fitzpatricks

2008-09-29T09:38:00.016+01:00

From County Mayo to County Durham?

To fill in a few gaps from a previous post, here is some more about the Fitzpatrick father and two eldest daughters.

Looking for Thomas Fitz Senior

We know that he was in Tudhoe in 1901 and we knew he was born in Ireland, sadly census records from this time in Ireland are very poor compared to the records in Durham.
There are a few Church records of Christenings of Thomas Fitzpatricks at the right time, but not in Co. Mayo - where I believed he originated. (I now know that he came from Tipperary - more on this later.)

Looking at the 1881 census.

I'd understood that Thomas came over the Irish Sea as an adult, and so when I found this entry in the 1881 English Census I thought I'd found our Thomas on his way from Ireland to Durham. (Note that when an immigrant resident fills in a census return, they only note the country of their birth, no further useful info - not even the County.)

No 14 Fisher St., Toxteth Park, Lancashire, England
Thomas FITSPATRICK, born 1855, Ireland, Age (26), Labourer, Unmarried.
Head of Household Henry CLARK
Relation to head of household: Lodger

But perhaps this young man better fits the bill? I looked thru the 1881 census in Durham county for a Thomas Fitzpatrick of birth year approx 1852 who was born in Ireland… Here we find a family with a young Thomas who almost "fitz".

Of Barnfield Blocks, Tudhoe, Durham, England, in 1881:

William FITZPATRICK Head of household (aged 60, born 1821) Born in Ireland, Labourer
Margaret FITZPATRICK Wife (54) Born in Ireland
Thomas FITZPATRICK Son, Unmarried, (24) Born in Ireland, Labourer
Patrick FITZPATRICK Son, Unmarried, (21) Born in Merrington, Durham, Labourer
Mary FITZPATRICK Daughter (14) born in Merrington, Durham,
Catherine FITZPATRICK Daughter (9) born in Merrington, Durham,

So Thomas was born 1857, and would be 44 in the 1901 census? I have him as born in 1852. Our Thomas in the 1901 census gave his age as 49 but it’s not unusual to be a few years out. Hilary has researched a lot of this family & she confirms young Thomas was born in Tipperary in 1854.

Hilary has confirmed I'm right with this family from the census data - Thomas' parents are William Fitz & Margaret (maiden name Cuddihy). So now we have the names of his siblings - though there could be older siblings, too.

Internet resources for Irish family history:
www.irish family research.co.uk, records Ireland, Ireland roots,
and www.your irish roots.com
Finally, the Genuki page for County Tipperary.

Two Sisters who had left home in 1901
Looking for the two older children of Thomas Fitzpatrick (who were not at the Tudhoe Mill home in 1901)

Margaret Ellen Fitzpatrick was the eldest child - born in 1882. We know she worked as a domestic: as a Housekeeper, in fact. The story goes that she had worked with a family in the North East, becoming the Housekeeper to Judge Meymell {or perhaps Meynell} and his sisters. (Possibly at 17, Elvet, Durham.) When they'd decided to move Down South, she moved with them, to an address we have recorded as 48 Harvey Rd., Guildford (see a map). She remained a spinster.

I searched for such a person in the 1901 census for other areas, and a lass of about the right age showed up…
Margaret Fitzpatrick, aged 20, born in Spennymoor, working in Jesmond as a Parlourmaid at Manor House, St George's parish, Jesmond.

Head of household was Alfred H J Cochrane, 36, Asst Secretary (Armstrong Whitworth & Co.) Born Mauritius.
Wife Ethel, 32, born Newcastle
Brother Wilfred, 20, Bank Clerk, born Derby
Bro in law John Noble, 35, Treasurer (Armstrong Whitworth & Co.), born N'cle
Niece Veronica Noble, aged 1, born London

and 7 Domestics includes the Parlourmaid, Margt (the youngest servant, born Sp'moor, aged 20) and also a nurse, laundrymaid, 2 housemaids, Cook, Lady's maid.

The 1911 Census
Further news on Margaret Fitzpatrick comes to us now in the form of the 1911 Census. A Margaret Fitzpatrick (29, born in Spennymoor) was by then a Parlour Maid for the Meymell family at 43, Old Elvet, Durham.

This was a pretty impressive house, (which is now Grade II listed) - it had 17 rooms, and four servants to tend to the whims of the 3 adults in the house: Mr Edgar Meymell and his 2 younger sisters (unmarried) who were all born in Durham City. Mr Meymell was aged 51 in 1911, and worked then as a barrister-in-law {or again, it could perhaps be Meynell}.

There's a mention of the Meynell family in this gushing page from the Bulmer's Directory of 1890 - they owned property in the Yarm area, including Kilvington Hall (map here: just North of Thirsk), and one Meynell became a Judge. Also some discussion about the Meynell family on British History Online. We can see that the Edgar Meynell living at Elvet in 1911 was the son of Edgar Meynell who was a judge (and was at the RC school Ampleforth College in 1837: read here). Questions in the Commons gives Edgar Meynell a mention: rumblings about nepotism as he worked in his father's courts. A book from 1919 which has been scanned & is available online - here - tells us that he was still living at Elvet in 1919, and that in 1911 his sisters were in his house as their mother had just died. Interesting that the younger Edgar Meynell was educated at The Oratory School in Edgbaston, which was an RC school founded by Cardinal Newman.
Also a group of documents are listed (here, on DMM.org.uk) tells of the interests of Edgar Meynell in coal rights for the Croxdale/ Burn Hall areas in the 1890's. So there's a link between the families, we can see how Margaret may have been put forward for the job now.

Meymell, on the other hand, is a name for which I can find no references.

The name is pretty much as Gran remembered it, so it seems right that this is the household with which Margaret got on so well that she moved away with them to Guildford.

In this photo we can see Aunt Margaret Fitzpatrick (left) visiting Lizzie and young Mary Sennett (born 1923). Aunt Margaret is remembered as very ladylike, nicely spoken and very like her mother, Frances.

Bridget Fitzpatrick
I don't have any pictures of Aunt Biddy, sadly. If anyone has one they could share, I'd be grateful.

We know our Bridget was aged around 18 in 1901, and born in Durham.
We also know that Aunty Biddy married in 1914 to Fred Hedley and they lived at Fir Tree, Crook (and something else I can't read about High Bowden Farm??).
They had 3 children: Mary, Fred and Bill (who was particularly remembered for having suffered dreadful scalds from some hot water).

The English Census shows us the following possibilities for young Biddy: {Name, Age, Where Born, Civil Parish, Occupation}
Bridget Fitzpatrick, 18, Ireland Kilkenny, Middlesex Hendon, Student Pupil
Bridget Fitzpatrick, 19, Liverpool Lancs, Kirkdale

I had no luck yet in finding Bridget in the 1901 census. Her name could be misspelled, or she could have been in Scotland etc. There are sadly lots of reasons why people don't show up on the census!

Tried for Fred Hedley, who she married in 1914, when she would have been ~32 years old. Found several in the 1901 census – Co. Durham…

An old set of notes unearthed the memory that our Fred was a farm hand.

As for the 1911 census; here we see only one lass in Durham named Bridget Fitz. She was aged 27, and worked at White Lea Farm (Crook) area as a Domestic Servant. The farmer Mr Angus was also a Carting Contractor, and one of his Stockmen was his brother-in-law Frederick Hedley (living at the house in 1911). So that's how they met! Fred was aged 29, and we are told he was born at Cringle Dykes, Hunwick.

Famous Fitzpatricks (some not very famous!)

Road Safety Minister, Jim Fitzpatrick
Irishman awarded the VC, Francis Fitzpatrick
A nuclear generating station, USA
Irish artist, famous for the image of Che Guevara, Jim Fitzpatrick

A link here to details found on Fitzpatrick miners - from the Durham Miners Museum site.

Finally, here's a link to a local history website, it's got LOTS of details. It does include a picture of a house I used to live in, actually. Now it's up to you & your curiosity to guess which one!

Cheers, Lisa

Thomas' family - Fitzpatricks from Tipperary

2008-09-29T09:21:00.008+01:00

My Great-great-grandparents were Thomas Fitzpatrick and Frances Ranson - they married in 1882, in Tudhoe, Co. Durham - find more on their family from this post & see this post for my first info on Thomas' parents.

We know that Thomas was born in Nenagh, Tipperary, Ireland.

Thomas' parents were Margaret (born c.1831, maiden name CUDDIHY) and William (born c.1821, Nenagh) Fitzpatrick. William worked as a Labourer - a theory goes that he brought his family over to Co. Durham to work at the new Tudhoe Ironworks, at some time before the birth of Patrick (1863).

Thanks to our Hilary for a correction to some details on Thomas' siblings which I published earlier - Thomas was not the oldest of four children. His parents had other children before him, namely; "an elder sister Margaret (born ~1849 in Ireland) and a younger one Joanna (born ~1856 in Ireland). There may also have been at least one other between Margaret and Thomas." Interesting, Hilary, Thankyou!
So Margaret & William had Margaret (born ~1849 in Ireland), (perhaps another?), Thomas (born 1854 in Ireland), Joanna (born ~1856 in Ireland), Patrick (born 1863 in England), Mary, Catherine (born 1872 in England).

Margaret & Joanna remain in Ireland when the family emigrated to Spennymoor, where Patrick and the 2 younger girls were born. Margaret was only ~14 when her brother Patrick was born over in England, so the two girls were surely left with an aunt or grandmother to bring them up.

There was a huge need for labourers at that time in Spennymoor as the Ironworks grew. A settled Catholic community was appearing - Tudhoe's RC church dedicated to St. Charles Borromeo was founded in 1858, removing the need to travel to the Brancepeth RC church, St. Brandon {which burnt down in 1998}.

Thomas Fitzpatrick's siblings
I have to thank Kevin for much of the information given here on Thomas' family. Thankyou! He is descended from Thomas' sister, Catherine Fitzpatrick, and has generously allowed me to share his research with you.
Catherine was born in Merrington, Co. Durham in 1872, and was baptised at St. Charles RC Church, Tudhoe. She married John CONNOLLY (1864-1925), known as 'Boss' in 1897, and had 2 daughters & a son. She also had her mother (Margaret) and sister (Mary) living in her home (seen in the 1901 census) - her father William had died in 1891. Sadly, Catherine died of TB in 1903, when she was just 29 years old. This hit John Connolly hard as you can imagine.

After Catherine's death, he took his family on the Lusitania to stay with his sister in USA (The Wiki page here tells us that Lusitania's maiden voyage was September 1907). He could not settle & came back to Spennymoor, working as a Labourer in the Ironworks / Coke Ovens. We can see from the 1911 census data that they have returned by then. John Connolly & his 3 bairns are staying with Margaret Fitzpatrick (82, widow) and her daughter Mary (42, single).

Thomas, then, is thought to be the oldest of the four children brought up in Co. Durham:
Patrick Fitzpatrick was born in 1863 in Merrington. He married Jane & they had 3 children. He worked as a Plate Mill Puddler (1901 census data, 4 Arthur St., Sp'moor). It can be supposed from the 1891 census that Patrick was supporting his parents and two sisters, as well as his wife.
Mary Fitzpatrick was born in 1867 in Merrington.
Catherine Fitzpatrick (1872-1903).

More Fitzpatricks living in Co. Durham (source was the 1911 census) included:

Ann Fitzpatrick aged 78, born in Ireland - lived in Witton Park.
Michael Fitz, aged 70, born in Ireland - lived in the Union Workhouse, 100 Cockton Hill, Bishop A. He was married & worked as an Ironworks Labourer.
In the same institution; Thomas Fitz, aged 60, single, born Shildon, an engine fitter.

More info on the Irish Fitzpatricks can be found on the website, www.fitzsoc.com including history of the name.

The name Cuddihy is Irish, but it's an an anglicisation of the Gaelic Ó Cuidighthigh ‘descendant of Cuidightheach’, a personal name meaning ‘helper’. Source: Dictionary of American Family Names, Oxford University Press.

Very olde family tree blogge

2008-09-28T21:37:00.003+01:00

An image is put up here of a VERRY olde document from the Fitzpatrick family, but I have no clues yet about exactly when it was written, by whom, or even what kind of paper it was!

(The images will be too small to read - just click on one to open it up & then remember to use your 'BACK' button to return here. Sorry it's all split up - it was very long & scanners only do A4!)

It is the kind of record normally written inside a family bible, so perhaps this is a copy for some cousins? It is one long piece of paper, like a scroll - there are no joins! (unlike in this image) Probably just a nice exercise for Handwriting practise! There are no dates of deaths, which suggests to me it was written before anyone named on it had died. (can anyone work that out for me?)

I've just been struck with the similarity of what's been done in this olde document & what I'm trying to do here in this blog. Wonder if anyone will be able to read this 'document' in 100 years!! (Certainly the links would fail!)

Many Thanks to Tina for passing this interesting document on to me. I have scanned it - as you can see, so now if anyone else would like to look after the original, I'll pass it on.

It neatly confirms/reiterates a few facts from other sources.
I've transcribed it here:

Thomas Fitzpatrick
Born June 11th 1853
{town - I can't read it}
County Tipperary
Ireland
-
Frances Ranson
Born Feb 14th 1854
Dragon Villa
Carvillia
Co. Durham
-
Thomas and Frances Fitzpatrick
Married January 11th (or 4th?) 1881
At St. Charles Church
Tudhoe
By the Rev. Canon Watson
-
Margaret Ellen Fitzpatrick
Born March 16th 1882
Tudhoe Grange
-
Bridget Fitzpatrick
Born May 16th 1883
Tudhoe Grange
-
Mary Hannah Fitzpatrick
Born March 31st 1885
Tudhoe Grange
-
William Fitzpatrick
Born August 29th 1886
Tudhoe Village
-
Elizabeth Fitzpatrick
Born January 20th 1888
Tudhoe Village
-
Thomas Fitzpatrick
Born Oct 24th 1891
Tudhoe Village
-
Frances Fitzpatrick
Born April 17th 1893
Tudhoe Village
-
Catherine Fitzpatrick
Born Feb 25th 1895
Tudhoe Village

I had 2yrs between my two pregnancies. So when reading through this, I was struck by the very small gaps between pregnancies in some cases.
Also that Frances Ranson was born on Valentine's Day.
Note that the three older children were born in Tudhoe Grange rather than Tudhoe Village. That would be further along the road into Spennymoor.

There are a few differences between what we thought we knew and what is shown here - in all cases though, I can't be sure which is true. The additional details of the actual dates (Feb 14th etc.) does suggest that the author had the Registrar's certificates of Birth & Marriage in front of them, however. Most of the differences are minor, but this first one may tell:

The marriage is said to be in 1881 - we thought it was 1882 (a date I have seen confirmed on the online database of the Registry Office). It is noteable that the first child was born in 1882. It was not uncommon for dates on marriage or birth certificates to be altered to make every one feel better.
Thomas (Senior) born in 1853 - we thought it was 1852.
I can't read the town in Tipperary - none fit from this list I found. Later found to be Nenagh.
Frances' birthplace Dragon Villa now known as Dragonville, Carvillia now spelt Carrville. (These will be the same towns - just spelt in a different way?) As Mum said, those towns would have seemed a world away from Tudhoe at that time.

Many more notes were also sent to me - so you'll see there are many extra details added scattergun throughout the blog pages on the Fitzpatrick as well as the Sennett families. Thanks again to Tina for all of her help, and huge thanks to Mum for her help in deciphering some of it!!

Going back in time for the Fitzpatricks

2008-09-28T20:11:00.001+01:00

1891 Census, Tudhoe, County Durham

In the parish of the Holy Innocents, Tudhoe, Durham:

The address is given as Tudhoe Village, and it is described as 2 rooms occupied.
We can see the neighbour (Pickering family, a flour dealer) is marked as Eden Cottage. 5 households in the other direction is Tudhoe Hall Farm (Simpsons).

We find Thomas Fitzpatrick, (Mason Labourer), his wife Frances, a daughter Margaret E. (scholar, aged 9), and 4 other children (Bridget, Mary H., William, our Elizabeth).

In the 1901 Census, Holy Innocents Parish, Tudhoe Village. (N.B. The first number is the schedule number, not a house number.)

153 Coldstream (>5 rooms), Nesbitt family, Farmers

154 Coldstream Scott family (Retired stationmaster)

155 Tudhoe Mill, Dowsett family, Miner

156 Tudhoe Mill (>5 rooms), Willis Family, Farmers

157 (Tileworks) Mr & Mrs Manners (but he is a 63 yr old Miner, a hewer?)

158 Greenwell family (farm workers)

159 Fitzpatricks {2 rooms occupied}

160 Ashton family (Coke Drawer)

161 Jane Dunn (widow)

William Fitzpatrick

2008-09-28T12:00:00.008+01:00

William Fitzpatrick (1886-1952) was the older son of Thomas and Lizzie Fitzpatrick. He married Dorothy Ritson in 1926, but they had no children.

They lived together in Tudhoe Village, in a bungalow just 3 doors down from his sister Lizzie.

Marian remembers "Will and Dolly lived in the cottage along from Gran's - the remains of which is now someone's garage! I went in there a few times - Dolly wasn't really a kids person - the only person I knew who still had gas lights. She later moved up to cottages by the Tudhoe war memorial, 2 along from Aunt Molly."

We have reports that he was held as a POW during WW II, and was very much a changed man on his return. Don't really know much about his life before the war. In the 1901 census, he is described as a Gardener.

I asked Tina about Uncle Will, and she remembered a lovely story he used to delight in telling from when he was a soldier in Germany...
He had a rather splendid gold pocket watch. When asked where he got it from he explained that when he was a soldier he'd met a German who had the watch, which Uncle Will had admired in fullsome terms:

'My, that's a bonny watch, yer've got there and no mistake.'

"Yes, I can see you are a man of great taste and discernment. Actually, it's a family heirloom, passed down from my grandfather to my father and now I'm very proud to wear it."

'Yer a lucky man. It must be quite valuable, being gold an' all.'

"Well, I value it more for the sentimental value it has, although you're absolutely right, it is gold."

'I'm from a poor farming village myself. I could never aspire to owning such a magnificent timepiece. Although I really would treasure it."

This went on for some time, always in very eloquent language, until the soldier generously gave the watch to Uncle Will, knowing it would be treasured and they parted with many expressions of mutual esteem.

So did you speak German then, Uncle Will? No.
Well...Could the German soldier speak English? No
So - I don't understand how you could talk him into giving you the watch?

'Well hinny, he had the watch and I had a gun and I just said 'Gizzit here' and somehow he seemed to understand and he gave it to me.'

Dolly travelled each week to help her family run their shop (a general store) in Wheatley Hill. That was very unusual in those days, a married woman at work. Tina remembers that Dolly brought home Dolly Mixtures at the weekend!

Thomas Fitzpatrick

2008-09-28T10:00:00.022+01:00

Thomas Fitzpatrick is the second son (born in 1891) of Frances (Ranson) and Thomas Fitzpatrick, of Tudhoe Village.
I know he was living with his parents in the year 1901, and also in 1911 when both he and his father were recorded as Labourers.

Military Records from W.W. I
The picture below shows our very smart Tot as a Corporal (?)
of the Durham Light Infantry. He would've been aged 23 in the year 1914. More to be found out from the DLI records there, I should think. I see quite a resemblance to our Lizzie, his sister, in this photo of him.

The Durham County Council has a great deal of archived material (which can be searched from here) - and I found reference to a T. Fitzpatrick who was the Bugler for the DLI 2nd Battalion "H" Company around 1906. {Our Tot would've been 15 in 1906...too young??}

I found a page in the Spennymoor Book of Remembrance, a Sergeant T. Fitzpatrick is in the WW I list of Distinctions with a military medal (we know our Tot returned home safe, so he won't be in the 'Remembered' list) . {See below - by military medal, I should have read the Military Medal.}

"And now over to our Tudhoe Correspondent:"
This name also appears on the War Memorial for Tudhoe Village. Also a Pte W. Fitzpatrick there, but I'm afraid I have no idea who he was. It isn't recorded which regiment these soldiers were in.

Apologies to Thomas Dawson & 5 other men whose name have been snipped at the bottom of this image of the North-East panel.
More details on this memorial are recorded on the Picture Spennymoor History site, here. Also on the NEWMP site - here, or here for the images, inluding a very old postcard.
Basically there you'll see that 3 sides of the memorial commerorate Tudhoe soldiers who fought in the war, whilst on the final side are carved the names of the fallen. (The Fitzpatrick names are not on this latter side.)

At the National Archives, Kew, there is an archive of records relating to soldiers in WW I. These include enlistment details, medical records, pension records and the medal cards (tiny service record cards). They are not complete, however.
Free access to these records was made available through Ancestry.com -- now restricted to members.

I searched these records for our DLI soldier, Thos Fitzpatrick - see copy below.
(Note that a huge number of records were destroyed by bomb damage in WW II. Some of the records have lots of singed bits, if you view an image of the originals)

This was the result (below) - it is called the medal card, and is for a Thomas Fitzpatrick of the Durham Light Infantry. He was a Corporal - and then was promoted to a something / Sgt, perhaps Acting Serjeant?. His Regimental number is not very clear - 18170?? On The National Archives index, Thomas Fitz of the DLI is recorded as number 18140.
He entered the Theatre of War in France in August 1915 (our Tot would have been aged 24 then).
I can't be sure it's our Uncle Tot, but it could be! (There were no other surviving records for T. Fitz's - except for those living in other parts of the UK.)

Click on the image to enlarge it: Medal Card, Sgt T. Fitzpatrick.

Details of the service medals are in the section on the bottom left. Also in blue ink (by his name) we see MM, for Military Medal. (Over 135,000 soldiers of the lower ranks have been awarded this medal. Read more about this medal here, or here)
Sgt T. Fitzpatrick (18170, D.L.I.) is listed in this page from the London Gazette, 1916, as one of many receiving the Military Medal for bravery . At the beginning of the list it says:-

"War Office, 23rd August, 1916.
His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award the Military Medal for bravery in the field to the undermentioned Non-commissioned Officers and Men: —"

It was lovely to hear from Hilary that her grandmother (Nance), "did not make too much of a fuss about it." Best not let him get too big for his boots, eh?! In fact, I'm sure all involved were glad to be able to put it behind them.
On the other hand, another grandaughter of his, Jane, remembers a much stronger reaction from Nance. This time it was a dislike of the lovely photo you see at the top of this post (Tot in his DLI uniform) - it was "a large photo in quite an ornate frame. Gran Fitz (Nancy) didn't like it and it had pride of place in the ..........shed!"
"When they moved from Hinckley, she threw it out." Goodness me! Glad to have been able to help restore the photograph to Jane & her family.

Which DLI Battalion?
Sadly the medals card doesn't tell me which Battalion he was in, otherwise I could find out more about his war service. (e.g. the 6th Battalion of DLI is described in this book, and there are several Battalion War Diaries at the National Archives, or one for the 18th Battalion which is available to read online here.)
However, from the recorded date of entry to France (25.8.1915), we can surmise (using the info on this Wiki page) that this gent was part of the 12th or 13th regiment of the DLI, which was part of the 23rd Division. Read more about how busy they were on this section of an excellent WW I history site - www.1914-1918.net - from which we learn that they also served in Italy before returning home.

The entry on the right "Cl. Z" means that Tot was not demobilised immediately at the armistice, but rather passed into the Z class of soldiers who were retained till March 1920... ready just in case war erupted again. (See this page of advice about interpreting medal cards - class Z is explained near the bottom.)

Civilian Life.
When not in the army, I do know that Tot earned his living (before WW I) as a Labourer, as did his father. In the 1911 census, he was living with his parents, and working as a Screen Man at the colliery (above ground). We know that Tot married Annie (Nance) Campbell, of Wolsingham (possibly from Weardale St.), in 1921. They had 2 children - Jean (who married a Bernard Lewis), and William. Annie was a little younger than Tot, born in 1900.

Here's a photo of Jean & Billy with Nance (standing):

Tot and Nance are remembered as moving to Mount Pleasant, Bilston (West Midlands). There they were helping Bernard (son-in-law, who married Jean) who ran the Windmill Cement Company. (Thank you, Tina!)
Here's the result of a Google search for this business - 9 pages of archives from March 1909 (till when??), memos and Articles of Association of the Windmill Cement Co. Ltd. They are held in a Walsall Archive (ref 315/12/4).
Also an article from the London Gazette of 1966, showing the announcement for a meeting of creditors in Edgbaston. Shows the Director's name is B. Lewis.
Bernard died in Glasgow in 1985.

Here's a note from Hilary, a descendant of Tot & Nance (Hi!). It was lovely to find another person who has memories of visiting my Great Grandma in Tudhoe Village!

"I remember Aunt Liz very well with her white hair rolled up in a black band around her head. She was Grandad's sister and I can remember going to her cottage in Tudhoe Village when I was 6/7 yrs old. That was some {censored!!!} yrs ago."
Hilary has the citation for a medal which was awarded to Thomas Fitzpatrick, and has been able to confirm that the medal record I have (image above) was the correct one.

Here's a note from Jane, a descendant of Tot & Nance (Lovely to hear from you, Jane! Thankyou for sharing);

"Tot and Nance went to live in the Midlands (Elmsthorpe) in the Depression and had a small-holding there. Tot used to tell the tale of taking a goat with them and it ate all the posters at the railway station! However, he also told stories about our great, great, great, great, great grandad who was a leprechaun and about three-legged sheep so never quite sure what to believe.
He had a wicked sense of humour."

"From Elmsthorpe they moved to Hinckley. They had a detached house called Hilfreda, just off Coventry Road. Grandad worked for the local council as a rat catcher and operated the 'lethal chamber' where they put down stray dogs. This was a strange occupation for him as he also bred Cairn Terriers {we see some in the photo above} and would often bring the strays home rather than put them down. They had a huge garden including the infamous shed which stored hay for the animals and a large run for the dogs. There was a huge greenhouse in which he grew tomatoes, geraniums and in the autumn Chysanthemums. There were also large flower beds and vegetable plots. All rather lost on Nance as she wasn't a very good cook. They remained there until they moved back 'north' when my mum and dad moved north to run a shop in Bishop Auckland."

Annie died in 1989, after a long time as a widow since Thomas died 29th Nov 1965, aged 73.
Both of Tot & Annie's children, Jean and William went on to marry and had 4 children each.

Links to find out more:
A fascinating introduction to the military history (WW I) of County Durham is available here.
A link here for the modern-day DLI Museum site.

If you want to research Military History for genealogy purposes, start with this new website; UK-MFH.

Correct an error

2008-09-27T11:44:00.001+01:00

Below is a shot where we thought the lady standing was Aunt Nance (Mary Hannah Fitzpatrick, a child of Thomas & Frances) - but it isn't at all. Thanks go to Hilary for correcting this!Here's a better idea! The lady who married Tot Fitzpatrick was also known as Nance, and had children named Jean & Billy. So you can see how we got confused. OK, so I've put that right now.

Fitzpatricks and Sennetts (September 2008)

2008-09-26T20:49:00.017+01:00

This post was written in the week in which Aunty Madge Sennett died, in September 2008. May she rest in peace. I'm sure you'll join me by wishing her family well.
My biggest memory of her from when I was a kid - she loved to wash dishes!

I was going to post the image below because it's a lovely picture of my Gran & her older brother, at a family gathering. But of course, it's also a nice picture of their Mum, Madge. (It goes, Left to Right; Ivy, Madge, Sandra & Michael, Mary, Austin. The little cutie is Emma. This is at Josie's wedding to Dick, Durham, 1977)

See also the photo of Austin's wedding in a note about Ivy & Austin here - Madge is seen third from the left.

Madge Sennett was married to Jack Sennett. (Lizzie's younger son. I'd like to write a note for you sometime about Jack - do send in some stories/images.) She leaves her two children Bernadette & Michael and their families.

Jack Sennett

Here are some further images of people introduced in earlier posts. Many thanks are due to Mum/GranMari/Marian for the scanning and to Grandad for the rootling.

Here's Lizzie Sennett (nee Fitzpatrick)

Dates (approximate) would help, eh?
The right-hand pic is from the wedding photo of
her son Austin, 1964.

Below is the dapper James Sennett, Lizzie's future husband - and a Great Dane called Lady.

Here's some pictures of Ivy (nee Barningham) and
our Austin Sennett. (Lizzie's son) Both Jack & Austin were musical, see Austin below. He was known as Max because of his stunning resemblance to the great Filmmaker Mack Sennett (Keystone Cops etc).

(That's Austin on the left, Mack on the right)

Ivy and Max were involved with the North East Theatre Organ Association, NETOA. If you came from that group looking for Max Sennett, then now you'll need to redirect yourself to this page, which is a new, separate page about Ivy & Max Sennett.

Here's my photo that was sent to Nuncy & Ivy, note fantastically skillful writing even then.

Finally - links to some pages on the wider web about the Sennett name, on Ancestry.co.uk and on House of Names.com.

Quick note - there's a deliberate mistake in this message, just to test whether or not anyone out there is reading this. Drop me a line if you spot it & I'll send you a big e-kiss.

Again, all the best to the Sennett family.
Much love from

Our Lizzie

2008-09-24T12:40:00.004+01:00

Lizzie Sennett (you may have known her as Senny) seems to have been popping up all over the place, so I thought I'd just bring it all together & hopefully make it clearer.

This post will feature some photos I've just received, and they are pretty old!

The {I want to say costumes!!} styles of dress are unlike any other pictures I have! Makes me feel so fuddy-duddy.

Wouldn't make this lady (right) feel underdressed, though!

Whilst off on a tangent, how about looking at this Mr. Sennett?

Okay, back to Lizzie...

Elizabeth Ann Sennett
(born 1888 - died 1971) is my Grandmother's Mother. More modern photos of us can be seen in this post here.

It's worth showing this image again, as it's lovely:

Another shot from the same visit to the studio. A Beauty!

Now here's an image that we know dates from January 1921. I wonder why it was taken then??
She's a little plumper in the face, d'you think she's younger than in the previous image?

More fur on display in an older shot here of Lizzie - (a good likeness, apparently).

As a balance to the furry images with all those legs (!) here's a few anti-fur trade cartoons.

Try also one on this page here and here!

Found one more photo of Lizzie - here.

Here, below, is Lizzie's mother - Francis Fitzpatrick, nee Ranson. (She's on the left with her two younger {I'm presuming} sisters, completely unknown up till now!). Detective hat on! The middle sister has a wedding ring, and will probably no longer be a Ranson. The sister on the right doesn't seem to have a ring, so she still will be a Ranson. She would look quite different as a widow, I guess? All in black for the rest of your life, wasn't it - in those days?
They could, of course, also be sisters-in-law.

They were born at Seaham Harbour {Frances was born 1854}, which makes searching their records tricky for techie details we don't need or want to understand. I'll get there, it just may take a while. If anyone out there knows further details on the wider Ranson family, I'd love more clues as it's a bit of a dark cave just now. So you can imagine it was lovely to put a face to the name Frances & find she has 2 sisters!

I know Lizzie kept in touch with her Family - Grandad remembers "When Lizzie had a few pence spare she would be hopping on a bus and away to Sunderland or Saltburn"

Now for some images of both sets of Mary's grandparents (Lizzie's parents & in-laws).

Thomas & Francis Fitzpatrick are below left here. He was a Stonemason, born in Ireland. They married in 1882 when they were aged 30 & 28 (fairly old for those days?) and settled in Tudhoe.
Lizzie looks a little older here? Unlike the others, lovely shots of healthy greens & sweet peas (?) in of garden behind them - they haven't tripped off to the studio! Our Lizzie was one of eight children, so far as we know.

Lizzie married James Sennett in 1913.
James' parents, William & Jane Sennett are on the right side here. They came from the Bishop Auckland area of Durham. There is a little confusion over William's wife's name. Gran remembered a half-brother James, and felt that William was widowed at a young age & then remarried. The 1901 Census records his wife as Anne.

By the way, the rustic bench seen in the studio shot of Frances above, can also be seen in the {wedding/engagement??} images of young Lizzie & James (in this post here). Perhaps they were taken at the same time?

Lizzie & James had three children, Jack & Austin, and Mary (my Grandmother - the youngest, born in 1923 when Lizzie would've been ~35).

Next we see some images of Elizabeth when she was a little older.

In this photo, we see Lizzie Sennett with her oldest child Austin (boy scout hat!) and her youngest child, Mary. Perhaps Jack is the photographer, and that's why there are so few of him?

A lovely photo of James & Lizzie Sennett, in their garden.

In this photo, we see lots of Sennetts;
{Top row, l-r} Tot Sennett, Lizzie, Austin, James Sennett.
{lower row} Mary, Molly's son Billie Clareheugh, holding young Tina, Eric.

Here's a holiday snap from Southport of Lizzie Sennett on the right, with (left to right) Tina, Marian, Josie and Mary. Lizzie is particularly remembered for being an lovely Grandma.

There was a little confusion about exactly when Lizzie died, so Mum asked the Durham Crematorium to check their records, which they kindly did. She died on the 11th April, 1971 and was cremated on the 14th. If you look back to the 4 Generations shot at the beginning of this post - we know that this was taken on the 18th March, 1971 (Mary & Eric's 25th Wedding Anniversary party.) She managed to live long enough to meet her first Great-Grandchild!

To return to Lizzie's mother, Frances (Ranson) Fitzpatrick - well it seems that she died in the 3rd quarter of the year 1929, at the age of 75. Her record on FreeBMD lists her as Frances A. Fitzpatrick.

Aaaah! Bisto!

2008-09-23T10:08:00.002+01:00

Here's a Xmas hamper full of memories, mainly from my Mum and her siblings, about the food cooked by their Mum (Mary Armitage) and Grandmother (Lizzie Sennett).

I will warn you, though... YOU MUST NOT READ ON if you are feeling a bit peckish and the only thing in the house which is instantly edible is half a packet of Jaffa cakes and a dry crust of Wholemeal. Really, I warn you, it's NOT A GOOD IDEA.

Much better to hold off until you have had someone cook you a 3-course Sunday Dinner, and you get to that point where you'd love to offer to wash-up but actually can't move. Instead, have the PC brought to you - log on to TrunkCalls - and THEN read away.

OK

...sure?

Mary Armitage (nee Sennett) was a great cook, and there are several recipes we wish we had mastered before she died (I'm sure we do very well, really - it's natural to compare, though!!). She made fantastic Yorkshire Puds - but more by eye than by a recipe. She would add "a pile of flour to this bowl here until it got up to that scratch there, see". Sometimes it's not just a recipe, though - there are skills, too...

We'd especially add bread to that list - soda bread, teacakes, Stotty cakes. The memory of the smell & taste of fresh-baked bread is particularly linked with coming home from school. The slobbery joy of just plain bread buns, cooked in the range & then a few mins before they were done she pulled them out one by one and wiped the butter paper over them with a knob of butter that melted "and smelt varrry, varrrry good." Fabulous new bread with raspberry jam [the rasps picked from the graveyard and then they gave the priest a jar]. Always told that it was bad for you to eat straight out of the oven (never believed it).

It's the way she made 'em. The bread was still done in the oven heated by the sitting room fire/range. Had to remove the jarmies {PJ's!!} and Smokey the cat first. {Yes it's true, the cat loved to sleep in the oven & more to the point was allowed to sleep in the oven! Really important to check oven contents before locking door and getting it hot for baking!! By the way, the cat was called Smokey because of fur colour, not proximity to chimney}

Mary also made a mean ginger beer.

So many good food memories: Tastes and textures!
Monday's cold roast with chips and ketchup,
Tuesday's leftover roast with loads of spuds in stew in the pressure cooker.
Friday was always 'wet' fish delivered to the door from Doreen Hanselman/ Doreen the Fish.
Cooked Sunday breakfast of bacon or sausage sarnies after Mass cos we'd had to fast for communion.
Sunday tea was often tinned fruit which was very posh then - but it was served with bread and butter (to fill up?). It was a very special occasion to have Kunzel cakes!!

Rare treat of shared chips - on a newspaper - on the floor.
Rich oven stews and dumplings {with you there, even though now vegetarian - I can still remember Gran's Beef stew & dumplings - very vivid},
Broths, or Packet oxtail soup and dumplings.
Hot OXO drink with broken crackers sinking (especially if a bit poorly?)
Tomato waterlilies, and radish flowers opening in the iced water.

Each new issue of the BeRo baking book.
Custard tarts, lemon meringue from a packet mix.
Cherry meringue with cherry pie filling. Mum says "I adored it but it used to make me physically sick every time - it turns out I used to get to eat all the left over tart." {They probably hoped she'd learn her lesson???}

Pancake Tuesday.
Dying the Pace eggs.

New rhubarb and a twist of sugar in a paper.

Around Bonfire night, a baked potato was given to use as a hand warmer on the way to school (they'd been cooked in the overnight ashes - eating them was optional!)
The magical smell of spices stirred into Xmas puds and Christmas cake mix, with the added aroma of hot brown paper & greaseproof paper as it cooked. (Still enjoying that smell here, now!)

Mary always tried new fruits. This might have come from her joy at getting exotic fruits from the gardener at Shafto Hall, who lived next door when she was little. Grapes, peaches, figs! At Christmas, shiny [Canadian?] red apples to polish for the socks, whole boxes of tangerines with leaves and coloured foil. Pomegranates, chinese gooseberries and ugli fruit - decades before they became generally available.

The first ever foreign 'ready meals in a box', Vesta Chicken Chow Mein with Crispy noodles or Beef Curry.

And Grandmother Sennett, too:
Lizzie's cooking? Austin had separate meals after work - often a chop with chips. He used to let kids 'pinch' one or two and they were fantastically exotic cos he used to coat them in salt and loads of pepper.
For Bonfire night, she used to make excellent Taffy. Had a range of treacle toffee, fudge or the classic hard stuff to hit with a hammer and get glass-like shards that stuck to your teeth for yonks. The taffy was also shared in the middle of a group of folk working on a Clippy Mat.

(see link here or here). (And here's a link about a book on mats, and a podcast by the author - Beamish Museum has a great collection, some more than 100 years old!)

Girdle/Griddle scones (see link here) - which reminds us that Lizzie wore a boned girdle that was very solid - she could be tapped on the hip!
Crumpets toasted on the fire, but smoked in tar fumes from the coal which had just been put on the fire..... Yuk! Even smoked the tea sitting on the hob!
The smell of beef tea. Bread and drippin'.

If anyone killed a goose there used to be a fight for the wing to use as THE perfect hearth brush - once you'd cauterised the knuckle. Very characteristic smell.

Talking of smells, I'll quickly remind you of the smell of Nuncy's soup!! That's enough.

Cloutie pudding - that's NOT a cloutie dumpling, for the Scottish readers amongst us.

"My theory is that all of Scottish cuisine is based on a dare. "
- Mike Myers {not me, pall!!}

It is not a sweet suet pudding, but most definitely a savoury. Suet pastry surrounds sweated leeks, bound up in a cloth (or cloutie/clootie) and boiled. Serve with gravy & maybe a noseclip if you're a sensitive Southern softie. Recipes here and here.

Family used to go through to Farnless Farm where Aunty Hannah (Willis) and Uncle Jack Anderson lived {not related, but great friends}. Hannah used to be constantly working. Fried egg sandwiches by the score, sandwiches and flasks to take down the fields.
Proper farmhouse teas where she would serve mountains of food for her family, us lot and farm hands. Round a big table with benches and chairs and stools.

Aunty Kit (nee Fitzpatrick) in Blackhall used to serve a New Year warmer of 'Ginger Wine' in tiny glasses to all after the New Year's day trot along the seafront. Later found it was actually Whisky Mac!

Merry Festivities to you all, wherever you find yourselves this year... all our love to you.

Mary, Mary, Quite the Smasher!

2008-09-22T10:33:00.002+01:00

Mary Armitage died in October 2007 and so I have posted this message as a little memorial page for her, with all our love to Grandad Armitage.

Mary Margaret Armitage (nee Sennett), born November 14th 1923 - died October 13th 2007.

Here's a super picture of Grandma. This image was used on a lovely little card put out at Grandma's funeral service, along with this verse.

When some great sorrow, like a mighty river,
Flows through your life with peace-destroying power,
And dearest things are swept from sight forever,
Say to your heart each trying hour,
"This, too, shall pass away."

My best memory about this picture is when my cousin had found it on the shelf (it was in a particularly swish frame) and said to Grandma "Wow, who's she??" Gran informed him that it was indeed her, and he said "Corr, you were a smasher, weren't you?". She was so chuffed with that! (Even though his use of the past tense was not too subtle - he was only little!).
The lovely detail in this image is Gran's pretty dress - it was the one she was wearing when my Grandad first met her, at a dance.
Just here is a little picture of my Grandad, Eric, when a young man, it's not a great shot, but I like it! It's the day when he was Best Man to brother-in-law Austin, early 1960's.

Her Grandparents
Here are two images of my Grandma's Grandparents...just got these so more details later.

Mary's Mother's parents (Thomas & Francis Fitzpatrick) are on the left here. He was a Stonemason (See my post here) and was born in Ireland.

Mary's Father's parents (William & Jane Sennett) are on the right side here. Don't they look young, especially Jane?

Photo archive of Mary Armitage, nee Sennett
Firstly, is this the earliest picture of my Grandma??

I remember my Gran fetching this picture out to try & convince me that I was the spitting image of her as a little girl. We had the same hairdo, but that's as far as I could agree there, 'fraid.

And now for a few pictures of 'Grandma' - as a little girl.
First she is dressed for her first communion,

This next one is from the time when Gran was at Grammar school in Darlington. To her right is where her Mum lived but you can only see their garden wall. To her left is the end of Welsh Row.

Above is an image from 1938, we know - so aged 15.
Grandma attended the Immaculate Conception convent school in Darlington (she was a day-girl, travelling by bus every day). It was known as Southend School and is now the Grange Hotel. Here are some links about it: Photo, reunion, history.

Next, she is with her dog called Cracker. In this image, Mary looks a little older?

Some images now from when she was older:

This one was taken at Bridgenorth

Mary worked during the war at the Royal Ordnance factory, Spennymoor. A history published by one of her contemporaries can be read here. The factory was open from 1938 till 1946, after which it became a trading estate. Mary stopped work when she got married, as was the custom then.

Here's my Grandma & Grandad's wedding, the new Mr & Mrs Armitage in 1946.
From left to right in the shot are Austin, his cousin Winnie Carr, James Sennett, Eric, Lizzie Sennett (just visible), Mary and Little Teresa Carr.

Below are two photos taken at Marian's baptism. Clearly a shining social occasion, or perhaps it was a 'Baptism of Fire'...
She's a bright lass...
Enough!
They show Eric, Mary, little Tina & baby Marian (if you have your shades handy) and also Mary's brother Austin, her Mum and her Aunt Molly.

Below here, I have a cute picture from 1960 of Mary's youngest child - he is in the Silver Cross which did such good service & was such fun to ride on! Also their Hillman Minx car can be seen, and the end of the row of houses where the family lived.

Next image is taken from a family wedding - I think it's a great shot of Mary & one of her brothers, Austin.

Next is 'The Four Generations' shot from 1971 - Marian, Lizzie Sennett, holding baby me, and Mary.
Hmm, I wonder if I could find images of all the female relatives from generations going way back and try & paste them all up together...I'd have to find images from when each lady was about the same age, for comparison...

You can take the scientist away from the science, but you can't take the science away from the scientist!!!

Love from Lisa xx

Austin & Ivy Sennett

2008-09-21T09:13:00.011+01:00

Max - Nuncy - Austin Sennett (1914 - 1991)

Austin Sennett was the older son of Elizabeth Fitzpatrick & James Sennett. He was born in Tudhoe Village, Co. Durham, on the 17th of July, 1914... and died aged 76 in 1991.

Some of the material below has already appeared in another message - I've brought it into here instead to try & be rational. It's a target, at least.

Our Austin was called Max because he had the same surname as the the great Filmmaker Mack Sennett (Keystone Cops etc).
He was called Nuncy because it was all his nieces & nephews could say when trying to get out 'My Uncle'!

Here he is as a 'baby Austin':

Below here is a photo of Austin in his scout hat, with his mother Lizzie, and sister Mary. Early 1930's? We always thought that the nickname Mack/Max was something given to him at work, but his boy scout stick was found recently and carved on it is 'Mack Sennett.'

Here we see Mack Sennett on the left (from 1910) and
our Max / Austin Sennett on the right!

"He was guns, cricket, tennis and cars."
Looking very smart!

Looking - well, not so smart!
Austin & his sister Mary

Another nice shot of Austin, Lizzie, and Mary Sennett
Again, no Jack - was he the photographer? Had he already moved away?

A right rowdy bunch, now: Austin is second from left on bottom row. We all see a huge resemblance between Nunc in this pose & his nephew (but he strongly disagrees!).

Austin's first job was as an apprentice (welder) at Coulson's foundry in Spennymoor, and he attended technical college evening classes for four years.
He later (during WWII) worked at the Royal Ordnance factory, Birtley - he worked his way up there. My uncle has an interesting copy of a 'CV' for our Nunc, so maybe I can add some more details later.

As he worked shifts so far away, Nunc needed a car - quite a rare thing in the village then. The rather poorly photo below (from the late 1940's) shows Nuncy with his nephew, his niece and his Flying Standard. The delightful Phil Homer from the Standard Motor Club tells me that while it's pretty difficult to be certain of the model, it's either a Flying 9 (a 2-door model), or a Flying 10 or Flying 12 (4-door models). The year, however, is much easier. It's 1937 - definitely prewar - and not later than 1938, when the radiator shape changed.

In 1964 Austin finally settled down and married Ivy Barningham from the Chester-le-Street area. They moved into a bungalow which they had built in the village where Austin was born. They lived there all their married lives! It was named Aiscroft, (for A & I Sennett).

Here we see some pictures from Austin & Ivy's wedding and then from just after, when they had finished building their house. Don't they look cosy!

Left to right; Bernie & Michael, Madge & Jack Sennett, Lizzie Sennett, Austin & Ivy Sennett, Little Josie & Douglas, Mary (nee Sennett), Tina, Marian & her pillbox hat, Eric.

Here's a shot of him one Christmas time - post dinner!

Unlike his sister, Austin was a dreadful cook - perhaps because he had no sense of smell. (He added vast amounts of white pepper to most food he was served.) He would (very occasionally!) make a soup and he was very proud of it. Sadly we were too polite or stunned to refuse to eat it. It's noticeable that no-one remembers Ivy ever having any, she was too sensible!

Austin loved to grow leeks in trenches, as did many of his generation in the North East of England. He entered them in the village show, and did once get a "Best in Show" for his prize leek. Nunc's hatred of cats stemmed from their use of his perfect Leek Trench soil as a litter tray.

Austin & his brother Jack were very musical.

He loved music and he and Ivy went to all the brass band concerts in town, staunch supporters of the Spennymoor Town Band. He took his family to Newcastle to see 'The Sound of Music' when it opened.

He had an upright piano in the sitting room at his Mother's house and loved to play the Bluebell Polka for the children to dance to. "He made you feel very special". When he moved into his own house he bought a new electric organ and later we broke up the old piano for firewood!! Very noisy and difficult.

I remember the easy rhythm he had when he played old tunes on his electric organ, with his slippers dancing about on all the pedals. He tried to teach me, too!
I wonder if Nunc ever taught our cousin? (He plays a bit now, here & there!)

We see here a shot of him with the accordion, and then an image (which had to be retouched as it had discoloured with age, so thanks are due to imageRestore) of him sat at the Mighty Wurlitzer! He & his wife were heavily involved with the North East Theatre Organ Association, NETOA. (They were fondly remembered at the recent NETOA 40th Anniversary celebrations, I hear.)

Here (below) are more photos of Max's time with NETOA, showing the Wurlitzer (back end & front end!) at a club in West Cornforth, from around 1985. Max enjoyed the woodwork bits of the project and the NETOA folks had a jokey shield made up for him. It hung on the living room wall. There was also a pewter mug with the wording

AUSTIN SENNETT I.S.O
12 YEARS as Chairman
of the
NORTH EAST THEATRE ORGAN ASSN 1976 - 1988
BEST WISHES FROM HIS MANY FRIENDS

Here they are as I remember them! This is with other members of NETOA. Their website has a page on the history of the refurbishment of the grand Wurlitzer which is all very familiar!

Here's a very festive looking Wurlitzer, isn't she bonny??

He died after a long illness in 1991, and is fondly remembered as 'Our Nunc' by many nieces & nephews, great-nieces & great-nephews.

Ivy Sennett, nee Barningham
I extend thanks to Alan, a nephew of Ivy's, who has been very helpful with some of the details here.
Austin's wife, Ivy Sennett, was born as Ivy Barningham on 20th May, 1921 in Chester-le-Street, Durham. Her father, Fred Albert Barningham was a school caretaker in Newfield. Her mother was Ethel Layton. Ivy was the youngest of four girls: Milly (Eleanor Mildred), Ethel, Lily (Lilian) and Ivy.

In the 1911 national Census, we can see that Fred A. Barningham in Chester-le-street is aged 24 (born in 1887), and he lives with his wife Ethel (born 1888).

When Ivy left Grammar school she worked at the ROF in Birtley and was in Army service in postwar Hamburg (see photo below), where she enjoyed a fantastic social life! When Ivy returned she continued at the Ministry of Defence, where she met the foreman Millwright Austin. After a long courtship, they finally married in 1964!

Ivy later worked as a secretary for the TA for many years, in Spennymoor and then Bishop Auckland. She and Austin attended many regimental dinners, which they thoroughly enjoyed!

Aunty Ivy had a very sharp brain; brilliant at crosswords & many other puzzles. She was fiercely loyal to her husband, a great listener, good friend to many and a Great-Great-Aunt!

She died in November 2007, after 16 years as a widow.

Again, sadly missed - but it's nice to go over some of the memories, eh?

Ranson Elders - Miners - October 2008

2008-09-18T12:04:00.027+01:00

Frances Ranson
Frances Ranson is my maternal grandmother, and all I knew about her was that she was born in the Seaham area.

I searched for any Ransons born around the same time as Frances, 1854, in Durham with the Registrar of Births, and found several Ranson family members, but no big clues to help narrow it down to Frances' close family.

Liz says that there was a firm of funeral directors in Seaham called Ranson Rowell.

Here again is the photo of Frances Ranson (by this time she's a Fitzpatrick), and her two sisters.

Just had another look on a different database & found a reference to our young Frances in the census of 1861 & 1871. (More & more data keeps being uploaded, so it's always worth leaving it a while if you come up with a dead-end, as I did with Frances.)

The 1861 National Census.
The family are found living in number 13 California Row, Seaton Colliery, (the parish of Seaham) Easington, Co. Durham. The handwriting is particularly spidery & difficult to read, but here goes...

The Head of the Household is William Ranson (43, so born ~1818) who was born in Rainton, Durham. He was a Coal Miner.
His wife was Bridgit Ranson, (32, born ~1829 in Colliery Row, Durham). Her occupation is amusingly listed as Coal Miner's Wife, a full-time post, no doubt.

Their children are

William, 11, born ~1850 in the St.Giles area of Durham
John, 10, born ~1851 in the St.Giles area of Durham
Frances, 7, born ~1854 in the St.Giles area of Durham
George, 5, born ~1856 in Seaton Colliery, Durham
Jane Ann, 3, born ~1858 in Seaton Colliery, Durham
Elizabeth Margaret, 1, born ~1860 in Seaton Colliery, Durham

A busy household!!

Do note that Bridgit's granddaughter (Frances Fitzpatrick's first daughter) was named Bridget, presumably for her.

You will see that Frances is the oldest girl, and that she does indeed have 2 sisters. The family presumably moved to Seaton Colliery from Durham, St Giles around 1855.

***LATEST**
Sunderland BMD records are now available online here.
I have also found records of their marriage (in IGI) on 23rd December, 1848 at 'Sunderland Parish Church, Durham'. William's birth year is given as 1818, while for his spouse Bridgit Patterson, the birth year is given as 1823.
(IGI also lists her death date as 4/5/1888 in New Seaham; burial 8/5/1888 at Christ Church New Seaham.
There is also the record of the Christening of a Bridget Paterson on 10th October 1824 (right year) with the parents named as John & Frances Patterson. The church is in Houghton-le-Spring. There are many records of Patterson marriages, but only one sticks out as a match for Frances Pearson & John Pattison, in Dec 1796, Gateshead - agreed, it is a little early!). (Now known to be the wrong one).

I searched then in the 1851 Census for Durham, and lo & behold, found the family in the St Giles parish of Durham. There we see William (32), young Bridget (28), toddler William, (2) and baby John (3 months old).
May find more yet, eg What his work was, which address?

Further still you want??
Bachelor William, born 1818
Well, in the 1841 Census there are a few entries for a William Ranson. It's not at all a rare name, actually, so I need to take care. There are two main possibilities:-

One William Ranson is listed as a Blacksmith in the Stockton area living/visiting with another young family of Ransons - perhaps a cousin or brother. He's described as aged 25 - ages in the 1841 census were often rounded up a lot & folk were pretty vague about when they were born, especially as they aged.

Another man is listed at his parent's house in Kelloe/ Cassop Moor, Durham. The Head of the Household is his mother Jane Ranson, (Pitman widow) aged 50 and so born around 1791, in Durham .
Jane's children at home that night were John (28), William (25), Thomas (20), Robert (15) and Elizabeth (10). Very familiar names! All the boys were miners.

In 1851 widow Jane Ranson is found living in Carrville (Grange Row, St. Giles), with two adult children (Robert a miner, Elizabeth a Dressmaker, both born West Rainton). The Carrville link here makes me think that this is the right family.
Later, in 1861, a widow Jane Ranson (70) is found living with her married daughter Elizabeth (aged 28, married to a Farmer in West Rainton). Jane was listed as born in Clayton Haugh, Durham.

** Also, just to confuse us! - a slightly different Jane Ranson (50, widow, living in Cassop in 1841) with several of her Miner sons, including a William Ranson (20).

Cousin Hilary's notes warn me that I need to look again here. As I said, a very common name! It was looking likely, but I couldn't be sure... and now I find that William's mother is Elisabeth, not Jane. Her records show that William's parents are called William Ranson (a pitman) and Elisabeth (maiden name Wilson). He was born in the year 1817.

Spinster Bridget
As for Bridget...now that we know her maiden name was Patterson, we can look her up in the 1841 census, as well.
There are several matches, but generally of the wrong age, or already married/with children. Only one looks right - Bridget Patterson (15) in Colliery Row, Houghton Le Spring, Durham - living with her mother Frances (there's that name again! - this time with an 'e', but definitely listed as female.) and brother Thomas. They were all born in Co. Durham. Frances (aged 45, so born ~1796) is listed as a Widow (?? it's rather unclear), while Thomas (20) is a Coal Miner.

Frances Senior was not found in the 1851 census. A record exists of the death of a Frances Patterson, 1853, Houghton Le Spring. Thomas Patterson would've been ~30 in the 1851 census - only one found who was born & lived in Brafferton (Darlington), an AG LAB (Agricultural Labourer) with a wife Jane & 2 small children.
In the 1861 census return, there is a Thomas Patterson who was living in Pittington (near Houghton), a coal miner aged 36 with a wife Mary & 6 bairns.

Further still you want??
Well, no.
The 1841 census was the first one to be kept for posterity. Parish records are the only way further back there. Fortunately, we can take advantage of the clues given to us by cousin Hilary to get us through that.
Hilary's notes confirm for us that the parents of Bridget Ranson (nee Patterson) were John Patterson and his wife Frances (nee Briggs). They had 6 children.
I deduce that Frances was born ~1796, and died in 1853.

You may like to look further - here are links to some sites about the area of Seaton Colliery: Durham Miners' Museum, and Durham Records Online.
Also a local history page (lovely quote on the first page!) on Seaham.

More later on the 1871 Census and how the family has changed in many important ways.

{Now I need someone with a Wurlitzer to do the dramatic cliffhanger music!!!}

The Ranson Elders get Older

2008-09-17T11:24:00.019+01:00

Ooh, that was a cliffhanger wasn't it!!
More now as we move forward in time...

The 1871 National Census.
Ten years has passed, and now we find the family living in number 5 California Row, Seaton Colliery. The other big change is in the Head of the Household
- it is now Bridgit Ranson, widowed.

Bridgit Ranson, aged 46, Widow
Her children are

William, 21, born ~1850 in the Carrville area of Durham, working as Coal Miner.
John, 20, born ~1851 in the Dragonville area of Durham, working as Coal Miner.
Frances, 17, born ~1854 in the 'Bragonville' {sic!} area of Durham, 'Working in Fields'
Elizabeth Margaret, 10, born ~1861 in Seaton Colliery, Durham, scholar.
Louisa, 9, born in Seaton Colliery
Thomas, 6, born in Seaton Colliery
George, 4, born in Seaton Colliery

The eagle-eyed amongst you will have spotted some changes for the children & not all ones you might expect (i.e. aging by 10 years!!). The differences with the town names are not important, I think they are synonyms.

George Ranson
The wierdest change is the youngest George, who appears to be an early relativity experimentalist - he has actually got younger!? I checked the handwritten documentation, to make sure it isn't a tyop!

It is possible that Bridget had 2 bairns named George & that the older one had left home to work (aged 15 - not yet found).
But the best explanation I have for this is that older George shown in 1861 Census actually died between 1861 & 1871. {I haven't yet found a Death Certificate listed for him.} Then Bridget maybe tried again & named her last child George.

So presumably, George Mk I died 5 years or more before the Census date 1871.

William Ranson
That last also leads me to presume that Husband William was still alive when George was born, 1867-ish. It's a fair bet that he died in a mining incident - but there is no record of this, see lists of dead on the Durham Miners Museum website. I found no Ransons dead there on the Seaton Colliery list, there are a few in other pits, though. The only William R was a 49 yr old who died in an accident in 1909.

Durham Registrar Death Certificate searches found a William Ranson who dies (aged 48) in Easington district in the spring of 1867. It's possible that could be Bridget's husband. He was recorded as aged 43 in the 1861 Census. Wonder if he ever saw baby George Mk II?

Jane Ann Ranson
Jane Ann has also disappeared. A search now in the 1871 Census elsewhere in Durham revealed a young Jane Ann Ranson (just 13) working away from home as a servant at a pub in the St Nicholas area of Durham. Difficult to read, but I think it was called the Woolpack. The Head of the household was a Licensed Victualler called William Rutherford. Click here to see a page with a photo - when you get there you need to click on the blue words, 'Durham city, Framwellgate'.

However, another option is that she is the child whose Death Certificate surfaced for the year 1862, in the town of Houghton-le-Spring.

Hohum

The IGI database lists the death of Louisa Ranson (b. 1862) - an 1894 date is given for her burial in Christ Church, New Seaham.

1881 Census of Durham
So, now travel forwards in time with me another 10 years:

We find a Widow Bridgit Ranson (aged 57, born ~1824, Colliery Row, Durham), who lives at 29, Cornish St., Seaham and works as a dressmaker. She has 2 of her children in her home that night:
Thomas (16), a Coal Miner, born in New Seaham.
George (14), a Coal Miner, born in New Seaham.

Elsewhere in the census records for the county, we find folk who may be some of her older children - left home & living with their families (later post). I have searched in vain for a Frances Ranson in the 1881 census {so far!}. As described previously, there are many reasons why she may be hard to find. I don't believe she was married by then.

In the 1881 census, I think the young Thomas Fitzpatrick is found living with his parents at Barnfield Blocks, Tudhoe. (see a different posting about that family)

In 1888, a death certificate was issued in the Easington district for a Bridget Ranson. She may be ours, and would then have been aged 64. It's interesting to note that our Elizabeth Fitzpatrick was also born in Tudhoe in the year 1888, so we seem to have come full circle!

***Latest news***
I read a post from the genealogy.com forum on Ransons, there was a post (2002) by Mr David Ranson (not currently answering his email address, what a shame - so it can't be absolutely confirmed):
"I am looking for information about a Bridget Patterson born, May 11 1824; died, May 5 1888.
She married William Ranson 1817-1867. I believe in 1848 but not certain.
They had 9 children-William, John, Francis, George, Jane Anne, Elizabeth Margaret, Louisa, Thomas and George again.
I am descended from the William line and can supply details if of use.The children were born in the Seaham, Co.Durham, England area - as were the descendants of William.
Thank You David Ranson."

We can't add anything to that, eh?
So that neatly confirms a few of the guesses in the last two posts, and also provides Bridget's maiden name: I can perhaps find her in an early census now - with her family eg. 1841. The fact that he is so precise on the dates of birth & death for Bridget suggests that he has a copy at least of the Registry certificates for her, which adds veracity.
I liked the way he phrased the list of bairns, "and George again"!

Famous Ransons (some not so famous)

Illustrator, Arthur Ranson
CEO of InFocus, Newcastle born C. Kyle Ranson
French painter, Paul Ranson
Footballer, manager of Coventry FC, Ray Ranson
Writer, Sadi Ranson

Siblings of Frances Ranson in Durham area

2008-09-16T14:32:00.008+01:00

WILLIAM RANSON
The eldest child of William & Bridgit was William Ranson Junior, born 1850.

1881 Census
This family of Ransons may be the one we seek from afar...

9 Hall St, Seaham, Easington; Household Members:

William Ranson, 31 , Coal Miner, born Gilesgate
Mary Ranson, 28, Coal Miner's Wife, born Monkwearmouth
Louisa Ranson, 2, born Easington
William Ranson, 1, born Easington

Delightfully, when I saw the image of the handwritten Census records, I noticed that his neighbour, at number 8 Hall St., was John Ranson (30) & his young wife Mary Ann Ranson (18), a Milliner (born Middle Rainton). This may well be his brother John, born 1851 - see below.

1891 Census
Now we seem to find the family at 15 Model St., New Seaham; Household Members:

William Ranson, 41, Coal Miner, born Gilesgate (in 1850)
Mary Ranson, 35 Wife, born Monkwearmouth
Louisa Ranson, 14, Scholar
William Ranson, 11 ditto
Owen Ranson, 9 ditto
John Ranson, 7 ditto
Robert Ranson, 6 , ditto
Francis Ranson, 2
-------(bairns all born New Seaham)

1901 Census
22, Model St, New Seaham; Household Members:

William Ranson, 51, Coal Miner (below ground) Overman, born: Cairlle {sic, Carrville}, Durham, England
Mary Ranson, 48 Wife, born Monkwearmouth

Bridget Carr, 66 - mother-in -law, widow, born Ireland {so - not the Bridgit we already know}
Louisa Ranson, 22, single
Wm Ranson, 21, Engineering Fitter
Owen Ranson, 19, coal miner shifter
John Ranson, 17, Apprentice Iron moulder (?)
Robert Ranson, 16 Coal miner (station winder??)
Thos Ranson, 12
Jas Ranson, child of 7
------(all bairns born in New Seaham)

A clue from a genealogy forum (a note from a grandson of young Owen Ranson here) - asked about that Owen's kid brother Thomas (1888 - 1972) who was known to have emigrated to Illinois USA. He also tells us that their mother Mary's maiden name was Corrigan (born 1852), and that William Ranson lived from 1849 - 1919.
A reply to that message came from a Thomas Ranson, (spooky!) of Illinois that "My great-grandfather {Thomas} was born 1886 and died of a heart attack in June 1972. He was born in England and worked as a coal miner in Illinois. His son Tomas G. Ranson and heirs live in Oregon. We know of no other sons."

The Social Security Death Index in the USA has the following details, as well as several other Ransons,
Thomas Ranson, SSN: 343-05-7332, Last Residence: 62896 West Frankfort, Franklin, Illinois, United States of America.
Born: 16 Jun 1888, Died: Jun 1972
State - Illinois, SSN issued: (Before 1951)

JOHN RANSON
Now a look at William's younger brother John, born 1851.

1881 census
Found at 8 Hall St., Seaham; Household Members:
John Ranson (30)
Mary Ann Ranson (18), a Milliner (born Middle Rainton).

1891 census
15, Marlborough St., Seaham Harbour at parish St. Johns, Dawdon, Easington; Household Members:

John Ranson, 40, born Durham, Coal Miner
Mary A Ranson, 29, born Rainton
William A Ranson, 8, Scholar, born New Seaham
Sarah M Ranson, 2, born New Seaham

1901 census
16, Hall St., Seaham; Household Members:

John Ranson, 50, born Durham. (Not widower, still described as married), Coal Miner below; Deputy Overman (v. difficult to read this writing - too much info crammed in the little box!!)

Wm A Ranson, 18, son, Grocer
S M Ranson, 12 , daughter
T H Allen, 25, brother-in-law (single) - coal screener on surface
Francis Carr, 21,visitor (married), Coal Miner putter below ground, born New Seaham {NB this Francis is male}
Minnie Carr, 20, visitor (married - presume Francis's wife), born Kimblesworth

So John was a Deputy Overman while his brother William was an Overman - I wonder if they worked in the same pit??
Mr Allen could be a brother to Mary Ann Ranson (John's wife) - or a husband to one of John's sisters. See above to find another Carr.
Haven't found this Mary Ann R visiting anyone else for that Census night.

Some Links to Durham Ransons from Google:

Someone else's online family tree, has Ransons here.

Other Ransons in Durham - a note on a forum

The 'meaning' of the name Ranson

Details from DMM about the death in Brancepeth Colliery of Richard Ranson - possibly born 1881, lots of detail.

More of the same here - I haven't sifted thru it yet.

A page here which gives details of the more highly qualified miners in Durham - several Ransons.

Also lots of information about the East Durham area, here, an interesting site for which I thank Joanna.

Latest news - 1911 Census
In the newly released census returns for the Easington area, a William Ranson (born in 1849; a miner) and a John Ranson (born in 1852; a miner) are entered.

Murray Mints

2008-09-15T12:59:00.003+01:00

After visiting a forum at GENEALOGY.com I found a post from the year 2001 by Hilary, who has thoroughly researched the family tree for many years. I got in touch (the email address was still active even 7-8 years later!) and Hilary has since then generously agreed that I can publish some of it here. You'll see that for the Ranson family branch she has been able to find links back to the time of the Spanish Armada.

Hopefully, Hilary will also find something of interest from what we already have here on TrunkCalls, but also perhaps from some of the future feedback to this post? You can use the COMMENTS button at the bottom of this message.

SO: Hilary's father is Michael (Mick) Murray, son of Mary Hannah (Nance) Fitzpatrick and Michael Murray. Mick Murray was a cousin of my Gran, Mary Sennett.
Hilary was brought up here in the UK, but now lives in New Zealand; nice to have some International Readers. She began researching her family history in the nineteen eighties, spending time in Ireland to delve further into it all before emigrating from the UK.

My message to her was apparently not expected: "Hell's teeth, what a surprise!!!!!!!"

Information on Frances Ranson & Thomas Fitzpatrick
Common ancestors for Hilary & me are Frances Ranson & Thomas Fitzpatrick. Hilary has added or confirmed lots of interesting things about many of our ancestors.

Thomas Fitzpatrick came from County Tipperary in Ireland (not Mayo, as was previously remembered/guessed at) and his family knew the Murray family (from Roscommon) very well even before Thomas' daughter Nance married Michael Murray. They were from a very close-knit Catholic community centred around St. Charles church, and the school. {Links here and here to pages about the church, and here for the school website.}

Frances Ranson's parents were William and Bridget Ranson. It seems that they were brought up in Houghton-le-Spring, but they were married in Sunderland. William came from a strongly Methodist family.

So, when his daughter Frances (born 1854) met and married the Catholic lad Thomas Fitzpatrick, he was rather unhappy. He cut her off and the two had little to do with each other from then on. We see that there was some contact with her siblings, but perhaps only after her father/parents had died?? Luckily for Frances, her marriage is remembered as very much a love match.

To quote directly:
"It is years since I collated the Ranson information, I have a large file dedicated to census and parish records just for that side of the family... The earliest Ranson I have located is Annas who married Robert Burton in 1564, just six years after Elizabeth I came to the throne."

Information on Frances Ranson's wider family
We learn from Hilary that Frances' mother's maiden name is Bridget Paterson.

We also learn that Frances' sister Louisa died young, leaving her husband William with a family of daughters to bring up. One of Louisa's descendants is now living in Perth, Australia.

Remember the very old photo of the Ranson sisters (in my earliest Ranson post, linked here)??
Although one of the women could be a sister-in-law, we perhaps can deduce that that old photo was a shot of the only remaining Ranson sisters - that's to say Jane Ann, and Elizabeth Margaret. Interesting to see that Frances named her daughters after her mother and sisters (using middle names, too) - but I don't recall any use of the name Louisa. Perhaps it was a name associated with too much sadness.

Information on the Fitzpatricks
Hilary also told me about another of Thomas Fitzpatrick's descendants with whom she has been in contact: a granddaughter of Tot Fitzpatrick (b.1891). She actually has the citation for bravery I have mentioned, (linked here) so that nicely confirms it is the correct Thomas. It would be interesting to get some more details on this man!

Further up on that first Fitzpatrick blog page - that photo outside Burn Hall - the gaffer is in fact the man with the bowler hat, as was tradition in those days. (Hilary also has a copy of that photo!!)

Much love across the miles to our relatives and a huge Thankyou to our Hilary for her help - passing on all this information and correcting my mistooks.

**********

(And apologies for the pun in this title!)

Sennett Elders

2008-09-11T22:16:00.052+01:00

I've found all this material to be very complicated, and so I have rejigged the post in order to make things simpler. A deal of the interesting story of the treasure hunt has been cut out, but I'm hoping to return elements of it later. Do talk to me if you can't find anything you need.
As always, I'm very grateful to the online community of genealogists for all their help with this material. Some are Sennett cousins, some not - gushing thanks are due to them all. I can particularly mention Cate, Elliot, Heather and Corinne.

First, to recap where we are on our family tree:
Elizabeth Fitzpatrick married my Great Grandfather James Sennett in 1913. Lizzie & James had three children: Jack, Austin, and Mary (my Grandmother - the youngest, born in 1923). James Sennett lived from 1892 to 1958.

James' parents are shown on the right here; the photo has been marked as showing William & Jane Sennett.

Our William Sennett was born at Tottenham (near Coundon) in 1858, and his family were settled in the Bishop Auckland area of Durham. He was one of a large family of colliers.

Read more about this William in the next posts (birth, adult life).
If you want to find out more about James, see this post. For more on his siblings, including his half-brother, Jack - see this post.

So to begin, let's go back as far as we can (currently!). . . It should be noted, however, that my research was done in the opposite direction! It's important to start with what you know & work backwards in time.

Very early records on SENNETT
I know from the post-1851 Census returns in County Durham that my ancestors were miners named William or James Sennett. In fact, in early records the name was often recorded as Sinnett, gradually evolving into Sennett by 1891. It could just be that the registrars had trouble with the Irish accent!

I began by assuming that the men are brothers, but am now coming round to the idea the James & William are actually the same man. This is based on little except a feeling - I don't have any real proof either way. I don't yet see the two men in the room at the same time, so to speak!!

"They" tell us in their Census returns that they were born in County Wicklow of Ireland (on the East Coast) in the years 1830 & 1833 respectively. We can perhaps presume that the men/man came over to Britain in the years of the Potato Famine (1848) rather like my other ancestor, Thomas Fitzpatrick from Tipperary. I cannot yet tell any more about the men as I don't know which Wicklow town or parish they were born in.

Read more on the year 1851 and the Potato Famine, here.
Read more about Wicklow here (or on GENUKI): or view photographs, here.
Read more about the Sinnotts of County Wexford (of whom there are still many) in this post on Genforum. I was chuffed to see the motto quoted for the Sinnot Coat of arms: "Trust in God and Sin Not".

The theory that the two men are actually one man (who uses his two names interchangeably) was first suggested by the 1864 marriage record of James where he gives his full name as James William Sinnett (more on this later).

In the 1861 Census, there are just a few Sinnetts living in Durham who were born in Ireland (county unknown):
William Sinnett (~1830), and his wife Jane Sinnett (~1829) {my ancestors}.

Also James Sinnet (1823, Miner), Catherine Sinnet (~1826), and their children Michael & Sarah Sinnet (1849 & 1851, born Ireland), also a daughter born in Whitehaven (Cumb.) and 2 sons born in Coundon. They all lived at (Tottenham) Coundon in 1861. Don't know who these folk are - cousins?
{A Michael Sennett married in Hartlepool in 1880, and but was not found in the 1881/1891 Durham Census.}
{2 Sarah Sinnetts married in Durham - one in 1871 (Gateshead) & another in 1876 (Easington)}

Also the 53 year-old Upholsterer boarding in Darlington, James Sennett (born 1808, Ireland). In the same boarding house is a married Irish lady, Maria Sinnett (42) who is also an upholsterer and is probably his wife.

Also a Sennett couple in Birtley - married in 1859 (Parish record held on FMP) - John Sennett and Dorothy nee Braban.

William & James - Maybe!
I've not yet found any definite references to the Sennetts in the 1851 Census.
I have found a page which shows me two young men in the 1851 Census who are living with their parents in Dover. This family moved around a lot, but they are a little too young to be our guys...
Father: James Sennett; Coastguard Boatman born in Cornwall, ~1809.
Wife: Amelia Sennett; born Penzance ~1811.
Sons: William (15, born Ireland), and James (11, born in Cornwall)

Another possibility in the 1851 Census is a Private in the Army, at Brompton Barracks in Gillingham, Kent: James Sinnett, born Down, Ireland, ~1833; aged 18. That would be just prior to the Crimean War 1853/6. See a pdf here about Brompton Barracks, Chatham as they are now. Note lovely tiger in photo on page 2.
Engineering/Sapper would be a good fit for a man who later became a miner, or whose father was a miner. And can it be mere coincidence that his descendant Harry Sennett was also to be found at Chatham in 1911?! Why let a good story be spoilt by the facts, eh?

William & James - Definitely!
The first concrete sign of the men I have found in the records is from 1858, for the birth of my ancestor William Sennett. You can find details about his birth certificate here.
It told me that he was born in Tottenham, to William & Jane Sennett. I have looked for a marriage record for the parents William & Jane, but with no result so far - so I can only presume that they married in Ireland (as they were both born there).

**Latest**
Lovely bit of researching now by Elliot (another possible descendant of James/William Sennett born 1833) has turned up a record of the marriage between widow Jane Hope (father Alexander McIlwaine, farmer) and James Sinnett/Sinneth. The clever difference between my research & Elliot's was that I persisted in looking for a William, whereas he has gone with James & struck gold! He even has a copy of the original Bishop's transcript.
The date is 1857, and it takes place in Belfast. Perhaps the couple were on their way over from Belfast to Whitehaven, to get to Co. Durham?
Many Thanks to Elliot for sharing his luck with us. And thank heavens for the internet!

The bride was a Seamstress and a widow, and her name is very clearly entered as Jane McILVAINE and then Jane HOPE - which tells us that her first marriage was to a man named Hope. (Had previously read Jane's name as McVene on the birth cert of her son William.)
By the way, any relation to this McIlvaine ??! Probably not.

The groom James Sinnett, meanwhile, was a Private of the 50th Regiment, or 50th Foot.
I've found references to the 50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot, which was indeed deployed in Ireland in 1856 and early 1857. With my modern-day view, I thought it very strange that an Irish lad should be in an English Army, but apparently the 50th Foot was full of Irish lads. Recruitment drives marched through the villages, banging their drums. No doubt a steady wage was an attractive opportunity during the famine.

The 50th Foot were deployed in the Crimea around 1855. The name Sinnett does not appear on the medal roll, so it would appear that our lad served elsewhere. For which he & we can be very grateful! You can read about the Crimean War here, and especially here.
After the stint in Ireland, they were deployed in Ceylon in October 1857. (New Zealand was next.) My main source has been the very helpful 50th Regimental Museum, but there are also sites such as this Wiki entry, another page on the 50th, and a page about the later West Kent.
Why the 50th (Queen's Own) regiment? It was so named for the popular consort of William IV, a German princess named Adelaide.

A page about an Australian tour of duty gives the name Denis Sinnott as one of the men in the 50th Foot (1834-1841), but no further details are available for him.

The 50th Foot became known as the West Kent Regiment after 1881, based at Chatham. Now look again at that 1851 census entry (above) for a Private Sinnett at Chatham...??

James' father was also named in that Belfast marriage record as James Sinnett, and we are told he was a coal miner.
I've discovered that I knew shockingly little about coal mining in early 19th C Ireland - so I dug around at the coalface known as Google to find out more. This text from 1838 tells us that Copper mining was found in Wicklow, but not coal. A little coal was mined in Antrim, but the main coal fields were in Leinster, Tipperary, Munster, Connaught & in Tyrone. Hmmm.

Sennetts settle in County Durham
Next we can find them (recorded with the spelling Sinnet) in the 1861 Census of number 6 (??) Quarry Houses in Tottenham, and there are also 3 adult lodgers in the house. (Read more about Tottenham here on another little post.) This 1861 Census tells us that Jane Sinnet was aged 32 and born in Ireland. Her husband William Sinnet was born (in Ireland) in 1830, and he worked as a miner. The children were our ancestor William Sinnet Junior (aged 2) and his baby sister Martha Jane Sinnet.

If the theory is that James & William are 2 different men, then where was James Sennett in 1861?? I haven't found him in England.
Still in Ireland?? Age recorded wrongly on the 1861 Census? Or has he just changed his name to William?
And then after the mid-1860's, I find no further reference to William Sennett until a possible hit for his death in 1903.

&&&&&

In the 1871 Census, I found that our young William was living in the household of James Sennet (born 1833, Wicklow) - who records that he was his father. James worked as a miner and was married to a younger woman, Margaret {young enough at 26 that she was must be William's step-mother, rather than his biological mother}.

The family were living at 31, Albert St., Willington. (NB: The name is spelled 'Sennet', this time. Albert St. is not on the current map - built over? or perhaps it should have been Albion Place?)
James Sennet, born ~1833, Wicklow, Ireland; Miner,
Wife Margaret, born ~1845, born Castle Eden
Son William Sennet (born Coundon, 1859, Miner - so he's aged 12 - good grief- not surprising that they didn't learn to read, eh?)
and 5 younger siblings; Jane (11), Ann (8), Esther (6), Susannah (5) and baby James (1, born Willington).

Jane on this list would seem to be the Martha Jane Sinnett who was born in 1860; William's full sister. William (aged 12 there) will later become the father of my Grt Grandfather James Sennett.
I've searched high & low and cannot find Esther in any other records.

If you go and have a look at this old map of Co. Durham (from 1840), you'll see that railroads provided a good service between the areas of Coundon, Willington and Castle Eden.

So what happened to the parents William Sennett (born 1833) and Jane McVene?
The original idea was that they have moved away, but their children remained with their Uncle/Cousin James Sennett to be brought up with his own children.
I haven't found any records of Willm & Jane living elsewhere in England, in 1871, 1881, or 1891.
Another theory is that they both died, and the children were adopted by their Uncle James.

Jane Sinnett (aged 34) did die in February 1864, after 10 months suffering Phthisis pulmonalis (TB). She was recorded as the wife of William Sinnett, coal miner, of Coundon. None of her previous names are given on the cert, so I can't be sure if she was Jane (nee McVene) or not. Informant was Elizabeth Hallam, present at the death - do you recognise her? We know from other ancestors that it was common for mothers of young children to die of consumption (TB) of the lungs - the strain of several pregnancies has taken weakened her health. See this interesting part of an 1857 text.

I've not found a reference to the death (1861 -1871) of any man named William Sennett, but there is a record which fits in the year 1903 (more below). This could be the same man, in which case we have found that he was a widower all that time (1864-1903) with his children adopted, and living with James' own children. We know that James William Sinnett was a widower when he married in June 1864.

The newest theory is that William's father William chose to name himself as James Sennett from 1861/1864, rather than William Sennett. In other words, perhaps there aren't two brothers, but rather just one man. Can't think of any way to prove that!

I have seen the certificate of the June 1864 marriage of widower James William Sinnett (32) & Margaret Welch (20), both of Coundon. James was recorded as a miner, but he neglected to add any details for his father. Perhaps he didn't know his father?
Margaret's father was John Welch (also a miner) and a descendant of his (Hi Cate!) told me some more about the Welch/Welsh family. Margaret's parents (miner John Welch & Margaret Wilkinson) married in Houghton-le-Spring in 1826 . The family lived at Castle Eden Colliery, then later at Trimdon and, by 1861, at Tottenham, Coundon. Margaret Junior was born in 1845, in Castle Eden. She worked as an Ag Lab in Tottenham.
In 1862, Margaret Welch Junior had a child named Isabella. Cate found the birth cert for her and confirms that the child's father is not named - Speculation abounds!
The child was brought up by her grandparents, and later married a James Barber.

It's curious to note that James & Margaret's marriage was not preceded by Banns; they used a Superintendant Registrar's Certificate. I have learnt that these are rare - but this is my second now!
WHY? It can be a sign that the marriage was of mixed religions - and Cate tells us that the Welch family were almost certainly staunch Methodists.
It may be a sign that the vicar would rather keep the marriage very quiet. It's also a slightly quicker way of marrying, rather than waiting for Banns. After all, there were some little children who needed a mother here.

If James is also William, then... to summarise...
Irish lad James/William Sennett was son of a miner, perhaps in Co. Wicklow. He was a soldier with an English Regiment, then married the Irish lass Jane (previously a McIlwaine, who married a Mr. Hope & was widowed) in Belfast & they settled in Durham where he returned to mining.
They had 3 children & then she died aged 34 in February 1864. James William married young Margaret Welch in June 1864, and had 7 further children. Margaret died in 1891, and James/William died in 1903.

*****

FreeBMD lists the following birth registrations for William's children-

Martha Jane Sinnett, born Auckland 1860;
{Also a Patrick Sinnett born in same period, who could be a twin, who died as an infant? I do find a Patrick Sennett (miner, born Auckland, ~1862) in the 1881 Census of East Murton with his widowed mother Catherine Sennett (born Ireland ~1840).}

Ann Sinnet, born Auckland 1862;

not yet found any entries for Esther;

Susannah Sinnett, born Auckland 1866 {Thanks to Elliot, we know she was born at White Lee, Crook, in March 1866. Her parents were named as James Willm S & Margaret Welsh};

James Sinnett, born Auckland, 1869.
And additionally, a John Sinnett (1867) who may have been a cousin, or he may have died before the next Census was taken. {There is an infant named John Sinnett in the deaths index for 1869. The couple do have another son named John in ~1875; he is seen in the census returns.}
In the next decade, we can see a John Sinnett born 1874; Jane Sinnett (born 1877, and perhaps she's also the infant who died in 1877?); an Ellen Sinnett (1878), as well as John William Sinnett born 1878 (to William Junior).

The children can be followed through their next few decades by following BMD records, and the next few Census returns.

I know that our William moved out before 1881; he was living in Willington with his own young family, having married Deborah Smurthwaite in 1877. Click here to read more on this couple, though I have duplicated a few brief details on this page.

I looked forward in time to see what became of James & Margaret after William Junior moved out - I looked to the 1881 census and found James living in Rumby Hill, near Crook.
James is entered as a 47-year-old Miner, born in Wicklow.
His wife Margaret was aged 35 and born in Castle Eden, Co. Durham.
Of the children shown in the earlier census return, only Susannah (15) & James (12) remain at home.
4 further children have been born, all in Willington; John (6), Mary (5), George William (2), and Edward (3 months old). This shows us they've only just moved to Rumby Hill.

<<<<<>>>>>

Using Free BMD and the Durham CC site, I have found a record of a marriage in 1882 in the Weardale area between Ann Sennett & James Moore. I also found Ann Sinnet (born Coundon, 1862) who lived as a Domestic Servant with the greengrocer family (Boal, from Newtownards/Newtownlands? in Ireland) at 31 High St., Willington, 1881 Census. (High St is now the A690., and it was just along from an unknown pub, the Royal Tent/Jent??)
The other girls (Jane, Esther) are perhaps in service in 1881, but I've not found them.

There are three records of the marriage of men named James Sennett in the period:

1890; James Sennett & Martha Blackmoor. (If you look at the 1891 Census, you'll see that our James was a single man living at his father's house so it's likely not him.) 1891 census - James & Martha Sennett at 2 Princess St, East Murton, Durham. James -miner from Auckland, Martha was born in Murton Colliery, Durham ~1871. They have a daughter Catherine age 5 months. In 1901, James (Hewer, born Auckland 1869) & Martha (Murton) were at 35 Stewart St, Seaham. They have two more children Mary & James.

1891; James Sennet & Theresa Garbutt. (I know that Teresa was born in Co. Durham in 1869, but her James may have died soon after their marriage, which explains why I can't see any Census returns for the couple. Also haven't yet found an entry on the death index for this James. Perhaps he married twice?)

1892; James Sennet & Charlotte Howe (According to later census, he was born in 1873 - thanks to my contacts on this branch, e.g. Elliot, we think he was born in 1869, so he's the best fit at the moment.). The 1901 census shows us a James (Hewer, born Willington, 1873) with Charlotte (born Cornsay). They had 10 children.

<<<<<>>>>>

In the 1891 Census, we see James Sennett Senior was living in the area of North Bitchburn (which is between Hunwick & Howden- see a community site here for pictures of Hunwick, but it is a little flaky so you may wish to Google directly, or try using Francis Frith.com).

He was recorded as a miner aged 58, and his birthplace was mis-transcribed as Wicklewood, Ireland. His children James (21, a miner), Mary (15), George & Edward (10) were with him, also a domestic servant (Emily Gardner, 19, of Newton Cap).
James was listed as a Widow, so Margaret had died by 1891. We can see the Auckland record of the death for a Margaret Sennet (one T) in 1st quarter of 1891; just before the 1891 Census. She was aged 46, (no other Durham records suit this Margaret).

Not yet found what happened to Susannah- perhaps she married in 1883?? She was born 1866, so it's a bit early for her to be the lass Susannah Sennett who married in Auckland in 1883. {To John Driver, thanks to the Durham BMD office for the info.}

Son John Sennett has been spotted living with William Sennett, his older brother, at Witton Park in 1891 - see below for more details, or click here.

<<<<<>>>>>

I haven't yet found James in the 1901 Census. BUT, there was in 1903, a William Sennett (aged 75) who died in the Auckland area - he would be the correct age to be our William. Unlike Scottish certificates, his death certificate does not tell us the name of his former wives. The informant was his son William Sennett of Byers Green, and his former trade was described as miner.

In addition, I've found on the 1881 Census - William Sinnatt (51, born Ireland Woxford, Labourer) lodging at a very large boarding house in Gateshead; 21 Bridge St.

And on the 1891 census the only candidate I've found was an inmate of Holborn Union Infirmary, Shoreditch - William Sinnod - Widow, Labourer, aged 62, born Ireland.

And finally, on the 1901 Census I've found a William Sinnet (transcribed as Sinner!) boarding at the home of Edward & Catherine Ellis (or Ealis or Eales) on Thompson St., Witton Park. Catherine was Irish-born, too. William no longer gave a trade, but was aged 72 and was born in Wicklow. I think this is very likely to be our guy. Wonder why he's reverted to the old name? The difference here is that someone else is filling in the form - he's no longer the Head of the Household.

In 1895, Mary Sennett married John Stephenson. So in the 1901 Census; Mary (nee Sennett?) and John Stephenson (Colliery Brakesman, aged 37) were living at 26 Albion St., Witton Park. She had her own 2 small children in the household (John & George Wm Stephenson {not that Geo Stephenson!!}), but also her neice Sarah Isabella Sennett (5) - she was a child of James & Charlotte Sennett.

George & Edward Sennett were boarding at the Barber household in Quarry Burn, 1901, which was the home of Margaret (nee Welch) Sennett's daughter Isabella (born 1862, no named father).

James Sennett Junior was more tricky as there are a few. One James Sennett (miner, 28, born Willington) was living in Witton Park. He was married to Charlotte (born in Cornsay) & had 10 children. My contact on this line, Elliot has told me a little about this couple - thankyou! The couple give their ages as a little younger than they seem to be when they fill out later Census forms. We think, therefore that this James was born in 1869 rather than 1873.

&&&&&&&

William's first child, William Sennett
Now we are edging into the area of people who are remembered in the family!

Read more detail about this William in the next posts (birth, adult life).
William's son William was later to become the father of our James Sennett (born 1892). We knew that he was widowed at a very young age (~19??). We knew James had a much older half-brother, Jack.

My Gran didn't know William's first wife's name at all - but I now know it to be Deborah. That's because I came into contact with Heather - a descendant of Deborah's sister - who has been very helpful, as you'll see later. Thanks to GenesReunited for effecting the introduction, hope you don't mind the quick plug there.

1881 Census
William moved out of his family home sometime after the 1871 Census, and we know that he married in the year 1877 (FreeBMD). He was found on the 1881 Census at 33 Albert St., Willington.
Note that in 1871, James Senior was living at 31 Albert St.

William Sennett, (aged 23) Miner, with wife Deborah, and son, John (born ~1879)
The facts generally fit - occupation as a miner, son called John.
We thought of him as being widowed at the age of 19. Perhaps that information is only slightly out & poor Deborah was about to die just after this Census was taken.

About William himself, I know that he was known as Bill. He was an entertainer in an Easington club (clog-dancing & singing). His job was described as a Master Shifter (he repaired the passages in the mine, probably Easington), and we know that he learned to read very late in life. His second wife, Jane, is remembered as having become blind, and that her own mother drowned. She is thought to be the very young-looking lass in the photo above, which was clearly marked William & Jane Sennett.

Actually, there is more than a little confusion over the name of William's second wife! She is remembered in the family history as Jane. In a cousin's family though, her name is remembered as Mary.
The 1901 & 1911 Census, however, records his wife as Anne (born 1866, Trimdon), and the 1892 birth certificate for our James Sennett records his mother's name as Emily. Their 1887 marriage record gives her name as Emily.
Some of these names could be the results of mistakes in the records, but also Jane could simply have used several different names. Or William was a bit of a Ladies' Man!

*******

I do also have a theory that the names on the photo are correct, but we are looking at folk from a generation above.
We know that the Irishman William Sinnett had a child (our William, 1858) by a Jane Sinnett (nee McVene). Perhaps this was them instead, not the generation below as we assumed?? They look too young for the technology, though?

I looked up the Photographer, named on the bottom of the image (Bacon & Johnson) - this site has the information. They operated in South St. Bishop Auckland, certainly in the years 1879 & 1884 (and perhaps later) but are not thought to have been formed earlier than that. I want to scour some trade directories to be sure (amazing how early a photographer could be found in Bishop! Photo cards like this would have been made right back into the early 1860's, but the styles point us to a later date in this case.)

My William Senior would have been in his late 40's in 1880, and his wife Jane died in 1864, we now know. Judging by the ages of the couple in the photo, I think it must be the younger William, and his wife's name has been mis-recorded again. I reckon the photo was taken in the late 1880's, or the 1890's.
But I'm still open to persuasion on this!
More on photographers here, on early photography here (Thanks Elliot, it is interesting) and more on dating your olde photos here.

*******

The 1891 Census return
The family of William Sennett, (son of William Sennett) was recorded at 21, King St., Witton Park (Escomb).
William Sennett (33, miner) and his second wife, Emily (26).
John W. Sennett (12); Jane A. Sennett (9); Deborah (4); Harry (2); John Sennett (Miner, 16, son of James Sennett? - recorded as a brother);
and Elizabeth A. Fleming (domestic).

The 1901 Census return of Byers Green.
William Sennett, 42, (born Tottingham, Coal Miner Hewer)
Anne Sennett, 35, born Trimdon {It is quite clearly written Anne, not Jane, not Emily.}
with children Deborah, 14; Henry; James, (9) {My Ancestor}; Isabella; William; Joseph; and Mary Jane.

See the following links to pages for old photos of these towns: of Sunnybrow and Willington, (and also the Frances Frith site), and of Byers Green.

Thanks (once more!) to Heather for the tip - 'Tottingham' where William was born is most likely Tottenham, near Coundon, Co. Durham. Link here. It seems to be just North of where the industrial zone is now - look for Helmsley Drive/Ambleton Road. Little of the historical landscape survives.

My Gran didn't remember an Uncle Joseph, but she did remember an additional person, Aunty Ann. Presumably was born after Mary Jane, i.e. after 1901? I have not yet found any records to prove she existed!!

&&&&&

More information on the Wearmouth miners' strike of 1869 can be found here.
If you wish to find out more about the Willington area - try the Durham Miners Project site, where you'll see several articles about the pits, schools, shops etc. in Willington.

Also a page here which tells us a little about Irish immigrants in Durham from 1840. Another such article is to be found in the Durham Memories series of the Northern Echo.
Photos can be seen here.

NB: there are lots of other Willingtons, e.g. in Bedfordshire & Derbyshire. I'm talking here about Willington, Co. Durham.

William Sennett (1858) - birth certificate

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William Sennett was the father of my Great Grandfather James Sennett. Both man were miners in Co. Durham, in the Auckland/Willington area. Read more about his complicated adult life in the next post.

I have a copy of William's birth certificate now, which has told me that he was born on October 26th, in 1858, at Tottenham just SE of Coundon.

His father was a miner, too - named William Sennett
(the spelling is very clearly written). His mother's name is not so clear. Her current name is clear enough as Jane Sennett. Then it says " late Hope, formerly Mc**ene". I can't read it at all - glad for any suggestions.

McIrene? McLene?

This is standard wording on these registers for the fact that Jane Sennett was born as Jane Mc**ene (whatever that was), and was married once before to the late Mr. Hope (or previously had the name Jane Hope for some other reason, eg. change of name when her mother remarried).

Here's a picture of the copy - click on it to see what you think!

It may well be McVene, but that doesn't help me to find her in any records!!! It seems from the 1861 Census Records that Jane was born in Ireland... so perhaps Jane's earlier life was spent in Ireland, hence the lack of records.

P.S: I have looked for records of a marriage between Jane Mc**ne and Mr. Hope, (no joy) and for a death record for Mr Hope (too many to choose from, of course). Next step will be to have a look for the Hope couple in the 1851 Census, and 'hope' they were not living in Ireland as Irish records were lost.

PPS: Elliot struck gold when he found a record in 1857 in Belfast for their marriage - Jane Hope & James Sinnett. Jane's father is named as a McIlwaine. See Sennett Elders post for more on this.
Soo... that 'V' seems to be an 'Il'!!

Tottenham and Coundon, County Durham

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I found Tottenham listed as the birthplace of an ancestor, William Sennett. It was actually transcribed from the forms as 'Tottingham', but is thought to be Tottenham.
I'd not heard of it before!

Thanks (once more!) to Heather for the tip - Tottenham was near Coundon, Co. Durham. Link here first gave her the tip.

Old maps show us that it was an area SE of Coundon, now simply part of Coundon. It seems to be just North of where the industrial zone is now - look for Helmsley Drive/Ambleton Road. Little of the historical landscape survives.

The maps below are very interesting. I have shamelessly clipped them from the excellent resource on mapping in County Durham (GIS). I find this is the only way I can describe the area I'm talking about - there were no postcodes to zip into Streetmap then! To get the full gist of the area, I'm sure you'll want to visit the site yourself - visit here and launch the GIS, then zoom in on the area East of Bishop Auckland to find Coundon. Perhaps the OS map would also be useful?

Latest - found a good historical map feature on the British History Online site, and here is the Tottenham area from 1859 - much easier to provide a link!

On this first map (dated 2004), you can see Collingwood St. running East-West through the map. Helmsley Drive is highlighted yellow.

Compare that with this map from the period circa 1856-1865.

You'll see there the site of a Limestone Quarry, which on later maps is shown as "Old Quarry" - and on the 1861 Census return the housing which accomodated our Sennett family was named "6, Quarry Houses". In modern times that would be approximately the site of Helmsley Drive, eh?
I can't be definitive, though as there a few quarries in the immediate area - e.g. to the East aswell.
The Durham County GIS features the street names in maps of later dates - they are (North to South) Tyne, Esk, Wye, Tees and Eden Terraces. The terraces seem to have been finally demolished in the 1960's.

Another place online which I find useful to see old maps is the Durham Miners Museum. See this page and you can see all the main collieries.
Another map shows us the lines for rails, waggonways, as well as pit shafts.
Other old maps of Durham - here or here.

From Cuna Don to Coundon Now
I've been passed some great pages of information about Coundon's heritage, from the book "From Cuna Don to Coundon Now" (read about it in this pdf document, on page 11). I'll share more later on the Housing, the mines, and on the churches; but for now just to say that I was grateful to receive it!

William Sennett (1858) - marriage and children

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William Sennett was my great-grandfather, through his middle son James Sennett.

William Sennett was born near Coundon in 1858 (click on to read more about his parents & siblings, or to read more about his birth certificate.)
If you aren't familiar with the towns of Co. Durham, try out my Google Map for this family. I wanted to get some things straight in my head!

William was brought up by James & Margaret Sennett of Willington (1871 census) and became a miner. Certainly at the age of 12 he worked down a mine.
He married Deborah Smurthwaite in 1877, and they lived at 33 Albert St., Willington (St. Stephen parish)

1881 Census {not 1891 as I wrote previously}
All of the household were born in Willington, Durham
William Sennett, (aged 23) Miner,
Deborah Sennett, (aged 22) wife,
son, John (Jack, aged 2 - so born ~1879)
also Lodger John Smurthwait (60, Miner, married) and young Eliza Smurthwait (12)

The folk described as Lodgers here were actually in-laws, which was not an uncommon error.

Heather (Deborah Smurthwaite's relative, a contact I met through GenesReunited) has confirmed for us that William's first wife did die tragically young (24) in 1882. So that would be just after the 1881 census was taken, when her son John was 3.

********

Our Marra Heather has been looking into this family branch in the last week or two, and has come up with the following. Well, I helped a little bit, but not much!
Thankyou Sherlock Heather ;-)

Deborah Smurthwaite was from a family of 8 children (7 daughters & 1 son!) in the Auckland area of Co. Durham - she was born in 1859. After her marriage to miner, William Sinnett (1877) they lived in Byers Green and are seen in the 1881 census with a toddler John (the Jack my Gran remembered) - details shown above. We think they had John W. Sennett (1878), and Jane Ann Sennett (1881), but shortly after Jane's birth, Deborah is recorded (July 1882) as having died of Phthisis Pulmonaris = TB. She was only 24.
William was present at her death, and she was at Hunwick Lane Ends - photos of the area are found here.
{See this link on medical terms to find Phthisis (pronounced 'Tysis'). In an 1857 text, TB is addressed thus; "How many young mothers hast thou laid in an early tomb?". }

There are also records in Durham for the birth and death of two babies: Jane Sinnett (1877) and James Sennett (1882) - but we aren't sure yet whether these were William & Deborah's children (they could be a cousin's). {Well - now we know that James can't have been Deborah's child, as she died before he was born.}

*****

You can read more about their son Jack's later life by clicking here.

William remarried in 1883
The next thing we see of widowed William Sennet is in the Auckland Registry of marriages in 1883, when he marries a lass called Emily McGuire - we presume this is the young lass seen in the photo (on post named Sennett Elders).
In the 1891 Census he is found living in Witton Park, Co. Durham with his second wife Emily Sennet. (Details below, and also details & later photos on this page.)

Well, I say "his wife Emily". Perhaps it's a mistake in the transcription of the 1901 Census, but there she is named as Ann. The birth certificate of my ancestor James Sennett definitely gives us the name of Emily Sennett (nee McGuire) as his mother. 'Ann' was born 1866 in Trimdon, according to her entry in the 1901 census. The 1911 census tells us that William & Ann had been married for 28 years, which does date their wedding to 1883.

Heather found Emily McGuire with her parents Joseph and Ellen (transcribed McQuinn) in the 1871 Census - born 1866 and in Trimdon. We think this is too much a coincidence for her not to be 'Ann'. Women often choose to use an alternate name (middle name?) after they have been away from their parents a while. How could we prove it...clues anyone?

{A minor clue arrives in the form of her grandchild - Harry's child was given the middle name of McGuire although it was transcribed as McQuire, and could instead be connected to the mother's family...}

Her parents, Joseph and Ellen McGuire were both born in Cumberland. Emily McGuire has a brother William McGuire, and in 1891 he is found as a lodger in the household of Deborah Smurthwaite's sister, Maria Cowens. {Wow, great detective work there from Heather (Sherlock Holmes)!}

It's a small world. It suggests a way that the newly widowed William could have been introduced to his second wife? We can surmise that Emily knew Deborah before her untimely death.

Haven't yet found entries in the birth & deaths registry for an Emily McGuire/Sennett, although there are several suitable Ann's. Probably, then our Emily was named as Ann when she was born, and perhaps Ann was her Sunday Best name. Some baptismal records are available, and they might help. And then to further complicate matters, in the family we remember our James' Mum was named Jane Sennett.
Did she have a monstrously bad speech impediment? Diabolically bad handwriting? Really bad memory?

Moving round the County, pit to pit:
Details in the later census told us where each child was born, and so we can guess at where the family lived each year. In each town, a colliery was nearby.

Deborah (1887), born Trimdon (But it was usual for a woman to have her first child at her parents' home, so they may not have lived there.)
Henry (1889) born Oakenshaw
James (1891) born Witton Park
Isabella (1893) born Sunnybrow {near Willington}
William (1896) born Spennymoor
Joseph (1898) born Spennymoor
Mary Jane (1900) born Byers Green
Sarah Ann (1905) born Byers Green
The 1911 census also tells us that William & Ann Sennett had 10 children, but that one child had died by 1911. {I'm presuming that William hadn't read the instructions properly and he is also including his 2 children by his first wife... one lived, one died. It was a common error.}

1891 Census
So, William & Deborah's children, John W. (12) & Jane A. (9) are seen in the 1891 census return, counted with William Sennett (33). They are being brought up by him & his second wife Emily (26). Also the couple have their own children, 4 year-old Deborah (sweet of them to name her after his first wife), and 2 year-old Harry.

Heather had to do some clever detective work to find this family in the 1891 census, as they had been noted down as the 'Lennet' family. (Well a curly Victorian S & L can look very similar!) Deborah's name has been transcribed as Dakers Lennet (?!?) - what a way to go down in history??!

They are living at 21, King St. of Witton Park (Escomb parish) - that's where our James was born, just days after this census was taken.
Also in the household there is William's 16 year-old brother John Sennett (Miner, son of James Sennett), and a domestic servant (Elizabeth A Fleming, 15).
In the previous census, a young lass named Elizabeth Fleming was living in Willington with her father who was a Lancashire-born coal miner.

All the other men in the nearby households are Miners, except for one who is a Coke Drawer. The Ironworks and Mines had been the major employers at the time in Witton Park, though the Ironworks closed in the 1880's. (Also a website here about the history of the Witton Park area, and a really clear map of the town as it appeared in 1897: in the middle of this page. See the rows or terraces which are aligned East-West? King St ran East (downhill) from the King's Head Inn. Now all demolished, except for a wee fragment of Queen St. You can view the space which the colliery rows occupied in my photo here:)

Witton Park - view to East

Jane Ann Sennett
Heather looked up their daughter Jane Ann (born 1881/1882) to find out where she lived, who she married etc., but discovered instead that Jane Ann Sennett died very young {death cert found for her in the Auckland district, 1893}. Bless.

*****

The 1901 census

High St., Byers Green. 4 occupied rooms. St. Peter's Parish.
Father - William Sennett, 42, born Tottingham {sic, not in current map}, Co. Durham
Occupation Coal Miner Hewer (Almost all the other men of this street are also Miners.)
Mother - Anne Sennett, 35, born Trimdon {It is quite clearly written Anne, not Jane.}
Deborah, 14, born Trimdon
Henry {Harry}, 12 born Oakenshaw {N of Willington}
James, 9 born Witton Park
Isabella {Bella}, 7 born Sunnybrow {near Willington}
William {Bill}, 5 born Spennymoor
Joseph, 3 born Spennymoor
Mary Jane, 1 born Byers Green

See the following links to pages for old photos of these towns: of Sunnybrow and Willington, (and also the Frances Frith site), and of Byers Green.
Thanks (once more!) to Heather for the tip - 'Tottingham' where William was born is probably Tottenham, near Coundon, Co. Durham. Link here.

You'll note that Gran added on Aunty Ann for us, who presumably was born after Mary Jane, i.e. after 1901? It was a while before I found any records to prove she existed!!

What's next? For details of what we can see in the 1911 census see below, and for further information about William's second wife Anne, James & his siblings, follow the links.

I have a reference to William Sennett from December 1903, which tells me that he was living at 14 Front Street, Byers Green. {on 1903 death cert for his father}

1911 Census - Auckland Area - Thanks Elliot!
I'm grateful to have received a copy of the latest Census page for the household of William Sennett (52) and his Ann (45, born Trimdon). William was working as a Deputy Overman that year. They lived at 10 Old Park Terrace, Byers Green (marked with an arrow on the map shown here - it's just South of Hagg Lane).

The census sheet tells us they married in 1883; their children at home were James (1892, Hewer), Isabella (1894), William (1896, Pony Driver), Joseph (1898, Scholar), Mary Jane (1900), and Sarah Ann (1905).

Old Park Terrace now is a lovely quiet place (see my photos from 2010, below) - but in 1901/1911 it was next to a busy railway junction and colliery. I can't say for sure how much longer they lived there, but we do they were continued to live in the Byers Green area.

Views of the terrace
(east & west)

View from the rear of the terrace:

Byers Green Colliery
The Durham Mining Museum site is an excellent place to research old material about Collieries: www.dmm.org.uk
Also a newly available index of the Durham Miners' Association Archive (Hidden Depths - great name!) Sadly not found anything relating to my family there, but you may have better luck!

I found no references there to William Sennett himself, but at the time when he would have been part of the foremen/overmen team at the Byers Green Pit, there were several accidents recorded (as there were in all the local collieries) - links here for as selection of the details about fatalities in 1905, in 1910, in 1911, and in 1919.

The pit closed in 1931, when William Sennett would have been aged 73.

How long did the couple live?
Family history seems to suggest that William & Ann continued to live in the Byers Green area.
I have two definite references to William Sennett from family certificates in his later life:

Marriage cert of Harry Sennett, 1912 - in which William was described as Foreman Miner.

Marriage cert (#2) of Harry Sennett, 1943 - in which William was described as Retired Colliery Official. (Though the fact that we are not told he has died on that cert does not of itself prove that he was still alive in 1943.)

A search of the index of registered deaths has revealed only one likely match for William Sennett (born 1858) - so, unless he died outside of Co. Durham, I can tell you that William died at the age of 89, in the year 1947.
His second wife seems to have settled on the name Ann in later life, and she died in 1946, aged 80.

This 1842 report has some amazing descriptions of the work done by Overmen, Drivers (page 15), Hewers etc.
Talking of Pit Ponies...let's remember Pip.

Jane, or Ann, or Emily, or Mary Sennett (nee McGuire)

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This post is about a lady who was my great-great-Grandmother. In her later life she seems to have been known as Anne Sennett; earlier records, though, record her name as Emily. Her grandchildren recall(ed) her name as Jane, or Mary. I'm sure she was probably referred to as 'Mam'.

You'll see some more details from this original post on Anne's husband, William Sennett, who was a miner in Coundon & Byers Green, Co. Durham.

Pat sent me several interesting photos which we had I'm very glad to be able to share them with you all here. Pat's husband is descended from Mary Rogers (nee Sennett, younger sister to my Great-Grandfather James Sennett) - and so if you go and visit this page about James' siblings, you'll find a few other new images there.

On the reverse of this image was written "to Mary from Mother".
It seems from the clothing and the round corners that it could be an earlier photo, pre-1900.

Here is a much later photo, dated 1943. We know for sure that this was Anne Sennett, mother to our James and Mary.

In a less formal group image we have, dated around 1940, we can see Ann & her husband Bill visiting my Grandmother's family. (Previously, I'd thought they were James' siblings in the image.)

Here is the earliest photo (below left, and cropped/enlarged on the right) of William Sennett and his wife {already posted elsewhere}. Now when I look at these three images of Willliam's second wife, I don't see a likeness. I wonder, then, if she could be his first wife, Deborah?

^^^^^^^^
And here's an updated version of the family tree image - Spot any errors? (click to enlarge.)

John William (Jack) Sennett

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Our James Sennett had a much older half-brother John (Jack) and sister Jane, whose mother Deborah died when they were very young (see this post for more on that story).

We knew a little about Jack and his family from the records of our Great-Uncle's memories. He recalled Jack as a miner whose wife's name was Nellie. Also that they had many children, including Bob, Russell, Deborah. Three of his sons were bandsmen in the Guards.
An address connected with the family is Whitehill Rd. (perhaps that should have been written as Wheatley Hill, or even Whitton Pk?)

In this section I have had a good deal of help from Ronald, whom we believe is a very distant cousin (as he is related to Nellie/Ellenore's Grandfather, William Gargett, born 1816 in Mickleton, North Yorkshire). He has kindly agreed that we can share in his research, so I have pooled our collective knowledge in this piece. Hopefully, we may come into contact with some of the descendants of John William Sennett (Jack) and his wife Ellenore (Gargett - known as Nellie?).

Nellie
Ronald tells me his Ellenore Gargett was born in 1879 in Butterknowle, Co. Durham. She married John Sennett in Lynesack, in 1900. (I haven't seen any other references to a marriage in the right period and area of anyone named John Sennett, so I'm 90% certain that this couple are the right ones. It should be noted, though, that there is one other family headed by a John Sennett (miner, aged 27, born in Willington) in the Wheatley Hill Census (1901). There, the wife is named Dorothy, born in Fatfield.)

Ellenore was one of 10 children, of parents Thomas & Elisabeth Gargett who lived next-door (at number 6) to where John & Ellenore are recorded by the 1901 Census. Many of Ellenore's ancestors were miners, as was the case in the Sennett family.

Jack
John Sennett was first spotted in the 1881 census return, and a suitable entry in the birth registry has been found for John William Sinnett in the Auckland Durham area in 1878. His mother Deborah died when he was very young, and then he was brought up by his father William & step-mother Emily. He has been seen in the 1891 census, in his father's house at 21 King St., Witton Park. There they are recorded as Senett, but this was transcribed as Lenett in the Ancestry database.

Marriage Certificate
I have the marriage certificate for John W. Sennett and Ellenore Gargett.
It shows they married on February the 17th, 1900 in the parish church of Lynesack, Co. Durham (presume that's St. John the Evangelist).

The groom was John William Sennett, 21, a Miner of The Slack, Butterknowle. His father was William Sennett, a Miner.
The bride was Ellenore Gargett, 21, also of The Slack. Her father was Thomas Gargett, a Miner.

Witnesses were Stephen Dalkin and Elizabeth Alice Gargett {Ronald identifies these folks as relatives of Ellenore - "Elisabeth Alice was Ellenore's younger sister, Stephen Dalkin was the younger brother of her oldest sister's husband".}

This marriage was by Superintendant Registrar's Certificate {rather than after Banns as usual}. There is a site (linked here) which explains a lot of the details you'd expect to find on marriage certificates. It gives several explanations of why a Superintendant Registrar's Certificate would be used. Although there is a possibility that it's because the couple were of differing religions, it could also be that the parich church was too small to have been a suitable place to read the banns. It also states that they are a rare find.

'The Slack', by the way is a small area on the way from Butterknowle to Cockfield. It's where The Stag's Head Pub is now.

Young Married Couple
In the 1901 census John and Ellenore Sennett are listed together at Copley Bent (near The Slack area), Lynesack & Softley , Durham, with a baby girl Jane Ann. John William (22) is a miner (hewer), listed as born Brancepeth {close enough?}. His wife Eleanor seems to be near her family - a household a few doors away are also Gargetts. They are a large household of Ellenore's father Thomas Gargett (57, Coal Miner Lamp Man) and his wife Elizabeth Jane (46, born Barnard Castle); 6 of their children, a grand-daughter and a brother Robert (sadly described as "Weak-minded").

Follow this link to read about the short-lived Copley Bent Colliery, and this link to see Mike Garratt's page on Copley Bent & Butterknowle. Also this nicely-made website about the Butterknowle area (www.teesdalehistory.com), this one from the Durham Miner Project site, and this leaflet PDF which shows a circular walk in the area & points out sites of mines, etc.

Talking of the Gargetts - I found this record of the tragic fatal accident down the Butterknowle Pit (DMM.org.uk);

Gargett, William, 04 Oct 1887, aged 15, Wailer (a boy who had to pick out stones & pyrites from the coal trucks), crushed between coal truck and screens.

Jack & Nellie's children
We already know about Jane Ann Sennett, as she appeared on the 1901 Census.
There are many children listed in the birth index for Co. Durham, including these where it appears their mother's name was Gargett:
1906, Richard Gargett Sennett
1911, Robert H Sennett
1913, John J Sennett
1916, Joseph V Sennett

The 1911 Census (Thanks to Elliot) finds John's larger family for us. We can see John William Sennett (born 1879, Coalminer Hewer) with his wife Eleanor (1879) living in a fairly large house in Copley Lane, Butterknowle. Their children were Jane Ann (1901), Thomas William (1904), Richard Gargett Sennett (1907) and Deborah (1909). These names and dates are roughly confirmed by some records that turned up on FreeBMD, too.

Further on still, we can see a record at the West Durham Registrars of the marriage in 1922 of Jane A. Sennett to Thomas Dunn. The bride could have been Jack & Nellie's eldest child, or one of his step-sisters?!

James' Siblings

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My Grt Grandfather was named James Sennett (more on him here).
His brothers and sisters are discussed in this post...First of all his older step-siblings who were mentioned in the post "Sennett Elders". (That post also introduced the parents; William, Deborah and Emily Sennett.) Then I also introduce James' full siblings.

James' step-brother John (Jack) Sennett
William Sennett was first married to Deborah Smurthwaite, and they had a son John Sennett who was born in County Durham in 1878. We know that he married & had several children, and that he worked as a miner.
Conjecture on the details is available in this other post here, but it's developing nicely!

*****
James' step-sister Jane Ann Sennett
You'll see in an earlier post that there is evidence that John had a full sister, too. Her name (Jane Ann, born around 1881 - the year before her mother died) is recorded in the 1891 Census, but it may be that she died at the age of 13 {it's still to be confirmed that that 1893 death certificate is definitely hers, or what fate befell her}. I know very little about her, as you see!

*****

After the death of John & Jane's mother Deborah, William married Emily. They went on to have the following children, including our James.
It is a lovely point to mention that William & Emily's first child, Deborah, may well have been named for her father's first wife (the late Deborah Smurthwaite) though of course that's just speculation.

James' Sisters - Motorbikers or Mediums?
Deborah (born 1887), Bella (born 1893), Mary (born 1900), Annie (born 1905).
His sisters Bella and Mary were particularly well-remembered as they rode motorcycles! (possibly Aunt Debra, too) I've put all the details I have so far about each lady in the sections below.
Some pictures below of two of them (which? - it's lost in the mists of time) with their leathers on, some classic style from the 1920's and 1930's seen in their hats & shoes. They are remembered "roaring down the village, being fun visitors, and roaring off again!"

Here's a fantastically dramatic shot (for the time!) of several of my Gran's Aunts. You may note that they are labelled as 'possibly Ransons' - but we now think these are the Sennett Aunts. As to which is which...

I've had a great deal of luck recently to make contact with descendants of Mary, Sarah and Deborah Sennett, and they have passed on some more details about James' sisters to me. I'm very grateful to them for all their assistance!

One of my favourite photos Pat sent us was this one, which shows the sisters Belle, Nan, and Peg {Mary} (no Deborah this time). Really not sure what year it was taken, can we guess at Forties?

Deborah Sennett
Deborah Sennett is remembered as a pianist, also a spiritualist. I have a note - perhaps she lived in 'Harrow Mede'?? And she married Joe Richardson... or she married Joe & had a son called Richard??!! I have looked in the marriage records for the Auckland area - Deborah Sennett married Joseph Richardson in 1909. Lovely.
I have made contact with a descendant of hers, thanks again to Genes Reunited. Hello to Carol & Phil!

They tell me that Deborah (1886 - 1968) married Joseph Richardson, a Durham lad born in 1888. He died in 1957, having worked as a miner. After redundancy, he trained to work as a piano teacher.

They married in 1909 and had 3 children, Isabel, Ronald & Denis who were born in the Byers Green area. The 1911 Census shows the couple living on School St., Byers Green, with just young Isabel. Joseph was working as a Hewer.

The children all looked very similar; in fact Isabel has been described as looking like "Denis in a dress", which doesn't sound too flattering! She is also remembered for being terrifically houseproud.

It was interesting to hear from Carol & Phil (Denis' son), who had some new details which they have been generous in sharing with me. Those of you who have read my post on Deborah's parents (her father was the miner William Sennett) will know that there is a lot of confusion over her mother's name. From Carol & Phil we have another suggestion - 'Mary'! That is how Denis remembered his grandmother's name!

I mention elsewhere about the musicianship in the Sennetts - we remembered Deborah as no exception to this, and Carol now tells me that Deborah played the violin. Her husband Joseph taught others to play piano, and their daughter Isabel was also a pianist.

Isabella Sennett

I didn't know much at all about Bella... until relatives of her younger sister Mary got in touch!
Census records tell us that Isabella was born in ~1894, in Sunnybrow. A possible record of her birth registered in the Auckland area, 1896; as Sarah Isabel Sennett. Or - more likely as Isabel Sennett in the Auckland area, 1893. A record exists of the marriage of Sarah I. Sennett, in 1916 to a gent named Richard W. Rutter (Auckland, Co. Durham)... was this her?... No, it seems that was a cousin of hers.

Mary's family remember that Belle had kept a boarding house of some sort up North. She closed it down and moved down to Walsall to be near Mary (known as Peg). Her husband was named Willitts and was a good mechanic. We know that Belle was married to John Willitts before the Autumn of 1919 (they were the witnesses then at her sister's marriage). I haven't found any reference to their marriage in the English records; perhaps there's a mispelling, or perhaps Bella married twice?

Belle and her husband had no children of their own. However, they did adopt a son called Harold as a baby. Here's a lovely photo from the 1964 wedding of Harold Willitts, in which we see Belle on the far right, and Peg (Mary) next to her. (We did wonder if the other ladies here might be the other Sennett sisters, but it seems they were Belle's friends.)

Two further photos here from Harold's wedding - I found the registration in the index: Harold Willits married Kathleen H. Jasper in the Walsall district, 1964. Mary's family remember that Harold did marry a lass named Kath, & they had 2 daughters.

Bella on holiday

Sisters Peg & Belle - adopting their favourite position!

Bella may have been widowed fairly young, we aren't too sure. Then she lived in and around Walsall and Rushall, acting as housekeeper in several addresses. She ended her days in her own house in Rushall.

Mary Jane Sennett

Delightful to have made contact with descendants of Mary Jane (Peg) Sennett; they are Charlotte, Pat, Keith. Hello!!

We knew Mary Sennett as married to Captain "Reginald Rodgerson"??, and that they lived in Easington with son Billy. Austin remembered that Mary was also at one time a spiritualist, or medium.
According to the birth registers, Mary Jane Sennett was born in the Auckland area in 1900.

Mary's family knew her as Peg, of course. They have told me their ancestor was indeed born in 1900, and married a gent named Edward Rogers. They lived in Easington, had a son Bill (Ronald William) & then moved to Walsall.
We know Bill was a redhead; all Peg had ever wanted was "a little boy with red hair and that’s what she got!"

Additionally, Pat has spotted that the Rushall address Harry gives in his wartime marriage to Aunt Jim (Keturah) was also the home of Mary & Edward Rogers. So he was living with his sister - for a while at least! Also, a witness at Harry's marriage was 'M. Rogers' = his sister, of course!

Mary's own wedding, we now know (Thanks to Pat for passing on a copy of the marriage certificate) took place in Hipswell, North Yorkshire (near Catterick Garrison) in the Autumn of 1919. Edward Barber Rogers gave his age as 36 then (although we know he was born in 1878), and Mary was aged 21 (except she was actually 19 - so quite a big age gap). Edward was a Warrant Officer at Scotton Camp, and Mary was living at Colburn.

{Scotton Camp, Catterick was one of four command depots established in or after 1916 for the rehabilitative training of soldiers too fit for the army's convalescent camps but not yet fit enough to be returned to unit. It had a capacity for 100 officers and 5000 men from Western Command.}

Witnesses to Mary's marriage were Belle & John Wilitts, Mary's sister & brother-in-law.

Here is a photo of them from about the late 1930's - son Bill, Peg, husband Edward (Reg) and dog. And of course, if you look at several of the photos in Bella's section above, you will also see Peg!

Sarah Annie Sennett
We remember that the youngest sibling, Annie, was a motorbike rider who emigrated to New Zealand with husband, Isaac Barker (ex-waggonway man of Easington). They had 2 daughters and a son. We also have a half-remembered, tragic tale about a man who died on a ferry from NZ to Australia; but really not sure exactly WHO that was.

Carol & Phil (Deborah's family) remember "Annie Sennett (born ~1900?) - name of husband not known, but three children are roughly remembered. Connie & Joan were born in the Twenties in Co. Durham, whilst Roger was born in c.1935 in New Zealand."

Keith (Mary's grandson) remembers that Roger was born in London before emigrating (with his parents) to NZ in the 1960's where Connie and Joan were already settled.

The 1911 census and the birth registration index tell us that William's youngest child was Sarah Ann Sennett, born 1905, in the Auckland area. From the marriage registry indices, we see a Sarah A. Sennett marrying an Isaac Barker in the Easington area, in 1922. Seems to be her.

I looked on FreeBMD and found no Roger Barker born ~1935, with mother's name Sennett. In London or otherwise. But there was a John R. Barker, born 1941. All the children born to Barker & Sennett listed on FreeBMD were Constance L Barker (1922, Easington), Joan K Barker (1925, Easington), and John R. Barker (1941, Hendon).

So that fits well with what we know between us!
{Young Roger himself has been in touch recently, and confirms these details for us! Helloo Roger!}

Also, now have found the Passenger Lists for a journey from London to New Zealand in July 1958. Isaac Barker (born 1898), Ann Barker (born 1904) and John P. Barker (born 1941, single - I guess that P should be an R) were passengers bound for Auckland. They sailed on the RMS Rangitane (but not this one!) and you can read more about the NZ Shipping Company: here on the Ship's List.
The image supplied on FindMyPast tells us some more personal information about the passengers - we can read that Ann was born on 26/11/1904, and that her husband Isaac (born 1898) was a Shop Manager at the time of the journey. They gave their address as c/o her sister Mary Rogers in Rushall.

Well! Bishop Auckland, County Durham, to Auckland, New Zealand - what a hop!

Here's a lovely photo of Sarah Ann! (Generally she was known as Nan.)

Spiritualists
Several of James' sisters have been remembered as being 'mediums' or practising 'spiritualists' - something that would have seemed very exotic (or shocking?!) to the Catholics in the Fitzpatrick family then. I have tried here to list some links to contemporary Spiritualism: an online scrapbook on Spiritualism in Australia, a few books recommended here, and a brief history here, or try the Wikipedia page. Anyone seen anything better?

I can't help but think of the film Blithe Spirit!

Musicians
The Sennett family are also remembered for their music - from Bill the father through many of the children and indeed down to several of their descendants such as (even just on our side) Austin and even more so his brother Jack {sorry no page yet}... and a few contemporaries of mine who I won't name to spare blushes! (I don't include myself in that list, my Grade V Clarinet is very out-of-date!!)

So all in all they seem to have been a very interesting and lively bunch of characters - I often think I would like to travel back and see what they were like when they all got together for Christmas etc!!

We'd love to hear more about these sisters. Any more of their descendants out there?

James' Brothers: Harry, Bill, Joe
Henry Sennett
Harry was born in 1889, married 3 times and had (we believe) 3 children. More details are given about Harry on another Trunk Calls post; click here.
Here's a photo which Mary's family had found in their albums, but with no name - happy to have been able to introduce Harry Sennett!

William Sennett (Junior)
Billy was born in 1896, and we know from the 1911 Census that he worked as a Pony Driver down the mine at the age of 15. He married Gertrude (Gertie) Gates (in 1920; Auckland district) and lived in Willington. They had 3 bairns: Trevor, and 2 girls Joan (spinster) & Joyce, a bus conductress. Trevor is known to have been a Squadron Leader (Surrey??) flying Sunderland flying boats. He was a barrister/solicitor as a civilian.

Uncle Bill is remembered for his driving, despite suffering from Parkinson's in the 1960's (?). It seems he died in 1972.

Joseph Sennett
Joe was born in 1898, and was known to have died after an accident in the Easington Pit in the 1920's.
Old pictures of the Easington Colliery area here, on the Frances Frith site.
A list of fatalities on DMM.org.uk gives these details:

"Sennett, Joseph, 31 Aug 1921, (accident: 10 Aug 1921), aged 23, Stoneman, Injury to spine"

So his accident was on the 10th and he died on the 31st of August. The site also explains that a Stoneman cuts stone below ground, rather than coal (i.e. to create tunnels), and that in 1921 the Easington pit employed 2683 people.
He is remembered as a violinist.

Pat was able to send me this lovely precious image of Joe from his short, busy life - a formal studio shot - he looks about 19-21 years old? Mary Jane was Joe's younger sister, and this photo of Joe has long been treasured by her family.

A record in the Easington Registrars office tells us that a Joseph Sennett married an Annie Welsh in 1918. Also parish records exist in Easington for this marriage, and for the birth of a Joseph Derreal Sennett in 1918 (father Joseph, mother's name Annie Welsh), and for the burial of Joseph Sennett (born ~1898) in 1921.

In 1920, Joe Sennett won a race at the well-known Powderhall Sprint races (in Edinburgh since 1870). We don't know more about it, though - sadly no archives found that go back that far (except this one where the Roll of Honour lists one winner for each year - no mention of our Joe). So he may well have taken part, but we can't confirm in which race, or where he was placed.

A photo here shows us what the Edinburgh Powderhall area is used for now!
A page linked here about a Powderhall race winner from Dalkeith, and another from Canada.
A page about the Powderhall Races in the South Wales Valleys;

"The ‘Foot Events’ at Glais were all over 100 yards and were for professional and semi-professional athletes competing in so-called “Powderhall Sprints” for prize money. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the inhabitants of all industrial areas in Great Britain were obsessed with organised sport. Boxing and foot-racing sports attracted big money gamblers and nationwide thousands of spectators attended displays of ‘Pedestrianism’ as professional running and walking was then known.
The Welsh valleys produced a surprising number of professional and semi-professional runners and as the races were handicapped to ensure close finishes betting coups and malpractice were not unknown. At Glais, most of the athletes competing for a first prize of £15 were local but competitors came from as far away as Llanelli, Caerphilly, Cardiff and even Gloucester. I don’t know exactly what the average weekly wage was in 1920 but I’d guess £15 was more than most people earned in a month."

After his fatal accident, Joe left a wife Annie, daughter Josie and son Derek Sennett (also known as Mac). Annie trained as a nurse (Queen's nurse or district nurse), perhaps living in Ashby de la Zouche. Young Josie was well-known to our family as she came to live with James Sennett for several years. She later married a Ted Bradley and had two girls, Marie & Catherine, living in Coalville. Some photos in this post.

I think this post is much better than it was, but it still has lots of question marks!! I'd be very grateful if anyone can help me. Thanks to all those who have so far!

Sennett One-Name Study

A fascinating One-Name Study of all the Sennetts is beginning - not just the Durham Sennetts, though! There were also Sennetts in Ireland, Cornwall, Stretham, Yorkshire and Hampshire. If you'd like to know more, please get in touch with the main researcher (not me!!!), using the email address sennett@one-name.org

James Sennett

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Jim Sennett (1891 - 1958)
Jim and Lady the Great Dane.

My Great Grandfather, then was James Sennett. The prayer on his funeral card seems suited to our task here:

"We have loved him in life, let us not forget him in death."

He was a devout Catholic, though not born as one. He converted to Catholicism prior to his marriage with Lizzie Fitzpatrick at St Charles RC church in Tudhoe, Co. Durham.

We actually know rather little about our James. We know that he was born in Co. Durham, in around 1892 (we know he was 9 years old at the time of the 1901 census). He worked as a miner (which pits exactly, I don't know). In 1913, Jim married Lizzie Fitzpatrick of Tudhoe and they lived, at first, at the Willis' farm down at Tudhoe Mill. Later they moved to a small house in Tudhoe Village.

He was very physically fit, which made his last few years especially hard, I would guess - he was ill with poor lungs due to his work in the mines. He died 27th January 1958, aged 66. He is remembered as an older man, "pretty housebound with the dread miner's disease. Actually, I never thought of him as ill because he always had time for us and was good company as he sat quietly peeling tons of spuds in a bucket from his seat by the fireside."

See this post to find out more about his wife Lizzie, here for a post on his parents and siblings, and here for posts on his children, Austin, Jack and Mary (I'm descended from Mary).

James' father was the miner William Sennett, and his mother was William's second wife - we think her name was perhaps Jane, or Ann. He had an older half-brother, and 7 other brothers and sisters. He was brought up in the Coundon/ Willington area of Co. Durham - in the 1901 census it is recorded that he was born in Witton Park, but living in Byers Green then.

***LATEST***
I now have seen James' birth certificate, and it tells the following:
Born April 8th, 1891, at 21, King St., Witton Park (link here for pages about the village; map linked here - although King St is no longer there, only the Queen St survives) and his father was the Coal miner William Sennett. He has made his mark, rather than signing his name.

Confusion reigns, however, when we find his Mother's name is Emily Sennett nee McGUIRE (although that's not very clear, I could be wrong there. Some records suggest she was a McQuire). Well, I'll be! I wanted clarity, and all I have here is mud. Need to delve into the records a bit more there.

It immediately raises the question of whether we truly have our James in this birth certificate. In all the indices I have seen (i.e. lists of those born in 1890-93), there is only one James Sennett who seems right, but now I need to take time to check out the others - James Dudley Sinnett born Haverfordwest in 1890 (too early) and James Sinnet born Tynemouth, 1891. I tend to believe the first choice is the right one, however, as it is backed up by the details of James' birth given in the 1901 Census (i.e. Witton Park).

Also - now found records of the marriage of William Sennet & Emily McGuire in the Auckland area, in the September quarter of 1883. Look to the post Sennett Elders for more on James' parents.

In the photo below, Jim is thought to be 21 years old. Or maybe it was taken in 1921. But he looks far too young for that!!

Kind of ethereal, this one.
Next, here's a lovely photo, they have dressed up SO smartly to visit the studio for this one! It was taken in the 1918...perhaps that's what people did when the war ended??
Left to Right: Jack (aged 18 months), James Sennett, Austin (aged 4) and Lizzie. My Gran arrived a few years later.

The photo on the right shows (left to right) our Mary Sennett, with her parents Lizzie and James Sennett. You're all leaning slightly to the left now?
I'm guessing this would be the year 1934 - so that Mary would be about 11, starting school. Then Lizzie here would be aged about 46, James around 43?

Can we make an educated guess about which pit James would have worked in? Listed below are the nearest pits to his home. (Details from Dmm.org.uk - a link here to a complete list of coal mines in Durham in the year 1914, and then a link here for a large list of all the mines within 5 miles of the Tudhoe Grange Colliery)

Brandon
Brancepeth
Byers Green, Spennymoor
Croxdale
Chilton pit, Ferryhill
Dean & Chapter pit, Ferryhill
Fishburn, Ferryhill
Spennymoor
Tudhoe Colliery
Tudhoe Grange Colliery
Hunwick pit, Willington

Hmm, perhaps a guess is out of the question, then...!

I hope to be able to add more to this page - do help out if you can?!

Henry Sennett page 1 (Beginnings and Marriage to Kit)

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Henry Sennett (1889 - 1965)

Harry was born in 1889, married 3 times and had (we believe) 3 children.

Harry was the older brother of James Sennett, who married Lizzie Fitzpatrick (my Grandma's parents). Harry & James came from the Byers Green area of Co. Durham. More here on their parents and other siblings.
Before we get into this post, I'll warn you that Harry's life got detailed, and that means this is pretty long. One day I'll get round to splitting this up tidily to 3 separate posts, one for each wife... probably. But for now, email me if you have any queries, OK?

Click here to read a little about our Harry's success as an Operatic Tenor.

Early Life - brought up in Co. Durham.
Harry was born in Oakenshaw, Co. Durham in 1889. Not surprisingly for the family of a Miner, they moved around the Willington area several times. At the time of the 1891 Census, for example, the family are living at Witton park, while later birth entries for his siblings show us that they lived at Sunnybrow, Spennymoor and (by 1901) Byers Green. His father settled to a high-up job down the Byers Green pit by the time Harry was an adult.

The census of 1911 tells us that Harry became a Male Nurse with the Royal Navy at the former Royal Engineers' Barracks (St Mary's) of Medway, Kent. He was described as a Sick-Berth Attendant.
Information from online sources about this work can be viewed here: from summer 1911 - changes afoot to improve the service - increased provision due to the newest Naval Hospital at Chatham, and increased training period to 12 months - where we read that Harry's uniform was a white tunic & trousers and his pay was 1s 9d, perhaps with an extra 6d per day allowance if working on a zymotic ward (infectious fevers).
Also more of the King's regulations from 1913, copied here in detail.
The Wiki-page on Naval medical assistants introduces the older term Loblolly Boy.

Info here on Rootschat forum about the work of male nurses then.
Story by a male nurse (from WW II): here.

I have also seen a copy of Harry's marriage cert from 1912, from which I know that he worked as a male nurse in Chatham, for the Royal Navy.

Harry's first Marriage

His first wife was known as Kit (we think!) and he had perhaps 3 children in that marriage. We presume this was in the West Midlands - we know he lived in Solihull as a young man.

The Ancestry site yields only two Sennett men marrying in the right sort of time -

Henry Sennett marries Kate L Gardner in 1912, in the Warwick area. (Seems to be the right one.) Our Harry would have been aged just 23. (N.B. in the 1911 census of Aston, a Kate Gardner is aged 22)

Harry H Sennett marries Hilda E. Cooper in 1917, Kings Norton, Staffs.

The facts aren't known for sure about how this marriage came to an end. Recently, though, I found a reference to people of the right names filing for judicial separation in 1936 (I looked in The National Archives, held at Kew...Divorce Court File: 967. Appellant: Kate Lucy Sennett. Respondent: Henry Sennett. Type: Wife's petition for judicial separation [wjs]). This would've been just before the Divorce Reform Act, 1937.

The court papers held there begin with a copy of the 1912 marriage certificate, which helps confirm that this is our Harry. (Father of the Groom was a foreman Miner, William Sennett.) Harry is given as a 23 year-old Male Nurse (Royal Navy) at Chatham {see also a photo here, and records here}, whilst the bride Kate Lucy Gardner (22) was given as a School Mistress, of 102 Queen St., Leamington Priors, Warwick. (A town now known as Royal Leamington Spa.)
The wedding took place at St. Paul's church in that town. It was June 1912, and we know their first child (John) was born in July 1912.
The bride's father is given as Frederick Gardner, a painter. Other family of the bride were witnesses: Frederick Gardner and Alice May Gardner.
{1901 Census shows us that Kate L Gardner lived at Leamington and was born in ~1890 in Leamington. The 1911 Census tells us that Kate Gardner was aged 22, living in Aston with her family.}

The court papers go on to give details of three children of this couple:
John Frederick Sennett, born July 1912
Joan Gardner Sennett, born December 1917
Kathlyn McQuire Sennett, born 1921. {Has she been given her paternal Gran's maiden name, McGuire?}

Named in the Proceedings
The papers also say that they lived at 20 Cranbrook Rd., Handsworth (a leafy avenue), and that in June 1936 Harry moved out to live at 511 Coventry Rd, Small Heath, Birmingham, with a widow named Trehearn (first name seems to have been obscured). The lady Trehearn is named in the proceedings.
After much to-ing & fro-ing about alimony & appeals, Kate was granted a Judicial Separation in 1937, with alimony settled at £140 per annum in 1938. {Using the calculator on this page, we see that's the equivalent of ~£7000 in 2008.}

Of Harry's children, we remember; Jack, and two girls. The girls later married; one to the Director of the Austin Motor works (links here to Wiki and a council history site); another to someone from Jacobs Tailor shops (?) and had a son, Jack. Who knows if any of this will ever turn out to be correct?!

In the Warwick area, there are records of the births of just two Sennett children (mother's maiden name, Gardner): John F W Sennett in 1912; and then Joan G Sennett in 1918.
I went back again to FreeBMD (they are continually adding new records) and found Kathlyn M. Sennett (mother's name Gardener), born in 1921, West Bromwich district.

FreeBMD also lists marriages:- there is a possibility of a hit for his middle child, as we see in 1938, Joan P.G. Sennett marries Rex Hancock in the Bromsgrove district. (No other likely hits.)
A possible hit for the marriage of the eldest child, John - in Hinckley, 1946, a John W. Sennett married Marjorie I. Worth. (No hits for a John F. W. Sennett.)
And finally, only one match for a marriage of Kathleen Sennett - in Hull in 1949, to Noel A.F. Jubb. (Jubb...Jacob...?)

Harry's work
His day job was as a dole officer, and then later as a higher grade in the Social Security Office of Jesmond (written down in old notes as 'Director of N.S. Security'??!!).
The 1936 Sennett vs Sennett separation papers tell us that Harry's job was as a 3rd Class Officer in the Ministry of Labour.
The Hancock biography {see below} gives Harry as a retired CEO of the Ministry of Pensions (in 1960). So we believe he lived in the Midlands - left his first wife Kit - then met Jim, and moved back to the North East (Jesmond?) when Jim retired.)

There is a database online for the Civil Service Records, but only 2% of records were kept, and our Harry was not one of the lucky ones.

Harry's Second Wife: Kunzle Cakes and the Showman.

Harry met Katura Treherne in the Midlands {see below for her true name}. After Harry's separation they lived together in Birmingham & then Jesmond. Katura was her Sunday Best name, but she was known in the family as Aunt 'Jim'. A note on the back of her photo tells us that she was "nee Treherne". I really don't know if Jim was short for Jemima, etc., but I suspect it was a pet name as she had such an unpronounceable/unusual given name. Katura's a pretty rare name; it comes from the Hebrew for incense (link to my source here).
We were told her father was a Silversmith, in the Midlands.

From the separation papers for Harry & Kate Sennett, we know that (Keturah) Trehearn was a widow - but I can only presume that her maiden name was Trehearn.
{There is a marriage record from 1928, in the Worcester district between Joyce K Treherne and William T. SUFF. But if he died before 1936, the record for it has not yet been transcribed on FreeBMD. A Joyce Kathleen Treherne was born in 1900 in the Newent district, which borders Worcestershire.
A lady named Joyce could have been known as "Jim"?? - Yes, I know Jemima is much more likely and I'm clutching at straws!}

**LATEST**
511 Coventry Road (where Harry & Katura lived) is now a part of a vehicle hire company?? But I don't see it when I look on Google Street View.

Ah! This was exciting, to turn up this little snippet from the papers!
Thanks to the London Gazette searchable archives, I found an announcement by Keturah of her change of name by deed poll. It's from the paper dated 24th June 1938, so just after his separation was granted.

"I FLORENCE KETURAH SENNETT of 511, Coventry Road, Birmingham in the county of Warwick Widow of no occupation a natural born British subject, heretofore called and known by the name of Florence Keturah Trehearn hereby give notice that I have renounced and abandoned the name of Florence Keturah Trehearn and that I have assumed and intend henceforth on all occasions whatsoever and at all times to sign and use and to be called and known by the name of Florence Keturah Sennett."

So now that I have a good idea of the correct spelling of her name, I can search for other records about her. Keturah, Katurah - it is still a hebrew name meaning incense.
So far - Goggle has brought up this page of MI's from a church in Erdington, Warwickshire. Keturah is on page 90, along with a Percy Edward Trehearn. And a Florence Trehearn of Erdington in the census of year 1901 (but as she was then aged 34 - she can't be our Keturah).

Following on from the discovery that Keturah's first name was Florence, I was able to dig up some dates for her online - not seen all the certificates themselves, so I am assuming they are her at this stage.

Marriage cert for Florence Trehern: there are two possibilities - one in Barnet in 1911, one in South Stoneham in 1900. (There are none recorded in Warwickshire.)

(Her second marriage to Harry) - Marriage cert for Florence K Sennett & Henry Sennett in Wednesbury, Staffs, winter 1943.
Coincidentally in the same year, 1943, Kate L. Sennett died - in Birmingham, aged 57.

Now I have this 1943 certificate & it tells me that the bride's father was a Silversmith, Alfred Eagles. So Florence Keturah Eagles married a Treherne, was widowed, and then met & married our Harry.

Knowing this helped me find a reference on FreeBMD for her 1921 marriage to Percy E. Trehearn, in the Burton-on-Trent area. Ancestry further provided me with their ages (him 36, her 24) and their fathers' names (Harry Trehearn & Alfred Eagles), and that they married on the 19th October, 1921.

Presumably, then - he died between 1921 & 1936??

Indeed, I found him in the year 1929, Birmingham North district, died aged 40.
The info source Ancestry has a wills index in which we can read about poor young Percy:
{Many Thanks to Elliot for digging up this treasure!}

So, from that snippet we learn that he died in a Birmingham Hospital, in March 1929, and that he had left a will naming his wife although he was only 40. We see the address of No 511 confirmed again, and we are fascinated to read the amount of his estate (effects, not property) given as £1930 1s. 1d.
Measuring Worth.com helps us to calculate that amount of money in 1929 to be roughly equivalent to £90,000 in 2008, which helps to explain how Keturah came to be well-off!

In the Trade Directories (olde Yellowe Pages) for the Warwickshire area in 1912 I found a Treherne family business which seems to fit nicely:
Trehearn, P.E. & Co - baker's sundriesmen, at 511 Coventry Rd, Warks.

- Talking of which, Google Street View lets us see the area very clearly, but doesn't let us see which house is 511. Here (image above) is a shot of 510a from a letting agency - next door is the one I think is 511. It is a pair to this one, named Victoria House, you'll see the name on that balcony on the top floor. I imagine it looked very smart in it's day.

The 1943 marriage cert also tells me that Harry & Keturah lived in Rushall, at 18 Station Road (Walsall). This address was the home of Harry's sister Mary at that time, I'm assured by her family. {Thanks, Pat!}
Harry's father William was confirmed as still alive, and a retired Colliery Official. Harry himself gives his occupation as Civil Servant in the Ministry of Labour. The witnesses were E. Eagles (a relative of Keturah?) and M. Rogers (Harry's sister Mary).

Since Harry lived in Rushall and worked for the Ministry of Labour, I wonder if he enjoyed the pleasure of this Ministry of Labour office in Bloxwich - it was converted from a Music Hall in 1941. During WW II, the Ministry of Labour dealt with National Service and deployment of reserved occupations, as well as the peace-time Labour Exchange duties.

Eagles family in the Census
A likely match in the 1901 Census for our Florence is a 4yr old living alone with her mother (not widowed) - Keturah Eagles. So her father was away for the night, perhaps a man named Alfred Eagles who working in the potteries?
Alfred Eagles married Keturah Elizabeth Howl in 1896 in the Aston district. Their only child Florence Keturah Eagles was born in Birmingham in the last Q of 1897.

In the 1911 Census, Alfred Eagles (born 1871) was recorded living in a large house at 170 Cheshire Road, Smethwick (Worcestershire) - with Keturah Eagles (born 1872, Wolverhampton), and their child Florence Eagles (aged 13). The extra data in the 1911 form tells us that the couple had been married 14 years (fits with the year 1896) and had had only one child.
Alfred is described as a Stamper, working in the Silversmith industry. He must have been fairly well-paid, as the family of 3 lived in a house of 6 rooms.

Alfred Eagles died aged 51 in the Kings Norton district, in 1922. Keturah Eagles I haven't found in later records - perhaps her name changed, or was badly misspelled.

Percy Trehearn in the Census
In the 1901 census, a 12 year old Percy Trehearn was in his father's house (above the shop) - at 222 High St., Erdington - his father Harry Trehearn (36) managed a Boot shop. His mother's name was Florence {Harry & Florence!!}, and there is a Stafford connection there - both her sons were born in Burton-on-Trent. {RG13/2875/page 9}
Percy appeared in the 1911 Census, aged 22, living in Kings Norton, Worcestershire.

Florence Keturah Eagles, then, was born in Birmingham in 1897 to a silver-worker Alfred Eagles & Keturah Elizabeth Howl...

She married her first husband Percy Treherne in 1921.
Her father died in 1922. Her husband died in March 1929, leaving her almost £2000.

In 1937 she was named in the separation proceedings of Harry Sennett, and then she changed her name by Deed Poll to Sennett in 1938 (so they could live together, presumably?). They finally married in 1943 in Rushall. By 1946 they were living in the Jesmond area of Newcastle.

Keturah died in the late 1950's.

Keturah's work
Ever heard of Kunzle Cakes, or Lyons Showboat Cakes? [Some links here (that's my favourite one!), here, or here, for more info & pictures.]

Well, Great-Great-Aunt Keturah (Aunt Jim) made & supplied the wrappers! She had her own business, with a factory in Coventry - making wrappings for chocolates - and a major customer was Kunzle cakes. She also imported doilies from Czechoslovakia.
She was 'well off'!

My Grandad said,
'When Uncle Harry came to visit they were always like a race apart from us.' Jim's business was in the Midlands. When Mary and Eric first married (1946) he had to work in Nantwich and lived in digs. When Mary was staying at Jim & Harry's house near Jesmond Dene (Tyneside), Eric enjoyed the rare treat of being able to talk to his new wife, because they had a telephone in the house! When he visited, 'they treated me very well. Had a good meal put on. Mary and Jim were obviously great pals and Mary was well-liked.'

On Ancestry.com, you can actually search through an online database of old phone books. What a fantastic resource, but I wouldn't want to have to sit with a scanner & a vast pile of musty old books! Not so many phone numbers in those days, of course.
Anyway - living in Wales as I do, with our own sensible government - we can access parts of Ancestry.com from the local Library without paying. Marvellous. So I looked up Harry & Keturah, and found these entries in the Newcastle books for 1948 ish.

A. - found H. Sennett in Gosforth in the 1948 & 1949 Phone Book Archive (BT),
Address: 52, Keyes Gardens, GOSFORTH 53402 {which seems to be near the modern-day Jesmond Dene Tennis Club}

B. - found H. Sennett in Gosforth in the 1950, 1951 & 1952 Phone Book Archive (BT)
Address, 13 Wiseton Court, Benton Park Rd, GOSFORTH 53402 (NB kept same number) {Wiseton Court isn't known by Google maps now - but it seems to be near the Catholic school.}

See map linked from here - marked with A & B. The area could be thought of as 'off Jesmond Dene'.
I did find other H. Sennetts - but they are in Midlands, London books. We are fairly happy that this is an entry for our Harry. We have also a record of an address, 29 Matthew Bank in Jesmond, which is right by the Tennis Club, too.

Two photos of Keturah here - (the first was a photo of Keturah with Harry in costume for a production they took part in) - things that make you say Whoah!!

In the second photo; I wonder how old she is, which year? On the back was the tantalising note, Katura, nee Treherne. It seems to be, in fact, that Keturah Treherne was her married name (she was widowed before meeting Harry).

Aunty Jim was a singer, and also a 'wonderful pianist'. Eric remembers, when visiting her at Jesmond, "she brought tears to the eyes as she played the baby grand." She also had a small dog.

When did Keturah die?
Not sure what year Jim died - sometime in the late 1950's? We are told it wasn't a very long gap before Harry had married again (which was 1960).

Death cert in Northern Durham region, 1957 - Florence Sennett, aged ~65 (so born in approx 1892). But note that I also found this entry: Death cert in Bournemouth Hampshire, 1960 - Florence K Sennett, aged ~62. This is too close to Harry's third marriage to match up with memories, but it's not impossible, especially as we know for certain he lived in Bournemouth later on.

My Gran also had a rather spooky photo of Aunt Jim which Harry sent out to all the family ... of his wife Jim in her open coffin! This was not considered normal, by the way.
I'll save you all from that one, unless you beg!! Perhaps it'd be a good Halloween posting. No respect at all, these young uns...

Let the show go on!

Harry's Third Wife

His third marriage was the subject of a bit of interesting detective work - described in this Trunk Calls post; Here's a link to someone famous.

Some time after Aunt Jim died, Harry was married to Lucie Lilian (Lily) Hancock - from 1960 until his death in 1965. Lily was the famous Tony Hancock's mother.

I got hold of the new biography of Tony Hancock by John Fisher, and in it are some interesting details about our Harry & his time with Lilian Hancock. Lily married our Harry soon after the sudden death of her second husband, Mr. Walker: so they were married from September 1960 until Harry died on 15th Jan, 1965.

I have found a ref to their marriage certificate - issued in the Poole district, in Sept 1960 for Lucie L. Walker & Henry Sennett.

They lived in Durban, South Africa from 1963 - returning when he grew sick with a liver problem, haemochromatosis. Tony Hancock had refused to attend their wedding (apparently so that the press would not bother his Mum on her Wedding Day), and also he did not come to Harry's funeral. {Death cert for Henry Sennett, aged 75, was issued in Bournemouth district in 1965.}

Latest finding - an article in the local press (2009) about Mrs Hancock's tragic story; "Lily remarried a third time. Her third husband, Harry Sennett, died in 1965 at a Bournemouth nursing home at the age of 75. "

No mention is made in the Biography of our Harry's singing or character otherwise, but we do learn that he was a retired CEO from the Ministry of Pensions. I have had a good rootle in some BMD records, but found only a few relevant marriage certificates, death records or evidence of maiden names for Harry's wives. His first wife is a particular mystery.
I'll let you know if I do find anything. In the meantime, please help if you can?

And Finally - A Honeymoon Cruise for the Sennetts?
My Mum remembers a postcard from Harry in somewhere exotic like Hawaii - travelling on the SS Oriana, pretty flash! {By the way, take care not to confuse this old P&O/Orient Lines Oriana with the modern-day Oriana cruise ship; they are very different!!}

Also a news clipping from "The Age", Australia, December 1960, can be viewed online {here} and it gushes about the Oriana guests - quoting Mrs. H. Sennett on the plans of her son Tony Hancock to visit Oz.

Ancestors Onboard, an online database of old passenger lists, (1890-1960) lists Mr Harry Sennett (b.1891) and Mrs Lucie Lilian Sennett (b.1890) as travelling from Southampton to Los Angeles in 1960. So that would be their honeymoon cruise, perhaps?
Harry still gives his occupation as Civil Servant, even though he was surely retired. They give their address as Ferndown in Dorset. (That's fairly near to Bournemouth, where Lily had been living before, and where they both later passed away in a Bournemouth Nursing Home.)
Here we can see a snippet from those passenger cards, with their signatures: Harry & Lily -

{Later trips to Durban etc. would not yet appear online with this database.}

Further press coverage of the Oriana is seen in these pages of the Life magazine from March 1961 (go see the groovy pictures of the interior!).

The Oriana ended her days without too much dignity, as we see at the bottom of this information page, and also on this page about her crash, and her time moored at Dalian. Follow the SS Maritime links for pages and pages of info, tales and photos - some of the exterior, and some particularly evocative photos of the interior.

More information on Genealogy for the Warwickshire area - here, or here.

Harry Sennett, Operatic Tenor in around 1930

2008-09-10T08:55:00.023+01:00

My Grandma proudly kept newspaper cuttings about a radio show of her Uncle, Harry Sennett - he was an Operatic Tenor.

Some poor tattered old mementoes here from Grandma's collection:

The cutting on the left tells of an hour-long Radio showcase for the winners at the Leicester Musical Festival (see cutting on the right). Harry Sennett is pictured. The cuttings are undated and I wasn't sure from which year these date, but having found matching entries in the Times Archives, I think they're from March 1929.

The 1929 Leicester music festival test piece was Gounod's - Faust: 'All hail thy dwellings pure and lowly' (Salut, demeure chaste et pure). It was a cavatina for tenor, playing the role of Dr. Faust.
If you click on this youTube link, you could pretend it was another blast from the past - though it isn't actually our Harry singing ;-) and I'd presume he was singing in English, hence the title in English ?? I'm sure he was every bit as good, though, said she loyally.
There are several other recordings on YouTube - this one is beautifully clear, and this recording was contemporary with Harry's time on the radio, 1928.

I'm grateful to Harry for choosing this piece, because in order to find out more about it, I searched in Goggle Books & came up with this old text (1891) of George Bernard Shaw - a "Review & Bombardment" of the whole opera. Punches were not to be pulled. We get the certain impression that Faust was played much more often then than now.

We can also see in the Times that Harry Sennett was heard on the radio (Daventry radio call-sign 5GB) from December 1927 when he appeared with the Pattison's Salon Orchestra. In October 1930, Harry was the Tenor with the Midland Studio Orchestra, directed by Frank Cantell. On the majority of early occasions, our Harry was the tenor with an orchestra; usually an outside broadcast. Several occasions list Harry as the tenor with the organ & orchestra from the Lozells Picture House, Birmingham. {Links here give info about the picture house, and it's Wurlitzer organ. A note here tells us that the first outside Radio Broadcast was from there - 1923??.}
But, Harry was also listed as an artiste on some entertainment slots, for example on "Cabaradio; a post-prandial pot pourri".

Read more on the History of BBC Radio:- a page on the 1920's, 1930's, and the Radio Times Archives.

Where was he living then?
We were told that Harry was also a leader of the Daventry Men's Choir. The letter head at the top of this post gives us the addresses of 61 Grafton Road in Shirley, Solihull, West Midlands - that wouldn't be too far from Daventry for the radio (5 GB)?
Also the letterhead gives us the address 47, Prince Edward St., for which there isn't a match in the modern gazeteer of the Midlands. Glad for any tips on that!

Return to reading about Harry's busy life now - Harry Sennett page 1, 2 or 3.

Hancock, Hancock & Sennett

2008-09-10T08:50:00.025+01:00

I'm writing in this post about the children of Henry (Harry) Sennett. If you need to read more about him or his later wives, his ancestors or his siblings, then please click on the relevant link.

Harry and his first wife Kate Gardner were married young (1912) and had 3 children in the Handsworth, Warwickshire area. They were: John F.W. Sennett (Jack, born 1912), Joan P.G. Sennett (1917) and Kathlyn M. Sennett (1921).

We don't know a lot about their marriage, but we do know that Kate & Harry were legally separated by 1937 (divorce not being an option then).
Kate died in 1943, her death was registered in Birmingham, under her married name of Kate L. Sennett.

Harry married his second wife Keturah a few months later in Wednesbury, and then they moved up to Jesmond, Newcastle - they were certainly living there in 1946 as my Grandma stayed with them for a little while after she was married.

I haven't any real information about whether Harry kept in contact with his 3 adult children after the separation. My instinct is that Harry did have some contact with them, as my Gran's brother (Austin, 1914-1991) knew a little about them.
Austin was the source of much of the family history / gossip! He remembered "Jack, and two girls. The girls later married; one to the Director of the Austin Motor works; another to someone from Jacobs Tailor shops (?) and had a son, Jack" but was a bit sketchy about which was which! It's understandable that he would remember the Austin detail - as it was also his name! But actually, he was an engineer and interested in cars, too.

Anyway - Uncle Austin would only have known of details like this thru what Harry told him, as Austin lived in Durham & they were all in the Midlands (presuming they stayed there?). Harry stayed in Rushall and similar area until around 1945 when he & his second wife moved to live together in Jesmond.

Some possible matches on the marriage registers here (FreeBMD):
1938 - Joan P.G. Sennett marries Rex Hancock in the Bromsgrove district.
1946 - John W. Sennett marries Marjorie I. Worth in the Hinckley district. (No hits for a John F. W. Sennett.)
1949 - Kathleen Sennett marries Noel A.F. Jubb in the Hull district. (Jubb...Jacob...??)

Contact Made
Well, we are gradually getting closer to these children! Thanks once more to Genes Reunited, we are now in contact with a niece of Joan Sennett. So, many thanks are due to Heather for sharing the tale with us (as well as the images below). They were able to confirm for us that we see our relative's daughter in the marriage registers for 1938, as shown above.

{Those of you who have already read the post about our link with Tony Hancock will have said Ooh to yourself when you read the groom's surname?!! No connection, so far as we know... though several of his Hancock family live(d) in the Kings Norton area, where the comedian Tony Hancock was born.}

The young man who was Joan's groom was a farmer, and he was born in 1915. The couple had several children - a few sons, and then a much younger daughter. Heather also confirmed that both Rex & Joan are deceased.

Rex's father, Alfred John Woodgate Hancock, had a rather interesting life - he was a Director of the Austin Motor Company. You can see his picture in this page from the Advocate; the owner's newsletter, in 1926.

See also an advert for Austin cars in a 1921 issue of the BMJ.

The Austin Federation was a useful source for information on the staff for Heather. They pointed out (from a biography of Lord Austin) that Hancock joined Wolseley in 1903 as a draughtsman, and also advises that Hancock was Austin's Chief Designer by 1921. He left the Austin Motor Company in October 1941.

A lovely tale about the early Motor Show - such a contrast with the modern methods.

"Mention is also made of Hancock and Davage selling Austin cars from the Du Cross Mercedes Limited stand (No. 42) at the 1905 Motor Show held between 17th and 25th November. Their only selling aids were drawings but they managed to secure a number of orders."

***

So now you can read more about Harry Sennett's early life & first marriage; or about his second marriage to Keturah, or his third marriage to Lilian 'Hancock' and in his death in 1965.

Henry Sennett page 2 (Marriage to Keturah)

2008-09-10T08:45:00.053+01:00

Harry's Second Wife: Kunzle Cakes and the Showman.

Florence Keturah Eagles, then, was born in Birmingham in 1897 to a silver-worker Alfred Eagles & Keturah Elizabeth Howl...

She married her first husband Percy Treherne in 1921.
Her father died in 1922. Her husband died in March 1929, leaving her almost £2000.

In 1937 she was named in the separation proceedings of Harry Sennett, and then she changed her name by Deed Poll to Sennett in 1938 (so they could live together, presumably?). They finally married in 1943 in Rushall. By 1946 they were living in the Jesmond area of Newcastle.

Keturah died in the late 1950's.

My Grandad said,
'When Uncle Harry came to visit they were always like a race apart from us.' Jim's business was in the Midlands. When Mary and Eric first married (1946) he had to work in Nantwich and lived in digs. When Mary was staying at Jim & Harry's house near Jesmond Dene (Tyneside), Eric enjoyed the rare treat of being able to talk to his new wife, because they had a telephone in the house! When he visited, 'they treated me very well. Had a good meal put on. Mary and Jim were obviously great pals and Mary was well-liked.'

On Ancestry.com, you can actually search through an online database of old phone books. What a fantastic resource, but I wouldn't want to have to sit with a scanner & a vast pile of musty old books! Not so many phone numbers in those days, of course.
Anyway - living in Wales as I do, with our own sensible government - we can access parts of Ancestry.com from the local Library without paying. Marvellous. So I looked up Harry & Keturah, and found these entries in the Newcastle books for 1948 ish.

A. - found H. Sennett in Gosforth in the 1948 & 1949 Phone Book Archive (BT),
Address: 52, Keyes Gardens, GOSFORTH 53402 {which seems to be near the modern-day Jesmond Dene Tennis Club}

B. - found H. Sennett in Gosforth in the 1950, 1951 & 1952 Phone Book Archive (BT)
Address, 13 Wiseton Court, Benton Park Rd, GOSFORTH 53402 (NB kept same number) {Wiseton Court isn't known by Google maps now - but it seems to be near the Catholic school.}

See map linked from here - marked with A & B. The area could be thought of as 'off Jesmond Dene'.
I did find other H. Sennetts - but they are in Midlands, London books. We are fairly happy that this is an entry for our Harry. We have also a record of an address, 29 Matthew Bank in Jesmond, which is right by the Tennis Club, too.

Two photos of Keturah here - (the first was a photo of Keturah with Harry in costume for a production they took part in) - things that make you say Whoah!!

In the second photo; I wonder how old she is, which year? On the back was the tantalising note, Katura, nee Treherne. It seems to be, in fact, that Keturah Treherne was her married name (she was widowed before meeting Harry).

Aunty Jim was a singer, and also a 'wonderful pianist'. Eric remembers, when visiting her at Jesmond, "she brought tears to the eyes as she played the baby grand." She also had a small dog.

When did Keturah die?
Not sure what year Aunt Jim died - sometime in the late 1950's? We are told it wasn't a very long gap before Harry had married again (which was 1960).

Death cert in Northern Durham region, 1957 - Florence Sennett, aged ~65 (so born in approx 1892 and we think our Florence was actually born in 1897). But note that I also found this entry: Death cert in Bournemouth Hampshire, 1960 - Florence K Sennett, aged ~62. This is too close to Harry's third marriage to match up with memories, but it's not impossible, especially as we know for certain he lived in Bournemouth district when he married his third wife.

My Gran also had a rather spooky photo of Aunt Jim which Harry sent out to all the family ... of his wife Jim in her open coffin! This was not considered 'normal', by the way. He loved her a very great deal and was very upset by her passing.
I'll save you all from that photograph, unless you beg!! Perhaps it'd be a good Halloween posting. No respect at all, these young uns...

Let the show go on!

Henry Sennett page 3

2008-09-10T08:35:00.001+01:00

Harry's Third Wife

Here's the link to someone famous (everyone likes to find one of those!)

2008-09-10T08:30:00.000+01:00

Hancock's half hour

I love these questions...
An Aunt of mine once casually asked me to remind her which of her many uncles it was who had married Tony Hancock's mother.
She was assuming {never assume} that I already knew this tale!
You can imagine this piqued my interest... and a quick delve revealed a few details.

I searched on Goggle for "Hancock & Sennett" and came up with this image of his memorial stone at St. Dunstan's Church, Cranford Park, Middlesex (see it on a map here). It clearly shows that Tony's mother had taken the name of Sennett when she died in 1969.

This memorial stone is in the churchyard of
St. Dunstan's Church.
In Memory of
Tony Hancock
Born 12 May 1924
Died 25 June 1968
And His Mother
Lucie Lilian
Sennett
Born 4 September 1890
Died 8 November 1969

The Middlesex church is a long way from Bournemouth, where Lily had settled at the time of her death - but perhaps this church was in the area where Tony had settled.
FreeBMD tells us Anthony J. Hancock birth was registered in Kings Norton in 1924.

I have found pictures of Lily (Hancock) Sennett:

Tony Hancock
If you'd like to hear something of the man's work...try this page from the BBC Radio 7.

Here's some biographical details, thanks to Wikipedia and Tony Hancock's Biography.

"Tony Hancock was born on the 12th May 1924, the second of three sons to Jack and Lily Hancock, at 41 Southam Road, Hall Green, Birmingham. From the age of three he was brought up in Bournemouth where his father, John Hancock, ran the Railway Hotel in Holdenhurst Road, working as a comedian and entertainer.
After his father's death in 1934, Tony and his brothers lived with their mother and stepfather {that's Lily's second husband, Mr Walker} at a small hotel then known as The Durlston Court (now renamed The Quality Hotel) in Eastcliff, Bournemouth. The venue has strong Hancock connections - it was owned by Hancock's parents from 1932 until the early 1940's and Tony lived there until he joined the RAF in November 1942."

"He was educated at a boarding school at Durlston in Swanage and Bradfield College, Berkshire. He left school at the age of fifteen. In 1942 he joined the RAF Regiment and, following a failed audition for the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA), ended up with The Ralph Reader Gang Show. Following the war he received regular radio work in shows such as Workers' Playtime and Variety Bandbox. In 1951, he gained a part in Educating Archie, where he played the tutor and foil to the nominal star, a ventriloquist's dummy. This brought him wider recognition and a catchphrase used frequently in the show; 'flippin' kids'. The same year, he made regular appearances on BBC Television's popular light entertainment show Kaleidoscope. In 1954 he was given his own BBC radio show, Hancock's Half Hour."

Hancock went to Australia, to make a new series but his alcoholism dragged him down; he only completed 3 programmes. He committed suicide in Sydney on June 1968.
Spike Milligan commented in 1989:

"Very difficult man to get on with. He used to drink excessively. You felt sorry for him. He ended up on his own. I thought, he's got rid of everybody else, he's going to get rid of himself. And he did."

Hancock left a suicide note containing a bleak assessment of his 44-year life:

"Things seemed to go wrong too many times."

Hmm, bleak is the word for it.

Back to the original question...
There has been no mention anywhere in Hancock's on-line biogs of the name of his Sennett Stepfather {but there was some interesting new info in a new Biography} - so which of my relatives was he...?

Just to fill in the gaps for the terminally confused - James Sennett & Lizzie Sennett nee Fitzpatrick were my Grandma's parents. James came from the Byers Green area of Co. Durham and was one of 8 children.

So, I now know that the Mystery Uncle is James' older brother Harry. (See this other Trunk Calls blogpost about Harry and his life - he was married three times altogether.)

So, Lucie Lilian Hancock was born Lucie Lilian Thomas. She was later married to Mr Walker, who died very shortly before our Harry married Lily in 1960 (but he died in 1965).

This photo of Lily at a Boscombe football match was taken during this period - around 1963. Lily is on the right & we also see Tony & his second wife Freddie. But no Harry! (source - 6/2009)

That's nearly a blogfull!
So anyway, my Gran and her older brother Austin once got to visit backstage at a Hancock show on the strength of this family link! (They were in their forties at the time.)

Okay, so now I've found an ancestor who's (almost) famous, I can stop?!
Lisa

Josie

2008-09-09T13:49:00.019+01:00

Josephine Sennett was the daughter of Joseph and Annie Sennett. After her father died in a mining accident, she went to live with her Uncle James' family (i.e. with my Grandma Mary & her two brothers). It was a very tiny house that already had a family of three children in it!

Here below we see Josie, Jack and Mary Sennett. As you can imagine, young Mary was very pleased to have a sister to borrow for a while!

Then a little later - here we see Mary, Josie, James & Lizzie. A day trip to the sea?

All grown-up.
Mary & her bairns visit Josie at Leamington Spa. Left to right - Mary, Annie (Jo's widow), Josie, then in the foreground; Marian, Josie's bairn Katherine, and Tina.

More shots of Josie as a young lady, with her nieces and one of her daughters. In the right-hand photo, we also see Joyce (who stayed with Mary for a while).

By the way, the lower photo was taken in Tudhoe Village, in front of Lizzie's house, looking at Nance's house opposite and the village bench on the green. So we see the house where Tot and Nance Fitzpatrick lived before they moved to Mount Pleasant, Bilston.

Tudhoe Village Views

2008-09-08T21:10:00.017+01:00

There are quite a few old images available out there of Tudhoe Village; where many of the Fitzpatricks & Sennetts lived. I would like to see images of Tudhoe Mill, but none yet. A good place to start is the SpennyNews back issues page - it has images such as these below. See also a grand picture of the Tudhoe orphanage (and St Charles' church next to it)

This first image looks towards the river, taken 1958.

The above photo was also borrowed from that Spennymoor pictures site and should be a real blast from the past for many. The row on the right is called 'Rotten Row' (very old or just ill-built?) and at the far end is the shop that Aunt Nance [as in Tot and Nance] had before she married. That's Gran's [Lizzie] white house first on left.
Look at the state of the roads! Tractors and coal waggons, like the one there, from the drift mine. And the second white house with 2 windows is our old house! [see this link for a great set of waggonway maps of the County - clearly shows where tracks, rails, pits etc used to be - Tudhoe on this page here]

Also on the website are some pictures of the home boys including Jack Sawyer. "Wot Larks!"

More views of Tudhoe village and the area are available at this site - this time in watercolour, by Eric Thompson.

Info here on St Charles' RC Church.

My ancestors are shown living at Tudhoe Mill in the 1901 Census. More info here on Tudhoe Mill.

Finally, maybe these links are of interest?
You may have seen some of these before.

The GENUKI page for Co. Durham = genealogical & historical links.

Google satellite map of Tudhoe Village & Tudhoe Mill.

Link to a page for a set of old maps, here showing map of tudhoe, published in 1861.

Image & map of site of Tudhoe Grange Colliery, and of the Tudhoe Colliery disaster. More on the news of the 1882 colliery disaster here.

Tudhoe Lodge Miners' banner, hangs in Spennymoor Town Hall.

More on Tudhoe Mines from the Durham Mines site, or from Durham Miners Museum
Also more local info from their useful links page (dmm).

Historical document about Tudhoe Village.

Wikipedia entry for Tudhoe.

A comprehensive history of Spennymoor.

Northern Echo article on 150 years of St Charles, Tudhoe.

Wartime memories from Lt Col Philips of Spennymoor (mentions Barnfield Blocks), and more tales from all of Wearside.

A GenMaps page with old maps of Durham (some very old!!) - those of relevance to the period mentioned here include (at bottom of listing) Durham (Southern Section) - 1885
and County Durham (1857, OS maps) - you can view without buying, use the gazeteer to narrow down your search.

Keys to the Past, a website from the local councils which enables you to see information about specific towns in Co. Durham, and to see old maps (go to the Local Histories list)

More Nostalgia here, about children's games. Got yer dabber?

****

As usual, it is very helpful if you can come forwards with a comment to give corrections, suggestions and so on. If links fail, do let me know.

Eric the Nicky-Nack Grandad

2008-07-30T10:07:00.057+01:00

Eric Winston Armitage
We used to call him Nicky-Nack Grandad because of the name of the pub (since renamed to The Daleside Inn) at the junction when we travelled up to visit.

Here's an early photo of Eric, very proudly posing in his First Car
(aged 4, around 1929). His 12-year-old brother (Doug) got a newspaper job to save up and buy this pedal car for him - so that he could strengthen his legs! He has a vivid memory of screeching out of his front garden and (on two wheels) onto the pavement!

Here's a well-viewed photo of the day Eric came back to his parent's house after a spell staying with Mrs Evans (family friend).
Shows (L to R): Mrs Evans, younger brother Phillip, Eric, and Marian Armitage.

Then a tinted photo of him as as older lad!

And on the right: a snapshot of Eric fixing a bike, next to Lizzie Sennett's wash-house.

Eric looking casual

These 2 pics of Eric show him in his wedding suit, 1946. He spent the last of his clothing coupons to get that suit!

Below is the wedding invitation.

Here's a photo from the wedding reception at The Bridge Hotel, Croxdale (now renamed). The owners had managed to scare up some Ham sandwiches for the occasion - and just look at that cake. It was made & decorated by Mary's friend.

Remember, this was 1946, food rationing was still a hardship.

Family guests at the wedding;
Philip Armitage, Winnie Carr, Austin Sennett, Eric & Mary Armitage, Lizzie & James Sennett, Mrs Armitage, and an Aunty (possibly Mrs A's sister in law?)

A rather unclear picture - again taken at the wedding reception.

Their Honeymoon, at the Imperial Hotel Newcastle [a first stay in a hotel for both of them] was supposed to be a week but it became only 4 days, as both had to get a lift to Blackpool to go to Eric's new work contract there. Eric worked as an engineer.

They settled in Tudhoe Village, eventually building their own house.
Here's Eric with the first of his four children, looking very dapper.

Here they both are - with Tina - and then on the right, all four of Eric & Mary's children.

Back to the more modern day..
Eric and his wife were heavily involved in the organising of the Tudhoe village show, which was a village event in the second weekend of September. It was a popular produce show, but I also remember a section for the art & craft of local children. It was held in a giant marquee on the village Green, tolerably near to the Green Tree Pub. It folded not long after the sudden death of one of the tiny committee, after continuous shows ever since 1847. Delightfully, it has recently been resurrected and (floods permitting) seems to be enjoying some success.

Eric's wider family
Grandad remembers his family details as {they've been augmented a little by some details from Aunt Dorothy's records}:

Father Germaine Leo Armitage, born 1875 - died 1948 in Mablethorpe, and
Mother Marian Foster, 11 years younger than Leo (died 1977). Their children:
Leo Godfrey, born 1910 {known as Godfrey}
Dorothy Mary, born 1914, died 1995.
Douglas Guiver, born ~ 1917, died 1973 in Wolverhampton.
Eric Winston, born 1925.
Philip Desmond, born 1927-died 1969 in Bristol.

The photo below is of Germaine Leo Armitage (or Leo G. Armitage as he was known by then) - it was taken at his house - in the late forties? I get the impression he was camera-shy! Written on the back of this image is "Caught you in the end Dad, love Mary" - perhaps taken by his daughter-in-law, Mary Armitage, when she was visiting to show off her first child. The note is a little spooky, as he died soon after that. More later about Leo, and see another post about Leo's schooling.

The photo below of my Great-Grandma Marian Armitage is also a rare one. She is seen here in Mablethorpe, dandling her grandchild, Tina.

and another here:

Aunty Dorothy Mochan (nee Armitage) and Gran A - in other words, my Grandad's sister and his mother. They are visiting Tudhoe Village, and the car is Eric's.

Leo and Marian Armitage were married and settled in Thorne (King St) where they were doing well, until the years of the Depression, when the business came to an end. The family struggled on - moving to Alford (near Thorne, but in Lincolnshire) for a while to live & work with Walter's younger brother Ewart Armitage - and then settling in the tourist town of Mablethorpe where Leo found work to be very seasonal. (More links about Mablethorpe here, and old photos here and here.)

Ewart Armitage did rather well in Alford, Lincolnshire. He had married a local lass in ??1913. His business empire there included the cinema. He employed many of the Armitage family - see below to hear about Dorothy's work. My Grandad also recalls that one of his brothers was charged with operating the engine which supplied electrical power for the cinema & several local houses.

The Probate Registry tells us that Ewart Armitage died at 11 Field Rd, Thorne on the 5th of December 1940, though he was still a resident of Alford (West St.). His estate was under £3500, and his widow was Dora Armitage.

Leo Armitage died in 1948, aged approximately 73.
Marian Armitage (Senior) lived with many different members of her family from after she was widowed until 1973 (the year her brother Doug died). She then lived with her daughter Dorothy in Lincoln, till she died in 1977.

Eric's sister Dorothy Mary Armitage
After schooling in Thorne & Goole Grammar, Dorothy Armitage moved to Alford with her parents. There she worked in Uncle Ewart's business empire, working in his office and in the cinema ticket office at night. Dorothy was a nurse for many years; first at Doncaster Infirmary, then West Park Hospital in Epsom & then in Lincoln Hospital. Dorothy married Denis Joseph Mochan in 1941. He was born 1911 in Kirkintilloch, son of an Iron Moulder. They met & married in Epsom, whilst he was a nurse working in the Royal Army Medical Corps. They had three boys in Louth and then moved to Lincoln where they had another son. (Sadly one of the 4 sons died recently). Denis Joseph Mochan died in 1979, and was buried just the day after one of his Grandson's was christened.

Denis Joseph Mochan
Many Thanks are due to one of Dorothy & Denis' sons, Mike - he has kindly dug out and passed on lots of useful info, certificates, and photos. I'm grateful for his input & interest.

Eric's brothers, Godfrey, Douglas and Phillip.

Here are photos of Eric's wife Mary Armitage, little Tina, with Eric's brothers Godfrey & Philip. We see Godfrey Armitage on the left-hand photo and on the right-hand photo, we see Philip Armitage.

Next up - an earlier photo of Eric and Doug Armitage - 1946.
Eric was very fond of his elder brother Doug.

Here are Phillip (note Paras badges) and Douglas, holding Tina.

(Same day?) Here are three of the brothers with their Mum: (L to R) Eric, Douglas, Marian, Phillip

1901 National Census, Thorne

The family of Eric's father Leo can be seen on the 1901 National Census, confirming some of the details known to the family, but providing many new ones! Germaine Leo is seen as a 25 year old, suggesting his DOB is ~1876 {we now know it's 1875}. His name has been recorded/transcribed as 'German L.', and he was born at Deepcar, Yorkshire (which is near Chapeltown).

In 1901 My Grandad's Grandad was the head of the household, in King St., St. Nicholas parish, Thorne, Yorkshire:
Walter Armitage, 52, born Thorne, an Engineer & engine maker,
Clara, 50, born Ponders End, Middlesex,
German L, 25, born Deepcar {= Germaine Leo, known as Leo}
Walter G, 21, born Thorne
Eward, 13, born Thorne {= Ewart}
also a visitor, Florence Freeman, 23, born Middlesex.

Family records have the address as 37, King St. Thorne. Certificates kept in the family also confirm many details for us. Thanks again to Mike for passing this to me.
We have Germaine Leo's Birth cert: -

Name given as German Leo (but later in his marriage certificate it is Germaine Leo, and his son confirmed he signed himself as Leo G. Armitage.)
Born 19th December 1875 at Henholmes, Hunshelf {see the industry section in that page for a reference to a John Armitage's tile & brickworks. It is near Deepcar}.
Name of father - Walter Armitage.
Rank or Profession of Father - Manager at a Brickworks (he would have been around 26 then!)
Name of mother - Clara Armitage formerly Guiver.

So our Walter seems to have gone into some family business running the Brickworks near Chapeltown. By 1901, he has his own engineering business.
What kind of engines did Walter make & mend in 1901? Not trains/ steam engines, but there was a lot of work on stationary engines, and traction engines, too. {Grandad remembers a cramped ride on a traction engine to deliver it, at the stately speed of 4 mph!} The foundry etc was all to be found in the back yard of the house at King St.
I haven't found any references to the 'business', or what they were known as - presumed Armitage & Sons, Thorne, if any. That turned up no results on Google, though.

Also Granddad had memories of a brewery over the road - Darley's Brewery. Also a mention in the page linked here, or lots of photos here.

Photos of Thorne
- St Nicholas church.
- Schools
- Windmills
- King St, here and here, and here is number 42.

Granddad remembers that his Granddad Walter passed the engineering business on to Leo (Walter's son), and also remembered his Uncles Walter & Ewart. He doesn't remember the ladies in his family very well, though!

Walter Armitage died in 1904.
The Probate Registry tells us about the estate of Walter Armitage, who died on Dec 30th, 1903 whilst at King St., Thorne. His widow was named as Clara Armitage, and his estate was proved at approx £1500.

The new release of Census data - 1911

Now in Thorne, we see a new generation of Armitages. Our Leo Armitage is listed as an Engineer, with his new young wife Marian (nee Foster, aged 24). The census records confirm that they were married in 1909, and that they have a baby son, Leo Godfrey (aged 1). Sadly, the name Germaine Leo has caused a problem for the transcription process yet again - now he is recorded as Germaine Iso (male, aged 35). Good grief! A salutory lesson for when it comes to thinking of names for your own children. Mind you - there is only one of him which makes him easier to find in a list, unlike Walter Armitage; hundreds!

We also find records of Leo's brother Walter G. Armitage (recorded now in full as Walter Guiver Armitage - so he'd been given his mother's maiden name). He is aged 32 in 1911, and I don't find a record of any wife or children in the household.

Do please shout at me if there's anything wrong, the mistakes are all mine. Also whisper if you want me to add anything.
Next time, I shall take you further back in time with our magical digital Tardis!

Armitage Shanks??
You may have been wondering if we have any links with the famous Armitage Shanks company. Sadly, no - that company was based in the Staffordshire town of Armitage, hence the name. {loved the Armitage Shanks Prize Bowl for Mornington Crescent winner in that link, by the way!}

There are some other famous Armitages (list here on Wikipedia):

Poet, Simon Armitage
Winner of the George Cross and the George Medal (WW II bomb disposal), Robert Selby Armitage
Soap actor, Peter Armitage - seen here as the Dad, in an old ad you'll remember.