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  • Help with Co Durham research

    Whilst fairly experienced in FH research in other parts of the UK, I have absolutely no knowledge of the North East. I'm helping a friend to trace his family, and this has led to my interest in the Darlington and Stockton areas.

    My first question, which I hope someone on the list will be able to help with, is are there any online detailed old maps available for these two towns?

    Our prime interest at the moment is Skerne Place Darlington, where it appears that his grandfather Robert Peel FAWCETT was born in 1864. Robert's mother, Clementina, was unmarried at this time and no father's name is given on the birth certificate. In 1861 she is living with her parents on Cherry Lane Stockton, but by 1871 she was married and living in Lancashire - and young Robert is living with his grandparents, still at Cherry Lane Stockton. So what I'm trying to ascertain is why Clementina would have gone to Darlington to have the baby, and of course - "who's the daddy"!!!

    I think our next step may be to order Stockton and Darlington PRs on film from our local LDS Family History Centre, and trawl for christenings hoping that we may find a clue, but any other suggestions would be appreciated.

    Thanks in anticipation
    Janet C
    Last edited by Jancee52; 16-06-08, 07:08.

  • #2
    She may not have gone to Darlington. She may have been working there. Alternatively it might have been a home for unmarried mothers.

    As for the father - if there's no name on the birth cert, there might be a name in the baptism register. She may have had a maintenance order taken out against the father - I think these appear in the quarter sessions records which should be at the County Records Office.

    His middle name Peel might be a clue to the father's surname.
    ~ with love from Little Nell~
    Chowns, Dunt, Emms, Mealing, Purvey & Smoothy

    Comment


    • #3
      Thanks for the suggestions Nell.

      Yes, I too thought Peel is a likely name for the father, but have looked in 1861 for anyone with that surname without success so far. I've also looked at Skerne Place in 1861 and 1871, but it looks a fairly ordinary street, no obvious signs of any institutions.

      Thanks again.
      Janet

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Janet

        The people that work at Darlington Local Studies have great knowledge of the area.

        Centre for Local Studies
        Darlington Library
        Crown Street
        Darlington
        County Durham
        DL1 1ND
        Telephone: 01325 349630
        Fax: 01325 381556
        E-mail: local.studies@darlington.gov.uk

        They also hold copies of Darlington PR's.

        Cheers

        Jay
        Jay

        Comment


        • #5
          Don't know if you need anymore BMD's for Darlington but here's their online index

          Online Certificate Searching

          Jay
          Jay

          Comment


          • #6
            Just looked through the BT's for Darlington 1864-1866 Janet ... and can't find a baptism.
            Jean
            Forgot to say ... Skerne Place is no longer there ... the whole area along the banks of the River Skerne was cleared many moons ago ...
            Last edited by Jean and Tonic; 16-06-08, 02:23.
            Jean....the mist is starting to clear

            Comment


            • #7
              Jay G - Thanks for both those suggestions. We used the Darlington BMD site to order the birth certificate - an excellent service, and very quick!
              I'll email Darlington Library this morning to ask if they have any specific knowledge of Skerne Place.
              Your help is appreciated!

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Jean and Tonic View Post
                Just looked through the BT's for Darlington 1864-1866 Janet ... and can't find a baptism.
                Jean
                Forgot to say ... Skerne Place is no longer there ... the whole area along the banks of the River Skerne was cleared many moons ago ...
                Thanks Jean. I hadn't expected anyone to have access to copy BTs - that was a great surprise! I'll try and get hold of the Stockton PR's I think, as it's possible that the baby would have been christened close to where Clementina's parents lived.

                Do you know roughly where Skerne Place would have been on a modern map? Someone on a Rootsweb list has directed me to an excellent mapping site for Darlington
                " + theTitle + "
                and I'd like to pursue this line of research further.

                Thanks again
                Janet C
                Lytham St Annes, Lancs

                Comment


                • #9
                  Yes I know where it was Janet ... although the area was knocked down around 1860-70 ...so not long after Robert was born ...... the whole area use to flood..from the River Skerne.

                  I have an old map .... with Skerne Place on .... I'll find a modern map and mark it on, where it was.

                  That's if I can manage to get the pics. up on the thread .... lol

                  I'll put the old one up now...Skerne Place is marked ..left edge over the line...hope you can see it OK.

                  jean
                  Attached Files
                  Jean....the mist is starting to clear

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    this may not be very clear Janet as I had to make it such a small file........ but you can see where the main town centre ring is ...well Skerne Place is now underneath it all.

                    Well here goes ... see what it comes out like

                    Ooo it's not very clear..... but I've drawn a line on the green road ..then a line off with the street name.
                    You can see the River Skerne runs along side the road.
                    Hope you can understand
                    Jean
                    Attached Files
                    Last edited by Jean and Tonic; 16-06-08, 16:01.
                    Jean....the mist is starting to clear

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Hi Janet,

                      at least 50% of my lot are from the NE, & I would say one of the most notable things about them , is their consistancy of naming patterns, and use of surnames from the previous generation, in the christian names of the next.
                      You haven't said whether you've gone further back with Robert's grandparents, but you definitely need to look for a Peel, then if there isn't one, it could be a clue to the father's name. Is his grandfather called Robert?
                      ~ Louise ~

                      Researching Dalzell, Highmore & Sumpton in Cumbria, also Braidford & Chevalier

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Thanks for going to all that trouble Jean. Yes the images are a bit small, but I can just about make it out. I won't be seeing the friend whose family lived there until later in the week, but I'm sure he will be thrilled with all this new information. It's so interesting to have even small snippets about places that are 'foreign' to us - makes it much easier to imagine how our families used to live.
                        Thanks again
                        Janet

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Meridian Line View Post
                          Hi Janet,

                          at least 50% of my lot are from the NE, & I would say one of the most notable things about them , is their consistancy of naming patterns, and use of surnames from the previous generation, in the christian names of the next.
                          You haven't said whether you've gone further back with Robert's grandparents, but you definitely need to look for a Peel, then if there isn't one, it could be a clue to the father's name. Is his grandfather called Robert?
                          Yes Louise, I absolutely agree about the naming patterns. It looks as if Clementina named her baby after her father, who was also a Robert, but the Peel middle name is as yet a mystery. I think our only way forward is to start trawling through PRs in Stockton and hope that we find Robert's christening. Clementina was christened at St Thomas Stockton, so I think that's where we will start.

                          Thanks for your suggestions - all were gratefully received.
                          Janet

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Glad to help Janet.... if your friend wants images that they can see ..... just PM me an email address and I'll send them.

                            Good Luck
                            Jean
                            Jean....the mist is starting to clear

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              This site has Stockton BMD's on it might help you also;;

                              Tees Valley Indexes - Register of Births, Deaths & Marriages.
                              borobabs passed away March 2018

                              Comment


                              • #16
                                Thanks again Jean, I've PM'd you (at least I think I have, I'm fairly new at this!)

                                And also thanks to Babs - I hadn't seen that site, so it's another potentially useful source for me.

                                Comment


                                • #17
                                  Two sites to try both of interest to all Durham research
                                  1st durhamrecordsonline.com (free to search)
                                  2nd tomorrows-history.com (brilliant split screen map comparison tool, modern map against selectable historic ones)
                                  Last edited by Southwick; 18-06-08, 11:02.

                                  Comment


                                  • #18
                                    Thanks for those links Southwick - just off to have a look at them!

                                    Comment


                                    • #19
                                      Janet, it's worth looking further back and sideways for names. I'm originally from Co Durham and my paternal grandparents gave some of their son's their middle names after my grandfathers grandmothers maiden surname.
                                      One son's middle name was the name of one of granddads brother in law's surname!
                                      My maternal grandparents used granny's maiden name and the surname of one of granny's aunt's married suname! they also used granddads mothers maiden name too.
                                      They never intended to make things easy :D
                                      Last edited by Durham Lady; 19-06-08, 10:42.
                                      Daphne

                                      Looking for Northey, Goodfellow, Jobes, Heal, Lilburn, Curry, Gay, Carpenter, Johns, Harris, Vigus from Cornwall, Somerset, Durham, Northumberland, Cumberland, USA, Australia.

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