Here are the details of my brick wall and the information I have gathered so far:-
Matthew Dodds was born in 1824 at Monkwearmouth Shore, Sunderland son of Joseph Dodds. Matthew died on the 2nd February, 1891 in the Union Workhouse, Hylton Road, Sunderland. His death was registered by his daughter Mary Conway of 36 Castle Street, Sunderland. Matthew’s death certificate names him as Matthew Bainbridge Dodds a Shoemaker of Barclay Street, Monkwearmouth. (I have never discovered where the reference to Bainbridge came from.)
He married Jane Pickering on the 15th June, 1846 at Monkwearmouth. Jane was the daughter of Thomas and Isabella (nee Dobson) Pickering and she was born in 1827 at Elwick Mill, near Hartlepool.
Matthew worked as a Shoemaker and Coal Miner during the course of his life.
Lived at:
Monkwearmouth – 50 John Street – 1851 Census
Cramlington – Office Row – 1861 Census
Pelton Fell Woodhouses – 1871 Census
Monkwearmouth – Ash Place – 1881 Census
Hebburn – 16 Wood Street – Jane’s death certificate
Monkwearmouth – Barclay Street – 1891 Death Certificate
Sunderland – Hylton Road – Union Workhouse – 1891 Death Certificate
Matthew and Jane had eight children:
John born 1847
Joseph born 20th May 1849, died 2nd December 1883
Isabella born 1852
Thomas born June quarter of 1855
William born 1859
Dobson born 25th October, 1860
George born 1864
Mary born 1867
I have recently discovered that in 1871 Matthew had his throat cut by one Joseph Curry in Pelton Fell. (Curry was sentenced to a jail term for his crime). Fortunately Matthew survived.
My major problem with Matthew is confirming his parents and place of birth. I had originally thought he was the son of a Joseph and Jane Dodds, Innkeepers of the Blue Bell in Roker Avenue Monk Wearmouth but further investigation and looking at the dates of birth of Joseph and Jane’s other children has ruled out their being his parents. I discovered this by going page by page through the Bishop’s Transcripts for County Durham (Monk Wearmouth)
I have found a Matthew Dodds living with a 70 year old Joseph Dodds and a Thomas Dodds in the Blue Bell Yard, Monk Wearmouth on the 1841 Census.
His father is named as Joseph Dodds on his marriage certificate.
Matthew had a son called Dobson Dodds who served 9 months hard labour in Durham Jail in 1883 for stabbing a chap in Fulwell (which is very close to Monk Wearmouth). He married an Ann Carmen in 1886. They were not living together on the 1891 Census – she had returned to her mothers home at Silksworth. At that time he was working I think as a gardener and was living with another chap (who was a Groom). Thereafter Dobson Dodds (born 1861 Cramlington, Northumberland) disappears off the face of the earth. So does Ann, but she had had a child Joseph Carmen Dodds in 1888, although no mention was made of him on the 1891 census.
So there you have my brick wall. Who were Matthew Dodds’s parents and where was he born (census say Monk Wearmouth). Secondly what happened to Dobson Dodds after 1891.
Thank you in advance for any help you can give.
Linda
Linda - Happy Hunting
A tidy house is the sign of a broken computer
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
My major problem with Matthew is confirming his parents and place of birth. I had originally thought he was the son of a Joseph and Jane Dodds ..... but further investigation and looking at the dates of birth of Joseph and Jane’s other children has ruled out their being his parents. I discovered this by going page by page through the Bishop’s Transcripts for County Durham (Monk Wearmouth)
Are you actually working on dates of birth here, or baptism dates?
The four children of Joseph and Jane Dodds the Inn Keeper were:
Jane - 2 January 1822
Elizabeth 3 April 1823
Mary - 6th June 1824
Thomas - 26th October 1825
Many thanks for responding
Linda
Linda - Happy Hunting
A tidy house is the sign of a broken computer
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
I'm thinking along the lines that if they are baptism dates then you cannot be sure of the birth date, and therefore cannot be sure that Matthew does not fit in with this family. However I'm presuming that you didn't find a baptism for Matthew - which would seem a bit odd if indeed he did belong to these parents.
What is the father's name and occupation on Matthew's marriage certificate - do the witnesses help in any way?
Have you calculated Matthew's year of birth from the MC and censuses - does it match up all the way through?
Went through the Bishops Transcripts and found no trace of Matthew Dodds son of Joseph and Jane.
Matthew's marriage certificate to Jane Pickering gives his father Joseph Dodds to be a Shoe Maker. The witnesses were Thomas Dodds (believe this to be Matthew's brother) and a John Robson - no information on him. Ages given were "of full age"
Matthew's death certificate gives his age as 68. He died on the 2nd February 1891. His occupation was given as Shoemaker of Barclay Street Monkwearmouth. However he died in the Union Workhouse, Hylton Road Sunderland (Might have been a hospital I suppose). As mentioned for some reason his daughter who registered the death gave his name as Matthew Bainbridge Dodds.
Hope this is of some help.
Kind regards - Linda
Last edited by Linda from Murton; 15-11-09, 11:42.
Reason: Additional information
Linda - Happy Hunting
A tidy house is the sign of a broken computer
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
I have found a Matthew Dodds living with a 70 year old Joseph Dodds and a Thomas Dodds in the Blue Bell Yard, Monk Wearmouth on the 1841 Census.
I see the Joseph Dodds in the 1841 census is a shoemaker - shame there are no relationships given!!
Have you thought about getting the death certificate for Joseph Dodds to see who registered the death - maybe Matthew, son!
A long shot I know, but all I can think of at the moment.
There are enough Dodds entries for Durham to make it advisable to look at non-conformist records in case you have missed him. I have various branches in the 1820s or so who were non-conformist then but became C of E later on.
Elizabeth Research Interests: England:Purkis, Stilwell, Quintrell, White (Surrey - Guildford), Jeffcoat, Bond, Alexander, Lamb, Newton (Lincolnshire, Stalybridge, London) Scotland:Richardson (Banffshire), Wishart (Kincardineshire), Johnston (Kincardineshire)
No Westwicks at the moment, but will let you know if I come across any.
Kind regards - Linda
Linda - Happy Hunting
A tidy house is the sign of a broken computer
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
Definitely food for thought. I have found that my father was baptised in the Primitive Methodist Church (1913) although we always understood his family to be CofE.
I have not come across research in non-comformist to this is a whole new area for me.
Thank you for the information and link.
Kind regards - Linda
Linda - Happy Hunting
A tidy house is the sign of a broken computer
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
I see the Joseph Dodds in the 1841 census is a shoemaker - shame there are no relationships given!!
Have you thought about getting the death certificate for Joseph Dodds to see you registered the death - maybe Matthew, son!
A long shot I know, but all I can think of at the moment.
Hello Elaine, unfortunately I haven't found the death of Joseph yet. Can't remember following that trail. Will give it a go - thanks for that.
Kind regards - Linda
PS Sorry Elaine I haven't got my thinking hat on yet. Looked at the wrong Joseph. Joseph died in 1850 will go back through my notes and records.
Last edited by Linda from Murton; 16-11-09, 10:19.
Reason: Wrong information
Linda - Happy Hunting
A tidy house is the sign of a broken computer
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
On Durham Records online I found Joseph's burial on the 6th June, 1850 aged 78 at St. Peter's Church Monkwearmouth. Is it possible that the family (or whoever) didn't register his death for a considerable length of time. The only GRO reference I can find is September quarter 1850 Sunderland 24-190.
Looks like I shall have to invest in £7 and send for this death certificate???
Linda
Linda - Happy Hunting
A tidy house is the sign of a broken computer
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
On Durham Records online I found Joseph's burial on the 6th June, 1850 aged 78 at St. Peter's Church Monkwearmouth. Is it possible that the family (or whoever) didn't register his death for a considerable length of time. The only GRO reference I can find is September quarter 1850 Sunderland 24-190.
Looks like I shall have to invest in £7 and send for this death certificate???
Linda
There can sometimes be delays and it would only have been a delay of less than a month to put it in the next quarter, it could even have been a late submission by the vicar rather than anything the family did.
Margaret
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
Thank goodness hubby wanted a cup of coffee. Had not got round to ordering certificate. Came back to the computer and got your message.
That GRO reference looks the right one. Will order it.
Thanks Elaine
Linda
Linda - Happy Hunting
A tidy house is the sign of a broken computer
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
Good Morning - I shall give it a go. Many thanks for responding.
Edit - did a search on LDS and the only Matthew Bainbridge to come up was from Gateshead and his father was a Matthew. Waiting on the death certificate of Joseph Dodds to see if we can glean any information from that.
Researching: Brown, Bell, Key and Musgrave from Cumberland. Dodds, Green, Campbell, Hall, Armstrong, Davison from Co. Durham. Raymond from Devon/Cornwall.
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