Dawson Hitchcock - missing on the 1881

[chrissiebee]

Hi Folks,

Anybody out there with better eyesight than me, please?

I have Dawson Hitchcock (my great-grandfather) who was born in 1859 in Ockbrook (Shardlow district) Derbyshire. I have him on the 1861, no problem, and is badly mistranscribed on the 1871 (but he's there!) and also on the 1891 (no problem). I have searched endlessly for him on the 1881, to no avail. It's driving me nuts 'cos I know he's out there somewhere! I have his birth cert, his missus' birth cert, marr cert (1882) and all the birth certs of their kiddliwinks. He died in 1896 incidentally.........

Anyone help please?

Chris

[KiteRunner]

Where was he living when he got married, Chris?

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

What was his occ on the marriage cert?

[dicole]

i looked on the CD rom version but could not find him in Derbyshire - as with the others, could we have some more details - wife's name, occupation, where married. What is he mistranscribed as in 1871 ?

it took me ages to find my great grandfather Reuben Page in 1881, but I did it eventually. It's a bit harder to search the CD roms as they are organised by counties, but some transcriptions are better.

Di

[chrissiebee]

He was a bachelor living at 14 Fowler Street at the time of his marriage in May 1882 in the parish church of St. Ann's, Derby. He was a 'fireman' (on the railway) at the time, and later became a railway engine driver.

His wife was Hannah Woodroffe, a 22 year old spinster, her address at the time of the marr was also 14 Fowler St. Dawson James Hitchcock's father is down as Henry Hitchcock (platelayer) and Hannah's father was William Woodroffe (labourer).

Any Good?

P.S. - I have found a James Hichlock on the 1881 (which is why it's taken so long for me to get back to you!) which seems a bit of a long shot. RG11, piece 3348, Folio 118, page 18. This guy is down as a railway engine cleaner, so I guess it's feasible. Perhaps he hated the name 'Dawson'?

Chris

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

I noticed he had the middle name for his marriage but not for his birth or death registrations, so presume he didn't care for his "real" name!

I should think that's very likely to be him!

[chrissiebee]

I noticed he had the middle name for his marriage but not for his birth or death registrations, so presume he didn't care for his "real" name!

I should think that's very likely to be him!

Merry - likewise with the birth registrations of all his kiddliwinks. On some of 'em it just has Dawson, and on others he has his full name of Dawson James.

I guess I'm going to have to assume that this James Hichlock is one and the same, but I just hate it when I cannot be absolutely certain. Call me pedantic, but I just have to dot the i's and cross the t's.........

Many thanks to all for your help - much appreciated.

Chris

[chrissiebee]

i looked on the CD rom version but could not find him in Derbyshire - as with the others, could we have some more details - wife's name, occupation, where married. What is he mistranscribed as in 1871 ?

it took me ages to find my great grandfather Reuben Page in 1881, but I did it eventually. It's a bit harder to search the CD roms as they are organised by counties, but some transcriptions are better.

Di

Sorry Di - I didn't mean to ignore you! I think my dear Dawson is badly mistranscribed on the 1871 as 'Anson Hitchcock'. RG10/3555, folio 46, page 8. Reg. district - Shardlow, sub-reg. dist. - Stapleford. Is that not now Nottinghamshire?

Chris

[dicole]

Hi Chris

Shardlow is right on the border, so probably changed counties more than once, from what I understand.

I am told that to be an engine driver, you had to start with being an engine cleaner and work your way up, so it seems a likely entry.

Thats the trouble with boarders, lodgers, and even servants, the head of household did not always check carefully about names, ages and birthplaces, so those not living "at home" are always the hardest to find !!

What about railway workers employment records, any chance of finding those ?

Or finding out if the railway had an engine depot in Nottingham - well of course, they probably did, so if he was a cleaner, wouldn't he have to be where the engines are stored so that they could be cleaned each day ?


Diane

[Uncle John]

What about railway workers employment records, any chance of finding those ?

I think the National Railway Museum at York has some railway company records.

Or finding out if the railway had an engine depot in Nottingham - well of course, they probably did, so if he was a cleaner, wouldn't he have to be where the engines are stored so that they could be cleaned each day ?

There were two main railway companies serving Nottingham. The Midland Railway (became part of the LMS in 1923) and the Great Central Railway (renamed from the Manchester Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway when its London Extension through Nottingham was built about 1900, became part of the LNER in 1923).

[chrissiebee]

Hi Chris

Shardlow is right on the border, so probably changed counties more than once, from what I understand.

I am told that to be an engine driver, you had to start with being an engine cleaner and work your way up, so it seems a likely entry.

Thats the trouble with boarders, lodgers, and even servants, the head of household did not always check carefully about names, ages and birthplaces, so those not living "at home" are always the hardest to find !!

What about railway workers employment records, any chance of finding those ?

Or finding out if the railway had an engine depot in Nottingham - well of course, they probably did, so if he was a cleaner, wouldn't he have to be where the engines are stored so that they could be cleaned each day ?


Diane

You're quite right, Diane, as regards the promotion of railway workers from engine cleaners up to engine drivers. I'm not losing any sleep over this chap, but it has bugged me for ages that I just haven't been able to pin him down on the 1881. I have got every cert possible for this family (including some tragedies/inquest reports etc) so have got a fairly broad picture of 'em all. Sad really, as Dawson dropped dead at 36 years of age leaving a large young family for his widow to try and support. His wife Hannah lost five children, including tiny twin baby girls, another girl at 3 years of age, a daughter of 17 who perished when her apron caught light and her only son who died at 27 years. Only three of Dawson & Hannah's offspring survived to marry - one of course being my maternal Grandmother...........

Chris