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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Durham => Topic started by: northernsearcher on Thursday 10 February 11 20:27 GMT (UK)

Title: Tearing my hair out
Post by: northernsearcher on Thursday 10 February 11 20:27 GMT (UK)
Tearing my hair out
I would really appreciate any help with this problem as I really think I am about to tear my hair out!  So here goes, Sarah Davison, sometimes described as Sarah Alice, married Robert Alfred Mullaney in 1885 at the church of St Albans, Heworth, Durham (I have the marriage cert and family photos and evidence to prove this). On the marriage cert. she declares her age as 18 and her father as Andrew Davison a quarryman.  I can find Sarah (who always on subsequent census records declares her birth place as Windy Nook) age 2 on the 1871 census as the daughter of Andrew and Frances E Davison. This seems to fit, but would make her 16 at the time of her marriage not 18.  On the 1881 census she is age 12 and living with her mother and step father, in Windy Nook.  The step father is John Pigget but on subsequent census records he and Francis are Bygate so I think the census enumerator made a mistake there.  I am trying to find Frances E’s maiden name and I thought that if I found Sarah’s birth certificate I could identify Francis’s surname. So here is the problem I have searched Ancestry, Find My Past (including Northumberland and Durham Family History Society records), FreeBMD and Durham Records on Line and I get nowhere! The only record I can find is a marriage between a (MY?) Andrew Davison and a Francis Davison on the 10th of July 1865 which was in the Parish Register for Heworth (from IGI parish register transcriptions 1843 - 1879). But no record of Sarah Alice before she was 2.
So how can I find Sarah Alice’s birth certificate? Did Andrew marry someone of the same name? I really need to be able to get a record of Sarah Alice’s birth to move forward with this – please can anyone help?
Jen
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: davidft on Thursday 10 February 11 21:24 GMT (UK)
Well this seems to be the marriage reference of John and Frances so if all else fails you could get the certificate and see what it says about her previous marriage state and previous names

Marriages Mar 1878   
BYGATE  John    Gateshead  10a 793   
DAVISON  Frances     Gateshead  10a 793   

Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: davidft on Thursday 10 February 11 21:33 GMT (UK)
I think the explanation of the Pigget name on the 1881 census may be on that sheet there are several families with the Pigget name so either the enumerator copied the name down wrong or else there was something going on amongst the neighbours - it wouldn't be the first time.

Sarah's place of birth on both the 1871 and 1881 census is given as Heworth and on the 1881 census she is down as Sarah Alice
Davison
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: Ermintrude46 on Thursday 10 February 11 21:41 GMT (UK)
deleted, can't count!  :-[
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: davidft on Thursday 10 February 11 21:43 GMT (UK)
This is possibly the birth registration of Sarah's elder brother that should reveal the mother's maiden name

Births Sep 1864   
DAVISON  Andrew    Gateshead  10a 607
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: davidft on Thursday 10 February 11 21:53 GMT (UK)
I wonder who this person is

Births Dec 1869   
Davison  Sarah Tucker     Gateshead  10a 680


failing that I see there are a number of Sarah Davidson's born in the Gateshead RD around the 1867-1869 period - it could be one of these is actually Sarah Davison, but which one ?


Ok found out who that was

Deaths Jun 1876 
Davison  Sarah Tucker  6  Gateshead  10a 415

Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: davidft on Thursday 10 February 11 22:02 GMT (UK)
Possible death reference for Andrew freeing Frances to remarry

Name: Andrew Davison
Estimated birth year: abt 1840
Year of Registration: 1875
Quarter of Registration: Oct-Nov-Dec
Age at Death: 35
District: Gateshead
County: Durham, Tyne and Wear
Volume: 10a
Page: 427
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: davidft on Thursday 10 February 11 22:09 GMT (UK)
The only record I can find is a marriage between a (MY?) Andrew Davison and a Francis Davison on the 10th of July 1865 which was in the Parish Register for Heworth (from IGI parish register transcriptions 1843 - 1879).


 Interestingly I see the IGI has recorded that marriage as Davidson which could give credence to my theory that Sarah is actually one of the Sarah Davidson's recorded 1867-1869
   
ANDREW DAVIDSON    Marriage  Spouse:  FRANCES DAVIDSON
 Marriage:  10 JUL 1865   Heworth, Durham, England
 Extracted marriage record

Ubfortunately the Heworth, Gateshead records do not appear to be on the familysearch pilot site so its a trip to the Durham record's office or a LDS Family History Centre, or a request to see if someone can do a lookup for you
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: momo22 on Thursday 10 February 11 22:11 GMT (UK)
Hi
On family search is marriage of John Bygate to Frances Davison 7 jan 1878 St Edmunds Gateshead. Clearly indicates that she was a widow with father named as William Davison. does seem she married a Davison
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: northernsearcher on Thursday 10 February 11 22:11 GMT (UK)
Thanks all, well I think the birth cert for Andrew, older brother of Sarah Alice, is a really good idea davidft. Failing finding Sarah's I suppose I should risk a tenner on Andrew? But I still wonder why Sarah is missing.
Jen
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: davidft on Thursday 10 February 11 22:17 GMT (UK)
But I still wonder why Sarah is missing.

I suspect she may be recorded as a Davidson see reply #7
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: northernsearcher on Thursday 10 February 11 22:29 GMT (UK)
Davidft - I see what you mean, I have the IGI for Andrew and Frances and yes it is Davidson. I will try searching for a Sarah Alice Davidson birth.
thanks again Jen
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: northernsearcher on Thursday 10 February 11 22:48 GMT (UK)
Right, I found 3 Sarah Davidsons on Ancestry. I have to discount the Sunderland one so I am left with 1868 and 1870 Sarah's in Gateshead. Which is the right area.  I think I should try the 1868 one because that would make her 17 or 18 when she married. Pretty stupid of me not to think of Davidson, but she is Davison on the marriage cert. Thank you again I will let you know if I hit the jackpot or wasted a tenner when I get the certificate.
Jen
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: HM_Dava on Friday 11 February 11 19:21 GMT (UK)
There is christening record for "Sarah Alice Davison of Windy Nook" at Durham Records Online and her father is Andrew

Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: davidft on Friday 11 February 11 19:54 GMT (UK)
Well done,

............ now why didn't I try durhamrecordsonline  :-\ It also confirms her mother as Frances and it would be a lot cheaper to get that record than a certificate from the GRO\Records Office
Title: Re: Tearing my hair out
Post by: northernsearcher on Friday 11 February 11 21:49 GMT (UK)
Thank you so much everyone.  I have just checked Durham Records on Line and found the record. Her mother is Frances Davison so its got to be the right Sarah Alice. I had a look on Family Search earlier today and found the marriage for Andrew and Frances and yes they were both Davidson's. So the mystery is solved with just the right outcome.  I also spent some time looking at some amazing images of the Windy Nook quarry. All the male Davidson's and Frances's second husband John Bygate were grindstone quarrymen - they must have led extremely hard lives. The link to the site is below

Thanks again Jen

http://www.talkwindynookstaneway.org/gallery