RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Lincolnshire => England => Lincolnshire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: wasaking on Wednesday 17 September 14 11:54 BST (UK)
-
Hi, I'm looking for the birth date and parents/ancestors of William Bell, who emigrated to NZ on the Sir George Pollock in 1851 with his sister Ann. They came to check things out for their brother Jonathan and his family. Ann returned to Eng. and William stayed in Christchurch. They were all from Foston in Lincolnshire, and Jonathan named his first farm in Canterbury after Foston. This he gave to his oldest son (Jonathan) and bought land for another farm which was, and still is, known as Bell's Station.
-
Hi and welcome to Rootschat, you have not provided an age of William who emigrated, but is this brother?
Jonathan Bell 52 b Allington
Elizabeth 49
Elizabeth 14 b Foston
Jonathan 7 b Foston
Residing at Foston, Nottingham Registration District Newark
Census ref HO107/2138/120/5
Keyboard86
-
There are variations in the age of William Bell - according to the passenger list of the Sir. George Pollock he was 25 years old and his sister Ann was 23. This would put his birth at about 1826, but this does not totally tie in with other facts, and his age was not on the marriage certificate, when he married Ann Harvey in 1855. He was the brother of Jonathon Bell of Foston farm, and in fact they were living together at Bells Station until William died in 1884.
-
Hi again, would this be Ann then in 1841?
Jonathan Bell 40
Elizabeth 35
ANN 13
Lucy 10
Elizabeth 5
Residing Foston, Lincolnshire Reg: District Newark
Census ref HO107/618/ 13/4 / 2
Keyboard86
-
There is a baptism for Jonathan Bell in East Allington, Lincolnshire on 12 August 1798 to parents to parents William Bell and Ann. If he is brother to William then this would suggest that William's parents were also William and Ann.
Pheno
-
OK the marriage of Jonathan Bell snr was:-
Jonathan Bell to Elizabeth Low 4th April 1825 Foston, Deanery Grantham
Notes: With consent of all parties
Keyboard86
PS so William b c 1826 was brother to Jonathan b c 1844 is that correct?
-
Thanks, The Ann would be about the right age to be the sister of Jonathan and William. This should make William about 15 in 1841. William and his wife Ann are buried in unmarked graves in the Anglican Cemetery, Ashley St. Rangiora on one side of the path and Jonathan and his two wives are buried on the other side of the path under a monument to the settlers of Rangiora. William and Ann had a daughter Ann aka Annie Elizabeth.
Jonathan b c 1844 was the son of Jonathan and Elizabeth, and the nephew of William Bell. Jonathan Jun. was 10 years old when they emigrated.
-
Perhaps I have misunderstood but is there anything to suggest that the 13 year old Ann Bell (b. 1828) in the 1841 census living with Jonathan and Elizabeth Bell is not their daughter as they were married in 1825, rather than Jonathan's sister Ann?
Pheno
-
Hi again,
Baptism William Bell 17th July 1825 Great Gonerby Father Jonathan Mother Elizabeth
Keyboard86
-
Hi again:-
Annie Bell 23rd March 1828 Foston Father Jonathan Mother Elizabeth
Where does the thinking of a Nephew come in for William Bell b c 1826 and Jonathan b c 1844?
And Jonathan Bell 9th April 1843 Foston Father Jonathan Mother Elizabeth
Keyboard86
PS Great Gonerby and Foston are approximately 4 miles apart.
-
Hi their is another thread re Jonathan Bell in Canterbury NZ by Mensor38 would it be possible for a Moderator to provide a link to this thread please?!
Keyboard86
-
This is getting more confusing - according to 7/162014 New Zealand Archives Passenger Lists 1839-1973 for The Caroline Agnes which left London 12th April, 1855 and arrived in Lytttelton on 17th August, 1855:
Jonathan Bell age 55 labourer
Elizabeth Bell 52 wife
Lucy Bell 20 daughter
Elizabeth Bell 18 daughter
Jonathan Bell 19 son
There is no mention anywhere that I can see that this Jonathan and Elizabeth also had a daughter Ann (27) which they left behind in England......unless she was a married woman by that stage and there is no record about her that I can find here
The Sir George Pollock passenger list (arriving Lyttelton 10th November 1851)contains two Bells, who were paying passengers and not assisted immigrants:
Bell Ann 23 Domestic Servant not married
Bell William 25 Ag. Labourer
Ann returned to England to report to Jonathan and family on the situation in NZ, and William took up residence in Ferry Road, where he is listed in the 1953 Electoral Roll and the 1855 Jury List as a farmer.
When Jonathan and Elizabeth and family arrived in 1855 the also lived in Ferry road until 1858. To date the only Ann I can find is the Ann Harvey that William married in 1855, and their daughter also called Ann. I have not checked the NZ historic BDM records for any Ann that may be a descendant of the Jonathan Bells yet.....my main focus has been with William Bell.
-
Thank you all very much for the information. Now that I have had time to think about it I can see some other possibilities. William BELL was my great grandfather, and we know very little about him, and even less about Jonathan Bell.....despite the numerous newspaper articles which mention them, and a lot of family papers were destroyed during a disagreement between two of his descendants. A few of the early settlers in Canterbury have written and published diaries and memoirs and these contain snippets of information about the Bells......We always thought of William being the brother of Jonathan senior, but it is possible ...looking at the dates....that he and Ann could be the older brother and sister of Jonathan Bell junior....it would make sense. Once again thinks for the dates.