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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Hampshire & Isle of Wight => Topic started by: ajm314159 on Thursday 25 August 22 02:44 BST (UK)
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Mr William Atkinson married Miss Catherine Mans of Winchester, on 28 Jan 1819, at St Lawrence's parish church. They are gggg parents of me.
The Mans family I know somewhat about, including Catherine's grandfather William (1738-?) of Alresford, her father James (1763-1839) who spent most of his life as porter of the Close; and Catherine herself ran a millinery business in Winchester until the late 1830s -- first with her sister Ann and then in her own name -- and later is a school mistress, e.g. in Lymington in 1841, with the three children William, Catherine Ann, and Moorsom.
But I can't find out anything at all about William Atkinson, other than: in the marriage allegation he is a “gentleman”, and he was possibly a naval man, because at Catherine's death (Glastonbury, 1864) she's “relict of Capt. Atkinson RN”.
In 1851 Catherine is living in Wool, and she's a widow, with the two younger. Since there's a death of a William Atkinson in Winchester 1849, I take that as my man, aged 65 on the bishops transcript: hence the tentative dates above.
But I really know nothing: cannot find a birth or parents, and cannot find any actual naval records. (Moorsom the youngest son was a sketchy character who invented a naval career for himself in the late 1850s for the purpose of fraud (and bigamy!). Perhaps he learned this trick from his dad.)
Any help finding my William Atkinson, gratefully received.
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On the marriage allegation, William is aged 21, and from St. Lawrence Winchester. That puts his year of birth about 1797.
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Moorsom is such an unusual name. Have you looked at the possibility of it being a surname from the female side of the Atkinson family somewhere? William's mother maybe?
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So for the marriage, I take it that 21 means 21 or over (as it often does).
Moorsom is an unusual name. And my ggg parents re-used it in the next generation for their youngest son (who died in infancy). I've tried in the past to find that "Capt" William Atkinson was associated with Admiral Sir Robert Moorsom (+1835), but without success. However Sir Robert's younger son William Scarth Moorsom (1804-1863) was a railway engineer, and William and Catherine Atkinson's elder son William Atkinson (1820-1894) was also a railway engineer: and they both worked on the Waterford and Kilkenny in the 1840s. So it seems certain that the given name Moorsom is in honour of that family, but not clear exactly why yet.
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In an article about the bigamy case Moorsom's father is named "Captain William Atkinson, R.N." - apparently from the marriage register.
Tuesday, Dec. 20, 1859
Publication: The Standard
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Oh yes, that was also part of Moorsom's story, and since the 1854 marriage was his actual and real marriage, it seems likely that his father really was a naval captain. But then why can I not find a record of William’s career? I've searched...
Unfortunately “William Atkinson” is a very common name. I have details of 4 different William Atkinsons in the children's generation (1820s - 1900s) who were all engineers, including two different railway engineers!
I haven't looked for Moorsom antecedents, and that's a good point, I should.
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So for the marriage, I take it that 21 means 21 or over (as it often does).
The term "full age" denotes 21 or older.
The ages on the marriage allegation are quite specific. Your William was aged 21 when he married. That is the same age as his wife.
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Since there's a death of a William Atkinson in Winchester 1849, I take that as my man, aged 65 on the bishops transcript: hence the tentative dates above.
As you say the name is very common, so how can you assume that this is your man?
When you get the death certificate from the GRO (see below) you will probably find it is not correct. Until then you will not know.
DEATH CERTIFICATE
ATKINSON, WILLIAM age 65
GRO Reference: 1849 M Quarter in WINCHESTER & HURSLEY Volume 07 Page 220
As a naval man, it is possible that he died at sea, or abroad. I would be looking in newspapers for any information about his death.
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I had a look in newspapers that I have access to last night but couldn't find a death notice for the William ATKINSON who died in 1849. There is this one however at Bristol, though the age is different to that on the marriage allegation.
"June 28, after a few days illness, Capt. William Atkinson"
Saturday, July 15, 1837
Publication: Bristol Mercury
I assume this is his burial at Bedminster, St John, Bristol on 4 July 1837, aged 67, of Southville. (With a note "St Paul's New Church Yard")
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I can only see transcripts - do you have images of the children's baptisms at St Lawrence, Winchester? What occupation does it say for William?
28 Jan 1822 (born 19 Jan 1820) William
28 Jan 1822 (born 31 Jan 1821) Catherine
4 July 1825 Moorsom
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Don't know if it helps at all Moorsom is very much a North Yorkshire surname around the Whitby area.
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I also have only the transcripts of the Winchester baptisms. It seems that I would have to go in person to Winchester to see the originals, although I'd be happy to be proved wrong.
Moorsom is a Whitby name, to be sure: the Admiral was born there. Of course there are William Atkinsons born there, like everywhere else... in this case in 1786 and 1788.
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Not on my computer now, just wondering if the children, Catherine or William married, what occupation did they say their father had?
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Catherine Ann Atkinson married William Breer Johnson in Thomastown, Kilkenny, in 1852: they are my ggg parents.
Her elder brother William Atkinson married first Penelope (Price) Ronayne, widow, in Youghal in 1855 ; and second Elizabeth Clifford, in Waterford in 1887.
I do not find, nor expect to find, these Irish images online.
Her younger brother Moorsom Atkinson married Elizabeth Garrow in 1854 in Dodbrooke (Devon) -- as mentioned above he recorded his father as “Capt William Atkinson RN” : at least that's what the newspapers said at his bigamy trial.
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Catherine Ann Atkinson married William Breer Johnson in Thomastown, Kilkenny, in 1852: they are my ggg parents.
Her elder brother William Atkinson married first Penelope (Price) Ronayne, widow, in Youghal in 1855 ; and second Elizabeth Clifford, in Waterford in 1887.
I do not find, nor expect to find, these Irish images online.
Yes, images are free to access online. Just prove you are not a robot and sign in.
Marriage of Catherine Atkinson is online here. Father is recorded as "Gent"
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1852/09431/5416724.pdf
1855 marriage for William online here. Father is a gentleman.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1855/09495/5441269.pdf
William's second marriage 1887 online here.
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1888/10778/5931054.pdf
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Thanks Neale, so it looks like the only reference to William ATKINSON snr being in the Royal Navy comes from Moorsom - his marriage and presumably he was the one who put the death notice for his mother in the paper. :-\
Modified to add:
Or maybe Moorsom didn't place the death notice, I didn't realise daughter Catherine was also in Glastonbury, though she died in 1860.
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Catherine's death on Feb 6 1864 was announced in four (that I have found) Somerset newspapers the following weekend Feb 12-13. Significantly the same announcement appeared in Waterford on Feb 19: this is inexplicable except for the fact that William (jun.) and Penelope lived in Tramore.
William jun., and his brother-in-law my ggg father William Breer Johnson, were old friends; also the latter was known in Somerset, from his work as a land agent. Catherine Ann died (alas!) in Glastonbury in 1860, shortly after the birth of Florence (my great grandmother). Moorsom has proved untraceable after his release from prison in 1862. Perhaps he changed his name (and ceased to use his improbable alias): or perhaps it's he who sailed steerage from Liverpool to Portland ME on the Hibernian in Dec 1863.
I suspect therefore that it was William Johnson (although he remarried in 1862 and moved down to Cannington) who placed the announcements. It does seem as though “Captain William Atkinson RN” might be a fiction, but how can we learn the truth of the matter?
Neale: many thanks; that's a resource I ought to learn to use.
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Neale, you are right that marriage allegations generally contain the exact age. But not always! Unless marrying at exactly 21 is much more common than not. Printed forms often seem to say “of the age of ______ and upwards” so writing in 21 isn't false.
At any rate Catherine Mans was certainly 23 at her marriage in 1819, not 21.
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I have been looking into George Pinckney Atkinson born 1824, Amesbury, Wiltshire, the son of Charles and Anna James. Charles was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire and lived in Woodsford, Dorset.
The prison record for Moorsom has the name George Pinckney Moorsom Atkinson (which you have already mentioned).
George Pinckney went to America around the same time as Moorsom married the second time. George died in America in Iowa in 1867. He was on the Kent Electoral Registers up to 1855-56.
Charles (Georges father) was also a gent and I believe his parents to be Thomas Atkinson and Charlotte Pinckney.
Does all this make sense? I'm sure Charles and William are not brothers but I'm sure there's some connection somewhere. I'll keep digging, its driving me nuts! Why would Moorsom use George's name if he'd never heard of him, too much of a coincidence!
Julie
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So yes, that's in accord with my researches about the real George Pinckney Atkinson. Gosh if I was after choosing an alias I'd try for somewhat less unusual...
I am about 80% ;) certain there is no particular connection between George and Moorsom. George's father Charles was pretty well off farmer, if I recall correctly, and I found no connecting births. But this requires more research, to be sure.
George became Ensign of the 89th Foot :), by purchase, in 1845, but is a Retired Army Officer by 1851 :( and is living in Islington. Something about that 5-year supported stint reminds me of Moorsom ... Perhaps they met, and colluded. It would make a decent plot, anyhow. More likely Moorsom just saw the name in the Gazette and decided to exploit the coincidence.
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I can't help thinking he knew George was going to America and that's when he started using his name.
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The other thing that strikes me as a coincidence is Moorsom is in Wool, Dorset 1851, which is only 6 miles from Woodsford.
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As you say the name is very common, so how can you assume that this is your man?
When you get the death certificate from the GRO (see below) you will probably find it is not correct. Until then you will not know.
Quite right. Indeed the certificate shows that William Atkinson +1849 died in the workhouse and was a “Servant” -- which pretty much eliminates him, as you foresaw.
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Now (not before) I can see the baptisms of William and Catherine’s three children, in 1822 and 1825. It only adds to the mystery, because all three times William’s “Quality, Trade, or Profeſſion” is ”Perfumer”, neither Toy Dealer nor Navy man nor Gentleman.
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Good to see that images are still being added. Transcripts are not satisfactory really.
I see that William (age 2) and Catherine (age 1) are baptised together in 1822.
I wonder why the delay in their baptism?
I also wonder if ‘perfumer’ might have more to do with the mother’s work – from memory she had a dress/ millinery shop on the high street ?
It might be worth looking in the papers around the early 1820s to see if there is mention of Atkinson perfumer locally.
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Catherine continued with her millinery business in the High street through at least 1830. William appears Pigott's directory as a Toy Dealer in 1828, at literally next door.
Also "W Atkinson, Perfumer", was one of three selected as constables for Winchester in 1826. [Hampshire Chronicle 5 Dec 1825, p 3]. (I'd seen that before but now I know it's him.)
Mercurial chap: gent, perfumer, toy dealer, navy captain, disappeared. Still can't help feeling Moorsom took after his dad.
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Just some thoughts …….
Well the ‘navy captain’ could be hearsay. At least you have documentation for ‘perfumer’ and now ‘constable’. As a town constable I wonder if the Winchester archives would have records? That could be followed up.
I am sure you would have explored the newspapers more using ‘constable’ in your search.
William was a “gentleman” when married – and his family clearly wanted to hold on to that grand title, even though many years later, he was not. Money does eventually run out, and William and his wife clearly had to earn a living.
To be a gentleman in one’s youth suggests he inherited money – directly from a parent, or from a grandparent, or uncle or aunt.
I think the Pinckney - Atkinson family of Amesbury should be explored further (See reply #18). It would take some time, so it really is up to how deep you want to delve / your level of dedication. :)
It would involve going a few generations back and working sideways through all the siblings.
There are some Wills for Pinckney and Atkinson family members at the National Archives – free downloads. With some reading, one might yield results. I would start with the ones from Amesbury.
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Now (again not before) I can see the very marriage. By license, no surprise. Not by the rector. There are six witnesses (!) Including dad William, sister Ann, the verger William Silver (who also witnesses many other weddings in this register) and one, Richard Humphrys.
And two others whose names I find illegible. Could someone help? Elizabeth something and Elizabeth something else.
This is 28 Jan 1819, at St Lawrence Winchester.
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This is 28 Jan 1819, at St Lawrence Westminster.
For those looking for the whole document see
Winchester, not Westminster.
The second, might be Elizeth Rigg?
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Elizabeth Annets?
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Elizabeth Annets?
I was thinking along similar lines. "Elizabeth Annete" or "Elizabeth Annate" ? ?
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Thanks very much for your suggestions!
I find Elizabeth Annets b Winchester 1800, certainly possible, and various Elizabeth Rugg and Rigg -- so these are good for further searching.