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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Yorkshire (North Riding) => England => Yorkshire (North Riding) Lookup Requests => Topic started by: SignalHill on Monday 19 September 22 03:43 BST (UK)
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John TANFIELD farmer is shown as the father of Samuel born 1841 + / - a year. Samuel's year of birth is confirmed by his marriage at age 23 to Mary HOLMES on 11 June 1864 at Freeman's Bay Auckland
Samuel's Death Certificate [26 September 1900 Devonport Auckland] records born in Yorkshire - Farmer. There is no information about his mother.
The Death information is supplied by A TANFIELD son (Alfred Thomas TANFIELD)
Some on-line family trees suggest Samuel's parents were Thomas and Mary TANFIELD of Thirsk.
Samuel TANFIELD of Tanfield & Potter - later Crown Lynn importers and manufacturers of china goods- arrived in Auckland NZ on the Ship William Miles - Departed London 29th Jul 1862 Arrived Auckland 13th Nov 1862.
The William Miles passengers were Non-Conformists wanting to establish a new settlement north of Auckland. Samuel along with several others found work in Auckland and was never part of that settlement.
Samuel spent some years in Hamilton before returning to Auckland. He was connected with the Wesleyan (Methodist) Church - both Primitive and Wesleyan branches.
My enquiry on the NZ board has given me this info
"The Samuel Tanfield b. 1841 Thirsk is with parents Thomas and Mary in 1841 and 1851 in Thirsk and boarding in Ripon in 1861. Can't see him after this which would tie in with him going to NZ. Thomas is not a farmer."
Was Albert mistaken about his Grandfather's name from the other side of the world ?
Are there any records of Birth or Baptism or possibly Probate which might throw light on the real father of Samuel-of-Devonport ?
Signal Hill
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Just to help others and to ensure research isn't duplicated - previous thread on NZ board
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=865915
(I think it's most likely the name on the death certificate was wrong. As was pointed out, death certificates are only as accurate as the informant knows, and not knowing the mother's name at all makes other info somewhat dubious. :) )
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In case you are interested, a death notice for Thomas TANFIELD:
"On Saturday, Mr. Thomas Tanfield, aged 63, and rural postman, accidentally fell from his mail cart at Sessay near Thirsk, alighting on his shoulder, thereby receiving such injuries that he died on Monday"
Saturday, Nov. 25, 1865
Publication: Leed's Times
(Another report says he fell on his head and suffered a concussion from which he did not recover.)
"TANFIELD. - On the 20th instant, at St James Green, Thirsk, aged 63, Mr. Thomas Tanfield, many years a letter carrier."
Saturday, Nov. 25, 1865
Publication: Yorkshire Gazette
A few other mentions in newspapers earlier if you are interested, though none that mention his children's names that i can see.
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Thanks Maddy
Wasn't sure how to insert the Link
Still need to eliminate the 10 or so possible John TANFIELDs from Yorkshire before discarding as father.
NOTE I have now info on John TANFIELD brother of Samuel TANFIELD-of-Thirsk
1. John Tanfield (brother of Samuel b.Thirsk 1841)
b. Thirsk, Yorkshire, England on 6 March 1844
p. Thomas Tanfield and Mary Simpson.
d. 07 Dec 1868 in on "Queen Bee"on voyage to NZ.
This John TANFIELD was baptised 16 Apr 1844 Thirsk Methodist Chapel
Methodist Baptism connects with the life of Samuel who lived in Devonport Auckland
Possible fathers of Samuel TANFIELD (as alternative to Thomas)
2. John Tanfield
b. Northallerton, Yorkshire, England on 1797
p. John Tanfield and Jane Bumby.
d. 02 Nov 1887 in Yorkshire, England.
3. John Tanfield
b. Thirsk, England, UK on 27 May 1798
p. Robert Tanfield and Rachel Waine.
m. Ann Jackson
11 children.
d. 24 March 1865 in Guisborough, Yorkshire North Riding
4. John Tanfield
b. Thormanby, Yorkshire, England on 14 June 1763
p. William Tanfield and Alice Webster.
m. Jane Bumby
9 children.
d. 12 Dec 1850 in Northallerton,Yorkshire - North Riding, North Yorkshire,
5. John Tanfield
b. Thirsk, Yorkshire, England on 1795
p. Robert Tanfield and Rachel Waine.
m. Sarah Exelby and had 5 children.
d. July 1874 in Sheffield, Yorkshire West Riding.
6. John Tanfield
b. Gate Helmsley, , Yorkshire, England on 1801.
m. Sarah Exelby.
d. January 1865 in Guisborough, Yorkshire North Riding.
7. John Tanfield
b. Kirkby Malzeard, Yorkshire, England abt 1832
p. John Tanfield and Rebecca Cundall.
m.. Ann Beck.
8. John A Tanfield
b. England on 8 March 1805.
m.. Mary Ann Overs
10 children. d. 16 Feb 1870.
9. John Tanfield
b. Bradford West Yorkshire England on 1813.
m. Ann Hutchinson
2 children. (John Tanfield b. Little Horton, Bradford, on 1837 Apr 30)
d. 1857.
10. John Tanfield
b. Healey, Yorkshire, England on abt 1788.
2 children.
11. John Tanfield
b. Aysgarth, Yorkshire, England on 1811.
d. 1891 in Aysgarth, Yorkshire, England.
Signal
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According to FreeBMD there are only three Samuel TANFIELDs born in England.
Samuel born 1864 Thirsk, marriage 1891 and death in 1925.
Samuel Richard born 1867 Burnley, marriage 1914 and death in 1941.
The other one is Samuel born 1841 at Thirsk. No marriage or death for that one, so it would seem likely that he is the Samuel who came to NZ. Can't find him on the GRO to see what his mmn is.
Ian C
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It is strange that Samuel's birth appears on FreeBMD but not on the GRO. Being curious I have already reported it as an error/omission. They said they will investigate - no doubt it will take some time. ;)
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Maddy
I reported it as an omission as well. It says they are done weekly so hopefully that is correct and we should see something within the next few days.
Ian C
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In NZ the BDM Index on-line did not show the death of Mary TANFIELD nee HOLMES due to a transcription error.
After about eight months and a number of e-mails the entry was finally located and corrected. Handwritten Tanfield had been transcribed as Ianfield.
The Papers Past Newspaper archive image I forwarded clearly stated Date and Place of death but it still took 8 months to find.
Question arises : - How accurate and complete are FreeBMD and GRO. These must, of course, (like NZ BDM index) rely on transcription from the handwritten sources of the 1841 era.
Signal
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I'm sure others could probably add more ... however it is my understanding that on 1 July 1837 civil registration of births began (not actually compulsory until 1874). Births would be recorded by the local registrar who indexed them and copied the index every 3 months to send to the GRO. It is these indexes which are being transcribed by volunteers on FreeBMD. The GRO began digitising the indexes, but I think had its funding cut and didn't complete the project so births only go up to 1917 (I may be wrong about that). The index on the GRO website has been compiled from the digitised copies.
The fact that the birth appears on the index transcribed by FreeBMD but not on the GRO suggests it was overlooked in the digitising process.
FreeBMD is being updated regularly, and you can check coverage for births here:
https://www.freebmd.org.uk/progressB.shtml
Modified to add:
You can see the original that FreeBMD scanned if you click on the eyeglasses to the right of the entry on the search results.
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Maddy
I reported it as an omission as well. It says they are done weekly so hopefully that is correct and we should see something within the next few days.
Ian C
Was reminded of this today by something else, so I checked - the current status of the report still says "awaiting investigation", must be almost 6 weeks later ... ::)
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I've been checking the GRO site periodically since the error was posted to them but as you say Maddy still "awaiting investigation". Mine was dated 20 September so almost 5 weeks.
Ian C
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The GRO site has been finally updated to show the Samuel birth 1841 Thirsk, and has mmn as SIMPSON
Ian C
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The record of John TANFIELD on the Queen Bee from Papers Past
Daily Southern Cross 9 January 1869 Page 2
ARRIVAL OF THE SHIP QUEEN BEE FROM LONDON. The clipper ship Queen Bee, 726 tons, Captain John Leslie, anchored off Rangitoto [Auckland] about six o'clock last evening, after a smart passage of 99 days from the Downs. The Queen Bee left the Downs on the 1st of October, with forty-one passengers...
We regret to state that during the voyage two of the passengers died— Alexander Forgie, on the 12th November, of dropsy in the chest and John Townfield, on December 7, of consumption.
New Zealand Herald 9 January 1869 Page 4
Two deaths occurred, the first being Mr. Alexander Forgie who died of dropsy on the 12th November, aged 62 years; and on the 7th December, Mr. John Tanfield died of consumption.
Signal
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Good to know the GRO has finally updated the index, and that the mmn shows this particular Samuel as son of Thomas and Mary. However, it still doesn't really help solve the dilemma of father "John". Without any other evidence I'm still inclined to think an unintentional mistake was made on the death certificate. I can't really see a way around this problem - perhaps dna. I've looked in newspapers unsuccessfully for any mention of the family of a Samuel TANFIELD leaving for NZ. :-\
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Yes Maddy,
Spent some time scouring Papers Past for a Death Notice for John Tanfield hoping That [brother ?] Samuel might have inserted something. I didn't find anything for John Tanfield but this notice appeared for Alexander Forgie,the other death on the Queen Bee
New Zealand Herald 13 January 1869 Page 4
DEATH.
FORGIE.—On board the ship 'Queen Bee' ou the 12th Nov. last, whilst on the passage from London to Auckland, Mr. Alexander Forgie, Baker, late of Lithingow[Linlithgow], Scotland, aged 62 years;
[I suspect Otago Newspapers would not have printed the typo]
Signal
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In case you are interested, a death notice for Thomas TANFIELD:
"On Saturday, Mr. Thomas Tanfield, aged 63, and rural postman, accidentally fell from his mail cart at Sessay near Thirsk, alighting on his shoulder, thereby receiving such injuries that he died on Monday"
Saturday, Nov. 25, 1865
Publication: Leed's Times
(Another report says he fell on his head and suffered a concussion from which he did not recover.)
"TANFIELD. - On the 20th instant, at St James Green, Thirsk, aged 63, Mr. Thomas Tanfield, many years a letter carrier."
Saturday, Nov. 25, 1865
Publication: Yorkshire Gazette
A few other mentions in newspapers earlier if you are interested, though none that mention his children's names that i can see.
Interesting to place this item alongside the following from Papers Past
New Zealand Herald 10 July 1868
HAMILTON.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) July 7.
...........................
Whether it is the effect of the very wintry weather we have had, or other causes, I know not, but lately the time of the arrival of the mail at Hamilton has been getting later and later ; 2.30 p.m. is tho proper time of its arrival, but on Tuesday last it was near 1 p.m., and at Friday it did not arrive until some time after dark, causing great inconvenience to those of our settlers who have to come in some miles for their letters. If it had not been for tho courtesy of our postmaster, Mr. Tanfield, who delivered tho mail on its arrival, we should had to have waited till tho following morning, thus precluding the opportunity of replying to any business letters till to-morrow. Some long time ago a meeting was called and a committee was appointed to raise funds for the erection of a bridge, and the making of a road on the east side of the river from Hamilton to Ngaruawahia, but since then the project seems to have died a natural death, as no bridge or road has been made; and bore we have the Rangiriri diggings commencing when the road would be of the greatest service to both East Hamilton and Cambridge. If it is intended to be done, if left much longer, I fear that if the funds are forthcoming there will be some difficulty about the labor.
Samuel spent a decade or so in Hamilton so not directly in touch with Auckland shipping --
Though mail arrived then in a fraction of the time it now takes.
Signal