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Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition / Re: Struggling to understand this Will. Any suggestions appreciated
« on: Wednesday 25 June 25 06:29 BST (UK) »
Thank you so much for this explanation. Much appreciated.
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Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition / Re: Struggling to understand this Will. Any suggestions appreciated
« on: Tuesday 24 June 25 20:27 BST (UK) »
Bushinn1746 thank you so much for your thoughts and the additional information from The Gazette. Appreciated muchly Mark 🙏.
Do you think the second page helps?
Horselydown86 likewise, thank you. Any opinions always welcome.
Do you think the second page helps?
Horselydown86 likewise, thank you. Any opinions always welcome.
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Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition / Re: Struggling to understand this Will. Any suggestions appreciated
« on: Tuesday 24 June 25 20:20 BST (UK) »
So sorry for the incomplete upload. Here is page 2
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Handwriting Deciphering & Recognition / Struggling to understand this Will. Any suggestions appreciated
« on: Monday 23 June 25 20:49 BST (UK) »
Whilst I can make out most of this will, I cannot for the life of me understand it and think I must be misreading or missing something.
John Middleham seems to revoke previous wills and appoint an executor to sell his assets but it isn’t clear to me to whom he leaves the proceeds. He doesn’t seem to stipulate a single beneficiary. I am completely puzzled. The will is dated 2nd October 1868 which is the exact same day on which he died aged 71.
By that date his wife and son had pre deceased him but he still had three young grandchildren living in the same village and I cannot see any mention of them but I cannot make out every word.
Is he actually leaving everything to his executor? It doesn’t seem to say so. If that is the case I am very suspicious that there has been some jiggery pokery going on. The proximity of the will to his death (cause listed as Jaundice) the X mark instead of a signature and no mention of his grandchildren.
Feel a bit sad if so but am I missing something?
I also have a newspaper cutting announcing his bankruptcy on 19/5/64. Oddly, his estate on death was valued at between £100 and £200 which wasn’t insignificant I guess back then. He seemingly recovered quickly from bankruptcy.
Any help, opinions or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
This Boy.
John Middleham seems to revoke previous wills and appoint an executor to sell his assets but it isn’t clear to me to whom he leaves the proceeds. He doesn’t seem to stipulate a single beneficiary. I am completely puzzled. The will is dated 2nd October 1868 which is the exact same day on which he died aged 71.
By that date his wife and son had pre deceased him but he still had three young grandchildren living in the same village and I cannot see any mention of them but I cannot make out every word.
Is he actually leaving everything to his executor? It doesn’t seem to say so. If that is the case I am very suspicious that there has been some jiggery pokery going on. The proximity of the will to his death (cause listed as Jaundice) the X mark instead of a signature and no mention of his grandchildren.
Feel a bit sad if so but am I missing something?
I also have a newspaper cutting announcing his bankruptcy on 19/5/64. Oddly, his estate on death was valued at between £100 and £200 which wasn’t insignificant I guess back then. He seemingly recovered quickly from bankruptcy.
Any help, opinions or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
This Boy.
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Cumberland / Re: Cannot find the marriage for Francis Boustead and Sarah Lawson (Hetherington)
« on: Wednesday 29 November 23 23:16 GMT (UK) »
https://crimesofthecenturies.com/index.php/2020/07/19/the-staffield-murder-of-1856/
An interesting summary of the murder trial in which Francis Boustead got himself involved.
An interesting summary of the murder trial in which Francis Boustead got himself involved.
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Cumberland / Re: Cannot find the marriage for Francis Boustead and Sarah Lawson (Hetherington)
« on: Monday 27 November 23 17:33 GMT (UK) »
Robbiesmum,
Thank you. I am beginning to think that they probably didn’t actually marry as you suggest. I will perhaps go to the family history centre and look through the actual written parish registers for Ainstable for the most likely years before accepting defeat.
Thank you. I am beginning to think that they probably didn’t actually marry as you suggest. I will perhaps go to the family history centre and look through the actual written parish registers for Ainstable for the most likely years before accepting defeat.
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Cumberland / Re: Cannot find the marriage for Francis Boustead and Sarah Lawson (Hetherington)
« on: Monday 27 November 23 16:42 GMT (UK) »
Robbiesmum,
Thank you. You are right. This was absolutely our Francis Boustead, one and the same man who provided the key evidence in that trial. The Judge, in summing up, told the jury that if they believe Francis Boustead then Graham must hang. If they didn't believe Boustead then Graham would be guilty of manslaughter not murder.
The jury didn't believe him and clearly felt that he had provided the information, which was damning regarding premeditation, solely for the reward. The Judge in sentencing Graham to transportation for manslaughter said that he agreed with the jury. The police officer in charge of the case defended Boustead who pointed out he had conveyed the crucial information to his wife Sarah even before the reward was offered. A fascinating case. A footnote to the story is that some time after Graham had been transported, his brother spotted Francis Boustead in a local pub some time later and significantly assaulted him leading to his own conviction for assault.
Sadly though you are also right that I remain stuck any record of the marriage I seek.
Thank you. You are right. This was absolutely our Francis Boustead, one and the same man who provided the key evidence in that trial. The Judge, in summing up, told the jury that if they believe Francis Boustead then Graham must hang. If they didn't believe Boustead then Graham would be guilty of manslaughter not murder.
The jury didn't believe him and clearly felt that he had provided the information, which was damning regarding premeditation, solely for the reward. The Judge in sentencing Graham to transportation for manslaughter said that he agreed with the jury. The police officer in charge of the case defended Boustead who pointed out he had conveyed the crucial information to his wife Sarah even before the reward was offered. A fascinating case. A footnote to the story is that some time after Graham had been transported, his brother spotted Francis Boustead in a local pub some time later and significantly assaulted him leading to his own conviction for assault.
Sadly though you are also right that I remain stuck any record of the marriage I seek.
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Cumberland / Re: Cannot find the marriage for Francis Boustead and Sarah Lawson (Hetherington)
« on: Thursday 23 November 23 20:23 GMT (UK) »
Thank you both. Very plausible suggestions. I am not sure that I understand what an irregular marriage in Scotland was but I believe it was easier for English couples to marry in Scotland and they were living near the border. Would there be no records to find if they had done so.
An update.
I think I have have just found the birth for the first of the children I thought was from a Bousted/Lawson( Hetherington) marriage. Willian Hetherington seems to have been born illegitimately in the Carlisle workhouse on 24/2/52. Sarah Hetherington is the mother. This ties in with the 1861 census where William is listed as having being born in the Carlisle Union. All the other kids are listed as having been born in Dale which included Ainstable at the time. Explains why I can find baptisms and births in Ainstable and Penrith for the latter three but not for William, who it seems started life as William Hetherington and then took the name Boustead. That means the marriage would likely be after February 1852 and certainly calls into question whether Francis Boustead was, in fact, the father of William Hetherington Boustead. I suspect not.
The next child and the first we can definitively say was a Francis Boustead/Sarah Lawson (Hetherington) child was baptised in August 1854 at Ainstable. Thinking now that the marriage, if there was one - I suspect there was - will have been between February 1852 and August 1854.
An update.
I think I have have just found the birth for the first of the children I thought was from a Bousted/Lawson( Hetherington) marriage. Willian Hetherington seems to have been born illegitimately in the Carlisle workhouse on 24/2/52. Sarah Hetherington is the mother. This ties in with the 1861 census where William is listed as having being born in the Carlisle Union. All the other kids are listed as having been born in Dale which included Ainstable at the time. Explains why I can find baptisms and births in Ainstable and Penrith for the latter three but not for William, who it seems started life as William Hetherington and then took the name Boustead. That means the marriage would likely be after February 1852 and certainly calls into question whether Francis Boustead was, in fact, the father of William Hetherington Boustead. I suspect not.
The next child and the first we can definitively say was a Francis Boustead/Sarah Lawson (Hetherington) child was baptised in August 1854 at Ainstable. Thinking now that the marriage, if there was one - I suspect there was - will have been between February 1852 and August 1854.
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Cumberland / Cannot find the marriage for Francis Boustead and Sarah Lawson (Hetherington)
« on: Thursday 23 November 23 19:08 GMT (UK) »
Sarah Lawson was born in 1831 at Canonbie, Dumfriesshire.
By 1841 she was living in Ainstable, Cumberland with her mum and a Joseph Hetherington who wasn't her dad. She was still with the family at the same place in 1851. By Feb 1852 she has a child, William, in Ainstable with Frances Boustead who worked for a relative of Sarah's as a farm labourer. She then has four more Bousted children in Ainstable before the 1861 census where she is listed as Sarah Boustead, the wife of Francis.
I am probably going to embarrass myself again as I cannot find a marriage for Frances and Sarah either as Sarah Lawson or Sarah Hetherington. I guess it would most likely have been 1851/52. I am reassured that my 4th cousin in Canada (a DNA match) also cannot find it. That said, just about every time I put a request on here for help someone pops up and finds what I need in double quick time. So, I actually hope I embarrassed again.
If no one can find a marriage I would welcome any suggestions about why that may be.
By 1841 she was living in Ainstable, Cumberland with her mum and a Joseph Hetherington who wasn't her dad. She was still with the family at the same place in 1851. By Feb 1852 she has a child, William, in Ainstable with Frances Boustead who worked for a relative of Sarah's as a farm labourer. She then has four more Bousted children in Ainstable before the 1861 census where she is listed as Sarah Boustead, the wife of Francis.
I am probably going to embarrass myself again as I cannot find a marriage for Frances and Sarah either as Sarah Lawson or Sarah Hetherington. I guess it would most likely have been 1851/52. I am reassured that my 4th cousin in Canada (a DNA match) also cannot find it. That said, just about every time I put a request on here for help someone pops up and finds what I need in double quick time. So, I actually hope I embarrassed again.
If no one can find a marriage I would welcome any suggestions about why that may be.