Walkers of Masham/Fearby - parish records ?

[neilsmum]

Hi  -  could anyone help at all.  I am trying to trace the marriage of Robert Walker b.c. 1801 to Elizabeth (sorry no surname) b.c. 1796, and the birth of their son William reputedly born Masham b.c. 1828 and a daughter Mary b.c. 1827.   Up to now the only sighting of Robert, wife Eliz and daughter Mary is on the 1851 census.  William was not on the census.  At some point William at least moved from Masham and eventually married an Elizabeth Thirlaway at St. Helens Church, Kelloe, County Durham.  Other than the marr cert, my next sighting of William is on 1861 census when he and his young family moved north to Northumberland. What happened to the rest of his family - whether they stayed in the Masham area or moved to Durham at the same time as William, I do not know.  Unless I can trace Robert/Eliz and any siblings via parish records, I will be unable to progress any further.

I would appreciate any help that anyone is able to give.

[Ecneps]

Hi,

This could be Rbt & family in 1841, no William though:

1841 Fearby Cross, Fearby, Masham  HO107/125/4 fol.15 p.1
Robert Walker  40  Ag. Lab  Y (born in county)
Elizabeth   "     45                Y
Mary          "     14                Y

Will keep looking, Barbara

[Ecneps]

Hi,

Found a possible William in 1851, working as a servant for William Henry Orde Powlett, Lord Bolton, at Bolton Hall, Middleham

HO107/2379 fol.363 p.1
William Walker  23   Groom     Middleham, Yorkshire

Masham parish records are not on the IGI, they are kept at North Riding of Yorks Records Office.

[aytonkiwi]

Hi

I have been following the same Robert and Elizabeth Walker or Masham/Fearby, as parents of Mary Walker. I have details about Mary's descendants - happy to share. Alas, so far nothing very useful about the parents' marriage, mother's maiden name, christening details or whatever.

Mary married James Pounder 1 June 1850 at Catterick

Cheers Sandy

[neilsmum]

Hi Sandy - thanks for the message.  I would indeed be interested in Mary and her whereabouts, children etc.  I have not looked at these Walkers for a very very long time as I felt I had to give up after searching for years and getting nowhere.  I obviously have details of Williams marriage/children etc. and onwards to the next generation. William was my Gt. Gt. Grandfather.  Cheers, Margaret

[neilsmum]

Hi Sandy - are you still happy to send me the details of Mary Walker/husband and children ?  I would be interested to see it.  Thanks, Margaret .....

[davidft]

just tagging this thread so I can watch the replies

[davidft]

Hi

I don’t know if you have sorted your Robert Walker out but as I was looking at the Masham registers yesterday, (I also have Walkers from Masham), I thought I would have a look at your Robert too.

Marriages
24 November 1819 Robert Walker husbandman and Elizabeth Berry, spinster, both of this parish, by banns were married. Both sign (she signs Elisabeth). Witnesses Christopher Walker, Matthew Metcalf and Mary Handley
30 June 1822 Robert Walker, bachelor, and Elizabeth Haykins, spinster, both of this parish, by banns, both mark. Witnesses Farey (sic) Wilson and Mattw (sic) Metcalf
21 March 1836 Robert walker widower, and Elisabeth (sic) Marsden spinster, both of this parish, by banns, both mark.  Witnesses John Howe (mark) and Chrisr (sic) Marsden

Baptisms
8 June 1823 Matthew son of Robert and Elizabeth Walker, Fearby. Labourer
29 March 1825 William son of Robert and Elizabeth Walker, Fearby. Labourer
5 December 1827 Mary daughter of Robert and Elizabeth Walker, Fearby. Labourer
Earlier baptism
29 January 1797 Robert son of Robert and Mary Walker, Warthermarske.
(from 1803 baptism of daughter Mary it is revealed that Robert snr was a husbandman and Mary was Mary Thorpe before marriage)

Burial
12 December 1834 Elizabeth Walker of Fearby aged 45

Conjecture
It looks to me that your Robert Walker is the one born 1797 above. He marries first Elizabeth Haykins in 1822 who is the mother of his children. She dies in 1834 and he remarries in 1836 to Elizabeth Marsden. Therefore the Elizabeth on the 1841 is not the mother of Mary but the step mother.

Elizabeth Haykins was not baptised in Masham. (I also wonder if Haykins is a bad attempt at Hawkins)

The identity of the further child Matthew might prove useful in trying to take the family back.

I understand the difficulty trying to trace Walkers in Yorkshire as it is something like the fourth most common surname there. Findmypast are supposed to be putting Yorkshire parish records onto their site and when I contacted them in January they said they were making good progress and to expect news “later this year” so maybe when they arrive they will help.

Incidentally you said you had Robert, Elizabeth and Mary in 1851. I couldn’t find that do you have a reference so I could look it up please.

Warthermarske is two and a half miles from Fearby and two miles from Masham.

[neilsmum]

Hi Davidft - thanks a million for that wealth of information.  Apologies for delay in replying but I have been studying it and trying to process it all.  Regarding the 1851 census - you wouldn't believe it but I cannot find my note anywhere.  It is so many years since I stopped trying to sort the Walkers that it must be somewhere in the loft.  However I have tried unsuccessfully to find it on Ancestry and can't !!!  If I come across the note I will let you know.

Regarding the offspring names possibly opening things up I decided to try and track Matthew the eldest child (of whom I had no knowledge previously).  I couldn't positively identify him in 1841 and the most likely was a Matthew Walker living Hare Gille Lodge? Ellingstring district in parish of Masham.  He is described as Ag Lab and is there with various other people non of whom are his family.

I did track him in 1851 where he is living in Cramlington, Northumberland age 28 with wife Elisabeth age 23 and their children Elizabeth 6 and Jane 5 months - together with Thomas Hawkins age 29 !!!  This confirms the wife to be Elizabeth nee Hawkins.  I then found that Elisabeth was the dau of John Hawkins 1801-1857 and Jane Long 1797-1888 and had been born in Crayke ?  Now under normal circumstances I would not have considered this as a suitable location, Cramlington, Northumberland being a long way from his Yorkshire roots BUT brother William was married 1855 Kelloe Parish Church to an Elizabeth Thirlaway b. Cassop Colliery and by 1861 they too were living Cramlington !!  This to me seemed a good link.  By 1861 Matthew seems to have died and we find Elisabeth living in Cramlington with Abraham Hawkins 20 as Head b. Osmotherley, his brother Jacob 15 born Osmotherley, Jane Hawkins 63 Mother a widow b. Crake, Elisabeth herself age 33 a widow, her daughters Elizabeth 14 and Jane 10 (described as b. Heildon??)    By 1871 Elisabeth (Matt's widow) is 43 living alone and decribed as a confectioner.  That is as far as I have gone.  Mary the other child I am hoping the other poster gets back and helps out there.

thank you so much for your efforts.  I really am appreciative.  You have reignited my interest in the Walkers and I shall continue trying to find out more about them.