Anyone Looking For Cunningham And Swales In Yorks?

[leony]

Hello Everyone,

 I have been researching my family tree now for about 2 years and have come across this site. I was delighted to see some mention of the very famous Swales family. The Famous Richard Swales (born abt 1850 Stockton) and Elizabeth Swales born abt 1852 Stokesley) were my Great-Great Grandparent. Iam a decendent of their youngest daughter Isabella Swales (born 1896 Guisborough).

 It has been very interesting reading how other seem to have been as confused as I have been with the Swales Family! I have also been very confused with Richards and Elizabeth. I have Richards father as Hannibal Swales (born 1814 Aycliffe (often refered to as Yackley by local people) and Elizabeth's father as John swales (born abt 1806 in Malton) the question is were Hannibal and John Brothers?? making Richard and Elizabeth Cousins??

After researching about cousins marrying cousins in thoses days it appears to be very popular and still happens to be legal in the UK.  i Know some of Richard and Elizabeth's decendents did marry each other, so i do keep coming back to the same idea.

If anyone has any information or suggestions about Richard and Elizbeth be cousins it would solve a very big mystery that i have been trying to solve and i would be very grateful.

Was interesting also to see the picture of elizabeth and richard and there children posted on here, it apprears to have become a very famous photograph amoungst our family.

It is the first time i have ever posted anything on a chat room hope i have done it right.

Be lovely to hear from anyone who can help

thanks lea

[origins]

Hi Lea and welcome ro RootsChat.  I am sure you will find many things of interest on this thread.

Elizabeth Swales bn 1852 Stokesley was the daughter of John Swales bn Stokesley 1832 amd Lavinia Stephenson bn 1804 York.  John was the son of John Swales 1806 Malton and Lavinia Bousfield.   Lavinia Stephenson was the daughter of Zachariah Stephenson bn 1804 Yarm and Christiana Wilson bn 1806 Yarm.

So Elizabeth and Richard were cousins, but not first cousins as we know it.  Not sure how you work that, maybe once removed???  Maybe someone else can answer that.   

However,  Zachariah Stephenson (1806) was the brother of Christiana Stephenson  1812 Pickering married to Hannibal Swales!!!!    So in that sense they were first cousins.   

Hope you can follow this, am trying to get it straight in my head. 


              Sorry - Lavinia Stephenson was infact Richard Swales first cousin!!
Val

 

[An65]

Looked fine to me Lea and welcome to the boards

Intermarriage - was extremely common and acceptable amongst the gypsy community of the day - to them it was keeping their bloodlines pure and that was important to them. So I hope that answers that question. Its very evident from this thread that the Cunninghams Swales Vareys Wilsons Forrests Arnolds and Busfields intermarried frequently.

[leony]

Hello Val and An65,

Thank you very much for your kind replies. Esp Val who has solved a massive mystery, seems i have missed out a whole generation. I had Elizabeth Swales's (1852 stokesley) Grandfather down as her father! I did seem to have lots of swales family that i couldn't place and now have been able to put them all in the right places.

However this family tree is mind bloggling to say the least! The Swales Family are such a big family, i know my grandma had 52 cousins that she knew about!  I seem to be stuck where some others are stuck and that is finding the the baptism of Christiana Stephenson about around the 1780 period and who her ancestors where.

Val, you did mention zachariah stephenson(1806) and christiana stephenson (1812) where brother and sister which i had but was alittle confused at how christiana and hannibal were first cousins?

I hope i can help someone else in return as this site has been so helpful.

thanks again
kind regards lea

[origins]

Hi Lea,

You get lots of help on this site, it's great I am glad to have been of help.     I don't want to confuse you any more than I am confused with these families.  I have just realised that in fact Richard Swales was the first cousin of Lavinia Stephenson, the mother of Elizabeth Swales.   Sorry for misleading you.  They were cousins though.  Afraid confusion reigns sometimes and just have to move onto something else to clear the head!!!!!

Christiana Stephenson's baptism c1780 has never been confirmed, a big mystery.  However it is known  she was the daughter of Alexander Stephenson a potter of Blackwell Durham.   This is in the parish records for the birth of Hannah Swales her daughter, and Alexander was the son of Alexander Stephenson of London, Wine Cooper. 


I have a Tree on Ancestry with all this on it and some other people on this site also have Trees there from which you can find lots of information.

My great  grandmother was Christiana Swales bn Pickering 1871 and my mother told me that the Swales and Stephensons were all marrying cousins, but I had no idea how extensive that was until I started my Tree.

Regards Val

[leony]

Dear Val

Thank you again for your kind reply. Thanks for clearing up the cousin thing, it has provided me with something to think about! Iam a member of ancestry however my tree is on my computer rather than on the site itself. i will look out for your tree.

I know what you mean about the confusion feel i have been confused now for two years haha! I do find that Moving back and forth to my grandfathers tree does help as he had a small and uncomplicated family in comparison! It definately clears the head.

My grandmother did also talk of 'kissing cousins' and I also didn't realise to the extent it was.

Thanks again
kind regards
lea

ps this may not be the last you hear from a very confused member of a confusing swales family  hope i can help in return somehow.

[jonnyrey]

Hi
Was just wondering if anybody has info on the swales, smith, and wharton who lived in the falsgrave scarborough area on north street and bakehouse hill. I would like to confirm if they were gypsies or not. The signs seem to be there but i would like another opinion.
The family line is as followed
william smith born in durham 1793 married elizabeth rowbottom. Daughter, sarah smith born 1818 falsgrave married william wharton 1809 scarborough they have daughter mary wharton 1837 falsgrave who is my 3x grandmother .
William smith other daughter was prudence smith who married a hannibal swales in scarborough. The swales were earthenware dealers. the wharton ag labours and william smith from durham was a potman in 1841.
Would be great if anyone could clear this up for me.
regards
Johnny 

[origins]

Hi Johnnyrey,

Would be interested if anyone has the answer to your question.  Thomas Smith bn 1818 Falsgrave  married Mary Morrison 1828 Kirkbymoorside, their daughter Mary married John Adams 1856 Easingwold.   My gggrandmother was an Adams and I am told by a lady  who comes down the Adams line that she is gypsy and that all the Adams were gypsy.
Also Hannibal Swales was the brother of my ggggrandfather James Swales bn Kirkbymoorside.    Were they gypsy or travellers??

Val

[jonnyrey]

Hi val, thanks for the repley.
I have just found the records of thomas smith born 1818 in falsgrave on ancestry who is the son to william smith from durham who i mentioned before and brother to prudence.
Thomas was an earthenware hawker aswell.It all seems to add up. Was it normal for these family to integrate. there seems to be alot of info on the extended people in this family line but not on the smiths and whartons who married into them.
 sorry for my ignorance but whats the diffrence between gypsies and travellers. I hope they were gypsies or travellers im strating to like the idea of having gypsie ancestry almost proud in a way.

johnny