Donaldson-Selby - Help please

[lyndsey1333]

I am trying to trace the parents of Robert Grey Donaldson-Selby born 1829 in Chiswick, Northumberland. He was married 2x and had several children.

Many thanks

[Ecneps]

Hello lyndsey

Do you have all census information for him?  1901 census states birthplace Cheswick which is near Ancroft, the birthplace given for him on earlier census.

You can check the Ancroft Bishops' Transcripts free here (although I haven't checked years covered): http://www.rootschat.com/links/05mf/

One of his marriage certificates would give his father's name and occupation, which would help to find him perhaps with both parents in 1841 census


Barbara 

[Ecneps]

Here are the marriage references, if you don't have the certificates:

Jun 1865 Hampstead    1a   1091
Donaldson    Robert grey
Donaldson-Selby    Robert Grey 
to either    Marriage    Mary Ann      or     Smith    Martha Harding        


Dec 1875 Ipswich    4a   1347
Donaldson-Selby    Robert Grey
SELBY    Robert Grey D        
Stokes    Harriot Wilford        

(obviously couldn't decide if his name was hyphenated or not, it isn't in the 1881-1901 census, he's listed as Robert G.D. SELBY)

[lyndsey1333]

Hi Barbara,

I've got info for his 2 marriages and all the children. I have him on census's 1881 onwards. The surname is actually Donaldson-Selby but could really be entered in various ways. I've seen Selby, Donaldsonselby, Donaldson Selby...

I've checked the Diocese site and cannot see his baptism registered there.

Thanks ....

[Ecneps]

If you have the marriage certs, don't they give his father's name and occupation??

Anyway have just found his family in 1841 census 

    
 

1841  HO107 Piece 318 Book 1 Folio 3 Page 1
Cheswick Village, Ancroft, Durham
DONALDSON SELBY
T S               45   Farmer
Mary            40
Elizabeth     17
Mary            14
George          9
William          7
Constantia    5
Septimus       3
+ 7 female and 2 male servants

T.S. and wife Mary not born in county, all children were

Not sure yet where Robert is, perhaps away at school or visiting relatives

Barbara 

[lyndsey1333]

Hi Barbara,

I've actually got the 1841 census and, as you say, there's no record of Robert on it. That's why I asked the question about his parentage - how would I know from looking at this, that TS and Mary are his parents?

All very confusing !!!  I thought having a relatively unique surname of Donaldson-Selby would make this side of the Tree easy - no chance!!!

Many thanks
Lyndsey
 

[Ecneps]

I've actually got the 1841 census  - how would I know from looking at this, that TS and Mary are his parents?

If you have the marriage certs, don't they give his father's name and occupation??

If you don't have a marriage cert, one should show his father's name and occupation!

I think the hyphen probably came later.  There is no other Donaldson Selby family in Cheswick, so it's quite likely that this is your Robert's family.

There are these two boys in 1841:

HO107 Piece 844 Book 2  Folio 11 Page 14
Ness, Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland
in household of Elizabeth Dixon, boarding house
Robert Selby 12  not b. in county
John Selby 10              "

They would fit in between Mary and George in 1841 census family.  They could be at school.  Even if they don't, there's one child missing in 1841, as Septimus would be the 7th

By 1851 Robert was probably in the army and abroad

Interesting, the birth reg for Septimus is
Sep 1837 Berwick upon Tweed  25   15
DOLDSON    Septimius       

Barbara

[Ecneps]

I've found the baptism,     perhaps you didn't look in the right place on the Bishops' Transcripts, this was in North Durham section, Ancroft (page 77) - not the Northumberland Ancroft bit, the transcripts are not too well indexed but well worth trawling through:

born 7th January 1829 baptised 13th January 1829
Robert Grey   son of  John Strangeways and Mary Dorothy DONALDSON
abode Cheswick   father's occupation Esquire.

so obviously the initials in 1841 should read J S  not T S for the father
I'm curious to know why they suddenly stuck a Selby on the end of their name

Barbara 

[Ecneps]

Well, John was married twice!  The IGI has member-submitted entries for him but they can't be relied on, you need to check these with the parish registers John Strangeways DONALDSON 
   Birth: 10 Dec 1794      Alnwick, Northumberland
   Christening:  23 Oct 1795  Alnwick, Northumberland
     Father:     Capt Thomas Donaldson 
     Mother:     Mary SELBY  - so that's where that part of his name came from and obviously he added it later    
   Marriages            Mary Dorothy Grey   1 Jan 1823   

Some pages of the bishops' transcripts are signed by the Curate, and attested by Jno. S. Donaldson, churchwarden of Ancroft


(starting on page 25 of the transcripts)  9th August 1816  John Strangeways DONALDSON, bachelor,  married Elizabeth HENDERSON, spinster

baptism 14th April 1818  Margery Strangeways daughter of John Strangeways and Elizabeth DONALDSON  Cheswick House, Esquire
baptism 2nd July 1819 Margaret daughter of John Strangeways and Elizabeth DONALDSON, Cheswick House, Esquire

no record that I can see of Elizabeth's death 
   
2nd marriage must have taken place elsewhere to Mary Dorothy GREY
   
baptism 3rd November 1823  Eliza Mary Selby  daughter of John Strangeways and Mary Dorothy DONALDSON, Cheswick House, Esquire

death 19 August 1824 for a Margaret DONALDSON of Cheswick aged 74, probably John's mother?

Will leave you to look for all the others, but there is a Thomas 1824, Henry 1825 and in 1830 John Strangeways DONALDSON, so I think he is probably the John Selby that I found with Robert Selby on the 1841 census
 
Hope this has given you what you need, enjoy searching the transcripts, hopefully you will find his birth death and 2nd marriage too

Kind regards
Barbara