Lee of Roddymoor

[Geordie Mag]

Thomas Lee of Shiney Row is too far north east, I think. Bowlees common is more interesting. The Bowlees I know is at the top of Teesdale, but there may be one in Weardale and possibly other places, because leases are usually something to do with pastures. Where did you see that?
There are a lot of Thomas Lees around in County Durham, and as for John Lees....! I have found the details  (Northern Echo in "19th century Newspapers")of the sale in 1895 of most of Thomas's household goods as well as all the mill equipment in order to pay his creditors. Not a nice thing to have to do in your 70s.
As Janis says, Roddymoor Billy Row etc all went into the new Crook parish later. The old parishes were so big, perhaps people took their children for baptism wherever and whenever (perhaps when they had got several children collected up!) it suited them without bothering about the correct parish.

[Radcliff]

I use every site available, to find clues,the baptism for Thomas was Durham records on line,its pay to view so of course I cant get further details for you,Bowlees common was all it said with the date, we will find him eventualy,
I looked for a possible apprenticeship to Robert Coleman the miller he lived with in the census,was there a family connection,did they inherit it ,strange little twists and it has totaly intrigued me,
Gillian

[Radcliff]

Go on Genuki Middleton in Teasdale baptisms ,so may Lee children,

The one I quoted earlier is the son of Nancy a single woman 1822,

[Geordie Mag]

Middleton is Lee Central, isn't it? Actually, I have seen that one, but hadn't taken in that she lived at Bowlees. It doesn't fit with the claim on Thomas's marriage certificate that he was the son of John Lee, though not necessarily to be discounted. Someone on the other side of my family claimed a man as father who was actually his grandfather. So I am keeping it in mind. Doesn't fit so well with the Roddymoor claim as Middleton is high up Teesdale (and Bowlees well to its west), and Roddymoor is middle Weardale. But people were moving round Durham a lot in search of work.

[Geordie Mag]

In the Bishop's Transcripts for Wolsingham I have found the burial, Dec. 30th 1832, of Isabella Lee aged 15 daughter of John and Isabella Lee of Roddymoor. I can't read John's occupation - might be "farmer". This sounds hopeful, especially as I can't find Isabella's baptism either. However, John and Isabella did have other children baptized at Wolsingham earlier, when they were actually living in the parish and John was working as a miner/farmer. I suppose they may have left Wolsingham in search of work, had intervening children baptized wherever that was, then when they ended up in Roddymoor renewed links with Wolsingham (perhaps it was easier to get to than Brancepeth). Anyway, I shall kepp searching.)

[butcher]

GeordyMag-

Have not looked at my records for a while- do you have the full Lee family group- this is I believe the father of William Lee, living at his gfathers house, Thomas Todd at the 1871 census? In which case would like to tie up with you please?

[Geordie Mag]

Hmm.....He must  be a son of Thomas Lee, mustn't he? I'm afraid I recorded William's presence with Thomas Todd  and didn't think to try to tie him in with the rest of the family. As you will gather, I have no record of the poor lad. I have the two oldest sons of Thomas and Elizabeth as Thomas and John, the names of the 2 grandfathers in proper traditional style, so I didn't really expect to find an earlier son.They were born in 1845 and 1847. Poor William spoils the pattern. Do you have the record of his birth?

[butcher]

Hi Geordie Mag,

William first appears in the 1851 census living with his grandfather, Thomas Todd. In the 1871 census, William Lee aged 27 is still living with Thomas Todd (my g g g g grandfather who is a farmer of 118 acres) as his servant at Killerby, Ingleton. have never been able to pinpoint Williams' own father so any help would be greatly appreciated. In 1881, Thomas had by then died, with William it appears inheriting the farm as he now has 115 acres to his name.

Regards,

Ian

[Geordie Mag]

Hi Ian,
I do have some bits of information about William and also about some earlier Lees. I found all this out earlier in the year, but it has, to put it mildly, been one of those years, so I haven't been doing much more than glance at Rootschat,  without having time to put the information together into a coherent reply. I'll dig it out and send it on. However, I do have to hand Thomas Todd's will of 1872, which I managed to get through the Leeds probate office. I assume Thomas was a tenant farmer as there is no reference to the land. The executors, Thomas Lee and Joseph Todd, Thomas's son, are told to sell all the stock and household goods to pay the various legacies. His children each get £50 and "my grandson William Lee son of the said Thomas Lee the sum of thirty pounds." So that's pretty clear.
Will be back in touch,
Mag