Mary Ann Spillett

[Kincaid444]

Good morning All,  I try to only avail myself of Rootschat when all else fails, as I think it is a lazy researcher who expects other people to do their work for him, but I do seem to have come up against a brick wall with this young lady.   I have her in the 1881 and 1891 census returns for Durham (Felling Shore, Hewarth), but have been unable to find marriage or death data, nor anything in the 1911 census.

Rootschat has never yet failed to find something, so here's hoping.

Best regards,  Kincaid

[KGarrad]

Deaths

September qtr 1891
Gateshead district,   vol 10a, page 443

Spillett, Mary Ann

Could this be her?

[Kincaid444]

Gosh,  that was quick.  If it is her, and I have a strong feeling it is, she did not live much past her 18th birthday, which is why, I suppose, I could find no race of her.  All my searches were about a year beyond that last census year.   Poor kid, I wonder what happened to her.  I will get the death certificate and come back to you and let you know.

Many thanks,  Kincaid

[Kincaid444]

Hi,  Since the first post of the 14th March I have made a few discoveries in respect of Mary Ann. KGarrad found her death at 17 years of age, and I have subsequently discovered that she was one of nine children and that five of her siblings also died.   I have sent for her death certificate which will arrive soon, but i have an interesting poser (at least I think it is interesting).

One of her sisters, Hannah Spillett, was born in the third quarter of 1881. and apparently died in the second quarter of 1881!  age shown 0 so birth and death very close if not simultaneous - but the registers make it appear she died before she was born!   Could this be a case of her death certificate being signed and registered first, shortly followed by the birth registration?   I could solve it by ordering both certificates but would only do that if the puzzle persists.   Incidentally the death is registered under 'Spillit' and not 'Spllett, but I am sure this is an primary error or transcription error from the death certificate.

best regards
Kincaid

[Kincaid444]

I now have the death certificate and cause of death was acute phthisis, a severe symptom of lung disease most often caused by tuberculosis.  I suppose there is a strong possibility her siblings died of the same malady.

Thanks again KGarrad for your help

Kincaid

[knotin]

Mary Ann Spillett - known to her family as Polly would have been my great aunt had she lived. She was born 6 July 1874 and died 19 Aug 1891.

Hannah Spillett was born on 23 May 1881 and died the following day.
It is likely that the death was registered before the birth.

Other children Isabella died in 1874 aged 2; John in 1942 aged 65; George in 1884 aged 5; William Atkinsion in 1945 aged 62; Emily in 1969 aged 82;Thomas Edward in 1970 aged 81 and George Samuel in 1903 aged 9.

Their parents - George Spillett died in 1901 aged 51, as a result of being onboard HM Cobra when it sunk off the East Coast and mother Hannah nee Atkinson died  suddenly in 1914 aged 63 . George worked for Charles Parsons and was the Fireman (person who starts the engines etc) on the Turbinba.

[Kincaid444]

Good afternoon, Knotin, that is wonderful information.   How did you find out there was a Rootschat post on her?

The information you have provide is very helpful, I am doing a talk on the bits of people's lives you find in cardboard boxes in auction rooms, and I found a book that once belonged to Mary Ann, which will feature in the talk.

Best regards,  Kincaid

[Kincaid444]

It is a bit of as mystery why the book should have appeared in a Cumbrian (Penrith) auction house - I don't suppose any of your family have Cumbrian connections?

Kincaid

[knotin]

Hi Kincaid

Glad you found the information useful.

I can help you further on the the Cumbrian connections.

William Atkinson Spillett married Jane Blair Scott - They had 2 daughters, Isabella known as Ella and Jenny, and went to live at Lazenby in Rectory Cottage. The family had a light haulage business and dealt in rabbits and poultry. Ella married Geoff Cooper who worked on the railway. Ella and Geoff lived at Barton Dale for 31 years before moving to Eden Court in 1988. Jenny also married and lived in a cottage neear to the railway line. Neither of them had any family and are all now dead. I had contact with them until that time. William is the one who was likely to have had the family papers and by the way there are wedding photos of his wedding to Jane.

Another son Thomas Edward Spillett married Elizabeth Hodgson, known as Cissy, who was also from that area around Penrith. They had 1 son, who is  still alive, unmarried and no family,  and I have contact with him. He knows a lot about the Lazonby connection.

The 1911 census shows that Hannah and son were living in Wallsend and they had a lodger who was from Lazonby, called Norman Longrigg aged 16 years who was in engineering as an apprentice fitter.

By the way I was just looking for any pre 1500 Spillett's, when the roots chat site came up with Mary Ann

So - many connections!

I would love to know more about what has been found and it would be great if it could be brought back into the family or at least details of what was found.

Regards knotin