Stevenson of Loughborough born 1803

[vivijune]

I'd like to say a sincere thankyou for all the help you gave me uncovering so much information that would have remained hidden and unknown without your hard work on my family's behalf.

Instead I'm able to pass on to my nephews and nieces as well as my step children the fact that they are descended from fascinating Leicestershire people who took part in a little known but extraordinary migration.

It's a shining example of how interesting working class history can be. I thank you for all your efforts in helping to assemble such a vivid picture of the Stevenson past.

[Profnoall]

Hi,
I am a decendant of a William Stevenson born in Loughborough c.1805. He moved to Tiverton where he was a Machine Smith in a lace factory. He married Elizabeth Beck on 20/12/1838 and had 4 children His son was named William Thomas Stevenson.
On the 1841 census he lived at Back Lane, Tiverton.
On the 1851 census he lived at Bridge Street, Tiverton.
On the 1861 census he lived at Melbourne Street, Tiverton.
William senior died in Tiverton on 13/07/1866.
I think there may be a family link to John Stevenson and I would appreciate any help/information anyone has regarding this.
Thanks

[vivijune]

Really good to hear from you, I'll be happy to share what I have and much of it is contained in this thread, as you can see Diddy and I really went to town on this one!

I'll respond again after the weekend. As you can tell my husband is descended from the middle Stevenson child, Elizabeth who married William Bennett, an accountant at the lace factory. He died so young @40 and left her widowed with 7 children to raise. Her mother Elizabeth Stevenson lived with them until she died. Elizabeth Bennett, first lived in Betts Court (1841) then Leat St (1851) and Bridge Buildings (1861). Her husband was listed on the 1841 census but died in December of that year. Her youngest child, Sydney was unborn at the time of his death and came into the world late in the following spring of 1842.

I've imagined her brothers, John and William being a support for her as she raised all those small children in the town with all eight growing to adulthood, so it's nice to be acquainted with someone who is descended from William the smith!

Happy New Year to you and yours.

[Profnoall]

Thanks!! I look forward to hearing from you again and learning more about my family.

[vivijune]

Since you have the birth for William, your ancestor I'm curious to wonder if you researched his family in Loughborough. His mother was Elizabeth Rodgers before she married.

Interesting how Elizabeth (Stevenson) Bennett named her children. Her eldest was named John Stevenson (I assume after her brother.) Second male child was William Cuthbert named, I assume for 3 Williams: her husband William Bennett, her brother your ancestor and her father who died in 1840 in Tiverton. William was also named for Thomas Cuthbert who was on the March.

Only Thomas Cuthbert and John Stevenson are mentioned on the original list of workers that you've probably seen. A lot of workers are missing including William the father. John Stevenson was old enough to be listed as a worker and went on to be superintendant of machines in the lace factory. Your William wouldn't have been on the list because he was only 11 when he walked across country.

[Profnoall]

I have no information on William Stevenson born on Loughborough c.1805.
I have information on his son, William Thomas Stevenson- Birth, marriage and death certificates, plus census information.

[vivijune]

If you go back into this thread and read back and I know it's a long one, the marriage of William Stevenson to Elizabeth Rogers took place in Loughborough in 1799 so their eldest son John was born in the town a couple of years later, as is my Elizabeth in 1803 and your William in 1805. It looks as if William, the father was a needlemaker based on the 1811 census, which would have been a skill important to Heathcoat before precision needles were mass produced. We know that this family unit moved to Tiverton.

I went back and matched up births for a William and Ann Stevenson in Loughborough and found six births. ( I would love to know Ann's  maiden name.) They had a son called William christened in May of 1769 who would have been the husband of Elizabeth Rogers.  A brother, John died at aged one leaving William with younger sisters, Mary 1774 and two Elizabeths, the first one born in 1778 and dying as a baby, and the second born in 1780. Last was Hannah born in 1781. It would be interesting to see who those female children married because for all we know they may have married lacemakers and were along on the March from Loughborough to Tiverton too! Then we could match it with the 1851 and 1861 census in Tiverton or Loughborough if they stayed behind. So we are left with questions about Mary, Elizabeth and Hannah who probably married around the same time as their brother if they married at all. 

[diddymiller]

Happy to have a look for these marriages Viv.

Diddy

[vivijune]

Many thanks once again, Diddy for looking onto some more marriages for the siblings of William Sr, the father of the William who married Elizabeth Rogers and even the maiden name of his wife Ann.
Interesting now to come across someone else who is trying to unravel the Stevenson's but from the youngest brother William's perspective. I let Prof know that although we know from the census in Tiverton in the 1840's onwards that 3 siblings were born to William and Elizabeth (1801, 1803 and 1805,) we never did find the birth records in Loughborough even though you didn't leave a stone unturned! I've since speculated that since Loughborough Stevensons were pillars of the Baptist Church in the town maybe they went to Tiverton and became Wesleyans there. This would account for their children who made the March in their early teens missing the "adult" baptism. Elizabeth and William Jr's families were certainly strong Wesleyans in Devon.

Nice to be back in touch and thanks in advance for helping out again.