I'd like to clarify something on behalf of myself & my cousin 'Davidpaul'. We are stuck on one branch of our tree & would appreciate some advice. We are trying to get past Mary Ellen Clark. We are currently checking Valuation Rolls & Directories.
Our Great Great Grandparents were called Mary Ellen Clark & James Yates. We are not sure where or when Mary Ellen was born, who her parents were or what her real name was. Mary Ellen Clark has been known as various names throughout her life:
Ellen Yates,formerly Ross
Ellen Yates,formerly Clark
Nellie Clark
Ellen Costello,formerly Clark
Ellen Clark
Ellen Costello
Nellie Costello
Granny Clark
Mary Ellen Yates,M.S. Clarke
Ellen Costello
Nellie Yates, M.S.Costello
We are not sure where James Yates & Mary Ellen met or even if they were married. We cannot trace a Marriage in Scotland or England.
We’re not sure where or when James Yates was born. Some Census returns show he was born around 1846 in Torryburn (Inverkeithing, on the 1911 Census). The 1901 and 1911 Census returns for Ellen show that she too was born in Scotland but her age is not consistent. She is aged 42 on the 1901 England Census & 45 on the 1911 England Census.
The 1851 Census for James Yates shows that he was living with his Father, also James Yates, & Auntie and cousins in Torryburn.
The 1861 Census return shows James Yates living with his Father in Dunfermline, Fife. The 1871 & 1881 Census returns continue to prove elusive.
The 1871 Census for a John & Catherine Clark in Brampton shows they have a daughter, Ellen Clark, living with them. Is this our Ellen Clark? They are all Hawkers, born in Scotland. We have found a marriage for a John Clark & Catherine Kelly in Campbelltown, Argyll, Scotland on 2 December 1856 that might refer. We are unable to link all of the information together, mainly due to our inexperience, so would appreciate any advice.
The 1891 Census return shows James Yates living in Brampton with four of his children:
•John Yates – born 1874 in Hexham
•Elizabeth Yates – born 10 October 1875 in Brampton, Cumberland.
•James Yates – born 1878 in Brampton, Cumberland
•Alfred Yates – born 24 July 1882 in Brampton, Cumberland.
Mary Ellen does not feature on this Census. Apparently she left James & moved to Newcastle shortly after Mary Jane was born on 7 February 1885 in Brampton, Cumberland, taking Mary Jane with her. We can’t find an 1891 Census for Mary Ellen & Mary Jane in Scotland or England.
It is not clear whether Mary Ellen left James to be with a man called John Costello or whether she met him once there. In 1881 John Costello is living with his wife, Catherine in Kirkwhelpington; 13 miles north east of Hexham, where John Yates was supposedly born in 1874, so that is where they could have first met. We did consider the possibility that John Riley (Yates) could have been Mary Ellen's son but not James Yates'. Photographic evidence cannot be more clear that James and John are Father and Son. That doesn't mean that Mary Ellen is the Mother.
At the 1901 Census, James is living at 24 Lower Castle Hill, Stirling. His children, James, Alfred & Mary Jane are there with him. Also staying are Mable Yates (James’ ‘niece’ - born in England), John Riely (widowed son-in-law, born in England) and Alfred Riely (nephew, born in England). There are two trains of thought around John Riely. Is he really John Yates? If he is, why does he call himself Riely? If he is not John Yates then his status of widowed son-in-law suggests he may have been married to Elizabeth. According to her Death Record, Elizabeth never married. There is also the nephew, Alfred Riely. If he is John Riely’s son, should he be recorded as James’ Grandson? We have traced a John Riley born in Hexham in 1872. The Birth Record shows his Mother is Elizabeth Riley but there is no father recorded. On both Mable and Alfred’s Birth Records, the Father is John Riley and the Mother is Mary Riley, formerly Kelly. (There is no trace of a marriage between John Riley & Mary Kelly in Scotland or England.) Yet, later, John, Mary, Mable and Alfred Riley all call themselves Yates. We do not have a Date of Death for Mary as yet.
In 1901, Mary Ellen, now calling herself Nellie Costello, is living in St. Andrew’s Court, Newcastle. She is John Costello’s wife but there is no trace of a marriage in Scotland or England. She is 42 & was born in Scotland. John Costello, a 50 year old Fruit Hawker is also recorded as being born in Scotland but the 1881 Census (whilst John is living with his first wife, Catherine), shows he was born in Kirkwhelpington, Northumberland. Ellen and John have four of their children living with them:
•Bridget (Biddy) – born 1887 in Capheaton, Kirkwhelpington, Northumberland
•William – born 1893 in Newcastle
•Hannah (Anna) – born 1897 in Newcastle
•Edward (Ned) – born 1899 in Newcastle
1911 sees James Yates living at 17 Broad Street, Stirling. He is a Basket Maker. His sons, James & Alfred live with him and are Dish Hawkers. John, Mable, Alfred and John’s Sister, Elizabeth are living at 12 St.John Street, Stirling.
The 1911 Census shows Mary Ellen living at 12 St.Andrew’s Court in Newcastle. She is widowed but her ‘husband’ John, is alive & an inmate at Carlisle hospital! Mary Ellen & John’s children, Bridget (&her husband, George Lawson), Hannah, Nellie, Edward & Mary Jane Costello are amongst those staying at this address. This time, Bridget is born in Scotland.
