CLARK family, 1830-1880, Bridge End, Startforth, Barnard Castle, Durham/N Riding

[mim]

Chico,
1881 Bridge End Startforth RG11/4934 64 8.
Thomas Clark 52; Mary A Clark 48,born Richmond Yorks;Joseph H 23;Eliza 14;Harry 13;William 12;Olivia 10;Ada 5; all children born Startforth.
Eliza Todd,boarder 65, retired flower seller, born Richmond Yorks;
Charles Hopper, visitor, 23,clerk to iron company, born Barnard Castle.

1891 Bridge End Startforth RG12/4081 82 12.
Thomas Clark,widr,62; Eliza 24; Harry 23;William 21;Olivia 19; Ada 15.

1901 Bridge End Startforth RG13/4657 97 13.
Thomas Clark 72; Eliza 35; Ada Colledge, daur, married 25; Rowland Thomas Colledge, grandson, 3 months, born Startforth.

My ancestors, surname Scott, were in Startforth during the same period as the Clark family.

mim

[mim]

Chico.
John Clark, occ. joiner is married and living in Lartington Teesdale in 1881. He is widowed by 1891 and has five children.

In 1891 Thomas Clark is married with four children and living at 11 Wynyard Street, Stockton on Tees.

mim

[ChicoChico]

Geordie – Thanks for finding Harry! In the 1871 census when he was just four, he was listed as Henry. I guess by the time he was 14 he had decided to go by “Harry”, and it did not occur to me try that variation.

Thanks also for the perspective on the district evolution of Teesdale, Startforth and “Barnie” – I appreciate the local view, it adds a unique insight to areas that would otherwise just be locations on a map, and helps bring them more to life for me. I have seen maps of the Startforth / Bridge end area in the late 1800s, and I wonder which house might have been the one in which the Clarks lived. Which Startforth farm did you great-grandfather work on? I saw on your signature line that you list “Todd” in Durham. I believe that my great great grandmother’s mother’s maiden name or possible a second marriage may be Todd. My 2nd great grandmother’s maiden name on the marriage certificate was “Simonette”, but on a couple of the first children’s parish birth records, her maiden name is listed as “Todd or Simonidy Todd”.

            “Mary Ann nee SIMONETTA (variations; Todd, Simonidy Todd, Simonette & Simonett, an assumption; Todd may be her mother’s maiden name) daughter of John Simonetta (deceased), Flower-maker” – b: between 1832 and 1836 at Richmond, Yorkshire, of Barnard Castle (1854)"

And based on what Mim posted (Thanks mim!) there was a 65 year old “Border” - a retired female flower seller, born in Richmond named Eliza Todd (note: one of the Clark daughters is named Eliza) living with the Clarks in 1881. I am guessing this is Mary Ann’s mother (possibly older sister). I do not know if the Todd last name is her maiden name or possible second marriage name – I have not yet started researching that path. Do you have any Todd family information for either Richmond Yorkshire or “Barnie”?

Stan – Thanks for all the background detail and links! I really appreciate you providing these great resources. I very much enjoy the general history and other environment information that genealogy can lead you to.

Mim – Again, thanks so much for all the extra details – I really appreciate it! The additional information on John, Thomas, and Ada Colledge give me my next set of leads - as well as the information on Eliza Todd – This might lead me back one more generation!

Chico –

[Geordie Mag]

If you don't know this website, you might find it of interest. It shows all the listed buildings/ historic sites in Northumberland and Durham, (the new boundaries, so with bits of the old North Yorkshire) with photos, links to old maps and general historical introductions to villages.
Put Startforth into the search box and you will get a long list of places in the area.  (NB The Swan public house is in the Bridgend area of Startforth, so that photo will give you a bit of a feel for the area. ) Barnie itself is worth looking at.

http://www.keystothepast.info/k2p/usp.nsf/pws/keys+to+the+Past+-+home+page
Got my dates wrong with my gt grandfather. He was at Wise Hill farm, Startforth when he married Sythe (now there's a Christian name that hasn't travelled well either  away from Yorkshire or into the 21st century!) in 1851 at Startforth church. Still in the area later in the 1850s but then switched to a farm in County Durham, then back to the Rokeby area to the east of Startforth.
Next time I am in our library I shall have a look to see if any of their "old photos" books have interesting pictures of Startforth.

[Geordie Mag]

Looking at the FreeCEN website at the 1861 entry for Thomas Clark, I realise that there is an entry for another Thomas Clark Wheelright of Startforth, aged 77, living with a married daughter. This presumably is your Thomas's father. The older Thomas was born at Cleatlam, which is a hamlet in the parish of Staindrop, County Durham, and baptized, I think, October 26 1783.  This comes from the Bishop's Transcripts for Staindrop.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11829-94919-91?cc=1309819&wc=MMRX-YDJ:118907545

Forgot you also asked about Todd. This is a very common name in the area between Bishop Auckland and Darlington, ie to the east of Barnie.

[ChicoChico]

Geordie – Thanks for sharing the website, I really enjoy reading these types of details. I also look forward to any photos of Startforth, Bridge end that you can share!

Thanks as well for the lead to the Elder Thomas Clark, Startforth wheelwright. I will pursue that line of inquiry, as it does seem like a very strong possibility (based on area, occupation and my Thomas’ marriage certificate stating “Jr”). However, I have also found other Thomas Clark’s in the Startforth area born about the same time as my Thomas Clark, but the father is clearly a different name (Hutchinson), which is also a family name (used in a couple generations as a middle name). The father of Hutchinson is a Thomas, but is a different Thomas than the one from Cleatlam – I do not know if there was ever a custom to call a grandson “Jr”, but I suppose it is possible. It seems Hutchinson is also a fairly common name in the Startforth area.

Currently, based on the help provided by everyone, I have been slowly finding the children (and grandchildren) of Thomas and Mary Ann through the various census (I’m currently working through 1901), and plan on updating the family Genealogy Summary. I already have a couple of “mysteries” to investigate, but when I finish, I will repost the results.

Chico -

[Geordie Mag]

1861 census for Richmond on FreeCEN,
Bridge Street, Richmond
Mary Simmonetta aged 92, late artificial flowerist, born Kirkby Overblow, West Riding
Eliza Todd, granddaughter, aged 14 born Richmond

Another piece for your jigsaw!

[kevinf2349]

Chico

I have a few photographs of the County bridge/White Swan at Barnie/Startforth that I would be more than happy to share with you. I took lots of pictures in Barnie as my kin are mostly from the right side of the river,  the side that doesn't have a pudding named after it!  (j/k for all you Tykes out there!)

If you ever get the chance to visit that area of the country you should definately take it, it is God's own country. Beautiful part of the world.

Kevin

[ChicoChico]

Kevin – Thanks for the generous offer. I would enjoy seeing any photos of Bridge end, Startforth you have!

Geordie – Thanks for the jigsaw puzzle piece – it turned out to be quite the clue. As you know, I had a mystery related to my 2nd great grandmother’s maiden name;

I believe that my great great grandmother’s mother’s maiden name or possible a second marriage may be Todd. My 2nd great grandmother’s maiden name on the marriage certificate was “Simonette”, but on a couple of the first children’s parish birth records, her maiden name is listed as “Todd or Simonidy Todd”.

Another clue was a 65 year old “Border” - a retired female flower seller, born in Richmond named Eliza Todd living with the Clarks in 1881.

I am guessing this is Mary Ann’s mother (possibly older sister). I do not know if the Todd last name is her maiden name or possible second marriage name – I have not yet started researching that path.

Well, I looked up the entry you shared on FreeCEN,

Bridge Street, Richmond
Mary Simmonetta aged 92, late artificial flowerist, born Kirkby Overblow, West Riding
Eliza Todd, granddaughter, aged 14 born Richmond

Based on the age, the Eliza Todd on Bridge St, you identified is not the same Eliza Todd, “border” of the clarks. However, I tried Eliza Todd directly in FreeCEN, and found a 53 year old Eliza Todd (and family) living on Bridge Street, Richmond, Yorkshire – apparently right next door to Mary Simmonette and the teenage Eliza Todd (schedules 82 & 83).

It turns you found my 2nd great grandmother’s younger half-sister (Eliza Todd) and grandmother (Mary Simmonetti – my 4th great grandmother)!  - with my 3rd great grandmother and her second family living right next door.

From there, using FreeCEN, FamilySearch and FreeBMD – I have been able to fill in several blanks about my 2nd great grandmother’s family origins (Simmonetti / Todd) going back to my 4th great grandparents, and in the process being able to validate some of my earlier guesses – as well as more leads to pursue. I really appreciate you sharing what you found, it has helped to significantly fill out my family tree. Thanks!

Chico –