Swans of Northumberland

[sherekhan]

Hi again could i draw your attention to another post.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=208467.0

Paul 

[Anydogsbody]

Just adding this with a note of amusement and frustration. The last paragraph says it all.

Quoting from R.D Peacock's research,

6.2 The Dixons of Rothbury and Netherton


This Dixon family first appears with a fair degree of probability in the Registers of the Chapelry of Netherwitton, Northumberland, in 1765, though there is just a possibility that a marriage at Longframlington in 1744 between a James Dixon and an Elizabeth Handyside refers to the same family. Matthew Dixon, son of James & Elizabeth Dixon, was born at Birkhead in the Rothbury Forest, now merely a building but then possibly a small hamlet where quarrymen and 'open cast' miners lived (there was a quarry there in 1719). Matthew Dixon could certainly sign his name, and on the baptismal records of his children in Rothbury early in the 19thC he is shown as being a collier.

The name Rankin is Scottish (see under The Rankins of Lowick). Isobel was probably the daughter of the Robert Rankin and Isobel Reavley who were married in Eglingham in 1771, which leaves room for so far unknown brothers and sisters. The name 'Isobel', Isabel', or 'Isabella' became a family name associated with the Swanns (Aunt Adeline was the latest). For the Pigdons see the Pigdon Notes.


Clearly, the Swan(n)s never anticipated that later generations would be trying to unpick their line of descent in adopting this naming convention.

[Anydogsbody]

Can anyone find a baptism record for Robert Swan at Horton, Northumberland on 7th May 1773? I must have found it before but now can't relocate it. 

[Anydogsbody]

I think that Robert Swan was actually born in 1767 which still satisfies the condition in the marriage licence application that he was 30 yrs and upwards.

I think I'm fairly comfortable with the general Swan situation now but can anybody tell me anything about Thomas Swan's (1811) wife Isabella? They were married at Tynemouth in Q2 1850 and her ms was Paul. Can't find any more than that. Her birthplace appears variously as Plessey or Stannington.

Under her married name of Isabella Swan she appears with Thomas in various censuses. Frequently they appear with members of the Darling family and the relationship given is "cousin".

I think the Darling connection is through Thomas and Isabella but I'm unclear on whether it is his side or hers. Could her mother's ms have been Darling?

The Swan/Darling connection grows very stronger, not least because a William Darling appears on the poll register as the tenant of the Red House Farm in Cowpen at the same time as the Swans were living en masse at Cowpen High House

[trish1120]

1851 Isabella is born c 1821;

Thomas Swan   37
Isabella Swan   31
Robert Swan   8
Isabell Swan   6
John Swan    5
William Darling   29
Thomas Darling   17

1871 also c 1820

And she is older 1871/1881/1891

WILLIAM HENRY Darling Bapt 17 Jun 1821 Embleton to HENRY/ISABELLA

Havent yet found a bapt for Thomas Darling c 1834

It appears to me that Henry remarried;
5 Dec 1840, St Mary the Virgin, Morpeth
HENRY Darling, of age, Widower, Coach Proprietor, abode Bedlington,  Father WILLIAM a Farmer
Margaret JACKSON, of age, Father JOHN Jackson a Surgeon
(FreeREG)

Burial;
ISABELLA Darling 03 Jun 1840, St Cuthbert, Bedlington age 49
(FreeREG)

Trees have Henry Darlingss Wife as Isabella BELL (I cant confirm this)

So cant really find how Thomas S or Isabella P are related to the Darlings yet.
It is possible she was a Widow also at time of 1850 Marriage.

[Anydogsbody]

Hi Trish

I agree with your info from censuses etc. It's really frustrating because one can sense that the link is there but it's finding the info to back up the hunch.

My family has always been told that there was a  connection with the Darlings and Grace Darling in particular. My Great-great-grandmother, Euphemia Young (1824), was described as Grace's cousin and that is supported by the fact that she was given some artefacts from the Forfarshire by Grace herself. Those are still in the family. I think the term "cousin" may apply in a very loose sense. From what I can see the farming families in north Northumberland were few in number and considerably intermarried over several generations so, in effect, everyone was everybody else's cousin to a greater or lesser extent. That said, the relationship between Euphemia and Grace seems to have been quite close.

[trish1120]

Its a very difficult one and as yoi say the term Cousin may be a loose one and back several generations.

Sorry I cant be more helpful.

Trish

[mrsruz]

Don't know if this is any help.
While researching my family connection to Grace Darling, I have among my notes this info which may explain in part the Swan Darling connection.

Margaret Downey nee Swan  Dau of Joseph Swan & Sarah b 13 11 1792, Bapt 19 11 1794.
Married Thomas Downey.
Dau. Jane Downey marr William Brooks Darling son of William Darling & Thomasine Horsley.

Sorry if it's a bit vague, but all info taken from Ancestry.

Believe Margaret Swan had a sister Isabella, but haven't tracked her down.

Marion.

[Anydogsbody]

Hi Marion

Thanks for that. I was  aware of the Swan/Downey/Darling connection. I first noticed it because Jane & William Brooks had a son called William Swan Darling and that straightaway suggests a maiden surname being used as a christian name. It's tantalising but I haven't been able to solidify the relationship. However, I'm busy doing a lot of research into the Bedlington Swans where, typically, there are whole generations of Roberts and Isabellas so there may be something there. As I said in an earlier post the Swans had a tradition of using Isabel and derivatives as a forename and most of the men seem to be called Robert. When you also consider that several generations lived together under the same roof and there were family branches in adjacent farms it makes the genealogy really tangled.

How did your own research go? Were you able to make the link?