KITCHING. Darlington, Durham

[Misselaineus]

I am helping a friend with her family tree and have come across a road block if not an actual brick wall. A cemetery in Darlington contains several Kitching graves all in close proximity. They appear to be from two separate branches of the family. One, the graves of my friend's ancestors the other graves from Kitching's of Branksome Hall, who are members of the Kitchings who founded the foundry now known as Wessoe. She believes that they are related but I have been unable to identify a common ancestor. Does anybody out there have access to information that I haven't yet uncovered.

[suzard]

Hello and welcome to RootsChat

If you could post some names and dates maybe someone may have more information

Suz

[Misselaineus]

Thanks Suz.
The graves mentioned in West Darlington cemetery records are:-
KITCHING, ALBERT FREDERICK - Born unknown. Died 20/10/1948. ( Great Uncle )
KITCHING, ALFRED - Born 4/10/1872. Died 29/12/1919. No. Rel.
KITCHING, ALFRED - Born unknown. Died 7/10/1950. No Rel.
KITCHING, ANNIE ELIZABETH - Born unknown. Died 13/10/1924.( Nee Bayne. No rel.)
KITCHING, ARTHUR ERNEST - Born unknown. Died 19/8/1960. No Rel.
KITCHING, BEATRICE MADELINE - Born unknown. Died 12/11/1950. No Rel.
KITCHING, CLARA - Born unknown. Died 22/4/1957 ( Nee Turner. No relationship)
KITCHING, EDWIN - Born unknown. Died 14/3/1944. ( No rel.)
KITCHING, ELIZABETH HANNAH - Born unknown. Died 17/4/1967. ( No Rel. )
KITCHING, ERNEST WILLIAM - Born unknown. Died 15/8/1941. ( No rel.)
KITCHING, ETHEL AGNES - Born unknown. Died 1/6/1974. ( No Rel.)
KITCHING, FLORENCE MAY - Born unknown. Died 20/10/1948. ( No rel.)
KITCHING, HERBERT VINCENT - Born unknown. Died 20/9/1933. (Grand father)
KITCHING, HILDA MARY - Born 30/9/1886. Died 23/10/1972. ( nee Whitfield. No Rel.)
KITCHING, JAMES - Born unknown. Died 23/8/1927. ( No Rel.)
KITCHING, JOHN - Born unknown. Died 28/3/1935. ( No Rel.)
KITCHING, JOHN - Born unknown. Died 9/11/1960. ( No Rel.)
KITCHING, JOHN GEORGE - Born unknown. Died 2/8/1942. (No Rel )
KITCHING, KATHLEEN - Born 0/0/1918. Died 0/0/1981. ( Nee Davies. No Rel.)
KITCHING, MARGARET - Born 6/4/1836. Died 12/4/1895. ( Nee Neasom. No Rel. )
KITCHING, MARGARET - Born unknown. Died 28/5/1938. ( No Rel.)
KITCHING, MARY ANNIE - Born unknown. Died 27/5/1921. ( Nee Chambers )
KITCHING, ROBERT - Born 26/7/1840. Died 9/11/1895. ( No Rel)
KITCHING, ROBERT - Born unknown. Died 29/12/1938. (No Rel)
KITCHING, RONALD CECIL - Born unknown. Died 27/10/1961. ( No Rel)
KITCHING, WALTER - Born unknown. Died 14/4/1930. ( No Rel)
KITCHING, WALTER - Born 14/2/1881. Died 11/1/1953. No Rel)
KITCHING, WALTER - Born 0/0/1918. Died 0/0/1973. ( No Rel.)
KITCHING, WILLIAM - Born unknown. Died 3/2/1912. ( Great Grandfather)
KITCHING, WILLIAM HENRY - Born unknown. Died 6/7/1953. ( No Rel.)
KITCHING, WILLIAM HENRY - Born unknown. Died 6/12/1960. ( no Rel. )

My friends ancestors are indicated and descended from 
3 x Gt. Grandfather. William Kitching 1825 -
Married 30/ 5 / 1846 to Rachael Chambers -1900
Children
Thomas Kitching. 1847
William Kitching. 1849
Maria G. Kitching. 1852
John Frame Kitching. 1854
Mary Jane Kitching. 1857.
Ann Jane Kitching. 1859.
Emma Kitching. 1862.
Alfred Kitching. 1865.

I am unable to establish any relationship with the others buried in the cemetery but they descend from William Kitching 1752 - 1819. who was a weaver intially in Darlington and established a shop in Darlington in the 1790's which eventually became a small foundry and hard ware shop, passing to his sons Alfred 1808 - 1882. & William 1794 - 1850. and eventually to Alfred alone on William's death. Alfred was the founder of what later became the Whessoe foundry. Interesting history is provided by Grace's Guide for anyone interested in industrial histroy. http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/The_Engineer .

I would be very grateful for any additional info which might provide the link my friend believes exists between the two families.

[tlickrish1]

The gravestone of John Kitching of Branksome Hall and his wife, Annie Elizabeth Kitching d. 1924 (nee Bayne [de Bayeux]) can be found in Darlington West Cemetery. Open this West Cemetery thread for details of grave.
http://www2.thisisthenortheast.co.uk/clients/Cemeteries/details.asp?UID=8524
Children were John, Alfred and Phoebe (at the time of the family photo). Open this thread for family photo of JK and AEK. http://www.europeana.eu/portal/en/record/2022316/pgDre_aspx_ID_DRE8586.html
My name is Ted Lickrish, you can PM me on Facebook.

[Misselaineus]

Thanks for the links. The photos are very interesting. Though I believe that there is an error in the information. John & Annie Elizabeth didn't have a daughter called Phoebe. They had a daughter Anne Isabelle born around 1885 but she died with in a year. The 1911 Census indicates they had 10 children and 9 were still living by 1911 and I have all their birth details No daughter called Phoebe.
Elaine

[tillypeg]

Welcome to RootsChat, Misselaineus. I can offer no further suggestions about trying to link the Kitching families, you seem to have done what you can.  Sometimes it is just a coincidence that families with the same name lived in the same town.  There is a thread along similar lines on the Lighter Side board:

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=765420.0

Other people have had the same problem.

I don't know where in the world you and your friend are but I live in Darlington and would be able to look in the Local Studies Library at the burial records, also any death notices for your friend's ancestors in the local newspapers, if that would be useful.  I can also visit the cemetery and see if the headstone is in a good position for a photo.  Sometimes they are in the middle of overgrown bushes!

Regards,
Tilly

[Misselaineus]

Dear Tilly,
Thank you for your response and offer of help. I currently live in the Czech republic and my friend lives on the south coast, though I beleive she does still have distant family in Darlington. Any additional information to further our research would be greatly appreciated. She quite firmly beleives there is a connection between her Kitchings and the iron founders ( family  stories etc. though I am aware that myths can abound in such tales)
Perhaps if you are visiting the records library etc I could give you some names.
Thanks again for your interest.
Elaine

[tillypeg]

Hi Elaine,

I will start with the 4 names on the headstone, as listed on the Cemetery website and see how I get on.  William & Mary Annie, Herbert Vincent and Albert Frederick. 

Family stories are interesting, sometimes they are true and you can find the proof, often it might be just something a relative said that has grown and grown.  Perhaps along the lines "I wonder if we're related to the Whessoe lot?"...... "we're related to the Whessoe lot." 

Tilly

[tillypeg]

I see that in 1911 William and his family are living at 31 Victoria Road, Darlington.  This is now occupied by King Hope & Co, Chartered Accountants, Nos. 31-33.   It is quite a substantial house, was called Middleton House in 1911.  Surprising that 5 unmarried "children" were still at home, aged 20 to 30.