WATSON in Durham City

[MickRD]

My 2x great grandmother Ann LIDDLE (nee WATSON) gave her birthplace as Durham City in the 1861 and 1871 censuses. On her marriage certificate (1856, St Mary's Gateshead) she was recorded as a spinster and her father John WATSON's occupation was given as blacksmith.
I've found a John WATSON in Chowdean, Lamesley in 1851 (with a daughter Ann of about the right age, but born Lamesley) and 1861. In these he's listed as a collier/coal miner, not a blacksmith, so I think this is probably the wrong family.
I'd be grateful if anyone with access to the registers of the Durham City parishes could see if Ann's baptism appears in any of them. Her age given in the census and on her marriage certificate suggest a birth c1833/4.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Mick

[emeltom]

You can browse the images of the Durham Diocese Bishops Transcripts on the familysearch site, but be warned it is quite time consuming.

Emeltom

[JenB]

A lot of the parishes within Durham itself are available on Durham Records Online.

You can check them out here http://www.durhamrecordsonline.com/Parish_Record_Info.php
Search page here http://www.durhamrecordsonline.com/NewSearch.php

However a search for a baptism of an Ann Watson, father John, in Durham doesn't produce any results 

[fiddlerslass]

I found 2 Anns with just Durham (City or County?) as birthplace resident in Co DUR in 1851 on familysearch.
There is an Ann WATSON age 15 in the 1851 census on familysearch , described as niece, house servant living in Usworth, Chester-le-Street DUR, born Durham HO107/2394/595/8. Unfortunately I can't tell who she is staying with.

The second is Ann WATTSON born 1834,a visitor in the household of Robert SAINT HO107/2393/500/33 Houghton-le-Spring.

[Jomot]

There is an Ann WATSON age 15 in the 1851 census on familysearch , described as niece, house servant living in Usworth, Chester-le-Street DUR, born Durham HO107/2394/595/8. Unfortunately I can't tell who she is staying with.

The one in Usworth in 1851 was niece to John & Jane Armstrong.  From the birth of their youngest child, George E Armstrong aged 5, Jane's maiden surname appears to be Graham. 

In 1841 I think this particular Ann is in Framwellgate, Durham with William & Ann Watson:
William Watson 40
Ann Watson 40
James 20
Foster 15
William 15
John 13
Jane  12      
George  10   
Ann 5      
Richard 6 Mo 

WATSON, RICHARD      MMN:  GRAHAM     
GRO Reference: 1841  M Quarter in CHESTER LE STREET  Volume 24  Page 29 

In 1851 William, Ann & George are also in Usworth, Richard having died in 1845.
William Watson 57  Head  b Lamesley, Durham  Coal Miner      
Ann Watson 50 b Gateshead, Durham      
George Watson 19 b Pensher [Penshaw], Durham  Coal Miner

[MickRD]

I still don't know whether or not Ann's baptism can be found in one of the Durham City parish registers, so I guess a trawl through the B.Ts is called for.
At least I now have a likely location for her in 1851 - Houghton le Spring. It's amazing, I search using name variants all the time with my OXF ancestors, but it didn't occur to me to try WATTSON in this search.

To the kind folk who have made suggestions, many thanks for your time and trouble.

Mick