Help needed please with Durham lookups.

[Swampduck]

Can anyone please help shed some light on the following :

My gt. grandad Ralph Ayre was born c1822 Sunderland (I think). His father was John Ayre, mother not yet know.  Ralph was a blacksmith, John was a glassblower.  I'm trying to find his birth/baptism and mother's name.   

Ralph married Lydia Hunter on 4 August 1845 at Stockton.  According to the marriage certificate Ralph lived in Middlesborogh at that time.  I have them on the 1861 and 1871 census, but after that, nothing.  Their children are still together on the 1881 census, the youngest 10 yrs old, but no sign of Ralph or Lydia. Their eldest daughter is named as Head on the census.   I've spent hours trawing 1837 On line and BMDs. They seem to have just disappeared. 

My other gt. grandad Robert Soulsby was born c1825 in Sunderland, his father was George Soulsby. Again, mother not known yet.   Both Robert and George were master mariners/ship's captains.   Robert married Catherine Duke on 9 February 1851 at Monkwearmouth R.C. Chapel on Bridge Street. I'm trying to find Robert's birth/baptism and mother's name.

Please, please could someone help me step back a generation, or point me in the right direction.  Also, is there a site with the 1841 census?

[1000xlch]

Hi Swampduck

If your Ralph was a blacksmith with own business then have a look in the trade directories as they list the people and occupations, also glassblowers.  Leicester university has a website called historical directories which has free online transcriptions of them.  If the daughter is head on the 1881 then the parents are not at home or are dead or visiting relatives.   You could try searching for a death cert in the area as the record offices have the indexes on line for free. Re Mariners , the 1881 census on Cd's lists people on ships as miscellaneous on the CD.
Hope this helps
John Rowley

[sillgen]

If the baptisms are not appearing on www.familysearch.org then you will need to try to get the films of the parish records and search them.   If you are not near the Durham Record Office then try looking at them at your nearest LDS centre.  They are worldwide and listed on familysearch.   Unless you can find a will for the father which mentions wife and children or are lucky and find them all together in the 1841 census then parish registers are the only way forward - or back!
There is a baptism on the IGI for a Robert Soulsby in Houghton le Spring at about the right time.  Parents George and Margaret.   In the 1871 census there is a Robert Soulsby 44 born Houghton, Master Mariner, with wife Catherine 43 b Monk Wearmouth.  They are living in Bishop Wearmouth.  He does seem a possibility.  RG10 5009 F91 p24 12 Howick St Bishop Wearmouth.
They have children Margaret 17 b Monk Wearmouth, John 15, George 12, Robert 10, William 5 and Catherine 3 all born Sunderland.
If you look on www.Genuki.com it will show if there are online 1841 census records for Durham.   It varies from place to place.   It may say at the top of the Durham Board on rootschat.  Always worth looking to see what sites are recommended there.   If there is a Look Up Exchange site for Durham then someone may be volunteering to do 1841 look ups there too.
Good luck
Andrea

[Swampduck]

Many thanks John and Andrea for your replies.

John

Have searched for Ralph and Lydia's deaths, nothing.  Searched 1881 census - looked at their married childrens' addresses - again nothing.    I've tried all the obvious sites, 1837, Durham Online, Family History and a few more.  I'll now try the Leistershire site you mentioned - fingers crossed.

Have managed to find Robert, the mariner, he died in February 1881.

Andrea,

Robert - father George, mother Margaret - baptism 1822 is unfortunately not mine.  This family were miners and farmers.

The Robert and Catherine in the 1861 census are mine.  I've now found Robert's death as above, just need to find his birth.  I'm going to follow up some of the searches you have suggested. 

I only started my family tree (and my husband's) two years ago.  In no time at all I found so many relatives and got back as far as 1800 on all sides, without any problems.  Thought it was so easy.   Comes as a bit of a blow when you hit the brick walls!  Serves me right for being so smug.....

Thank you both for taking the trouble to do these looks up for me.

Jean

[Mrs Kathleen Gill]

I realise it is some time since you made the posting but I have just come across it.
I have information on a Ralph Ayre born in Sunderland in Nov 1817. His father was John a glassblower and mother Margaret. John & Margaret had 12 children and I am descended from Margaret their youngest daughter.
Ralph is decribed as a blacksmith on the 1841 census when the family lived at Thornaby. Please get in touch if you think they are the same.

Also as part of some research I am doing for a charity I do some work for I have a family of Soulsby's again in Sunderland. The period I am looking at is circa 1900 where I have a George Soulsby born about 1849. Did Robert have a brother George?

Katy

[tappy1459]

I'm heading to Durham Records Office this Wed evening.  If you could let me have details of exactly what you are still looking for, I will do a check for you.  Could also get copies for you if required - rates are reasonable.

[2zpool]

The baptism for Ralph Ayre was in Bishopwearmouth St. Michael 23 Nov 1817 s/o John and Margaret , there is a baptisms for a Margaret Ayre 4 July 1834 d/o John and Margaret.  A whole lot of children - I counted 11 between 1813 and 1839.

Janis

[tappy1459]

Hi.  Will look these up for you on Wed.  Please check back on Thurs for a reply.

Would you like me to get copies for you?  (cost would be 0.75 GBP each plus postage)

[Mrs Kathleen Gill]

These are the details from my research of the family of John and Margaret Ayre. John's birthplace is given as Kirk (or Church) Merrington in County Durham but I have never been able to trace his baptism as yet. Margaret's maiden name was Rogerson and she was born in Northumberland, records look like Brainton (at daughter Mary's baptism) but I haven't been able to find a parish of this name. I do have copies of the registers of John and Margaret's marriage and of some of the baptisms of the children if anyone would like copies.


Children of John Ayre and Margaret Rogerson who were married at Christ Church, Tynemouth 15 Dec 1810

Mary born 1 April 1811, baptised 1 December 1811 Christ Church Tynemouth. Family living at Percy Main

Elizabeth baptised 25 July 1813 Christ Church Tynemouth.  Family living at North Shields

James baptised 29 June 1815 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living at Ayres Quay Deptford (part of Sunderland)

Ralph baptised 23 November 1817 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living as above

John baptised 6 August 1820 Christ Church Tynemouth. Family still residing at Ayres Quay

William baptised 6 December 1821 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living at Ayres Quay Deptford

George baptised 17 August 1823 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living at Ayres Quay Deptford

Robert baptised 15 September 1825 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living at Ayres Quay Deptford. Died at 11/2 years of age; buried St Michael’s 5 June 1827.

Thomas Septimus baptised 9 April 1827 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living at Ayres Quay Deptford

Sarah baptised 29 January 1830 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living at Ayres Quay Deptford

Robert Octavus baptised 31 January 1832 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living at Ayres Quay Deptford

Margaret baptised 4 July 1834 St Michael’s Bishopwearmouth. Family living at Ayres Quay Deptford

The attached photo is of their youngest daughter Margaret with her two children John  and Sarah