Christopher Lumley, Lanchester

[Elliven]

Can anyone please help with information on Christopher Lumley who drowned in the flooded Smallhope Burn in Lanchester village in 1843 when he went to draw water.  I don't know whether he was young or old but he had been landlord of the Kings Head since about 1827.  I am particularly interested in the names of his parents, his date of birth and the names of his wife and any children.  Thank you.

[*Sandra*]

The Journal
Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England 
Sat, 10 Jun 1843
Page 2

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-journal/177728290/

Sandra

[AllanUK]

The 1841 Census shows ...

Lanchester Hamlet

Christopher Lumley, 35 years old, Inn Keeper, born County Durham
Jane Lumley, 25 years old, born County Durham
Robert Lumley, 3 years old, born County Durham
Sarah Lumley, 8 months old, born County Durham

A search for Christopher's baptism ...

Christopher Lumley, born 15th May 1803
Baptised 25th May 1806
Father = Robert (a Farmer)
Mother = Sarah (nee Errington)
Residence  Witton Gilbert
Place of Baptism, Lanchester (Anglican)

Snippet image courtesy of Find My Past

[jonwarrn]

In case it is of any help, Halmote Court Roll, Lanchester Division

Transcript by FamilySearch
Be it remembered that on the twenty first day of April in the year of Our Lord, One thousand eight hundred and eighty five came George Hobson of Harperly Mills near Lintz Green in the County of Durham Miller out of Court at the City of Durham and at Newcastle upon Tyne before John Blackburn Maude Gentleman Deputy for this purpose only and John Booth Deputy of Sir George Pringle Knight Steward , and took of the Lords all that messuage situate at Lanchester in the County of Durham Called or known as the Kings Head Inn with the buildings stable yard and garden thereto belonging...
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1L-QNK2

It goes on to mention Robert Lumley and then Michael and Ann Middlemiss and also Christopher Lumley of Consett, Grocer

Next page mentions a will of Robert Lumley (I can't find one being proved)
then a will of Christopher Lumley (ditto)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS1L-QNHL?view=fullText&keywords=Christopher%20Lumley%2CChristopher%2CLumley&lang=en&groupId=

the said premises became vested in Christopher Lumley late of Lanchester aforesaid Innkeeper deceased for an Estate of inheritance according to the custom of the said Manor And whereas the said Christopher Lumley died on the Fifth day of June One thousand eight hundred and forty three having previously made and executed his will dated the first day of July One thousand eight hundred and forty one whereby he gave and devised all his copy hold messuages lands tenements and hereditaments situate at Lanchester aforesaid and all other his real estate unto and to the use of his wife Jane Lumley upon trust to permit and suffer his son Robert Lumley and his daughter Sarah Jane Lumley to have the use and enjoyment during the term of their natural lives and he thereby appointed the said Jane Lumley sole Executrix ..

[jonwarrn]

The 1841 Census shows ...

Lanchester Hamlet

Christopher Lumley, 35 years old, Inn Keeper, born County Durham
Jane Lumley, 25 years old, born County Durham
Robert Lumley, 3 years old, born County Durham
Sarah Lumley, 8 months old, born County Durham

Marriage
10 Dec 1836, West Rainton
Christopher Lumley + Jane Burrell
https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/6833b07b865574fb7a39514f

By Licence
Image of allegation here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6QD7-DV

Baptism of son Robert, 2 January 1838, Lanchester
https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/6833bb97865574fb7a3dfbb4

Daughter Sarah Jane, 17 October 1840
https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/6833bbaa865574fb7a3e040c

Father Inn Keeper

Christopher Lumley buried at Lanchester, 13 June 1843 (age 40, not given on TS)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JZT6-LZF

Posthumous son?
Durham Records Online index a Christopher Lumley baptism somewhere in 1844, abode Lanchester
Parents Christopher and Jane

LUMLEY, CHRISTOPHER       
Mother's Maiden Surname: BURRELL 
GRO Reference: 1844  M Quarter in DURHAM AND LANCHESTER  Volume 24  Page 68

[jonwarrn]

"the said Jane Lumley died on the tenth day of December One thousand eight hundred and forty seven"

Possible death reg
LUMLEY, JANE       
Age at Death (in years): 33 
GRO Reference: 1847  D Quarter in DURHAM AND LANCHESTER  Volume 24  Page 53

[Elliven]

To *Sandra*, AllanUK and jonwarrn

I would like to express my thanks to all of you for the speed of your responses and the plethora of information you supplied.  Even though the inn closed and there could have been difficulties in its re-establishment at a later date - the licence was kept up to date.  That suggests to me that someone quite deliberately kept Christopher's trade open so that his son could follow it when he reached the age of majority.  I wonder if he did?

[AlanBoyd]

The article linked in reply #1 mentions that Christopher Lumley was thought to have drowned by falling into Knitsdale Beck "which is not more than twenty yards from his own door".

This map view from the 1861 6 inch OS map shows that the King's Head was indeed skirted by a beck, although here it is labelled as Smallhope Burn (scroll to the south to see this label).

https://maps.nls.uk/view/102341554#zoom=7.7&lat=6822&lon=1058&layers=BT

In the 1843 tithe records "Christopher Lumley reps" are listed as the occupants of two plots which correspond to the area where the King's Head is labelled, bounded on the east by the beck, on the south by the loop in the beck where it turns to the west and on the west by the boundary line that runs back to the north.

I wonder if the use of 'reps' in the tithe record, rather than executors, is a reference to the son tentatively identified in reply#4 and to some sort of trust?

The article mentions that his body was found in "the Browney Beck, near Wallnook Mill". The Smallhope Burn runs southeast from Lanchester until it meets the Browney (now classed as a river). If you follow it on the map you will find the confluence labelled 'Waters Meeting', and if you wish to see how far the body was carried, continue to follow the Browney southeast through "Lanchester Valley" alongside the railway until you reach Langley Park Colliery. Now go just a little futher east past the nascent Langley Park village and there, by Witton Gilbert Station you will see Wall Nook and Wallnook Mill. On a modern map there is a Wallnook Lane running east from Langley Park.

The article also says that this is "a considerable distance from the place where he fell in". It is indeed: it is 3.5 miles as the crow flies and 4.5 miles along the course of the Smallhope Burn and the Browney. Given how sinuous the route is it is remarkable that the body moved so far.

[Elliven]

I have always known it as the Smallhope Burn but it is immaterial, as it is the same watercourse.  I agree that the distance to Walnook seems a long way but when that stream is really full, it is much wider and deeper and there are fewer obstructions for a floating object (body).  It also flows much faster so I am not totally surprised by the distance the body travelled - especially if there were no other obstacles in the water (such as tree branches) blocking its path.