Mackay & Hopkins in Durham prior to 1841

[ValCharlie]

My 4x Great Grandfather married in Gainford (to Ann Wade from Headlam) in 1809 and died in Barnard Castle in the cholera outbreak of 1849. There is therefore only one census record for him. This seems to indicate that he was born in County Durham around 1792. The birth date is also confirmed by his death record.
He marries as Charles Mackay and uses this name on the census and for his children's baptisms, but dies as Charles Hopkins Mackay. He was a schoolmaster.
The baptism record of his and Ann's first child (in Staindrop) says that he is a native of Quebec.

I can find no relevant records in the period 1790-1841. Can anyone help?? where and when was he born and why Hopkins?

[AlanBoyd]

The only baptism of a Charles McKay in the north-east that I can find in that period is from St John, Newcastle, 1790, parents Charles and Elizabeth.

Also, a minor detail, at Durham Records Online the name for the Barnard Castle burial has been transcribed as Charles Hopkin McKay.

And finally, my search at DRO for a McKay-Hopkin(s) marriage (his hypothetical parents) drew a blank.

[JenB]

There is therefore only one census record for him. This seems to indicate that he was born in County Durham around 1792.

Please forgive me for being pedantic, but the 1841 census, when he was resident in Bowes, Yorkshire, shows him as ‘not born in county’, but gives no clue as to his actual county of birth.

[Lewis21]

The Quebec reference is interesting, unless they literally meant Quebec in Canada, it might be referring to Quebec in Durham, which is in the parish of Lanchester. This would support the 'N' answer for born in the county in 1841 census at Bowes, if he was born abroad that should have been indicated as such. Nontheless, there is nothing at Lanchester to match.

[ValCharlie]

Thanks for the comments. Are you sure that the 1841 letter is an N? It looks identical to that of Ann, his wife, who was born in Headam. Also, there is the Yorkshire/Durham issue. Bowes being, in 1841, in Yorkshire, I think, and Headlam (and Quebec) being in Durham.

[Lewis21]

I've checked the Ancestry image and it's definitely a N for both - you can see the contrasting Y for James Longstaff, immediately above Charles on the page, and surrounding households. As it happens I have some Wades in my tree who were from Ingleton - could Ann have been from across the border in Durham?

Probably worth noting that there could be clerical errors too which can cause issues. It's so frustrating when someone from out of county dies prior to 1851 - I have such a case for one of my ancestors and still unable to place him years later.

[ValCharlie]

Yes, Ann was from Headlam, so Durham. I am thinking that Charles probably was too but obviously would consider further afield. The other possibility is that he was sent to one of the schools in that area from elsewhere but stayed on to become a teacher. The pattern of births and baptisms for their numerous children suggest that they moved around but only over a relatively small area. I have a hunch that he worked at the Chapman schools. I can't find any records for these. 

[JenB]

Thanks for the comments. Are you sure that the 1841 letter is an N? It looks identical to that of Ann, his wife, who was born in Headam. Also, there is the Yorkshire/Durham issue. Bowes being, in 1841, in Yorkshire, I think, and Headlam (and Quebec) being in Durham.

I'm certain it's 'N'.
So they were living in Bowes, which at that time was in Yorkshire, but neither of them born in Yorkshire.