4th Great Aunt Bradley....... off to Beamish

 

Gosh - is it really 3 years since I last blogged. I have done very little family history in that time, even through Covid, I remained working so just dibbled a little bit.

I have family who live in the South of England,, who like to visit Beamish when they visit "up" north. So was thrilled when happened across this family history record.

Margaret Bradley - born 1786 Newton Morrell, Yorkshire

Margaret Bradley (born 1786 in Newton Morrell, near Barton, daughter of George Bradley) married John Caile in 1821

Margaret is the 4th Great Aunt of John & Lynne

                               George Bradley & Ann Baker

b1792 Cuthbert Bradley            b1786 Margaret  Bradley

Father of.....                                (4th Gt Aunt of John, 5th Great Aunt of Caroline, 6th 

-b1825 William Bradley father of...

-b1859 Frederica Sophia Bradley mother of....

-b1890 John James Trattles father of...

-b1925 Edna Trattles mother of....

-living

-living

-living

John and Margaret moved to Urpeth, County Durham in the late 1840's

John died in 1850

In 1851 Margaret was the Innkeeper at the Shepherd Inn at Pit Hill, in Urpeth District.... (aka Beamish!)

Link to Pubs History Website Page: About Us | Shepherd Beamish

Sat in a field that once belonged to a loving neighbour of my 8th Gt Grandfather?

Well, it is fair to say that my 52 Ancestors in a Year project motivation has dwindled in 2018 and I have not been actively doing any family history for about 3 months,  and then I do the usual... go on holiday, in the caravan (obviously taking my family history with me!) and start looking for "dead people" in the area.

And as usual something turns up that fascinates me and one of those coincidences that only fate can answer!....

We have come to a lovely (fantastic actually) caravan touring site; Thornbrook Barn in Thornton in Lonsdale, Yorkshire Dales. Chosen by Ian, I had nothing at all to do with choosing the area nor the site!

One rainy evening, i get my laptop out and look for any ancestors recorded as living near this area and of course there was:  a Myles LAYFIELD being married near by in Ingleton.  I couldn't recall who Miles was, but after a little digging this is how he was showing in my tree:

• My Mother Edna TRATTLES b.1926 Middlesbrough, daughter of
• John James TRATTLES b. 1890 Stockton on Tees, son of
• Frederica Sophia BRADLEY b. 1859 Richmond, daughter of
• Dorothy LAYFIELD b1828 Scorton , daughter of
• John LAYFIELD b.  1784 Melsonby, son of
• Thomas LAYFIELD b.1756 Bolton Upon Swale, believed to be son of
• John LAYFIELD b.abt 1700,  (married in Bolton upon Swale), believed to be son of
• Allan LAYFIELD b.abt 1674 Bolton on Swale, believed to be son of
• John LAYFIELD b.abt 1623, (married in Thornton in Lonsdale), believed to be son of
• Miles LAYFIELD b.abt 1595 (married in Thornton in Lonsdale)

I had the following info on Myles re his marriages and wives: Miles married twice, first to Ellin and then on 27 Oct 1647 in Thornton in Lonsdale to Jennet Wildman. Ellin died Mar 1642/3 in Ingleton District.

So, having refreshed myself on the Layfield branch of my tree, I began to re-investigate via the wonderful world wide web (and thankfully Thornbrook Barn having excellent wi-fi!) and I came across some research work undertaken by the "Ingleborough Archaeology Freebooters" (IAF)

Now, of course, I cannot be 100% certain that Myles is really and truly my 8th Great Grandfather. Much of the latter generations are based on assumptions, however it is easier to start with "some" info to disprove than to prove something that is not at all known.

So my search begins for more info on Myles.

IAF have transcribed parish register records and show on their website:

Baptisms in Ingleton

Marriages in Thornton in Lonsdale

Ingleton Burials 1607-1812

IAF also have transcribed a number of wills from Ingleton parish

Firstly I located the will of the late John Gibson, who had named Myles Layfield as a witness to his will, however then I came across the following:

LAYFIELD Myles of the Moorgarth Will & Inventory 1651 (June the 21st 1651)…. it is quite weird that I am sat here typing, making notes of these events and the date is…. 20th June 2018, one day short of 367 years to the day of this will!.

Now to the coincidence…. 
Myles last will & testament states " I appoint my Loveing Neighbours Lawrence Butterfield and John Balderston of the Hallsteads, desireing them to see this my will performed….."

The below map (courtesy of OS Maps online), shows Moorgarth and also highlighted is Halsteads. Whilst Ian and I are not staying at what is named as Halsteads today, we are staying where the ¶Is located (Thornbrook Barn), which according to the current owners was an old barn built in 1700s, so I think it is fair to assume that this barn / field would more than likely have been part of the Halsteads estate back in the 1600's.

So it looks like we are staying in the field of my 8th Great Grandfathers loving neighbours!

Will transcription (courtesy of IAF)
Unfortunately I am unable to reproduce any part of the will as I do not have written consent from IAF, however you can access the pdf document yourself here

One thing that is evident in Miles' will is that he only mentions 1 son, Myles (born in 1651, the year before his fathers death)  However I believe there is a chance that John, his first son from his first marriage, could have moved to Bolton upon Swale at the time of Myles death and was no longer considered as part of Myles close family. John would have been aged 24 by the time of Miles second marriage and he himself already married to Jane/Jean since 1644. 

You will notice from the parish records transcripts, there is a baptism of John to Myles Layfield in Ingleton in 1623, with a  John Layfield marrying Jane Guye at Thornton in Lonsdale parish 1644 and it is believed they are the same John & Jane that were living in Bolton upon Swale in 1660s with many of their children being baptised here.

Clearly there is more to investigate to try and prove or disprove this theory - but for now I am happy to think I am sat In my caravan in a field ( a very nice one at that!) that once belonged to a loving neighbour of my 8th x Gt Grandfather.

Week 11 - Lucky

There is absolutely no doubt that my #52 ancestors project for this year has fallen off track!... Hopefully I will catch up soon.

The subject for week 11 is "lucky" : "Do you have an ancestor who was lucky at something? Lucky to be alive? Lucky at cards? Lucky in love? Maybe you have an ancestor with a name that reminds you of luck or fortune. There's always "luck of the Irish." Maybe you have a story of how luck played a role in finding an ancestor. Write about that this week."

....still to do! 

Week 10 - Strong Woman

March is Women's History Month, so what better way to start than with the prompt of "Strong Woman." What female in your family tree has shown remarkable strength (either physical or emotional)? Tell her story.

..............To be started!!!

Week 9 - Where there's a will

What is week 9 about?  Amy states "I've been asked if this theme means a will (as in the probate document) or will (as in being determined or strong minded). My answer is: Yes. :-) Use this prompt however you are inspired to. Maybe you've come across an interesting will. Explain it like you would to a non-genealogist. What story does it reveal? You could write about an ancestor who was determined to do something. (Or maybe you have an ancestor named Will!)"

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Our Blacks, Robsons, Tinnings & Grahams of Cumberland

I thought I would use this opportunity to write about something that one of the FB genealogy groups I am involved with might find an interesting read. The group is "Family History around the Solway Coast, Cumberland", initiated by my cousin Julie, also the person who located and purchased a copy of the will I am going to talk about and how it helped us to confirm a longstanding assumption.  Hopefully it will also enable me, to yet again, re-acquaint myself  with those Cumbrian ancestors who have caused us a few brickwalls! … Enjoy!

The maternal Great Grandfather of myself and Julie Brough (nee Jones) is William PERCIVAL, born 1857, Rockcliffe Cross, Cumberland, England.  His parents were John PERCIVAL and Jane (nee BLACK).

John & Jane married 12 Nov 1853 at Rockcliffe.  We have always been reasonably confident in tracing Johns ancestry, however Jane is another story.

Jane's marriage certificate shows her father to be James BLACK, a labourer. One of the witnesses was a David TINNING.  Whilst married to John Percival, Jane gave birth to 10 children, the first male child being named David Tinning Percival and the first born female child being named Mary Jane Tinning Percival this obviously led us to believe there was a Tinning surname connection.

Censuses after Jane's marriage show she was born either at Rockcliffe or Saint Meries in Cumberland. (we believe St Meries refers to St Mary's parish district in Carlisle)

We have not confidently located the correct census records for Jane from 1841 & 51, but did come across these:

   1851: Jane Black age 20 (born in Arthuret), a factory girl living with her 2m old daughter Mary in Stanwix

   1841: Jane Black, age 10 living with John Robson (67 weaver), Mary Robson (69), James Robson (31 weaver),  Pattenstown, Low Longtown.

We believed it was highly likely that Jane was living with her grandparents in 1841, which would make her parents James BLACK & **** ROBSON. We are not convinced the above 1851 Jane is ours.

in the 1861 census, Jane married to John Percival has a Mary ROBSON residing with her as a boarder (age 91), again adding to the assumption that Mary is Jane's grandmother and probably had much to do with her upbringing and was now being cared for in her old age by her granddaughter.

 

There is a marriage for James BLACK and Mary ROBSON 9 Jun 1832 at Gretna Green, and then a repeat marriage 6 Jan 1833 at Arthuret. Could this couple be "our" Janes parents?, was Jane born out of wedlock and brought up by her grandparents?

There is a record of a James and Mary BLACK, both born in Arthuret, living in Lancashire in 1851.  Either  way...this is how we have come to assume that our Great Great Great Great Grandmother is Mary Robson.. But we were not really ever sure.

We located a birth for Mary ROBSON to John ROBSON and Mary (nee TINNING) (hoorah - the Tinning connection)

**Correction** 17/3/18  Julie has pointed out that we actually have not found the birth/baptism for Mary. There are baptisms forJames 1804 and Betty 1802 to John Robson and Mary (late Tinning). 

And now to how the will fits in to this story.….. Julie had ordered a couple of TINNING wills from the Arthuret / Longtown districts, that she believed were somehow linked to out ancestors…  and how right she was!

The second sentence of the will of Jane Tinning of Chapeltown reads;

 I give and bequeath unto my sister Mary Robson all my body clothes, together with the sum of sixty pounds but should my said sister die previous to I, I give and bequeath the said body clothes, and the said sixty pounds unto Jane Percival of Cleughfoot.

Jane PERCIVAL (nee BLACK) our Great Great grandmother of Cleughfoot.  You recall the 1861 census (image above)?Jane was living in Cleughfoot! with Mary Robson...

Jane is not named as "Niece", we therefore conclude that she was Jane Tinnings Great Niece.   (It is always possible that Jane was adopted or the child of a close friend, and raised by Mary Robson (nee Tinning).....but for now we are sticking to our story!)

So, to the rest of the will and more ancestors…….

Jane TINNING, was a spinster farmer of Chapeltown farm, which she inherited from her bachelor brother David, originally believed to be their fathers farm). Her will, dated 1863, names the following:

I also give and bequeath unto my niece Mary Tinning, Brampton, my cousins Jane Graham, Parkrigg, (Jane Graham’s maiden name was Park. She married John Graham. Her parents were Reginald Park and Mary Graham (I believe that Mary was the sister of Jane Graham – who married James Tinning. This would make Jane Tinning and Jane Graham (nee Park) cousins!) Elizabeth Blaylock, Hallees, (Elizabeth Blaylock’s maiden name was Graham. She married George Blaylock. Her mother was Margaret; married to Reginald Graham (identified via a headstone transcription) I believe that Reginald Graham was the brother of Jane Graham – who married James Tinning. This would make Jane Tinning and Elizabeth Blaylock (nee Graham) cousins!) 

Mary Davidson, Langholm, (Scotland) (Mary Davidson’s maiden name was Graham. Mary was the sister of the above Elizabeth Blaylock (nee Graham). Therefore with the same parents and relation to Jane Tinning) Mary Wright, Longtown, (Still to figure this out) John Graham, Longtown, (Still to figure this out)  

Reginald Park, Shawhead (Reginald Park is the brother of the above Jane Graham (nee Park), therefore with the same parents and relation to Jane Tinning) and Joseph Park, Souternmoor, (Joseph Park is the brother of the above Jane Graham (nee Park) and Reginald Park, therefore with the same parents and relation to Jane Tinning) ….the sum of forty pounds.

Whilst we still may not conclusively be able to say that Jane Black is the Granddaughter of Mary Robson (nee Tinning) or the Great Niece of Jane Tinning, we enjoyed the journey looking for our Black's, Robson's, Tinning's & Graham's

The photos in this story were taken by myself in 2016 after travelling around to locate the places mentioned in Janes will.  Special Thanks to Julie, who without her ordering this will we would never had the journey in the first place.

Below is a map (courtesy of  Google Earth) showing the location of the places named in the will.

Week 8 - Heirloom

Week 7 - Valentines

Week 7....

.........never happened! I could not come up with anyone to write about with the subject "Valentines".... our family is not what I would describe as romantic...no one even was born or married on valentines day!