28 May 2021

A slew of certificates today. The first two were supposed to be related to Mary Sharp (b. 1838) but I suspect neither match:

Birth at No 1 Black Raven Court, Seething Lane, the parish of All Hallows Barking on 2 September 1838 of Mary, daughter of John Sharpe, a labourer and Ann Sharpe, formerly Whitehead. The informant was John Sharpe, father of No. 1 Black Raven Court. Registered 10 October 1838.

The church of All Hallows Barking is in Tower Street Ward on the southeast corner of Seething Lane and on the north side of Tower Street, just beside the Tower of London.

We were expecting Mary’s parents to be William and Mary. In the 1851 census she is living with her parents and her birthplace was recorded as “Middlesex, London”, in 1861 she was married and her birthplace was “London, Primrose Hill”. In 1881 she was back with her parents, with her place of birth recorded as “London, Portland Town”. Primrose Hill is in Hampstead, which in 1838 was included in the Edmonton registration district. Portland Town is in Marylebone parish which is in the registration district of the same name. There don’t appear to be any Mary Sharp[e]’s born in Edmonton around that time.

A search of the GRO for Marylebone in 1838 +/- 2 years gives three candidates:

The next certificate was more speculative. We were hoping it was the death of Mary Sharpe:

Death at Rose Lane, Woodstone, Peterborough on 21 March 1901 of Mary Millicent Alcock, female, age 63 years, wife of Richard Alcock, maltster master. Cause of death was Acute Peritonitis, 2 days, certified. The informant was W Alcock, son, present at the death, Rose Lane, Woodstone. Registered 22 March 1901.

We expected Mary Sharpe’s husband to be Henry Richard Alcock but it seems he went by the name of Richard. In 1861 Henry was recorded as a working maltster. Mary and Henry Richard had a son William Alcock who would have been 41 at the time of this death. It seems likely that this is Mary Sharpe, although seeing Richard as her husband initially made me think it wasn’t. Henry is the man who family legend says “went to sea” and left his wife. This, hopefully, is one more clue. It suggests he was still alive but known as Richard Alcock. He was a maltster, not a sailor, and potentially his son William had had some news of him.

Some marriage certificates arrived by post. The first was the 1862 marriage of Thomas Porteus and Jane Peak which is the same as the transcription I wrote yesterday.

Next was a marriage for John Peak’s brother James whose death certificate arrived yesterday.

Marriage at the Parish Church, St. John, Newcastle on Tyne on 30 August 1841 of James Peak, of full age, a bachelor, mariner and Margaret Winskill, of full age, a spinster. Both were of this parish. His father was John Peak, deceased, a cartman. Her father was Thomas Winskill, deceased, a shoemaker. Neither could sign their names. The witnesses were Jane Moor and William Findley who could both sign their names.

Jane Moor is very likely to be James and John’s sister Jane who married George Moore in 1826.

The marriage of Jane Harrison Todd’s brother James:

Marriage by banns at Monkwearmouth on 10 August 1841 of James Todd, of full age, a bachelor, mariner of Monkwearmouth Shore and Mary Patherick, of full age, spinster of Monkwearmouth Shore. His father was Thomas Todd, a brewer. Her father was William Patherick, a mariner. James could sign his name, Mary could not. The witnesses were Robert Colling who signed his name and Elizabeth Patherick who could not.

The second marriage of Jane Harrison Todd’s sister, Elizabeth Todd:

Marriage by banns at Herrington Chapel, Houghton le Spring, Durham on 20 December 1846 of John Broom, 23, bachelor, ropesmith of Philadelphia and Elizabeth Cumes, 28, widow also of Philadelphia. His father was Thomas Broom, a carpenter. Her father was Thomas Todd, a farmer. John could not sign his name but Elizabeth could. The witnesses were Robinson Nicholson and James Stonehouse.

Some more on the Alcock side:

Birth at Saint Mary, Byron, Nottingham on 4 November 1837 of Emma, daughter of Robert Allcock and Dinah Allcock, formerly Watson. He was a Framework Knitter. Informant was Robert Allcock, father, Chamberlins Yard, Wood Street. Registered 7 November 1837.

We had ordered this because we believed it was William Alcock and Ann Lawson’s daughter Emma, also born in 1837. But it appears to be a different family.

The following is the death of Ann Lawson:

Death at Tenter Buildings, Newark on 28 July 1862 of Ann Alcock, female, age 67 years, wife of William Alcock, Stonemasons labourer. Cause of death was Obstruction of Bowels, 5 days, certified. The informant was Mary Wilson, present at the death, Tenter Buildings. She could not sign her name. Registered 29 July 1862.

Mary Wilson is probably a neighbour. She is present in the 1861 census.

Death at New Pandon Street, All Saints, Newcastle on 19 January 1852 of Ann Peake, female, age 81, widow of John Peak, cartman. Cause of death was Old Age, certified. Informant was Jane Moor, present at death, New Pandon Street, Newcastle on Tyne. Registered 19 January 1852.

This is Ann Emmery, Jane Moor is her eldest daughter.