29 May 2021

While browsing Ancestry I came across this note attached to someone’s profile of John Peak (b.1815)

30 Nov 1823, All Saints, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland

Jane and John Peak witnessed the wedding of Thomas PORTEOUS and Jane FRAME of this parish - probably NOT this John Peak as far too young!!! Not certain which it might be? His father and his sister possibly???¹

I looked up the entry on the Family Search website which has unindexed images of the Northumberland and Durham parish registers. I saved a copy of the page².

I also found a random entry for a Carr while browsing:

Baptism at All Saints, Newcastle on 7 March 1824 of Robert, son of Robert and Isabella Carr of Stock Bridge. He was a mariner.³

I looked up the baptisms of John and James Peak:

Baptism at All Saints, Newcastle on 26 March 1815 of John, son of John and Anne Peak of Blyth’s Nook. He was a cartman.⁴

Baptism at All Saints, Newcastle on 21 December 1817 of James, son of John and Ann Peak of Blyth’s Nook. He was a cartman.⁵

I found some information on Pandon Street and Blyth’s Nook⁶:

Pandon Street leads from the foot of the Wall Knoll, eastward, to the head of Coxon’s Chare. It is a narrow, winding, dirty street, and appears to have been called, in old times, Crosswell-gate. According to tradition, the opulent, pious, and munificent Roger Thornton lived in this street; though now it is generally shunned by respectable people, not only on account of the dirtiness of the passage, but as being inhabited by many of those coarse and impudent wenches, called, in these refined times, Cyprian nymphs, who subsist by administering to the gross appetites of those who are unfortunately strangers to the exquisite pleasures arising from a correct and refined taste, and blind to the disgrace, pain, and disappointment which result from deviating from the smooth paths of moral rectitude.

This street contains several narrow lanes or alleys. The first, which is built over Pandon-burn, is at present called Blyth’s Nook, and communicates with Cowgate near the foot of the Dog Bank. The next is a narrow lane leading to Burn Bank, which place was overflown in 1320, and occasioned a great loss of lives and property (see page 164). A considerable part of Pandon Street has recently been used for depositing merchandise; and, at the east end, Ralph Atkinson, Esq. is now erecting a lofty and substantial building for holding grain and other merchandise.

Using Family Search we looked up the baptism of Jane Peak and found some interesting information. The register at this time recorded a lot more information than is usual:

Baptism at All Saints, Newcastle on 5 September 1802 of Jane Peak first daughter of John Peak, cartman native of Whit[n?]ham on Trent, Lincolnshire by his wife Ann daughter of William Emery labourer of Felton, Northumberland. Jane was born on 20 December [1821]⁷

This is the first link of a Peak to anywhere other than Newcastle!

I looked for James, baptised 1808:

Baptism at All Saints, Newcastle on 17 April 1808 of James Peak first son of John Peak, labourer of Longframlington, North, by his wife Ann daughter of William Emmery, labourer of Felton, North. James was born 25 Oct 1806⁸

I also found Mark Peak, who turned out to be Mary Peak!

Baptism at All Saints, Newcastle on 22 April 18_10_ of Mary Peak third daughter of John Peak, labourer of Twickenham, by his wife Ann daughter of William Armoury, labourer of Felton, North. Mary was born 25 Aug ⁹

There appear to have been a lot of baptisms on that day.

Finally, Ann Peak:

Baptism at All Saints, Newcastle on 6 Jan 1805 of Ann Peak second daughter of John Peak, cartman of Felton North’d. by his wife Ann daughter of William Avery, yeoman of same parish. Ann was born 5 April [1804].¹⁰