27 Jan 2025

I found some interesting information that needs some analysis. In Ancestry’s UK Poll Books and Electoral Registers, 1538-1893 are entries for George Carr and John Carr in Hexham Parish in 1840. They are numbers 4602 and 4601 respectively. Both have abode Dotland Park. The nature of their qualification is “Share of freehold house” and the address of the place “Meal-market”¹

This came up as a hint for George Carr born 1821 but I suspect that this is his father, also called George who was born in 1790 in Dotland Park. John is perhaps his brother.

Dotland Park (map) is a cluster of buildings about a mile west of Newbiggin and about two miles south of Hexham itself. Meal market is group of buildings in the centre of Hexham (possibly here).

The pair appear with the same information in 1826², 1832³ and 1837⁴

George appears alone in the 1852 census, still with abode Dotland Park. However I have George as living in Coney Garth in Bothal in the 1851 census.

In 1837 there appear to be a family of Carrs at Dotland: John, Thomas, Joseph and George, occupiers of 900 acres of land, the address being Dotland. A John Carr is listed as living at Peth Head, a freehold house and garden at Peth Head.⁵ These are in the Hexhamshire (Low Quarter Township), They are all still present in 1840.[^pollbook1840lowquarter

Both Johns, Thomas and George are present in the 1852 book, still for Hexhamshire (Low Quarter Township).⁶

Dotland is a farm (map), about a mile southwest of Dotland Park.

Something isn’t quite right with the Carr tree and I might not have associated my ancestors with the correct family of Carrs. I suspect there is more than one George Carr who married an Elizabeth in the area. I’ve seen traces of this on FamilySearch

I believe George Carr was born around 1790 at Dotland Park in the parish of Hexham. The poll books I found suggest that there was quite a large family of Carrs farming at Dotland Park and neighbouring Dotland farm.

I currently have George Carr (1790-1866) and Elizabeth Wilson (1792-) associated with a marriage on 20 Feb 1813 in Woodhorn, a coastal parish north of Bedlington and east of Bothal. He was of Ponteland, she was of Woodhorn. The witnesses were Cuthbert Wilson and Robert Wilson who I believe are Elizabeth’s father and brother.

Ponteland is a parish about 12 miles southwest of Woodhorn. about half way to Hexham.

I have the following children for the couple:

• Jane, 1816 Woodhorn
• Ann, 1818, Woodhorn
• George, 1820, Hartburn (my ancestor)
• Sarah, 1825, Woodhorn
• Cuthbert Wilson, 1827, Wallridge in Stamfordham
• Isabell, 1829, Bothal
• John, 1832
• John, 1836, Bothal

The places of birth are quite widespread which is a concern. Hartburn is twelve miles due west of Woodhorn. Wallridge is 16 miles southwest of Woodhorn. Bothal is 3-4 miles west of Woodhorn.

However I believe I have this family in the 1841 census living in Cockle Park in Morpeth Parish with children Ann (age 20-24), Sarah (age 15-19), Wilson (age 13), Bell (age 11), John (age 8). A woman who appears to be Elizabeth’s mother is living with them. In the same building but listed as a separate family is George Carr (age 20-24). This lines up nicely with the list of children above.

In 1851 they are living in Bothal and this is where we see for the first time that George’s place of birth is Dotland Park, rendered as Dotling Park in the census. He and Elizabeth are living with two children Sarah age 28 and Cuthbert age 23.

In 1861 George and Elizabeth have moved to Waldridge in Durham and George is now a farmer there. His place of birth is recorded as “Dottlen Park”. He and Elizabeth (born in Mitford) are living with their children Wilson age 30, John age 25 and Isabell age 27, all unmarried. There is also a grandson George Robert [Gillespie?] born in Bishopswearmouth.

Waldrige is quite a way south of Newcastle, about 25 miles from Woodhorn. It’s about 12 miles east of Dotland.

As an aside, I thought that Cuthbert might have been born in Waldridge, not Wallridge near Stamfordham. In the 1861 census he is living in Waldridge, Durham but his place of birth is given as Waldridge, Northumberland. In 1851 his place of birth is Wallridge in Northumberland. However in 1871 it is recorded as Northumberland Stanfordham which seems to confirm his birthplace. Cuthbert died in 1879.