Jane Harrison was baptised on 1 May, 1814 at St. Peter's Church in Monkwearmouth, County Durham, England^a1,b1, the daughter of Thomas Todd★, a carrier, and Margery Mordue (1791–?)★. She is Ian's 4x great grandmother.

She married John Peak (1815–1854)★ on 13 Mar, 1833 at All Saints Church in Newcastle All Saints, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England^a2 . They had five children:–

• Thomas Turner baptised on 17 Aug, 1834 in the parish of Newcastle All Saints in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England^a3. Married Mary Kendal on 19 Mar, 1856 at St. Stephen's Church in South Shields St. Stephen, County Durham, England^c1.
• James George died age one. Baptised on 20 Oct, 1836 at All Saints Church, Newcastle All Saints^d1. Died on 13 Jun, 1838 in the parish of Sunderland in County Durham, England^a4.
• John★, anchorsmith, baptised on 3 Oct, 1838 in Sunderland^a5. Married Dinah Smith★ on 19 Jul, 1858 in the parish of South Shields in County Durham, England^e1. Buried on 31 Jan, 1900^e2.
• Jane died in infancy. Baptised on 9 Dec, 1840 in Newcastle All Saints^a6 She was the twin to Ann^a7,a6,a8,a9. Died on 11 Dec, 1840 at Vints Buildings in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England^a8,e3.
• Ann died in infancy. Baptised on 9 Dec, 1840 in Newcastle All Saints^a7 She was the twin to Jane^a7,a6,a8,a9. Died on 11 Dec, 1840 at Vints Buildings, Newcastle upon Tyne^a9.

In a report from 8 Mar, 1844, by the Newcastle Courant, Jane was convicted, with her husband John★, of assaulting Elizabeth Scott with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The incident took place in Sunderland, where the Peaks lived with Scott, a widow, in her home on Low Street. On 17th December, both John and Jane brutally attacked Scott, leaving her unconscious and severely injured, with her face swollen beyond recognition and her body bearing the marks of heavy boot kicks. The Peaks did not deny the assault, though the cause of the quarrel was unclear. They were sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour.^f1

In the 1851 census she was living at Mount Pleasant in North Shields, Northumberland, England^g1 with her husband John, a baker and son John Peak.

In the late 1850s, Jane found herself repeatedly entangled in legal issues that culminated in her imprisonment. The first recorded incident on 1st February 1858, when she was fined 2 shillings and 6 pence, plus costs, for depositing filth in the streets. Though a minor infraction, it marked the beginning of a series of legal challenges that would escalate in seriousness.^h1

On 5th April, she was summoned by the police for allowing women of "improper character" to assemble in her cook shop on Dortwick Street. During a late-night visit by the police, several women deemed disorderly were found on her premises. Although Jane initially denied their presence, she later admitted that they were in her shop, claiming they were merely there to eat and that she was unaware of their reputations. Despite her defence, she was fined 5 shillings and costs.^h2

Her legal troubles continued on 20 Sep, 1858, when she was fined another 5 shillings and costs for permitting disorderly females to gather in her house. This repeated offence indicated ongoing issues in maintaining order within her establishment, which drew further attention from the authorities. A few weeks later she was committed for trial by the North Shields Borough Magistrates, charged with keeping a disorderly house and harbouring prostitutes. The seriousness of these charges marked a significant escalation in her legal troubles, and she was scheduled to be tried at the Quarter Sessions.^h3

On 21 Oct, 1858, the Morpeth Herald reported that Jane Peak had been indicted for keeping a disorderly house at Dockwray Square, North Shields. The prosecutor described her house as a common rendezvous for thieves, prostitutes, and other disreputable characters, noting that it had long been a nuisance to the neighbourhood. The evidence reportedly fully supported these claims, and with no defence presented, Jane was found guilty. She was sentenced to nine months in Morpeth Gaol, with hard labour.^k1,m1

Despite serving this significant sentence, Jane’s legal troubles continued. On 13 Feb, 1860, the Newcastle Daily Chronicle reported that she was fined 20 shillings and costs by the North Shields magistrates for keeping a disorderly house. The report also noted that she had only recently been released from a nine-month imprisonment for a similar offence, highlighting a persistent pattern of behaviour that continued despite her previous punishments.^p1,h4

After the death of her first husband, John, in 1854, and following her imprisonment in 1858, Jane remarried on 2 Jun, 1862, to Thomas Porteus, a 45-year-old widower and engine wright, at the Parish Church in Wallsend, Northumberland. Jane and Thomas appear to have known one another for many years as she served as a witness to his first marriage to Jane Frame in 1823. However, Jane's own marriage occurred under complex circumstances, as it turned out that Thomas was still legally married to his second wife, Dorothy, who subsequently died on12 Sep 1862, just a few months after the marriage. Following Dorothy's death, Jane and Thomas married again on 24 Jan 1863, at the Parish Church in Jarrow, Durham. This time, the marriage was legitimate, with both parties residing in West Harton.^e4,e5,h5,q1

She married Thomas Porteus (1817–1868), a sinker, on 24 Jan, 1863 at the age of forty-eight at St. Paul's Church in Jarrow, County Durham, England^e4.

By the time of the 1871 census she was living at Collier's Entry Close in Newcastle St. Nicholas, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England^r1.

In the 1881 census she was living at Laycock's Yard in Newcastle St. Nicholas, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England^s1.

Jane Harrison was recorded in the 1891 census at 81 Bell Street in North Shields, Northumberland, England^t1.

Jane Harrison died at the age of seventy-seven on 20 Dec, 1891 at 81 Bell Street, North Shields^e6. Her death was attributed to bronchitis^e6.

Timeline

1814

Born in Monkwearmouth Shore, Monkwearmouth, County Durham, England.^a1

1 May

Baptised at St. Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth, County Durham, England.^a1,b1

1823

30 Nov

Witness to the marriage of Thomas Porteus and Jane Frame at All Saints Church, Newcastle All Saints, Northumberland.^a10

1833

13 Mar

Married John Peak★ at All Saints Church, Newcastle All Saints.^a2
Recorded as residing in Newcastle All Saints, Northumberland.^a2

1834

17 Aug

Son, Thomas Turner Peak (1834–?), baptised in Newcastle All Saints.^a3
Recorded as residing at High Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.^a3

1836

20 Oct

Son, James George Peak (1836–1838), baptised at All Saints Church, Newcastle All Saints.^d1

1838

13 Jun

Son, James George Peak (1836–1838), died in Sunderland, County Durham, England.^a4

17 Jun

Recorded as living at George Street, Sunderland, County Durham.^a4

18 Sep

Her son, John Peak (1838–1900)★, born at George Street, Sunderland. She was the informant.^e7,a5

26 Sep

Recorded as living at George Street, Sunderland.^e7

3 Oct

Recorded as residing at George Street, Sunderland.^a5

1840

9 Dec

Daughter, Ann Peak (1840–1840), baptised in Newcastle All Saints.^a7
Daughter, Jane Peak (1840–1840), baptised in Newcastle All Saints.^a6
Recorded as living at Vints Buildings, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.^a7,a6

11 Dec

Daughter, Ann Peak (1840–1840), died at Vints Buildings, Newcastle upon Tyne.^a9
Daughter, Jane Peak (1840–1840), died at Vints Buildings, Newcastle upon Tyne.^a8,e3
Recorded as residing at Vints Buildings, Newcastle upon Tyne.^a8,a9,e8,e9

1844

6 Mar

Charged with assault and sentenced to three months with hard labour in Durham, County Durham.^f1

1851

30 Mar

Recorded in the 1851 census residing at Mount Pleasant, North Shields, Northumberland.^g1

1854

16 Dec

Husband, John, died at Laygate Street, Westoe, County Durham, England.^e10

1858

1 Feb

Fined for depositing filth in the streets in North Shields, Northumberland.^h1

5 Apr

Occupation recorded as cook-shop keeper at Dotwick Street, North Shields, Northumberland.^h2
Fined for allowing women of improper character to asemble in her house in North Shields.^h2

12 Jul

Fined for creating a disturbance in North Shields.^h6
Occupation recorded as eating-house keeper at Dotwick Street, North Shields.^h6

20 Sep

Fined for permitting disorderly females to assemble in her house in North Shields.^h3
Occupation recorded as eating-house keeper at Dotwick Street, North Shields.^h3

8 Oct

Committed for trial for keeping a disorderly house and harbouring prostitutes in North Shields.^p2

9 Oct

Occupation recorded as publican.^p2

21 Oct

Recorded as living at Dockwray Square, North Shields, Northumberland.^m1
Indicted for keeping a disorderly house and sentenced to nine months with hard labour in Alnwick, Northumberland.^m1,k1

1860

13 Feb

Fined for keeping a disorderly house in North Shields.^h4,p1

1862

2 Jun

Married Thomas Porteus at St. Peter's Church, Wallsend, Northumberland.^e5,q1
Recorded as residing in Wallsend, Northumberland.^e5

1863

24 Jan

Married Thomas Porteus at St. Paul's Church, Jarrow, County Durham.^e4
Recorded as residing in West Harton, County Durham.^e4

1868

22 Jul

Husband, Thomas Porteus (1817–1868), died at Shiney Row, Wallsend, Northumberland, England.^e11

1871

2 Apr

Recorded in the 1871 census at Collier's Entry Close, Newcastle St. Nicholas, Northumberland.^r1
Occupation recorded as green grocer.^r1

1881

3 Apr

Recorded in the 1881 census residing at Laycock's Yard, Newcastle St. Nicholas, Northumberland.^s1
Occupation recorded as provision dealer.^s1

1891

5 Apr

Recorded in the 1891 census living at 81 Bell Street, North Shields, Northumberland.^t1
Occupation recorded as housekeeper.^t1

20 Dec

Died at the age of seventy-seven at 81 Bell Street, North Shields.^e6

Facts

Research Notes

Evidence for Jane Harrison Todd being the daughter of Thomas Todd and Margery Mordue #

1. by 1841 Jane was married to John Peak and had had three children, two of whom had survived: Thomas (b. 1834) and John (b. 1838)
2. in the 1841 census Jane (age 25-29) is living with her husband John Peak (age 25-29) and their son Thomas (age 7) in Newcastle. Jane was marked as not being born in the county of Northumberland.
3. also in the 1841 census a John Peack (age 2) is with Elizabeth Coums (age 22) and her daughter Marjery (aged 2) at Williamson Terrace in Monkwearmouth
4. Thomas Todd and Margery Mordue had 7 children in or around Monkwearmouth. Including a Jane (b. 1814) and Elizabeth (b. 1817).
5. in 1836 Elizabeth Todd married Aaron Cooms (or Cums) and had a daughter Margery in 1839.
6. this fits with the 1841 census entry for John Peack: he was living or staying with Elizabeth Todd, his aunt, in Monkwearmouth on the night of the census.