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1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census
121, Campbell Street, Westoe, South Shields, Durham, England

Grundy Yarrow Head Married Male 25 1856 Forgeman Birtley, Durham, England
Thomason Yarrow Wife Married Female 23 1858 - South Shields, Durham, England
Elizabeth A Yarrow Daughter Single Female 4 1877 - South Shields, Durham, England
Isabella Yarrow Daughter Single Female 2 1879 - South Shields, Durham, England
Walker D Yarrow Son Single Male 0 1881 - South Shields, Durham, England

1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census
Bedlington Station, Bedlington, Morpeth, Durham & Northumberland, England

Grundy Watson Yarrow Head Widower Male 35 1856 Striker Birtley, Durham, England
Elizabeth A Yarrow Daughter Single Female 14 1877 - South Shields, Northumberland, England
Isabella Yarrow Daughter - Female 12 1879 - South Shields, Northumberland, England
Walker D Yarrow Son - Male 10 1881 Scholar South Shields, Northumberland, England
Margaret W Yarrow Daughter - Female 8 1883 Scholar South Shields, Northumberland, England
Thomas Yarrow Son - Male 7 1884 Scholar Bedlington, Northumberland, England
Nicholas Yarrow Son - Male 2 1889 - Bedlington, Northumberland, England
Joseph Baker Lodger Single Male 25 1866 Coal Miner Northumberland, England
Roger Emery Lodger Single Male 23 1868 Coal Miner Widdrington, Northumberland, England

1939

Name: Henry B Crockett
Gender: Male
Marital status: Married
Birth Date: 19 Aug 1880
Residence Year: 1939
Address: 12
Residence Place: Bedlingtonshire, Northumberland, England
Occupation: Colliery Slatelayer above
Line Number: 30
Schedule Number: 48
Sub Schedule Number: 1
Enumeration District: GCEP
Borough: Bedlingtonshire
Registration District: 564-2
Inferred Spouse: Margaret Crockett
Household Members:
Name
Henry B Crockett
Margaret Crockett Birth Date: 19 Oct 1882

1901

Double Row, Bedlington, Morpeth, Durham & Northumberland, England
George Crackett Head Widower Male 68 1833 Coal Miner Hewer Cornhill, Northumberland, England
Marg Crackett Daughter Single Female 24 1877 - Barrington, Northumberland, England
Henry Crackett Son Single Male 20 1881 Coal Miner Hewer Barrington, Northumberland, England
William Hudspith Step Son Single Male 9 1892 - Barrington, Northumberland, England

HUDSPITH, WILLIAM CRACKETT
GRO Reference: 1891 S Quarter in MORPETH Volume 10B Page 387

1881
New Double Row, Bedlington, Morpeth, Durham & Northumberland, England

George Cracket Head Married Male 45 1836 Coal Miner Cornhill, Northumberland, England
Jane Cracket Wife Married Female 48 1833 - Northumberland, England
Elizabeth Cracket Daughter Single Female 23 1858 - Lowick, Northumberland, England
John Cracket Son Single Male 21 1860 Coal Miner Lowick, Northumberland, England
Isabella Cracket Daughter Single Female 18 1863 - Scotland Gate, Northumberland, England
Thomas Cracket Son Single Male 15 1866 Coal Miner Scotland Gate, Northumberland, England
Margery Cracket Daughter Single Female 12 1869 Scholar Scotland Gate, Northumberland, England
Jane Cracket Daughter Single Female 9 1872 Scholar Barrington, Northumberland, England
William Cracket Son Single Male 6 1875 Scholar Barrington, Northumberland, England
Margaret Cracket Daughter Single Female 4 1877 - Barrington, Northumberland, England
Henry B Cracket Nephew Single Male 0 1881 - Barrington, Northumberland, England

Henry was illegitimate

CRACKETT, HENRY BRUCE -
GRO Reference: 1880 S Quarter in MORPETH Volume 10B Page 359

You'll need a copy of his birth cert for mother's name

First name(s) Henry Bruce
Last name Crackett
Enlistment year 1881-1920
Service number 21/ 954
Rank Private
Battalion 21st
Transfer to/from To 23rd Bn
Cause of discharge To Class 'Z' Army Reserve
Source
MR
Record set British Army, Northumberland Fusiliers 1881-1920

Name: Henry Bruce Cracket
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Private
Company: WO 329
Regiment or Corps: Northumberland Fusiliers
Regiment Number: 21/954
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal

1911 Census For England & Wales
22 School Row Barrington Colliery Bedlington S O, Bedlington, Durham & Northumberland, England

Henry Crackett Head Married Male 30 1881 Coal Miner Hewer Barrington Northld
Margaret Crackett Wife Married Female 28 1883 - Shields North
George Crackett Son - Male 7 1904 - Sleekburn Bedlington Norfolk
Thomassion Crackett Daughter - Female 5 1906 - Redraw Northumberland

CRACKETT, THOMASSON (MMN) YARROW
GRO Reference: 1905 D Quarter in MORPETH Volume 10B Page 447


First name(s) Thomasina
Last name Crackett
Birth year 1905
Birth date 06 Nov 1905
Event year 1910
School name Barrington County Primary School
Town Barrington
County Northumberland
Country England
Parent name(s) Henry
Book type Admissions


First name(s) THOMASSION
Last name CRACKETT
Marriage quarter 1
Marriage year 1928
THOMASSION CRACKETT married
Arthur Smith

1939
4.5 Storeys Buildings, Bedlington, Bedlingtonshire U.D., Northumberland, England

Arthur Smith 20 Dec 1903 Male Colliery Coal Cleaner Above Married 218 1
Thomassion Smith 07 Nov 1905 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Widowed 218 2
Margaret Smith 05 Oct 1929 Female At School Single 218 3

Marriages Mar 1903 (>99%)
Cracket Henry Bruce Morpeth 10b 579
Yarrow Margaret Watson Morpeth 10b 579

As this thread is 2 years old, Catherine, it's possible that Bridget won't be looking for replies now.

You can try contacting her by a private message - just click on her name in green at the top of one of her posts.
She'll be notified by email from GR that there's a message for her.

There are many reasons why people sometimes don't reply to such messages - but you may be lucky!

My husband is a Crackett from Northumberland. His direct ancestors appear on the 1911 census in School Row, Bedlington as previously mentioned;
His great grand father was Henry Bruce Crackett, his grandfather George Crackett.
My husband is unaware of his grandfather having a sister although Thomassion Crackett is recorded on the census as daughter of Henry Bruce. We'd love to know more about her.

i have done quite a lot of Crackett research, mainly miners but not come cross any mention of emigration to South Africa.

Yes, maybe. I think it was just that he and and his second bride seemed to be in the same position, both widowed with a couple of children each, so I guess I expected both of them to put the same thing, whether it be widowed or single.

Haven't been able to find access to Bridget's marriage to either Thomas Crackett or Jesse Louis Bush, which might have shed light on whether her maiden name is Jackson, Cosgrove, or even, if Thomasina 1912 is her daur, Campbell!

Don't have access to paid overseas (ie non England and Wales) records though.

You probably have it already but Kathleen Ann Bush formerly Lunn, born Delport had previously been married to a Harry James Lunn, who died March 1935 according to Kathleen's death notice in 1945.

The record and its image are on familysearch.org.

His death report

Name Harry James Lunn
Event Type Probate
Event Date 1935
Event Place Grahamstown, Albany, Cape Province, South Africa
Age 48
Relationship to Deceased Deceased
Birth Year (Estimated) 1887
Birthplace George C P
Death Date 21 Mar 1935
Death Place East London

He had two adult children living from his previous marriage which had ended in divorce in the Transvaal c1915-1916. Looking at familysearch, the adult children were daurs, Hazel Ethel and Mavis Eirene, both bap. 07 Mar 1915 Transvaal. Hazel Ethel was born 28th Sept 1913, and Mavis Eirence on Nov 20th 1914. Their mother's forenames were Laura Jessie. Both baptisms are on familysearch.

Perhaps the statement that Jesse was a bachelor on his marriage to Kathleen is a wrong assumption by the registrar.
Maybe Jesse just said he was single - which he was - and it didn't occur to him to specify that he was a widower. After all, it was seven years since Bridget had died.

I'll send you the navy and army records by pm. I'm not sure that the J Bush record on the passenger lists you have found is him, as there is so little time between his discharge from the navy and his enlistment in the army, but I could be wrong. He enlisted at Maidstone for the army, in 1903, so he was in this country then.

EDIT: I doubt that passenger list entry refers to your Jesse as he wasn't discharged from the Royal Navy until mid Dec 1902, and enlisted in the 2nd battalion The Buffs in mid Aug 1903 at Maidstone. he spent from 2.6.05 - 13.8.07 serving with them in S Africa, where he was discharged in Aug 1907, so I think that's how he got there.

My mistake he married Mary Ann Hunt. Annie Cooker was his son Thomas's wife. My brain is scrambling.

Jesse's father Thomas Bush was married to to Harriet Kemsley Jesse's mother. When she died he married Annie Cooker nee Hunt.
I cannot think why Jesse said he was a bachelor when he married Kathleen except that he felt free and young again.

I appreciate all information about Jesse Bush even if I have it. You are providing me with far more information than what I could hope to find. This has been far the most successful search I have ever had. I only have census information up to 1891. I obviously do not have access to all the websites you have. What Jesse did once he left home and forward is my largest missing puzzle pieces. Also anything extra and of course my information on Bridget is very sparse.
Passenger ship details I have.
Last Name J Bush
Title MR
Age Transcribed
Departure Year 1902
Departure Month 9
Departure Day 27
Ship Name Walmer Castle
Ship Departure Port Southampton
Destination Port Cape
State
Country South Africa
Destination Place CAPE
Destination Place Country SOUTH AFRICA
Gender Male
Marital Status S
Occupation
Birth Year
Birth Month
Birth Day
Country Of Birth
Last Residence Country
UK Address
Ship Official Number
Ship Master's First Name J C
Ship Master's Surname ROBINSON
Ship Master's Title
Shipping line
Departure Port SOUTHAMPTON
Ship Destination Port SOUTH AFRICA
Ship Destination Country SOUTH AFRICA
Ship Square Feet 9383
Ship Registered Tonnage 6463
Number Of Passengers 761
Category Travel & migration
Record set Passenger Lists Leaving Uk 1890-1960
Collections from Great Britain, England
Transcriptions © brightsolid online publishing ltd

Still wondering why Jesse said he was a bachelor when he married Kathleen Ann Lunn, instead of stating he was a widower (She stated she was a widow).

What date do you have him arriving in South Africa?

His military record on FMP had him leaving the Buffs in 1907 as medically unfit for military service, and his 'forwarding address' as P.O. Box 14. Witbank, Transvaal.

Jesse signed his discharge papers at Middeburg Tvaal, on July 25th 1907.

He had enlisted at Maidstone, Kent 13th Aug 1903. He had been invalided out of the Royal Navy on 10th Dec 1902. He seems to have served on Impregnable, Agincourt and Sans Pareil.

But you probably have all that. he was also on the 1891 census at Belgrave Street, Aylesford, Malling, Kent, England. Lodging with the family is a Thomas B Hunt aged 24, a cement worker like Thomas Bush (Jesse's dad). Is he a relative of Thomas's wife Mary Ann? He is of similar age to her (a couple of years younger).

Freebmd has this marriage to a Mary Ann Hunt in the right reg district of Malling In K ent (which covers Aylsford, where Thomas, Jesse, Mary Ann and family were living on the 1891 census).

Marriages Mar 1889
Bush Thomas Malling 2a 718
HUNT Mary Ann Malling 2a 718

A fuller version:

Name Thomas Bush
Event Type Marriage
Event Date 25 Mar 1889
Event Place Aylesford, Kent, England
Gender Male
Age 39
Marital Status Widowed<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Birth Year (Estimated) 1850<<<<<(same as in census 1891)
Father's Name William Bush<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Spouse's Name Mary Ann Hunt
Spouse's Gender Female
Spouse's Age 25
Spouse's Marital Status Single
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1864<<<<(born c1865 in census 1891)
Spouse's Father's Name John Hunt

also his first marriage to Harriet Kelsey:

Marriages Jun 1868
Bush Thomas Maidstone 2a 781
Kemsley Harriett Maidstone 2a 781


1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census

Belgrave Street, Aylesford, Malling, Kent, England

****Thomas Bush Head Married Male 41 1850 Cement Worker Kent, England
****Mary A Bush Wife Married Female 26 1865 - Kent, England
John E Bush Son Single Male 14 1877 General Labourer Kent, England
Thomas A Bush Son - Male 12 1879 Scholar Kent, England
Albert J Bush Son - Male 9 1882 Scholar Birling, Kent, England
****Jesse L Bush Son - Male 7 1884 Scholar Kent, England
Frederick H Bush Son - Male 1 1890 - Kent, England
****Thomas B Hunt Lodger Single Male 24 1867 Cement Worker Kent, England

All documents issued in South Africa say he was born in Ireland and I grew up believing he was Irish.when I got his birth certificate it shows his birthplace as Malling Kent. My only answer is that before coming to South Africa he spend time in Ireland. My dad told us stories about his father's life in Ireland. This, of course, made my search very confusing. I have traced almost all the ancesters from Jesse back to 1600s. I also have a ship's passenger list from England to South Africa with a J Bush as a passenger. Thereafter the trail goes dead. The only information I've got is the info from my parents. Jesse died before they were married and Bridget died when my father was 7 years old. I need to fill the gap between arriving in South Africa, his marriage to Bridget and of course I have very little info on Bridget. It is a nightmare trying to trace any documents in South Africa.

Re Jesse -

His mother Harriet died and his father remarried in 1888.
Mary Ann Hurst (though Ancestry suggests her name was Hunt) in Aylesbury.

(I'm having to use my tablet this evening and it's not letting me copy records.)

There's a marriage record on FS but not on FreeBMD.

They are together with Jesse and other children in 1891 and (without Jesse) later censuses.
Jesse must have been off to sea by 1901.


No help with Bridget's surnames, though.

Interestingly Bridget said Jesse Louis Bush was born " born on 23 November 1883, in Birling, Maidstone, Kent", but his marriage register entry to widowed Kathleen Ann Lunn nee Delport said he was born IRELAND.

His death notice (15th Aug 1945) also says he was born IRELAND. Though there is a birth reg that ties in with Malling Kent and a baptism there with parents Thomas and Harriet, sothe Kent birth looks correct.

Wife Kathleen Ann Bush predeaceased him on 23rd Feb 1945 and Bridgett Veronica Bush is recorded as having died 8 Dec 1829 as Bridget said in her opening post.

His children are listed as Alfred Martin Kitchener Bush and Harry Thomas Bush, both adult.

Kathleen Ann Delport Lunn's death notice says there were no children of her second marriage; she had two children Harold Browning Lunn who was adult, and Marjorie Dawn Lunn who was a minor.

Jesse seems to have served both in the British Royal Navy (with the wrong birthdate) and in the British Army, which references his service in the Navy . By the time he joined the East Kent Regiment he was 5ft 6, bown haired, blue eyed, with a fresh complextion. Both forearms were tattoed and he had a scar over the left eye. he was discharged in 1907 as medically unfit for further service. Both sets of records are on FMP.

I have found the baptism of Harry Thomas Bush in 1922 on familysearch.

Name: Bridget Bush
Sex: Unknown
Spouse: Jesse Bush
Child: Harry Thomas
Other information in the record of Harry Thomas

from South Africa, Church of the Province of South Africa, Parish Registers
Name: Harry Thomas
Event Type: Baptism
Event Date: 04 Jun 1922
Event Place: Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Parent Name: Jesse Bush
Parent 2 Name: Bridget Bush
Page: 354
Entry Number: 5367

Baptised June 4th, born May 3rd.

Address is 66 Castle St C. T.. Father a pensioner.

The witnesses/sponsors are L. Bush, Harry Jackson and Ellen Jackson

Bridget said in her opening post that the mmn on Harry Thomas's birth cert was Cosgrove, and on Alfred Bush 1920 it was Jackson.

Perhaps the Jackson sponsors at Harry Thomas's baptism supports the Jackson connection?

I can't find the baptism on Alfred Bush on familysearch.