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Mel
We have moved away from the original brief with this earlier Johnson.
I think that, later today, I will start another Topic!
Someone may have Clark or Fenwick info?
Carole

Hi Mel
Thanks for your sympathy message. It was a shock but I'm over it now.
I got another cert this morning. The marriage cert for Ann Johnson and Thomas Clark - July 27 1839. Everything you surmised seems to fit in.
Ann Johnson was a widow. Her maiden name was Fenwick (father John Fenwick).
Thomas Clark was a widower. He was the sexton at St Oswalds Parish Church,Durham.
They were both residing in Church St at the time of the wedding.
I can't make out the profession of either father.
I have discovered that there is an obit for Thomas, who died in 1883.
Thank you for pointing me in that direction. I too had found the census that showed Richard and Thomas Johnson were living in the Clark household but I hadn't made the connection that Ann Clark was their mother.
Now I need to find more about their real father; who appears to have been another Johnson to have died young - I hope he didn't go along the same route as his grandson!!?? Unfortunately his marriage to Ann Fenwick would have been before registration started.
Regards and thanks
Carole

Hi Carole

I don't know what to say other than yes we probably all have 'skeletons' in our family history, some good some not so good and it's strange the effect it has on us when they come to light.

I found another site which might be of help.

http://www.darlington.gov.uk/Education/Library/Centre+for+Local+Studies/Local+History.htm

It has a list of the newspaper records they hold. Don't be too upset by this news, the circumstances may explain his actions and put a different light on things.

Regards
LfW

Your best hope will be the local newspaper.
Hopefully the library would have copies or on fiche film

My grandmothers first husband died an accidental death at work.I was told you cant get copies of the inquest.
If that isnt so then I would love to know too.

LfW
I'm somewhat lost for words too!!

I have found what happened to Richard Simpson Johnson b1859, my great grandfather, and it is something of a shock - no wonder his son didn't use his father's surname! But I suppose one must expect a few 'skeletons' if one embarks on this sort of hunt?

I received his death certificate this morning and it appears that he "committed suicide by hanging whilst in a state of temporary insanity". This happened on 14/09/1886, at their home at 3 Sleetburn Street, Sleetburn Colliery, three months to the day after his son was born! .. There was an inquest held on 16/09/1886. The certificate was issued by a J T Proud, Deputy Coroner for the Darlington Ward.

Does anyone know if there will be a record of the inquest held anywhere? .. I did take a cursory glance at the Durham County Council site but it appears that they only hold records post 1947.

I wonder if his son ever even knew? My mother never told me that her grandfather had committed suicide so I suspect she may not have known?

Carole

John Rabone Harvey married 1880 sept qt Gateshead gro ref 10A 887. spouse Hannah Johnson or Hannah Elizabeth Chater.

This marriage isnt on Durham.gov.uk

He must have married Hannah Johnson because on 1901 census mistranscribed as Harry there is Herbert Johnson Harvey.
All the childrens middle names are given on this census

Carole.
The L DS site rotates so you do not always find the records you are wanting.

Not all churches allow their records to be filmed.
Catholic churches dont allow it because the Mormans use the info to baptise their dead rellies. These are the ones you often see as added by Morman members.
These are less likely to be accurate as some are taken directly from the census and we know how inaccurate that is.

I found one of mine where the wife had been added as Elizabeth Do.
Only problem there was the name was taken from the census and the Do was ditto .

You can go to the LDS centres and extract the info from the parish records they have on fiche. If they dont have the one you want they will order it in for you for a small charge. Not sure how much as Im not in England

Margaret

LfW
I had looked at the Latter Day Saints Stuff, and was somewhat sceptical. I also think there is a lot they haven't got, as things I know for sure, are not always there! But I suppose there are areas not so thoroughly covered? Also I was uncertain about the significance of extracted and submitted material.

I have just looked at the Tips Board
Fantastic advice! Thank you for pointing me there!
I googled the Hugh Wallis Batch Numbers site. ... Masses of stuff... and all neatly in each place ... it will keep me busy for weeks. Hopefully questions will be answered?

Carole

Hi Carole

Their is the IGI

http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true

Extracted records are good and usually accurate, submitted records are not always good and can be inaccurate so I personally don't trust them but they can often point you in the right direction.

Check out the Tips board (stickied thread) Newbies and the IGI for further advice and tips on how to search etc.

Regards
LfW

Hello All
Do any of you use Parish Records?
If you do, can you tell me the best way of going about it?
Can they be accessed online?
I haven't needed them so far so I haven't really gone into it .... but my scantily informed understanding is that one either has to 'GO' to a particular place; difficult if one lives at the opposite end of the country!! ... Or, purchase a CD, or the like, of a register one thinks could be relevant. .... Have I got this Right?
Carole

Thanks LfW.
Very comprehensive!
It includes the Teesvalley index plus the Durham County Council site, plus loads more , all under one umbrella. I'm sure I'll find it very useful.
Carole

Hi Carole

This site list a lot of the local RO bmd records available online.

http://www.ukbmd.org.uk/index.php

Just click on 'Local' on the left hand side menu. They aren't always as complete as the GRO on Freebmd but often contain more information on the individuals especially marriages.

Regards
LfW

Sorry I should have put a gap.Try Teesvalley indexes

Hi Margaret
No. I hadn't heard of Teesvalleyindexes. I just typed it in and got something really odd. Is this the correct spelling?
Carole

Thanks Margaret

www.durham.gov.uk.

Margaret, could you please tell me the address for the durham site as I can't find it and i think it would be useful for me to trace my north east branch, many thanks.

Hi Carole.
Great site isnt it I found my Spark family from Stanhope on there. Yes it is a pity about not having deaths yet.

I expect you know about Teesvalleyindexes for your Hartlepool lot.
My Spark family moved to Middlesbrough so I use that site a lot too. It also has deaths now which is great. The volunteers are doing a great job.


Margaret

Margaret
Thanks for the info on the Durham County Council site. I have used it successfully, to sort out a few other marriages, since you told me about it. What a pity the death register has not been sorted yet but I assume this is in the pipeline?
Carole.

Hi there, just reading through to see how things are going - of course the first thing that struck me was the Murdoch newspaper connection, but I imagine you have looked into that one already.

And I would have thought an obituary would have appeared when your chap died.

Missing years - have you checked out military service.?

And yes, kids brought into a marriage normally just took on the new dads surname. They tend to use their original one for legal docs like enlistment or marriage but for all other purposes they seem to just amalagmate with the family. Im sure no stigma was involved as it was very common for parents to die and the survivor to remarry.