Tuesday 6 January 2015

Bridget Monaghan's marriages and travels

Bridget Monaghan, from Dunamore, Tyrone to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.


Bridget Mulvihille, formely McMahon, born Bridget Monaghan, 1847 – 1935.


 In the 19th century Tow Law was famous for iron manufacturing, brick making and producing coke from beehive ovens. In 1851 at the Great Exhibition  held at the Crystal Palace, beehive coke from the Black Prince Colliery at Tow Law won 1st prize. Ovens also existed at East Hedley Hope, Old Hedley Hope, Old Thornley, Blackfields, West Thornley, Elm Park and Inkerman (where the ovens in this picture can still be seen). 

Bridget Monaghan, my great, great aunt married Michael McMahon, an Irish coke worker, in August 1878 at St Joseph’s church, Tow Law. Michael, his father – John McMahon and his best man – Edward Donaghy were coke workers.  Michael Monaghan, the bride’s father, was a coal miner.














St Joseph’s Tow Law pictured in Edwardian times, with gas lamp.  The church was built in 1867.




The Catholic school and convent at Tow Law, built in 1851 and 1870 respectively.



  





Tow Law’s famous Beehive Coke Ovens can be seen in the hamlet ofInkerman, named after the battle in the Crimea.  Many of the cannonballs used in the war were made at Tow Law.

Michael and Bridget appear at ‘The Forge’ Tow Law on the 1881 census.  The address on the census before the Forge was Dans castle, and the ones immediately afterwards were the Inkerman Inn on Cornsay Rd and  North St Inkerman.  So it is possible that the coke ovens in the photograph on the previous were ones where Michael McMahon worked.





Bridget and Michael McMahon had two girls, Mary (sponsor John Monaghan),  and Hannah.   The sponsors at Hannah’s baptism were Arthur and Elizabeth Loy.  There was a James Loy lodging with the Monaghans at Berry Edge in 1851. 

A small runner at work, charging the ovens from the tub. (Picture from Jubilee Colliery, Oldham)
Michael’s occupation in 1881 was ‘Colliery labourer – small runner’.  A small runner was someone who charged the beehive coke ovens from a smallrunner’s tub, a handcart that ran on rails above the beehive ovens. Each beehive required a charge of 4 tons.  
 A report of 1854 on the health of cokeworkers quoted a Thomas Elliot who said ‘The effect of the gasses from the ovens is seen upon the vegetation from ½ a mile to a mile off’.  Dr Nichols testified that ‘fine men come from the country (to work on the coke ovens) and their health declines every month, indeed I might say every day  caruretted hydrogen gas is constantly evolved, together with carbonic  (sic) acid gas, and I trace directly the effects of the gasses on the health of the workmen – asthma and consumption’.  In addition to the gasses, dropping loads of coal into the top of a hot chamber must have produced an atmosphere charged with fine dust particles.  Not surprisingly, Michael McMahon died at the early age of 37 in March 1882 the cause of death was rheumatic mysticis and ascending paralysis. 

Michael junior, their third child, was born 5 months after the death of his father; all three children were born in Tow Law. 
Just as Bridget’s baptism showed I had found the right Monaghan family in Dunamore, Co. Tyrone, in the 1840’s, so her marriage established the point when we can be certain that the Monaghans were back in England. The presence of her children in the Monaghan households of both 1881 and 1891 showed that the enumerator had made a mistake (or had been misled) when he recorded the head of the household  in 1891 as John rather than Michael.  In fact Bridget turns out to be test of Monaghanism!
So Bridget, the mother of three children, was widowed less than 4 years after her marriage to Michael.  Bridget had disappeared from England by 1891 the time of the census.  The Ellis Island site shows a Bridget (50) and a Mary (18) McMahon sailing for America in 1899  (re-check the information from the US 1910 census).  The Ellis Island Archives show that Bridget and her daughter Mary sailed from Queenstown (now Cobh), Co Cork on the Cunard liner Campania and arrived in New York on 30 September 1899.  Bridget and Mary had only $10 each and were both described as servants.  Interestingly both Bridget, born in Ireland, and Mary, born in Tow Law, were described as Irish.  As required on the manifest, the women declared that neither had been in prison, or in a workhouse.  The ship’s doctor declared that both were in good health and neither were cripples!  The supplement to the manifest describes both as white, their mother tongue English and both were Catholics.  The ship’s manifest is written in a very poor hand, and the most interesting pieces of information are the most difficult to read.  Bridget was going to join her sister Mary (?) and Mary McMahon was going to join her cousin Ellen Monaghan?   Both had addresses in New York.    Bridget and Mary’s last place of residence is recorded as Ennis.  I assume this means Ennis County Clare which is a long way from Queenstown, and even further from Dunnamore, but there is little doubt that the women who sailed on the Campania were my gt gt aunt and her daughter and there is no doubt that they emmigrated to Pennslyvania, as shown by the 1910 US federal census.

Bridget in Pennsylvania









Above, several vessels on the river; the steel towns of both Homestead and Pittsburgh brought in coal and ore and exported steel by river.






  Above, a view of the Carnegie Steel Company's Homestead Works

This wonderfully detailed, panoramic view of the works can be seen in detail at http://www.shorpy.com/node/12312?size=_original#caption




Bridget, remarried, and widowed for the second time, appears on the US census in 1910 as Bridget Mulvihill, a boarding housekeeper at 449 Fifth Avenue, Homestead, Allegheny Co. Pennsylvania, her lodgers were Irish steel workers. Fifth Ave is the road on the map, parallel with, and just above the 'rail road', in the shadow of the steel works.




Above The men's lunchbuckets or bait tins as they were called in Consett, can be seem on the girder between the men

. Below Homestead street market.










Homestead had been transformed by the opening of a steelworks in 1881.

By 1910 the town’s population had risen to 25,000.  The town had a history; in 1892 a bitter strike had resulted in a gun battle between the strikers and agents from the Pinkerton Detective Agency who were attempting to break the strike.  Over ten people were killed and martial law was declared.  The Carnegie Steel Company eventually defeated the strikers. There was a substantial, though not huge Irish population in Homestead. In 1907, 259 of 6772 workers at the Steel works were Irish. 
















There was a recession in Homestead in 1908




Recreation for adults and children in Homestead















Captions read’Washday in a Homestead Court’ and ‘Going home from work’.  As with all photos on this section, the pictured come from the social survey ‘Homestead, the households of a Mill Town’  MF Byington New York 1910










Pittsburgh is near the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahella  the start of the Ohio River.  Homestead is on the south bank of the Monongahella (bottom centre of the map).

Pittsburgh



In 1901 Michael and Hannah McMahon, 18 and 20 respectively, were living with their aunt Ann Monaghan at 17 Nelson Street, Willington.  Michael was a miner and Hannah was a dress maker.    The three appar at 42 Commercial st Willingon, the three adults shared two rooms!  Importantly Ann Monaghan gives Tyrone ireland as her birth place.  Ann Monaghan died  in 1911. Hannah and Michael then sailed from Liverpool to Ellis Island, New York, the point of entry for immigrants to the USA, on the Cedric.








Built in Belfast by Harland and Wolff in 1902, she carried 365 first class,

160 second class,and 2350 third class pasengers. The Cedric was used

as a troopship during World War I. She was scrapped in 1932. 




Michael and Hannah sailed from Liverpool on 9 October 1913, they arrived at Ellis Island on 17 October 1913.  Michael’s occupation was coal miner,and Hannah’s house maid.  Their last permanent residence was Wellington (a mistranscription of Willington, they travelled with $10 each.  Their next of kin was John Monaghan (uncle) of  250 Nelson St Leadgate.  Their tickets had been bought by their stepbrother, a Mulvihill?  They were on their way to join their mother Bridget McMahon at the Farmers’ Bank Building Pittsburg.  Pittsburgh is about 7 miles from Homestead.  Michael was 5’4”, with a dark complection and hair, he had gray eyes.  His sister was 5’ tall with a fair complection, light coloured hair and gray eyes.  The 1920 US Census shows Bridget Mulvihille, and her daughter Mary McMahon at 5433 Second Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa. Bridget, 72, had no occupation, Mary, 38, was working as a waitress in a restaurant.   Also in the 15th Ward Pittsburgh at 4523 Second Ave were Michael and Hannah  McMahon (mistakenly recorded as man and wife).  Michael was a labourer and Hannah had no occupation.



The family appear on the 1930 US census at 319 South Craig St, Bridget was 80 and had no occupation, she was a naturalised American citizen.  Mary (50) was a maid in a private house, as was Hannah (48).  Michael, single like his sisters, was 46 and had no occupation. Mary, like her mother was a naturalised American, Hannah and Michael were ‘aliens’.  The family had eight lodgers.

 

Bridget died in Pittsburgh on the 2 September 1935.








Hannah and Mary McMahon.





The Kennedy family in Ampleforth received Christmas cards from the McMahons up to the late 1940’s, or perhaps the 50’s. Margaret (Monaghan) Butler remembered, Hannah writing (in the context of post war rationing in Britain) ‘You poor things in England, why don’t you come over to America’? Margaret told her teacher who retorted ‘Don’t be silly, your family can’t possibly afford the fare to America!’ Mary McMahon died in  March 1971 in Pittsburgh.  It is likely that her brother and sister died before 1962, as unlike Mary they do not appear on the American Social Security death index.  












Bridget Monaghan, from Dunamore, Tyrone to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.




Bridget Mulvihille, formely McMahon, born Bridget

Monaghan, 1847 – 1935.



 In the 19th century Tow Law was famous for iron manufacturing, brick making and producing coke from beehive ovens. In 1851 at the Great Exhibition  held at the Crystal Palace, beehive coke from the Black Prince Colliery at Tow Law won 1st prize. Ovens also existed at East Hedley Hope, Old Hedley Hope, Old Thornley, Blackfields, West Thornley, Elm Park and Inkerman (where the ovens can still be seen). 



Bridget Monaghan, my great, great aunt married Michael McMahon, an Irish coke worker, in August 1878 at St Joseph’s church, Tow Law. Michael, his father – John McMahon and his best man – Edward Donaghy were coke workers.  Michael Monaghan, the bride’s father, was a coal miner.














St Joseph’s Tow Law pictured in Edwardian times, with gas lamp.  The church was built in 1867.




The Catholic school and convent at Tow Law, built in 1851 and 1870 respectively.



  



Michael’s occupation in 1881 was ‘Colliery labourer – small runner’.  A small runner was someone who charged the beehive coke ovens from a conical smallrunner’s tub, a handcart that ran on rails above the beehive ovens. Each beehive required a charge of 4 tons.  In this picture the rails across the tops of the behives can be seen.




Tow Law’s famous Beehive Coke Ovens can be seen in the hamlet of

Inkerman, named after the battle in the Crimea.  Many of the cannon

balls used in the war were made at Tow Law.

Michael and Bridget appear at ‘The Forge’ Tow Law on the 1881 census.  The address on the census before the Forge was Dans castle, and the ones immediately afterwards were the Inkerman Inn on Cornsay Rd and  North St Inkerman.  So it is possible that the coke ovens in the photograph on the previous were ones where Michael McMahon worked.

Just as Bridget’s baptism showed I had found the right Monaghan family in Dunamore, Co. Tyrone, in the 1840’s, so her marriage established the point when we can be certain that the Monaghans were back in England. The presence of her children in the Monaghan households of both 1881 and 1891 showed that the enumerator had made a mistake (or had been misled) when he recorded the head of the household  in 1891 as John rather than Michael.  In fact Bridget turns out to be test of Monaghanism!



Bridget and Michael McMahon had two girls, Mary (sponsor John Monaghan),  and Hannah.   The sponsors at Hannah’s baptism were Arthur and Elizabeth Loy.  There was a James Loy lodging with the Monaghans at Berry Edge in 1851. 



Michael junior, their third child, was born 5 months after the death of his father; all three children were born in Tow Law.  A report of 1854 on the health of cokeworkers quoted a Thomas Elliot who said ‘The effect of the gasses from the ovens is seen upon the vegetation from ½ a mile to a mile off’.  Dr Nichols testified that ‘fine men come from the country (to work on the coke ovens) and their health declines every month, indeed I might say every day  caruretted hydrogen gas is constantly evolved, together with carbonic  (sic) acid gas, and I trace directly the effects of the gasses on the health of the workmen – asthma and consumption’.  In addition to the gasses, dropping loads of coal into the top of a hot chamber must have produced an atmosphere charged with fine dust particles.  Not suprisingly Michael McMahon died at the early age of 37 in March 1882 the cause of death was rheumatic mysticis and ascending paralysis. 





So Bridget, the mother of three children, was widowed less than 4 years after her marriage to Michael.  Bridget had disappeared from England by 1891 the time of the census.  The Ellis Island site shows a Bridget (50) and a Mary (18) McMahon sailing for America in 1899  (re-check the information from the US 1910 census).  The Ellis Island Archives show that Bridget and her daughter Mary sailed from Queenstown (now Cobh) Co Cork on the Cunard liner Campania and arrived in New York on 30 September 1899.  Bridget and Mary had only $10 each and were both described as servants.  Interestingly both Bridget, born in Ireland, and Mary, born in Tow Law, were described as Irish.  As required on the manifest, the women declared that neither had been in prison, or in a workhouse.  The ship’s doctor declared that both were in good health and neither were cripples!  The supplement to the manifest describes both as white, their mother tongue English and both were catholics.  The ship’s manifest is written in a very poor hand, and the most interesting pieces of information are the most difficult to read.  Bridget was going to join her sister Mary (?) and Mary McMahon was going to join her cousin Ellen Monaghan?   Both had addresses in New York.    Bridget and Mary’s last place of residence is recorded as Ennis.  I assume this means Ennis County Clare which is a long way from Queenstown, and even further from Dunnamore, but there is little doubt that the women who sailed on the Campania were my gt gt aunt and her daughter and there is no doubt that they emmigrated to Pennslyvania, as shown by the 1910 US federal census.

Bridget in Pennsylvania







Above, several vessels on the river; the steel towns of both Homestead and Pittsburgh brought in coal and ore and exported steel by river. Above, another view of Homestead.








Bridget, remarried, and widowed for the second time, appears on the US census in 1910 as Bridget Mulvihill, a boarding housekeeper at 449 Fifth Avenue, Homestead, Allegheny Co. Pennsylvania, her lodgers were Irish steel workers.




Above ‘Buckets’ refers to the steel workers’ lunchbuckets’ or bait tins as they were called in Consett. Below Homestead street market.










Homestead had been transformed by the opening of a steelworks in 1881.

By 1910 the town’s population had risen to 25,000.  The town had a history; in 1892 a bitter strike had resulted in a gun battle between the strikers and agents from the Pinkerton Detective Agency who were attempting to break the strike.  Over ten people were killed and martial law was declared.  The Carnegie Steel Company eventually defeated the strikers. There was a substantial, though not huge Irish population in Homestead. In 1907, 259 of 6772 workers at the Steel works were Irish. 








Bridget’s boarding house was on 5th Avenue, close to the steel works








There was a recession in Homestead in 1908




Recreation for adults and children in Homestead















Captions read’Washday in a Homestead Court’ and ‘Going home from work’.  As with all photos on this section, the pictured come from the social survey ‘Homestead, the households of a Mill Town’  MF Byington New York 1910










Pittsburgh is near the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahella  the start of the Ohio River.  Homestead is on the south bank of the Monongahella (bottom centre of the map).

Pittsburgh



In 1901 Michael and Hannah McMahon, 18 and 20 respectively, were living with their aunt Ann Monaghan at 17 Nelson Street, Willington.  Michael was a miner and Hannah was a dress maker.    The three appar at 42 Commercial st Willingon, the three adults shared two rooms!  Importantly Ann Monaghan gives Tyrone ireland as her birth place.  Ann Monaghan died  in 1911. Hannah and Michael then sailed from Liverpool to Ellis Island, New York, the point of entry for immigrants to the USA, on the Cedric.








Built in Belfast by Harland and Wolff in 1902, she carried 365 first class,

160 second class,and 2350 third class pasengers. The Cedric was used

as a troopship during World War I. She was scrapped in 1932. 




Michael and Hannah sailed from Liverpool on 9 October 1913, they arrived at Ellis Island on 17 October 1913.  Michael’s occupation was coal miner,and Hannah’s house maid.  Their last permanent residence was Wellington (a mistranscription of Willington, they travelled with $10 each.  Their next of kin was John Monaghan (uncle) of  250 Nelson St Leadgate.  Their tickets had been bought by their stepbrother, a Mulvihill?  They were on their way to join their mother Bridget McMahon at the Farmers’ Bank Building Pittsburg.  Pittsburgh is about 7 miles from Homestead.  Michael was 5’4”, with a dark complection and hair, he had gray eyes.  His sister was 5’ tall with a fair complection, light coloured hair and gray eyes.  The 1920 US Census shows Bridget Mulvihille, and her daughter Mary McMahon at 5433 Second Ave, Pittsburgh, Pa. Bridget, 72, had no occupation, Mary, 38, was working as a waitress in a restaurant.   Also in the 15th Ward Pittsburgh at 4523 Second Ave were Michael and Hannah  McMahon (mistakenly recorded as man and wife).  Michael was a labourer and Hannah had no occupation.



The family appear on the 1930 US census at 319 South Craig St, Bridget was 80 and had no occupation, she was a naturalised American citizen.  Mary (50) was a maid in a private house, as was Hannah (48).  Michael, single like his sisters, was 46 and had no occupation. Mary, like her mother was a naturalised American, Hannah and Michael were ‘aliens’.  The family had eight lodgers.

 

Bridget died in Pittsburgh on the 2 September 1935.








Hannah and Mary McMahon.





The Kennedy family in Ampleforth received Christmas cards from the McMahons up to the late 1940’s, or perhaps the 50’s. Margaret (Monaghan) Butler remembered, Hannah writing (in the context of post war rationing in Britain) ‘You poor things in England, why don’t you come over to America’? Margaret told her teacher who retorted ‘Don’t be silly, your family can’t possibly afford the fare to America!’ Mary McMahon died in  March 1971 in Pittsburgh.  It is likely that her brother and sister died before 1962, as unlike Mary they do not appear on the American Social Security death index.  











Friday 12 April 2013

The McLoughlins & the Burns


The McLoughlins

Susan was the daughter of John McLaughlin a coal miner. Perhaps Elswick Colliery was the work place of both John McLaughlin, and John Henry’s younger brother William. She was born at Durham city according to the 1901 census, so I assume she was the daughter of John McLaughlin and Hannah née Howe, born 18 July 1875 at Ludworth Colliery in the Durham registration district.

Hannah Howe married John McLaughlin at the parish church (C of E) at Easington on 30 November 1861. John was a coal miner ‘of full age’ this meant he was 21 or over, John was the son of a coal miner, John McLaughlan. Hannah was an 18 year old spinster, the daughter of John Howe, a coal miner, like her husband she was resident at Shotton Colliery and could not sign her name, but made her mark.

On 7 April, at the time of the 1861 census neither bride nor groom seems to have been living in Shotton. The witnesses to the wedding were Aaron Lawson and Edwin Morhouse. There is no Edwin Morhouse in the 1851, 61 or 71 census; however Edwin Moorhouse, a school master in Leadgate appears on the 1871 census, he was born in Lancashire, but had a child born at South Hetton, Durham in 1865, also Edwin Morhouse was the only party to the marriage who was able to sign his name. The 1861 census, just over six months before the wedding found Aaron, a 17 year old coalminer, at Brancepath Colliery. The mobility evident in these census returns show how much movement there was in the Durham coalfield. I have been unable to find the Howe family on the 1861 census, but there may be a record of the family on the 1851 census at Great Lumley, and also in Great Lumley in 1841, once it becomes clearer whether of not these were our Howes, I will record their details.

 

In February 1889 Mary Ann McLoughlin married Bartholomew Saunders (or Saunders), both of Wickham, at the Gateshead register office. Mary Ann was the daughter of John McLoughlin, a deceased coal miner. It would later become clear that Susan and Mary Ann were sisters. It seems that Bartholomew was illegitimate, as the section for details of his father on the marriage certificate is left blank. In fact Bartholomew appears on the 1881 census aged 14, (coalminer) living at Medomsley Edge with Edward (72) and Jane Saunders, his grandparents. Bartholomew and Mary Ann appear at Ryton, Durham on the 1891 census with their one year old son John, who was born in Close House near Shildon in South Durham. Whenever Mary Ann appears on a census, a different birthplace is recorded! On this occasion she was said to have been born at Sutton in Co Durham. By 1901 Bart and Mary Anne, now with two children, were at Pontop Rows, Kyo, Annfield Plain, where they were soon to be joined by John Burns. On this occasion Mary Anne’s birthplace was given as Byers Green near Willington in South Durham.

John Henry was registered as a voter at 533 Scotswood Rd on the 1899- 1900, & 1901-2 registers. John Burns, my granda, was born at 533 Scotswood Rd on 21 Jan 1898; his father John Henry was still at the Elswick works, where it seems he spent his working life. Three years later, at the 1901 census, the family John Henry, Susan and John (2), were still at 533 Scotswood Rd. 533 must have been quite a large house: the Stewart family had 2 rooms, the Burns 2 rooms, John William Dodds (42) and his wife Jane Ann, had 1 room, and the final group in the house had 4 rooms. It was at this address, a year later (23 March 1902) that Susan Burns died. She had been suffering from bronchopneumonia for 4 days, and had given birth to a premature baby, (which must have died – no birth was registered- the previous day). An obituary appeared in the Evening Chronicle of 27 March 1902.

533 Scotswood Road on the 23rd inst. Aged 23 Susan beloved wife of John Henry Burns, interred this Friday 28th inst, lift at 2-30 pm. Friends, please accept this invitation.’

 

Shortly after his mother’s death John was sent to live at Kyo near Annfield Plain, a mining village in Co Durham, with Mary Ann and Bartholomew Saunders. I remember my granddad telling me about a greyhound which would let anyone in, but no one out of the house, this may have been in Annfield Plain, or perhaps at Newcastle. As discussed earlier, Mary Ann’s maiden name was McLocklin, the daughter of John McLocklin (deceased) a coal miner and I assume, the sister of Susan Burns (McLocklin), and so Bart and Mary Ann were John Burns’ uncle and aunt. There were already two children in the family at the time of the 1901 census, and Isabella D Saunders was born in September 1901 at 53 Pontop Row Kyo. In 1911 the Saunders were at 9 Mary Street Annfield Plain, the census return for Mary Anne McGloughklin confirmed Mary Anne’s birth in Shotton.

I remember visiting Bella and her husband Bob Reay, a miner, with my grandfather in Annfield Plain, when I was a child. Interestingly Bob’s mother was born in Broomside, and her first child at Shadforth, placing them in the same area as the McLoughlins in the 1870’s. 1967 electoral role gives their names as Robert W Reay & Isabella Reay.

An early photo of life in Annfield Plain.


The first sighting of an aeroplane over Annfield Plain was recorded both by Mr. Fred Wade and in the local history journal of Mr WA Jennnings.  One afternoon in 1913 the plane was sighted travelling south - then reported to have made a forced landing in a hill­top field some six miles distant near the village of Cornsay Colliery. Fred Wade records his cycle ride to the locality where he found hundreds of people already at the scene. This picture is taken on that occasion. The pilot was Captain Cody, a noted pioneer airman who had been competing in the King's Cup air race to the north of England and back to the south.  Granda Burns told me how he saw the plane come low over the village, and how he followed it to the site where it landed.

John Henry Burns continued to live at 533 Scotswood Rd, remaining on the municipal register for 1902-3, compiled in the third quarter of 1902 # successive electoral roles need to be checked.

 

 

 

 

(Eliz, wife of Andrew Dodds? look for A Dodds on 1901)

The 1901 census also revealed that Martin Judge had married sometime after 1881, his wife Mary was 10 years his junior at 47, and came from South Shields. This is the entry which states that Martin (and presumably, the rest of the Judges) came from Mayo.

 

John Henry Burns’ brothers and sister.

 

The census of 1901 shows a Charles Burns (31), the eldest of the siblings, an iron works labourer, lodging at 11 Alexander St Elswick with the Fleming family Charles Burns of Elswick appears on the electoral role in Elswick throughout the 1920’s & into the 1930’s.

 

The only William Burns matching the details of John Henry’s younger brother was at 44 Back Frederick St Throston, Holy Trinity Parish Hartlepool. William was a labourer in a forge.


A steam hammer in operation at a forge.

William was married to Jane Elizabeth Calvert, the Darlington born daughter of a forge man, they had two sons Thomas (1 year) and Walker (1 month). A visitor in the household was James Burns, a factory labourer. Both William and James were born in Newcastle, but had aged only 8 years in the last decade!

William’s marriage certificate shows his father as William Burns, deceased, a Cooper. The 1881 census index shows no William Burns, cooper with a son William born in Newcastle, I think the Hartlepool William, and his visitor James were my gt gt uncles and that William had boosted the occupation of his father posthumously from labourer to tradesman (his grandfather James Garvey was a cooper). The resemblance between the signatures of the two William’s (father & son) is striking.

 

Lizzie Burns is described as a newsgirl/hawker on the census of 1891 and clearly had a shrewd business brain. Winnie Shippen (my aunty) tells of aunty Lizzie keeping a shop in Noble St in Newcastle in the 1930’s with a flourishing sideline in moneylending. My granda told me about a large greyhound, she kept, who would let anyone into the house, but wouldn’t let anyone out!  Recently Ryan Tully, my 3rd cousin, found that Elizabeth Burns was the sponsor (godmother) of Thomas Tate Burns, the son of William and Jane Calvert.  Thomas was baptised at St Joseph’s (Catholic) Church in Hartlepool on 12 April 1899.  So it seems Lizzie was not married by that stage.  So far Lizzie has not been found on the 1901 or 1911 census.

The Newcastle electoral role of 1922 shows John Henry Burns elector at 29 Noble St, along with Henry &Ellen Hartness, and Alf &s. Poulton.

 

The 1925 role has John Henry Burns as an elector at 29 Noble St. and Charles Burns at no 35 Noble St.

 

1928-9 Charles Burns at no 35.Noble St

 

1933 Charles Burns at 33 back Noble St

1938-39 Charles Burns at 33 back Noble St

 

 

1907 Sept 7th at 22 Canada St Shieldfield Newcastle, death of Bridget Manning, (61) widow of Bartholomew Manning. Bridget died after a fall in her room, an inquest was held on 9 Sept.

1908 191&193 Scotswood Rd a William Burns on the voters list (Q-H) possibly brother of JHB. 1914 191 Scotswood Rd a W Burns Beer Retailer ,Wards Directory of Newcastle reprinted on reprint of 1913 Map of Elswick Check on 1901 census to eliminate

 

1911 January 18 RVI Newcastle, death of William James Burns (39) a Railway Joiner, possibly brother of John Henry Burns. Check on 1901 to eliminate

 

1911 Census showed John Henry Burns (36) shipyard riveter, and John Burns (12) at school living in 1 room at 31 Noble St , Elswick.

1913 January copy of JB’s birth cert. obtained to allow him to begin work at the age of 13. The certificate suggests he was living at 33 Noble St, with his father John Henry. Granda told me that as a boy he worked in a glass blowers shop.

 

 

14 Dec 1914 beginning of the five years of John Burn’s apprenticeship as an electrician with Armstrong Whitworth.

 

1914 Parliamentary Register, at 31 Noble St. Neil and Charles Burns, and Alexander Ross.

 

1914 Parliamentary Register 191&193 Scotswood Rd William Burns.

 

18 May 1916 signing of John Burn’s indenture as an electrician with Armstrong Whitworth.

 

1920 January12 Apprenticeship completed at the Armstrong Naval Yard, Higher Walker, “conduct very satisfactory”.

 

1924 John Burns started work for Consett Iron Company. (25 year service watch)The Higher Walker Naval Yard (founded in 1912) was short of work, and closed in 1928, while the owners of Consett Iron Company had decided, despite the depression, to totally modernise the works, this work started in 1923.

 

26 March 1926 Death of John Henry Burns at 29 Noble St at the age of 54 from cancer of the oesophagus. Described as being a boilermaker, certificate for provision to Boilermaker’s society. Death reported by John Burns of 33 Noble St (Death Cert.) Why was John Henry at 29 Noble St at the time of his death, was this the house of a relative?

 

1926 March 29 Burial of John Henry at St John’s Westgate and Elswick cemetery. (reg. no 63055 grave no 219 section S unconsecrated ) JH described as being aged 51 on receipt from City cemetery. Fee paid by Mr J Mc Loughlin - undertaker.

 

1926 April 5 St Michael’s Church Westmoreland Rd Newcastle, wedding of John Burns of 5 Court St Blackhill and Mary Ellen Glacken of 114 Sycamore St Newcastle witnesses John Glacken, Isabella Saunders and Ellen Dingwall. Steven Shippen senior, says that John had moved to Consett due to the depressed state of the Tyne Shipyards . At this time Consett Iron Company had just embarked on a major modernisation programme. John Burns was in lodgings at Cort St, and soon afterwards obtained rooms for his wife and himself with Billy Eccles at St Mary’s Cres. Blackhill.

 

1926 29 Noble St Autumn Register of electors William and Eliz. Brown, Andrew and Eliz Dodds. Aunty Lizzie?

 

1926 35 Noble St on Autumn Register of electors a Charles Burns.

 

1926 Dec 19 ETU statement of account, paid 42 weeks contributions, excused 10 weeks.

General strike?

 

1927 Jan 15 Birth of Winifred Burns in Newcastle.

1927 Dec 24 ETU accounts 52 weeks paid

 

1930 January 17 birth of John Burns Junior who was baptised at St Joseph’s Church Benwell Newcastle.

 

1931 ETU accounts 45 weeks contributions paid, excused 7 weeks because of unemployment.

 

1933 Envelope postmarked envelope addressed to J Burns at 8 Valley Gardens. Throughout the 30’s grandma and Grandpa Glacken would go on holiday with the Burns family to Whitley Bay.

 

1936 Nov 5 at 6 Bertram Place Newcastle, death of Winefred Glacken, née Manning (aged 72) informant John Glacken of 6 Bertram Place.


St Michael’s Elswick was the church the Glackens attended.

1938 August 28 at 6 Bertram Place, death of Thomas Glacken (73), retired shipyard driller, informant John Glacken of the same address.