#52Ancestors: James PERRY, 1875-1966, England

Continuing the #52Ancestors year-long challenge by genealogist Amy Johnson Crow, here is my son-in-law's great-grandfather, James PERRY, born in Hartshill, Warwickshire, England.  The photo is apparently of James' father, John PERRY, jr.  

James, born in 1875 in Hartshill, Warwick, was the youngest of the 9 children of his parents, John PERRY jr & Sarah WHITE. His father worked as a hand-looming ribbon-weaver according to the 1841 Census, as did many others on the Census pages for Hartshill, a small hamlet. This was a fading occupation as mechanized looms began to take over the piece-work done on home looms. 

On Aug 2, 1898, James married Martha Jane DONAGHY, in Glasgow, Scotland. The certificate states both are working, James as a Coachman, Martha as a Restaurant Hostess.  Scottish marriage certificates are wonderfully detailed with names of both parents, their occupations, and mother's maiden name.  See below: 

The 1901 Census in Glasgow shows James working as an Iron Foundry Labourer, living in the parish of Townhead, with a number of other workers from Ireland. Here we see their first daughter, Lillian, 2 yrs old. I suspect the Foundry paid fairly well - and there were pages of Foundries listed in the Glasgow city Directory!! 

James and Martha had the following 5 known children:

   1.  Lillian Martha, b. Mar 23, 1899, Glasgow

   2.  John Robert, b. May 13, 1901, Glasgow

   3.  James Edward [ancestor], b. abt 1904, Hartshill, Warwick;
          m. Oct 6, 1928 Alberta Canada to Margaret Alice
          ATHERTON; 7 children

   4.  Ralph, b. Oct 1907, Hartshill, Warwick, d. Mar 1990
           Warwickshire

   5.  Edwin, b. Oct 1909, Warwickshire

As can be seen above, before 1904 James and Martha moved down to the hamlet of Hartshill in Warwickshire where his parents and some of his siblings were living. On the 1911 Census, James states his occupation as Inn Keeper - see image below of the Bowling Green Inn on Coventry Rd in Southam. Here in this photo one can also see that it is still open for business.

I do wonder how James came to be an Innkeeper, having worked in various servant or labouring jobs until this time. Southam is south of the large city of Coventry; Hartshill where he and his younger three children were born, is just north of Southam, a total of almost 25 miles between the two places. Perhaps there's a family story about his new opportunity, between 1909 and 1911.  

I have yet to do significant research on James' children other than for his namesake, James Edward PERRY. Clearly some research could be done by his descendants-?  

At the age of 91 years, James died April 1st 1966, in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, and is apparently buried there. His wife, Martha, died 2 years later aged 93 years, on May 11, 1968, in Staffordshire.  There have been several trips to England, and perhaps one of the great-grandchildren have photos of their gravestones. 

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If these are your ancestors, I am happy to share what little I have on these ancestors. And if there are errors, please do let me know, via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below and I will get back to you either by email or in the Comments. I appreciate the opportunity to correct any issues in these family trees.

Blogger - or my computer - is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented!  You truly make my day!!

Edwin WHITE, 1809-1884, England

Edwin WHITE is my son-in-law's 3rd great-grandfather, baptised March 31, 1809, at St Nicholas [Anglican] Church in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England.  I have not been able to prove this is the correct Edwin WHITE, although the birth year and birthplace are consistent with all later details. For now, this is very likely but not proven.

He was likely born a few weeks earlier, but I have yet to find parish registers online for this time period; perhaps, soon.  His parents were John WHITE and Hannah SCOTT, but I am unable to find any information on them, as they appear to have died before the Census in 1841. With such common names, it is challenging to be certain of having the correct parents. Again, these parent names are likely but not proven. My research log has a list of several items to look for, such as a will for John White which might name his son Edwin - my fingers crossed!

At some time between 1809 and 1828, the WHITE family must have moved from Nottingham to Mancetter or nearby Atherstone, Warwickshire. The 'mother church' was in Mancetter, St. Peter's Anglican Church.

On June 30th, 1828, Edwin married at aged 19, to Susannah PARSONS, aged 21, in St. Peter's Church, Mancetter Parish, Warwickshire. Susannah's parents were Richard PARSONS and Sarah CHETTEN. Susannah's Baptism confirms parentage, and I also have Richard and Sarah's marriage registration. Note on this marriage registration that Edwin signs his name, whereas Susannah puts her mark X.

We don't see anything further of Edwin and Susannah WHITE until the 1841 Census. At this time, they are living in Chapel End, Hartshill Warwickshire - this is only a few miles from Mancetter. Edwin is working as a blacksmith, whereas most other heads of households are working as "Ag Lab" [farm workers], or involved in the silk ribbon trade, winding silk or weaving into ribbons.
You can see that both Edwin and Susanna are listed as 30 years of age;  Josiah 12, Maria 10, James 8, Sarah 4.  That gap between James and Sarah likely is from a child who died before 1841. The final squiggle on the right side is answering the question as to whether each person was born in the county [Warwick]. It's messy, but there's an 'n' for no, for Edwin, and a 'y' for yes for all others.

In ten years, the 1851 Census shows the family has three more children, and their eldest daughter Maria (aged abt 20) is likely married by this time. (must do more research).  The black marks are tick marks by the enumerator, counting heads of households, males, females etc. Children listed here are Josiah, aged 22 working as a blacksmith, James 18 "do" means ditto - working as a blacksmith, Susannah 16 working as Hand Loom Weaver Ribbons, Sarah 14, "do", Hannah 9, Scholar, and Philip 4 yrs. Again there is a gap of 5 years between Hannah and Philip, likely for one or more children who did not survive. With no birth control measures, women usually had babies every 2'ish years.

In 1861, ten years on, James and Josiah have left home. Having been taught to be blacksmiths as their father, Edwin, they would be independent and likely are married by this time. Sarah WHITE married John PERRY the previous year and is out of the home. Hannah is 19 and working as a Ribbon Weaver - a major cottage industry in this region; Philip is 14, also working as a blacksmith. There is one more child born to Edwin and Susanna, Isabella, 9 years of age, a 'scholar. Finally, we see there is a Granddaughter, Alinor White, 6 years old. She must be the daughter of either Josiah or James White.  (more research still to do).

Clearly Edwin and Susannah have managed to raise 8 living children - although they likely lost several additional children. Note the gap between Philip and Isabella, likely another child lost before 1861. Edwin's occupation of Blacksmith, and teaching it to his 3 boys, likely kept the family in reasonable financial conditions, as around this time, the home-based silk ribbon trade was becoming mechanized, causing tremendous hardship in the region. It is possible that Edwin's father John WHITE was also a blacksmith, as boys often followed their father's occupation, apprenticing with them. Another clue for researching Edwin's parents/father.

Edwin's wife, Susannah, died March 1866 in Atherstone (on outskirts of Mancetter), Warwickshire, aged 58 years.  By the 1871 Census, Edwin is found living with his youngest daughter, 19 year old Isabella, all the other children having moved on.  He is aged 63, and working as a blacksmith still.  Isabella does not have anything written down as an occupation, which is unusual. One more to-do item on my research log.

I have not found Edwin WHITE in the 1881 Census, likely he was living with one of his children. I did find his Death registration for October 1884, aged 75, in Nuneaton Warwickshire. This is the same region he had been living in for past 40 years or so.

The PERRY-ATHERTON lines go through Edwin & Susannah's daughter Sarah WHITE, b. 1836, who married 15 Apr 1860 to John PERRY.

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If you have more information on Edwin WHITE who married Susannah PARSONS, I would love to share details, and learn more.  And if there are errors you notice, please do let me know. Contact me at my address at the bottom of the page calewis at telus dot net or, in the Comments section.

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52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No. 26, Halfway: John PERRY Sr. & Sarah BETTERIDGE

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog based on Themes. Last week's theme was The Old Homestead, and I wrote about the 1738 Terwilliger stone farm house near New Paltz, PA. This week, the theme is Halfway, as we're now half-way through the year.

And this week, I'm barely half-way through my research plans for the couple, John PERRY & Sarah BETTERIDGE!  I'm back at my son-in-law's genealogy line, looking for more details of his 3rd great-grandparents:  John PERRY, Sr., b. abt 1813, Hartshill, Warwick, England, in the Parish of Nuneaton, and his wife, Sarah BETTERIDGE, b. about the same year in Atherstone, Hartshill, Warwick.

We know his mother's name was Elizabeth, as she shows up widowed on later Census records, living with John, his wife Sarah, and children.  I have no information on Sarah's parents, as yet.

As listed in the Nuneaton Parish register, John married Sarah BETTERIDGE, b. abt 1814, Atherstone, Hartshill, Warwick, England, after the 3rd reading of Banns, 11 May 1834.

However, for some unknown reason, the same couple seem to have married once more, again after the 3rd reading of Banns, on 24 Jan 1836.  As before, both are "of this Parish" - Nuneaton.

I have no idea why the couple would have married once more... In this small community, I can't imagine there are two individuals with exactly the same names marrying.  I suppose it is possible, but it stretches possibilities. Did they NOT marry after the 3rd reading of the Banns in 1834?  Why not? What happened?  Their first child was born that year...

Regardless of their marriage date, they appear to have had the following children

  1.  Mary, b. abt 1834, d. 1844.
  2.  Robert, b. 1836
  3.  Elizabeth, b. 1839
  4.  John (jr.) [ancestor], b. July 1840, d. 14 Jan 1912, Atherstone, Hartshill;
             m. 15 Apr 1860 to Sarah WHITE (1836-1908); 9 children
  5.  James, b. 1844
  6.  Sarah, b. 1846
  7.  Hannah/Anne, b. 1849
  8.  Mary, b. abt 1851 [2nd child named Mary]

The 2nd-4th child were baptized at the same time: 26 Apr 1852; whereas the last 4 were baptized a year earlier on 23 Feb 1851.  This is another confusing set of events. Perhaps more research on church records may help make more sense of these dates.  Or, perhaps they baptized them as they could afford to-?  Anyone have more ideas?  The cost of baptizing?  Not the 'right' church?

The 1841 Census in Chapel End, Hartshill shows John and Sarah with their first 4 children, as well as John's widowed mother, Elizabeth Perry, 60 yrs.  Both John, as well as his mother, have their occupation listed as "Ribbon m" [maker]; Sarah is not listed as employed, and their children are listed as Mary 7, Robert 5, Elizabeth 3, and John 11 months.   Note that if Mary is 7, thus born in about 1834, it would seem to indicate the 1834 marriage is valid.

On the 1851 Census [Snowhill, Hartshill], Elizabeth is shown as Head, widowed, 72 yrs old, "Pauper. Former Weaver Ribbons Hand Looms."  Her birthplace is listed as Orton on the Hill, Leicester. A search on the map will show this is only about 15 km north, just across the border.  I'm not certain how I'll find her parents in Orton, but it might help if I can find a marriage record for about 1800...

I have hopes of finding more records, but there are over a dozen items on my research plan for this family. I am walking through Censuses and Parish registers, page by page by page.  John had 3 sons, and perhaps one was named for his own father, so I might focus on those names first.  Perhaps.

By next year, I hope to have more details to add to the PERRY family, and their female lines as well. The BETTERIDGE name is interesting, don't you think?  So many ancestors and ancestresses and so little time!

If you have more information on any of these people, do contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below.  I'm always happy to correct any of my information!

Blogger is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented!  You truly make my day.

52 ANCESTORS, 52 THEMES, No. 19, There's A Way: Susanna PARSONS 1807-1866

This year's challenge by Amy Crow is another weekly blog, but based on Themes. Last week, it was Where There's A Will.  This week, the theme is There's a Way.

I chose to write about Susanna PARSONS, my son-in-law's 3rd great-grandmother and her family. Susanna was the third child (of 11 children) of parents, Richard PARSONS and Sarah CHETTEN [surname not proven as yet]. Richard is listed on the 1841 Census living in Snow Hill in the hamlet of Hartshill, Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England.  His occupation is listed as Ag Lab - agricultural labourer - as are his older sons.  

Susannah was baptised 7 Sep 1807 in St. Peter's church in the Parish of Mancetter, Warwick.  Susannah married Edwin WHITE in the on June 30th, 1828, also in the Parish 'mother' church, St. Peter's, built in the 13th Century. Edwin signed his name, while Susanna made her mark.  The Witnesses were Wm Henry Wright and Anne Ch....[difficult to read], who are not known to be relatives.

They settled nearby, in Chapel End in the hamlet of Hartshill, and can be found in the 1841 Census, with their first four children.  Edwin was working as a blacksmith, and the census shows he was not born in the county of Warwick [he was born in Nottingham].  

Susanna and Edwin had the following children, born in Hartshill:
  1.  Josiah, b. 1829
  2.  James, b. 1833
  3.  Susanna, b. 1835
  4.  Sarah [direct ancestor], b. 25 Sep 1836, d. 23 Oct 1908; m. to John PERRY 15 Apr 1860, 9 children
  5.  Hannah, b. 1842
  6.  Philip, b. 1847
  7.  Isabella, b. 1852

Note that I have not completed research to find spouses/families of their 7 children, other than for the direct ancestor, Sarah; plus I need to search for death records, and any other records which might be found on this WHITE family. 

In the 1851 Census, the family were again found living in Snow Hill, two homes away from Susanna's brother Richard and his family.  Edwin's occupation is listed as Blacksmith, as are his eldest sons, Josiah and James. However, Susanna is listed as a Hand Loom Weaver Ribbons, as are her two older daughters, Susannah and Sarah.  Her younger brother and his wife are also Ribbon Weavers, as is a neighbour.  Another neighbour woman is listed as having the occupation of Silk Winder.  

Ribbons.  Woven on a handloom, in whatever light could be found through a window, or with a small light.  You cannot read a Regency romance novel without reading about women buying ribbons to decorate their hats, their hair, their dresses. The northern area in Warwick produced ribbons for the fashion trade, originally for the wealthy, but now produced in large enough amounts to be within the price range of most women.  Over 30,000 hand looms were known to be working in the region, doing piecework at home. 

As you can see from the photo, the loom is placed right up against the window for maximum light. To earn money, one would need to be weaving the patterns for as long as possible while the light held.  And the windows were not like today's double-glazed ones, with well-insulated walls.  

Unfortunately, by the late 1860s the advent of steam-powered looms collapsed the home-based hand loom ribbon businesses, causing great hardship, as well as poverty.  

The 1861 Census shows Edwin still working as a Blacksmith, and their daughter Hannah as a Ribbon Weaver, but there are fewer in the neighbourhood.  Susanna, his wife, does not show an occupation on this Census.  

The 1871 Census shows Edwin, widowed, Blacksmith, living only with his youngest child, Isabella, aged 19, no occupation.  They were living in Snow Hill as before.  

Susanna is shown as having died in the first quarter of 1866 (Jan-March), and the death was registered in Parish Mancetter, in Atherstone which is about 2.5 miles from Hartshill. 

I have a list of questions still about Susanna.  Clearly everyone pulled their weight in the family, and while raising seven living children, she also wove silk ribbons to add to the family income.  I wonder if a neighbour showed her how to do this work, and I wonder how much money they might have earned with each 'piece' (yards?)

A challenging life, a challenging time, as the Industrial Revolution hit the poor very hard. This family found a way, and Susanna certainly did her part.

If any of these people are your ancestors as well, please contact me via calewis at telus dot net, or in the Comments below.  I would love to learn more about my Perry grandchildren's ancestors. 

Blogger is still not letting me "reply" to your comments, for some unknown reason. If I don't reply to your Comment, please know that I'm totally thrilled you came to read my post and commented! You make my day.