Unfortunately it seems that James and Elizabeth must have married prior to 1839 and registration as there's no marriage registered for a James Harman with possible bride named Elizabeth in Norfolk. There is one registrered in Uckfield Sussex, but there were a number of James Harmans in Sussex in 1851 who that could be. With both James and Elizabeth being born around Martham according to the censuses it seems more than likely that their marriage would be there as well.
Martham, Somerton and Rollesby are in the Flegg registration district but there are no birth registrations for any of James and Elizabeth's children under the surname Harman (or variants) in Flegg nor in the neighbouring district of Tunstead. Searching on FreeBMD for a Benjamin registered in Flegg 1851 - 1852 finds Benjamin Harman Futter September qtr 1851. Was the surname given in 1861 not Latter or Satter but Futter? Checking birth registrations for Futter children in Flegg brings up possibilities for all of James and Elizabeth's children including two with Harman as a middle name: John Harman Futter Dec. qtr 1853 and Harriet Harman Futter June qtr 1849, though Harriet isn't listed with the family in any census. Intriguing ...
Familysearch has Henry Harman born 1799 marrying Susanna Futter 26 July 1820 in Martham. The 1841 census had their first child Henry born about 1821; could there have maybe been an earlier child born prior to the marriage, James in 1819/20 who took the name Harman but was a Futter? Benjamin living next door in 1841 would have therefore been grandfather?
A James Futter born 1818 died in Flegg Sept. qtr 1891. There is a probate listed for him: The will of James Futter late of Martham in the County of Norfolk who died 7 August 1891 at Martham was proved at Norwich by Elizabeth Futter of Ame's Buildings St Nicholas Road, Great Yarmouth widow the relict the sole Executrix. Personal estate £25.
In 1901 Elizabeth Harman Futter, widow, born about 1819 in Rollesby is living on her own means at the address given in the probate.
Tuesday 31 July 2012
Monday 30 July 2012
Second protagonist - James Harman (Futter)
1841 has James married with Elizabeth and a son James aged 3 months living in Damgate. James was described as a waterman. Next door was Benjamin Harman born about 1776, a farmer, his wife Mary born about 1786 and Harriet Harman born about 1831. James and Elizabeth's son Benjamin could well be named after James's father.
familysearch has a baptism for a James Harman around the right time but with parents James and Mary and in Holkham, quite a way from Martham. This James anyway was married to a Maria and living at St Michael at Thorn Norfolk in the censuses.
Unfortunately there's no sign of baptisms for James and Elizabeth's children on familysearch, whether searching with each child's name or with any Harman with James and Elizabeth as parents. Searching for any children of Benjamin and Mary Harman, familysearch has just one: Josiah baptised 25 Dec 1800 at West Somerton (just next to Damgate and Martham) and died 14 June 1801. It would make Mary a young bride and mother at just 14/15? (quite possible as the lower age limit for marriage was only raised to 16 in 1929).
There is a marriage on familysearch at South Ruston Norfolk which is quite feasibly that of Benjamin and Mary:
Benjamin Harman of this parish single man and Mary Freman of this parish single woman were married in this church by banns 26th August 1799 by me Henry Crowe. Both Benjamin and Mary signed by making their mark as did one of the witnesses Susannah Rackham. the other witness Sarah Ratfield signed her name.
South Ruston was close to Tunstead virtually due west from Martham but not that far. Swafield where Mary indicates she was born in the 1851 census is just a little further north.
I suspect that the Harriet with Benjamin and Mary in 1841 was a daughter of Henry and Susanna Harman. She appears with them on the 1851 census in Rollesby just close to Martham. Henry, born about 1799 in Somerton (next to Martham) and where our protagonist James stated he was born in the 1881 census, was a farmer of 60 acres employing one labourer. His wife Susanna was born about 1799 in Martham and with them in 1851 as well as Harriet were two sons: John born about 1834 in Martham and Benjamin born about 1838 in Rollesby. All three children were working on the farm. In the 1841 census Harriet wasn't with her parents; there were though five other children in addition to John and Benjamin: Henry born about 1821, Marian 1826, Elizabeth 1829, Rebecca 1831 and Susan 1836.
The censuses suggest a story of Benjamin and Mary Harman and their two sons Henry and James, the older one, a farmer following on from his father and the other a boatman.
familysearch has a baptism for a James Harman around the right time but with parents James and Mary and in Holkham, quite a way from Martham. This James anyway was married to a Maria and living at St Michael at Thorn Norfolk in the censuses.
Unfortunately there's no sign of baptisms for James and Elizabeth's children on familysearch, whether searching with each child's name or with any Harman with James and Elizabeth as parents. Searching for any children of Benjamin and Mary Harman, familysearch has just one: Josiah baptised 25 Dec 1800 at West Somerton (just next to Damgate and Martham) and died 14 June 1801. It would make Mary a young bride and mother at just 14/15? (quite possible as the lower age limit for marriage was only raised to 16 in 1929).
There is a marriage on familysearch at South Ruston Norfolk which is quite feasibly that of Benjamin and Mary:
Benjamin Harman of this parish single man and Mary Freman of this parish single woman were married in this church by banns 26th August 1799 by me Henry Crowe. Both Benjamin and Mary signed by making their mark as did one of the witnesses Susannah Rackham. the other witness Sarah Ratfield signed her name.
South Ruston was close to Tunstead virtually due west from Martham but not that far. Swafield where Mary indicates she was born in the 1851 census is just a little further north.
I suspect that the Harriet with Benjamin and Mary in 1841 was a daughter of Henry and Susanna Harman. She appears with them on the 1851 census in Rollesby just close to Martham. Henry, born about 1799 in Somerton (next to Martham) and where our protagonist James stated he was born in the 1881 census, was a farmer of 60 acres employing one labourer. His wife Susanna was born about 1799 in Martham and with them in 1851 as well as Harriet were two sons: John born about 1834 in Martham and Benjamin born about 1838 in Rollesby. All three children were working on the farm. In the 1841 census Harriet wasn't with her parents; there were though five other children in addition to John and Benjamin: Henry born about 1821, Marian 1826, Elizabeth 1829, Rebecca 1831 and Susan 1836.
The censuses suggest a story of Benjamin and Mary Harman and their two sons Henry and James, the older one, a farmer following on from his father and the other a boatman.
Saturday 28 July 2012
Second protagonist - James Harman (Futter)
New protagonist and hopefully a story a little easier to find ...... (Though it took 9 attempts from 2 pages of census returns to find someone without a story on ancestry!)
James Harman, born about 1819, a coal merchant, married to Elizabeth born about 1820; both born in Martham Norfolk and living at Damgate Road Martham in 1881. White's History, Gazetteer and Directory from 1883 (ancestry.co.uk) has James listed under Coal Dealers living in Martham.
In 1881 James and Elizabeth had one son still living with them: Paul born about 1858 and a fisherman.
Martham is a village 9 miles north of Great Yarmouth and 3 miles from the coast. According to John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (www.visionofbritain.org.uk) the village stood on rising land above the marshes which is likely the origin of Damgate Road's name. Son Paul would have fished in the reed beds and marshes around the village as well as in the river Thurne.
In 1871 Damgate was a separate hamlet to Martham. James and Elizabeth were at 1 Damgate Corner with three sons: Benjamin born about 1852, John born about 1854 and Paul who was still at home in 1881. Although all three sons are down as being born in Martham, James and Elizabeth have given different birthplaces than those in 1881 - James was born in Somerton and Elizabeth in Rollesby. Somerton is between Martham and the coast and Rollesby just a bit further inland than Martham, so both close enough.
James, Benjamin and Paul are all described on Wherrymen with John being a fisherman. Wherrymen operated wherries: shallow boats that were used for transport on the waterways throughout Norfolk. It would be quite plausible for James to then concentrate on transporting and supplying coal by 1881.
In 1861 there's no sign of James Harman and family in the census. A search for the family without the surname, i.e. James born in 1819 + or - 2 years with wife Elizabeth and children Benjamin, John and Paul, brings up James Latter and family according to ancestry.co.uk transcription and James Satter and family according to findmypast transcription. A close look at the census suggests it could be either: the initial letter looks similar to the S on Scholar and Sarah, the L on Littleboy, or even the F on Formerly. None of which of course tie in with Harman. Everything else though ties in: James, Elizabeth and the three boys' birth years and birthplaces are all the same as 1871. The address is the same: Damgate Corner and James was a boatman. There are two extra children in 1861: Henry born about 1843 and Elizabeth born about 1847 both in Martham. Henry was also a boatman and Elizabeth, a teacher at Sunday School. Boarding with the family was Sarah Green born about 1784 in Ormesby Norfolk and formerly a housekeeper.
In 1851 James and Elizabeth (Eliz on the census) are down as Harman, James a boatman and living on Damgate Road with four children: Henry born about 1843, Js (James?) born about 1844, Eliz born about 1847 and Thomas born about 1850. The 1861 census entry must be a mis-transcription by the enumerator. Interestingly living next door in 1851 is Mary Harman, a widow, born about 1785 in Swafield Norfolk and described as a Market Woman. James's mother maybe?
James Harman, born about 1819, a coal merchant, married to Elizabeth born about 1820; both born in Martham Norfolk and living at Damgate Road Martham in 1881. White's History, Gazetteer and Directory from 1883 (ancestry.co.uk) has James listed under Coal Dealers living in Martham.
In 1881 James and Elizabeth had one son still living with them: Paul born about 1858 and a fisherman.
Martham is a village 9 miles north of Great Yarmouth and 3 miles from the coast. According to John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (www.visionofbritain.org.uk) the village stood on rising land above the marshes which is likely the origin of Damgate Road's name. Son Paul would have fished in the reed beds and marshes around the village as well as in the river Thurne.
In 1871 Damgate was a separate hamlet to Martham. James and Elizabeth were at 1 Damgate Corner with three sons: Benjamin born about 1852, John born about 1854 and Paul who was still at home in 1881. Although all three sons are down as being born in Martham, James and Elizabeth have given different birthplaces than those in 1881 - James was born in Somerton and Elizabeth in Rollesby. Somerton is between Martham and the coast and Rollesby just a bit further inland than Martham, so both close enough.
James, Benjamin and Paul are all described on Wherrymen with John being a fisherman. Wherrymen operated wherries: shallow boats that were used for transport on the waterways throughout Norfolk. It would be quite plausible for James to then concentrate on transporting and supplying coal by 1881.
In 1861 there's no sign of James Harman and family in the census. A search for the family without the surname, i.e. James born in 1819 + or - 2 years with wife Elizabeth and children Benjamin, John and Paul, brings up James Latter and family according to ancestry.co.uk transcription and James Satter and family according to findmypast transcription. A close look at the census suggests it could be either: the initial letter looks similar to the S on Scholar and Sarah, the L on Littleboy, or even the F on Formerly. None of which of course tie in with Harman. Everything else though ties in: James, Elizabeth and the three boys' birth years and birthplaces are all the same as 1871. The address is the same: Damgate Corner and James was a boatman. There are two extra children in 1861: Henry born about 1843 and Elizabeth born about 1847 both in Martham. Henry was also a boatman and Elizabeth, a teacher at Sunday School. Boarding with the family was Sarah Green born about 1784 in Ormesby Norfolk and formerly a housekeeper.
In 1851 James and Elizabeth (Eliz on the census) are down as Harman, James a boatman and living on Damgate Road with four children: Henry born about 1843, Js (James?) born about 1844, Eliz born about 1847 and Thomas born about 1850. The 1861 census entry must be a mis-transcription by the enumerator. Interestingly living next door in 1851 is Mary Harman, a widow, born about 1785 in Swafield Norfolk and described as a Market Woman. James's mother maybe?
Thursday 26 July 2012
First protagonist - Alexander Cowan
Seriously drawing a blank with this story. Either Ann Goy doesn't seem to be anyway after 1881. There's no second marriage for the mother nor any death. Maybe they emigrated - leaving son George William? He was 13 in 1881 and already boarding with another family. By 18 in 1886 he could have well been independent. His story has unfolded on ancestry but interestingly like his mother and sister, hasn't been found in 1891. After then he's stayed in Rotherham, marrying Lily Riley there in 1893.
I might have to accept defeat with this (for now).
Second protagonist to be chosen......
I might have to accept defeat with this (for now).
Second protagonist to be chosen......
Tuesday 24 July 2012
First protagonist - Alexander Cowan
With Rotherham so close to Sheffield and Sheffield being a hive of industry in the 1800s with the steel works and silver making, it is likely that the likelihood of work there drew many young men like Alexander. Indeed there are a number of Cowan's born in Scotland in Sheffield in 1881 but no one with an obvious link to Alexander. John Cowan born 1850 and living at 90 & 88 Queen Street Sheffield along with four other young men from Scotland would be a useful link for a publican as he was, as were the other four, a wine merchant's assistants.
The others living with Alexander at the King's Arms in 1881 were Niel Campbell born 1861 also from Scotland and waiting in the pub; Ann Goy born 1849 in Grimsby Lincolnshire, a widow with her daughter Ann born 1877 in Sheffield and employed as housekeeper; and Ada Littlewood aged 18, a servant. As already mentioned there are many possible marriages for Ada. Niel or Neil Campbell isn't obviously found in 1891 and neither are Ann Goy and her daughter.
Ann in 1871 had been with her husband William in Nettleham, Lincoln. He was a farmer of 44 acres with a servant girl, Betsy Hird age 13, in the house and three young men employed on the farm: Charles Knott 20, William Gibson 17 and William Lygit 15. They had a son William G age 3 born in Nettleham.
Annie, the daughter had been born the December quarter 1876 in Sheffield and it looks like the father William died in Sheffield December quarter 1880 aged 34. William the son, or George William, was boarding with a family in Sheffield in 1881 whilst his mother worked at the King's Arms. George William's story beyond 1881 and his mother's story up 1871 have already been unfolded and told on ancestry... but what of Ann and Annie beyond 1881?
There's no obvious death between 1881 and 1891 for an Ann (Annie) Goy of either age. An Annie Goy married Joseph Downing in 1888 in Derbyshire, but there's no Ann(ie) Downing born in Grimsby or even Lincolnshire in 1891. A search for any Ann(ie) born 1848-1850 in Grimsby anywhere in 1891 has nothing obvious.
The others living with Alexander at the King's Arms in 1881 were Niel Campbell born 1861 also from Scotland and waiting in the pub; Ann Goy born 1849 in Grimsby Lincolnshire, a widow with her daughter Ann born 1877 in Sheffield and employed as housekeeper; and Ada Littlewood aged 18, a servant. As already mentioned there are many possible marriages for Ada. Niel or Neil Campbell isn't obviously found in 1891 and neither are Ann Goy and her daughter.
Ann in 1871 had been with her husband William in Nettleham, Lincoln. He was a farmer of 44 acres with a servant girl, Betsy Hird age 13, in the house and three young men employed on the farm: Charles Knott 20, William Gibson 17 and William Lygit 15. They had a son William G age 3 born in Nettleham.
Annie, the daughter had been born the December quarter 1876 in Sheffield and it looks like the father William died in Sheffield December quarter 1880 aged 34. William the son, or George William, was boarding with a family in Sheffield in 1881 whilst his mother worked at the King's Arms. George William's story beyond 1881 and his mother's story up 1871 have already been unfolded and told on ancestry... but what of Ann and Annie beyond 1881?
There's no obvious death between 1881 and 1891 for an Ann (Annie) Goy of either age. An Annie Goy married Joseph Downing in 1888 in Derbyshire, but there's no Ann(ie) Downing born in Grimsby or even Lincolnshire in 1891. A search for any Ann(ie) born 1848-1850 in Grimsby anywhere in 1891 has nothing obvious.
Monday 23 July 2012
First protagonist - Alexander Cowan
In 1871 according to White's 1871 Directory of Sheffield and District the King's Arms in Rotherham was run by John Athey and was at 33 College Street or Doncaster Gate. No sign of John in the 1871 census no of the King's Arms at 33 College Street or on Doncaster Gate! However a search of College Street finds the King's Arms at number 43. John has obviously died as his widow Sophia aged 46 born in Swinton is the innkeeper; her son Mark aged 30 born in Maltby is with her, a railway carriage builder; and her father William Grindle aged 79 born in Swinton, a retired ag. lab. is also there. Two servants must help with the inn: Lucy Roebuck aged 18 born in Rawmarsh and Sarah Russell aged 18 born in Stainby Lincolnshire.
Sophia died in the September quarter 1875 in Rotherham. The National Probate calendar has her death as 15 August 1875 with administration being granted to Mark Athey, Yeoman on 10 September. Maybe that's when Alexander Cowan arrived and took over the pub. It's hard to imagine though that Alexander, who was only 26 in 1881, arrived fresh from Scotland seeking his fortune in Rotherham.
Sophia died in the September quarter 1875 in Rotherham. The National Probate calendar has her death as 15 August 1875 with administration being granted to Mark Athey, Yeoman on 10 September. Maybe that's when Alexander Cowan arrived and took over the pub. It's hard to imagine though that Alexander, who was only 26 in 1881, arrived fresh from Scotland seeking his fortune in Rotherham.
First protagonist - Alexander Cowan
There were only 2 Alex* Cowan (including variants) marriages in England between 1881 and 1891: one West Derby, Liverpool and one in Tynemouth. The Liverpool one 1889 looks as it was to Amelia Boulton as in 1901 Alexander and Amelia Cowan are in Liverpool - Alexander though was born 1867 in Liverpool. The Tynemouth one married Ann Dick 1884 (eliminated the other possible spouses by finding them married to each other in a later census), however I can't find Alexander and Ann in 1891.
Unable to find Alexander beyond the 1881, apart from his possible death in 1890 in Rotherham, can I find the story that brought him from Scotland to managing a pub in Rotherham?
Unfortunately no sign of him England in 1871 - great! Plenty of Alexander Cowan's in Scotland though! First protagonist, and I'm failing miserably to find his story. Not even searching for clues by finding the other occupants of the King's Arms in 1881 is helping - I can't find them either apart from plenty of possible marriages for Ada Littlewood a servant who was visiting them.
Unable to find Alexander beyond the 1881, apart from his possible death in 1890 in Rotherham, can I find the story that brought him from Scotland to managing a pub in Rotherham?
Unfortunately no sign of him England in 1871 - great! Plenty of Alexander Cowan's in Scotland though! First protagonist, and I'm failing miserably to find his story. Not even searching for clues by finding the other occupants of the King's Arms in 1881 is helping - I can't find them either apart from plenty of possible marriages for Ada Littlewood a servant who was visiting them.
Sunday 22 July 2012
First protagonist - Alexander Cowan
The Nottinghamshire Alexander Cowan dismissed as he married in 1877 according to an ancestry tree,
With no obvious sign in 1891 of Alexander both on ancestry and on findmypast using both a wild card* after Alex and no surname in case of misspellings, I've checked the death registers and the parish burial records for West Yorkshire. There was an Alexander Cowan buried in Moorgate Cemetery in Rotherham 17 April 1890 aged 37 (possible birth year 1853) - has my first protaginist died already?
Tried to find the Kings Arms Doncaster Gate in 1891 using search by address - only pub apparently on Doncaster Gate was the Wheat Sheaf ( no sign of him there). The Wheat Sheaf was also there in 1881,a couple of pages further on in the census, however even going back a number of pages Doncaster Gate in 1891 seems to start at no. 7.
Checked the new Discovery search on National Archives to no avail.
Checked Access to Archives for the King's Arms Rotherham, Cowan Rotherham and Alexander Cowan to no avail.
With no obvious sign in 1891 of Alexander both on ancestry and on findmypast using both a wild card* after Alex and no surname in case of misspellings, I've checked the death registers and the parish burial records for West Yorkshire. There was an Alexander Cowan buried in Moorgate Cemetery in Rotherham 17 April 1890 aged 37 (possible birth year 1853) - has my first protaginist died already?
Tried to find the Kings Arms Doncaster Gate in 1891 using search by address - only pub apparently on Doncaster Gate was the Wheat Sheaf ( no sign of him there). The Wheat Sheaf was also there in 1881,a couple of pages further on in the census, however even going back a number of pages Doncaster Gate in 1891 seems to start at no. 7.
Checked the new Discovery search on National Archives to no avail.
Checked Access to Archives for the King's Arms Rotherham, Cowan Rotherham and Alexander Cowan to no avail.
First protagonist - Alexander Cowan
OK ... so no obvious Alexander(ria) Cowan in the 1871 or 1891 census on ancestry from Scotland living anyway near Rotherham. There was one who married in Nottinghamshire and is living there in 1891 but he's a farm labourer in 1891 - surely a come down from managing a pub. Time to puzzle - excellent!
First protagonist - Alexander Cowan
So first protaginist chosen ......
Alexandria Cowan born 1855 in Scotland. In 1881 the manager of the Liquor Vaults (possibly the King's Arms), Doncaster Gate, Rotterham, Yorkshire, unmarried. No obvious family tree on Ancestry at the moment though quite a few Alexander Cowans of the same age and birthplace.
Alexandria Cowan born 1855 in Scotland. In 1881 the manager of the Liquor Vaults (possibly the King's Arms), Doncaster Gate, Rotterham, Yorkshire, unmarried. No obvious family tree on Ancestry at the moment though quite a few Alexander Cowans of the same age and birthplace.
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