Notes on the HART and WARD families – from Castle Church and Seighford, near Stafford

During the last week I’ve been looking at the HART family (on the SWAIN side of my family tree), who come from the area around Castle Church, and Seighford, near Stafford. I began by reviewing some records that I got from FindMyPast.com during their weekend of free access last month. Then, when I started searching for more information on-line, I found 5 family trees on different websites, which all appear to cover the same HART family. But each tree is a bit different!

Some of those differences are due to different focuses, on different lines or branches of the family (which is fine). But some of the differences are clear contradictions; giving different parents, or spouses, or dates of death, etc.! So I’m not sure which tree to most believe!

Here are links to two individual profiles in each tree, to start comparing;

(These two profiles are each very similar in all five trees. But as you explore out from them, into the wider family you’ll begin to see the differences! Some of the difference is in the scope of each tree, which is fine. But some are clear discrepancies, which probably stem from different assumptions being made by different people about the evidence from available records, or from people having access to different sets of records/sources.)

John HART [v], b. 1734, d. 1787, m. Hannah MARTIN

• Ancestry.co.uk
• FamilyCentral.net
• FamilySearch.org
• Geni.com (MyHeritage)
• WikiTree.com

Thomas HART [iv], b. 1766, d. 1839, m. Elizabeth (CAPENHURST). Son of John HART (above)

• Ancestry.co.uk
• FamilyCentral.net
• FamilySearch.org
• Geni.com (MyHeritage)
• WikiTree.com

I’ve made attempts to contact/e-mail several people who appear to be responsible for these trees or the details that they contain, in the hope of getting more details and a better understanding of the trees, and the sources of their information. But so far I have only had an initial reply from one person, and I’m hoping to hear more about the sources of their information.

Due to this lack of contact, I thought that I should write about it here; about what I know and where I think the links are; to provide “cousin bait” in the hope the some people who are in the know about these trees will find this post and make contact to provide more information and confirm (or dismiss) the connection that I think I’ve made!

A common source for several of these on-line trees appears to be a book titled “Abraham and Lucy Hart; their lives”, by Joyce E. Neill, published in New Zealand in 1981 (75 pages), which I would be interested to know more about. What does it say and what are its sources?

All I can do for now is post what I know, and where I think the link is, in the hope that someone will see this and be able to fill in my uncertainties by contacting me.

Most of the information that I have, comes from my Great Uncle, David SWAIN. He has previously sent me the following details about his paternal grandmother (my 2x Gt-grandmother [ii]), Ellen HART (1846 – 1938);

Ellen was born on the 25^th of August 1846 in the Parish of Silkmore- Castle Church Staffordshire. Her Father Charles HART was a well known Coachman her mother Ann (nee WARD). Ellen married James Christopher SWAIN on the 6^th march 1870. At this time she was living at Green Hill Worcester.

As my memory serves she was quite a small lady and I am sure was the strength of her family as James appeared to spend much time away on business. She had nine children over a period of 14 years from Allen in 1871 to Nellie in 1885; five boys and four girls.

In 1901 census (James died in 1900), she and her family were living at 6 Avon Street Leicester, and the 1911 census shows she and six of her children were living at 315 East Park Road leicester.

When we visited her she lived with her son Arthur Harry in his house ‘Darvel’  129 Letchworth Road, Western Park, Leicester. How long she had lived there I do not know.

Ellen died at this address, on the 10^th march 1938, aged 91, and was buried in the family vault in the Welford Road cemetery, Leicester, on the 14^th march.

When I searched on FindMyPast last month, I found a census record from 1851, for the young Ellen HART and her family, living at “Rising Brook”, in Castle Church. It shows;

• Charles HART, head (Ellen’s father), age 48, a farm labourer, born (cir.1802-03) in Seighford, Staff. (I believe the 1861 census gives his occupation as a “Coachman”. But FindMyPast appears not to have indexed the 1861 census correctly, to find him! )
• Anne HART, wife (Ellen’s mother), age 41, born (cir.1809-10) in Stafford.
• Mary WARD, mother-in-law (Ellen’s maternal grandmother), age 75, in receipt of Parish Relief, born (cir.1775-76) in Bushbury, Staffordshire (now in Wolverhampton).
• John WARD, father-in-law (Ellen’s maternal grandfather), age 74, formerly a Cordwainer (shoemaker), born (cir.1776-77) in Bushbury, Staffordshire.
• John HART, son (Ellen’s brother), age 18, a Cordwainer (shoemaker), born (cir.1832-33) in Stafford.
• Martin HART, son (Ellen’s brother), age 15, a Labourer’s son, born (cir.1835-36) in Castle Church.
• Ellen HART, son (Ellen herself), age 4, a Labourer’s dau., born (cir.1846-47) in Castle Church.

On the following census page, two “niece”s (Ellen’s cousins) are also named;

• Anne PADMORE, niece (Ellen’s cousin), age 8, a Cordwainer’s daughter, born (cir.1842-43) in Stafford.
• Emma PADMORE, niece (Ellen’s cousin), age 1, a Cordwainer’s daughter, born (cir.1849-50) in Stafford.

I also found an 1881 census record, which I believe is for the same Charles HART (Ellen’s father), at 4 Copes Buildings, Stafford. The Copes Buildings lay between Eastgate Street and South Walls, in Stafford. The area was demolished in 1964, and a Police Station now occupies the site. See www.search.StaffsPastTrack.org.uk .

Charles is a widow, aged 78, and brother of Matilda PARKER (his older sister), who is also a widow, age 81, born (cir.1799-1800) in Seighford, Staffordshire. Also in this household is Matilda’s granddaughter, also called Matilda PARKER, age 16, a machinist, born (cir.1864-65) in Stafford.

There are death records (which I have yet to confirm), of the right ages, for “Anne HART” in 1869, and “Charles HART” in 1885.

With these census records, I then went looking on FindMyPast for marriage records. I found the records for Charles HART and Anne WARD, married at St Mary’s, Stafford, on 27^th December 1830, and (I think) for Anne’s parents; John WARD and Mary DANFORD, married at St Mary’s, Stafford, on 27^th January 1800.

I also turned to www.freereg.org.uk to help me identify records. Here I believe I’ve identified Anne’s birth record;

• Ann WARD; b.16/11/1809, chr. 19/11/1809, at St Mary’s, Stafford.

I’ve identified a number of children christened at St Mary’s, Stafford, to parents “John and Mary WARD”. But I’m not sure that they’re all the same family! There appear to have been more than one “John and Mary WARD” in the parish at the time! From about 1812, the “father’s occupation” is recorded in the transcribed register. One entry records the father’s occupation as a “farmer”, 2 as a “labourer”, and 2 as a “shoemaker”. It is likely (but by no means certain) that these are 3 (or more) different families! With the earlier records it is impossible to tell!

• Thomas WARD; b.26/8/1801, chr. 6/9/1801.
• William WARD; b.3/5/1804, chr. 6/5/1804.
• Ann WARD; b.16/11/1809, chr. 19/11/1809.
• Edward WARD; chr. 21/4/1813, reg.no.59 . (father’s occupation; farmer)
• Abraham WARD; chr. 9/7/1815, reg.no.474 . (father’s occupation; shoemaker). Abraham was buried; 8/2/1816 – 7mths – at St Chad’s, Stafford.
• John WARD; chr. 22/12/1815, reg.no.548. (father’s occupation; labourer)
• Francis WARD (M); chr. 4/6/1817, reg.no.819. (father’s occupation; shoemaker)
• William WARD; chr. 3/3/1819, reg.no.1153. (father’s occupation; labourer)

When I turned to the HART side, I found on www.freereg.org.uk records of 14 children christened to “Thomas & Elizabeth HART”, at St.Chad’s, in Seighford, dated between 1796 and 1811, including Charles HART, chr. 24/1/1803, and Matilda HART, chr. 3/4/1801. Initially I wondered if this was really possible! So many births, so close to each other (many are 13 month, or less, apart!). Maybe there were two couples with the same name in the village (two cousins called Thomas HART, living in the village, would not be unexpected!). But the HART family trees that I’ve now found on-line appear to confirm that this one couple had a total of 18 children between 1796 and 1814.

After the FindMyPast free weekend, I put these records aside for a while, until last week when I began to look at them again. This led to me doing some more general web searches for the HART family, which is when I began to find the on-line family trees that I mentioned at the start of this post. One tree identifies the maiden name of Charles HART’s mother as “Elizabeth CAPENHURST”. All identify Charles’ paternal grandparents as John HART and Hannah MARTIN.

Some of these trees go back another two generations. But they don’t all agree on the details of who the earlier generations were! At least 3 trees cite a book titled “Abraham and Lucy Hart; their lives”, by Joyce E. Neill, published in New Zealand in 1981 (75 pages), as one of their sources. Abraham appears to be a younger brother of my ancestor Charles HART, and is one of two brothers who, after marrying in England, emigrated to New Zealand and, it would seem, had large families out there.

If you’re reading this and know more about this HART family, and about the sources which any or all of these on-line trees are based on, I would be interested to know. I want to understand what evidence these trees are based on before I fully recognise any of them as part of my family tree. Please leave a comment below, or use the Contact Page to get in touch.

HUTCHISON family gathering – May 2015

During the May half-term week, 2015, the Hutchison family had a great time on our regular “big family holiday”. This has typically been held every two years in recent times. But this time was the second consecutive year that we’ve been to stay at a site in the Teifi Valley, south Wales (on the border between Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion). Finding places to stay that can accommodate such a large family group is very challenging, and this site fitted us very well.

The extended HUTCHISON family (4 generations) – whole group photo, dressed up as “pirates”, on the BIG family holiday, May 2015

The family group this time totaled 39 people; 4 generations; 27 adults, plus 2 teenagers, and 10 aged 10 or under. The young second cousins all had a great time running around together. A theme of “Pirates”  had been set for the week, and one evening we all dressed up for a “Pirate party” – partly as a birthday party for one of my cousins, who’s birthday it was that day, and also for the 4 other family members with birthdays in May. This is when we had a whole group photo.

During the week my gran gave little St John’s Gospels to various family members. These gospels are replicas of ones given to soldiers in the First World War, which were produced last year to mark the 100th anniversary of the war.

These replica gospels were being given away through local churches and my gran had picked up 10 copies with the idea of giving one to each grandchild, with some details added about their Great-grandfathers who had served in the First World War. And she had tasked me with compiling those details to add to the gospels.

It was a challenge working out what to fit into such a small page space – the booklets are 11.5 cm (4 ½”) high x 7 cm (2 ¾”) wide! The details I was able to include – on a single extra page stuck inside the front of the booklets – were as follows;

• William Oliphant HUTCHISON; b. 2/7/1889, Kirkcaldy, Fife. d. 5/2/1970, Kensington, London. Family were Corn Merchants in Kirkcaldy. He studied art at Edinburgh College of Art; 1909 – 1912. Served in the Royal Garrison Artillery during WW1, in Malta and in France, where he was severely wounded.
• Ernest Garfield SWAIN; b. 20/8/1881, Leicester. d. 26/3/1968 (aged 86). Shoe and boot maker “E.G.Swain & Co.”, then Wholesale Confectionary for Clarnico & Co. Enlisted in the Leicester Regiment (TA) circa 1915. Appointed an officer; Second Lieutenant, Territorial Force, 4^th Battalion (1/4^th Battalion) The Leicestershire Regiment, on 21/11/1915. Deployed to France, where he suffered shrapnel injuries to his left leg and eye.

Currently we’re not sure of the whereabouts of any of the medals that either of these two Great-grandfathers had (possibly somewhere in the wider families)! But I’ve had a search of the British Army medal index cards, on-line at the National Archives (UK), where I believe I’ve identified both their records, which I could order digital images of to gain some more details of their war service.

SWAIN family notes (part 2)

Here are some further details that David Swain has sent to me about the SWAIN family, focusing on the generation of his father (my Great Grandfather) Ernest Garfield Swain; the children of James Christopher SWAIN and Ellen HART;

(I hope at some stage to be able to add some more images/photos to this post. You can see the previous post about the SWAIN family HERE )

James Christopher SWAIN; b. 17/9/1846 in Penkridge, Acton Trussell, Staffordshire. – d. 24/1/1900 (from tuberculosis), burried in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester.

m. 6/3/1870 in Whittington, Pershore.

Ellen HART; 25/8/1846 in Silkmore- Castle Church, Staffordshire. – d. 10/3/1938 at 129 Letchworth Road, Western Park, Leicester. burried in Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester.

Children;

• Allen ……… b. 1871 – 1943
• Jessie Ann …… b. 1873 – 1960
• Charles James … b. 1874 – 1945
• Percy ……… b. 1876 – 1941
• Rose Ellen … b. 1878 – 1921
• Arthur Harry … b. 1880 – 1952
• Ernest Garfield … b. 1881 – 1968
• Georgina Isabella … b. 1883 – 1966
• Nellie Ada ……… b. 1885 – 1952

Notes about the children, written by David Swain;

Allen Swain; 1871 – 1943

Allen was born on 2nd January 1871 at Red Hill Cross Worcester. The first child of James Christopher and Ellen. I believe that he joined his fathers Trade of boot and shoe manufacture. I know very little of him and my father never spoke of him, so we didn’t even know that he existed. He was apparently engaged to a Minnie Byham, who was friend of his sister Jessie, but nothing came of it.

1901 Census;
Show him as a boarder and shoe operative living with William Hall, a Black Smith, and his wife, Elizabeth, at 177 Gerrard Street, Derby.

Allen Swain of 62a Broad Green, Wellingborough, died on 9th February 1943, age 72, in the Park Hospital of natural causes and cerebral heamorage.

Jessie Ann Swain; 1873 – 1960

Jessie Ann was born on 9th February 1873, at 39 Browining Street Stafford. Like her mother she was quite petite.

1900 Census;
Living at 6 Avon Street Leicester. She is 28 and a boot and shoe embroiderer.

1911 Census;
Living at 315 East Park Road, Leicester. She is 38 and shown as Domestic, so obviously helping out her mother at home! I remember her as always cheerful. Our family had great affection for her and she used to come and stay with us in Oxford.

She and her sister, Nellie, lived together in later life. When Nellie died, she went to live with her younger sister Isabella (Mrs brooks), whose husband was a chemist at 15 Eastfield Road, Western Park, Leicester. But she was never happy there. Dad tried to get her to come and live with us in Oxford, but as she had lived the greater part of her life in Leicester was a little wary.

She died on the 11th of September 1960 and as far as I know is also buried in the Welford Road Cemetery.

Charles James Swain; 1874 – 1945

Like His older brother Allan I have not been able to find out too much.

Charles was born at 44 Filbert Street in 1874 and was probably classed as a scholar until the census of 1891, living with his family at 160 Auburn Villas in Leicester, where he is shown as Clerk in a factory, I imaging a boot factory.

In 1899 he marries Amy Catherine Greatorex and in the census of 1901 they are living at 44 Harrow Road, Leicester, with a daughter; Phyllis Mary, age under one month.

1911 Census;
Charles – age 36, Amy – age 36, Phyllis – 10, and Kenneth Charles – 3, are living at 38 Paton Street, Leicester, and his occupation is shown as Professor of Music.  Charles died in 1945 in Northampton.

I know that Phyllis married a Mr Oram and they had a daughter, Joan. After he died she married again?

There are no more census records available after 1911 so without local research carried out further family details are difficult, expensive and very time consuming to follow through.

Percy Swain; 1876 – 1941

The census of 1891 shows him age 14, as a Scholar, living with the family at 160 Auburn Villas Leicester.

1901 Census;
Age 24 shows that he is living at 83 Harrison Road Leicester a Foreman clicker, shoes.

He married Emily Francis ? Probably in 1896/97. without local research I have no marriage certificate which would probably have given Emily’s surname.

1911 Census;
Living at 42 Erskine Street Leicester, Percy, now 34, a Pattern designer and cutter to the boot and shoe trade, with Emily Francis – wife, 34; Harry – Son, 13, Scholar; Annie – daughter, 12, Scholar; Frances Emily, 10, scholar; Percy James – 5; and James Christopher, 10 months.

The whole family emigrates to Perth in Australia but I have not been able to find out when, my Father kept in correspondence with his niece Annie, Mrs Downie ,also known a Cissie, in the 1960’s and according to letters received from her thanking him for all the Swain family history, a subject which he never spoke about to me or I believe my sister, what a shame!!

I wrote to two of my cousins there but never received replies so all this information is lost to my researches.

(Percy’s death on 3rd March 1941 was noted in “The West Australian” newspaper, which can now be seen archived on-line HERE. Look for “SWAIN” close to the bottom of the page, in both the first, and third column.)

Rose Ellen Swain; 1878 – 1921

Roes Ellen was born on 3rd August 1878, at 311 Belgrave Road, Leicester.

1901 Census;
Shows her, aged 23, as a Hosier and outfitter, and living with the family at 6 Avon Street, Leicester.

1911 Census;
Shows her, aged 33, a Hosier and outfitter, living with the family at 315 East Park Road, Leicester.

Rose Ellen died on 28th November 1921, age 43, at 44 Fosse Road Central (probably a hospice), from cancer of the bladder, and was buried in Welford Road cemetery.

Her last will and testament “gave and bequeathed all my possessions to my dear sister Jessie and sole executor of my will”, dated 23/11/1921. The value of her estate was £190 – 4s – 7d.

Arthur Harry Swain; 1880 – 1952

Harry is going to be a difficult one to fit in here as he had such a full life and did so much in the community. He and dad were great friends, so I got to know him better than all the other uncles/aunts.

Arthur Harry was born on 16th January 1880, at 44 Filbert Street Leicester.

1891 Census;
The family are living at 160 Auburn Villas, Narborough, and Harry is shown aged 11, as a scholar. In 1895 at the age of 15  He finishes at the Holy Trinity School and joins John Storey, Solicitor and Leicester Town clerk.

1901 Census;
Living with the family at 6 Avon Street Leicester. Harry, aged 21, is still working as a Solicitors Clerk, but owing to his Fathers death last year is not able to carry on his training for the legal profession.

1911 Census;
Living with the family at 315 East Park Road, Leicester.

Harry is now 31 but at the age of 26 he started his own company; A H Swain Insurance Brokers. Where and what he did from 1901 to 1906 I do not know.

In 1911 he is elected as Councillor for St Martins Ward, which he held for 17 years.

He and Mary Aitken Tarbet (daughter of Richard and Jane Blair Tarbet, of Largs, Ayreshire), were married on the 26th July 1911, in Largs, where she and her family lived. Then she and Harry lived at “Darvell”, 7 Fosse Road, Western Park, Leicester. Harry was 31 and Mary was 41.

During WW1, Mary served as a VAD nurse and this is probably when my mother, Doris Twite (also a VAD) met. This no doubt led to Doris coming to know the Swains.

It is perhaps ironic that Mary Died on the day of local elections in 1933, age 66. Her funeral was held at St Mary Magdalene, Knighton. Her will shows that she had a private income and left effects to the sum of £2,639 – 15s – 8d. Quite a sum for the 1930s. She had been ill and bed ridden for some time I can just remember seeing a lady in bed with a supported raised leg, I was only 4 then, she died of cancer of the femur.

At this time Harry wrote a book dealing with Export credit insurance. This book attracted the attention of the British and French Governments. He gave evidence before a joint committee and his book was looked upon as a standard work, the French Ambassador presented  Harry with the Palm D’Academy for his services.

In November 1936 Harry was elected to be Mayor of Leicester. As his wife, Mary, had died, his sister, Nellie, supported him as Lady Mayoress.

Harry married Edith Masie Darvell in London. She was the daughter of Colonel and Mrs Darvell of Windsor, what a coincidence in the name Darvell. They lived at 44 The Ridgeway, Rothley, Leicester.

Harry died on 12th February 1952, and after the funeral service in Leicester Cathedral was buried in Rothley cemetery; the family vault in the Abbey cemetery being full.

Ernest Garfield Swain; 1881 – 1968

Ernest was born on the 20th August 1881, at 14 Walnut Street, Leicester.

1891 Census;
160 Auburn Villas, Leicester; aged 9, scholar.

1901 Census;
6 Avon Street, Leicester; age 19, a shoe machine operator.

1911 Census;
315 East park Road, Leicester; aged 29; Traveller in Wholesale Confectionary.

He was employed by the largest sweet manufacturer in the country, Clarnico & Company, as their representative in Yorkshire, and they provided him with a Scrips Booth American car.

He told me that he always had a spare rear axel on board as they had a habit of wearing out and petrol was only obtainable from a few Blacksmiths.

Sometime in 1915 he enlisted in the Leicester Regiment Territorial Force, and on the 21st November that year was appointed an officer; Second Lieutenant Swain.

The regiment was deployed to France and at some stage he suffered shrapnel injuries to his left leg and eye, and was invalided out of the regiment. Like many, he never talked about his war experiences.

The Swains knew the Twites as the families had business in Leicester and he and my mother (Doris Twite) wished to get married but she was taking care of her parents, Charles and Annie, in Droitwich, where they had gone for the spa waters, to help Charles relieve his painful arthritis, and thus she and Garfield, as he was always known, were unable to marry until Annie’s death in 1926.

They were married on 5th May 1927, at the Parish Church of Aylestone, Leicester, and spent their honeymoon touring by car; Gloucestershire, Somerset and Devon in a 12hp Calthorpe.

Dad had taken a post as company secretary to G R Cooper, Ironmongers, in Oxford, in 1925. So they purchased No11 Park Cresent, Oxford, for I believe the sum of £1600.00 pounds.

Our Father developed the company into the largest Builders Merchants in the South of England, this included Ironmongery metal workshops and salerooms. He set up an offshoot known as Multifactors; a wholsale company dealing in tobacco and sweets, covering many counties. He obviously had good contacts from his days with Clarnico & Co.

For some reason or other he never wished to become a Director, mores the pity for he would have been in a better position financially which would have made his retirement years easier. He retired in 1957 age 76.

Father died  on the 26th March 1968, age 86, myocardial failure- senile decay.

Georgina Isabella Swain; 1883 – 1966

Georgina was born on the 1st of June 1883 at 3 Frederick Street Leicester.

I know very little about her.

1911 Census;
shows her at age 28, as a Clerk. She married William Garratt Brooks, who had a Chemists shop in Leicester, and they had a son, William Stanley.

She died on the 1st January 1966 age 82 in the George Eliot Hospital, Nuneaton. This would have been nearest to Hinckley, where they lived at 28 Salem Road, Burbage.

More research would be needed.

Nellie Ada Swain; 1885 – 1952

Nellie Ada was born on the 15th of March 1885 at 3 Frederick Street Leicester.

1911 Census;
Shows her age 26, as Elementary School Teacher. She remained a teacher all her working life. She became Head Teacher of the Belgrave National C of E infants School, from 1918 to 1941. Sadly head mistresses were not allowed to marry.

In 1936 she was Lady Mayoress to her Brother Arthur Harry when he was elected Mayor of Leicester.

All this time she lived with the family at “Darvel”, 129 Letchworth Road, Western Park, Leicester.

Nellie Died on 7th September 1952, age 67, and is buried in the Welford Road cemetery.

Mr J C Martin the headmaster of her School in 1990, sent me lots of details of her time there and pictures of the school but I have as yet to scan them to the computer.

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For other details about the SWAIN family on this site, please see the SWAIN category or the Swain tag.

Previous posts about the SWAIN family include;

• SWAIN family notes (part 1)
• SWAIN family &
• SWAIN ancestors

 

SWAIN family notes

I have mentioned previously about reading some notes written by my great-uncle, David Swain, about his research into the SWAIN family. David has now e-mailed some of his text to me, so that I can post it up on this website. I think that there is more to follow, which will lead to several more posts about this family.

Regarding his sources, David has told me that; “tracing the Swains and the Twites, who both hail from Somerset, I understand that many Parish records were sent for safe keeping to Bristol where unfortunately most were destroyed in the bombing of Bristol in WW2, this has made research previous to the first Census almost impossible”.

Here is David’s text;

Well lets make a start on the SWAINs as I see them and us. It would appear that it all started with an infant in Bristol with no known parents. A baby boy was born on the 29^th November 1802 and left at the Ebenezer (Wesleyan) Chapel in Kings Street, Bristol.

A William and Susan Swain who attended the Chapel took the baby into their care and may even have adopted him so giving him his name James Swain. He may also have been baptised but I found no records of this. William was a Cordwainer (boot and shoe maker/ repairer).

Years pass when out of the blue, he crops up in St Martins Parish Register Birmingham on a marriage certificate, James Swain marries a Mary Bromsgrove after Banns on the 1st of November 1820, William shown as father to James and in the preference of Hannah Whimaytes and Michael Broome.

In 1837 we find:

James Swain Widower marries Isabella Johnson on the 2^nd October 1837, William is shown as his father and Christopher as Isabella’s. James will be 34 and Hannah 21.

So the family of James and Isabella begins:

1841 census draws a blank.

1851 census: living at 26 Back Goal Road Stafford.

• James ………………. 48, Head, Shoe maker
• Isabella …………….. 35, wife
• Isabella …………….. 8, daughter
• James Christopher … 4, son
• Susannah ………….. 1, daughter (twin), born 1849
• Priscilla …………….. 1, daughter (twin), dies 1849
• Elizabeth …………… 5, daughter, dies 1858

1861 census: living at 14 New Street Stafford.

• James ……………….. 58, head, Cordwainer
• Isabella ………………. 45, wife, Seamstress
• Isabella ………………. 18, daughter, Shoe Binder
• James Christopher … 15, son, Cordwainer
• Susan ………………… 11, daughter, Nurse Girl
• Thomas ………………. 9, son, Scholar
• Emma …………………. 2, daughter, dies 01.06.1863
• Allen ………………….. 3 months, son
• Frances ……………….. 3 months, daughter

1871 census: living at 15 New Street Stafford.

• James ………. 68, head, Shoemaker
• Isabella …….. 55, wife, Seamstress
• Susan ……….. 22, Machinist
• Thomas …….. 20, son, Shoemaker
• Allen …………. 11, son (twin), Scholar
• Frances ……… 11, daughter (twin), Scholar
• Ellen ………….. 25, daughter (in law)
• Allen ………….. 3 months, grandson.

1881 census: living at 39 Browning Street Stafford.

• James, 78.
• Isabella, 65.
• Allen, 21.

Not long after this census, Isabella dies on the 24^th January 1882 age 66 at Browning Street Stafford from cancer of the breast in the presence of her daughter at Satchwell Street Leamington.

James dies on the 15^th of January 1883 age 80 at Browning Street Stafford from natural decay in the presence of Isabella Goodwin, his daughter.

So after 30 years following James and Isabella and family my research now focusses on the eldest son James Christopher.

It is possible to research all the children which I might do one day though with some of the daughters this can be quite difficult, they get married and therefore their surname changes and it becomes a matter of chance in finding them, this is frustrating as their lives are still there somewhere.

James Christopher SWAIN; 1846 – 1900

James was born on the 17th of September 1846 in Penkridge, Acton Trussell, Staffordshire. As a young man he was engaged by a London firm of Royal Court Patronage in Bond Street, known as shoe makers to Royalty. After a year or two he returned home to Stafford to help his father James, a boot and shoe craftsman, in making all kinds of hand sewn shoes. At this time he fell in love with Ellen Hart, the daughter of a well known Worcestershire Coachman, Charles Hart.

James and Ellen were maried on the 6th of March 1870 in the chapel of Whittington, Pershore. They moved to Leicester when he became a sleeping partner in the old established firm of Wilkinsons & Co. Whilst there he was visited by a Mr T Wood, managing director of shoe retailers Freeman Hardy & Willis with branches in all major towns. Mr Wood and his chief buyer were so pleased with the quality of the ladies high leg soft kid boots with lace and embroidery work that they placed a very large order.

James went on to design and consult with many firms on all aspects of shoe manufacture. James died on the 24th January 1900 of tuberculosis and was buried in a family vault in the Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester. In his will, dated 1894, he leaves all of his possessions to his dear wife Ellen and the probate certificate shows the sum of £155.00 gross value of his estate, confirmed by Jackson & Flood solicitors.

Ellen HART; 1846 – 1938

Ellen was born on the 25^th of August 1846 in the Parish of Silkmore- Castle Church, Staffordshire. Her Father, Charles Hart, was a well known Coachman, and her mother Ann (nee Ward). Ellen Married James Christopher Swain on the 6^th March 1870. At this time she was living at Green Hill Worcester.

As my memory serves she was quite a small lady and I am sure was the strength of her family as James appeared to spend much time away on business. She had nine children over a period of 14 years from Allen in 1871 to Nellie in 1885 five boys and four girls. As you will have noticed from James Christophers details they only rented property and moved quite a few times.

In 1901 census (James died in 1900), she and her family were living at 6 Avon Street Leicester and the 1911 census shows her and six of her children were living at 315 East Park Road, Leicester.

When we visited her she lived with her son Arthur Harry in his house ‘Darvel’ 129 Letchworth Road, Western Park, Leicester. How long she had lived there I do not know.

Ellen died on the 10^th march 1938 age 91 at this address and was buried in the family vault in the Welford Road cemetery on the 14^th march.

So back to censuses:

1871 census: 35 Golding Road Bermondsey Southwark.

• Alfred SLADEN …………………… 25, head, Clicker
• James Christopher SWAIN …. 24, Lodger, Clicker

A clicker was the one who cut out the leather in shoemaking.

1881 census: 44 Filbert Street St Mary,s Leicester

• James Christopher SWIAN …. 34 Head, Boot Manufacturer Manager
• Ellen …………………………… 34 Wife
• Allen …………………………… 10 Son
• Jessie ………………………….. 8, Daughter
• Charles ………………………… 6, Son
• Percy …………………………… 4, Son
• Rose ……………………………. 2, Daughter
• Arthur …………………………. 1, Son

1891 census: 160 Albion Villas Narborough Leicester.

• James Christopher SWAIN …. 44, Boot Factory Manager
• Ellen ……………………………. 44, Wife
• Jessie ………………………….. 18, daughter
• Charles ………………………… 16, Son, Clerk in Factory
• Percy ……………………………. 14, Son, Scholar
• Rose …………………………….. 12 Daughter, Scholar
• Arthur …………………………… 11 Son, Scholar
• Ernest ……………………………. 9 Son, Scholar
• Georgina ……………………….. 7 Daughter, Scholar
• Nellie …………………………….. 6 Daughter.

We now know that there were nine children.

SWAIN family

I have just been looking through some new notes written by a great-uncle, David Swain, about his research into the SWAIN family. As a result I’ve made some amendments and additions to my original post about the SWAIN family genealogy.

David has written down some personal memories about the family, and has looked into the old censuses and other records. From about the 1870’s the direct Swain family settled in Leicester, where a number of them worked in the shoe and boot making industry. Earlier generations appear to have had connections to the Stafford and Worcester area.

I will try to see if David would be happy to have the information he’s compiled about the family, posted up on this website for others to find.

SWAIN ancestors

In no particular order I’m making several posts to show my known ancestors, in a “pedigree view”, starting each pedigree with one of my great-grandparents (for people’s personal privacy I will not give details of the more recent generations).

The Roman Numeral in front of a name indicates the generation (counting backwards) and the number of “great”s that you need to add to describe their relationship to me. i.e.

• “-i-” = my “great-grandparent”,
• “-iv-” = my “4x-great-grandparent”.

Click the numeral to link to any posts tagged with that individual’s name, or to all the posts tagged with that surname (if the individual person doesn’t have a tag).

If someone’s name is highlighted as a hyperlink, you can click that link to an external webpage with information about that person. I generally favour entries on Wikipedia, though other sources may come up if there is nothing on Wikipedia, or if the alternative offers better information.

Here are the SWAINs, the part of my family tree that I currently have the least information about.

 

-iv-[ William SWAIN, b.???, d. ???

-iii-[ James SWAIN, b. cir 1802 (? adopted ?), Bristol, d. 13/02/1883, Stafford, m. 02/10/1837, St Martin, Birmingham.

-iv-[ Susan ???, b.???, d. ???

-ii-[ James Christopher SWAIN, b. 17/09/1846, Stafford, d. 24/01/1900, Leicester, m. 06/03/1870, Whittington, Worcester.

-iv-[ Christopher JOHNSON, b. ???, d. ???, m. 31/08/1813, St Martin, Birmingham.

-iii-[ Isabella JOHNSON, b. cir 1818, ?Birmingham?, d. 21/01/1882, Stafford.

-iv-[ Ann JAMES, b. ???, d. ???

-i-[ Ernest Garfield SWAIN, b. 20/08/1881, Leicester, d. 26/03/1968, m. 04/03/1927, Leicester, to Doris TWITE [see TWITE ancestry here]

-iii-[ Charles HART, b. ???, d. ???

-ii-[ Ellen HART, b. 25/08/1846, Stafford, d. 10/03/1938, Leicester

-iii-[ Ann WARD, b. ???, d. ???

Click here to download as a PDF file;
SWAIN ancestors – Jan2014version.

* Sources;

Research by David SWAIN (my Great Uncle) – including various notes and family trees.

Family notes – kept by my Gran in a notebook/diary titled “A Diary of Edinburgh”.

International Genealogical Index (IGI) – My own searches of the index, used mainly to double-check other sources. Not to be fully relied on by itself. Given the chance I like to look at the OPR microfilms (from which the IGI is transcribed), which tend to contain many more details than the IGI.

### Originally posted 10th January 2014. This post has since been amended based on new research from David SWAIN; July 2014.

My apologies if I’ve missed any particular sources or credits that I should have given. I believe that these are my major sources.