Replaced the index to baptisms at Bywell St. Andrew (Hexham district, Northumberland) for 1668-1812 with full details, so those 1,188 baptisms are now instantly available.

In the baptisms, the mothers are usually not listed before 1708. Sample baptisms:

• 8 Jun 1668 Susanna Fewster, of Bearl, daughter of George Fewster
• 16 Nov 1706 Fenwick Hutchinson, of Stocksfield Hall, son of Thomas Hutchinson
• 16 Nov 1709 William Morpeth, son of John Morpeth by his wife Catherine
• 7 Feb 1755 Thomas Readhead, of Brocksbushes, son of Bartholemew Readhead by his wife Phillis
• 30 Sep 1798 George Burden, of Manfield, born 30-Sep 1798, 1st son of George Burden (esquire) by his wife Augusta Daniel
• 10 Apr 1811 William Collinson Winship, of Newton, born 27-Jan 1811, 1st son of Collinson Winship (farmer) by his wife Mary Forster (daughter of William, farmer, of Nafferton)

A huge block of 10,881 burials at Darlington West Cemetery from its opening in June 1858 to the end of 1879. This cemetery served residents around Darlington and across the border of Yorkshire. Abodes mentioned include many street addresses within Darlington, plus Albert Hill, Archdeacon Newton, Bank Top, Blackwell, Catterick, Cockerton, Croft, Dinsdale, Drinkfield, Eastbourne, Fighting Cocks, Four Riggs, Hartlepool, Hope Town, Low Coniscliffe, Middlesbrough, Mount Pleasant, Rise Carr, Sedgefield, and Stockton.

From its beginning, the cemetery was divided into three distinct sections: Consecrated (by an Anglican bishop and therefore intended for Anglicans only), Dissenters (for all other Protestant denominations), and Roman Catholic. If a person was buried in the Dissenter or Roman Catholic section, it was noted in the burial record, but this practice seems to have been discontinued after 1873.

These records often provide far more detail than a church burial record would. However, the clerks were inconsistent about the level of detail. The following periods provide full details (parents of children, spouses, occupations): June 1858-March 1860, April 1863-Jan 1864, March 1864-April 1864. For the periods in between and after this, the details were much reduced, more like a church burial record, but unlike a church burial record,  the father’s name is often given in the burial of a stillborn child, the mothers of illegitimate stillborn children were usually named, and sometimes (until Apr 1864) the husbands of deceased women were named. Until April 1864, the clerk also usually stated which parish the deceased came from – the original Darlington St. Cuthbert’s parish, or the two parishes that were carved out of St. Cuthbert’s in the 1840s: St. John’s and Holy Trinity.

Sample burials:

• 23 Jun 1858 Jeremiah Farrell, of Bondgate, age: 48, cattle driver, brought from St. Cuthbert’s parish.
• 15 Jan 1859 Mary Bolam, of Houndgate, age: 10 and three quarters, daughter of Richard Bolam (chimneysweep), brought from St. Cuthbert’s parish.
• 1 Mar 1860 Ann Scadlock, of Northgate, age: 80, widow of John Scadlock (butcher), brought from St. Cuthbert’s parish.
• 18 Dec 1861 Letitia Hill, of Northgate, age: 52, wife of Miles Hill (platelayer), brought from St. Cuthbert’s parish.
• 30 Dec 1863 Elizabeth Smales, of Hope Town, age: 87, wife of John Smales (labourer), buried by the parish [Pauper's Funeral].
• 29 Jan 1862 Charlotte Kipling, of Paradise Terrace, age: 60, wife of Edward Kipling (leather merchant), brought from St. Cuthbert’s parish.
• 6 Jun 1864 Margaret Hindle, of Bondgate, age: 99
• 6 Jul 1867 Eleanor Watson, of Bondgate, age: 93, buried in the Dissenters Section.
• 14 Feb 1871 Charles O’Malley, of [abode blank], age: 46, buried in the Roman Catholic Section. Died at the Union Workhouse.
• 20 Jul 1874 Edward Flowers Graham, of Priestgate, age: 5 months
• 21 Aug 1875 stillborn child Clark, of Storzel’s Yard, age: stillborn, child of Martha Clark
• 17 Dec 1879 stillborn child Thompson, of Sun Street, age: stillborn, child of Samuel Chadwick Thompson

Replaced the index to burials at Whittonstall (Hexham district, Northumberland) in 1774-1851 with full details, so those 426 burials are now instantly available.

Sample burials:

• 27 Feb 1777 Priscilla Phillipson, of Newlands, wife of John Phillipson
• 11 Apr 1798 Barbara Summerbell, of Whittonstall, age: 2 yrs 3 mths, died 10 Apr, daughter of John Summerbell (mason) by his wife Barbara Wilkinson
• 12 Mar 1808 Henry Oxley, of Moorfield, age: 72, died 9 Mar, farmer, bachelor
• 9 Oct 1814 Barbara Newbiggin, of Woodhouse, age: 27
• 20 Mar 1834 Simpson Brown, of Hexham, age: 93, late curate of this & Shotley parish for 32 years
• 24 Mar 1850 William Snowball, of Fell Close, age: 86

Replaced the index to baptisms at Whittonstall (Hexham district, Northumberland) in 1774-1851 and marriages in 1750-1852 with full details, so those 687 baptisms and 200 marriages are now instantly available.   Residences mentioned include Apperley, Blackhall Mill, Bridge End, Bywell, Cockshot Hill, Ebchester Bridge End, Fairley, Fell Close, Grey Mare Hill, Hedley, Hedley Woodhead, Highfield, Hoods Close, Kipperlin, Lead Hill, Lightwood Gate, Milkwellburn, Moorfield House, Newlands, Ovingham, Park House, Ravenside, Ryton, Walker Shank, West End, Wheelbirks, Whinney Hill, Whittonstall, Winlaton, and Wood House.

Sample baptisms:

• 29 Sep 1774 John Oxley, of Cockshot Hill, son of John Oxley by his wife Elizabeth
• 31 Dec 1797 Henry Oxley, of Moorfield House, son of Wilkinson Oxley by his wife Sarah
• 24 Aug 1806 Robert Fenwick, of Newlands, born 24-Apr 1806, 2nd son of Thomas Fenwick (labourer, native of Winlaton, Ryton, Durham) by his wife Ann Green (native of Waskerley, Shotley)
• 27 Dec 1812 Jane Green, of Highfield, born 27-Oct 1812, 5th daughter of William Green (labourer, native of Whittonstall) by his wife Mary Purvis (native of Steel, Hexham)
• 26 Feb 1830 Thomas Barron, of Fairley, son of Surtees Barron (husbandman) by his wife Mary
• 24 May 1851 William Browell, of Hedley Woodhead, Ovingham, son of George Browell (farmer) by his wife Margaret

Sample marriages:

• 1750 Cuthbert Hall married Isabel Willey, of Whittonstall
  [Note: From a deposition sworn at Hexham 9 Oct 1810 that the couple were married at Whittonstall in 1750, and that Cuthbert Hall is aged 88 yrs in 1810, born at Whittonstall, now of Twizel, Chester-le-Street. This and other entries made at Bywell are no longer readable due to damage by the Great Flood of 1771.]
• 8 May 1777 Anthony Kirkley married Catherine Summerbell
  Witnesses: John Summerbell, Richard Green
• 7 Sep 1816 Edward Harrison, of Chester-le-Street, [Durham] married Jane Wilkinson, by licence
  Witnesses: Anthony Taylor, Thomas Wilkinson, Cuthbert Harrison, Ann Hunter
• 12 May 1838 George Heslop (bachelor, farm servant), full age, of Whittonstall, son of John (labourer, of St.John Lee) Heslop, married Elizabeth Robson (spinster, farm servant), full age, of High Vale, Whittonstall, daughter of James (labourer, of Oakwood, St.John Lee) Robson
  Witnesses: George Johnson, Mary Goundry, William Heads
• 11 Nov 1850 George Cant (bachelor, labourer), full age, of Walkershank, son of John (labourer) Cant, married Sarah Jameson (spinster), full age, of Walkershank, daughter of John (labourer) Jameson
  Witnesses: Joseph Burnhope, Lionel Robson

Added the witnesses to our existing 369 Gainford marriages covering 1813 to mid-1837, giving you 852 additional names to search in for evidence of your ancestor’s presence. If you previously purchased a marriage at Gainford in this period, you can view the witnesses by clicking My Previous Orders and reviewing the marriage.

Samples:

• 5 Jun 1815 Charles Copeland (widower), of Staindrop married Margaret Addison (spinster), of this parish, by licence
  Witnesses: William Musgrave, Elizabeth Brownless, Cuthbert Graham
• 26 Jun 1837 John Bainbridge, of the Chapelry of Barnard Castle in this parish married Martha Bell, of the Chapelry of Barnard Castle in this parish, by banns
  Witnesses: Jane Bell, William Bell

Replaced the index to burials at Shotley (Northumberland) for 1690-1812 with full details, so those 880 burials are now instantly available, including 3 we missed the first time around. See 2 entries below for information on Shotley.

Replaced the index to marriages at Shotley (Northumberland) for 1670-1818 with full details, so those 534 marriages are now instantly available, including 1 we missed the first time around. See the previous entry below for information on Shotley.

Samples:

• 27 Apr 1699 Timothy Makpeace married Hannah Atkinson
• 10 Jun 1756 John Jopling, of Edmundbyers, [Durham] married Alice Surtees, by licence
  Witnesses: Thomas Hunter, Thomas Hunter
• 18 May 1799 William Kirsop married Margaret Robinson
  Witnesses: Daglish Armstrong, Joseph Kirsop, Mary Bainbridge
• 7 Jun 1818 Thomas Turnbull, of Bywell St.Peter married Margaret Sproat
  [Note: date banns last read - not married here]

Replaced the index to baptisms at Shotley (Northumberland) for 1675-1812 with full details, so those 1,612 baptisms are now instantly available, including 3 we missed the first time around.

Shotley is adjacent to the County Durham parishes of Edmundbyers, Muggleswick, and Medomsley, and the Northumberland parishes of Bywell St. Peter and Whittonstall, and many residents of these places used Shotley for christenings. Residences mentioned include Acton, Airyholme, Allensford, Baybridge, Birkenside, Black Hedley, Black Hedley port, Blanchland, Boleshares, Brown Hill(s), Bullion House, Burn House, Burn Mill, Burnt Shields Haugh, Bywell, Common Crook, Cowbires, Cronkley, Crooked Oak, Durham Field, Eddis Bridge, Emley, Fairle (Fairl, Fairley), Field House, Fine House, Gingleshaugh, Greenhead, Grey Mare Hill and Pit, High Fotherley, High and Low Waskerley, Hill Top, Hole Row, Lains or Lanes Lonning, Letch(es), Lingey Field, Little Black Hedley, Mill Shields, Minsteracres, Mosswood, New Snods, Newbiggin, Newbiggin Hope, Newfield, North and South Snods, Orchard Field, Penshields, Pit Hill, Redwell Hall, Royal Oak, Shotley, Shotley Bridge, Shotley Field, Sir Williams Lodge, Snods, Summerfield, Sunnyside, Unthank, Wall House, Wallish Walls, Waskerley, Whittonstall, and Wood House.

In these records, the term “Shotley” can be misleading. There is no village named Shotley. The bridge over the River Derwent is the boundary between Shotley parish in Northumberland and Medomsley parish in County Durham. The old spa township of Shotley Bridge is on the Durham side, with a handful of houses on the Northumberland side before the road comes to The Snods. There is also a place called Shotley Field nearby in Northumberland. “Shotley” in the register is probably usually a shortened form of “Shotley Parish”, but sometimes it appears to be a shortened form of ”Shotley Field” or “Shotley Bridge”.

“Blanchland” is also confusing, for as well as being a village in Northumberland, the bridge there is the boundary with Durham County, and a small number of houses on that side are refered to as “of Blanchland”.  The clerics could not make up their minds as to which parish several other places belonged, variously assigning them to Shotley, Whittonstall, or Bywell. We have left them as given.

Links below lead to interesting pictures of Black Hedley, including the “port” which was apparently an inhabited entry gate:

• http://www.durham-pa.gov.uk/durhamcc/K2P.nsf/K2PDetail?readform&PRN=N13029
• http://www.durham-pa.gov.uk/durhamcc/dre.nsf/DREDetail?readform&NAME=Consett,+Black+Hedley+Hall&IMGID=M7258&KEYWORD=Halls

Samples:

• 2 May 1675 Sarah Richardson, daughter of Thomas Richardson
• 17 Mar 1700 Catherine Clemingson, daughter of Timothy Clemingson
• 31 Oct 1725 Ann Surtis, of Hole Row, daughter of William Surti
• 15 Apr 1749 Henry Makepeace, of Blanchland, son of Thomas Makepeace by his wife Rebecca
• 25 Nov 1775 William Siddal, of Crooked Oak, son of George Siddal by his wife Martha
• 4 May 1800 John Wigham, of Sir Williams Lodge, born 4-Apr 1800, 2nd son of William Wigham (labourer, native of Allendale) by his wife Leah Robinson (daughter of Cuthbert, of Common Crook)
• 27 Sep 1812 Mary Chatt, of Eddis Bridge, born 15-Aug 1812, 2nd daughter of John Chatt (farmer, native of Ellerington, Haydon Bridge) by his wife Thomasin Teasdale (native of Slaley)

485 baptisms and 503 burials at Norton St. Mary in Stockton district, covering 1819-1834, from the Bishop’s Transcript. Residences mentioned besides Norton include Blakiston, Grindon, Hartburn, Stainton, Stockton, and Sunderland.

Sample baptisms:

• 20 Jan 1819 Mary Ann Twentyman, of Norton, child of John (gardener) & Margaret Twentyman
• 6 Jun 1824 Amelia Alice Thornton, of Norton, child of John Brown Thornton (grocer) & Margaret
• 6 Jul 1834 John Anthony Crosby, of Norton, child of Anthony (bricklayer) & Dorothy Crosby

Sample burials:

• 28 Feb 1819 Alice Barras, of Stockton, age: 62
• 2 Apr 1822 Thomas Johnson, of Stainton Yorkshire, age: 101
• 29 June 1834 Thomas Almoney, of Norton, age: 88

1,077 baptisms and 787 burials at Gainford St. Mary in Teesdale district, covering 1813-1851. All are from the Bishop’s Transcript except 1816-1817, which are from the parish register. Residences mentioned besides Gainford include Alwent, Bolam, Cleatlam, Cock Lane, Cockfield, Croft, Darlington, Denton, Headlam, Hilton, Hopewell, Hulam, Ingleton, Killerby, Langton, Melsonby, Morton, Piercebridge, Selaby, Shildon, St Helen’s Auckland, Staindrop, Summerhouse, and Winston.

Sample baptisms:

• 1 Jan 1813 John Blenkinsop, of Headlam, son of John (farmer) & Jane Blenkinsop
• 20 Jun 1824 Nicholas Race, of Alwent, son of Thomas (miller) & Mary Race
• 17 Aug 1834 Marmaduke Foster, of Gainford, child of George (butcher) & Elizabeth Foster
• 16 Mar 1845 William Charlton, of Piercebridge, child of Robert (tailor) & Margaret Charlton
• 16 Nov 1851 John Snaith, of Piercebridge, child of Elizabeth Hannah Snaith

In burials, the clerk kept up the practice of recording parents and spouses until midway through 1818. Some samples:

• 4 Mar 1813 Dorothy Pigg, of Gainford, age: 30, spinster daughter of George (blacksmith) & Elizabeth Pigg (his wife)
• 21 Dec 1817 Elizabeth Tweddle, of Piercebridge, age: 22, wife of William Tweddle (shoemaker)
• 28 Apr 1824 Elizabeth Ramshaw, of Bolam, age: 98
• 12 Mar 1843 Henry Haydon, of Headlam, age: 93
• 22 Jun 1850 Jane Brocket, of Headlam, age: 70