West Rainton

[barryd]

The site below may help you:

http://www.durhamrecordoffice.org.uk/Pages/AdvancedSearchPlaceNamesResults.aspx?SearchType=PlaceParam&SearchID=5064d726-1b2f-46f5-b7df-fb82ae9be09d

[Patsy Beech]

Hello Janis,

Oh yes, they are my ancestors, is the tombstone easy to find? The dates match Mary Ann's death certificate which was registered by her son George Ernest Thompson. She was living at 3 James Terrace, Dubmire [Fence Houses] at the time, but they must have brought her back to West Rainton to be with her husband John, and in the place of her birth.

As for the son Robert, well I had no information about him other than he was born in Philadelphia, Co. Durham c1877, so the news he has a wife named Sarah is a great find.

As for the Curry family I don't think we had any surgeons in the family, mainly coalminers, but Michael is a possibility. Mary Ann had a younger brother named Michael Curry born c1856. Would that date fit?

I think there are a couple of names on the war memorial outside St. Mary's that also fit into the family tree. William Herbert Minnis was the son of James Minnis and Mary Eliza McCullough. He died in France 11.8.1918 aged 30. Also R. Adair, son of David Adair and grandson of Jane Minnis & James Adair, died in France 9.4.1917, aged 26.  My connection comes through John Thompson (husband of Mary Ann Curry) John had a younger sister called Mary Thompson born c1857 and she married John Minnis - sorry it is complicated with all the families Thompson, Curry, McCullough, Minnis, Adair etc. etc all marrying each other and that is without the various different spellings on offer!!!!!!!!

Thank you for you help, and I will now add the graveyard to my places to visit.
Patsy

[Patsy Beech]

Thank You Barry.
I will give that link a try. I really appreciate all offers of help.
Patsy

[AimeeP]

Hi
Re The Britannia Inn you were right first time Stan the Britannia was at the top of Britannia Terrace, opposite the Wellington Inn. It is now a builders office, and Flats above.
Aimme

[2zpool]

Curry's in section 4--the north west corner of the churchyard, on the right side of the path from the gate entrance to the western end of the church  --actually both sections are near the war memorial 

In loving memory of Elizabeth the beloved wife of Michael Curry, Rainton Gate, who died Jan 5th 1909, aged 77 years also Michael Curry beloved husband of the above who died March 13th 1916, age 85 years also Joseph, Jane and Margaret children of the above who died in infancy.

The Thompson's are in section 5--the north corner of the churchyard, on the left side of the path from the gate entrance to the northern end of the church\

Sacred to the memory of Emma beloved wife of Hugh Minniss of Fence Houses who died 2 April 1917 age 46 years, "Now the labourer's task of o'er"

In loving memory of James Minniss of Bensville, Leamside died April 24th 1928 aged 74 years also Mary E. Minniss wife of the above died July 22nd 1927 aged 70 years also William H. Minniss their son died of wounds at _______August 18th 1918 aged ____years

I think you should visit the churchyard. 

There are 2 Malcolm McCullough's and wife Alison Mary, an Agnes, a Barbara,  a memory of Thomas Harper McCullough.  these are 2 different stones--just some of the names on them

Janis

[Patsy Beech]

Hi Janis,

Thank you so much for all the information, I am definitely going to visit the Churchyard. I was only going to stop off on my way up to Scotland to attend the Urquhart Clan Gathering, but now I think I am going to need to call in on the way back also!

I got rather carried away by preparing my information for the visit and see that it is now past 3am! However it has been worth it as I have now found out that Rebecca Thompson, the youngest daughter of my 2 x great grandparents John Thompson & Jane McCullough was living at 26 South Street, West Rainton on the 1911 census. Her occupation is recorded as Caretaker of schools for the County Council. I wonder if it was just one of the schools or all three that were in/near to West Rainton.

I have also pieced together that at the Leamside school which I think was opposite the two public houses Bonny Pit Lad & Highland Lad in Pit House Lane the school master at the time was Malcolm McCullough living in the "School House" with his 12 year old daughter Florence Agnes Alice. By 1911 he is recorded as  being the Head Teacher, and has remarried. The address he has given is Leamside, Fence Houses! Do you think he had changed schools or Fence Houses was given just as the local area? I am going to need to do more research as to which Malcolm belongs to which family/generation, but I am sure they are related somehow to my 2 x great grandmother as they were living in the same house at one stage.

I am going to print off all you information (good old pen and paper - no whizzy phone!) and bring it with me, so it is going to be put to good use soon.

Oh dear the birds have started the dawn chorus!
Thank you once again for your help.
Best Wishes,
Patsy

[2zpool]

Here's the McCullough ones:

Sacred to the memory of Agnes the beloved wife of Malcolm McCullough who died November 24th 1886 aged 58 years and of the above Malcolm McCullough who died June 21st 1910 aged 81 years and of their son Thomas Harper McCullough who died July 24th 1897 aged 31 years buried in Belfast City Cemetery

In loving memory of Barbara the beloved wife of Malcolm McCullough born January__18(56) died August 2_th 1900 also the above Malcolm McCullough born December 4th 1859 died July 2nd 1922 Headmaster of Leamside School for 38 years also his wife Alison Mary born 28th March 1874 died 25th July 1925

It is 12:45 pm to me and time to go to bed--I always hear the morning birds--I work 3rd shift and know very well the lure of family history.  I have made some 12 family history research trips to England specifically Co. Durham, Northumberland and a little of Scotland rather than go to Bora Bora (my dream vacation)

Janis

[Patsy Beech]

Thank You Janis for all the extra information. I am really looking forward to my visit there, and now I know just what to look for and where.

I bought a book showing then & now pictures of villages around Durham which I am finding fascinating. The Leamside school where Malcolm McCullough was headmaster has long gone and replaced with two lovely houses, however I think the stone wall around the front gardens looks like the original school wall - built to last!

Best Wishes,
Patsy

[Patsy Beech]

Hello again Janis,

I have just returned from my trip to St. Mary's West Rainton, and how about the following for a good piece of luck - as I was searching the grave stones a very nice lady came and spoke to us, and asked if we were visiting? To which I replied yes, I was looking for my great grandparents John & Mary Ann Thompson. They turned out to be her great grand partents also, and if I have this correct that would make us second cousins. Her surname was Barrass which I see you have among the names you are researching.

Unfortunately it started to rain which made taking notes of names on the graves difficult, and I did not manage to find all the McCullough graves. You mentioned in an earlier post that there were more McCullough names, would it be possible to list them for me from your records?

You were absolutely right to recommend a visit to St. Mary's West Rainton - it turned out much better than I could have ever hoped for. Thank You.
Patsy