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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Cumberland => Topic started by: Jos, Whitehaven on Wednesday 01 February 12 20:33 GMT (UK)
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Can anyone help assist with any additional information about the Belton family from Cleator Moor and Whitehaven, please? The principal reason for this is in connection with the Cleator Moor 'Roll of Honour'.
It is believed the family home at Cleator Moor was on Bowthorn Road and . Their Whitehaven address was on Hamilton Lane. The parents of this 'Irish Catholic' Roman Catholic family were John and Susannah Belton. It is believed there were about ten children.
At the time of the 1881 census the family seem to be living at the "Red Lion", 5 Hamilton Lane, Whitehaven. It would seem they had been there for 2 - 3 years going by the birth places of the younger children.
In particular, I am trying to find out about two sons of the family - Patrick and John Belton - who may have been killed in the Boer War in South Africa (1899 - 1902). Unfortunately, none of the written references I have come across about them give a date of death or their service details. At a guess, they may have enlisted to the Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry. If possible I would like to find out whether or not these two were actually killed in the Boer War.
From 'Free BMD' it looks like John Belton (Jnr) was born in June 1868 Qtr and Patrick Belton was born in March 1872 Qtr. A third and younger brother - Andrew Belton - is a little better known. Andrew Belton (1882 - 1970) went on to become a well-known mercenary soldier and something of a legend in the Cleator and Cleator Moor district. He is sometimes referred to as Kaid (Commander) Belton of Morocco. The other children of the family include James, Mary Jane, Susannah, Margaret Ann and Rose Ann.
Thanks in advance to anyone who can assist with further details of the family.
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Hello Jos :)
In 1891, the family were at 43 Bowthorne Rd.
John was not there, but Susannah says she was married ... as she does in 1901 where she keeps house for her brother James MAGEE at 21 Bowthorn Rd.
In a later census which I'm not allowed to mention, she was Susannah BELTON 62 in Toxteth with a daughter Mary Ann 32 who was a Teacher. Birthplace given as Ballala, Co Down. She died there in 1913 aged 64.
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Hi Jos
Have you tried the Border Regiment/Cumbria Military Museum in the Castle in Carlisle? They hold a vast amount of material, including a lot for the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry.. Also, do you have any Army numbers for any of the Beltons as it make searching that much easier and less time consuming.
I will be there tomorrow as a volunteer so I will take up Belton's case. If you want to contact them direct, the number is 01228 532774.
I have just been told that someone else is researching a Belton. Will PM you with the name.
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Hi Jos
Have you tried the Border Regiment/Cumbria Military Museum in the Castle in Carlisle? They hold a vast amount of material, including a lot for the Westmorland and Cumberland Yeomanry.. Also, do you have any Army numbers for any of the Beltons as it make searching that much easier and less time consuming.
I will be there tomorrow as a volunteer so I will take up Belton's case. If you want to contact them direct, the number is 01228 532774.
I have just been told that someone else is researching a Belton. Will PM you with the name.
Hello 'Clearly' & Geoff,
Thanks for the information.
In connection with your questions, 'Clearly':
1. Yes, I have contacted the Regimental Museum. I am also a member of the 'Friends' of the Regimental Museum and contribute to the regimental archives.
2. I do not know the regiment or service number of the two elder Belton brothers. At that time I seem to remember each regiment had its own numbering sequence. There could be soldiers in different regiments with exactly the same service number.
3. The 7-digit unique service number, which remained with the soldier even if he moved between regiments, came in much later - after WW1
[Hopefully, if I can obtain sufficient biographical information about Patrick and John (Jnr) I can discover if they really were in the Boer War and were killed].
Neither Patrick nor John Belton are listed on the Border Regiment Boer War memorial in the Regimental Chapel at Carlisle Cathedral (photograph attached). However, some of the other Cleator Moor fellows who died in that war were already in South Africa working in the mining industry when the war broke out. This could have been the case with John and Patrick Belton, who both seemed to have worked as miners while in West Cumberland.
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Hello Jos :)
In 1891, the family were at 43 Bowthorne Rd.
John was not there, but Susannah says she was married ... as she does in 1901 where she keeps house for her brother James MAGEE at 21 Bowthorn Rd.
In a later census which I'm not allowed to mention, she was Susannah BELTON 62 in Toxteth with a daughter Mary Ann 32 who was a Teacher. Birthplace given as Ballala, Co Down. She died there in 1913 aged 64.
Hello Geoff,
When the younger brother Andrew Belton was baptised in 1882 James Magee was his godfather. Andrew Belton's godmother was a Margaret Jane Magee.
As you have found, Mrs Susannah Belton died at Liverpool in April 1913. Her body was 'brought home' for burial at Cleator. Her daughter Mary Ann died the following year (1914) and she was also 'brought home' for burial. Andrew Belton's first wife (Marie) died in London in 1937 and again she was buried at Cleator.
If there is a family memorial / headstone at Cleator I wondered if it may also commemorate John (Jnr) and Patrick. I have yet to find out if there is such a headstone. Sometimes family memorials give this information.
Unfortunately there are some difficulties in trying to researching the older St Mary's, Cleator headstones. Firstly because in the 1980s many of the rows of headstones were 'straightened up' (i.e. moved). Secondly, the register which contained the information of the older burials was lost when the workman's hut burnt out shortly afterwards.
Oddly enough, according to the St Mary's, Cleator registers their younger brother Andrew died in Cape Town, S.A. when aged 88 (September 1970). Unfortunately there is no mention about what happened to John (Jnr) or Patrick.
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Thanks to this forum and Cumbria's Military Museum (KORBR & Border Regiment ), I have now been put in touch with a member of the Belton family. There are headstones in St Mary's Churchyard which should help with the line of research.
Thanks especially to 'Clearly', 'Geoff-E' and the regimental museum for their assistance.
If possible, would anyone be able to look up where John Belton (Snr) [born c.1837, Dublin] was living at the time of the 1861 census please? According to the church marriage register when John married Susanah in 1867 it gives his address as Keekle Terrace, Hensingham. His father's name was also given as John (Joannes in Latin).
Shortly after the 1861 census there was an earlier Patrick Belton (born c. 1844) who was involved in a mining accident at Whinney Hill Pit, Cleator Moor on 30 May. He died at Whitehaven Infirmary the following day and was buried in Whitehaven Cemetery by Father Lynass (Parish Priest at Whitehaven). If this Patrick was the brother of John (Snr) then that would explain why he used this name for one of his sons.
Keekle would have been within the parish boundaries of the Cleator Catholic parish at this time. However, for the civil parish (and Church of England) it comes is part of Hensingham parish.
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Hello Jos,
You might be interested in this death notice I once copied from the Whitehaven News: BELTON.- On the 17th August, Patrick Belton, 26 years of age, at Johannesburg, late of Cleator Moor.
I went through the town's two main papers for refs to a member of my family who was in the war, but didn't find a thing.
Stephen
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Also noticed the following note I made:
Death of a Cleator Moor man in South Africa.
Mr. John Belton, October last, at Boxburg, Transvaal. Emigrated 8 years ago. Paid a short visit to this country 4 years ago. Jaundiced liver. Employed as engine driver at various mines. Leaves widow and 2 children. Mourners:- Mrs. Annie Belton, Mr. Andrew Belton.
Date of paper was October 30th, 1902. Above was just an abbreviated note, with the main details.
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Hello Jos,
You might be interested in this death notice I once copied from the Whitehaven News: BELTON.- On the 17th August, Patrick Belton, 26 years of age, at Johannesburg, late of Cleator Moor.
I went through the town's two main papers for refs to a member of my family who was in the war, but didn't find a thing.
Stephen
Thanks.
I have now seen the Belton family headstones in St Mary's churchyard. One of these gives the date of death of Patrick Belton as 17 August 1899 and his place of death as South Africa (age 27). The same headstone also states John Belton (Jnr) died in South Africa on 1 October 1902, aged 34. This ties in with the details you found.
Thus far, we have not found any primary documentary evidence that either of these two was in the army at the time of the war. In fact it looks rather unlikely the more information that comes to light. I get the impression that when people have been writing that Patrick and John were killed in the war it has been without attempting to check for any corroborative evidence. Myth and reality are strange bedfellows!
However, we do now have the enlistment details of their two other brothers, Andrew and James (Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry). They served in South Africa and survived the war. According to the family headstone, James died in New York on 1 April 1928.
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I seem to recall reading somewhere about one of the Beltons taking part in the Jameson Raid. Going by memory, I'm sure it was Patrick. Will check my notes and see if there is anything more on the subject.
Stephen
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Googling the name with South Africa, I noticed there is a South African pro-mountain biker who happens to go by the name PATRICK BELTON....
Stephen
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There are 2 entries but the second was a duplication and cancelled.
US - WW2 Draft - Andrew Belton. Born 17 th April 1882 Cleator Moor. England.
Resided 356 W 34 th Street. New York. The name and address of person who will always know him at this address is :- Royal Bank of Canada. 69 Williams Street. New York. States he is unemployed.
US - WW2 Draft - Major Andrew Belton. Born 17 th April 1882 Cleator Moor. England.
The person who would always know him was Edward Belton. Airspeed Ltd. Portmouth. England.
Sandra
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SSDI (Social Security Death Index) shows:-
Andrew Belton
Born 17 th April 1882 and died September 1970
Last Residence: 867 (U.S. Consulate) Capetown, Republic of South Africa
SSN was issued in New York (Before 1951)
Sandra
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The death of James Belton in Manhattan. New York
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0k75/
Sandra
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James Belton appeared on New York Passenger List - Liverpool to New York 25th March 1893 on the Britannic.James aged 21 years and a labourer.
Patrick also appears on the same passenger list, aged 21 years. Occupation:- Miner.
The 2 brothers are traveling with another from leator Moor - James Sholes aged 23 years.
All going to Mahanoy City. Pennsylvania.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahanoy_City,_Pennsylvania
A James Belton returned to the UK 24th January 1894 - New York to Liverpool on the Teutonic.
Occupation:- Mechanic.
A Patrk Belton born 1873 ( a couple of years out) returned to the UK 24 th March 1894 - New York to Liverpool. Occupation:- Labourer.
Many passenger lists for Andrew Belton. Born 1882 Cumberland and aged 57 years
Travelled Southampton, England to New York, arriving 12 October 1939 on the George Washington. Occupation described as a Director. Says - son E Belton. Airspeed Ltd. Portsmouth. England - in transit to Canada.
5ft 8 ins. Fair Complexion. GreyHair and Grey Eyes.
Sandra
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Major Andrew Belton. Born about 1883 Cleator Moor and aged 58 years
Port of Departure: Lisbon, Portugal to New York, arriving 31 st March 1941 on a ship named Exeter. Retired. Son Edward Andrew. 30 Sidworth Avenue. Portsmouth. Andrew had been in NY before in 1940. In transit to the Wales Hotel. Calgary. Canada for 3 days.
Andrew also appears on New York Passenger List - Andrew Belton. Born 1882 Cleator Moor. England and aged 62 years.
Port of Departure: Ciudad Trujillo-dominican Republic to New York, arrival 28 March 1944 on the Balla. Described as a retired army officer. Albleto speak English, French, Spanish and Arabic. Last permanent residence was Fez. Morocco.
Andrew Belton. Born 1882 and aged 69 years
Port of Departure: Trujillo City,dr Via San Juan,PR to New York arriving 8 th October 1951 on the ship Puerto Rico. Going to the Hotel New Yorker. Widowed.
Sandra
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A little more background on James Belton.
Birth may be out - US Petition for Naturalization - James Belton born 17 th January 1878 at Whitehaven. England. Resides 105 West 76 th Street. New York City.
Importer and exporter. Immigrated from Canada 1 st May 1917, arriving at Rouses Point. New York on the 2 nd May 1917 by CPR. Declared his intention to become a citizen of the USA 20 th May 1917.
Married tyo Annie born 4th January 1880 Workington. England. Has 3 children : Mary Josephine born 27th March 1897. Monica May 22 May 1904 and James Vincent 16th October 1909. All born Workington England and reside there.
Dated 30 th June 1924
Sandra
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New York Passenger List shows - James Belton. Born 1878 Cleator Moor. England and aged 37 years 11 months. Travlling Liverpool to New York, arriving 16 December 1915 on SS Philadelphia. Occupation:- Broker. Last resided in Toronto. Name and address of nearest relative in country from whence came- Capt. Andrew Belton. Dover. England.
Had been in the USA in 1892 and 1893. Looks like Shenandoah. PA. Home 245 Jarvis Street. Toronto. Ontario.
Sandra
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The son of James and Annie - James Vincent (deceased) married in Manhattan to Ruth Stone.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0k78/
Sandra
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Found my note about Patrick (not sure where info came from):
Patrick Belton took part in the Jameson Raid in 1896. Killed 1899, fighting with the Imperial Light Horse.
Stephen
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Thanks for all the additional information. There is a great deal to go through and corroborate! I will try and cross check the possible military details once again for Patrick Belton. I have got the details for Andrew and James.
I have also visited St Mary's Churchyard and located the relevant headstone (photograph attached). Thanks to everyone for their assistance with the enquiry.
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Attached is a photograph of the Hamilton Lane street sign (where the Belton family lived at one time). The building they lived in is no longer there.
This stret sign is on the side of 'The Waterfront' hostelry (previously 'The Standard').
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My great great grandmother (Ann Surtees nee Wallace) was actually landlady of the Red Lion in 1865. Here is the best photo I've seen of the place...
Stephen
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It is a very interesting photograph. Are the ladies in the photograph your relatives by any chance? Many of us are "related through drink" as the old stagers used to say - if not any other way!
There was a big concentration of public houses in this district of Whitehaven in the late 19th C. It was a similar thing in Cleator Moor.
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The floral overalls that the women used to wear - I remember seeing them worn when I used to visit Whitehaven as a kid - was there an "official" name for this item of clothing? :)
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The one related to me is Barbara Ion Cradduck (nee Little), who was born 1896 (front left). She was my dad's 2nd cousin, but 42 years his senior. It belongs to a certain Mandie, and she says the three on the back are Mrs. Pater, Theresa Wright (nee Kinsella) and Ma Bradley. Theresa will be Mary Teresa (mother Wear), who was born DEC 1909. I once emailed the photo to someone who thought her sister Louisa was the one pictured.
Stephen
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Hello Stephen
I'm the "certain Mandie" :) ... Barbara Ion Cradduck nee Little was my Nana ...
I'm intregued as to how we're related? Please enlighten me :) x
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Through the Cockbain side, of course!
Stephen
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Oh! DOH! :-[ Of course! I didn't recognise you from the user name ::)
For a while there I was thinking that it could be someone from the illusive Little's
Ho hum ... onward and backward eh? ;)
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More like "uncertain Mandie" :-*
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;D
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Geoff
I think the floral garments were pinafores or pinnies. What is also described today as a pinny is really an apron in correct usage.
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I think the floral garments were pinafores or pinnies.
Yes, I think you're right clearly, thanks. :)
EDIT: I was thinking of the ones with a line of buttons down the front. :)
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As 'Clearly' says, the womenfolk in the 'Good Old Days' would refer to the garment as a 'pinny' (pinafore). While this is just a subjective observation, most housewives and / or women cooking in the home would wear them. I am dating the 'Good Old Days' as pre-1970s, incidentally.
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Have come across your threads about the Belton family . Andrew Belton was my grandfather though i dont remember him. His daughter is still alive, my mother , aged 92. Her mother was Marie Babin who died before i was born (I was born in 1947).
why are you researching them?
Mary Clarke aged 65
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Good day mary26,
Nice to hear from you.
As I mentioned in the initial post on this thread, my primary interest in the Belton family from Cleator Moor has been connected to a 'Roll of Honour' (i.e. a 'Book of Remembrance') for the War Dead from the district from the Boer War to the present day. There are people who have said, or written, that two of your grandfather's elder brothers - Patrick and John - died while fighting in the Boer War.
However, up to the present time I have been unable to find any record either that these two enlisted to the army or that they died due to the war. Like many from the Cleator & Cleator Moor district they so appear to have gone out to South Africa to work in the mining industry before the war and were there when the war broke out. They may well have died out in South Africa but not necessarily due to a reason connected to the South African war ... unless you know differently?
I have recently completed the 'Book of Remembrance' for the Cleator & Cleator Moor district, recording the details of all casualties I have been able to trace. However, enough space has been left to add in additional names if the evidence turns up later on. So, if you do have details about Patrick and John that could assist clear up the query, it would really be appreciated.
What we can trace is that your grandfather Andrew Belton and another brother, James Belton, enlisted to the Westmorland & Cumberland Yeomanry. These two also went out to South Africa to fight in the war. As you will know, neither of these two died in the South African war. As sometimes happens, years later stories can tend to get merged and I have wondered if somehow the stories about the Belton brothers have been merged over the years.
A couple of your kinfolk visited West Cumbria in the summer of 2012 and I was able to show them some of the places where your forebears had been associated with in Whitehaven and Cleator Moor, and someone who remembered your grandfather's visits to West Cumbria. As I am sure your mother and you will be aware, your grandfather was a major benefactor of the R.C. parish of St Mary's, Cleator from the 1920s to the 1950s. This was the time when much of the work in the churchyard was done by the long-term unemployed men of the district, such as the building of the replica Lourdes Grotto, a Stations of the Cross and other work.
Some of your relatives are interred in St Mary's Churchyard, including your grandmother Mimi. The local newspaper covering the area in and around Whitehaven and Cleator Moor, 'The Whitehaven News', reported various news items about your grandfather and his family over the years, including the wedding of your grandparents and a story about how he was given the title "Kaid". I did take copies of these for my own background research (i.e. not for publication). As usual with research, there are good things and some less good ... but that is how it sometimes goes when researching!
You may already have copies of the photographs - one of the wedding of your grandparents, one of your grandfather in the robes of a "Kaid" ("... a Whitehaven kingmaker") and one from when he spoke at a meeting at Cleator Moor in the early 1930s. If you do not already have copies of these and would like to see them, if you send me your e-mail address by a p.m. and I will forward them on to you for your family album. I also have photographs of your family plot in the churchyard so if you wish to have copies of those for your family records I could send you those as well.
Regards to your mother and your family.
With best wishes
Jos
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Hi
Regarding John Belton who died in South Africa in 1902
His wife was Annie Belton (nee Malloy)
She then married William Eilbeck (my great grandfather).
In the boat passenger records you will see that William Eilbeck and John Belton went tout to South Africa together.
Does anyone know anything about Annie Belton (nee Molloy) who then became Annie Eilbeck?
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There are a number of Malloys and Eilbecks in the Cleator Moor area. Also, many from the mining families of Cleator Moor & district went out to South Africa for work. Sometimes Malloy is spelt Mulloy.
Checking the Cleator Moor 'Roll of Honour' (and also on the St Mary's, Cleator memorial) I see one of the WW1 casualties was:
Pte. John Malloy, 27 / 1129 (Tyneside Irish Brigade).
Died: 15 July 1916
Buried: Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, France (Grave VIII.D.120)
Pte. Malloy's parents were:
John and May Malloy,
28 Duke Street, Cleator Moor.
Do you know if these Malloys were relatives of Annie's?
At the outbreak of the 1914 - 1918 war many of the Cleator Moor volunteers enlisted to the Tyneside Irish Brigade (Northumberland Fusiliers). In 1914 Cleator Moor was part of the Catholic Diocese of Hexham & Newcastle and there was a significant number of 1st or 2nd generation 'Irish' immigrants in the town. Thus the recruiting committee for the Tyneside Irish held a recruitment meeting at Cleator Moor, as well as other West Cumbrian towns.
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Annie Belton was the daughter of Mary Magee and John Malloy. Her siblings were Margaret, Mary,
Michael, Peter and Patrick.
She married John Belton and had three children - Mary, John and Margaret.
John Belton saw service in the Boer War and died in 1902. She later married William Eilbeck and had three more children - T. Eilbeck, Josephine Mabel Eilbeck and William Bateman Eilbeck.
William Eilbeck also saw service in the Boer War in the Kimberley Horse - rank of Cpl 1259.
Annie Eilbeck and her children were in Newcastle for a few years and then went back to South Africa. What happened to her or her husband William I don't know.
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to Jos have only just found your reply sent months ago. thank you so much. I have been to Cleator and seen my family's grave just as you photographed. I also found my Grandfather (Andrew Belton) birth certificate in the local archives. What I am trying to do now is find where he is buried. He died in South Africa in 1970 but I do not know where. My mother (his daughter Irene) died last year. she hardly told me anything about her father as they were estranged which I don't think was his fault.
It has taken me an age to work out how to use this site so I don't know if this will reach you1
Mary Clarke
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to Jos have only just found your reply sent months ago. thank you so much. I have been to Cleator and seen my family's grave just as you photographed. I also found my Grandfather (Andrew Belton) birth certificate in the local archives. What I am trying to do now is find where he is buried. He died in South Africa in 1970 but I do not know where. My mother (his daughter Irene) died last year. she hardly told me anything about her father as they were estranged which I don't think was his fault.
It has taken me an age to work out how to use this site so I don't know if this will reach you1
Mary Clarke
Hello Mary,
Firstly, please accept my (belated) condolences regarding the death of your mother.
Unfortunately I do not know where your grandfather (and step-grandmother Kathleen, who was the niece of Father Clayton). However, the date and place of your grandfather's death have been added to his baptism record details in the parish register of St Mary's, Cleator (i.e. 2 September 1970 at Cape Town, South Africa). Assuming the information regarding the date and place of death are correct they may provide a gateway to finding the information you seek.
There is a 'South Africa' section on this forum ('Roots Chat') so you could perhaps post a request there asking if someone living in the Cape Town area of South Africa might be able to look up the information in the local records on your behalf. There may have been an obituary in one of the national newspapers at the time of his death and if so this may state where any funeral service / committal took place.
I will also send you a P.M.
Hope you enjoyed looking around Cleator, Cleator Moor and Whitehaven.
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Hi, Kaid Andrew Belton's medals are up for auction on the 19th May 2018. Please notify his relatives
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Hi All
I'm in the process of writing a biography of Andrew Belton; he was much more than just 'a mercenary' as I spotted in one of the comments here :)
In my research I have uncovered answers to many of the questions posed on this subject and also have some questions you may be able to help me with. Since I am not a family member, I thought it might be polite if I asked if anyone minded me joining in here.
Regards
Howard Toon (ex Cleator b1945)
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Here's an example:
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Hello,
I have just checked on the originator of the topic Jos, Whitehaven I can see that although they were online in the summer they have now turned off all notifications on all their RootsChat topics.
Regards
Sarah
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Hi There
I've posted a photograph of his headstone further down this section and can send you more details if you wish.
Do you, by any chance, have any photographs of Andrew Belton; any age or context would be welcome. I'm writing a biography of him and you're welcome, of course, to have a copy when complete. It's totally noncommercial.
Regards
Howard Toon
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We are not allowed to post our personal email address because of spam etc., Unfortunately you will have to remove it before a moderator does it for you.
None of the contributors to this thread, have ben online for some time.
There is a wedding portrait of the couple on the South African thread - last item reply 19
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=706450.18
Sandra
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Hi,
I plan to be in West Cumberland from May 21 to June 4th 2022 and would love to meet up with anyone else interested in the Belton family history; Andrew in particular. Please message me if you'd like to meet up somewhere for a coffee and compare notes.
Regards
Howard Toon