Author Topic: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton  (Read 15909 times)

Offline patDEN

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Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« on: Sunday 02 October 11 04:46 BST (UK) »
The Rev Joseph [my g g grandfather] has been my brick wall for years... and by default, so too, has his son, my g grandfather, Thomas William Ashton b ~ 1856 Bradford/Leeds Yorkshire [according to Australian documentation].  Yesterday I discovered a marriage notice for Thomas William in an 1886 Australian newspaper [New South Wales] which stated that Thomas was the eldest son of the Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton House, Horton. Bradford, Yorkshire England.  While family lore had it that Joseph Ashton was a Minister, one side of the family said he was a Presbyterian Minister and another side believed he was C of E. I am hoping someone will be able to confirm that if he was residing in Horton House in 1886, he would've been a C of E Minister?
It would appear that Joseph and his son were somewhat estranged and it is believed that when Thomas did not 'get on' with his new step-mother he left the UK and headed for Australia ~ 1884/5.  Some family believe he joined the Merchant Navy and that is how he ended up in Australia. The only other piece of information I have regarding the Rev Joseph is a copy of a letter he wrote to my grandmother's father inquiring if his son was still alive.  This letter was dated 1 Dec 1891 with instructions to address the reply to "Rev Joseph Ashton C/- Mr Robert Wilcock, 19 Ward St Drewry Lane, Derby. "
I do not know the name of Thomas William Ashton's mother [believed to be the first wife of Joseph] with any degree of certainty but the name of Margaret Frankland has been offered by some family members.   
Any information or direction given for research in the UK regarding this family would be much appreciated.
Regards
patDEN in Western Australia

Offline sillgen

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Re: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 02 October 11 09:10 BST (UK) »
Hi and welcome to rootschat
Two useful sites for you to look at will be www.freebmd.org.uk and www.familysearch.org   The 1881 census is free to search on the latter so you can see if you can trace Joseph on that.  His occupation will show if he is a C of E minister with luck.  Crockford directory of Clergy is another source.  He does not appear in my copy of the 1865 one.    If Thomas did not emigrate until 1884 he should be there somewhere in 1881 too.  What was his occupation?    What does his death certificate say about his parents?
Regards
Andrea

Online KGarrad

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Re: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 02 October 11 09:20 BST (UK) »
www.genuki.org.uk shows this in an 1822 listing of places within the parish of Bradford:

"GREAT HORTON, in the parish of Bradford, Morley-division of Agbrigg and Morley, liberty of Pontefract; (Horton House, the seat of Mrs. Sharpe) 2 miles SW. of Bradford, 6½ from Halifax. Pop. 7,192. The Church is a perpetual curacy, in the deanry of Pontefract, value, ~£44. Patron, the Vicar of Bradford."

Also, if Joseph was CofE he would have gone to either Oxford or Cambridge University?
Maybe a search of alumni?

This is Robert Wilcock in 1891:
Reference RG12, Piece 2729, Folio 103, Page 25
19 Ward Street, St Werburgh, Derby

Wilcock, Robert  Head  M  25  Railway Clerk  b Liverpool, Lancashire
Wilcock, Martha Emily  Wife  F  25  b Derby
Wilcock, Bruce Norman  Son  M  6  Scholar  b Derby
Wilcock, Garnet William  Son  M  4  b Derby
Wilcock, Elsie May  Daughter  F  4 months  b Derby

I wonder what the connection is between this family and Joseph?
Garrad (Suffolk, Essex, Somerset), Crocker (Somerset), Vanstone (Devon, Jersey), Sims (Wiltshire), Bridger (Kent)

Offline patDEN

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Re: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 02 October 11 13:31 BST (UK) »
Many thanks to Andrea & K Garrad for these quick replies.  I have just tried to find the Rev Joseph on the 1881 Census, along with his son, Thomas William - but no luck in any positive identifications.  According to early Australian documents, Thomas William was an "Engineer".  Perhaps this ties in with the Merchant Navy bit?
Armed with the info from the 1891 [thanks for this], I managed to find Robert Wilcock unmarried on the 1881 and then located his marriage on the freeBMD site to Martha Emily Heath in Dec Qtr 1884 District of Derby.  I was, of course, hoping that Martha Emily would have the surname of Ashton ... but no. 
Thomas William's death certificate states that his father is the Rev Joseph Ashton and that he is a Minister of Religion [no denomination given] and that his mother's name is Unknown Frankland. Unfortunately, the information on Thomas William's Marriage Certificate is scant and it is not until he is registering the births of his children that his own place of Birth is mentioned - Bradford in one instance and Leeds in another. Thomas William died 21 Jul 1927 aged 70 years. I have conducted searches of Bradford 1850-1860 looking for Thomas' birth registration, but again. no luck.
I shall continue to follow the suggestions mentioned regarding the Rev ... searching Alumni and the Crockford directory.
Again, many thanks for your time ... much  appreciated


Offline z

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Re: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 02 October 11 14:26 BST (UK) »
Hi patDEN

Not sure but thought this worth a mention ..................... if you trace Robert Wilcock back to 1871 RG10 4471 6 6 there is Robert with the rest of his family and also included amongst the family is a William Wilcock b 1856 Great Horton Yorkshire he is 15 leaving an 8 yr age gap between him and Alice so I began to wonder whether William was from a first marriage for Joseph, so looking for Joseph and William I came across this 1861 RG9 2696 55 45 - Joseph Head wid 26 Lancs Lancaster - Path Att plus his son William 5 Bradford Yorkshire ........ so I went onto to look for a marriage for Joseph around about the time that William was born and found:-

Free bmd Marriage Sept 1854 Dist Bradford Yorks Vol 9b Pg6 and on the same page is Joseph Wilcock and Ann Frankland

So William is the eldest son of Joseph and Joseph looks to have married possibly twice the first being a Frankland ................. it could just be a coincidence but thought I would let you know.

Regards

Z :)


Offline sillgen

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Re: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 02 October 11 17:20 BST (UK) »
Hi z
That is interesting.  It shows a possible family connection via Ann Frankland.  Maybe a sister of the unknown Mrs Ashton?     Did you notice the Thomas Wilcock and family living next door in 1861?  He is the Bath Manager - obviously employing his sons!
Andrea


Offline hjstort

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Re: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 02 October 11 17:21 BST (UK) »
William Wilcock born 1856 to Joseph and Ann is one of my missing relatives. Ann Frankland was my 2xgreat grandfather's sister she died  Feb 1859 and was buried at Great Horton Wesleyan Chapel.
Incidentally the Frankland family in Great Horton were Wesleyan Methodists with very strong links to the local chapel. So Joseph Ashton (who I have yet to locate) could have been a Methodist preacher.

Dobson, Frankland, Oates, Sellar(s), Chadwick, Hardcastle, Cawthra, Vogel

Offline patDEN

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Re: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« Reply #7 on: Monday 03 October 11 01:39 BST (UK) »
This is an amazing forum ... truly!  I went off to bed last night thinking I should've written "completed" on my original entry and awoke this morning to all these wonderful suggestions and information.  I am liking the possible family connection via Ann Frankland very, very much... This possible family connection could be  the reason the Rev Joseph wanted his reply to go c/-  Wilcock because he is desperate to hear from his son, Thomas, and knows that Thomas is more likely to reply if he knows that his father (Joseph) is still "in with" his first wife's family ... Thomas' mother's family.  Many thanks to Z for this deductive work ... it has given me hope and light at the end of this tunnel!

Was great to hear from hjstort- not only because we have a possible connection, but also for the information regarding the Frankland family in Great Horton being Wesleyan Methodists and the fact that Joseph Ashton could've been a Methodist preacher ... yet another avenue for me to explore.

Regards
patDEN in Western Australia

Online BumbleB

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Re: Rev Joseph Ashton of Horton
« Reply #8 on: Monday 03 October 11 11:29 BST (UK) »
The 1854 marriage took place on 2 July 1854 at St Peter, Bradford (Bradford Cathedral)

Joseph Wilcock aged 19, bachelor, Overlooker of Horton - father is Robert Wilcock, Farmer
Ann Frankland aged 22, spinster, Weaver of Horton - father is George Frankland, Weaver

Joseph signed, Ann made her mark.  Witnesses:  William Holmes and Ephraim Smith (possibly church officials as they witnessed the other marriage on the page).

BumbleB
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