Mathison in Berwick-upon-Tweed Parish Baptism records

[reubencat]

Ancroft C of E:

John Matthison baptised 24 Oct 1809 1st son of Thomas Matthison of Cheswick, native of East Ord, Parish of Tweedmouth by his wife Jane daur of John Watson of Unthank, Farmer, Native of Beal, Parish of Holy Island, born 27 Sep 1809

Margaret Mattison born 8 Jan 1808, baptised 29 Jan 1st daur of Thomas Mattison, same details as above.

I don't know if these are yous or not.  The Cheswick seems to match

Janis

Hi Janis, I think I might be a descendent of the John Watson, farmer of Unthank, that you have found. I am almost certainly related to his daughter Jane via the Matthison connection. The most far back ancestor on my family tree is Ralph Watson, farmer of Unthank, Tweedmouth who was born in Beal around 1779. I have also found two Adminstrative bonds that connect the Watson and Matthison families to a farm at Fenham near Beal. However I can't find any further information on the John Watson you mention above through web searches. So I wondered how you came across it?  I would really love to identify Ralph's parents and siblings, so any suggestions about where to look would be most, welcome.
Best wishes, Reuben

[c-side]

Hi Reuben, welcome to rootschat

Janis has a large number of microfiche of parish records so I assume that she will have obtained the information from there.

At that time all that information would have been provided within the baptism record.

Christine

[2zpool]

Just as c-side said.  I have transcripts.

Janis

[reubencat]

Hi Reuben, welcome to rootschat

Janis has a large number of microfiche of parish records so I assume that she will have obtained the information from there.

At that time all that information would have been provided within the baptism record.

Christine

Thanks Christine, I'm quite new to using forums and to family history. I'm bumbling around a bit, pressing the wrong links etc ,ending up in the wrong place but hopefully I'll get the hang of it soon. Janis seems to be around so I'll ask her about the records.
Cheers Reubencat

[reubencat]

Just as c-side said.  I have transcripts.

Janis

Hi Janis, are you researching family from the Ancroft area too? I've only been doing it for a month but have been amazed at what I have found online. But I didn't manage to find any transcripts with the kind of detail that that record contained. I use Find my Past, Genes Reunited and Family Search but possibly I'm not making best use of the search facilities.
If you happen to have noticed anymore Watsons from Ancroft I'd be very curious to hear about them, especially if they are also associated with Unthank or Fenham. My guess is that my ancestor Ralph Watson born in Beal 1779 (or 1781 in 1841 census) is a brother of Jane Watson but I have found no evidence so far. On the map Beal looks really tiny. I can't help feeling that if there were any Watsons living there they must have been related.
Anyway, nice to meet you. If you have any further info please let me know.
Cheers, Reubencat

[c-side]

Hi Reuben

That extra detail is only available for C of E records in Northumberland and Durham from 1797 to 1813 because the Bishop of Durham at that time was an amateur genealogist and he required it to be recorded.  Sadly for us the records were standardised nationally in 1813 and we lost our lovely mine of information.

The research sites you are using rarely, if ever, add the extra detail but freereg does.

http://www.freereg.org.uk/

If the coverage is there - and it is for Ancroft - you might find even more of your family 

Christine

[reubencat]

Thank you Christine, that's really helpful!  I'll try that site, hasn't come across it before. It's quite exciting and addictive this genealogy isn't it? But there's so much to learn! Thanks again 😊

[c-side]

It's certainly addictive and there is more to learn than you can even guess at. 

Keep reading the threads and asking the questions - there's loads of knowledgeable people on here 

Happy hunting

Christine

[reubencat]

Hi Christine

Thanks for your message. I spent a few hours looking at the Freereg.org site and found a few interesting things out. My ancestor Ralph Watson is recorded, in his son, John's baptism record, as being a Husbandman (a tenant farmer I've discovered) and that his abode was a place called Unthank Engine. This is quite a peculiar name for a house isn't it? The 1851 census describes him as an annuitant living at Unthank Moor House. He's 72 by then. Do you think tenant farmers had pensions from the landowners in those days?

Best wishes, Reubencat