The Dobsons of Whitehaven

[Genie24]

Does anyone have any information about a Dobson family from Whitehaven. My husband's grandfather John Dobson was born in Whitehaven. Census records show different dates of birth for him 1861-1867. The 1867 date fits his date of death in December 1946 aged 79. The only birth record I can find for a John Dobson in Whitehaven is 1862. I can't find him on any census records prior to moving to Sunderland, Durham the first being 1891 living in Seaham Harbour working as a coal miner. He married Catherine Hagan (nee Kenny) on 28th June 1890 at Sunderland Register Office. On the marriage certificate his father is named as Henry Dobson - Brewer. There is a possibility that his full name was John Henry Dobson. Their children were Patrick, Mary. John, Elizabeth, Edward, Alice Veronica and Nora. Patrick, my husband's grandfather, was killed at La Boisselle on the first day of The Battle of the Somme. His brother John was killed in Belgium the following year. Alice Veronica and Nora emigrated to the United States. Mary's daughter Monica Lynch emigrated to New Zealand. Elizabeth and Edward remained in Sunderland.I think Henry was probably born in Ireland as many Irish landed at Whitehaven. I would love to find a record of him and John's mother. There are many marriage records of a Henry Dobson which is a very common name.

[clayton bradley]

1881 RG11 5185 30 53
Henry Dobson lab 43 in Whitehaven, 1 Atkinson's Building wife Elizabeth 42 dau Hannah 18, William 17 Isabella 12 John 9 James 7 Mary 6 Tom 2 Henry 1
1871 Henry lab born Bootle wife Elizabeth son Miles 12 Ann 11 Hannah 8 William Robert 7 Isabella 2
1851 Henry living in Bootle
Robert Dobson 40 Elizabeth 9 Henry 13 Eleanor 7 Betty Dockerah 30 Joseph Norman 19
best wishes, cb

[clayton bradley]

There are several trees online with Robert Dobson 1811-1877 which take you back to 1750 where I think they all stop. It looks as though your John is an Englishman after all, cb

[Genie24]

Thanks! I have already looked at those. I made the mistake of taking information from other people's family trees and went back to 1150!! Then I thought I had better check before I reveal all to my husband's family and discovered that it's the wrong John. The birth date was way out. It's still all in my tree until I can find the real identities of his family. Bootle is not far from Whitehaven so was feasible. I think Henry arrived in Whitehaven where John was born then probably moved away straight away in search of work. I know he was a brewer in 1890 and there was a big Vaux brewery in Sunderland so he may have also moved there for work. It's very hard to find information with such a common name. My husband's family have been unable to help me apart from telling me that John, in his youth was a Whitehaven wrestler. I am assuming just an amateur.

[elzabels]

I have DOBSON in my tree in the Millom / Bootle area they were millers linked into KITCHIN & KIRBY  all inter related

[Genie24]

Thanks. Do you have a tree on Ancestry? I put in a search for Dobson, Millom, Cumberland and it has brought up some records that could be worth pursuing. I have found another John Dobson born in Whitehaven in 1813. He was a master mariner, married in 1838  to either Elizabeth Pearce or Mary Ann
Harrison. He died in Whitehaven in 1891. Probate to Nathaniel Smythe Dobson. Probably completely unrelated but at least another line of enquiry. 
Julie

[elzabels]

Hello
No tree on ancestry, I am of the paper & pencil era and have just never got round to loading it on ...my research is dated 1986!!

I have a Henry DOBSON b 1837  s/o Robert DOBSON & Ann PENRICE at sometime living at Kiskin Bootle

I too have the DOBSON = FREARS marriage

These famillies take time & patience as they are so interwoven .  hqve looked the the trees on line and most with the content seem to be accurrate from a baptism at 1774. However the family were farmers / grocers / drapers.

[Genie24]

I first had John's father as Robert Dobson and mother Eleanor McKnight then realised he was more likely to be the son of Robert's son (Henry) to his 2nd wife Elizabeth Phizaclea. I think most other people did too. However, their son John was born in 1873 which is way out. I keep going round and round in  circles. I don't think I will ever find him.
Julie

[Genie24]

That should read 2nd wife Anne Penrice. Their son was married to Elizabeth Phizaclea. I am unable to take it out of my tree without messing everything up. It is all so confusing.
Julie