RE: Joseph Hedley - Joe the Quilter

[RNS]

I am trying to locate the birthplace and marriage of Joseph Hedley (Joe the Quilter) who was killed in Warden Parish in 1826. He married Isabel who died in 1817. I believe he was born in Simonburn Parish before it was broken up in 1818. I have checked most online sources (I think) and the readily available Parish Registers but with no success. I suspect he is 'missing' because when Simonburn Parish was broken up new records began for the new parishes, which start from around 1818. I think somewhere beneath that surface lies the evidence I need. I would appreciate any help.

[solidrock]

Is this his marriage?

Joseph Hedley  m  Isabell Barrow. 12 Nov 1811, St Andrew, Newcastle upon Tyne.

[RNS]

I am almost certain it is not, but thanks for looking. That Joseph Hedley was recorded as coming from St Hilda's in South Shields but I was unable to locate any birth for him between 1725 and 1755 - he was probably born in 1750(ish). I was also unable to find a birth for Isabel Barrow in St Andrews for the right time period - I couldn't find her at all in the Parish. She was 96 when she died in 1817 after an 8 year illness, which mitigates against a marriage in 1811. I will write a 'Reply' post for more detailed information and some suspects. Again, thank you for replying.

[solidrock]

what about this one?

 Joseph Hedley  m  Isabel Thompson.  15 Jul 1773, St Peter, Falstone.

[RNS]

I have some more information on potential Joseph Hedleys and some leads:

Joe the Quilter was 76 when murdered in Warden Parish. According to one source, he was on Parish Relief from Simonburn Parish from the time of his wife's death in 1817. If I understand the Poor Law of 1795 correctly then there were two criteria for issuing Parish Relief; one was the recipient had to be living in the Parish, the other was that they had to be born in that Parish. That means, Joseph Hedley must have been born in Simonburn Parish. However, he does not appear in the Parish Register, leading me to speculate on 'hidden' registers for those parishes that came from the break up of Simonburn Parish.

There was a Joseph Hedley baptized in John Knox (Presbyterian), Newcastle, in September 1749, but see previous point.

There was also a Joseph Hedley (Shoemaker) in Hexham who was the father of a Joseph Hedley who died in 1805. The father would have been old enough to fit the description, but nowhere have I read that my JH was a shoemaker - he was a well-known Quilter and also a failed Tailor in his youth. There is also no record of the Hexham JH dying in Hexham before 1851, which made me wonder if he moved over to Warden Parish on the death of his son?

A Joseph Hedley was indicted in Durham in 1796, but I think he is probably one of the 3 JH's I found online from Co Durham that might have fitted the bill, but they all have recorded burials and seem to have died better deaths than Joe the Quilter!

[RNS]

Joseph Hedley  m  Isabel Thompson.  15 Jul 1773, St Peter, Falstone.

Interesting, thanks! Do you have any baptism details for either of them?

[Radcliff]

Isabel Hedley
aged 96
buried 27th April 1817
abode Homers House, same place as Joseph lived so quite a bit older than he

[RNS]

Hello,

Regarding this entry: Joseph Hedley  m  Isabel Thompson.  15 Jul 1773, St Peter, Falstone.

Where did it come from? I searched the Parish Register today and there is a marriage gap between 1750 and 1778. I looked at the film and the original just in case. There is an Isabel Thompson baptized in 1725 in the Simonburn PR, which might make her 92 when she died rather than 96 but I think that is in the ballpark. I did not find Joseph Hedley in Falstone records, another frustrating day at the coal-face!

[RNS]

Hello,

Thanks for the reference: my question is, why did he marry someone so much older than himself?

Isabel Hedley aged 96 buried 27th April 1817 abode Homers House, same place as Joseph lived so quite a bit older than he