Glagow Town Crier/Bellman

[stevejgarton]

Hi
I have a two fold look up request concerning my ggg grandfather William Levett/Levitt who was a bellman in Hull for many years from 1830's-1870's, and one of his daughters, Ann, who according to all records I have, census etc  was born in Glasgow sometime between 1825 - 1831 (age discrepancies on census records, and marriage and death certs). I would love to find out the DoB for Ann and also if there is any info regarding her father as the town crier at the time.

TIA
Steve

[ColC]

A John Levett, or near to it, married in Glasgow in 1826 and that is one of the rare sightings of the name on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk

The only Ann born in the period father William below:

LIDDELL ANN parents WILLIAM LIDDELL & ISOBEL THOMAS Age 1   14/09/1828   
Cathcart, Glasgow

The only other Ann, just in case she may for some reason have been adopted:

LEVEN ANN parents NEIL LEVEN & ANN CAMPBELL    22/01/1827   Glasgow

I note on the 1841 census Ann was recorded as age 15, her siblings above and below, both born in England, 17 & 10.

Colin

[stevejgarton]

Thanks Colin but nothing there seems to fit. The census records put her as born c1826 apart from the 1861 which shows her 2 years younger, when she married in 1859 she gave her age as 28 so born c 1831 and her death cert in 1880 gives her age as 54 hence around 1826, hence the question mark over when she was born.

[hanes teulu]

Hull Advertiser & Exchangee gazette, Fri 15 Apr 1836
BELLMAN, MARKET KEEPER etc
Mr Gresham rose to move the appointment of a bellman. He had received a memorial, signed by about 100 respectable persons, praying that Levett, the present bellman, might be continued in office. He moved that William Levett be continued in the office of bellman upon the same terms as at present he enjoys it.
Mr John Lovitt seconded the motion.
Mr Woolley suffested that Mr Gresham should withdraw his motion until they had a report from the Officer's committee on the subject.
Mr Gresham objected to withdraw his motion, as the man had done his duty, and there was not a single complaint against him.
After some conversation Mr Gresham's motion was carried unanimously.

[hanes teulu]

Same publication, 22 Jan 1836
"The Mayor said application had been made to the Treasurer for the following sums; Francis Tadman, surveyor, a quarter's salary, £62 10s; William Levett, bellman, a quarter's salary, £2 10s; ...."

[hanes teulu]

The Hull Packet, 12 July 1833, carries an announcement that William Levett was appointed bellman on 9 July 1833.

Re. the Scottish birth, I wondered if William might have been in the army. I've checked the Glasgow PO Directories around the 1830s but no mention of a Levett/Levitt.

[stevejgarton]

Thanks Hanes very interesting background info on William. 
 
I was aware that he was a bellman in 1833 as I have a copy of a letter he wrote to his employers in 1866 asking for a pay rise, in which he stated he had been the bellman for 33 years. He was still employed in 1871 at the ripe old age of 79 according to the census.

William had 11 children as far as I have ascertained, the first four were born in Hull, then Hannah in Bristol 1824, Ann in Glasgow 1826, both facts come from census records, then 5 more born in Hull from 1830 onwards.

Just found the entry for his marriage in 1815 in which he gives his occupation as Carpenter.