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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Dorset => Topic started by: r_hanger on Wednesday 30 July 14 00:27 BST (UK)

Title: Strangeways
Post by: r_hanger on Wednesday 30 July 14 00:27 BST (UK)

An ancestor has the middle name of "Strangeways" and I have been told he was a "Strangeways Child". Has anyone heard of this ? He was born in Maiden Newton in 1896.

RH

Title: Re: Strangeways
Post by: Richard Knott on Wednesday 30 July 14 09:36 BST (UK)

Strangeways is not an unusual surname, so it's probably just the name of an ancestor. Perhaps someone has just confused the prison in Manchester with the surname and assumed there was a prison birth, as Manchester is quite a long way from Dorset

Richard

Title: Re: Strangeways
Post by: r_hanger on Thursday 31 July 14 02:43 BST (UK)

Thanks for your reply, but sure this is a Dorset "thing" !

Title: Re: Strangeways
Post by: lizdb on Thursday 31 July 14 08:59 BST (UK)

Even just looking at the years immediately around 1896, there are several births of children with a middle name Strang(e)ways , all over thge country, so it isnt confined to Dorset. In fact, I cant even see (your) one in Dorset!

Title: Re: Strangeways
Post by: Newberrychaser on Sunday 12 October 14 21:52 BST (UK)

Strangeways is definitely a medieval name.  I m a medieval historian studying the Newburgh family.  There is plentiful information about them in medieval Dorset, and my Newburghs were married into this family.

Title: Re: Strangeways
Post by: r_hanger on Sunday 12 October 14 23:34 BST (UK)

Thankyou for your interest and reply.

Title: Re: Strangeways
Post by: jeffro on Sunday 18 January 15 21:48 GMT (UK)

HMP Manchester is Strangeways prison. I hope there is no connection though!