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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Northumberland => Topic started by: Richard Knott on Saturday 23 August 14 17:44 BST (UK)
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Following my brief thread on Barmour, this is a little more complicated.
James Mather was quite an interesting man, having owned the Endeavour and at least one of the First Fleet that sailed to Australia, while running a whaling company. I'm trying to establish whether he was a cousin of Rebecca and Thomas Mather, particulalrly (see later) as they both moved to London from Northumberland.
1. When Thomas Mather (1736-1776/7) died, the executor of his will was James Mather. Thomas was the commander of the ship Pitt of London, who named (amongst others), his wife Margaret; and his mother and two sisters who lived in Newcastle).
2. Thomas' sister married Christopher Watson, a shipwright/boatbuilder, who invented the floating dry dock in 1785. Christopher Watson often built boats for James Mather who was something of a business partner.
3. James Mather named one of his daughters Frances, the name of Thomas and Rebecca's mother.
The last point is fairly unimportant, but it seems clear that James and Thomas/Rebecca were close, so it is possible that they were related, Mather not being a particularly common name.
James Mather's will (1796) mentions six children, his wife, and sister Margaret; and, through apprentice records it can be shown that James was the son of Alexander Mather, a farmer of Twizell, Durham, who had died by 1765. James' baptism is almost certainly the one in 1737 in Norham (2/3 miles from Twizell).
Thomas/Rebecca's baptisms - and those of their siblings - were in Newcastle from 1732-1741 children of Robert and Frances (nee Unthank) Mather.
Can anyone link Robert Mather of Newcastle with Alexander Mather of Norham? I can see some possible baptisms for each (such as Robert b 1706 Longframlington whose mother's maiden name is Unthank, the same as Robert's future wife, Frances), but not to the same father. Or shouldn't I be trying to link them? Perhaps it's all just a co-incidence of surnames.
Richard
Just to confuse the issue, a James Mather, son to Peter Mather, husbandman of Barmoor, was apprenticed to the original James Mather in 1770 in London.
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Not a simple five minute look up ,
You will have to research each family line to find a connection , if any,
one little note though, it was reported ,
one Alexander Mather , who was apprenticed to Robert Robertson a wright absconds from his place of work in Feb 1737,
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Not a simple five minute look up ,
Indeed, as I realise.
Apart from any comments on whether the link between the Mathers was likely I was looking for any sightings of Robert and/or Alexander in Northumberland, as I was finding it hard to see any.
Thanks for your mention of Alexander, although you don't say where it was. Interesting that yours was a wright (as was Christopher Watson), but 'my' Alexnader appears to be a farmer.
Richard
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The marriage of Robert Mather and Frances Unthank was by License. The License is on Familysearch. Robert is a bachelor, Gentleman, Frances is a spinster. Both of Newcastle All Saints. Marriage Bond guarantor was a Thomas Mather, a Currier/Tanner (its in Latin, Coriarium).
A Thomas Mather, Currier, died Newcastle 31 May 1764, aged 81. His Will is indexed on the Durham Wills website, and a copy of the will is on Familysearch. A wealthy man. Mentions various Ridley grandchildren and great grandchildren living in Newcastle and London, and son in law Thomas Gunn, but no mention of Mather children or grandchildren.
Alan.
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Excellent; thank you very much.
I had looked on Familysearch but thought it said there wasn't an image for the marriage. The will is new to me though (Thomas Gunn married Jane Mather).
Richard
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Richard,
To find the Marriage License :
On Familysearch you need to scroll down below the normal search facility to the map of the world and click on the map of Britain.
Then click on England.
Then click on Start Researching in England.
Then scroll down and click on England, Durham Diocese, Marriage Bonds and Allocations
and go from there.
It was the same day or a day or two before the marriage, I can't remember.
Loads of good stuff, parish records, marriage licenses and wills etc. on there. The wills are in the same place. Google Durham Wills project for the indexing to find them quicker. Let me know if you get stuck.
There is a Probate, also on Durham Wills and Familysearch, for the death of a Robert Mather, a Staithman, of Hewetts Burn, Newcastle All Saints, 1744. Probate in the name of his Widow, Frances Mather, also sponsors are John Mather, Tailor, of Newcastle All Saints, and Richard Brice, City of Durham, Gentleman.
Also a probate for a Christopher Mather, 1765, a Currier of Newcastle St. Nicholas. States he’s the son of Thomas Mather, Currier, deceased, and claiming probate are the same Thomas Gunn and Richard Ridley named on Thomas Mathers Will the year before.
Alan.
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Thanks again; all very helpful.
I'll look on Familysearch later.
R
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I've just read all the wills (I see they were put on fairly recently which might explain why I couldn't see them earlier) and it seems certain that my Mathers were in Newcastle itself for several generations, while James Mather's forebears were from the Berwick area. Somewhat surpisingly, therefore, it looks as if James M and Rebecca/Thomas M were distant cousins at best.
One unanswered question is how Frances and her five children survived when Robert died: the children were between two and eleven when he died in 1743, and Frances didn't remarry (as a 1767 will shows). One would have thought that Robert's wealthy father who had, according to a newspaper 'acquired a healthy fortune with good character', would have stepped in; and yet he didn't mention any of hem in his will. Was that the reason why three of them left for London? We will never know.
Richard
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A couple more possibilities.
Frances Unthank appears to be the daughter of Thomas Unthank, baptized Newcastle St. John, 13 August 1713. Thomas Unthank married Jane Forster, 6 Oct 1712, Newcastle St. John (by License again).
The probate record for Thomas Unthank of Newcastle, 5 March 1735. Claiming Probate are his widow Jane Unthank, Arnold Unthank - Yeoman of Nun Riding, Northumberland, and Robert Mather – Yeoman of Dents Hole, Northumberland.
There is a possible remarriage for Frances. By License at St Margarets Church Durham. Frances Mather, age 26, Widow, of St. Margarets, Durham, married Robert Turnbull/Trumble, 22, Bachelor, Clock Maker of Newcastle St. Nicholas. 9 July 1744.
5 years too young for your Frances, but she is marrying a younger chap so could have told a fib. Can’t see any other suitable earlier marriage for a Frances marrying a Mather. Frances must have had connections to Durham City, Richard Brice who jointly applied for Robert Mathers Probate was from there. Must have been a relative or a trusted friend.
Alan.
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Forget the second suggestion, just saw her probable burial.
22 Nov 1782. Newcastle All Saints. Frances, Widow of Robert Mather, Steathman.
Alan.
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Thanks for continuing to look. I'm going off at a tangent slightly as normally I confine myself to one generation in Georgian times (see link below) but this is quite interesting.
I hadn't thought to look for Frances' remarriage as her son's will of 1767 definitely refers to her as Mrs Frances Mather, but I will follow up your reference. Unfortunately, after a long break, work beckons, so time for genealogy reduces.
Richard
Added: ah - just seen your other post.
An interesting written account of the Unthanks here. It seems good, although it does have at least one mistake as it claims that Frances Unthank (later mather) died in 1729.
http://www.mocavo.co.uk/Proceedings-of-the-Society-of-Antiquaries-of-Newcastle-Upon-Tyne-1919-20-Volume-9/522527/753