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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Dave Wardle on Sunday 04 December 16 12:45 GMT (UK)
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Hello
I'm trying to find more information about Samuel Hallam my 3 x great grandfather, father of Reuben Hallam (Author of Wadsley Jack).
I have his birth date of 1867 in Sheffield. He married my 3 x great grandmother in Bradfield in 1810. They had 5 children, Reuben being the last in 1820.
Samuel is reported to have died months after Reuben was born.
Samuel possibly had a previous marriage to Mary Sykes around 1799, and they possibly had three children, Sarah, William and Frederick.
Could anyone confirm any of this, or add any further information ?
Thanks in advance.
Dave
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I have his birth date of 1867 in Sheffield.
Typo here I think - did you mean 1767 or another year?
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Reuben's birthdate was 30 Dec 1819 according to his baptism transcript (baptised at Sheffield Parish Church on 16 Apr 1829 to Samuel (cutler) and Hannah, per Sheffield Indexers).
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Well spotted, and you are absolutely right, it is a typo, I have his birth date as 1767 in Sheffield.
Thanks
Dave
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Hi
Looking at the marriage register 1799 and the Samuel Hallam to Mary Sykes entry ~ this Samuel Hallam signed the register.
The 1810 marriage ~ this Samuel left his mark in the register. It also does not state if either party was single or widowed.
That's not to say he didn't marry previously though :(
claire
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If Reuben was born December 1819 and Samuel supposedly died shortly after there is this burial. But the age is way out.
Samuel Hallam of Stanningham, buried 25 July 1820 St Nicholas Church Bradfield AGED 42. giving a birth year c1778.
The Samuel Hallam born 1767 was buried 7 years later on 18 Feb 1827 aged 60 at Sheffield, Cathedral Church of St Peter & St Paul , Samuel a cutler of Whitecroft Sheffield.
claire
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AVM ~ Reuben bpt. 16 April 1829 ~ that maybe transcribed wrongly ~ the baptism year in the register is 1820
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Thanks very much Claire.
I think you must be right about the possible previous marriage, looks like that one is a red herring, why would he sign one and not the other, well detected and thanks for that one.
I had the burial in Sheffield in 1827 too, the information about his death months after Reuben's birth comes from an obbituary to Reuben in a Sheffield newspaper on 14th November 1908, perhaps the newspaper got it wrong?
Another piece of information that I forgot to mention is that Samuel was possibly a Sergeant-Armourer in the Derby Militia, How would I go about investigating Samuel through that connection?
Thanks again Claire, much appreciated.
Dave
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According to the National Archives the Derbyshire Militia Rolls are held by the Derbyshire Record Office ~ there is an online catalogue you could search.
There are a few articles on Reuben in the newspapers, one which suggests that 'Wadsley Jack' was written on his own life experiences. Have you seen any that could help on your quest with Samuel ?
I am looking, but there are lots of Samuel Hallams about ::)
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Interestingly there is a record of a Samuel Hallam born Sheffield 1785 who was discharged from service in 1809 by being unfit ( from a gun shot wound )
Cutler by trade
Served in the 1st Battalion, 7th Foot.
claire
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The above Samuel Hallam can be ruled out - he signed the form on closer inspection.
:(
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Thanks Claire, I'll investigate the Derby Milita records too.
Regarding Wadsley Jack, I have a description of the book written in a letter from his daughter Ellen to the sheffield telegraph in 1940, she writes - "it was written at the request of Sir W Lang, for a special object, which was to get the Telegraph read more widly in the country districts, which were that time the stronghold of the Independant. so my father made his hero a travelling cutler, pushing his "barrah" through the districts, and on his way meeting with humerous adventures in each village, which caused the people to buy the supplement on friday in order to see what Jack was going to do in their village the next week. It achieved it's purpose, and became so popular with the working classes that my father had it published in book form"
The book is written in old yorkshire dialect and so is very difficult to follow, I don't have a copy but I have seen one and tried with great difficulty to read a bit of it. It is thought to be based on his own life experiences, he lived an interesting and colourfull life and travelled quite a bit. It was written in 1881.
Going on this description, I think it would be unlikely to contain reference to his father, but who knows and it cerainly would be a chalenge to find out.
Thanks again for all your help Claire.
Dave