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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Durham => Topic started by: EBrand on Tuesday 23 February 21 23:40 GMT (UK)
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Hi all,
I have found an illegitimate baptism for my 3rd great grandmother Sarah Alice Hope in Houghton le Spring, Durham. This was Oct 8th 1837. I'm still waiting on birth cert to arrive from GRO to clear up parents names as on the GRO index her birth is listed as being Sarah Alice Hope Jackson, with Jackson being the surname.
Aside from that, I was intrigued at the baptism record - Sarah Alice's mother was listed as Mary Ann Hope, and her abode listed at 'Halfway House'.
What is a 'Halfway House'? I did a quick google search and there were two possibilities, it being a place of rehab and reform, like the modern connotation, or it simply being an inn midway between two towns.
Which is it likely to be in Durham, 1837?
I would like to clear this up to add a little more context to my ancestor's life.
Thank you,
EB.
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Hi
From this
https://www.twsitelines.info/SMR/326
It suggests that it was a place between Houghton and Newbottle
Gadget
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Thanks so much for that Gadget,
That’s awesome!
EB
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I can't see it on a map, however there are advertisements for a farm for sale called Halfway House (and another Horsely Hill), "in the occupation of John Hunton and Henry Stratford" near Ryhope in 1830.
Saturday, Feb. 13, 1830, Newcastle Courant
And another for a farm called "Wall house, near the Halfway House in Ryhope Lane, near Bishopwearmouth" in 1840.
Saturday, Sept. 12, 1840, Newcastle Journal
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Also this
The first houses were located close to the colliery in Low Row (later to become Blue Row), Jewitt’s Row, Back Row, Green Row and High Row. The houses which formed the four rows at High Moorsley were not built until the 1860s Rows 1-3, and Westgarth’s Row. High Row housed the officials. Opposite the school was a group of 5 houses known as the “Half Way Houses”, (i.e. half way between Low Moorsley and High Moorsley) . The church was set back about 15 feet from the road with a h ard stand 10-12 feet wide leading from the road to the entrance of the church. On the lower side some 20 feet from the end of the church was a rough dirt track which ran alongside the gable end of the uppermost Half Way House.
http://www.hettonlocalhistory.org.uk/villageatlas/The%20Hetton%20Village%20Atlas%20sections%2019%20to%2021.pdf
I've not found it on the maps either, Maddy.
Gadget
Add -I used to live between Durham and Houghton when I was first married :)
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There is also an inquest at "The Halfway House, Houghton le Spring" in 1866.
Friday, Nov. 2, 1866, Newcastle Courant
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I think that this last one maybe different Halfway houses as these are nearer Hetton than Houghton, I'll stick with the Houghton-Newbottle one.
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There is also an inquest at "The Halfway House, Houghton le Spring" in 1866.
Friday, Nov. 2, 1866, Newcastle Courant
There is mention of there being a few pubs by the name. Was the inquest in a public house. It was quite common for inquests to be held in PHs.
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Unfortunately it doesn't mention what the establishment was, though I agree, inquests were often held in Public Houses . The article does say that the jury "retired to the Workhouse", however that may have been to interview one of the inhabitants, related to the case.
Modified to add:
There are a few newspaper articles mentioning the "Halfway House [Inn], Ryhope-lane" - in the 1860s and 1870s, so a bit later I guess. :-\
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Hi EB,
Its interesting GRO has Sarah as Sarah Alice Hope Jackson but FreeBMD as Sarah Alice Hope.
Her Mother appears to have been buried 17 May 1838 St Michael, Houghton-le-Spring
MARY ANN Hope age 18
At this stage I cant see a Bpt for Mary Ann but there;
SIMON HUNTER Hope 16 Aug 1816 St Mary Gateshead (buried 9 Jan 1842 age 26)
JAMES ROBERT Hope 5 Aug 1827 St Michael Houghton-le-Spring
Parents WILLIAM/HANNAH
Fathers occp Cordwainer
James is on 1841 Census
Thomas Jackson 25 Shoemaker
William Hope 50 Shoemaker
Hannah Hope 55
James Hope 13
Sarah Abie Hope 3
Mary Jane Briggs 4
MARY JANE Briggs bapt 19 Feb 1837 to THOMAS/JANE, Father a Cordwainer
Thomas married Jane FOUTHROP 22 Mar 1830, William Hope** was a witness
All above on FreeREG
Aaah looks like from Familysearch other children were born and bapt Whickham;
HOPE, Parents WILLIAM/HANNAH
THOMAS HENRY 27 November 1814 (birth 16 Oct 1814)
SARAH HUNTER Hope 27 September 1818 (birth 29 Aug 1818)
MARY ANN 11 Dec 1820 (birth 24 Nov 1820)**********
So there is your Mary Ann!
Just looked at 1814 Bapt again, Father William HOPE/Mother Hannah HUNTER
Cant find a Marriage for William/Hannah pre 1814 though.
Its strange though that Sarah Watsons Aust Death Reg has her Mother as Sarah.
It depends who the informant was on the D/C I suppose as to their knowledge.
SARAH HUNTER Hope was buried 29 Jun 1821 Whickham age 3 (FreeREG)
Trish :)
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Unfortunately it doesn't mention what the establishment was, though I agree, inquests were often held in Public Houses . The article does say that the jury "retired to the Workhouse", however that may have been to interview one of the inhabitants, related to the case.
If they 'retired to the Workhouse' , it might be somewhere in this location, just to the north of Houghton on the Newbottle side:
add - wkhouse and PH marked on this map:
https://maps.nls.uk/view/101099621#zoom=5&lat=1586&lon=5977&layers=BT
Add 2- Ryhope is a way from Houghton, Maddy - about 6 mls to the east, near the coast.
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The baptism, that the OP refers to is on Durham Records Online:
St Michael and All Angels, Houghton-le Spring
8th Oct 1837 Sarah Alice Hope of Halfway House, born 15 Sept 1837,daughter of Mary Ann Hope (spinster)
In 1841, the occupiers were a John Scott and family -
Moorsley, H-le-S - HO107/312/15/16/27/
so this would suggest it was the group of houses that I mentioned in Reply #4 I found them on the OS maps earlier but can't see it so far.
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Here we are- one of the houses here:
https://maps.nls.uk/view/101099780#zoom=4&lat=5430&lon=5590&layers=BT
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:D
Better map
https://maps.nls.uk/view/102341560#zoom=7&lat=4635&lon=12330&layers=BT
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I expect you have, but in case you've not, seen the entry in the parish register for Mary Ann's baptism:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-XCH3-2Z1?i=466&wc=9K5Q-6TP%3A13618101%2C33056201%2C33056202&cc=1309819
on right hand page, 11th Dec 1820.
Add - and Sarah Alice 8 Oct 1837, Houghton
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-673S-FZG?i=324&wc=9K59-YW5%3A13618101%2C26770701%2C27071601&cc=1309819
on right hand side
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:D
Better map
https://maps.nls.uk/view/102341560#zoom=7&lat=4635&lon=12330&layers=BT
Oh well done Gadget, I looked and looked yesterday but must have just missed it!
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Oh my goodness I feel so bad,
I didn't even get a notification for these replies!
Thank you all for your time and effort in decoding and deciphering the Halfway House issue. It was a matter of curiosity as the modern connotation immediately sprang to mind upon seeing it!
I have managed to look at all the baptisms for William and Hannah's children except for their first in 1814, Thomas Henry Hope, I didn't manage to find that one. Sarah's mother Mary Ann died really young, aged 18 so I'm not surprised that on the death certificate the son (the informant) didn't know the mother's name. He also didn't know the father's first name, only the surname and occupation.
In August 1827 William and Hannah had another son John Robert, and they were living in Newbottle at that time so they could have been at that 'halfway house' place when those skeletons were found that you mentioned earlier, Gadget.
That map that you posted is brilliant. I zoomed out a bit and found Four Lane Ends, where William and Hannah Hope, along with Thomas Jackson, Sarah Alice Hope, Mary Jane Briggs and James Hope were living in the 1841 Census.
Another thing I couldn't work out was the relationship between Mary Jane Briggs' parents Thomas Briggs and Jane Fouthrop, to the Hope family, as William Hope was a witness to their marriage (as Trish found) and Mary Jane Briggs is with the Hope family in the 1841 Census. Also Trish, I will have a look at FreeREG!
Thank you all for your help, and I'm really sorry I didn't get back to you sooner! I wish the notification system was better :(
EB
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Trish,
I've been looking at the Diocese of Durham's Bishops Transcripts on Ancestry for Whickham, where I can't find Sarah Hunter Hope's burial record in 1821. Also, I was able to find in this same record most of the baptisms for the children in Whickham and Gateshead, except for Thomas Henry Hope. :)
EB
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A Halfway House in Modern American -
A halfway house is an institute for people with criminal backgrounds or drug abuse tendencies to learn the necessary skills to re-integrate into society and better support and care for themselves.
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Hi EB.
I havent looked at Bishops Transcripts only on FreeREG as I posted so only quoting what volunteer transcribers have put on there.
I am in OZ so just help here and there but leave it up to others to find the actual images for their Trees.
Which I am glad to see you have done.
Trish :)
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Hi EB.
I havent looked at Bishops Transcripts only on FreeREG as I posted so only quoting what volunteer transcribers have put on there.
I am in OZ so just help here and there but leave it up to others to find the actual images for their Trees.
Which I am glad to see you have done.
Trish :)
Hi Trish!
After lots of searching I eventually found the images I was looking for. All of the children died quite young which is really sad, apart from Thomas Henry as I still haven’t found a record of death for him. But thanks so much for your help, I am in Oz too!
EB
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Here, on the Isle of Man, there were a number of establishments called "Halfway House".
They were coaching inns, situated obviously halfway between 2 towns.
There are 3 mentioned in "A Time of Manx Cheer" - a history of the main brewery here.
Others changed their names over time; but a few still have "Halfway House" painted on the gable ends.
There is also the "Rest And Be Thankful", halfway up the hill out of Ramsey, towards Laxey!
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Bishops Transcripts -
https://www.familysearch.org/search/image/index?owc=https://www.familysearch.org/service/cds/recapi/collections/1309819/waypoints
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Also Durham Records Online.
https://www.durhamrecordsonline.com/
You need to register. To get full info, you have to pay - either credits or a sub - but you can get some info by a free search.