Thomas Lockwood of Easingwold

[MarieC]

Hope someone can help me with this baffling situation!!!

My 3xggrandfather, Thomas Lockwood, b. 1781, was born and grew up in Easingwold, NRY, son of a well-established family there.  His father and older brother were both named William.  (However, he seems to have spent his adult life as a merchant in Hull.)

From various information we have, it seems certain that he married my 3xggrandmother Caroline nee Haworth, who came from Gamston, Notts.  We have not been able to find this marriage, however, either in Notts or Yorkshire.  But the IGI shows a marriage of Thomas Lockwood to Mary Tate in Easingwold in 1807, about the time that Thomas and Caroline's first daughter was born in Hull.  

I am trying to determine whether this was the same Thomas Lockwood (in which case he was a bigamist) or a different one.  Thomas L and Mary Tate seem to have had two daughters born in Norton, Durham.  Given that Easingwold was a village, it is tempting to think it is the same person.

Does anyone have any information which might throw light on this vexing question?

MarieC

[Pinetree]

MarieC,

I'm sure you've looked into these already but there are another couple of Thomas LOCKWOODs on IGI b. 1781 that could be candidates for the Easingwold marriage.  One was bap. Topcliffe by Thirsk and one in York both places are fairly close to Easingwold.

Have you been able to look at the actual register for the 1807 Easingwold marriage?  If not I could check it out for you some time.  As I'm sure you know, marriage entries from that period can be frustratingly uninformative but you never know.  There is also a possibility that banns may have been read in Easingwold for your Thomas and Caroline which could help to locate their marriage.  I can look into this for you as well if you haven't had chance to do it already.

If you think I can help please let me know.

Pinetree

[Pinetree]

MarieC,

I'm sure you will have seen this before but just in case the following link is to some MIs from Easingwold

http://www.yorkfamilyhistory.org.uk/easingwoldmis.htm

I thought it might be worth checking for your Thomas but he's not there.  The other LOCKWOODs may be of interest.

Pinetree

[MarieC]

Pinetree,

I'm in Australia, so I really thank you for your offer and would greatly value your help!  The only parish records I can search are microfilms from the LDS, usually of Bishops Transcripts.

There are three of us working on the Lockwoods, including a lady in Easingwold who has published diaries of Thomas's brother William, but my Thomas is proving the most elusive of them all!!  They have a lot of information about the others.

I had been told of those MIs in the Easingwold church, but hadn't seen that website.  I have now had a look at it!  I only discovered very recently (by searching the aforesaid microfilms) that my Thomas was buried from St Mary's Lowgate in Hull in 1828, so I think he probably lies in Hull, somewhere!  (Where, goodness only knows!)

The only thing with the other Thomas Lockwoods that I wonder is - why would they have married in Easingwold?  It was my T who came from an established Easingwold family. 

I think one of the others may have looked at the marriage record for Thomas and Mary Tate, and it didn't give any real clues.  But if you are looking at those records any time, it wouldn't hurt to check!

It would be great if you could search for banns for Thomas and Caroline.  Their first daughter Ann was baptised at Sculcoates in 1807, so they may have married in 1806.  Or, it's possible that they may have married later.  Their only surviving son William Francis Lockwood was born in 1808 and not baptised till 1816, so I have wondered if the baptism was delayed till after his parents' delayed marriage.  But I don't know.  It's more likely that this marriage was delayed if the other marriage WAS him!!!  The other thing is that Thomas had been in Hull for about 8 years, we think, by 1806, so possible that banns mightn't have been called in Easingwold, though his family was still there.

I have searched the films of Gamston and East Retford in Nottingham, where Caroline came from, and the others have had a look at Holy Trinity Hull and Sculcoates, without luck.  But we all noted missing years in the films, so it's possible that the marriage might be in one of these. 

Pinetree, I'd be most grateful for any help on this one.  I am currently searching for Thomas L's will, which may shed some light on his marital status, and will post here again if/when I find it.

Many thanks,

MarieC

[Pinetree]

MarieC,

It looks like the answers may well be in the Hull area which I am not very familiar with and don't have such easy access to the records for there.

I can help out with checking for a Will if it was proved before the York court though.  Have you followed this up with the Borthwick, if not let me know and I will see what I can do.

I think you mentioned somewhere that you had found children of Thomas LOCKWOOD and Mary TATE.  Again I'm sure you've thought of this already  but have you been able to trace this family on 1841 census? 

I really hope you manage to sort this one out 

Pinetree

[MarieC]

Hi Pinetree,

I have a kind person checking in the Borthwick for me for the will - should know soon if it is there or not.  I have already checked the East Riding Record Office by email, and they say they haven't got it.  Will let you know if the Borthwick draws a blank!

Haven't checked the 1841 for the two daughters of Thomas Lockwood and Mary Tate, as it is quite likely they would have been married by then, and also I am still not sure if the marriage is my Thomas!  Tryiing to work out the marriage (s) is my focus at present.

I have Thomas living in Hull, and his death there.  My reason for posting on this board was a wild hope that someone could shed light on the Easingwold marriage, but I know it is a wild hope!  Still hoping to find details of his marriage to Caroline, but that will not be Easingwold, I think, and I am at a complete standstill with that one!

Many thanks,

MarieC

[Pinetree]

MarieC,

Well I can't think of any new avenues that you haven't tried already.

With the 1841 census I thought that if you could find Thomas and Mary together it would at least prove this was a different Thomas.  Not that easy I know with the brief details given in 1841 - maybe an outside chance of finding them in 1851 

It's so frustrating isn't it, the answer must be out there somewhere but where    Thinks a Will is the best hope at the moment - fingers crossed 

Pinetree

[MarieC]

Actually, Pinetree, that is true!!!  I hadn't thought of looking for Thomas and Mary together on 1841.  See, I knew you would come up with a new angle for me!  I have been looking at this for so long that I can't see the wood for the trees!

Don't have access to that census myself, but I will find someone who does, and get them to check!!

Will let you know about the will and the Borthwick as soon as I know!

Many thanks,

Marie

[Pinetree]

MarieC,

Another thought about the baptisms of the children born in Norton, Durham.  I notice from IGI that mother Mary's maiden name is given, this might indicate that this is a Dade Register.

I don't know if you've come across these before, they were used mainly in Yorkshire (but also some neighboring counties) from late 1700s to early 1800s.  They can give quite a lot of family details including names of grandparents for baptisms.

I just wonder if it is worth checking out the one for the eldest child in 1809 because if it is a Dade record it may give some more clues as to the identity of father Thomas.

I think Durham Records Office would have the Register, their e-mail is:

Record.Office [at] durham.gov.uk

Pinetree