Seeking BEARD watermen

[Emjaybee]

There is infromation that the Beard family (Thomas and Eustace) were one of the last to work boats down the Severn out of Coalbrookdale.

Is anyone researching this line please? My lot settled in The Rhydd, Worcestershire some time after 1800.

Mike

[bristolloggerheads]

Thomas Beard's Day Book is at Shropshire Archives although you'll need to check with them whether it can be issued due to the condition. This is his diary from the 1830s. For background see Colin Green's book "Severn Traders"

Peter

[penbex86]

Hello there!!!

I am connected to the Thomas Beard through his grandson, George Stephan - whom sailed on the boat with him between Coalbrookdale and Bristol. They were on ships called 'Trows' - the last remaining being on display at the Blists Hill Victorian Musem.

unfortunately, I have had a phonecall from the Archives today and the Alderman Books (which contain the Diary of Thomas) that I was planning to view tomorrow are no longer for public viewing. They're in a bad state of repair and any further public viewing may make them unrepairable - so I have been advised by Liz Young that I cant view it. REALLY disappointed but said she would keep in touch if matters changed! Unfortunately, no-one ever got photos of the diary, so it's just not plausable to get any sort of viewing at this time...

You can also view the book by Barry Trinder, Barges and Bargeman - (from the library) - which I am yet to do but Thomas is mentioned in there a fair bit apparently.

I have managed to get a fair bit of exciting stuff for Thomas if you want to email me, I can send it all over.
I'm in the midst of packing to move house but have a few bit of stuffed saved to my computer.

Thomas was the 'Last of the Severn Trowmen' to survive. My ancestor, George, sailed on a ship called 'The William' with him, as he pretty much brought him up (because his father - another George! - moved to Worcester to live with his new wife).

 I even have a picture of what I believe to be them aboard 'The William'. I also have census records for them 1881-1901. After being Master of the Barge, Thomas and George went on to run the General Gordon Public House. This was located in the Werps - opposite Coalbrookdale. I managed to get a map and old picture of this from Broseley Local History - because the place no longer exists. (my Dad got his middle name of Gordon because of the pub). The Gordon pub stayed in the Stephan family for some years before it (apparently) subsided into the River Severn!

I have recently had an email from a Mike Beard (literally yesterday!) who is also researching the Worcester line of Beards! I'm sure he wouldnt mind me passing on his email!

[penbex86]

William...

[penbex86]

..

[madeley]

The werps was at coalport not coalbrookdale it is about midway between the boat inn and the woodbridge on the south side of the river as you say its gone now but if you get hold of a copy of images of england south telford there is a picture of the General Gordon pub in there hope this is of use to you .

[penbex86]

Sorry, I meant Coalport. Slips of the tongue!
I got photos from Broseley Local History website, thank you x

[SeaBee23]

Hi
I contacted Shropshire Archives last Summer to view Thomas Beard's diary (Alderman Jones Notebooks) and was also told the document was not available for viewing.
One wonders who makes these decisions, who has access to this stuff?
Regarding Thomas Beard from the trow William in the 1881 census, do you know who his father was?
 I have a Thomas Beard son of John and Mary Beard who was baptised on 22nd September 1811 at St Nicholas Gloucester. The 1841 census lists him as a waterman age 30 living at Priest Yard, Gloucester, he had a wife Harriet Beard age 25.

Chris

[penbex86]

Hi Chris

Unfortunately they told me the same thing and said it would cost a fair amount of money to bring it back to a standard that would make it viewable again... I even suggested perhaps they take pictures of each page just to make it at least accessible in electronic format but she didn't think that would be possible either. Shame... we may never get to read it!!

I was retracing the steps of my ancestors, the Stephans - got sidetracked a bit with an earlier ancestor, Pierre. I've since started back at Uni, so the family research has had to take a back burner until the Summer!

However, I know from the census records that Thomas was married to a Mary Annie (1871). The 1881 census records Thomas as being a widower, age 63. Making his year of birth 1818. I've attached screenprints of the census records for you.

I'm PRETTY sure that this line of Beards were in Coalport for some time as there are various local (broseley) newspaper extracts relating to the Beard family.

However, as watermen, they obviously went up and down the Severn between Coalport and Bristol - so needles to say that they would of spread along this stretch of water!

...and like my family, (who ALL seem to be called Peter or George Stephan!) held the family name. I just did a search on freebmd and there are numerous Thomas Beards around this time.

Moderator Comment: census images removed for copyright reasons - see http://www.rootschat.com/forum/copyright.php.