Bridget Walker b.1822 Cockfield

[AsH62]

Hi. Thanks to JMoo for suggesting that I start a new thread and post a link to the old one. The link is
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=551799.new;topicseen#new

I am trying to unravel the history of Bridget Walker b.1822 in Cockfield to Henry and Margaret who then all moved to Woodham Burn nr. Aycliffe. I think that Bridget married Thomas Stephenson in 1852 but the evidence also says that she was married John Chapman. There is only one Bridget Walker that I can find and so she is either a bigamist or I am very wrong. If anyone recognises her please can they help me!
Thank you
Alison

[Millmoor]

Hi Alison

The 1861 census seems to suggest that Bridget Stephenson was born in Heighington. An entry on A* select marriages has the marriage of Thomas Stephenson and Bridget Walker in Heighington 23 Aug 1852 with father named as Henry Walker. The parents of Bridget Walker b Cockfield 1822 are Matthew and Margaret Walker. This would suggest that Bridget Stephenson and Bridget Chapman are not the same person. It might be worth trawling through the bt's for Heighington to see if there is a baptism for your Bridget.

William

[Tickettyboo]

What are you basing Bridget's birth year and parents on? Is it from a baptism record/census data?
There is obviously some confusion over her, so if you can tell us how you know we can look at that and check from there.

Boo

[Millmoor]

Hello again

Census evidence would suggest a birth year of 1827 for Bridget Stephenson. The 1861 census has her mother Margaret Walker in the household age 60 and born in Ferry Hill. The preceding census has a likely entry for Bridget Walker b West Thickley 1827 with mother Margaret Walker age 50 b Ferry Hill and a widow. Also in the household are brother Henry Walker age 18 and a grandson of Margaret Walker aged 2.

William

[Millmoor]

And the 1841 census shows the Walker family in West Thickley in the township of Redworth with Henry 35, Margaret 40, William 16, Bridget 14, Margaret 12, Elizabeth12, Henry 7 and Ralph 20. This is the same location as in 1851. Interestingly the next entry is for another Henry Walker and his wife Mary. In 1851 he is recorded as 79 and a retired farmer.

William

[Tickettyboo]

Census refs for the Bridget who married Thomas Stephenson:

1841 in Heighington (on A*, family name transcribed as WALTER) Piece 304, Book 11, Page 3, down as age 14 therefore born c 1827, parents Henry (a farmer) and Margaret

1851 in West Thickley, Redworth, Piece 2382, folio 635, page 9
age 24, therefore born c 1827, mother Margaret (widow and farmer)

1861 in Walworth, Piece 3684, Folio 52, Page 4 Now Bridget Stephenson,age 34 therefore born c1827, Husband Thomas, mother Margaret (widow, formerly a farmer)

Boo

[Tickettyboo]

Having looked at the census detail posted in the other thread. I can only conclude that the Bridget who married Thomas Stephenson was a different lady to the one who married John Chapman.
No idea which of them is 'yours' but they are different people.

Boo

[AsH62]

Hi.
What a brilliant response, thank you.

Bridget's brother was my grt grt grandfather, Henry Walker 1812-1874. Henry farmed in Aycliffe at Low Copelaw farm but the Walker family is enormous in Aycliffe and the surrounding area so I have been plotting the extended family on my tree to make sure that I don't muddle different strands.

I was doing OK until I saw two potential lives for Bridget that could both fit. Henry (oldest) and Bridget (number 5) were two of 9 children, the first 6 were all born in Cockfield  and then the family moved in time for Mary (number 7) to be born in 1826 in Aycliffe nr Heighington. The baptism details for Bridget on Durham Records online say that she was baptised as follows '26 May 1822 Bridget Walker, of Stubgrove, daughter of Matthew (farmer) & Margaret Walker' at St Mary's church Cockfield. I am not sure where Stubgrove is because it doesn't come up on a map but it is definitely Cockfield in 1822 and not Heighington in 1827.

You are right they are definitely two people and thanks to you finding the 1841 census it is clear that that Bridget's father was Henry but my Bridget's was Matthew.

Bridget Stephenson was born in 1827 and so I think I have got the wrong one. I was swayed by having Stephensons in the family from Heighington who lived in Walworth and thinking they must be the same ones rather than looking closely at the dates.

Bridget Chapman had her two sons in Woodham Burn, in the 1861 census for Bridget Stephenson, it says that her mother Margaret was living with her as a widow, my Margaret was widowed in 1829 but then married again to Robert Wilkinson in 1836 living in Woodham Burn with a different name.
The only thing that doesn't fit is that Bridget Chapman says in both the 1851 and 1861 census returns that she was born in Langledale

This is making my head hurt, I was so muddled I couldn't make sense of it but this has really clarified it for me and it looks pretty sure that my Bridget was born in 1822 and married John Chapman despite not being able to find birth details for another Bridget Walker.

Many many thanks for all of the help!
Alison

[JenB]

From the thread you've linked to:

A marriage on FreeBMD, Darlington, Jul-Sep qtr 1843, Bridget Walker and John Chapman. Durham Council BMD site confirms the marriage.

1851 census, Yarm,
John Chapman, Head, Railway Lab., b. Aycliffe.
Bridget ", wife, 29, b. Langledale,
William ", son, 8, b.Woodham Burn,
John ", son, 4, b.Woodham Burn,
HO107/2383/116/33

1861 census,
10 Green St., Darlington,
Bridget Chapman, head, wid, 38, b. Langledale,
William ", son, 18, Fireman of Engine, b. Woodham,
John ", son, 14, Plumbers Assistant, b. Stranton,
RG9/3679/83/18

The free index at Durham Records Online shows the burial in 1864 of a Bridget Chapman aged 43 of Green Street.