Isabella Little of Bewcastle 1815

[FairyJane]

Hello, This is my first posting so unsure of what to expect...
I've been unable to find the baptism of Isabella Little who, according to her later census entries was born about 1815 at the FLATT, Bewcastle, Cumberland. She married Joseph Hewitt1815 of Brampton at Gretna 22.5.1839 (by Simon Lang, witnessed by Robert Armstrong) and went to live at Shawfields, Thirlwall near Denton where they had William1840, Joseph1843(my ancestor) and Thomas1846. They then moved to South Shields and had John1852 and George1857 in Boldon where they lived at Wood House in 1861. Joseph Hewitt must have died between then and 1871 when Isabella is a widow. Isabella married again in S Shields(marriage actually Newcastle) in 1874 as Isabella Hewitt to John Robinson, a widower from Brampton. On that marriage her father is given as THOMAS LITTLE. There is a Thomas Little, linen weaver, living at MUCKLEYEAT at the Flatt, Bewcastle in 1841 and 1861 as born 1775 who may be her father and it looks as if he might have been married to Mary (possibly Atkinson?). Thomas and Mary may have Betty1806, Margaret1810, John 1810 and Jane1818 but no sign of ISABELLA's birth. No sign of Thomas's death or burial and no sign of any of the Hewitt children's baptisms or even registrations that I can find. My grandmother hinted about Quakers in the family so I have wondered if that is the reason I cant find them - but so far nothing on any Quaker records. This summer we went to the very spot in Bewcastle and found a heap of stones where Muckleyeat stood. I'd love to know if anyone can shed any more light on this family.

[jim1]

Hello & Welcome
First the Hewitt children:
Births Jun 1857 
Hewitt  George  S Shields  10a 467

Births Sep 1852
Hewitt  John  S. Shields  10a 367

Unfortunately you've picked a generation that are unlikely to be with parents in 1841.
Eloping means you're not going to get a Little witness to narrow it down.
Naming father as Thomas may be correct however she may also have made it up if she was illegitimate.
I notice in Bewcastle there is an Isabella Little Baptism in 1817, mother Ann no father listed so may be her.
I don't think you'll ever be sure unless you look at the actual Parish Register & see if any of Thomas & Mary's children have been missed.

[FairyJane]

Thank you Jim.
There are some circumstantial things that make the family look right but no proof. Her 'sister' Jane Little's child Mary1840 is with Thomas at Flatt in 1841 and again in 1861 as a housekeeper. Jane later married James Little of Stapleton and had more children including a Thomas, a sibyl and later an Isabella in Simonburn. Rather neatly the second Isabella turns up in Boldon too as a cook in 1881.
I'm wondering if Thomas the elder may have gone to live with Jane ?? in great age as one died in the Hexham area in 1864. Jane and James are near Hexham in 1861. All circumstantial though.
In 1841 Isabella and Joseph Hewitt are listed as Hewart in Thirlwall which comes under Haltwhistle.
Thankyou for the later birth regs! At least something was official.
There are two Thomases in Bewcastle which complicate things - one 1775 of John and Margaret and one 1781 of Simon and Isabella. I think it's the first but once again I can't be definite.
I even wondered if Thomas might have been Thomas the Piper of Gretna but fairly certain he's not.

[jim1]

If Thomas had been at Gretna he'd more likely be Thomas the Pooper.

[FairyJane]

Ha ha!

Here's a thing ref the witness at Gretna though. A Robert Armstrong...and a Robert Armstrong, mason, is living in the same house, Shawfield, as the Hewitts(Hewarts) in 1841. Two in fact, father and son, both masons. So many Armstrongs - it could all be just a huge coincidence.

[jim1]

I noticed Robert Armstrong & I would say yes he was.
I also noticed a James Little 2 doors away but not Jane's husband to be.

[FairyJane]

Yey!

Yes I'd seen the Littles there too and also Bells. Joseph Hewitt's mother is likely a Mary Bell who married his father William in Lanercost but there are LOADS of Bells in the area, as well as Armstrongs and Littles. Like fish in the sea!

My Grandma used to tell me tales of border rievers and that "they" eloped to Gretna Green. As she lived in London at the time it all seemed like stories - but, apart from the quaker link, so far astonishingly the stories have some substance.

[jim1]

Border reivers were a bit earlier.
May be they married in Gretna because someone objected to the marriage although she was over 21.
On saying that Quakers were usually quite tolerant of marriage outside of their faith.