John Potter (1779) black ancestor

[majm]

Gadget makes important point re his mum. 

Some years ago our local fh group were asked to help find an ancestor who was believed to have non European heritage,  due to photo 'proof'.   We found the photos ,,,, sepia,,,,,  and we found a nee surname .... Blackall.  The enquirer then  searched through an  out building and located the pastoral books and the full names of the employees along with their ships of arrival to the colony of NSW,  Australia.  This was pre DNA kits advertised as a tool for family historu buffs.   I recall that enquirer saying 'Blackall ,  All Black,  slip of tongue ' 

JM

[rubymelia]

Toxeth Park

John, Son of Jn^o Potter, Husbandman and Anne, his wife was born Octo^r 2^nd and baptized October 24^th 1779.

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/ToxtethPark

JM

ruby,

It might be worth looking for other children born to this couple.

I did not bother re-reading your other threads relating to John Potter, but I agree with Shaun that if you haven't already done so, you should make a concerted effort to trace the author of that newsletter article to see where he got the information/quote about John being "coloured". The original source, whatever it was, may contain some more information.

Hi I managed to get into contact with the author and he supplied me with an amended version of the Chester Chronicle 1824 detailing a feud between John Potter "a black sailor" and their neighbours the James' about racial language towards their children. However the author said he ha not looked any further down the line and didn't intend on doing so either.

[rubymelia]

My transcription from an image of a baptism in the register of/for Garston, St Michael and uploaded to a commercial family history website...

Toxeth Park

John, Son of Jn^o Potter, Husbandman and Anne, his wife was born Octo^r 2^nd and baptized October 24^th 1779.

So it seems that John's parents were likely to be tenant farmers in 1779 

https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/ToxtethPark

nothing to show the baby was born outside of Toxteth Park or its surrounds.... Certainly nothing to show baby was born 'overseas' 

JM

Could Ann have been the black/'coloured' person rather than the father?

I thought that perhaps however my mum said that she thinks that both of John's parents probably were black as it would have been extremely rare to have a mixed race couple at that time.

[majm]

Not sure Jen,  but it is the one associated with a public tree that also links the newsletter referred to in this current and earlier threads.

JM

[youngtug]

[/quote]
I thought that perhaps however my mum said that she thinks that both of John's parents probably were black as it would have been extremely rare to have a mixed race couple at that time.
[/quote]
 It seems it was not such an unusual occurrence.;
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/pathways/blackhistory/intro/intro.htm
 
 and

 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-18903391

[Gadget]

Agree with YT - that's why I suggest that it could be the case.

[ShaunJ]

Hi I managed to get into contact with the author and he supplied me with an amended version of the Chester Chronicle 1824 detailing a feud between John Potter "a black sailor" and their neighbours the James' about racial language towards their children.

I remain very sceptical about this - where is the evidence that this John Potter is your ancestor?  The newsletter article quote is  "a coloured man" not " a black sailor" so is there some other source?

I have been unable to find the Chester Chronicle report you refer to - what is the precise date please?

[JenB]

Hi I managed to get into contact with the author and he supplied me with an amended version of the Chester Chronicle 1824 detailing a feud between John Potter "a black sailor" and their neighbours the James' about racial language towards their children.

I will be accused of pedantry, but I'll say it anyway: if John Potter was indeed working on the canals in the 1820's, as detailed in the CCHT article, is it likely that he would be referred to as a 'sailor'?

[rubymelia]

Hi I managed to get into contact with the author and he supplied me with an amended version of the Chester Chronicle 1824 detailing a feud between John Potter "a black sailor" and their neighbours the James' about racial language towards their children.

I remain very sceptical about this - where is the evidence that this John Potter is your ancestor?  The newsletter article quote is  "a coloured man" not " a black sailor" so is there some other source?

I have been unable to find the Chester Chronicle report you refer to - what is the precise date please?

I have attached the document the author of the original article sent me. I too tried to find the 1824 article but failed. All the dates and names of wife etc all match up to mine and their locations.