Bolts burn

[Millmoor]

Are you certain that the Hannah Ward at Bolts Burn in the 1841 census is the correct Hannah? The reason I ask is that there is another possibility in that census for the Hannah identified as having been baptised in Medomsley . (There appear to be only 2 records for a Hannah Ward b Durham age 15 in the 1841 census).

Township of Chopwell at Black Hall in Winlanton there is a 15 year old Hannah Ward listed as a servant and born in Co Durham. Interestingly this is on the very next page of the census to the entry for Alexander and Isabella Fraser at the paper mill.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQBD-RJ7


William

[Jomot]

A possible marriage for Hannah is in 1855 to Edward Johnson.

In 1861 they are in Benfieldside, and in 1871 they are in Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, with Hannah's PoB as Shotley Bridge - just a few miles from Medomsley. They have a daughter named Isabella.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M783-DGB
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VB87-X22

[Samiluca]

Cheers William, I have that Hannah also and I’m wondering if I’ve been side tracked by the bolts burn Hannah . The Hannah that I believe is mine is born In Medomsley to a mam called Hannah. There is no more information. Then that same Hannah turns up in the workhouse with Elizabeth and Ann . Ann my great grandma ends up in benfieldside with her 6 kids and no man. Her son Henry my grandad was a miner then a police man in Durham. He is well documented as he was killed in the First World War in Belgium.

[Jomot]

in 1901 Hannah Johnson nee Ward is with her daughter Isabella (now Brown) in Consett and gives her PoB as Medomsley:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSHT-NVB

[Samiluca]

Ooh I’m looking at that as the browns always get a mention. Supposedly Ann is living with the browns in her early years !

[Samiluca]

I think that Hannah Johnson nee ward is mine but I suppose now I’m back to square one ie who are behind Hannah ward of Medomsley 1826 and how is she a ward

[Jomot]

There's always the possibility that the baptism register has the incorrect mother's name, and that Isabella was her mother, not 'Hannah'.  I've seen similar things happen, and it would make sense of the census where Ann is Isabella Fraser's granddaughter.

ADDED:  It may be worth getting Isabella's death certificate to see who the informant was.  If you're very, very, very lucky it might say Hannah Johnson, daughter.

FRASER, ISABELLA  aged 70  GRO Reference: 1872  J Quarter in DURHAM  Volume 10A  Page 218

[Samiluca]

Hello all, the weeks have gone on and I am almost of the conclusion that my Hannah Ward is the illegitimate daughter of Isabella Fraser so Ann Ward was her granddaughter. I have discounted the Bolts Burn Wards and now think the Blackhall Mill Wards are my lot. Jomot you said that Isabella Ward was a spinster when she married Alexander Fraser. If Hannah was illegitimate this would be true It is too much of a coincidence that a Hannah ward would be a servant in a neighbouring house in the 41 census and not be Isabella Fraser (nee Wards ) illegitimate child. For the last three weeks I’ve been trying to find anymore information on Isabella Ward but there is not much on ancestry. It seems that Isabella Wards paternal grandparents were from Yorkshire. Whilst I love Yorkshire I am gutted as I had a lovely romantic view of 10 generations of the Tyne valley  he he ! Any help from anyone on the wards of blackhall mill around 1820 - 1870 would be really helpful. I think beautiful Blanchland belongs to someone else’s family.

[Samiluca]

I’m back a couple of years later now and hundreds more hours in and only a little bit more the wiser. I believe that Hannah is the daughter of Isabel and that they gave the false name of Hannah . I have since done a dna test and have lots of close relatives who are Stobbs ...a name I was not familiar with. However, there were a big family of Stobbs from Allendale who were well established Primitive Methodist preachers . My guess is that Stephenson Stobbs or his father fathered the illegitimate children of either Isabel, Hannah or Ann. Amy information on the Stobbs family would be appreciated. As Allendale Cottages were not built in 1826, Hannah May have been born in Allendale, Northumberland and then baptised in Medomsley.