Surname change conundrum!

[Jomot]

It doesn’t particularly help with the name change, but I wondered if this might be Mary Ann in 1871, servant to John & Jane Thompson in Beaumont Street, Stockton. RG10/4903/118/22
Mary A Jackson 22 General Servant (Domestic) b Stockton.  Deaf.

If so, there is an article in the South Durham & Cleveland Mercury 1 Dec 1877 and also the Northern Echo of 27 Nov 1877 concerning a middle-aged man named Neil Ferguson, riveter at the shipyard, brought up at the South Stockton (aka Thornaby) Police Court for an aggravated assault on Mary Ann Jackson, who was described as of weak intellect, and deaf.   Ferguson’s wife was an invalid so he had engaged Mary Ann – an inmate at the workhouse – to attend on her and act as servant. There had been an argument over a pawn ticket, and he had attacked her. 

In 1881 Mary Ann is at Cross Carrol Street, which is right next to the workhouse.  The address for the Mary Ann in 1871 is Beaumont Street, which is very close by.  On this map you should see Carrol Street at the bottom, next to the workhouse, with Beaumont Street towards the top, connecting Station Street & Major Street.

https://maps.nls.uk/view/101100488#zoom=6&lat=4150&lon=7282&layers=BT

South Stockton (aka Thornaby) is just across the river (and therefore classed as Yorkshire) and there were regular ferries, the most well-known being Kelley’s or Kelly’s Ferry.  Although taken c1910, this gives you some idea: https://www.pbase.com/image/112738295

ADDED: Just done a quick search on Neil Ferguson, and in 1891 there is a 19-year old of that name living at Carr Street, Thornaby as step-brother to John DUFFY.

In 1881 the same Neil Ferguson, born c1872, Sunderland, is living in South Stoneham, Hampshire as the son of Neil & Ann Ferguson.  Lodging with them is a 22 year old Thomas DUFFEY, born c1859 St Peter's Northumberland.

Possibly a coincidence, but perhaps not??

[Pennines]

Jomot -- that is an amazing piece of work. Well done.

I don't think we can ever really know, but that sequence you uncovered is certainly a possibility.

[Jomot]

Thanks Pennines - it is intriguing isn't it? 

I've repositioned the map slightly so you can see Carr Street on the other side of the river, at the bottom of the map.  On the 1891 census for the young Neil Ferguson you'll see that on the next page the last entry for Carr Street is the Ferry House, occupied by the Kelley family I mentioned earlier.

https://maps.nls.uk/view/101100488#zoom=5&lat=3503&lon=7690&layers=BT

[Pennines]

More and more intriguing now -- the Kelly/Kelley name as well, with the maiden name of the mother of that Patrick Daniel Duffy in 1877, being a Kelly.

 Those maps are amazing by the way.

[andgalcas]

Wow thank you all so much - RootsChat strikes again! I have just got home from work and read through the new posts and done a little bit of digging... I am still trying to make sense of what I have found but I think we may well be on the way to cracking this! The maps are fantastic too, as someone that doesn't know Stockton it gives me a sense of how close this all was to the workhouse which seems to be a central point to this story...

So my Daniel Duffy/Jackson lived from about 1902 in Barry, South Wales until he died. When I followed the said Neil Ferguson Juniour (b 1872) Sunderland to 1881 and 1891 census as suggested he is living with Thomas Duffy in 1881 and then with a John Duffy in 1891. Now, this gets interesting... on the 1911 census he is then living in Barry, South Wales with Thomas Duffy (who he was living with in 1881 in Hampshire) and is down as step brother. How much of a coincidence can it be that my Daniel moved to Barry from the North-East where Thomas had been living for the past few years? - also interestingly Daniel was a boiler maker by trade as was Thomas. Now... does that mean Thomas is his father? Or is he his uncle? The plot thickens!

I still can't find any further records of Mary Ann Jackson past 1881 however it may be worth me contacting the records office in Durham to see if I can view their workhouse records when they re-open as if she was deaf/mentally unwell it could be she returned there hence my Daniel ending up in an industrial school.

Any further suggestions on where to look for more info would be much appreciated and thanks again for your contributions!

[Jomot]

The maps are great, aren't they?  My Dad's family were from the Thornaby side of the river and my mother's family lived on the Stockton side, so I'm quite familiar with the area.

Unfortunately I think the workhouse records for Stockton don't go back that far, but there may be something else of use: https://www.rootschat.com/links/01qe8/

I've been looking for any earlier signs of Mary Ann to see if that might help in tracing her forwards, and it's possible that in 1851 she is at Low Worsall with grandparents John & Ann Jackson.  John aged 40 born Lofthouse (Loftus), Yorkshire, and Ann aged 40 born Wolviston, Durham.  Mary Ann is aged 2m and her PoB is Kirklevington.  Immediately above her is a visitor named Hannah Jackson aged 40, unmarried & born Lofthouse (Loftus).

If this is the correct Mary Ann then Hannah is her mother:
Baptism 8 Jun 1851, Kirklevington, Mary Ann d/o Hannah Jackson, Kirklevington, Single Woman

JACKSON, MARY ANN (no mmn) GRO Ref: 1851  M Quarter in STOCKTON  Volume 24  Page 301

I haven't been able to locate Hannah or Mary Ann in 1861.  Ann is a widow by 1861, living in Guisborough but with her PoB written as Wolsingham, Durham. 

This may be a completely unconnected family, but I thought they were worth mentioning in case they do tie back somehow. 

[andgalcas]

That is great, thank you again so much! It always helps when someone knows the area. The maps are going to be a handy resource!

I plan of visiting the records office in Durham when I can to review any records that they have for the workhouse in Stockton.

I've had a look at that records you suggested and think it may be her. I've found her aged 10 on the 1861 census living with her aunt Jane. I haven't been able to track Hannah any further though.

I'm trying to track down what happened to both John Duffy and Thomas Duffy - I've discovered John went on later to have a son called Daniel Duffy so it makes me think that Thomas is more likely to be the father. The search continues though for further info...

[Jomot]

Again, possibly a coincidence, but in the York Herald 27 Sep 1877

STOCKTON
THEFT OF TOOLS - At the Stockton Borough Police Court yesterday, a man named Thomas Duffy was sent to gaol for 14 days with hard labour for stealing some shoemakers tools, the property of Thomas Longstaff.

In the 1881 census Thomas Longstaff, a 29 year old boot maker, is living at 21, Bridge Street, Thornaby.  I know exactly where that is, as my GG Grandfather was living at No. 35!

I've changed the map view again so that Carr Street is at the top, and Bridge Street is at the bottom, just below the Cleveland Flour Mills, which were very well known around here, and known locally as the 'Clevo'.  Even I remember them!

https://maps.nls.uk/view/101100488#zoom=5&lat=2679&lon=7720&layers=BT

Possibly places Thomas in the right area at the right time....

[WolfieSmith]

There is this family in 1861 census in Walker, Newcastle.

Patrick Duffy, 30, Bricklayer, b. Sligo, Ireland,
Susan Duffy, wife, 28, b. Derry, Ireland
Margaret Duffy. dau, 8, b. Glasgow.
Daniel Duffy, son, 6, b. Glasgow
John Duffy, son, 4, b. Glasgow
Thomas Duffy, son, 2, b. Newcastle
Susan Duffy, 1 wk, b. Walker

Mothers maiden name for Thomas on the GRO website is Kain, for Susan (Susanna) its Kane. Baptism for Thomas on Familysearch is 11 Nov 1858, Newcastle, parents Patrick Duffy and Anna nee Kane.

Cant find them in 1871, but then there is this marriage in South Shields, 17 April 1876.

Neil Ferguson and Susanna Duffy, maiden name Kane.

So that could be the widowed Susan Duffy from from 1861 marrying Neil Ferguson Snr from earlier posts.

Neil Ferguson Jnr, born Sunderland 1872 has mothers maiden name Cain. So unless the Cain/Kane surname is a big coincidence, that would make the Thomas Duffy from earlier posts a half brother to Neil Ferguson Jnr. Birth is before Neil Ferguson married Susan but people sometimes told marital fibs.

The fact that Thomas Duffy has an older brother called Daniel Duffy might be significant.

One small problem with the Daniel Jackson birth, 21 May 1878, is that on the 1939 register Daniel Duffy gives his date of birth as 2 Sep 1877. But perhaps he didn't know when he was born since everything else about Daniel Jackson seems to fit.

Alan.