This story was recorded by Meg Stephenson All the information given is verbatim through Irene Stewart. All opinions are hers but she did call “a spade a spade”. Meg recorded them in good faith
Once upon a time there were two brothers
William Stephenson (1832 – 1892 died aged 60 years) and
George Stephenson (1845 – 1925 died aged 80 years)
Their father William was described as a “gentleman” (on Georges marriage lines). He must have had a bit of money because both brothers were in business on the fish quay, north shields and maybe the money to start them off came from the father. Their mother was called Sarah Riggs according to a sketchy family tree drawn up to prove Kate Stephenson’s family connection to “granny Garfitt” from whom she inherited money. Mrs Garfitt is prominent in a lot of the photographs. (Another relation of Mrs Garfitt, Mary Galley, who had a wet fish shop in South Shields got nothing, in fact Kate did not even inform her of Mrs Garfitts death till Kate and her daughter had cleared the house of any valuables)
Meg Stephenson in 1987
I had a great problem for many months in that I could find neither a marriage record for William Stephenson and Sarah Riggs, or the birth record of Williams elder son, William Stephenson (born 1831). In addition, the 1851 Census gave Sarah’s birth date as 1817 – much to young to have given birth to William, so Sarah was probably William’s second wife.
Finally, after getting access to a great website which has scanned copies of original parish records for many areas of Europe, I found not only an earlier marriage, but also christening records of children and the burial record of Williams first wife – Eleanor Davison Wharrier.
Once upon a time there were two brothers
William Stephenson (1832 – 1892 died aged 60 years) and
George Stephenson (1845 – 1925 died aged 80 years)
Their father William was described as a “gentleman” (on Georges marriage lines). He must have had a bit of money because both brothers were in business on the fish quay, north shields and maybe the money to start them off came from the father. Their mother was called Sarah Riggs according to a sketchy family tree drawn up to prove Kate Stephenson’s family connection to “granny Garfitt” from whom she inherited money. Mrs Garfitt is prominent in a lot of the photographs. (Another relation of Mrs Garfitt, Mary Galley, who had a wet fish shop in South Shields got nothing, in fact Kate did not even inform her of Mrs Garfitts death till Kate and her daughter had cleared the house of any valuables)
Meg Stephenson in 1987
I had a great problem for many months in that I could find neither a marriage record for William Stephenson and Sarah Riggs, or the birth record of Williams elder son, William Stephenson (born 1831). In addition, the 1851 Census gave Sarah’s birth date as 1817 – much to young to have given birth to William, so Sarah was probably William’s second wife.
Finally, after getting access to a great website which has scanned copies of original parish records for many areas of Europe, I found not only an earlier marriage, but also christening records of children and the burial record of Williams first wife – Eleanor Davison Wharrier.
William and Eleanor married in Christ Church North Shields on June 5th 1831.
Chapter 4
2 opmerkingen:
So, now I am intrigued. Who is Kate Stephenson?
Hi Bev,
You will have to wait until I get everything uploaded - there were a lot of members of the family!
Een reactie posten