Joseph Wallace and Jane Foster

Joseph Wallace was born on 18 August 1857 in Tow Law, Durham, England. He was the son of Thomas Wallace (1809-1875), a labourer, and Margaret Nixon (1811-1883).

Thomas and Margaret had at least eleven children (that appear on the census with them).

Joseph was baptised on 20 March 1858 at nearby Thornley, Durham.

Joseph appears in the 1861 census living at Mr Morden’s house, Wallsend quay with his parents Thomas and Margaret and brothers Thomas, William James and Joseph and sister Margaret. His father Thomas is a foreman at the Blast Furnaces, and his brothers Thomas and George are factory labourers.

Ten years later in 1871, aged 13 he is living with his parents and siblings Margaret and niece Margaret Ann, living at 17 Union Street, Jarrow, Durham.

Joseph married Jane Foster on 13 March 1881 at St Johns, Seaham Harbour, Durham. He gave his residence as the Blast Furnaces, and Jane at South Railway Street.

The 1881 census was taken on 3rd April 1881. I haven’t been able to find either Joseph or Jane – they are not with her father (at sea) or her mother Barbara (Dawdon), Joseph’s father is dead and they are not with his mother Margaret (Dawdon). I can’t find them in Seaham (which where they should be).

Jane Foster was born on 5th March 1861 at 3 Blandford Place, Seaham Harbour (right near St Johns) to parents Thomas Foster and Barbara Cole. Her father Thomas was a master mariner. She was baptised at St Johns Seaham Harbour.

Joseph and Jane had nine children –

1. 1882 Thomas b Seaham Harbour, d 1972 Felton marr Mary Westwick
2. 1884 Annie b 1884 Warrenby, d 1942 Warrenby marr Andrew Jemson
3. 1886 John b 1886 Warrenby, d 1890 aged 3 Warrenby
4. 1888 Barbara b Warrenby, d 1975 Redcar not married
5. 1890 John ‘Jack’ Joseph b Warrenby, d 1886 Eston married Jenny Covell
6. 1894 Charles Wm b Warrenby, d 1979 Middlesbrough married Mary French
7. 1896 George Grey b 1896 Warrenby, d 1896 Warrenby
8. 1897 James b Warrenby, d 1936 Warrenby
9. 1900 Josephine b Warrenby, d ?

 

They pop up again in the 1891 census living at 67 Tod Point Rd, Coatham, Warrenby.

33 year old Joseph is working as a blast furnaceman at the Ironworks. They have three children with them – Thomas, Ann.

 

 

Joseph died on 27 May 1899 at Warrenby and was buried on 30 May 1899 at Christ Church, Coatham aged only 41 leaving Jane with seven children to support.

In the 1901 census the family are living at 10 Coney Street, Coatham where widowed Jane is working as a confectioner. With her are children Thomas, Annie, Charles and James.

On census night in 1901, 12 year old daughter Barbara and 9 year old son John can be found boarding at the Sir William Turner Hospital and Free School in Kirkleatham.

Kirkleatham is the birthplace of Sir William Turner who was Lord Mayor of London in 1669. He gave most of his fortune to found the Sir William Turner’s Hospital in June 1676. In present day, it is an independent charity almshouse.

Jane must have struggled with all those children to support on her own and on 5 January 1903 she married 38 year old widower Edward Elijah English in the Registry Office at Guisborough. Jane was 39. They gave their residence as Coney Street, Warrenby. Edward was also a blast furnaceman.

 

Edward was born in 1864 in the town of Kettlestone, Norfolk, England.

He was baptised on 9th June 1867 in Little Snoring, Norfolk, to parents John, a labourer and Jane English.

 

By 1911 Jane is living with her second husband Edward English and two sons Charles and James. Edward is a ratchet man at the ironstone mine, and son Charles is a horse driver at the mines. Edward is at school. Jane is living at 16 Back Row Furnace Cottages in Carlin How in the same house as her daughter Annie, her husband and two children. It must have been a squash in a five room miners cottage.

Jane died at 2 Teal Street, Warrenby on 3 November 1925. She was buried in the Coatham Cemetery on 6 November 1925 aged 64.

Its possible that Edward Elijah English died in the Huddersfield registration district of Yorkshire in 1931.

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