Kate Burdis b. Trinidad & Tobago

[Kerrywood]

You just beat me to it. Robert Edward is on the next page.

Still looking for Kate, though .....

[AdeleE]

You just beat me to it. Robert Edward is on the next page.

Still looking for Kate, though .....

You're more awake than I am. I hadn't looked at the other side of the page!

Yes, some work to do to either include or exclude this family.

[Kerrywood]

Here's another possible BLACKWELL relative ...

1861 census (record held by TNA, Crown copyright)
RG9; Piece: 3875; Folio: 63; Page: 17
Main Street, Newbiggin, Northumberland
Jane Johnson Head Un 50 Proprietor of Houses born Devonshire Plymouth
Emily Johnson Neice Un 27 born Swanse ?
Laural L Johnson Niece Un 18 born Northumberland Newbiggin
Julia D. Blackwell Visitor Un 32 born West Indies Trinadad
Agnes Richardson Serv Un 17 General Serv born Northumberland Newbiggin

(JOHNSON being the maiden name of Thomas Eden BLACKWELL's wife Elizabeth ...)

[AdeleE]

Another interesting bit! Julia D. Blackwell appears to be Julia De La Tour Blackwell. I'll research her and these Johnsons & see where they lead.

[Michele04]

Further to Carol's find, these would seem to be the details

Gentleman's Magazine 1832 (vol. 152)
MARRIAGES
April 26 - In Tobago, Capt. Blackwell, eldest son of Major-Gen. Blackwell, C.B. to Elizabeth, only dau. of the late Francis Johnston, esq., of Norton-street, Portland-place, London.

The Major-General apparently attended Charterhouse School. A partial view of the Register via Google Books shows his father Ebenezer BLACKWELL was a banker. This study of the BLACKWELL family, Grasshopper in Lombard Street includes a brief family tree (p. 66), claiming that Nathaniel Shepherd Joseph James BLACKWELL and Jane (née JARVIS) had two sons and two daughters.

A patron submission to the IGI for their marriage in Winchester in 1801 is supported by other published sources.

There are extracted IGI entries for the baptisms of two of their children in Winchester (William Whitehead BLACKWELL 1807, Jane Mary BLACKWELL 1811). The above book claims that a second son was called Robert Edward BLACKWELL who died 1872, but FreeBMD and the National Probate Calendar have 1878.

Cambridge Alumni has entries for both William Whitehead BLACKWELL and Robert Edward BLACKWELL, the latter born in 1804 in Quebec but not actually stated to be the Major-General's son. Both these men initially went into the Church, but only Robert Edward appears in Crockford's 1868 directory.

I'm not sure if this gets us any further with Kate. In the GRO overseas indexes I can't see a record of any BLACKWELL birth in the West Indies in the right timeframe.

Thankyou all so much.

I have relatives on the Burdis side with the name Eden, so it looks like you all may well have hit on something here.

I downloaded the will of Major General Nathaniel Shepherd Joseph James Blackwell which did indeed name his wife as Jane daughter of the Honourable Thomas Jarvis Esq. President of her majesty's council on the island of Antigua. This ties in with the Jarvis link found by Kerrywood. I am going to look at the censuses to see if I locate a birth or other information for Thomas Eden Blackwell.

[Kerrywood]

Thomas Eden BLACKWELL was baptised in Quebec in 1803 and died in Bath in 1845.

Another, totally different, theory will be coming along shortly -- if you can just hold on for while.

[Kerrywood]

What follows is a joint offering from Adele and myself. It's a theory, supported by census evidence, which might suggest further avenues for research.

I apologise for the length, but it is quite complicated and there are a lot of census transcripts. I have split it into two posts.

Kate BURDIS (née Blackwell) has already been found in 1871 and 1881. She is aged 45 in both censuses (post #6 above).
1871 - RG10/1629 folio 76 page 29 (West Ham, Essex)
1881 - RG11/5017 folio 84 page 27 (Westoe, Durham)
(references to records held by TNA)

We think Kate was born about 1827 in Trinidad and her parents were Edward Charles BLACKWELL and Charity (probably JOHNSON). No birth/baptism record has been found, and at no time is she found in a census with either parent. But evidence from census returns and family connections are encouraging.

No marriage has been found for Edward Charles BLACKWELL and Charity. Census evidence suggests that Charity may have been Charity JOHNSON, born in Plymouth Devon in 1802, daughter of Robert JOHNSON and Jane. Charity apparently died between May and November 1836 in Preston, Lancs. (see below).

Edward Charles BLACKWELL and Charity probably had the following children:
* Catherine/Kate M. J. BLACKWELL, born abt 1827 Trinidad (census evidence)
* Julia Delatour BLACKWELL, born 29 Aug 1828 Trinidad (died 11 Mar 1911 buried City of London Cemetery, & census evidence)
* Mary BLACKWELL, born abt 1831 (possibly bap 24 Apr 1831 Newbiggin Northumberland - IGI patron submission needs verifying)
* Amelia BLACKWELL, bap 5 Dec 1832 Preston Lancs. (IGI extraction & census evidence)
* Edward Frederick Delatour BLACKWELL, born abt 1834 Preston Lancs. (census evidence & his daughters' marriages)
* Louisa Charity BLACKWELL, born 31 May 1836 Preston Lancs, bap 11 Nov 1836 from Great Avenham Street, father National School Master, mother recorded as "the late Charity" (IGI extraction, LancsOPC & census evidence)

In 1840 Edward Charles BLACKWELL apparently married Eleanor THOMPSON (bap 4 Aug 1814, Warkworth, Northumberland) in Alnwick registration district, which covers Warkworth (FreeBMD Dec Qtr 1840, Alnwick vol 25 page 261).

Edward and Eleanor had at least the following children (FreeBMD and census evidence):
* Thomas John Delatour BLACKWELL, born 1842 Newbiggin Northumberland
* Eleanor Louisa Phillis BLACKWELL, born 1844 Newbiggin Northumberland
* Eliza Caroline BLACKWELL, born 1846 Newbiggin Northumberland
* Charles William BLACKWELL, born 1847 Newbiggin Northumberland
* Arthur Henry BLACKWELL, born 1853 Limehouse Middlesex

These are the census returns found for Edward Charles BLACKWELL and family.

(census records held by TNA, Crown copyright).

1841 census
HO107/836 book 18 folio 3 page 1
Newbiggin by the Sea, Northumberland
Edward BLACKWELL 42 Agent N ( = not born in Northumberland)
Ellen BLACKWELL 27 Y
Mary BLACKWELL 10 Y
Amelia BLACKWELL 9 N
Edward BLACKWELL 7 N
Isabella THOMPSON 22 Y
Maria PERCY 35 F(emale) S(ervant) Y

Possible 1841 census
HO107/847 book 4 folio 50 page 16
(School) Leazes Terrace, Newcastle St Andrew, Northumberland
Catherine BLACKWELL 14 N

1841 census
HO107-836 book 2 folio 7 pages 8-9
Field House, Acklington, Warkworth, Northumberland
Thomas THOMPSON 57 Farmer Y
Jemima THOMPSON 57 Y
Jemima THOMPSON 25 Y
James THOMPSON 25 Y
Thomas THOMPSON 22 Y
Eliza THOMPSON 15 Y
William THOMPSON 13 y
Julia BLACKWELL 12 F(oreign parts)
Mary CARR 20 F(emale) S(ervant) Y
(Thomas and Jemima THOMPSON are Julia's "step-grandparents" -- the parents of her stepmother Eleanor Thompson BLACKWELL.)

To be continued ...

[Kerrywood]

... Continued from above

In 1851 the family are in 3 different counties -- Northumberland, Middlesex and Devon.

1851 census
HO107/2420 folio 113 page 4
East Field, Seahouses, North Sunderland, Northumberland
Ellen BLACKWELL Head Mar 36 Agent (Brewery) Wife born Warkworth
Amelia BLACKWELL Daur U 18 born Lancashire Preston
Thomas J. D. BLACKWELL Son 8 born Northumberland Newbiggin
Ellen L. P. BLACKWELL Daur 6 born Northumberland Newbiggin
Charles W BLACKWELL Son 3 born Northumberland Newbiggin
Mary PERCY Servant U 47 House Servant born Northumberland Rothbury

1851 census
HO107/1548 folio 39 page 17
56 Lucas Street, St George in the East, Middlesex
John NEWMAN Head Mar 50 Mariner born Middlesex Wapping
Jemima A. NEWMAN Wife Mar 42 born Northumberland Acklington
Jemima B. NEWMAN Daur 3 Sunderland [shd be North Sunderland]
Edward C. BLACKWELL Visitor Mar 51 Com(mercia)l Traveller born Devonshire Appledore
Edward F. F. BLACKWELL Visitor 16 born Lancashire Preston
Elizabeth E. NEWMAN Daur 3 born Middlesex Shadwell [whose daur ???]
(Jemima NEWMAN is Edward's sister-in-law -- she was Jemima Ann THOMPSON and the sister of Edward's wife Eleanor)

1851 census
HO107/1880 folio 253 page 6
58 Union Street, East Stonehouse, Devon
Edward BLACKWELL Head Widr 75 Superannuated Shipwright born Devon Barnstaple
Fredrick BLACKWELL Son U 43 Carver & Gilder born Devon Devonport
Catherine BLACKWELL Niece* U 24 Trinadad West Indies (British Subject)
(* actually niece of Fredrick and granddaughter of Edward - see below)

============

The 1861 records Catherine as Eleanor's stepdaughter, which has been key to structuring the family. The father Edward is again away from home, this time in Plymouth.

1861 census
RG9/289 folio 48 page 39
5 Pigott Street, Limehouse, Middlesex
Eleanor BLACKWELL Head Mar 46 Brewers Travellers Wife (absent) born Northumberland Acklington
Catherine M. J. BLACKWELL Step Daur Un 34 born West Indies (British Subject)
Amelia BLACKWELL Step Daur Un 28 born Lancashire Preston
Thomas J. D. BLACKWELL Son Un 18 Bankers Clerk born Northumberland Newbiggin
Eliza C. BLACKWELL Daur 15 Scholar born Northumberland Newbiggin
Eleanor L. P. BLACKWELL Daur Un 16 Daily Governess born Northumberland Newbiggin
Charles W. BLACKWELL Son 13 Scholar born Northumberland Newbiggin
Arthur H. BLACKWELL Son 7 Scholar born Middlesex Limehouse
Charlotte JOHNSON Niece Un 20 born Northumberland Morpeth
Maria PERCY Servt Un 57 House Servt born Northumberland Allerton

1861 census
RG9/1441 folio 109 page 2
(Hotel) 23 Union Street, Plymouth St Andrew, Devon
Edward C. T. BLACKWELL Lodger Mar 62 Commercial Traveller born Devonshire Porlham? ( = Parkham?)

For the sister Julia in 1861, please see post #35 above

============

The IGI has an extracted baptism for Edward Charles BLACKWELL on 25 Apr 1799 at Northam Devon, parents Edward BLACKWELL and Peggy (possibly LANG). This couple may have married on 27 May 1798 at Barnstaple Devon (IGI patron submission, needs verifying).

IGI extracted baptisms for possible siblings of Edward (all in the Plymouth area) ...
William Delatour BLACKWELL 1801
Samuel Lang BLACKWELL 1803
Thomas BLACKWELL 1805
Frederick BLACKWELL 1807.

Edward BLACKWELL senior and Peggy are found still living in Plymouth in 1841

1841 census
HO107/2768 folio 5 page
Union Street, East Stonehouse (Plymouth)
Edward BLACKWELL 65 Shipwright Y
Peggy BLACKWELL 70 Y

and in 1851 Edward sr is still there, with son Frederick and niece Catherine (see above * ).

According to the Probate Calendar, Edward Charles BLACKWELL died in Leicester Street, Leamington, Warwickshire, on 25 Jan 1863. His executor was Eleanor BLACKWELL of 5 Pigott Street, Limehouse, widow (matching the address in the above 1861 census for Eleanor). Edward's brother William Delatour BLACKWELL was living in Leicester Street, Leamington, in the 1861 census. RG9/2223 folio 28 page 2.

The middle name of Delatour has been helpful in identifying members of the family.

I can find no published or filmed baptisms for Trinidad for the 1820s. This website gives a contact address for Holy Trinity, Port of Spain -- a possible point of enquiry for a baptism record for Catherine/Kate.

Whether this BLACKWELL family is connected to the Thomas Eden BLACKWELL family discussed above still needs to be investigated.

[Michele04]

I have just finished trying to decipher the will of Thomas Eden Blackwell!
It does name his daughters as Eliza and Louisa, so it looks like this may not be the correct lineage, but may possibly be from the same family.

[Kerrywood]

I have just finished trying to decipher the will of Thomas Eden Blackwell!
It does name his daughters as Eliza and Louisa, so it looks like this may not be the correct lineage, but may possibly be from the same family.

As there is a Trinidad & Tobago connection in both lineages, it seems possible that the lines will be connected, if you go back far enough.

It's also interesting that Thomas John Delatour BLACKWELL was a banker's clerk all his working life, as was Edward BURDIS at one stage. Perhaps they both worked for Ebenezer BLACKWELL's bank, Martin's Bank (the Grasshopper of Lombard Street).