Yethel

[Bonzo]

First may I thank all those who have replied to my enquiry. I did not expect such quick replies and not from so many members.

I have to correct one error. John Rudge (1813) was my Great Great Grandfather not my Grandfather. I am getting on a bit but I am not in my 100's.

John Rudge died in 1854

I have found some other births registered as Yethel.

They are: John Rudge 1841 HO107 / 1198 / 10 /47
John Rudge 1851 HO / 107 / 2035 / ? /2
Catherine Austin 1861 RG9 / 1900 / 10 /4
Thomas Ashton 1861 RG9 / 908 41/ 7
Emma Smith 1881 RG11 / 3026 /54 /18
Catherine Hodson 1891 RG12 / 2097 /8 /21

In reply to Malcolm99. I am fairly sure that the marriage between John Rudge and Hannah Noake in Wolverhampton in 1833 is that of my G.G. Grandfather. One of the witnesses is William Noak and Hannah had a brother William who was two years younger.
In the censuses Hannah's surname is given as Nock but there is some confusion in the family name because some members have the nams Noakes and others Noake.

Again, thank you all for your help.

Bonzo

[malcolm99]

I have found some other births registered as Yethel.

They are: John Rudge 1841 HO107 / 1198 / 10 /47
John Rudge 1851 HO / 107 / 2035 / ? /2
Catherine Austin 1861 RG9 / 1900 / 10 /4
Thomas Ashton 1861 RG9 / 908 41/ 7
Emma Smith 1881 RG11 / 3026 /54 /18
Catherine Hodson 1891 RG12 / 2097 /8 /21

I think I have quite a strong candidate for Yethel.

From your list, Catharine Hodson appears to be the same person as Catherine Austin (see marriage William Hodson/ Catherine Austin - Newport RD March Q 1862).

In the censuses her place of birth is given as:

1891: Yethel, Staffordshire - RG12/2097 f.60 p.21
1881: Shifnal, Shropshire - RG11/2633 f. 87 p. 55
1871: Shifnal, Shropshire - RG10/2747 f. 94 p. 60
1861: Yethel Aston, Shropshire - RG9/1900 f.16 p.4
1851: Sheriffhales, Staffordshire - HO107/1997 f. 562 p.12
1841: 1 year old & living in Crackley Bank, Shiffnal, Shropshire - HO107/909 bk/fol. 12/15 p.17

It seems pretty clear that the place of birth is in the Shifnal area, close to both Sheriffhales and somewhere called Aston.
Sheriffhales is only 3 miles north of Shifnal and the road passes through Crackleybank. On the same road, Chetwynd Aston is 5 miles north of Crackleybank.

My candidate for Yethel is therefore the hamlet of “Heath Hill” which is on the road from Shifnal to Chetwynd Aston –transposed into Yethel by the enumerator who couldn’t quite understand the accent as Mike pointed out in #8.

Heath Hill is virtually equidistant from Shifnal and Chetwynd Aston and is only 1 mile from both Sheriffhales and Crackleybank.
The reason for the interchangeability of these places between Shropshire and Staffordshire is likely to be because the parish of Sheriffhales was partly in Shropshire and partly in Staffordshire.

Although John Trmper Rudge’s Ryton (#9) is 8 miles south of Heath Hill, it is only in the next parish (Shifnal) and so isn’t far from where he may have been born to where he was baptised.

All pure speculation of course!

[helachau]

Wondered if it might be "Wythall" in Worcestershire?
There's a John Rudge baptised Alvechurch, 1812 (IGI extracted record).

[Bonzo]

malcome99

Thank you for the work you have done in trying to solve the Yethall mystery.

I have wondered about possible mis-understandings by the enumerators but the fact that Yethell appears in census returns for a number of people from 1841 to 1891 puts some doubt in my mind.

However, I think that if the problem is due to local pronunciation and accent, then I agree with your suggestion that Heath Hill is the most likely answer.

I will have to do some fishing in that area and see what I can come up with.

Again, many thanks,

Bonzo