DEARDEN the friendly geordie

[jimdearden]

A big hello from the frozen North East of England (actually its a lovely part of the country - lovely beaches, empty roads, history etc. but don't tell anyone 'cos they'll want to visit and spoil it all)

I've been researching the family history now for about 2 years - starting with asking questions of elderly relatives etc. and then moving on to computer based searches etc.

Initially I had a lot of success tracing back my DEARDEN family because its a very unusual name, especially in this part of the country. Strangley enough I had very little problem tracing my mothers side of the family (BAKERS) which is a very common name.

For nearly 2 years I have been trying to find the parents of my Gt Gt Grandfather JAMES HENRY DEARDEN.

He married VIOLET THOMPSON (b1842 Tynemouth) in NOV 1870 in Newcastle (have wedding cert copy) , My Gt Grandfather was born a few months later in BISCHOP AUCKLAND (Co. Durham) and they appear in the 1871 census living in HEBBURN QUAY (on the South side of the river TYNE) they later moved to the West end of Newcastle.

Ok so far - the problem is he lied on the official forms which is making it difficult to trace his father/family. From his age at death (1906) he was born 1842, from census info it was 1851. Place of birth - take your pick Scotland, York or Wales. On the marriage cert he gives the name of his father as JAMES DEARDEN - FILE GRINDER. Family 'history' as told to me by my father talks about a Sheffield stone grinder. The cert also shows him as a widower (most unlikely as I think he was about 18 when he married - giving his yob as about 1851/52).

So if anyone can locate the missing link - I am looking for JAMES HENRY DEARDEN's family. Father could be called JAMES, File grinder, possibly Sheffield area - I'd be very greatful. |banghead|

Jim Dearden

[Geoffers]

For nearly 2 years I have been trying to find the parents of my Gt Gt Grandfather JAMES HENRY DEARDEN - the problem is he lied on the official forms which is making it difficult to trace his father/family........On the marriage cert he gives the name of his father as JAMES DEARDEN - FILE GRINDER.

In case you haven't seen it, there is an 1861 census entry which sort of fits things.......

RG9/3457 f94 p16
Netherhouses, New Road, Ecclesfield
James DEARDEN, hd, mar, 44, Spring knife blade foreger, bn Ecclesfield
Dinah Dearden, wf, mar, 45, bn Ecclesfield
John Dearden, son, 18, Spring Knife blade forger, bn Ecclesfield
William Dearden, son, 12, Iron moudler, bn Ecclesfield
David Dearden, son, 10, scholar, bn Ecclesfield
James Dearden, son, 5, Ecclesfield

The age for James the son, may possibly be a transcription error by the enumerator - or possibly the reason why he lied about his age when he was married???

[jimdearden]

Thanks for that, yes, I've seen that one and its certainly the best candidate so far but its not quite there as regards proof. It would make him about 16 when he married (although I do accept he told lies about his age and this would have been a very good reason - especially as his (much older) wife was pregnant at the time of marriage).

I deliberately didn't give that bit of information because I didn't want to unduely influence any research. I actually visited the place last year to see if I could find out more info but found that all the local records are kept in Sheffield Library and I didn't have time to make the detour.

As you say there may have been a transcription error somewhere. I think the key to solving the mystery is his middle name - HENRY. There are lots of JAMES' but not that many JAMES HENRYs.

Thanks once again
Jim

[Jan1954]

I think the key to solving the mystery is his middle name - HENRY. There are lots of JAMES' but not that many JAMES HENRYs.

And, just to complicate matters, these wonderful ancestors of ours were quite often known by their middle name, with absolutely no reference whatsoever to their first name... |banghead|

Always worth checking, bless 'em...

[jimdearden]

yup - its as if they had no idea that 150 years later someone would try to recreate the family tree.

Perhaps I should take a different approach to the problem, an 'occams razor' approach. Rather than try to prove a relationship (difficult) try to disprove it (much easier).

Suppose I initially "assume" that the family identified IS my ancestor. Then I should be able to trace the family through census, bmd etc. If I can trace young James beyond 1870 then logically it can't be them, so I would have eliminated this family. If, however, James "disappears" by 1870 then that strengthens the case for it being them (not absolute proof, simply more certainty). At the end of the day fuzzy logic (probability) may have to win the day. |5cups|

[jimdearden]

James DEARDEN Head M Male 64 Ecclesfield, York, England Springknife Blade Forger
Clara DEARDEN Wife M Female 62 Ecclesfield, York, England
James DEARDEN Son U Male 25 Ecclesfield, York, England Stove Grate Fitter (On 21.8) (Ironmonger)
Morris HAGUE Stepson U Male 23 Ecclesfield, York, England Shuttle Tip Forger (Weav Mach)
Elizabeth HAGUE Stepdaur U Female 20 Ecclesfield, York, England
Ellen HAGUE Grand Daur Female 8 Ecclesfield, York, England Scholar
Job WALTON Lodger W Male 66 Ecclesfield, York, England Shuttle Spring Maker (Weav Mach)


Source Information: Dwelling Middle Lane
Census Place Ecclesfield, York, England

Looks like James (now aged 25) was residing at home in Ecclesfield in 1881

James H. DEARDEN Head M Male 30 York, England Labourer
Violet DEARDEN Wife M Female 38 Northumberland, England Wife
James DEARDEN Son U Male 10 Northumberland, England Scholar
Violet DEARDEN Daugher U Female 6 Newcastle Scholar
Mary Ann DEARDEN Daugher U Female 3 m Newcastle
James BARTERAM Boarder U Male 28 Newcastle Mattress Maker


Source Information: Dwelling 1 Smiths Court
Census Place Newcastle On Tyne St Andrew, Northumberland, England

So logically this cannot be the same.|banghead|

[jimdearden]

Puts James H Dearden as born Sheffield, 1843, living in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Still don't believe date of birth but at least Sheffield area ties in with family history. Still can't find his parents though. |banghead|

[suedent]

I wouldn't set much store by the age given on any given day, my gg-grandfather's birthdate varied from 1817-1823 going by census entries. It turned out that the age he gave in 1851 was actually the closest, after that he got a bit vague to say the least.

BTW, just this evening I was admiring a print of North Blyth as it was a very long time ago, my friend's family occupied just about every dwelling, apart from the pub.

[suedent]

Just to put a spanner in the works in 1871 he still reckons he was born in 1843, but not in Sheffield!

James H Dearden Head M 28 File Grinder South Wales, Vale of Neath
Violet Dearden Wife M 27 Scotland
James Dearden Son 8 mo Durham Hebburn Quay
William Thompson Brother in Law Unm 18 Joiner Scotland
Elizabeth Thompson Sister in Law 12 General Servant Scotland
John Wilson Boarder Unm 50 Labourer in Shipyard Scotland
No 10 Ellison(?) Street, Hebburn Quay, Durham
RG10/5044 ED 27 Folio 36 Page 7 Sched 32

[jimdearden]

No I don't believe the 1843 date either for several reasons - I still go with the 1851 ish date for birth and I take Sheffield to mean the area around Sheffield.

Am still looking for that link between James H and his parents - without it I'm well and truely stuck.

[jimdearden]

ok - guilty as charged - Of all the James Deardens I could find in census records I've come up with ONE that 'disappeared' from 1871 onwards. A James Dearden from Leeds - born 1841. His parents were James and Hannah.

Although this isn't PROOF its the most convincing record I've come across so far. Leeds is due south from Gateshead on the A1 (easy journey by foot, cart, rail). I can find a possible marriage for James (Jnr) but no death (am still looking though) - I can find deaths of children (1861 - 1870 period) so james could well have been a widower as he claimed (or a runaway husband!) The rest of the family consists of Charles (b 1838), Emma(b1849), George(b1843),Hannah(b1845),Mary E (b1847) - in 1871 Emma (age 22) was the only child still living with parents (Hannah 54, James 58). James (snr) was born Halifax, 1813.

[jimdearden]

Found James with wife in Soyland 1871|5cups||nutkick|

[jimdearden]

There was a branch of the Dearden family went to America (about 1854 is I think) they came from Wortley (sheffield area). I was wondering if this may be part of James H's family - perhaps not directly - more sort of nephew perhaps? The occupations seem right , the location is right and the timing is right - but no proof |5cups|

[yorkyuk]

I'd be interested in hearing of Deardens that emigrated.

With regard to the 1861 census, William Dearden (born 1848) was my great grandfather - brother of James born in 1856 and son of James born in 1816.

Regards,

George

[jimdearden]

I have a copy of this but its probably easier to post the ref to it than its content here.

http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.dearden/158/mb.ashx

seems to give chapter and verse on william and america deardens

http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/images/smilies/sm2-wave.gif