Homepage
The Early Years
Civvy Street
The Final Years
Epilogue
Postscript
Fawcett Family History
Links for The Life And Death Of A Durham Man
Guestbook
|
1. My Father
 | 31 Lambton Street, front and back, 5th September 2003.
Elsewhere on this site I said that all my ancestors came from Durham... and so I thought. Certainly my father, Richard, was born at 31, Lambton Street, Langley Park near Durham City as you will have learnt from this website but when I tried my hand at Family History I couldn't find anything about my Grandfather for a long while and then there were a few surprises...
My Father:
Richard Fawcett born 28 October 1904 in Langley Park. Died 4 December 1944 in Heito POW Camp, Taiwan.
His Parents: William and Hannah (nee Lund) Fawcett.
His Spouse: Hannah Bewley born 17 February 1908 in Houghton-le-Spring, Durham. Died 23 March 1983 in Auckland, New Zealand.
Married: 24 December 1934 in Parish Church, Great Lumley, Durham.
Their Children:
Richard (me) born 8 November 1935.
Sylvia Elisa born 22 October 1936.
After my father's death my mother moved us to South Bank, Middlesbrough where she married Richard Henry Carter (known to all as Nick) and had a daughter Elizabeth Anne, born 15th November 1946. |
|
2. My Grandfather.
 | Married in St. Peter's Church, Stainton near Middlesbrough
My Grandfather:
William Fawcett, born 26 October 1855 in Thornton Steward, North Yorks. Died 10 August 1918 in 5 Success Cottages, Newbottle, Durham.
His Parents: George and Sarah (Wilson)
His Spouse: Hannah Lund born 1864 in Cassop, Durham. Died 27 September 1911 in Grey's Yard, West Rainton, Durham.
Married: 11 May 1881 at St. Peter's Church, Stainton, Middlesbrough, Yorks.
Their Children: George(b 1881), Fred*(1888), Thomas Lund (1898), Mary Elizabeth (1891), William, Richard (1904), Nora.
There was also another child named Hannah who was born in December 1909 who turned out to be the daughter of Mary Elizabeth.
I had a few surprises from my Grandfather
William Fawcett. He wasn't a Durham Geordie at all. I discovered that he was born in Thornton Steward near Leyburn, Yorkshire in 1855. (Don't tell me we're related to the Richmond butchers!) So instead of "Wha'chey Young'un" it's a case of "Ee, bah gum"!
Probably prompted by the need to work, my grandfather moved away from Thornton Steward and at the time of the 1881 census he was 25 years old and was working as a "Farm Servant" for a Mr. John Struthers who had a farm at Stainsby Hall, Stainton, Middlesbrough. His appearance there might not have been as random as it at first appears. His mother was born Sarah Wilson in Constable Burton but I believe her family owned a farm in Stainton. (More on this when I uncover it).
Also working as a servant at the farm was an eighteen year old girl called Hannah Lund who was from Cassop in County Durham. That same year they were married at St. Peter's Church in Stainton.
*Ammendment: After re-establishing contact with my cousin James (Jimmy) Fawcett who now lives in Wilmslow, Cheshire I discovered that his father (my Uncle Frank) was born on the 14th July 1888 and christened Francis Frederick Fawcett. So he was the Fred on the 1901 census and he had as tough a life as my father.
The 1901 census shows Fred (Frank) employed as a coal hewer aged 13. He later joined the Durham Light Infantry and fought in World War I where he suffered two bullet wounds. One entered his right ear and came out of his mouth while the other went through his left leg but neither injury was enough to deter him from his army career. Later, while serving in abroad, he became Army Heavyweight Boxing Champion of India.
Uncle Frank left the army after serving fifteen years and returned to coalmining for a living and married Kate Miller (1889-1973, the daughter of the local Methodist Minister. They had two children - Jenny and James - but civilian life didn't prove to be easy when Frank suffered more injuries when he was partially crushed by a fall of stone resulting in his losing the sight of his right eye which is as I remember him. He worked on until retirement and died in 1963 aged 75. |
|
3. Travelling Man
 | Wheatley Hill near Wingate in 1901
By the 1901 census the Fawcetts were living in Wheatley Hill in County Durham. My Grandfather was now a coal miner and worked as a coal hewer in one of the pits there.
Their childrens' recorded birthplaces told a story of their travels starting with...
George (19) who had been born in Stainton (1881) and also worked as a coal hewer.
Fred was 13, and was also down the mines as a coal hewer. He had been born at Newton-Le-Willows (1888) which is near Thornton Steward indicating that, at least in 1888, the family had returned to their home territory. (This turned out to be my Uncle Frank - Francis Frederick.)
Mary Elizabeth, aged 10, was born in Crook (1891), County Durham.
Thomas Lund, aged 3, had been born in Crossgate Moor (1898).
William (in Easington?)
Richard (my father) born in Langley Park in 1904.
Norah (always called Dolly) born in Langley Park 1905.
In September 1911 my Grandmother died of exhaustion aged just 47 years old when my father was a month short of his seventh birthday and his sister Dolly aged five. Mary was then a mother herself although unmarried and aged 19 brought up her younger siblings.
Thomas later joined the Royal Inniskillans and died on the 1st of April 1917, at which time my Grandfather was living in 5 Pottery Row, Great Lumley. He died a year later in 1918. His Death Certificate revealed he died of a stroke - and revealed another surprise. He died at 5 Success Cottages, Newbottle but can only have lived there for a few weeks or months. At that time he was an "overman" down the pit and as such had been given a miners cottage. |
|
4. My Great Grandfather
 | Saint Oswald's Church in Thornton Steward
My Great Grandfather:
George Fawcett, was born in Thornton Steward and christened in St. Oswald's on the 21st of September, 1818.
He grew up to be a farm labourer and never learned to read and write. When he was 33 years old he married Sarah Wilson, aged 21, a farmer's daughter from nearby Constable Burton. The wedding took place in St. Oswald's on November 24th 1851 and they lived all their lives in Thornton Steward, raising several children. (As I discover more of them I will add them).
George died on the 17th of December 1890 aged 72 and Sarah died on the 7th of August 1908 aged 78.
His Parents: George and Jane Fawcett.
Children: (All born in Thornton Steward)
Francis born 1854. Married Ada ? from Thirsk. Died 30 Jan 1917 aged 63. Ada died 1st Nov 1925 aged 67.
William born 26th October 1855. Died 10 Aug 1918. (Married Hannah Lund 11th May 1881. Hannah born 1864 - died 27th Sept 1911.)
Thomas born 1858.
Sarah Jane born 1862.
Richard born 1872.
I never found my Great Grandfather's grave as most of the headstones at St. Oswald's Churchyard had been removed but I did find my Great Great Grandparents grave. In the photo above, three white plastic drainpipes can be seen on the church. The middle one seems to be pointing straight to a leaning stone with its back in shadow - that's the one! See the photo on story 8... |
|
5. My Great Great Grandfather
 | "Silver Street", Thornton Steward in 2003
My Great Great Grandfather:
George Fawcett, born in 1777 in Thornton Steward, North Yorks. He died on 30th May 1853 aged 76 and was buried with his wife in the churchyard of Saint Oswald's.
Parents: ?
Spouse: Jane ?, born in 1781, died 12th November 1851 aged 70.
Children:
George born September 1818.
Christopher born ?
(G-G-G)George was a farm labourer and probably lived in one of six agricultural farm labourers cottages, known as Silver Street. |
|
6. Silver Street Toilets?
 | Remains of the middens (Toilet combined with ashes)
No joke on a winter's night! |
|
7. The Schoolhouse
 | The schoolhouse was erected in 1815
Being erected in 1815, education came to Thornton Steward too late for my Great Great Grandfather George and as my Great Grandfather George never learned to read or write he obviously never attended. However, my Grandfather William probably did go to the school, although there were school fees to be paid.
The building must have gone into disrepair because it was rebuilt by public subscription in 1866, finally closing in 1954. |
|
8. George and Jane, deceased.
 | The grave of my Great Great Grandparents
The inscription on the headstone of my Great Great Grandparents grave reads:
ERECTED
in memory of
JANE wife of GEORGE FAWCETT
who died Nov 12th 1852
Aged 70 years
ALSO
the above named
GEORGE FAWCETT
who died May 30th 1853
Aged 76 years
Incidentally, when I first visited Thornton Steward, one of the locals informed me that there was still a Fawcett living in the village...
Ms Joyce Fawcett but I have yet to contact her. It will be interesting. |
|
|
