*ARC TBC* George Herbert Whitaker b abt 1829...Jo adding

[grangers14]

From Introductions...New member

by Limbrix » Sun Apr 26, 2020 3:13 pm

Hello - I've been working on my family tree for over 10 years now on and off. I've recently been following a line which is Black Country / Staffordshire based and for me it's really interesting as it's quite exotic compared to the rest of my tree. I'm from coal mining stock so most of my ancestors are from the South Yorkshire/Derbyshire area but it seems a lot of Black Country miners moved up to the area as new pits opened.

The family I'm obsessed with currently are the Whitakers who lived on Dudley Port. George Herbert Whitaker was an Assistant Surgeon (i.e. the person who held the patient down while they chopped bits off). He fathered children with his maid Elizabeth Lydia Howkins but he didn't marry her until she started giving birth to boys. At this point she changed her name to Lydia Elizabeth Whitaker. He died of stroke at 43. I think in the next few years she married a man called John Price and had 2 daughters with him at Kates Hill but I can't find any documentary evidence of this. In 1877 she was admitted to Burntwood Asylum with epilepsy (I suspect actually trigeminal neuralgia) and died in 1881 aged 39. Her daughter Harriet Whitaker moved to Eckington with John Price when he started work at the new pit there and that's where she met my great Grandad, Thomas Hudson.

I'm also interested in Sarah Barnett - she was the informant on George Whitaker's death certificate and I've found evidence of her on others. I suspect she was the local 'woman who does' - sitting with the dying and laying out etc (a Terry Pratchett witch). I've come on here to ask if people can check their Tipton death certificates to see if Sarah Barnett was the informant.

Any advice gratefully received - this is my first foray into forums so I'm hoping to find it a fruitful experience.

[grangers14]

1861. Dudley Port, Tipton.
George H Whitaker, head, 32, Surgeons assistant,
Great Bridge
Elizabeth L Hawkins, servant, 19, domestic servant, Coventry

1871. Dudley Poert, Tipton
George H Whittaker, 42, Assistant surgeon, Utoxeter
Lydia E, wife, 29, Coventry
Lilia, daur, 7,
Harriet E, daur, 4,
Herbert E, son, 3,
Benjamin, son, 1,
Mary A Walker, servant,
All others born Tipton

Christening.
15th July 1828. St Mary, Uttoxeter
George Herbert, son of Benjamin and Harriet Whitaker, Uttoxeter, Wool Stapler

Marriage Freereg.
23rd June 1868, St Mary, Bilson
Herbert George Whitacker, 39, B, Surgoen, Tipton, Benjamin Whitaker, Wool Stapler
Lydia Elizabeth Howkins, 26, S, Bilston, George Howkins, Labourer
By Licence
Witnesses, Hannah Moore, Edward Nash

Burial. Freereg.
3rd November 1872. St John, Dudley.
George Herbert Whitaker, 44, Dudley Port, Tipton

[Limbrix]

Yes, that’s them. Can you tell me more about John Price b. 1850 in Brierley Hill and His daughters Sarah b. 1876 in Kate’s Hill and Mary b.1877 in Kate’s Hill?

John Price 1871 is unmarried living with his parents Thomas and Sidonia in Dudley St John.
In 1881 he is a widower and has moved to Eckington with Sarah, Mary, his mother and Harriet Whittaker as servant
In 1891 Harriet is married to Thomas Owen (actually Hudson, my gg Grandmother Ann had 13 children with James Owen but never married him. Occasionally they take his name) and Mary Price is living with them and listed as sister. This is why I suspect Lydia Whitaker was mother to Sarah and Mary Price but I can’t find any birth records or a marriage record for John Price and Lydia (Elizabeth).



And in the next episode of soap...

[kdwoodie]

Did Lydia/ Eliza go into Burntwood Asylum ?

UK, Lunacy Patients Admission Registers, 1846-1912
Name: Elizth Whittaker
Gender: Female
Admission Date: 12 Dec 1877
Institution: Burntwood
Intitution Place: Staffordshire, England
Death Date: 22 Feb 1881
Death Place: Staffordshire, England
WHITTAKER, ELIZABETH 39
GRO Reference: 1881 J Quarter in LICHFIELD Volume 06B Page 243

Derbyshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932
Parish Church Eckington
12 April 1895
William Horner 22 Bachelor Miner Eckington Alfred Horner Miner
Mary Price 19 Spinster Eckington John Price Miner
Witness 1 William Sutton
Witness 2 Esther Horner
All signed

Marriages Mar 1887
ATTER Jane Chesterfield 7b 799
PRICE John Chesterfield 7b 799

1891 6 Billam Hill Eckington
John Price Head M 42 Coal Miner Born Brierley Hill
Jane Price Wife M 38 Born Wallow ?
Maria Price Daur 17 Born Killamarsh (Image says Atter)
Thomas Price Son 15 Coal Mining Driver in pit Born Eckington (Image says Atter)
Mary Price Daur 14 Born West Bromwich
Edward Price Son 12 Born Eckington (Image says Atter)

1901 64 Sitwell Street Eckington
John Price Head M 52 Coal Miner Born Brierley Hill
Jane Price Wife M 49 Born Willow

1911 21 Victoria St Dinnington
John Price Head 62 Married Coal Miner Hewer Born Brierley Hill
Jane Price Wife 58 Married Born Wellow
Tom Hudson Boarder 30 Married Coal Miner Hewer Born Marsh Lane Eckington
Tom Hudson Boarder 13 Scholar Born Marsh Lane Eckington
Married 24 Years

[Limbrix]

Yes, I have copies of her asylum records if you are interested.

The fact that Harriet Whittaker’s husband and son (Tom snr and Tom jnr) have moved to the new pit at Dinnington with John Price and his second wife shows quite a strong connection to me.

But those few years between George Whitaker’s death and Lydia going to the asylum are still obscured.

[kdwoodie]

I have searched and cannot find a "1st marriage" for John neither can i find births Mary or Sarah

There is a possible marriage for Sarah in Burntwood
Freereg
Burntwood
Christ Church
Marriage date 03 May 1898
James MCINNES 25 Burntwood bachelor Asylum Attendant Burntwood Alexander MCINNES Stillman
Sarah Ann PRICE 22 Burntwood spinster Burntwood John PRICE Quarryman
Witness 1 Robert John GREEN
Witness 2 Annie BROUNE

[Limbrix]

I’m fairly sure John was married, even if ‘over the broom’ as the 1881 census lists him as widower. The census was taken in April and Lydia Elizabeth died in February.

The Sarah married at Burntwood is a possibility, thanks for that - I shall keep searching for her later whereabouts to see if I can confirm. Meanwhile the are 5 Sarah Prices registered in 1876 in Dudley so I think I shall just have to send off for their birth certificates.

[kdwoodie]

From Gro
Sarah Price 1876 +/- 2 years none with mothers maiden name that matches
PRICE, SARAH GUEST
GRO Reference: 1875 D Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 125

PRICE, SARAH ANN FOWKES
GRO Reference: 1874 S Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 115

PRICE, SARAH ANN WAGSTAFF
GRO Reference: 1875 S Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 38

PRICE, SARAH ANN HUGHES
GRO Reference: 1876 J Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 27

PRICE, SARAH ANN FLAVELL
GRO Reference: 1876 S Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 106

PRICE, SARAH ANN FLAVELL
GRO Reference: 1876 S Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 106

PRICE, SARAH ELIZABETH JEWKES
GRO Reference: 1874 M Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 163

PRICE, SARAH ELIZABETH WILLETTS
GRO Reference: 1875 D Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 14

PRICE, SARAH ELIZABETH RUSSON
GRO Reference: 1876 M Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 130

PRICE, SARAH JANE BLOUNT
GRO Reference: 1874 J Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 71

PRICE, SARAH JANE HOBBS
GRO Reference: 1876 D Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 158

PRICE, SARAH JANE PADDOCK
GRO Reference: 1878 J Quarter in DUDLEY Volume 06C Page 17

[Limbrix]

That’s very useful and saved me a few quid, thank you. Can you tell me how I get the GRO information including mother’s maiden name?

[kdwoodie]

https://www.gov.uk/research-family-history

You have to register but its free

[Limbrix]

Thanks - is only ever used it to directly order certificates. I didn’t realise their search had Maiden names. I had a happy hour searching. Lydia Whitaker’s girls Lilian and Harriet aren't registered either, at least not with their real names.

[grangers14]

? Lydia Hawkins 1863 no mothers maiden name Wolverhapton 6B 465
? Harriet E ?

Herbert Edmund Whitaker 1867 Howkins Dudley 6c 57
Benjamin Whitaker 1869 Howkins Dudley 6c 54

Are you certain that Sarah and Mary are Lydia/Elizabeth's children? Could John have married someone else? And Harriet just happened to be a servant there?

1881. 187, Dudley Port, Tipton
Richard Clifton, son, 27, Labourer at colliery
Mary Ann, daur, 19,
Hannah Whittingham, daur, Mar, 29,
Alfred, Grandson, 1,
Lilly Whittaker, servant, 17, Domestic servant
Benjamin Whittaker, Adopted child, 11,
Eliza Clifton, Niece, 6, Wolverhampton
All others born Tipton

1881. 64 Great Bridge Street, West Bromwich
Thomas Harwood, head, 37, Green Grocer, Cubington
Harriet, wife, 32, ?
Herbert Whittaker, servant, 14, Serv, Tipton
Louisa Beltridge, servant, 14, Serv, Gloucester
James Harman, Boarder, 27, Iron moulder, West Bromwich

Wells Buildings, High Street, Eckington
John Price, head, W, 31, Coal Miner Brierley Hill
Sarah Price, daur, 5, Kates Hill
Mary, daur, 4, Kates Hill
Sydney , Mother, W, 62, Annuitant, Brierley Hill
George W, Brother, 19, Nottinghamshire
Harriet Whittaker, serv, 15, Domestic servant, Dudley Port
John Steers, Nephew, 18, Coal Miner, Worcestershire
\John Jones, Lodger, Mar, 32, Gornal
John Jones, Lodger , 10, Kates Hill
David Jones, Lodger, 19, Coal Miner Worcestershire

[Limbrix]

No I’m not certain that Sarah and Mary Price are Lydia’s children - my only clue is that Mary is listed as Harriet’s sister on the 1891 census. They could have just grown close - 2 girls with dead mothers. I do have a possibility of John Price’s wife - a Mary Price who died in 1877.

The two Wolverhampton records are promising, Thank you.

[kdwoodie]

There is also Mary Price with John in 1891.
Do you have his marriage cert to Jane ?
Does it say Widower on that ?

[Limbrix]

Interesting that Mary Price appears twice. One house that she was supposed to be at and one she had actually stayed at?

I don’t have John Price’s marriage certificate to Jane but he is listed as widowed on the 1881 census.