Genealogy Forum UK

Alright so this one has been troubling me for a while. I would like to know what happened to Frederick Watson, a boilermaker and riveter of Durham after 1910.

Frederick was born about 1866 in Burnside, Durham, and married Eleanor Blenkinsopp nee Rodenby in March 1901 at Blyth, St. Cuthbert. Eleanor had been married to John Blenkinsopp until his death in 1899. She had 8 children with him. In the 1901 census, Eleanor, Frederick and her children are living at 5 Back Percy Street in Blyth, Northumberland. Frederick puts his occupation down as "Boilermaker."

In 1902, Eleanor and Frederick had a daughter--Eleanor. Eleanor the daughter died of Tuberculosis in 1905.

According to school records of Eleanor's son, James Blenkinsopp, Frederick Watson was still living with the family in 1910, but after 1910 he seems to disappear off the face of the earth. In the 1911 census, Eleanor is living with her son, John Rodenby Blenkinsopp, and her other children. However, Frederick is nowhere to be seen on the census. In the 1921 census, Eleanor is living with her children and grandchildren at 8 Back Percy Street in Blyth, but once again, Frederick is nowhere to be seen.

I initially thought that Frederick died between 1910 and 1911, but I cannot find an appropriate death in the Durham/Northumberland area at this time.

In 1938, Eleanor died, and her death certificate states Frederick Watson as "a shipyard labourer" and "being deceased"; so we know that he died before 1938.

There is a Frederick J Watson, a boilermaker, living with Mary Burns in the 1901, 1911 and 1921 census; but this cannot be my Frederick as he appears on the 1901 census with Mary Burns.

There was a family rumour that Frederick "went to America"; but being a family story, I highly doubt this.

I hope somebody will be able to help me solve the mystery of what happened to Frederick Watson after 1910.

I have posted this question on certain forums before, alas many people were still as stumped as me.

Thank you,

JackB

Hi a lot of people appeared twice in all Census unfortunately all the originals were destroyed up to 1911 have you checked his signature on 1911 to his marriage cert in 1901 ? Fred in 1921 was age 55 years and 7 months does that age match his birth cert ? Name: Mother's Maiden Surname:
WATSON, FREDERICK Mother LAWTHER
GRO Reference: 1866 S Quarter in DURHAM Volume 10A Page 341
Order this entry as a: Order Certificate of selected entry Order PDF of selected entry or Order digital image of selected entry

Kind Regards RF

Hi there,

Thank you very much for your reply. I ordered Frederick's marriage certificate last week, and I am still waiting for it to arrive; so I will check to see if the signatures match up with the 1911 when it arrives.

However, the person who appears on the 1921, 1911 and 1901 census with Mary Burns is Frederick James Watson. He was born in 1867 in South Shields, the son of Charles Watson and Jane.

My Frederick was born in Burnside, Durham in 1866 the son of George Watson and Elizabeth Lawther. Therefore, I do not think that the Frederick who appears on the 1921, 1911 and 1901 census with Mary Burns is my Frederick (the man we are looking for.)

Thanks so much,

JackB

Hello I think this was your Fred from South Shields ?
WATSON, FREDERICK JAMES WALLGREEN Mother JOHNSON
GRO Reference: 1867 M Quarter in SOUTH SHIELDS Volume 10A Page 581
Order this entry as a: Order Certificate of selected entry Order PDF of selected entry Order digital image of selected entry
Don`t worry if it isn`t we just keep testing all leads
Best RF

Hi there,

Yes, that's Frederick from South Shields. He was Frederick James Wallgreen Johnson. He was born in 1867 in South Shields, the son of Charles Watson and Jane Johnson. He lived with Mary Burns, a widow. I think he died in 1944.

I think my Frederick who married Eleanor Blenkinsopp, was the first one, the son of George Watson and Elizabeth Lawther. He was born in July 1866 in Durham. When Frederick's marriage certificate arrives I'll see who the father's name is. If the father is listed as "Charles" then I know that he was Frederick James Wallgreen Watson and died in 1944.

If the father is listed as "George", then we know that he is not Frederick James Wallgreen Watson and we will have to investigate further to see what happened to him after 1910.

Hi, I have read through your posting/request and the various replies. Am I right with the following,

1. You do not have an actual GRO birth copy of Frederick's birth.
2 You do not appear to have Frederick pre 1901 census--with parents you believe to be George and Elizabeth.

I am not sure if you are aware of 2 Watson/Lawreth marriages.

1. Joseph Watson/Jane Lawther 1858-Newcastle
2. George Watson/Elizabeth Lawther-1860 Sunderland.

The only Frederick Watson/Lawther birth is SQ 1866 Durham. as per 1901 census
This Frederick is found in 1871 census with parents Joseph and Jane --ref 4934 25 3
I cannot find him/his parents after this census. I can find some of his siblings but again only from 1901 onwards.

Whilst this does not answer when/where he died I do believe when you recieve his marriage certificate it will record his father as Joseph

Hi there,

Thank you so much, I did not know that Joseph Watson married Jane Lawther in 1858. Due to this Frederick appearing in the 1871 census with the family; I agree with you that there is a highly likely chance that the father of my Frederick was indeed Joseph--not George as I previously had thought.

He is still proving to be difficult after 1910, I shall purchase his birth certificate and look on FamilySearch to see if he did indeed die in America (as per the family rumour.) I shall have a look at his brothers and sisters on the census to see if that tells us anything interesting.

Thank you so much,

JackB

A £3 gro digital birth image is available for instant download for Frederick. Having his exact dob might find him in 1939 war register.

Hi,

I will purchase a digital birth certificate for Frederick this evening, and I am hoping that this Frederick who was born in 1866 the son of Joseph Watson and Jane Lawther is the same Frederick that married Eleanor in 1901 (I shall have to wait for the marriage certificate to arrive to be absolutely certain.)

If I cannot find him on the 1939 Register (he was listed as being dead in 1938), I shall try and find something in the USA.

Thanks,

JackB

JackB, believe the following is correct re the children of Joseph and Jane.

1 Maria Jane born 1859--married James Ford 1878 Berwick
2. John William born 1861 married 26.04.1887 Sarah Parkinson. John was a Master Mariner and in 1920 was going to take out US citizenship
3. Mary Ann Emmerline born 1868 married 1887 William Finlay
4 Frederick 1866 married Eleanor 1901--details known?
5 Blanche Isabel 1871 married 13.06.1891 Henry Marsh


Name John William Watson
Declaration Age 59
Record Type Naturalization Declaration
Birth Date 17 Feb 1861
Birth Place Newcastle-Tyne, England
Departure Place Sydney,Austria
Arrival Date 16 Apr 1920
Arrival Place Mobile, Alabama, USA
Declaration Date 30 Apr 1920
Court U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
Spouse
Sarah
Declaration Number 86593
Box Number 090

Hi there,

Thanks so much for this. It looks very promising. I am especially interested in the fact that John William was going to take out a US Citizenship in 1920, I'll be very interested to see if that links with my Frederick.

Where was the information about this Frederick marrying somebody called Catherine taken from? If this Frederick definitely married "Catherine" in 1901, then I think we can safely say that he is once again not the man we are looking for.

When his marriage certificate arrives (should be soon), we will be able to see who is parents were for definite.

Thanks so much,

JackB

Sorry a senior moment. Frederick married Eleanor, have amended my post

That's alright. It happens to us all.

I have also just remembered that Frederick's wife, Eleanor, went back to using her former married name of "Blenkinsopp" after 1910 (the date Frederick disappeared), this seems to suggest that there was some tension between the 2 of them. Her death was still registered as Watson however.

JackB

Still waiting for his marriage certificate to arrive, but in the meantime, I think I may be closer to solving this mystery.

In the 1921 Census, there is a couple, Frederick and Annie Watson (married), who are living in Hull. Frederick claimed to be born in 1866 in "Broomside, Durham", which incidentally sounds a lot like "Burnside, Durham", (the place my Frederick put his place of birth as in the 1901 census with Eleanor.)

I have searched the BMD records, and the only Frederick that would match up with this is the Frederick Watson b. July 1866 in Durham, the son of Joseph Watson and Jane Lawther (like what was suggested earlier.)

Now, because of this, I think that Frederick who appears on the 1921 in Hull with Annie is the same person as my Frederick who married Eleanor. This just leaves one thing. Eleanor never divorced from Frederick, and many years after he had disappeared, she always put her status as "Married". Weird. And there were definitely never any divorce records between the 2. This means that if the Frederick on the 1921 is the man I'm looking for--then it means that he married Annie bigamously. Just need to find him on the 1911 now.

Thank you,

JackB

The Frederick with Annie is your man.(Confirmed by gro birth entry) His actual dob was 31.07.1866, born BROOMSIDE, St Giles, Durham. He appears at the same address in 1939 with Annie as per 1921 census.


His death, £3 Gro digital image available

Name Frederick Watson
Death Age 80
Birth Date abt 1867
Registration Date Jan 1947
[Feb 1947]
[Mar 1947]
Registration Quarter Jan-Feb-Mar
Registration District Hull
Inferred County Yorkshire East Riding
Volume 2a
Page 195

Annie's probable death

First name(s) Annie M
County Yorkshire
Last name Watson
Volume 2A
Sex Female
Page 224
Birth year 1882
Country England
Age 73
Death quarter 2
Death year 1955
District Hull