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Hi
I am trying to find the parents of my 4th gt grandparents. All I know is that my 4th gt grandfather was called James Smithson and was a mariner, born around 1800. He married a lady called Sarah Kinnear (b1801) on 12 July 1832 in Newcastle upon Tyne. They had four sons - James, Andrew, Robert and Henry. They lived in the Westgate area of Newcastle. We have a copy of their marriage certificate from the parish records but it had no fathers name on it. I dont know where to go from here as to look at the baptism records for 1800 - I dont know the month he was born or if that is the correct year and have no idea if he had any siblings or if he did, what they were called. If anyone has any information, help or advice, it would be great to hear from you. Thanks Emma.

So is this the family in 1861?

1861 England Census
Name: Andrew Smithson
Age: 17
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1844
Relation: Son
Mother's Name: Sarah
Gender: Male
Where born: Newcastle Upon Tyne

Civil Parish: Westgate
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
County/Island: Northumberland
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View Image

Registration district: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Sub registration district: Westgate
ED, institution, or vessel: 1b
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 43
Household Members: Name Age
Sarah Smithson 60
Henry Smithson 23
Robert Smithson 20
Andrew Smithson 17

So, he's not being helpful, is he?

1841 England Census
Name: Sarah Smithson
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1801
Gender: Female
Where born: Northumberland, England

Civil Parish: St John
Hundred: Castle (West Division)
County/Island: Northumberland
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Registration district: Newcastle upon Tyne
Sub registration district: Westgate
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Andrew Kinnear 35
Emma Kinnear 15
Sarah Kinnear 15
Robert Kinnear 11
Sarah Smithson 40
James Smithson 5
Henry Smithson 3
Robert Smithson 8 Mo

Hi Ozibird,

Yes this is the family. Sarah and the children are in the 1851 & 1861 census but James Smithson the father never appears anywhere. Sarah is down as a Seamans Wife in the 1851 census. This is all I know as I can't find anything else on the family and really would like to get further back than 1800 but seem to have come to a complete stand still.

And being a seaman he could've been born anywhere! This one's a problem.

This is the only other Smithson born abt 1800 from Newcastle on Tyne.

Have you followed him?



Update: Sorry I forgot to add him.

1861 England Census
Name: Joshua Smithson
Age: 71
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1790
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Ann
Gender: Male
Where born: Newcastle Upon Tyne

Civil Parish: St George Hanover Square
Ecclesiastical parish: St George
Town: London
County/Island: Middlesex
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage: View Image

Registration district: St George Hanover Square
Sub registration district: May Fair
ED, institution, or vessel: 14
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 74
Household Members: Name Age
Joshua Smithson 71
Ann Smithson 65

Tell me about it. Its a total pain in the butt. Do you have any ideas where I could go from here?

Same parish as Sarah is living.

Parents are Richard & Eleanor Smithson

1. MARY SMITHSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 21 SEP 1792 Saint John, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England


These 3 - Thomas & Isabella Smithson
2. WILLIAM SMITHSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 05 SEP 1784 Saint John, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England

3. JOSHUA SMITHSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Christening: 08 AUG 1790 Saint John, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England

4. ANN SMITHSON - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Christening: 15 APR 1787 Saint John, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Northumberland, England


Can't find a James, though.

I haven't come across this one, but I think it is definitely James Smithson I'm looking for as I have his marriage certificate from St Andrews Church in Newcastle where the marriage took place.

1841 England Census
Name: Richard Smithson
Age: 73
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1768
Gender: Male
Where born: Northumberland, England

Civil Parish: St John
Hundred: Castle (West Division)
County/Island: Northumberland
Country: England

Street address: Blandford St

Occupation: Land agent

Registration district: Newcastle upon Tyne
Sub registration district: Westgate
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Richard Smithson 73
Elizabeth Smithson 64

Chances are these are part of the family but if James was born at sea there won't be a record of him anywhere will there?

I didn't think Joshua would be your man, but perhaps a brother. But dead end there so far, there's a possibility James is a Newcastle Smithson. They are quite a small group.

For:
They are living in the same area as Sarah.

Against:
No record of him.
No sailors in the family so far, though none of his sons seem to be sailors either. James may have been a black sheep.

I doubt he was born at sea, but he may have died at sea.

That would be just my luck! lol

1841:

Alexander Smithson abt 1796 All Saints, Northumberland

Ann Smithson abt 1801 All Saints, Northumberland

Elizabeth Smithson abt 1777 St John, Northumberland

Fanny Smithson abt 1827 All Saints, Northumberland

Margaret Smithson abt 1801 Northumberland, England St Andrew, Northumberland

Richard Smithson abt 1768 Northumberland, England St John, Northumberland

Thomas Smithson abt 1834 All Saints, Northumberland

Thomas Smithson abt 1811 St John, Northumberland

Ellen Smithson abt 1812 St John, Northumberland


And there's this one whom I feel could be a cousin to your Robert.

1841 England Census
about Robert Smithson
Name: Robert Smithson
Age: 2
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1839
Gender: Male
Where born: Northumberland, England

Civil Parish: St Andrew
Hundred: Castle (East Division)
County/Island: Northumberland
Country: England

Street address: Jesmond Vale

Occupation:

Registration district: Newcastle upon Tyne
Sub registration district: Byker
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
Margaret Smithson 40 - plain sewer
John Elliott 10
Sarah Elliott 6
Robert Smithson 2

This is the order they are in on the image. Margaret may have been an Elliot who married a Smithson.

I wonder if we can't find anything on James because there is a story that has been passed down through the family that James was an illegitimate child of Sir Hugh Smithson who was linked to Alnwick Castle, Northumberland. We just thought it was some made up tale!

1851 England Census
Name: Robt Smithson
Age: 12
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1839
Relation: Son
Father's Name: John A
Mother's Name: Margaret
Gender: Male
Where born: Newcastle

Civil Parish: Newcastle Upon Tyne St Andrew
Town: Newcastle Upon Tyne
County/Island: Northumberland
Country: England

Street address: 120 Pilgrim St

Occupation:

Registration district: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Sub registration district: St Andrew
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Neighbors: View others on page
Household schedule number: 182
Household Members: Name Age
John A Smithson 37 - General Clerk
Margaret Smithson 48
Robt Smithson 12


Name: John A Smithson
Age: 37
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1814
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Margaret
Gender: Male
Where born: Newcastle

Thank you so much. You have given me lots to look into.

Do you mean this bloke - Lieutenant-General Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland, FRS (14 August 1742 – 10 July 1817), born Hugh Smithson, was the eldest son of the 1st Duke of Northumberland. He assumed the surname of Percy by Act of Parliament along with his father in 1750 and was styled Lord Warkworth from 1750 until 1766.

This bloke is a bit young I think - Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland (20 April 1785 – 11 February 1847) was a British aristocrat and Tory politician who served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland under the Duke of Wellington from 1829 to 1830.




>>>>His half brother was James Smithson whose bequest founded the Smithsonian Institution. It doesn't look like this bloke ever lived in Northumberland but it does prove the 1st Duke had at least one illegitimate child.

Yeah, thats the one. So the tale goes!