THE BROWN FAMILY

notes by P John Partington

Although ‘Brown’ is such a common surname, and therefore usually very hard to research, our own ‘Brown’ ancestors helpfully gave many of their children unusual forenames, often repeated down the generations:  notably there are half a dozen Browns, including some of our direct ancestors, with the double forename “Robert Pleasant”.  (Other recurring examples include “Ralph Blackbird” and “Arthur Yeoman”.)  The following are some interim notes, starting from our ancestor John (born in 1822).  I intend to fill in the generations before him, and their separate descendants, in the coming months.


JOHN BROWN  (1822 - 1902)

John was born in 1822 in Wivenhoe, Essex.  In 1848, still in Wivenhoe, he married Ann Amelia Cook (known by her second name);  the couple had thirteen children – Hannah Amelia born in 1849, Celestia Maria in 1851, William John in 1853, William Yeoman Joseph in 1855, Robert Pleasant in 1857, Ann Amelia in 1860, Alice Jane & Joseph Arthur in 1862, another Alice in 1865, Kate Adelaide in 1867, Ralph in 1869, Maria in 1871 and Joseph in 1874/5 (details below).  John was a master mariner, a ship’s captain, recorded on his tombstone as “Master of the S.S. Gracie”.  In 1871 John & Amelia were living in Dixon Street, Westoe, co. Durham;  and ten years later they were at 38 Milton Street.  In 1891 they were at Upton House, Stanhope Road;  with them were unmarried daughters Ann Amelia and Kate, and thirteen year-old granddaughter Alice Embleton.  Ten years later John & Amelia were living in Belle Vue Road, back in Wivenhoe;  their unmarried daughter Ann was still with them.  John died, still in Wivenhoe, on New Year’s Day 1902 and was buried in the family grave at Westoe cemetery.  Amelia died on 15 November 1903.


THE CHILDREN OF JOHN  (1822 - 1902)

John’s first child, Hannah Amelia, was born in East Donyland, Essex, on 14 June 1849.  She died on 3 April 1858 and was buried in Tower Hamlets cemetery, London.

John’s second child, Celestia Maria, was born in East Donyland on 31 January 1851.  On 21 November 1868 she married Martin Embleton at St Mary’s, Jarrow Docks.  Three years later the couple were living in Frost Street, Westoe, co. Durham.  They had seven children, all born in Northumberland – John T in 1872, William J in 1874, Celestia in 1875/6, Alice in 1877/8, Robert P B in 1888/9, Ann Adelaide in 1881/2 and Martin Henry 1883/4.  In 1891 the family were living at 51/3 Chichester Road, Westoe;  ten years later they were at 35 Hylton Road West in Sunderland;  Martin was a “marine engine builder”.  Celestia died in 1929/30, still in South Shields.

John’s third child, William John (known by his second name), was born in East Donyland, Essex, on 28 February 1853.  In 1871 he was with his family in Dixon Street, Westoe, South Shields, a “sailor”.  In 1875/6 he married Margaret Blackbird in Tynemouth;  the couple had four children, all born in Northumberland – Ralph Blackbird in 1876/7, William John in 1878, Robert Pleasant in 1885 and Arthur Yeoman J in 1889 (details below).  In 1881 the family were living at 26 Frost Street in Westoe;  in 1891 they were at 105 George Potts Street, and in 1901 at 39 John Clay Street, John being recorded each time as a ‘mariner’.  In 1911 & 1921 they were at 31 Ravensworth Street, Sunderland;  John was working as a “ship watchman”.  He died on 19 July 1923, still in Sunderland.

John’s fourth child, William Yeoman Joseph, was born in East Donyland in 1855/6.  In 1871 he was with his family in Dixon Street, Westoe, a “sailor”.  In 1877, by now a ship’s captain, he married Margaret Kyle in South Shields – but was lost at sea only two years later, on 18 December 1879, sailing “from Odessa to Antwerp on the S.S. Commonwealth”.  He left a son, Arthur Yeoman Joseph, who died on 4 September the following year “aged sixteen months”.

John’s fifth child, Robert Pleasant, was born in East Donyland and baptized there in 1857.  In 1871 he was with his family in Dixon Street, Westoe, a “sailor”;  ten years later he was with them at 38 Milton Street.  In 1891 he was first engineer on the ‘Wensleydale’.  On Boxing Day 1896 he married Elizabeth Davies, in Skewen, Glamorgan.  The couple had six children –  Kate Adelaide born in 1897, John in 1898, Robert Pleasant in 1900, Thomas Frederick in 1905 and Hettie Josephine in 1908 (details below).  In 1911 they were living at 1 Camp Road, Wallsend;  Robert was a “marine engineer & fitter”.  Robert died in 1920, and the following year Elizabeth was still at 1 Camp Road.

John’s sixth child, Ann Amelia (known by her second name), was born in Bromley-by-Bow in 1860.  In 1881 she was with her family at 38 Milton Street, Westoe, working as a ‘draper’.  Ten years later she was with her parents in Stanhope Road;  and ten years later, still with them and still single, in Belle Vue Road, Wivenhoe.  In 1911 she was at 58 Northcote Street, South Shields, recorded as ‘housekeeper’ for her brother Joseph’s family.  She died in 1927.

John’s seventh & eighth children, twins Alice Jane & Joseph Arthur, were born in 1862 and apparently died on the same day as each other four months later, on 7 December.  They were buried at East Donyland.

John’s ninth child, Alice, was born in Westoe in 1864/5.  In 1871 she was with her family in Dixon Street, a “scholar”;  ten years later she was with them at 38 Milton Street, working as a cashier at a draper’s shop.

John’s tenth child, Kate Adelaide, was born in Westoe in 1867/8.  In 1881 she was with her family at 38 Milton Street, Westoe;  ten years later she was living with her parents in Stanhope Road, a “female clerk”.

John’s eleventh child, Ralph Furness, was born in Westoe in 1869/70.  In 1871 he was with his family in Dixon Street;  ten years later he was with them at 38 Milton Street.  In 1895 he married Phoebe Walker in South Shields, and in 1901 was living at 9 Laygate Terrace, a “marine engineer”.  They had at least two children – Ralph Ivan B, born in South Shields in 1904 and dying there in 1909, and Phoebe Elizabeth Thelma (known by her last name), born in South Shields in 1907.  In 1911 Phoebe & Thelma were living at 1 The Terrace, Cauldwell, South Shields.  Ralph died, still in South Shields, in 1924.

John’s twelfth child, Maria, was born in 1871, and “died in infancy”.

John’s thirteenth child, Joseph Henry, was born in Westoe on 9 January 1875.  In 1881 he was with his family at 38 Milton Street.  On 16 April 1901 he married Elizabeth Short, with whom he had at least three children, all born in South Shields – Kathleen in 1901, Joseph Henry in 1903 and Donald Edmund on 9 July 1905.  In 1911 the children were at 58 Northcote Street, with their aunt Amelia as ‘housekeeper’;  Joseph & Elizabeth were not there.

   
THE CHILDREN OF WILLIAM JOHN  (1853 - 1923)

William John’s first child, Ralph Blackbird, was born in North Shields, Northumberland in 1876/7.  In 1881 he was living with his family at 26 Frost Street in Westoe.  Ten years later they were at 105 George Potts Street.  In 1905 he married Ethel Mary Wigham in Sunderland;  they had seven children, all born in Sunderland – George Martin Wigham in 1906, John Thomas in 1907, James in 1910, Ralph Blackbird in 1914, Eliza M W in 1917, Ronald L in 1920 and William in 1922.  In 1911 the family were boarding with Ethel’s parents, John & Sarah Wigham, at 1 Pallion Road. Sunderland;  Ralph was a “general labourer”.  Ten years later they were at 11 Pallion Road:  Ralph was a “fitter’s labourer” at Grays, but out of work when the census was taken.

William John’s second child, William John, was born in Westoe in 1878.  In 1881 he was living with his family at 26 Frost Street.  Ten years later they were at 105 George Potts Street.  In 1908, in Colchester, he married Lily Humphrey, with whom he had five children, all born in Sunderland – Margaret Blackbird in 1910, Lily in 1913, Frances in 1914, Edna in 1918 and William John in 1923.  The 1911 census shows Lily & Margaret living, or perhaps staying, with William’s parents at 31 Ravensworth Street.  In 1921 the family were at 6 Napier Street, Pallion, Sunderland:  William was working for Short Brothers Shipbuilders as a joiner;  at the time of the census he was on strike.

William John’s third child, Robert Pleasant, was born in South Shields in 1885.  He died in early childhood, being buried in South Westoe on 9 February 1888.

William John’s fourth child, Arthur Yeoman Joseph, was born in South Shields in 1889.  In 1891 he was living with his family at 105 George Potts Street, and ten years later at 39 John Clay Street in South Shields.  In 1911 he was with his parents at 31 Ravensworth Street, Sunderland, working as an “engine fitter”.  In 1914 he married Margaret Thompson Carter and in 1921 was living at 28 Ravensworth Street, Sunderland, with her and two children – Ivy born in 1916/7 and Doris Eugenie in 1918/9.  At the time of the census he was a “marine engine fitter” with Wm Gray Ltd, but out of work.


THE CHILDREN OF ROBERT PLEASANT  (1857 - 1920)

Robert Pleasant’s first child, Kate Adelaide, was born in Penarth, Glamorgan, in 1897.  In 1911 & 1921 she was with her family at 1 Camp Road, Wallsend, Northumberland, in the latter year working as a “domestic servant” at Swan Hunter & Co Staff Institute.  On 15 October the following year she married Joseph Louis Jenson at Wallsend.

Robert Pleasant’s second child, John, was born in South Shields in March 1898.  In 1911 he was with his family at 1 Camp Road, Wallsend.  Ten years later he was still there, working as a shipwright at Swan Hunter.

Robert Pleasant’s third child, Robert Pleasant, was born on 27 October 1900 in Sculcoates, Yorkshire.  In 1911 he was with his family at 1 Camp Road, Wallsend.  Ten years later he was an apprentice on board the ‘Whinfield’ in Portishead dock.  He married Annie Hogg and had five children – the eldest, another Robert Pleasant (my daughter-in-law’s grandfather), being born in 1927.

Robert Pleasant’s fourth child, Thomas Frederick (‘Fred’), was born in Drypool, Yorkshire, on 16 August 1905.  In 1911 & 1921 he was with his family at 1 Camp Road, Wallsend.

Robert Pleasant’s fifth child, Hettie Josephine, was born in Sculcoates, Yorkshire on 18 February 1908.  In 1911 & 1921 she was with her family at 1 Camp Road, Wallsend.

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