My Great Grandmother . Margaret

Margaret Flounders  ( 1820?-1891 )
(nee-Douglas / Mitchell ) ?

Her true place of birth is still a mystery to me, still waiting  to be discovered, I believe she was born in Berwick-on-Tweed between 1820-1823, I still have some doubts because Margaret's  memory appears to have been a little "faulty" at times. both in where she was born and the year of her birth. but it must be remembered that NOT many people could read and write in the early 1800;s, particularly females.  some males could write their surname,  a lucky few, but that was it.

Her maiden name was also unknown to me until I received the Birth Certificate of her son Thomas Flounders ( my Grandfather ) which stated her maiden name was " Mitchell " even this caused me some suspicion, as a earlier birth certificate for her oldest daughter Elizabeth, born in Berwick-on-Tweed ( 1844 ) gave her maiden name as Douglas? it is possible that the Registrar was mistaken or heaven above--under the  
"influence "? not impossible in those days gone bye.
In the Census of 1881, she claimed to have been born in Morpeth. ten years later,
In the Census of 1891, she claimed to have been born in Berwick-on-Tweed. she also changed her religous preference on occasions, shortly before she died , she reverted to the Roman Catholic faith.

At the time of the 1891 Census, Margaret was living with her daughter Margaret and her son-in-law John William Dixon at 24 Blandford Street, Hartlepool, I believe the 1891 census was taken in April, and Margaret , died some months later on September 3rd. 1891.

James and Margaret the first to arrive in Hartlepool 1863----1869.

It is my belief that James and Margaret Flounders  (nee Mitchell / Douglas ) had six ( 6 ) surviving Children when they first arrived in Hartlepool, most of the children were born in or around Newcastle-on-Tyne

Elizabeth (b) Berwick-0n-Tweed, 1844.( married James Murray )
Thomas (b) Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1846. (my Grandfather ) (married Ellen Hind )
Lydia (b) Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1850.    ( married Richard Wanley )
James (b) Gateshead, 1853.                   ( married Sarah Jane Shaw )
Margaret (b) Newcastle -on-Tyne 1859 (married John William Dixon )
Agnes (b) Newcastle-on-Tyne 1863.     (married George Wanley )
 " Richard Wanley and George Wanley were brothers "

All the above had died prior to my birth ,  I knew  none of the above with the one exception, John William Dixon, known to me as " Uncle John Willi, " as a small child I used to run the occasional message for him.

As the last child, Agnes, was born in Newcastle-on-Tyne in 1863, it can safely be assumed that the family arrived in Hartlepool between 1863 and April 1869 the time of the death of James. as James's occupation was a Moulder, , it  is possible that  he may have arrived in Hartlepool to obtain employment in Spion Kop foundary.

1864.Spion Kop Foundary built.
1864.Denton Gray built their first ship, the " Sepia "
1864.Middleton Dock Gate Cottages built.
1864.A Post Office was established in High Street.
1865.Hartlepool Hospital opens.
1868.Ralph Ward Jackson ( C ) Elected M.P. for the Hartlepool's

The first record of any of the Flounders Family living in Hartlepool

The very first record I found of the family named " Flounders " Living in Hartlepool was the report of the death of James in April 1869. there was no mention in the previous Census 1861, of any "Flounders " living in Hartlepool, the Family were  all recorded in the 1861 Census living in Newcastle-on-Tyne,

The earliest record of James Flounders I have been able to discover is in the Census returns for 1841 of Berwick-on-Tweed, he was living with his Mother Lydia ( who's maiden name I have been unable to discover ) and his brother, John

The Flounders Side of the Family

I soon discovered that the Internet is a wonderful tool to help you discover your Family History.
I found that the name of my Great Grandfather was James Flounders, at the time of his death he was aged 46 years and he lived in Warren Street, Old Hartlepool, he died on Sunday 11th April 1869 and was buried on Wednesday 14th April 1869 in North Sands Cemetery, later know locally as Spion Kop Cemetery, this notice was the first indication that any of the Flounders Family lived in Hartlepool.

All Our Barefoot Yesterdays

The purpose of this Blog. ( my very first ) is an  attempt to record MY Family History, it  is no more than a  very simple , personal endeavour  to keep a promise I made many, many years ago when I was asked by one of my three daughters the name of my Great Grandmother, it is NOT meant to be Controversial , if you don't like what I write, please remember that it is not compulsory to read it.

if anyone wishes to make any comments,  please feel  free to do so. but "please" no Foul Language,  if you are unable to make a comment without using Foul or Insulting Language, find another site. or consider writing your own Blog.

 I suddenly realised, I did,nt even know the name of my Grandmother, on either side of my Family, in fact none of my ancestors, sad but true. so I decided then and there I would try and record all the Family History I could discover, I am led to believe that  no one in the Family, had previously, ever attempted to keep a record, of  our Family History  some- where along the line , it has , been forgotten, lost, or buried. finding it again as been my task,  to delve into the world of Genealogy. I have found to be a very fascinating subject.

I have no intention of posting a complete Family History, which I honestly do not have, but only the main characters of Grandfathers, Grandmothers, Great Grandfathers , Great grandmothers  as best I can. I do have a great deal of Family Information which I feel would only be of interest to a family member.
Thanks to the Internet, I have managed to trace some ancestor's prior to the Napoleonic Wars.

What follows is a  very amateurish, but a very honest attempt to  record all the information I have been able to discover,  worts and all,  to the best of my ability, it can never be claimed to be 100% correct, it must be remembered that in the 1800's very few working class people could read or write , and at a church function, such as a  Marriage etc, if the Vicar or Priest  or whoever, entered the wrong spelling of a persons known name,in the register,  they were unable to raise any objection,  because they could not read,or write and therefore did not know what name had been recorded,  assuming , they had the nerve, no-one  or very few had the audacity to question a Priest, or Vicar,  and  up to very recently,  even your Doctor. 

I also intend to insert at appropriate dates, historical local snippets of interest.that may be of Interest.