William METCALFE and Margaret ROBINSON (m. 1819 in Bishopton, DUR)
William and Margaret were my 3x great grandparents. Tracing their ancestors isn’t easy, because their surnames are very common in this part of the country. Here’s where I’ve got to…
According to the 1851 Census, William Metcalfe was born in Yorkshire, and was then aged 57, putting his birth in about 1793-4. Unfortunately the census entry doesn’t give a precise place of birth, but in addition to this, (a) he wasn’t in the family home in the 1841 Census and hasn’t yet been found, and (b) he died about 4 months before the 1861 Census.
William was living in Bishopton when he and Margaret married in 1819. In 1821 he was a miller at Ricknall Mill, Aycliffe (a neighbouring parish), but from 1823-1843 he is recorded in the Bishopton parish registers as a labourer living in the parish. By 1851 he was a railway labourer living in Greatham.
As for Margaret’s background, I do at least have her baptism in Aug 1799 in Kirklevington, NRY, her parents being Stephen and Ann Robinson of Worsall - it’s getting back from there that’s the problem. Stephen and Ann were with their daughter in Bishopton for the 1841 Census, in which both were said to have been born in the county; Stephen’s age was given as 70 (i.e. 70-74) and Ann’s as 65 (i.e. 65-69). Stephen died, I think, in 1844, but Ann didn’t die until 1864. Both 1851 and 1861 censuses give her place of birth as Wolviston, DUR; ages are a little inconsistent, but point to a birth somewhere around 1774.
With this information it’s possible to speculate a little, but as yet I have no hard evidence. The best match I have found for a marriage is in Bedale, NRY in Dec 1798 - Stephen Robinson of Seamer and Ann Robinson of Bedale. While Seamer is quite close to Kirklevington, where Margaret was baptised about 8 months after this marriage, I have nothing to link Ann with Bedale. However, if this marriage should prove to be the right one, there’s a possible baptism in Billingham in 1777 - Ann daughter of John and Martha Robinson.
If anyone can shed any light on any of this, I’m waiting to hear.