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.

This post concerns her parents, James and Elizabeth METCALF. I’m fairly sure that they married at St Luke, Old Street, Finsbury in 1783. Elizabeth was the widow of John KEEN, a mariner on board the “Richmond” whose will was proved (PCC) in 1782. She had married him (as Elizabeth ASKEW) at St Luke, Old Street in 1773, and they had a daughter Elizabeth Mary in 1774. This daughter Elizabeth was of some help in tying my family together.

When Phebe Metcalf married in 1802, one of the witnesses was an Isaac AKEROYD (also spelt ACKROYD) - and Isaac Akeroyd married an Elizabeth Keen in Leeds in 1794. Not only that, Elizabeth, wife of Isaac Ackroyd, died in 1813, aged 38 - a very good match for Phebe’s half-sister. (Keen is not a common name in Yorkshire, so this seems to me more than just coincidence.)

At some stage I’d like to know more about Elizabeth Askew, but for now, I’m still puzzling over James Metcalf, since the only definite references I have to him are at his marriage and Phebe’s baptism. Was he born in Yorkshire and only temporarily living in London, or had his family been there longer? What was his occupation? When did the family go to Leeds, and why? And when did James die? So many questions, but are there any answers?

Through the DNA project I’ve recently been in touch with someone whose DNA is a very close match to mine, meaning we almost certainly have a common ancestor - the question is, who? His line goes back to a Robert Kennedy who married Christian KENNEDY in Dull in 1783, so may have been born in about 1760 or so. My Hugh and Mary had a son Robert in 1763, but there were also other Roberts baptised around that time, and the locations given in the baptism entries suggest that one of these others might possibly be a more likely candidate.

If anyone knows any more about these families I’d love to hear about it. In particular, can you shed light on the connection between Hugh and Robert, and also who Hugh’s parents were and where he came from (I haven’t found a likely baptism anywhere in Perthshire).

Lastly, if you’d like to know more about the Kennedy DNA project, I can put you in touch with the co-ordinator - the more participants the better!

My latest line of enquiry concerns a John CROSLEY, who witnessed the marriage in 1786, since a comparison of signatures suggests he might be the John Crosley who married a Mary Emmott in 1782; could Mary and Ellen have been sisters? Mary appears to have been the illegitimate daughter of Hannah Emmott (bapt. 1758), but so far I haven’t found anything definite to connect her to Ellen.

I’ve also found the following marriages in an index to the Kildwick PRs - could one or both relate to Hannah, mother of Mary (and possibly of Ellen)?

27 Apr 1769 Thomas PIGHELS widower of Crossmoor, Weaver and Ann EMMOTT spinster of Sutton

10 Aug 1789 John LILLY widower of Bingley, Woolcomber and Hannah PIGHELS widow of Silsden

Any ideas, anyone?