Thomas Reuben Whitfield Burn (1859 - 1922)

Born 1 Jun 1859 in Elswick, Newcastle on Tyne, Northumberland, England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Annie (Newton) Burn — married 16 Dec 1896 in Newcastle-on-Tyne, England

Descendants

Died 1922 at about age 62 in Gateshead

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Biography

Thomas Reuben Whitfield Burn is a name genealogists dream of, it is so unusual it must be easy to research, until you find there are two people with the name, then you find one is the father of the other!

This is the father, he was born June 1, 1859 at 44 Tyneside Terrace, Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. Thomas was raised by his grandparents, which should mean that he shows in up the 1861 census age 2 or 3 years but he does not. He does show up 10 years later living with his grandparents, James Burn and Dorothy in Newcastle on Tyne. He is a Burn, his grandfather is a Burn so we need to find the man in the middle.

Back to earlier census pages to check the whole family. In 1841 James and Dorothy are 20, recently married and living with Dorothy's family. In 1861 they have a 20 year old Daughter, Ann and an 11 year old son James. With the best will in the world I cannot imagine James is the father which leaves us with Ann as the unmarried mother. The 1851 census show two young sisters who apparently died young. There is no mention of Thomas anywhere in the 1861 census, either the family hid him from the census out of shame or he was raised by another family and was known by a different name.

Thomas returned and lived with his grandparents until sometime in the 1880's, Ann married early in 1871 to Thomas Whitfield, research shows his middle name was Reuben, so when TRW Burn was about 21 his parents married. When Thomas married Mary Annie Newton, on 16 December 1896 he left the name of his father off the marriage certificate.

Timeline

1859 Thomas Reuben Whitfield was born 1 June 1859 at 44 Tyneside Terrace, Elswick, Newcastle Upon Tyne (at the home of his grandparents). The birth was registered on July 11, 1859 by his mother Ann Burn (Birth Certificate Registration No. 237, Registration District of Newcastle Upon Tyne, Sub-district Westgate, County of Northumberland and Borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.)

1861 The 1861 census indicates that James and Dorothy Burn were living at 44 Tyneside Terrace, Elswick, Newcastle. Living with them at the time was their daughter Ann, aged 20, their son James, aged 11, and a son, Thomas, aged 10. Since James and Dorothy did not have a son named Thomas, one suspects that this was his grandson, Thomas Reuben, aged 1 (there may have been an error made in the transcription).

1871 Living with his grandparents at 155 Hinde Street, Elswick, Newcastle On Tyne, Northumberland.^[1]

1874 13 October He was indentured to apprenticeship as Organ builder by Francis Clough Nicholson with the consent of his grandfather. ^[2]

1881 Was an Organ Builder living with his grandparents at 297 + 299 Scotswood Road, Elswick, Newcastle on Tyne, England.^[3]

1891 Worked as a Joiners labourer, was living at the time as a lodger of Jane Thompson, a washer woman who is the same age as Thomas and single, with a 3 year old son Oscar, at 39 Blandford Street, Westgate, Newcastle on Tyne, Northumberland, England^[4]

1896 Before 16 December he was living at 56 Railway Street, Newcastle upon Tyne.

1896 16 December, marriage with Mary Annie Newton. The details on the marriage certificate are as follows: Marriage, 16 December 1896, St. Stephen’s Church, Parish of Low Elswick, County of Newcastle-on-Tyne. Thomas Reuben Whitfield Burn, 35, bachelor, labourer, residing at 56 Railway Street. Mary Annie Newton, 19, spinster, residing at 46 Monkton Terrace, Jarrow, daughter of John Newton, blacksmith. Witnessed by William Gelson and Elizabeth Alice Marshall.

1897 Daughter Dorothy born 24 April 1897 at Flour Mill Cottage, Dunston. Dorothy married Joseph Tindale at Christ Church, Dunston in 1922. She died in 1976.

1899 28 January Son Thomas Reuben Whitfield Burn born. Thomas married Kitty Phillips in 1922 and died in 1985.

1901 24 February Daughter Mary Annie born.^[5] Mary Annie married in 1922 and died in 1980.

1901 Was living at 8A Athol Street, Whickham, Gateshead, Durham, England. ^[6]

1901 to 1911 Worked as a Labourer at Dunstan Flour Mill. At some point the family moved to live at Flour Mill Cottage, Dunstan, Co.Durham, England.^[6][7]

1903 Daughter Frances Elizabeth born.^[8] Married end of 1927^[9] and died 1955.^[10]

1907 Daughter Christina born,^[11] married first in 1926^[12] married for a second time in 1969^[13] died 1996^[14]

1910 James born,^[15]

1911 Ann Whitfield, widow, visiting in census.^[7]

1924 About November, death in Gateshead, Co. Durham.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ 1871 census RG10 Piece: 5077 Folio: 56 Page: 43 Newcastle upon Tyne Westgate Parish: Elswick
2. ↑ See document.
3. ↑ 1881 census RG11 Piece: 5052 Folio: 75 Page: 28 Newcastle upon Tyne Westgate
4. ↑ 1891 census RG12 Piece: 4193 Folio: 62 Page: 12 Newcastle upon Tyne Westgate
5. ↑ Gateshead Volume: 10-A Page: 1052 in 1901 1st quarter
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} 1901 census RG13 Piece: 4762 Folio: 66 Page: 35 Gateshead Whickham
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} 1911 census RG14PN30498 RG78PN1749 RD557 SD3 ED3 SN370 Gateshead Whickham
8. ↑ GRO reference Gateshead DurhamY 1903 Jul-Aug-Sep Volume no: 10A Page no: 1097
9. ↑ Gateshead Durham 1927 Oct-Nov-Dec Spouse's last name Lightfoot Volume no: 10A Page no: 1659
10. ↑ Gateshead Durham 1955Q Jan-Feb-Mar Age at death:51 Volume no: 1A Page no: 944
11. ↑ GRO reference Gateshead Durham 1907 Jan-Feb-Mar Volume no: 10A Page no: 1118
12. ↑ GRO reference Gateshead Durham 1926 Jan-Feb-Mar Spouse's last name Chicken Volume no: 10A Page no: 1300
13. ↑ GRO reference Surrey South Eastern Surrey 1969 Apr-May-Jun Spouse's last name Meekham Volume no: 5G Page no: 909
14. ↑ GRO reference Northumberland West Northumberland 1996 November Date of Birth:22 February 1907 District no: 6802 Reg no: 9 Ent no: 068 DOR: 1196
15. ↑ GRO reference Gateshead Durham 1910 Jul-Aug-Sep Volume no: 10APage no: 1097
16. ↑ GRO reference BURN, Thomas R W Gateshead County: Durham 1924 Oct-Nov-Dec Age at death:61 Volume no: 10A Page no: 964

See also

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