Wanted! - Descendants of John Jonathan and Jane (nee Hewlett) Saddington

Firstly, please accept my apologies for the lack of posts this month. Full-time job, part-time study, family commitments and getting ready for Christmas have all got in the way of research and posting.

Secondly, I would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year full of successful research. If there is anyone out there who is planning to attend the Family History Conference at University of Essex, Colchester at the end of August 2008, let me know and we can arrange to meet up.

Now to the post itself. Following the creation of the Saddington DNA Project last month, I am now looking for direct male line Saddingtons from my own Saddington family tree. The ideal is to test two distant males from each tree to validate the common ancestor. So my current plan is to work backwards through the generations in the hope of finding distant Saddingtons in my own tree that will agree to be tested.

John Jonathan Saddington (1831-1912) and his wife, Jane Hewlett (1839-1899) are my 2x great grandparents. They had 10 children, 5 sons and 5 daughters. Of these, 4 sons and 4 daughters had children. For some reason, my line lost touch with the majority of the rest, so what I am hoping is that descendants of the other children may have kept more in touch.

So, taking the children from the top, here goes:

Elizabeth Ann (1861-1912) married Simeon Cundy, and had three children: Elizabeth Clara (1893), Simeon (1894) and Jenny Louisa (1897). Elizabeth married Len Woods, Simeon married Nellie Pamplin and Jenny married Cecil Roberts.

John George (1862-1928) married Bessie Allen, and had five children: George Henry (1893), Winifred (1896), Frank Alan (1898-1905), John Philip (1905-1934) and Maisie. George married Mary Elizabeth Price.

Clara Jane (1864-1950) married Robert Henry Whitaker, and had four children: Robert Henry Hewlett (1891), Thomas John (1893), Clara Elizabeth (1895) and Grace Jane (1899). Robert married Ruby Florence Lane, Thomas married Mabel Bentley, Clara married Harold Higginbottom, and Grace married Harold Turnbull.

Joseph Walter (1866-?) is believed to have married, but to have died without issue.

John (1868-1947) married Mercy Simpson, and had nine children: John Charles (1892-1901), Elsa Mabel Grace (1893), William Edwin (1894), Elizabeth Amelia and Sarah Jane (1897-1897), Mercy Gwendoline (1898-1902), Robert Crispin (1899-1899), Lilian Blanche (1900), and Frederick Archibald (1905). Elsa Mabel Grace married (1) Thomas Anthoney and (2) Henry Cowland, Lilian Blanche married Philip Marshal Hall. William Edwin married, but his wife's name is as yet unknown.

Albert Edward (1872-1949) married Rosa Crush, and had five children: Albert E (1895), John (1896), William T (1899), Constance (1901) and Clara (1909-1926). Constance married a Mr Bailey.

William James (1874-1973) married Emma Leonard, and they were my great grandparents.

Sarah Jane (1877-1906) married John Thomas Moore, and died without issue.

Grace Maud (1879-1921) married Alexander Brown, and had three children: Alec (1908), Cyril (1909) and Peter Kinnear (1914).

Mabel Gertrude (1883-?) married David Brown, and had two children: David (1909) and Mabel (1915).

So, if any of these names are familiar to you, do please get in touch - there's no such thing as too many relatives!

Announcing the Saddington DNA Project!

Proving whether your Saddingtons are connected to my Saddingtons!

One of the most frequent questions that I am asked by the people who contact me about the Saddington family is whether their Saddingtons are connected to my Saddingtons. Sometimes I can tell them that, yes, they are connected and that our common ancestor is X. More often, I have to say that, at the moment, I do not have sufficient evidence to prove a connection.

As one way of providing a more informative answer to this question, I have established the Saddington DNA Project at Family Tree DNA, and it is ready for participants to join and order a test kit.

Ideally, the goal is to have two distant line males test for each family tree. Being female and only a quarter Saddington, my family tree will need to be represented by other descendants of my great grandfather.

The Y DNA test tells you about your direct male line, which would be your father, his father, and so on back in time. You must be male to take this test and you should be a Saddington. If you believe that there is a Saddington in your direct male line, although you have a different surname, you are also welcome to participate. If you are female like me, you will need to find a direct line male to participate (father, brother, uncle, cousin etc) to represent your family tree.

If possible, it is recommended that you order a Y DNA test with 37 markers. If you order fewer markers, it is possible to upgrade later, though this will cost a little more. Ordering your test through the Saddington DNA Project means that you will get a discounted rate from the normal retail price.

Participating is an opportunity to uncover information not provided in the paper records, which will help with your research of your family tree. Together, we will also discover which family trees are related. As the project progresses, the results for the various family trees will provide information about the origin and distribution of the Saddington surname.

The goals of the Saddington DNA Project are:

* To discover information to help with our family history research
* To discover which family trees are related
* To discover information to help with brick walls
* To confirm any surname variants
* To validate family history research
* To get on file a DNA sample for trees at risk of extinction of the male line
* To discover information about our distant origins

The Saddington DNA Project also includes a General Fund, which will accept donations in any currency via credit card. These funds will be held at the testing company and will be used to help sponsor test kits for key males who are unable financially to participate. Should you wish to make a donation, click on the link to the Project and then click "Contribute to the Project General Fund" on the left to make a donation. Please specify "Saddington Project General Fund" in the top box of the Donation Form.

If you have any queries about DNA testing, Family Tree DNA has a Frequently Asked Questions section, which should be able to provide the answers.

I look forward to sharing this new method of family history research with you, and look forward to hearing from you all.

Ashby de la Zouch Registration District Marriages 1837-1881

Courtesy of Part 1 of Sue Horsman's Ashby de la Zouch Marriage Challenge, here are a number of Saddington marriages, predominantly in Appleby Magna, LEI, but some in other nearby parishes.

August 16 1838 - John Saddington, son of Bateman Saddington, married Ann Litherland, daughter of Samuel Litherland, at Appleby Magna

November 29 1844 - John Byard, son of Thomas Byard, married Elizabeth Saddington, daughter of Joseph Saddington, at Appleby Magna

September 7 1868 - Thomas Saddington, son of Thomas Saddington, married Ann Gregson, daughter of Charles Gregson, at St Helens, Ashby de la Zouch

October 13 1868 - Thomas Taylor, son of Thomas Taylor, married Eliza Noon Saddington, daughter of Edward Saddington, at Appleby Magna

October 13 1868 - Josiah Orme, son of Michael Orme, married Emma Saddington, daughter of Edward Saddington, at Appleby Magna

September 6 1870 - John Saddington, son of John Saddington, married Mary Ann Ison, daughter of George Hayfield Ison, at Donisthorpe

February 2 1871 - Walter Satchwell, son of James Satchwell, married Ann Maria Saddington, daughter of John Saddington, at Appleby Magna

November 4 1875 Edward Saddington, son of Edward Saddington, married Frances Bowley, daughter of William Bowley, at Appleby Magna

February 1 1876 - Walter Woodcroft, son of John Woodcroft, married Clara Saddington, daughter of Thomas Saddington, at St Stephen, Woodville

February 19 1878 - William Pratt Saddington, son of William Saddington, married Sarah Anne Harrison, daughter of John Harrison, at Appleby Magna

January 12 1880 - Walter Baker, son of Walter Baker, married Frances Saddington, daughter of Thomas Saddington, at Hugglescote

October 4 1881 - George Ball, son of John Ball, married Ann Saddington, daughter of Edwin Saddington, at Measham

And also a couple of welcome extras, one which should be in Part 2 of the Marriage Challenge and one from Shardlow Registration District:

January 17 1906 - Ernest Saddington, son of Edwin Saddington, married Ada Amelia Allsop, daughter of Joseph Allsop, at Appleby Magna

June 25 1863 - John Saddington, son of John Saddington, married Harriet Hurst, daughter of William Hurst, at Breedon

Many thanks to Sue for all her hard work, and please contact me if you have any queries, information or comments.

Corporal James Saddington MM, No. 587, 40th Battalion, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force (1893 - 1918)

James Saddington was born on 31 July 1893 at Waratah, Tasmania, Australia. He was the second son and third child of Frederick Joseph James Saddington and his second wife, Mary Annie King.

James enlisted in the Australian Army at Claremont, Tasmania, on 4 April 1916. His attestation paper states that he was 22 years and 11 months old, worked as a labourer, and had previously been rejected for military service on account of his teeth. He is described as being 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 154lb, having a fair complexion, yellowish eyes, and brown wavy hair. He had scars on his left wrist and on the tip of his left ear. He was a Roman Catholic by religion. James' next of kin was listed as his mother, Mrs Mary Saddington, then living in Natone, Tasmania.

During his first few months as a soldier, James would have been drilled and trained relentlessly. On 10 June 1916, whilst still stationed at Claremont, he was brought up on the charge of having been "insolent to a non-commissioned officer on parade in that he behaved in a manner contrary to military discipline when ordered to fall in at the 12.00 parade" on 7 June 1916. The witness to his unmilitary behaviour was one Company Serjeant Major Baldwin, and James was fined 5 shillings.

On 1 July 1916, James Saddington embarked on the HMAT Berrima at Hobart, Tasmania for the journey to England, arriving at Devonport (Plymouth), Devon on 22 August 1916, having been at sea for 53 days. At this point, he was part of the 4th Training Battalion, but was transferred to the 15th Infantry Battalion on 9 September 1916. On 1 October 1916, he was taken on the strength of the 40th Battalion. The 40th Battalion was Tasmania's contribution to the war effort. Both of these battalions were based in villages near Amesbury, to the north of Salisbury. A couple of months later, on 23 November 1916, James found himself, with his battalion, in Southampton being processed for embarkation to France.

By December 1916, the 40th Battalion was serving in the trenches with all that that entailed - mud, rats, trench foot - all the horrors that you can think of. Despite the unfortunate incident back home in Claremont, James made a good soldier, receiving a field promotion to Lance Corporal on 9 February 1917. However, it did not appear to be to his liking because he reverted to the rank of Private at his own request two months later on 13 April 1917.

In June 1917, the 40th Battalion took part in the Battle of Messines, an attack on the Messines Ridge planned as a precursor to the Third Battle of Ypres, better known as Passchendaele. The battle commenced with heavy shelling of the German positions from 23 May to 7 June 1917, and a key feature was the detonation of 19 huge mines under the German trenches. The Battle of Messines was a complete success, accomplishing all of its objectives in less than 12 hours, with only 17,000 casualties in total out of 216,000 men participating.

On 4 October 1917, the 40th Battalion took part in the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge, part of the Battle of Passchendale. Around 36,500 Australians were killed during the two main elements of Passchendaele, which took place between 12 October and 10 November 1917. James would have lived in a world of mud (in which men drowned), water, shellholes (1 million in a square mile), and the constant sight and stench of death - a Hell which drove men insane.

Towards the end of this horror, on 3 November 1917, James was promoted to the rank of Temporary Corporal. Two weeks later, on 17 November 1917, he went on special leave to England. He was back in France on 1 December 1917, so I hope that he made the most of his fortnight back in Blighty.

On 14 January 1918, James Saddington made his Will, leaving everything he owned to his mother, Mary. The Will was witnessed by Lieutenant H J Dell and Corporal Ernest E Best, both of the 40th Battalion. Five days later, James was promoted to Corporal.

On 8 February 1918, Corporal James Saddington was awarded the Military Medal. The citation reads that he received it "For conspicuous gallantry in action East of YPRES on 4th October 1917. Throughout the Operation both during the attack and afterwards he set a wonderful example to his Section of which he was leader for most of the time. His utter disregard for danger and his fine spirits were an inspiration to the whole of his Section." His award had been gazetted in the London Gazette on 28 January 1918, and was gazetted in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 27 June 1918.

However, Corporal James Saddington was killed in action at Messines on 21 February 1918, at the age of 24. In the Australian Red Cross Society Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau Files for World War One, there are 13 accounts of how he died, all slightly different. It seems that C Company, 40th Battalion, were holding the line near Warneton, in the Belgian province of Hainault, when James, who was acting trench Quarter Master, and his Sergeant, a man by the name of Woolley, were killed when a shell exploded outside his dugout. He was initially buried at Ploegsteert Wood, with the service being taken by one Father Howie.

Ploegsteert Wood became known as the Chateau Rosenberg Military Cemetery, but unfortunately James was not to be allowed to rest in peace. After World War One, the owner of Chateau Rosenberg returned and wanted the two cemeteries on his land, the Military Cemetery and its Extension, to be removed. Even a personal request from the King of the Belgians had no effect on the owner's intransigence.

So, in June 1930, more than 12 years after her son's death, Mary Saddington received a letter saying that her son's body had been exhumed from his resting place and reburied "with every measure of care and reverence" in Plot 2, Row B, Grave 55 of the Royal Berks Cemetery Extension, a permanent British military cemetery. Finally, Corporal James Saddington MM was laid to rest alongside nearly 900 fellow soldiers, casualties of the War to end all Wars.

"And at the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them."

[The information for this post is courtesy of National Archives of Australia, Australian War Memorial website, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Waratah - Birthplace of Tasmanian Mining website, and Wikipedia.]

Cornelius Saddington (?1637 - ?)

The aim of this post is to bring together a number of different sources which appear to relate to the same individual with the objective of providing a basis for future research.

The individual concerned is one Cornelius Saddington. Cornelius is an unusual first name in the first instance, and even more so for Saddingtons to the best of my knowledge.

The IGI documents the baptism of a Cornelius Saddington on 5 September 1637 in the Church of St Mary the Virgin, Lutterworth, Leicestershire. He was the son of Henry Saddington and his wife, Anne. There are also references to an Anne Saddington, daughter of Henry, baptised 13 July 1628; a Nathaniell Saddington, son of Henry, baptised 24 August 1632; a Sara Saddington, daughter of Henry, baptised 15 November 1633; a Joseph Saddington, son of Henry, baptised in 1634; and a Ruth Saddington, daughter of Henry and Anne, baptised 19 May 1639. Six baptisms over an 11 year period seems quite reasonable for a family of that period.

The first few years of Cornelius' life remain a blur. The Civil War was being fought, with the Battle of Edgehill (about midway between Stratford upon Avon and Banbury), the first major battle in the Civil War, taking place in 1642, when Cornelius was between 4 and 5 years old, and the execution of King Charles 1 in 1649, when Cornelius was about 12 years old.

According to the minutes of the Society of the Apothecaries of London, when Cornelius was probably about 14 years old, he was apprenticed to an apothecary in Coventry, one Thomas Pigeon, of whom nothing more is currently known. His apprenticeship would have lasted for 7 years, during which time he would have lived in his master's household and learned the trade of apothecary.

On 30 September 1661, according to the IGI, Cornelius married Mary Gregory, daughter of Loveisgod Gregory of Stivichall, Warwickshire, at Holy Trinity Church, Coventry. He would then have been about 24 years old. The Gregorys of Stivichall were a well known local family with quite considerable estates, so Cornelius must have been doing well for himself, or come from a similar background, to be able to marry into such a family.

In January 1662/63, Cornelius was living in Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire, described as a mercer and apothecary, which is an unusual combination of trades. However, on 14 March 1664, he was baptising his son, Cornelius, at the Church of St Andrew, Holborn, London. Yet, less than a month later, on 5 April, he is back in Ashby de la Zouch, described as an apothecary only, signing a receipt relating to his wife's inheritance.

The following year, by 27 October 1665, the family has moved to London, where Cornelius is still described as an apothecary, and is signing a quitclaim and an acquittance in relation to his wife's marriage portion, which appears to have amounted to £400, which would be just under £46,000 at 2006 prices. This was the year that the Great Plague started in London and then spread throughout the country.

The family survived both the plague and the Great Fire of London of 1666. Cornelius and Mary's son, Samuell, was baptised at St Andrew's, Holborn on 18 July 1667.

Then on 15 September 1668, Cornelius Saddington was examined as to his fitness to be an apothecary by Thomas Wharton, censor. He then presented himself to the Society of Apothecaries of London on 22 December 1668, with an "order" from the Lord Mayor of London, in which was indicated his desire to become a Freeman of the Society by Redemption, in the same way as Bateman Saddington of Appleby Magna, Leicestershire, did in 1758 (see my post on 31 August 2007). Unfortunately, the Society were not impressed and told him to go away and "better himself".

When Cornelius returned to the Society on 2 March 1670 for re-examination, he was "approved and found qualified to sell medicines". However, he was not made a Freeman of the Society, which seems to indicate that he was not considered completely up to scratch by the experts.

The last that is currently known about Cornelius Saddington is the baptism of his son, Grigory, at St Andrew's, Holborn, on 2 December 1670. At this point, Cornelius would have been 33 years old, and would have lived through some of the great events in British history. A lot of research remains to be done on Cornelius Saddington, his background and his family.

The information contained in this post has been amassed from the following sources: International Genealogical Index, Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Records Office (records of the Gregory Family of Stivichall, Warwickshire), Society of Apothecaries of London, and "The History of Medical Education in Britain", edited by Vivien Nutton and Roy Porter (specifically the article entitled 'An Examined and Free Apothecary' by Juanita Burnby), for access to which I thank the British Library and the Inter-Library Loan System.

William Pratt and Sarah Ann Saddington of Appleby Magna, Leicestershire

In Loving Memory of
Sarah Ann
Wife of William Pratt Saddington
Who Passed Away Dec. 8 1921
Aged 71 Years
Also of William Pratt Saddington
Who Passed Away March 5 1928
Aged 88 Years

[This memorial was difficult to read and photograph, because the majority of the lead lettering had fallen off, and the lower steps of the memorial had been covered over by grass.]


William Pratt Saddington was born in Appleby Magna, LEI in the March quarter of 1841, the son of William Saddington, a maltster, and his wife, Elizabeth (nee Pratt). He appears to have had one brother, Thomas Pratt, born in the December quarter of 1838.

In the 1851 census, William the father is described as a maltster and bricklayer, employing two labourers. In 1861, William is just a maltster again, and his sons are described as maltster's sons. By 1871, Elizabeth has died and William is described as the owner and farmer of 20 acres. Both his sons are described as brickmakers.

On 19 February 1878, William Pratt Saddington married Sarah Anne Harrison in the Parish Church at Appleby Magna. William P was described as a butcher, while his father was described as a maltster. He claims to be 35 years old [should be 37] and she is 27 years old.

William P and Sarah Ann's first child, Elizabeth Pratt, was christened on Christmas Day 1878 in the Parish Church. Their second child, Lilian Kate, was born in the June quarter of 1880. Her birth must have taken place around the time of her grandfather's death, as William Saddington the elder died intestate on 17 May 1880 in Appleby. William P was granted administration of his father's Personal Estate on 20 November 1880, and is described in the National Probate Calendar as a butcher.

In 1881, William P is described as a butcher. His next child, Eleanor Harrison, was born in January 1882. John William Pratt Saddington followed in the Spring of 1884, and Mary in the Summer of 1885. Tom Harrison Saddington was born in the Spring of 1888, and William P and Sarah Ann's last child, Vincent Charles, was born in the Autumn of 1889.

In 1891, William P is described as a butcher and farmer, and the family is living in Overstreet, Appleby Magna. Tragedy then strikes the family with the death of Eleanor Harrison Saddington in December 1892; her burial taking place on 30 December 1892.

In 1901, William P is described as a farmer and butcher. Of his daughters, Elizabeth Pratt is living in Muston, LEI, managing a dairy, Lilian Kate is in Bulkington, WAR, working as a ladies help, and Mary is at home with her parents. Of his sons, John William Pratt is living in Lambeth, London, working as a clerk and the other two, Tom and Vincent, are at home with their parents.

On 8 December 1921, Sarah Ann Saddington dies at her home, Bateman House, in Appleby Magna. Her will is probated on 28 June 1922 by her husband, William P, who is described as a farmer, and her Estate amounts to £215 2s 8d. She is buried in the cemetery over the road from the Parish Church.

On 5 March 1929, William Pratt Saddington dies at Appleby Magna. His will is probated on 15 January 1930 by his three sons, John William Pratt and Tom Harrison, civil servants, and Vincent Charles, school master. His Estate amounts to £942 13s 1d. He is buried in the same grave as his wife, Sarah Ann.

Saddington graves at Appleby Magna, Leicestershire

Yesterday, my parents and I went to Appleby Magna in Leicestershire to see what could be found in the way of Saddington graves. According to the records, Saddingtons lived and died in Appleby Magna for around 200 years, although there are none living there now.

Our first stop was the Parish Church of St Michael and All Angels. It is a charming place with box pews and a gallery, but in need of some restoration. Unfortunately, there were no memorials or other references to Saddingtons within the church, not even on the Roll of Honour.

Outside, we were somewhat dismayed to find that the churchyard had been cleared and that the majority of the gravestones had been laid flat around the perimeter of the church. However, we did manage to find three Saddington gravestones and both recorded the inscriptions and took photographs. The most recent of these stones was dated 1869.

Over the road from the church is the small local cemetery, well kept and still in use. Here we had more luck, locating seven Saddington graves. These were also recorded and photographed. However, these graves commenced in 1905, which leaves a period of about 35 years unaccounted for. I do not yet know when the churchyard was closed and the cemetery opened, so am unsure which location holds the burials for these missing years.

The ten graves located contained a total of 21 Saddingtons, and the inscriptions mentioned a total of 25 Saddingtons, including husbands and parents of the deceased.

My intention is to use the inscriptions and photographs of the gravestones as a basis for posts on that particular section of the Saddington family in Appleby Magna. Please note that the clarity of the photographs will depend very much on the age and condition of the gravestones themselves.

Saddington sex change shock - Richard becomes Laura!

On the whole, Saddington men are generally called John, Thomas, Joseph, William or Samuel (a sweeping statement, I know), so when I thought that I was on the hunt for a Richard Saddington, I was delighted as he should have been easy to find. I was wrong - you can't find someone who doesn't exist!

Why was I looking for Richard Saddington? Well, taking advantage of the free access to Ancestry now available at Nottinghamshire County Libraries, I came across the 1907 marriage of Emma Jane Saddington to William Brown in Huntsville, Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. Emma claimed to be 31 years old, born in Wolverhampton, Staffordshire, England, and the daughter of Richard Saddington and Laura Colbert. One of the witnesses was a Kate Saddington, also of Huntsville.

So I went looking for Emma born circa 1876 in Wolverhampton in the various censuses on-line. The first to pop up was a 1891 census reference, but when I checked it out, my hopes of finding Richard Saddington died a death, as you will see:

RG12/1237 Folio 70 Page 19
Sch No 124 - London Street (3 rooms), Godmanchester, Huntingdon
Laura Saddington Head S 36 Laundress Employed Hunts, Stukeley
Emma Saddington Daur - 15 - - Staffs, Wolverhampton
Kate Saddington Daur - 10 - - Huntingdon

No Richard, but Laura instead! Well, Laura is an uncommon name for a Saddington, so she shouldn't be too hard to find either. I was wrong again! No Laura Saddington in 1871, 1881 or 1901! However I did locate a birth reference and a reference for the 1861 census.

Laura Saddington was born in the September quarter of 1852 in Little Stukeley, which is just outside Huntingdon, and is within the Huntingdon Registration District (3b 229). In 1861, she was living with her family in Little Stukeley, as below:

RG9/975 Folio 130 Page 11
Sch No 57

Charles Saddington Head M 39 Labourer ag Hunts Woodwalton
Elizabeth Saddington Wife F 34 - Hunts Lt Stukeley
Charles Saddington Son M 9 - Hunts Lt Stukeley
Laura Saddington Daughter F 8 - Hunts Lt Stukeley
Dennis Saddington Son M 6 - Hunts Lt Stukeley
Elma Jane Saddington Daughter F 5 - Hunts Lt Stukeley
Emily Mary Saddington Daughter F 2 - Hunts Lt Stukeley

Using this information, I tried the 1871 census, but without success - Laura was not at home with her family, and her whereabouts remain a mystery. However, a bit of experimenting with search terms located Laura in 1881. Mistranscribed as Haddington, Laura and her little family were in the Huntingdon Union Workhouse, as below:

RG11/1604 Folio 53 Pages 37 and 38

Laura Saddington Inmate Unm 28 Cook Domestic Serv Hunts Little Stukeley
Elizabeth J Saddington Inmate - 5 Scholar Staffordshire Wolverhampton
Alfred G Saddington Inmate - 3 Scholar Hunts Huntingdon
Kate Saddington Inmate - 1 - Hunts Huntingdon

I believe that Elizabeth J and Emma Jane are the same person. As yet, however, I have been unable to find birth references for any of Laura's 3 children, even though all of them were born after the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1874 came into force in 1875. But I did find a marriage reference for Laura Saddington in the September quarter of 1896 (Huntingdon, 3b 574), which explained why I couldn't find her in the 1901 census.

By 1901, Laura had started a new family with her husband, one Richard Binge, in the St Mary's district of Huntingdon.

RG13/1475 Folio 90 Page 29
Sch No 191 - 25 East Street, Newtown

Richard Binge Head M 35 Bricklayers Labourer Worker Huntingdon
Laura Binge Wife M 47 - - Hunts, Little Stukeley
Richard Saddington Binge Son - 1 - - Huntingdon
Emma Measures Boarder S 73 Living on Own Means - Leicester
James Allen Horner Boarder S 66 Grocers Labourer Worker Hunts, Alconbury

But there was no sign of Emma, Alfred or Kate anywhere in 1901. I did, however, finally have a Richard Saddington, but he was only a baby and his surname was Binge!

So I went back to the Ontario marriages, and spotted a marriage for one Kathleen Laura Saddington in 1908, also in Muskoka, Ontario. Was this Kate, and was she perpetuating her sister's cover-up?

With the kind assistance of fellow Guild members, I was able to discover that the answer to both of my questions was Yes! Kathleen Laura Saddington, age 27, claimed to be the daughter of Richard Saddington and Laura Colbourn! The cover-up continued, but it had to, because Kathleen Laura, or Kate, married her brother in law's brother, Charles Brown!

Further information supplied from the 1911 census of Canada tells me that Emma Jane was born in March 1876, emigrated to Canada in 1906, and that she and William had, by 1911, one son, Clarence S (born May 1908), and one daughter, Jessie B (born March 1911). Kate was born in June 1881, emigrated to Canada in 1907, and she and Charles had one daughter, Hazel, born February 1910.

Are you descended from Emma Jane or Kate Saddington? I would be delighted to know what happened to them after 1911, so please get in touch.

Searching for Sarah's Nieces or In Praise of Maiden Aunts

The following post is a bit of a cheat, because it is actually an article I wrote which appeared in the December 2006 edition of the Leicestershire & Rutland FHS Journal. However, the reasoning behind the article remains sound. Please note that I am now back at college two nights a week, and forgive me for any shortcomings in the number of posts made.

In Praise of Maiden Aunts or Why every family historian should have at least one! – A work in progress.

"The phrase ‘maiden aunt’ sounds terribly old-fashioned and Victorian, and fits in with those other similar phrases such as “left on the shelf” and “ape-leader”, and that word more familiar to a family historian, “spinster”.

She’s the end of the line, nowhere to go from here, or so it may seem. However, every family historian should search out and treasure their maiden aunts, both living and long gone. The chances are that she is the child that stayed at home and looked after her parents in their old age, and who carried on living in the family home; the one who accumulated and treasured family papers; the one who knew all the family stories. Just because she never got married doesn’t mean that the juicy bits of family gossip passed her by!

But the best thing is that, should you be fortunate enough to have a maiden aunt who left a Will, it is likely that she will have left various parts of her estate to various different branches of the family, male and female. And this is where your research benefits. Often, family heirlooms and other bits and pieces end up in with a family, which appears to have no connection with yours whatsoever, and that you know nothing about, because they were passed down to a niece or great niece, who married into a different family. Your maiden aunt’s Will might well give her female beneficiaries’ married names, and possibly their addresses!

These thoughts are what occurred to me a couple of years ago, whilst waiting for a lecture to start at the Federation of Family History Societies’ Conference at Loughborough in 2004. I had some documents with me, foolishly thinking that I might have the time to do some active research, and amongst those documents were some Wills.

The Wills included that of Sarah Saddington of Foxton, who died on 12 June 1906. She had written her Will on 30 November 1894, and added a codicil on 24 July 1899. Sarah was born circa 1820 in Great Bowden, the 11th and youngest child of John Saddington and Frances Goward. From the censuses, I already knew that she had spent most of her life keeping house for her elder brother, John, a blacksmith and coal dealer in Foxton, and a bachelor who had died in 1889, leaving her his entire estate.

When I first received Sarah’s Will from the Probate Registry, I had read through it and copied the relevant information onto one of the useful forms previously supplied by Allen and Todd. Then I put it to one side. It wasn’t until I was flicking through my folder before the lecture at Loughborough when it occurred to me that, although I knew exactly who all the men mentioned in the Will were and how they fitted into the family tree, I could only identify two of the eight women listed as beneficiaries. This was a serious failing on my part, so I set out to track down Sarah’s nieces.

The women listed (in the same order as in the Will) were Sarah Rusby (niece), Elizabeth Saddington (wife of Thomas Saddington), Ann Archer (niece), Mary Farthings (niece), Ann Taylor (niece), Sarah Warton (niece), Fanny Laxton (niece) and Fanny Cooper (great niece).

I already knew that Elizabeth Saddington (nee Smith) was the wife of Sarah’s nephew, Thomas, also mentioned in the Will, and the eldest son of Sarah’s eldest brother, Thomas, my 3x great grandfather, and his wife, Hannah Deacon. I also knew that Ann Archer (nee Saddington) was the younger of Thomas Saddington the elder’s two daughters. But who were the other six women, and whose daughters were they?

Two years down the line, I know that Mary Farthing, Fanny Laxton and Sarah Wharton are the daughters of Joseph Saddington and Mary Lawrance; Joseph being Sarah Saddington’s youngest brother, and only 4 years older than her. I also have a fairly solid theory that Sarah Rusby is actually Sarah Busby (nee Lewin), and the daughter of Hannah Saddington and Benjamin Lewin of Wellingborough, Northants; Hannah being the eldest of Sarah’s five sisters. As to the final two, Ann Taylor may also be a daughter of Joseph Saddington and Mary Lawrance; they baptised a daughter called Ann in 1848. But Fanny Cooper still remains a mystery, for the time being.

So what have I learned so far?

I have learned that even your maiden aunt doesn’t necessarily know how to spell your married name; that it is easy to lose someone, even on the 1881 census, if their unexpected and unfamiliar birthplace is transported to a different county (Gilmorton in Worcestershire, anyone?), and that, even after 20 years research, the chances are that there are still things about your family history that you don’t know.

Two generations and fifty years down the line, Sarah Saddington’s great niece, Emily Ann Saddington, spinster daughter of Thomas Saddington and Elizabeth (nee Smith) left a Will, which mentioned seven nieces and a great nephew! Didn’t I say that every family historian should have at least one maiden aunt!"

Bateman Saddington, apothecary of Fleet Street (1728 - 1804)

Over a period of time, I have accumulated various pieces of information about Bateman Saddington, and the time has come to put them together and try to get a proper view of the man.

Bateman Saddington was baptised on 1 September 1728 at Desford, LEI, the third of six children of Joseph Saddington and his wife, Faith Fellow (IGI). Bateman is an unusual first name, but one which continued to appear in this branch of the Saddington family until the end of the 19th century. As yet, it has not been possible to discover the origin of the name's use as a first name.

Not much is known about Bateman's childhood. His father, Joseph, was a tailor at Desford. He is known to have taken on at least one apprentice, and to have served his turn as churchwarden. Joseph must have been reasonably prosperous as two of his sons became butchers and Bateman was apprenticed to an apothecary. At some point after completing his apprenticeship, he then moved to London.

According to the records of the Society of Apothecaries of London, Bateman served a 7 year apprenticeship with one John Marshall, apothecary of Mountsorrel, Leicester. On April 4 1758, he attended the Society's Private Court, seeking admission to the freedom of the Society by redemption, i.e. by payment of a lump sum. This was necessary because, having qualified as an apothecary outside London, he was classed as a "foreigner". Bateman was examined by the Private Court, which was comprised of the Master and two Wardens, who gave their approval of his admission.

Having paid a Fine of £11 14s 0d (£1,432.73 in 2006), an additional 40s (£244.91) towards the Society's Physic Garden at Chelsea and other fees, Bateman was "sworn", i.e he recited the Oath of a Freeman, and was made free by Redemption of the Society of Apothecaries. He became a member of the Yeomanry, the lower ranks of the Society, and was then entitled to seek to become a Freeman of the City of London. His place of residence or shop was given as Fleet Street, and he remained at that address for professional purposes for the rest of his life.

Turning from Bateman's professional life to his private life, it appears that he had married a lady called Elizabeth - the details of their marriage and her surname are as yet unknown. The IGI states that their daughter, Elizabeth, was christened at Saint Andrew, Holborn on 31 December 1758, and her sister, Mary, was christened there on 8 October 1760. Whether Bateman and Elizabeth had any other children remains to be discovered.

On 3 September 1766, Bateman appeared at the Old Bailey as a witness for the prosecution in the case of Alice Weaver. Alice was accused of stealing a pair of shoes belonging to Bateman, valued at 4s (£18.88 in 2006), on or about July 13 1766. Bateman said that they were new shoes, never worn, and that he had identified them by his name written in them. Alice was subsequently acquitted, mainly because the prosecutor could not remember what she had said when charged with the crime by Sir John Fielding, the blind magistrate who sat at Bow Street.

Returning to his professional life, in 1770, having become a Freeman of the City of London, Bateman was promoted to the Livery, or upper ranks of the Society. On 1 September 1790, he took on an apprentice, William Westwood, for the term of 8 years and a consideration of £150 (£13,439.84 in 2006). This was not the first time that he had had an apprentice. On 21 July 1757, when living in St Giles, he had illegally taken on one Joseph Redmond as an apprentice for a term of 7 years and a consideration of £30 (£3,139.15 in 2006). This had been illegal, because, at that time, he was not a Freeman of the Society of Apothecaries and should not have been trading, let alone taking on an apprentice.

In 1796, Bateman was promoted to the Court of Assistants, which was the Society's governing body. On August 13 1802, he was elected Renter Warden, which was the junior of the two Wardens. The following year, on August 12 1803, he was elected Upper Warden, and would have been elected Master of the Society of Apothecaries in August 1804, had he not died in the February. His role as Upper Warden was taken over by Mr Augustine Towson, the then Renter Warden, for the remainder of the term, and a new Renter Warden, Mr A Moore, was chosen.

The final piece of the jigsaw is Bateman's Will, which was proved on 16 February 1804 at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. Bateman wrote his Will on 16 March 1800, and it was witnessed by Sarah Myers and John Hurst. As the Will is very long, I will just pick out the highlights.

Bateman's wife, Elizabeth, appears to have predeceased him, as the first beneficiary is "my daughter Elizabeth Hodgson but who is known as Elizabeth Saddington", a description which seems to indicate a possible marriage to a Mr Hodgson, maybe of short duration. Elizabeth inherits her father's three houses at Canterbury Place, Walworth, Surrey, and his house (No. 28) at Manor Place during her lifetime. She also inherits "all [his] Stocks standing in [his] name in the Company of Apothecarys with the dividends due on the Navy [?] and Laboratory Stocks that may become due at the time of [his] decease".

The next set of beneficiaries are, shall I say, of as yet unknown provenance. They consist of Sarah Dismore of No. 22 Balburns Gardens, and her three sons, Thomas Spicer Dismore, Joseph Dismore and George Dismore, all three of whom appear to be under 21 in 1800, when Bateman's Will was written. Sarah inherits any monies in his name in the 5% Navy Stock at the Bank of England, together with any dividends due. The three boys each inherit £200 (£9,977.63 in 2006) of the £600 that he has in the 5% Irish Stock in the Bank of England, to be paid to them when they reach 21, less £50 each to be used to apprentice them as their mother sees fit, and she to have the dividends for their support and maintenance during their minority.

Thomas is also to inherit No. 28 Manor Place when Elizabeth Hodgson/Saddington dies. Joseph Dismore will inherit No. 3 Canterbury Place, and George Dismore will inherit No. 1 Canterbury Place, also after Elizabeth's death.

Then the Will turns back to family, specifically to Joseph Jenkins, "my Grandson who I have brought up". My theory is that Joseph Jenkins is the son of Bateman's other daughter, Mary, so another marriage needs to be located and the matching burials. Joseph inherits No. 2 Canterbury Place, where Bateman is living at the time that he makes his Will, after his aunt Elizabeth's death. Joseph is also to receive £100 "to be paid by my Partner John Anderson my aforesaid daughter Eliz for the Lease of my House in Fleet Street deducting five pounds for every year from the sale of the aforesaid Lease to the time of my decease for the time elapsed". I am not sure from this just how much money Joseph actually received.

The Will concludes by leaving Charlotte Anderson, the sister of his Partner, John Anderson, £100 "to be paid out of my Book debts and Effects at my House in Fleet Street"; John Anderson inherits "what other debts may be coming to me", but only after Bateman's debts and funeral expenses have been paid; and finally he leaves £5 (£249.44 in 2006) to his brother, Thomas Saddington, for mourning.

A codicil names his Executors as his nephew, John Lister, and John Hart of the Stamp Office. The precise nature of his relationship with John Lister is unknown. Bateman had two sisters, Elizabeth and Maria, but nothing is known about them. Alternatively, John Lister could have been his wife Elizabeth's nephew.

So, although a lot is known about Bateman Saddington, a lot remains to be discovered. Who did he marry, when and where? Who did his daughters marry, and what more can be found out about their lives? Who are the Dismores, and what is their relationship to him? Where was he buried? And so on and so forth.

My thanks go to Dee Cook, Archivist at the Society of Apothecaries of London, to Stanley Saddington, author of "Some Saddington Families", and to Shelagh Mason's Mum, who transcribed Bateman's Will for me. The monetary calculations were done at Measuring Worth.

For those of you descended from the Appleby Magna Saddingtons, Bateman's brother, John, was the founder of this branch.

Any further information on Bateman Saddington, apothecary of Fleet Street, or any of his descendants or relations will be most welcome.

Herbert was a bad lad!

Herbert Saddington was born on 31 January 1884 in Chorlton upon Medlock, Lancashire. (GRO ref: March quarter 1884, Chorlton Registration District, Vol 8c, Page 813). His parents are currently unknown.

On 5 April 1891, Herbert was living at 6 Rosamund Place, Chorlton upon Medlock, Manchester, the adopted son of Samuel Hartwell, Carter, aged 63, born in Derbyshire, and his wife, Anne, also aged 63, born in Cheshire (RG12/3183, Folio 59, Page 4). However, as Herbert was only 7, it seems to me that there must have been some kind of connection for two such relatively elderly people to have taken in a small boy.

According to his Continuous Service Record (ADM188/355), Herbert joined the training ship, HMS Impregnable, as Boy 2nd Class on 28 April 1899. He became Boy 1st Class, and served on the Impregnable in that capacity from 1 February 1900 to 26 September 1900. His conduct was described as VG [Very Good].

On 27 September 1900, Herbert transferred to the frigate,HMS Agincourt until 6 November 1900, moving to the battleship, HMS Nile, on 7 November 1900. On 31 March 1901, according to the census index, Herbert was in Devonport, Devon, and his occupation was Boy 1st Class. He was still serving on board HMS Nile, and remained there until 28 June 1901.

On 29 June 1901, Herbert moved to another battleship, HMS Magnificent, and his conduct was again described as Very Good.

Indeed, Herbert was still on board HMS Magnificent when he enlisted for a 12 year stretch in the Royal Navy on 31 January 1902. His occupation was described as OS [Ordinary Seaman], "Arethusa", although there is as yet no evidence that he trained on the Arethusa. For further information on the "Arethusa", please see here.

When Herbert enlisted in January 1902, he was 18 years old, 5 foot 4 1/2 inches tall, with light brown hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion. He also had an anchor and a bracelet tattooed on his left wrist.

However, this was when things began to come apart at the seams. Between 31 January 1902 and 24 February 1902, his conduct was only described as Good, and he spent 7 days in the cells for an unspecified reason. During the period 4 March 1902 and 7 December 1902, his conduct was described as Indifferent.

On 8 December 1902, Herbert was court martialled and sentenced to 12 months hard labour for (1) "Using threatening & insulting language & behaving with contempt to his Superior Officer" and (2) "Striking his Superior Officer being in the execution of his office". It is likely that Herbert would have served his sentence at one of the two naval prisons at Bodmin in Cornwall or Lewes in Sussex.

However, less than 12 months later, on 31 October 1903, Herbert is back on board ship, this time on HMS Viva II as an Ordinary Seaman. He remains on board until 15 December 1903, and his conduct is again Indifferent. On 16 December 1903, he transferred to the cruiser, HMS Bonaventure, where he was promoted to Able Seaman. He stayed with HMS Bonaventure until 14 February 1904, when he spent another 7 days in the cells, before being transferred to the destroyer, HMS Griffon, which was to be his last ship.

Herbert served on board HMS Griffon from 21 February 1904 to 6 June 1904. He then spent a further 14 days in the cells, returning to duty on 21 June 1904. It is unclear from his Record what Herbert did wrong next, but he is not counted as serving between 28 August 1904 and 27 November 1904. Herbert is then back on board HMS Griffon, but he does not stay long. The last date given for service is 12 January 1905, and in the Remarks section of Herbert's Continuous Service Record, it says "13.2.05 Approves discharge - services no longer required".

It all started out so well, but only 3 years into a 12 year enlistment, Herbert was discharged from the Royal Navy, having spent 35 days in the cells and about 10 months in a naval prison. As yet, I do not know where Herbert went and what he did with the rest of his life, but it will be very interesting to find out. I also hope to make further enquiries into his various misdeeds whilst in the Navy. Any further information on this bad lad will be gratefully received!

Eaton Saddington (circa 1831 - 1892) [Updated 14 August 2007]

Another piece about a Saddington who crossed the Herring Pond to find a new life.

Eaton Saddington was born in Denford, Northamptonshire, circa 1831, son of Samuel and Susan Saddington. There is a possible record of his christening, in that the IGI has a reference to a Stanton Saddington, son of Samuel and Susannah, who was christened in Denford on 18 December 1831, but this needs to be looked into in more detail.

The first definite reference that I have to Eaton is in the 1841 census for Denford - HO107/803, Folio 8, Page 9, Schedule No. 43.

Samuel Sadington 34 Labour Y
Susan do 3 - Y [incomplete age on original image]
George do 11 - Y
Eaton do 9 - Y
Elizabeth 2 - Y

According to the 1851 census, the family has moved to Leicester, and is living at 8 Barbers Yard [?], Belgrave Gate in the parish of St Margaret (HO107/2089, Folio 144, Page 15, Schedule No. 51).

Samuel Saddington Head Mar 44 Laborer Northants Denford
Susannah do Wife Mar 42 - do Woodford
Eaton do Son U 17 Laborer do Denford
Eliza do Daur - 12 At Home do do
Elizabeth do Daur - 10 do do do
Thomas do Son - 5 - do do

However, Samuel and Susannah did not stay in Leicester. On 25 September 1851, the family set sail out of Liverpool on the "Ashburton", bound for New York. The passenger list shows that some amendments have been made to the family's ages, perhaps to make them more acceptable to the authorities on the other side of the Atlantic.

Saml Saddington 40 M Laborer Eng
Susan Saddington 39 F - Eng
Eaton Saddington 16 M - Eng
Eliza Saddington 10 F - Eng
Elizabeth Saddington 7 F - Eng
Thos Saddington 5 M - Eng

[New York Passenger Lists 1820-1957 - Ancestry.co.uk]

In 1857, according to the IGI, Eaton marries Emma Jane Rich in Lapper [Lapeer], Lapeer County, Michigan. He has been indexed as Ealon at this time.

The 1860 United States federal census, taken on 13 August 1860, indicates that the whole family has migrated to Michigan, and are now living next door to each other in Davison, Genesee County. The two amounts listed for Samuel and Eaton relate to the value of their real estate and personal estate respectively.

Samuel Sidington 54 M Farmer 300 200 England
Susannah do 52 F - - - do
Thomas do 15 M do Labr -- do

Eaton do 28 M do do 300 100 do
Emogine do 18 F - - - NY
Rosina do 3/12 F - - - Mich

[Roll M653_544, Page 0, Image 310]

On 8 June 1870, the federal census shows the two families still living next door to one another in Davison, Genesee County, Michigan. For some reason, Samuel has been enumerated as Eaton - this might relate to what questions were asked and who answered them. "W", in this instance, stands for "White".

Sidington Eaton 64 M W Farmer 300 175 England
do Susannah 62 F W Keeping House - - England

Sidington Eaton 39 M W Farmer 400 280 England
do Emma Jane 28 F W Keeping House - - New York
do Susannah 8 F W At School - - Michigan
do Ida May 4 F W - - - Michigan
Sidington Elizabeth 1 F W - - - Michigan

In 1880, according to Family Search, the federal census shows Eaton's family still in Davison, Genesee. The last two pieces of information given indicate the birthplaces of the person's father and mother in that order. There is therefore some issue with the mother's birthplace given for the three daughters, as they should all read NY if Emma Jane is their mother, which must be the case.

Eaton Saddington Self M Male W 49 ENG Farm Laborer ENG ENG
Emma J Saddington Wife M Female W 38 NY Keeping House NY MI
Mary E Saddington Dau S Female W 11 MI At School ENG MI
Betsey L Saddington Dau S Female W 8 MI - ENG ENG
Lilly Saddington Dau S Female W 5 MI - ENG ENG

Eaton lived out the rest of his life in Genesee County, Michigan. Most of the 1890 federal census was destroyed in a fire in 1921, so there is no record of the family at that point. However, the Flint Genealogical Society's Genesee County Death Index indicates that Eaton died on 20 September 1892.

A reference in the Dibean Marriage Index for Genesee County seems to show Eaton's daughter, Lilly, marrying only 3 months after her father's death.

SADDINGTON, LILLIE - BURTON, GEORGE H - GENESEE - 28 DEC 1892

Please could anyone with any additional knowledge about Eaton Saddington, his birth family or the family he created in Michigan please contact me.

Saddingtons who died in World War One

Hopefully, this is a forerunner of more detailed posts in honour of the 21 Saddington men who fought and died in World War One.

The information given here is taken from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website and "Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919". This latter was an 80 volume set of books published in 1921 by HM Stationery Office, which recorded details of all the soldiers who died in World War One. Each regiment had its own volume. Officers who died in World War One were listed in a separate volume.

So, in alphabetical order by name:

Ben Saddington - Private 50630 - 10th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment - formerly Private 3448 of the Northamptonshire Regiment - died of wounds on Thursday 14th June 1917 in France - aged 23 years - buried in Longuenesse (St Omer) Souvenir Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France

Claridge Saddington - Private 18845 - 3rd Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment - died on Tuesday 14 March 1916 in England - aged 24 years - buried in Holy Trinity Churchyard, Denford, Northamptonshire

Charles William Saddington - Private 30618 - 7th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment - killed in action on Thursday 3 May 1917 in France - remembered on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France

Charles William Saddington - Private 202906 - A Company, 1st/4th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment - formerly Private 3639, Leicestershire Yeomanry - killed in action on Sunday 22 April 1917 in France - aged 29 years - buried in Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France

David Thomas Saddington - Lance Corporal G/14206 - 19th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) - killed in action on Thursday 3rd October 1918 in Belgium - aged 39 years - buried in Bedford House Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

Frederick Saddington - Sapper 256465 - 260th Railway Construction Company, Corps of Royal Engineers - killed in action on Monday 10th December 1917 in Belgium - aged 26 years - buried in Oxford Road Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium

Frederick William Saddington - Private G/62045 - 20th Battalion, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) - formerly Private 25573, East Kent Regiment - killed in action on Saturday 28th September 1918 in Belgium - aged 18 - buried in Voormezeele Enclosure No. 3, Ypres, Belgium

George Frederick Saddington - Corporal 283 - 21st Battalion, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force - killed in action on Monday 24th April 1916 in France - aged 22 years - buried in Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, Nord, France

George Herbert Saddington - Serjeant 240289 - 2nd/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment - died of wounds on Friday 28th September 1917 in Belgium - buried in Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinge, Belgium

George Henry Saddington - Serjeant G/1435 - 7th Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) - awarded the Military Medal - killed in action on Friday 12th October 1917 in Belgium - aged 24 years - remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Zonnebeke, Belgium

George Henry Saddington - Private 24954 - 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment - killed in action on Friday 15th September 1916 in France - remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

Harold James Saddington - Private 495595 - 13th (County of London) Battalion (Princess Louise's Kensington Battalion),London Regiment - killed in action on Wednesday 28th August 1918 in France - aged 19 years - buried in Queant Road Cemetery, Buissy, Pas de Calais, France

James Saddington - Corporal 587 - 40th Battalion, Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force - awarded the Military Medal - killed in action on Thursday 21st February 1918 in Belgium - aged 24 years - buried in Berks Cemetery Extension, Comines-Warneton, Belgium

Joe Saddington - Private 1319 - 1st/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment - died of wounds on Monday 31st May 1915 in France - buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), Nord, France

Joseph Robert Saddington - Private 8971 - 1st Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment - kiled in action on Thursday 27th July 1916 in France - remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France

John Thomas Saddington - Lance Corporal 11255 - 6th Battalion, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry - killed in action on Monday 9th April 1917 in France - buried in Beaurains Road Cemetery, Beaurains, Pas de Calais, France

John William Saddington - Gunner 74541 - 114th Battery, 25th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery - killed in action on Sunday 20th September 1914 in France - remembered on the La Ferte-Sous-Jouarre Memorial, Seine-et-Marne, France

Nathan Saddington - Private 7583 - 5th Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales'Own) - killed in action on Saturday 31st October 1914 in Belgium - remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Ypres, Belgium

Thomas Saddington - Private 16/1498 - 24th Battalion (Tyneside Irish), Northumberland Fusiliers - killed in action on Monday 9th April 1917 in France - remembered on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France

William Henry Saddington - Private 306959 - 2nd/7th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) - killed in action on Thursday 3rd May 1917 in France - aged 20 years - remembered on the Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France

William James Saddington - Private 265241 - 2nd/6th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) - died of wounds on Saturday 12th May 1917 in France - aged 25 years - buried in Achiet-le-Grand Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France. For further information, please see the Craven's Part in the Great War website.

"And at the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We shall remember them."

From "For the Fallen" by Lawrence Binyon (1869-1943)

If any of these brave young men belong to your family, I would be delighted to hear more about them from you.

Queries about Obed and Eunice Saddington of Denford, Northamptonshire

Eunice is not a common forename, especially not in the Saddington family. The only Eunice that I know of so far is the Eunice Marriott, born 1828 in Tilbrook, Bedfordshire (daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth), who married Obed Saddington (son of John and Anne) on 13 September 1847 in Denford, Northamptonshire.

Obed and Eunice produced eight children, the eldest of whom was Selina Augusta, baptised in 1849 in Tilbrook, BDF - it not being unusual for young wives to go home to Mum when giving birth for the first time.

So, when I was pottering through the 1851 census on Ancestry and spotted a reference to Uness Saddington, my immediate thought was of Obed and Eunice. When I viewed the record, I was most surprised to see reference made to Frances, Uness and Deliner Saddington. On viewing the image (HO107/2095, Folio 33, Page 34), my confusion increased. Lodging with Thomas Blake and family at Blakes Lodge in the parish of Creeton in South Lincolnshire were the following:

Frances Saddington Lodger Mar 26 Rail Lab Northampton Denford
Uness Do Do Mar 24 Do Do Wife Bedford Tilbrook
Seliner Do Do - 2 - Northampton Denford

This had to be Obed, Eunice and little Selina Augusta, but why was he calling himself Frances? If anyone has any ideas, please let me know.

My second query is as follows:

In the 1881 census, Obed (or Abed as he is enumerated) is living in the Sevenoaks Union Workhouse at Sundridge in Kent. He describes himself as a Railway Labourer, which fits in with other information known about him, and as a widower! See RG11/0909, Folio 119 Page 4.

Funny that! In 1881, Eunice Saddington is living at 58 Benwell Road, London, keeping house for her elder brother, Ambrose, and a young niece, Eunice H Bawn. And she is describing herself as a widow! See RG11/0268, Folio 49, Page 30.

Just what is going on? If you are descended from Obed and Eunice, and know what happened or have additional information on this family, please enlighten me!

John and Susannah Saddington of Hull, Yorkshire

Many thanks to Ann Bore (nee Saddington) for the additional information that she has given me, relating to the descendants of John and Susannah Saddington of Hull, Yorkshire.

According to the censuses, John was born in Market Overton, LEI circa 1840. His wife, Susannah, probably nee Medd, was born in Fimber, YKS circa 1844. They are believed to have married circa 1864, and raised 9 children in the Hull area, with the last being born in 1889. The children were John William, Joseph, George Richard, Fanny Louisa, Charles Ernest, Jane Ann, Amos, Tom and Elizabeth.

So far, I have information relating to the descendants of 4 of these children. If there are any other descendants of John and Susannah out there, I would be delighted to hear from them.

William Edward Saddington of London, England and Banff, Alberta, Canada 1870-1950

Just a quick snapshot of a life.

William Edward Saddington was born in Marylebone, London on 4 March 1870, the second of 4 known sons of George Saddington and Harriett Blond (nee Fear). In 1881, he was a scholar, living with his parents and siblings in Kensington, London.

However, in the late 1880s, he and his brother, Arthur Nathaniel, emigrated to Canada, specifically to Banff, Alberta. According to the book 'Pioneer Families of Southern Alberta', William arrived in Banff in 1888.

However, by 1901, he was back in England for a short time, having travelled home via South Africa and the Boer War. In the 1901 census for Great Britain, William and his father, George, are visiting William's aunt, Emma Fear, in St Albans, Hertfordshire. His occupation is given as 'Trooper - Strathcona Horse'. This is a shortened title for Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians).

Lord Strathcona's Horse had been the Third Contingent of Canadian forces to sail for South Africa, leaving Halifax on 11 March 1900 on the SS Monterey, and arriving in Cape Town on 11 April 1900. William was in "B Squadron".

The 1901 census for Canada took place on 31 March 1901, the same day as the census for Great Britain. Somehow, William managed the amazing feat of being on both sides of the Atlantic at the same time. As you will see from this transcription, William was also lodging with his brother, Arthur, in the home of George M Fear, who was probably an uncle or cousin on his mother's side.

In 1903, again according to 'Pioneer Families of Alberta', William married Emily Mary Burton in Ottawa, Ontario, and eventually became the father of three children, George, Marion and Elsie.

However, William's military days were not over yet. With World War One well under way, on 24 March 1916, William signed up for the Canadian Over-seas Expeditionary Force. His Attestation Form can be seen at the head of this post and can be accessed via the Soldiers of the First World War section of Library and Archives Canada. The form states that he fought in South Africa with the Strathcona Horse.

We know that William came home safely, as 'Pioneer Families of Alberta' states that he died in Banff in 1950, his wife, Emily, having predeceased him by two years. But does anybody know any more about William Edward Saddington? Any information gratefully received.

Thomas Saddington of Market Harborough, Leicestershire - Banker's Clerk - died 1833

From The National Archives - Catalogue Reference: Prob 11/1814 - transcribed by me, with a little help from the Private Client Department at my place of work.

This is the last Will and Testament of me Thomas Saddington of Market Harborough in the County of Leicester Bankers Clerk being of sound mind memory and understanding ffirst I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary the wife of John Webb the sum of twenty five pounds to be paid by my Executrix hereinafter named to and for her sole and separate use outright And I do declare that the receipt of my said daughter Mary Webb alone shall be a sufficient discharge to my said Executrix notwithstanding her coverture nor shall the same be liable to the debts engagements control or intermeddling of the said John Webb and all and singular my household goods and furniture plate linen and china and all my monies securities for money money in the public stock or funds and all other my personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and where I have power to dispose I give and bequeath unto my daughter Anna Saddington to and for her own use and benefit absolutely she paying thereout all my just debts funeral expenses the said legacy and testamentary charges and I do hereby nominate and appoint my said daughter Anna Saddington sole Executrix of this my Will hereby revoking and making void all former and other will and Wills by me at any time heretofore made and do declare this and this alone to be and contain my last Will and Testament in witness whereof I the said Thomas Saddington the testator have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand and seal this fifth day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twentynine - Tho Saddington

Signed sealed published and declared by the above named Thomas Saddington the testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses - Felix Falkner, Wm Andrews Solr Harborough

Proved at London 9th October 1833 before the Judge by the Oath of Anna Saddington Spinster the daughter and sole Executrix to whom Admon was granted having been first sworn by Grantor duly to administer.

Leicestershire and Rutland Record Office - Market Harborough Parish Registers
DE1587/11 - Marriages 1801-1812

No. 103
John Webb of the Parish of St Martin Borough of Leicester Bachelor & Mary Saddington of this Parish were Married in this Chapel by Licence this sixth Day of Decembr in the Year One Thousand eight Hundred and seven by me E Dardy Minister

This Marriage was Solemnized between us - John Webb, Mary Saddington
in the Presence of - Sarah Bats(?), Geo Webb, Henry Martin

If these events relate to your family, please let me know.

Family of James and Frances Saddington of Wapping, London

Having finally escaped from the nightmare which is exams, this entry is a follow up of sorts to the marriage certificate mentioned in my 29 May 2007 entry.

Firstly, the family of James and Frances Saddington of Wapping, London as per the 1891 census.

RG12/290 Folio 81 Page 2 and Folio 82 Page 3

Schedule No. 11 - 248 High Street, Wapping, London

James Saddington Head M 51 Lighterman Employed Huntingdon St Neots
Frances Saddington Wife M 51 - London City
Frances Saddington Daur S 27 Dressmaker Employed London St George's E.
Amelia R Saddington Daur S 20 Chemical Packer Employed London Wapping
Samuel H Saddington Son S 19 Wharf Labourer Employed London Wapping
Elizabeth Saddington Daur S 16 - London Wapping
David T Saddington Son S 11 - London Wapping
Edith G F Saddington Daur S 9 - London St George's E.
Violet B Saddington Daur S 7 - London St George's E.

Then two marriage certificates, courtesy of Howard Benbrook's Stepney Marriage Challenge:

Married on 1 August 1897 at St Paul's, Shadwell, London, after Banns

Samuel Henry Saddington, 25, Bachelor, Ship's Checker, 386 Cable Street, James Saddington (deceased), Lighterman
Rose Emily Elliott, 26, Spinster, -, 386 Cable Street, Robert Elliott, Pier Master

Witnesses: Robert Elliott, Miriam Jane Elliott, James William Edward Saddington

and then:

Married on 3 April 1899 at St Paul's, Shadwell, London, after Banns

James William Edward Saddington, 34, Bachelor, Lighterman, 386 Cable Street, James Saddington (deceased), Lighterman
Margaret Theresa Blake, 28, Spinster, -, 386 Cable Street, William Blake, General Labourer

Witnesses: G Stubley?, Georgina Alexander

Any further information on this family would be gratefully received, including any ideas as to where Amelia was packing chemicals and what sort of chemicals they might have been.

Saddingtons in Brooklyn, New York (Part 2)

Apologies for the gap in postings, but Real Life, in the form of my sister moving house and a temporary loss of Internet access, have intervened.

Following on from my first post on this subject, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle newspaper also had a number of references to a second Saddington family.

This was the family of William S Saddington, and his wife, Jennie. According to the 1880 United States census, William was an Englishman, who had emigrated to the States, and Jennie's parents were both English. It is likely that Jennie's maiden name was Adams, as the household contains one Phoeby S Adams, a single woman, who is described as 'SisterL', and whose parents were also both English.

This Saddington family were also involved in the social life of Brooklyn, but perhaps to a less publicised extent.

The Brooklyn Eagle tells us that, in July 1896, William S Saddington was installed as Noble Grand in the Principle Lodge, No. 48, I.O.O.F. - I believe that this is likely to be some kind of fraternal society like the Foresters or the Freemasons.

In September 1896, William was appointed as a delegate of the Twenty-Sixth Ward Prohibition Association to attend the County convention to be held the following month. The article states that the members of the Association 'take considerable interest in the party of their choice', which leads me to believe that the County convention would be either a Republican or Democrat political convention.

The William S Saddingtons attended the Bedford Avenue Congregational Church, as evidenced by a reference to Mrs William Saddington hosting a cake sale to raise money for the building fund in the autumn of 1897.

The last reference to the family to be found in the on-line archive tells us that Miss Lillian M Saddington, daughter of Mr and Mrs Wm. S. Saddington has become engaged to a Mr Frank B Kerby. As the notice is dated 26 December 1901, perhaps Miss Lillian found a diamond ring under the Christmas tree that year.

If anyone can confirm, correct or add to any of the above information, please let me know.

Leicester Registration District Marriages 1837-1871

Again courtesy of Jenny Reeve, this time via her Leicester Registration District Marriage Challenge, I have copy certificates for 14 Saddington marriages, as follows:

30 April 1840 - Joseph Brown, son of William Brown, married Ann Saddington, daughter of Joseph Saddington, at St Margaret, Leicester

29 June 1840 - John Saddington, son of Thomas Saddington, married Mary Goodwin, daughter of Francis Hardy, at St Margaret, Leicester

27 March 1842 - Joseph Saddington, son of John Saddington, married Susanna Richards, daughter of William Richards, at St Margaret, Leicester

31 August 1846 - Joseph Saddington, son of Joseph Saddington, married Maria Snaithe, daughter of Thomas Snaithe, at St Margaret, Leicester

22 November 1846 - William Frost, son of John Frost, married Mary Saddington, daughter of John Saddington, at St Margaret, Leicester

22 April 1848 - Daniel Saddington, son of Joseph Saddington, married Frances Ann Siddons, daughter of William Siddons, at St Nicholas, Leicester

28 February 1849 - William Saddington, son of John Saddington, married Mary Ann Herbert, daughter of Thomas Herbert, at St Margaret, Leicester

15 September 1849 - John Hurdborough, son of John Hurdborough, married Elizabeth Saddington, daughter of Thomas Saddington, at St Margaret, Leicester

24 November 1855 - Thomas Moore, son of Thomas Moore, married Hannah Elizabeth Saddington, daughter of John Saddington, at St Mary de Castro, Leicester

23 November 1856 - Thomas Saddington, son of John Saddington, married Maria Matts, daughter of William Matts, at St John the Devine, Leicester

8 November 1857 - William Saddington, son of Thomas Saddington, married Ann Shipley, daughter of Joseph Shipley, at St Margaret, Leicester

28 March 1863 - James Wright, son of Thomas Wright, married Leah Saddington, daughter of John Saddington, at St Margaret, Leicester

8 September 1864 - William Page, son of Isaac Page, married Elizabeth Ann Saddington, daughter of Joseph Saddington, at St Margaret, Leicester

31 October 1870 - Joseph Taylor, son of Henry Taylor, married Ann Saddington, daughter of Joseph Saddington, at St Margaret, Leicester

Points to note - 1840 John and his bride were both widowed, 1842 Joseph and his bride were both minors, 1848 Daniel came from Kings Cliffe, Northamptonshire, and 1863 Leah and her groom were both minors, as were 1864 Elizabeth Ann and her groom.

For anyone with Saddington ancestry in Great Bowden, Leics, 1857 William was the third son of Thomas Saddington (1800-1883)and Hannah Deacon (1809?-1851) of Great Bowden. William and his wife later moved down to London. In addition, 1870 Ann's father, Joseph, was the youngest brother of Thomas Saddington (1800-1883). 1846 Joseph was also from Great Bowden. His parents were Joseph (1788?-1819) and Hannah (1791?-1866) Saddington.

If anyone has an interest in any of these marriages, please let me know.

Richards - Saddington Marriage - 11 March 1906

Fresh in today, courtesy of David Horwill's Poplar Registration District Marriage Challenge:

Married on 11 March 1906 at All Hallows Church, East India Dock Road in the Parish of Bromley, London

William Charles Richards, age 28, Bachelor, Billiard maker, living at 32 Portree Road, father - William Charles Richards, potman

to

Edith Grace Frances Saddington, age 24, Spinster, living at 32 Portree Road, father - James Edward Saddington (Dec'd), lighterman

Both the bride and groom signed their names, and the witnesses were Edward Aaron Harm and Annie Elizabeth Richards.

If any of these people belong to you, please let me know.

Saddingtons in Brooklyn, New York (Part 1)

Searching the Brooklyn Daily Eagle (1841-1902) website was a good lesson in how much information about people's lives can be found in their local newspaper.

The first item that I came across was an obituary for Mrs Lucinda Saddington, who died on Thursday 10 January 1901 at her home, 265 Jefferson Avenue. It told me what she died of and who her doctor was. It also told me when and where she was born, and how long she had lived in Brooklyn. Also mentioned were the churches that she had attended and the main charity that she had supported. On the family history side of things, it stated that she was the widow of Thomas Saddington, and that she was survived by two sons and four daughters - although, unfortunately, it only gave the daughters' married names, e.g. Mrs Edwin Ives, Mrs George H. Pettit, Mrs E.L. Tarbox and Mrs Frank H. Adams.

Further items told me that one son, John F. Saddington, was a well known local builder, specialising in residential property, and that the other son, Thomas B. Saddington, was sued by a tenant in 1876 for assault and battery. Both sons were unfortunate enough to lose a daughter in infancy, but Thomas B. Junior is reported to be cruising with friends in their 30 foot yacht in 1894, and one of Thomas B.'s other daughters, May, is hosting a meeting of the Eccentric Social Club in 1896.

Also in 1896, John F. Saddington and his wife set sail for a trip to Europe, during which they intended to visit the Paris Exposition, the Rhine, Baden Baden, Vienna and Holland. The families also show up regularly in the newspaper, attending numerous family weddings.

It was therefore possible for me to draw up a rough family tree for this Saddington family, with a fair understanding of their social status and religious leanings, using only the information in the newspaper. If anyone knows any more about this family, please let me know.

Information from the 1880 census of the US, found on the Family Search website, in which the family are transcribed as 'Laddington', shows that the late Thomas Saddington was born in England, and that Lucinda's parents came from Scotland, which indicates that the family were relatively recent immigrants to the United States.

Northampton Registration District Marriages

Courtesy of Jenny Reeve and her Northampton Registration District Marriage Challenge, I now have copy certificates for 11 Saddington marriages in Northampton.

These are as follows:

29 October 1839 - William Saddington, son of John Saddington, married Elizabeth Whitmore, daughter of John Whitmore, at All Saints Church, Northampton

5 July 1840 - William Saddington, son of William Saddington, married Ann Haddon, daughter of James Haddon, at St Sepulchre, Northampton

5 February 1850 - James Saddington, son of William Saddington, married Jane Parsons, daughter of Thomas Parsons, at St Sepulchre, Northampton

17 April 1853 - Thomas Gibson, son of Thomas Gibson, married Elizabeth Saddington, daughter of William Saddington, at All Saints, Northampton

15 May 1859 - William Saddington, son of William Saddington, married Sarah Kightley, daughter of William Kightley, at St Edmund, Northampton

9 March 1862 - John Saddington, son of James Brown (sic), married Jane Soden, daughter of Joseph Soden, at St Katherine, Northampton

4 October 1868 - Nathaniel Coleman, son of William Coleman, married Mary Ann Saddington, daughter of Robert Saddington, at St Sepulchre, Northampton

19 October 1871 - James Saddington, son of William Saddington, married Susan Harris, daughter of William Harris, at St Sepulchre, Northampton

16 December 1886 - Richard Wilson, son of Richard Wilson, married Emily Jane Saddington, daughter of James Saddington, at St Edmund, Northampton

14 December 1890 - James Brown Saddington, son of John Saddington dec'd, married Elizabeth Ellen Johnstone, daughter of Charles Johnstone dec'd, at St Edmund, Northampton

1 December 1895 - Thomas Gudgeon Haddon, son of John Haddon dec'd, married Susan Saddington, daughter of William Harris dec'd, at St Michael, Northampton

I need to do more research into these marriages, but my initial theories are that the 1850 James and 1853 Elizabeth are siblings, that 1862 John and 1890 James Brown are father and son, and that 1871 Susan is the same person as 1895 Susan.

If anyone has an interest in any of these marriages, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

When Mabel and David got married

I thought that I would begin this blog with a snippet from my own branch of the Saddington family.

The photo shows the wedding of Mabel Gertrude Saddington and David Brown, held on 3 June 1909 at the Presbyterian Church, Newland Street, Yale Road, Silvertown, Essex.

Mabel was the 10th (and youngest) child and 5th daughter of John Jonathan Saddington and Jane Hewlett. She was 26 at the time of her marriage, and her husband, David Brown, son of Alexander Kinnear Brown, was 32 years old.

The guests shown in the photograph are as follows:

Top row (left to right): Mrs Sophia Ferguson (sister of Simeon Cundy), Simeon Cundy (bride's brother-in-law), Mrs Elizabeth Ann Cundy (bride's eldest sister), John Jonathan Saddington (bride's father), William James Saddington (bride's brother), Mr and Mrs Alexander Kinnear Brown (groom's parents);

Middle row (left to right): Mabel Saddington (bride's niece), Elizabeth Clara Cundy (bride's niece), Mabel Gertrude Saddington (bride), David Brown (groom), Mabel Brown (groom's sister), Clara Elizabeth Whittaker (bride's niece);

Bottom row (left to right): Grace Jane Whittaker (bride's niece), Maggie Napier (groom's niece), Jenny Louisa Cundy (bride's niece).

The witnesses to the wedding were William James Saddington (my great grandfather) and Elizabeth Clara Cundy (known in the family as 'Lily').

The groom was a marine engineer living at 86 Oriental Road, Silvertown, and his father was a joiner. The bride was living at 2 Connaught Road, Silvertown, which was actually The Railway Hotel, a public house run by her brother, William James, and her father was a blacksmith.

Strangely enough, this was not the first Brown - Saddington wedding. Five years previously, on 7 July 1904, Alexander Brown, son of Alexander Kinnear Brown, had married Grace Maud Saddington, daughter of John Jonathan Saddington and Jane Hewlett at the Presbyterian Church on Newland Street, Yale Road, Silvertown. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of that wedding.