Friday 30 November 2007

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.

Tuesday 27 November 2007

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.

Friday 16 November 2007

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.]

Wednesday 7 November 2007

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.