Saddingtons - Coal Merchants of Thurmaston - Help needed!

I'm looking for some assistance here.  I recently won a photograph on Ebay of a 1963 coal lorry.

On the side of the cab, it says 'Saddingtons, Coal & Smokeless Fuels, Garden St. Thurmaston'.  The label on the back of the photograph says that it was taken on 12 September 1978 and "still working 1984" - whether this means the lorry or the company I am not sure.

A Google search for 'Saddington coal merchants Thurmaston' turned up the following piece in the 24 July 1931 issue of The London Gazette:

The 21 September 1937 issue of the London Gazette informs us that Walter Saddington made a separate application for discharge from bankruptcy which was suspended for six months, and he was then to be discharged as from 19 February 1938.

A quick check of the 1911 census seems to indicate that Harry and Walter were the sons of William and Bertha Saddington of Thurmaston, Leicester.  More work to be done here.

If anyone can let me know who would have been driving that lorry in 1978, I'd be very grateful.

Bona Vacantia: Ivor Herbert Saddington 1928 - 2002

Ivor Herbert Saddington (1928 - 2002) was brought to my notice by some of my fellow GOONs who had seen his name listed in the Bona Vacantia list on the Heir Hunters television programme.  Ivor Herbert seemed such an unusual name for a Saddington that I was determined to find out more about him and which branch of the Saddington families he belonged to.

Tracking him down in the GRO indices was easy with a name like that - Ivor's birth was registered in the June quarter of 1928 in the Thrapston Registration District and his mother's maiden name was Clarke.  Further enquiries showed that he had an older brother, Clifford Aubrey Samuel Saddington, registered in the June quarter of 1924, also in the Thrapston Registration District.

To be honest, as yet I know very little about Ivor Herbert's life.  I know from the GRO death index that he was actually born on 1 March 1928.  The Deceased Online website tells me that he died on 15 September 2002 and was cremated on 2 October 2002 at Kettering Crematorium.  Further research shows that at the age of 42 he married Ellen McGrath in the December quarter of 1970 in the Huntingdon registration district, but what happened to her remains unknown.  They do not appear to have had any children.

His elder brother, Clifford Aubrey Samuel, was born on 12 March 1924 according to the GRO index.  In February 1989, at the age of 64, he married a lady called Anne Neal (then aged 61) in the Wellingborough Registration District.  I can only hope that they were very happy together, because, according to the burial register of St Peter's Church, Rushden (Roman Catholic), Clifford died on 20 July 1991 and was buried on 26 July 1991 in Plot 13, Section RF of Rushden Cemetery.  Anne Saddington lived on for nearly 10 years, dying on 5 January 2001 and being buried with her husband on 12 January 2001.

I can however tell you a bit more about their parents, Herbert Saddington and Dorothy May Clarke.

Herbert Saddington was born in early 1902 in Denford, Northamptonshire.  In the 1911 census, he is living with his parents, Samuel and Mary Louisa, at 93 Marshalls Road, Raunds, Northamptonshire.  Herbert was an only child.  In the March quarter of 1924, he married Dorothy Mary Clarke in the Thrapston Registration District, and by the dates I think it safe to infer that the birth of their eldest son, Clifford, was not far off.  I assume that Herbert and Dorothy spent the next 30 odd years raising their sons and earning a living.  Unfortunately Herbert died on 22 February 1959 at the relatively early age of 57 and was subsequently cremated on 25 February 1959 at Kettering Crematorium.  Dorothy carried on for another 18 years, before dying on 20 February 1977 and being cremated on 25 February 1977 also at Kettering Crematorium.

Herbert's parents, Samuel Saddington and Mary Louisa (nee Groom), were both born in Denford, Northamptonshire in 1875.  Samuel was baptised on 31 January 1875 in Holy Trinity Parish Church, Denford, the son of John Saddington, labourer, and Elizabeth Hannah (nee Wakefield).  In the 1881 census, Samuel was living at Back Street, Denford with his parents and four siblings.  John and Elizabeth are known to have had eight children and there may have been others.  John is described as an ag lab and Samuel was a scholar.  

In the 1891 census, the family consists of John, Elizabeth, three sons and a grandson and  is occupying three rooms in a house somewhere in Denford.  John is described as a road labourer and Samuel is a furnace labourer.

In the September quarter of 1900, Samuel marries Mary Louisa possibly in Denford, but somewhere in the Thrapston Registration District.  By 31 March 1901, when the 1901 census is taken, Samuel and Mary Louisa are living off High Street, Denford and he is an Electric Dynamo Minder.  Their only son, Herbert, is born in 1902 and then at some point the family moves to Raunds, where they can be found in the 1911 census.  At this point, Samuel is described as a stationary engine man in a boot and shoe factory.

Thanks to the Rushden Research Group, I can tell you that Samuel Saddington continued to live at 93 Marshalls Road, Raunds for the rest of his life, dying on 31 July 1928, age 53.  His obituary in The Rushden Argus of 3 August 1928 reads:

"Obituary - we regret to record the death, after a long illness, of Mr S Saddington, of 93, Marshalls-road, Raunds, who passed away on Tuesday at the age of 53.  Deceased, who for 27 years was engineer at Messrs R Coggins and Sons Ltd., Nene Works, was well-known and greatly respected, and much sympathy is felt his widow and only child, Mr H Saddington.  The funeral will take place at Raunds Cemetery on Saturday, at 2.30."

Messrs R Coggins and Sons Ltd were a boot and shoe factory in Raunds which apparently specialised in footwear for the Army and Navy.

A quick search of the GRO death index seems to indicate that Mary Louisa, like her daughter in law, Dorothy, carried on for another 17 years, dying at the age of 70 in early 1945 in the Wellingborough Registration District.

This branch of the Saddington family can be traced back to the early 1800s to a John Saddington who married a Mary and had three, possibly four, children in Denford, Northamptonshire, but that is for another day and another post.  However, if you are related to this family, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Richard Frederick Kitchener Saddington (1899 - 1972)

At Easter I received this lapel badge as an addition to the Saddington One Name Study collection.  It is somewhat battered and difficult to read, but it led to some interesting research.  The badge itself has the words "National Safety First Association" on the blue stripe, "Free From Accident" on the red stripe, and in the middle, it says 1933.  The National Safety First Association was the forerunner of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

On the back, at the bottom, there is a name - R F K Saddington.  Such a combination of initials could not be too difficult to locate and I soon found a birth reference for Richard Frederick K Saddington in the December quarter of 1899 in the Huntingdon registration district.  My next searches, in the 1901 and 1911 censuses, initially proved fruitless until a query on the Guild of One Name Studies Forum pointed me in the direction of a family that I had already done some work on.  The suggestion was made that I should look more closely at the 1 year old Richard Saddington Binge enumerated in the 1901 census and the 11 year old Kitchener Binge enumerated in the 1911 census, on both occasions listed as the son of Richard Binge and Laura (nee Saddington).

In 1901, the family were living at 25 East Street, Newtown, St Mary, Huntingdon, sharing their home with two boarders, Emma Measures from Leicester and James Allen Horner from Alconbury, Huntingdonshire.  Richard Binge was employed as a bricklayer's labourer and Laura stated that she was 47 years old.  

In 1911, the family had moved to 13 Adelaide Terrace, Godmanchester - a small town south of Huntingdon.  James Horner still shared their home but also living with them were two boys, Edward Clayton (age 11) and Albert Clayton (5) who are enumerated as adopted and as having been born in Huntingdon.  Richard Binge is now employed by the Huntingdonshire Gas Company as a lamplighter, Laura states that she is now 58 years old and the three boys are attending the Council School.

Considering Laura's age and knowing something of her past, I was somewhat suspicious of her claim to be RFK's mother so I invested in his birth certificate.  My suspicions were justified.  RFK was born on 7 September 1899 at New Town, Huntingdon - the son of Kate Saddington, domestic servant.  Kate was Laura's third and youngest illegitimate child, born around 1880 in Huntingdon.  I happened to know that Kate had emigrated to Canada in the early 1900s with her elder sister, Elizabeth, and that they had married two brothers, William and Charles Brown, in Ontario.  The Binges were almost certainly covering up for Kate, preserving the family's respectability (if that was at all possible with Laura having had three illegitimate children before her marriage).  A less cynical viewpoint is that Kate might not have wanted to take such a small child on such a long journey with who knew what at the end of it.

 
But RFK was obviously told at some point what his real name was.  The World War One medal rolls at The National Archives list a Kitchener Saddington, who was initially a private in The Queen's Regiment (regimental number 70248) and latterly a private in the Northamptonshire Regiment (regimental number 70689).  He received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, indicating that he had served overseas in a theatre of war.  Why he changed regiments and where he fought are questions that remain to be answered.

 
RFK survived the war and got himself a job as a postman.  Then, on 7 December 1925, he married Ivy Doreen Dighton at the parish church in Godmanchester.  However, the family cover up continued.  Although Ivy's father, James, a general labourer, stood as a witness, RFK gave his father as Arthur Saddington, also a general labourer.  Where he got the name Arthur from, I am not sure as his mother's brother was called Alfred and his great grandfather, Laura's father, was called Charles.  Laura's brothers were Frederick, Charles and Dennis, so no link there.  However Laura did stand as witness to the marriage so he did have some real family there.

 
The next official record in RFK's life was the birth of a son, Frederick, in the June quarter of 1932.  The family are still living in the Huntingdon area.

 
In 1933 RFK became involved with the National Safety First Association.  I have been in contact with RoSPA, but it appears that he was not actually a member of the organisation.  RoSPA have suggested that perhaps he took part in a national "Safe Driving" competition which ran from 1926 (having commenced in the London area in 1918).  RoSPA say that

"The awards were a system for awarding drivers (often those professionally employed within large businesses/organisations) for safe driving. The system was rather complicated (and the rules were regularly amended) but entrants would receive medals and bars for consecutive years of non-accident driving. For example for the first four years of safe driving the driver received annually a diploma. The fifth year entitles him to a medal, and subsequent years entitle the driver to medals for 10, 15, 20 and 25 years blameless driving.

 

In 1933 for example, there were 58,634, unfortunately with the number of entrants each year, records have not been kept going back all these years.

(Source of the figures : RoSPA Annual Report and Accounts 1933  London: RoSPA)" 

Perhaps RFK became involved through his job as a postman - he may have been driving post vans at this point in his life. 

The final record that I have for RFK is the index reference for his death.  Richard Frederick Kitchener Saddington died in the March quarter of 1972 aged 72 years in the Cambridge registration district.

There is still a lot of research to do on this family, so if you are related or can help in any way, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Horace Claude Saddington (1884 - 1946) - Update No. 1

This is a short update on a post that I wrote back in March 2008 - link here.

Since then of course more resources have become available to the family history researcher, including the 1911 census.

Access to the Leicester Schools Register Index tells me that Horace was born on 16 July 1884 and that he left education in the Leicester area on 18 March 1898, shortly before his 14th birthday.

In the 1911 census, Horace is living at 4 Wilson Street, Leicester, aged 27, with his wife, Florence Emily, aged 25, and their two children, Beatrice aged 4 and Joseph Henry aged 1.  He describes himself as being a clerk employed by "Lester" Corporation - this means that he worked for what is (since 1974) now Leicester City Council.  Horace also states that he was born in Glenfield, Leicester, has been married for 6 years, that there have been two children of the marriage and that both are still alive at the time of the census.

Horace and Florence also went on to have three further children beyond those mentioned in his military pension papers.  Horace was born in the March quarter of 1920, Kenneth R was born in the September quarter of 1921 and Doris E was born in the June quarter of 1923, all in the Leicester Registration District.

Unfortunately not all of Horace and Florence's children lived to adulthood.  Thanks to the excellent index of burials at the Welford Road Cemetery, Leicester compiled by members of the Leicestershire and Rutland Family History Society, I can tell you that Horace was buried on 25 October 1924 aged 4 and Violet Ada was buried on 6 May 1931 aged 19, having been living at 14 Marston Avenue, South Wigston, Leicestershire at the time of her death.  Horace Claude himself was buried at Welford Road Cemetery on 23 March 1946 aged 61.  His abode at the time of his death was 7 Bartholomew Street, Leicester.  All three of them are buried in the same grave.

If this Saddington family is related to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.

William Leonard Saddington 1919 - 2011

Rest In Peace

Arthur Saddington 1909-1931

Arthur Saddington was born in Middlesbrough in the June quarter of 1909 (volume 9d, page 552), the eldest child of Penrith Saddington Taylor, commonly known as Penrith Saddington, and his wife, Emily May Roxby. Arthur was the eldest of thirteen children born over a period between 1909 and 1934.

In the 1911 census, Arthur, then nearly 2, and his parents were living at 17 Harewood Street, Middlesbrough, the home of Penrith’s parents, Arthur Charles Saddington and his wife, Hannah (nee Robinson). Also sharing the house were five of Penrith’s brothers and sisters ranging in age from 17 years to 1 year. Penrith was employed as a bricklayer while his father, Arthur, worked as a blast furnace man and the next eldest son at home, Nathan, aged 17, was a butcher.

As we must wait to see the 1921 census, I can only surmise what happened to Arthur over the next twenty years. He grew up in a large family, probably leaving school in his early teens in order to find a job and earn money to support the rest of the family. At some point he decided to become a sailor, a decision which eventually led to his tragic death.

I first learnt about Arthur’s death courtesy of the Gravestone Photographic Resource Project, an on-line international grave monument directory. When I was sent a photo of Arthur’s gravestone, I was intrigued by the inscription written on it. It said that the gravestone was:

“In Loving Memory of
Our Dear Son
Arthur Saddington
Who was accidentally killed
On the SS Dalwhinnie
Dec. 2nd 1931 aged 22 years
Someday we’ll understand.”

I googled the SS Dalwhinnie and discovered that it was a steamship built in Holland in 1919 to carry cargo up and down coastlines. It was originally called the SS Begonia, and was owned by a Norwegian. In 1922 it passed into the hands of T C Steven & Co of Leith and was renamed the SS Dalwhinnie. In 1938 it was sold to Comben Longstaff & Co – Williamstown Shipping of London, and renamed the SS Whintown. Unfortunately it was then sunk in a collision off Great Yarmouth on 7 December 1939.

Having got this far, I emailed my contact in this branch of the Saddington family, who knew about the gravestone but not what had happened to Arthur, and who agreed to do some further research for me.

A search of the local paper, the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette, produced the following sad story reported on 3 December 1931.

Tragedy of the Tees
Boro’ Man Falls Into River

An unfortunate drowning tragedy occurred in the River Tees, off Messrs Gjers, Mills and Company’s wharf, about nine o’clock last night. The victim is Arthur Saddington, aged 22, of Palmer-street, Middlesbrough, an able seaman of the crew of the s.s. Dalwhinnie, which was berthed at the wharf.

It appears that Saddington was fixing the gangway from the vessel to the wharf when he overbalanced and fell into the river in the short space between the ship and the wharf. One of his mates on the crew immediately dived to his rescue, but Saddington had completely disappeared from view.

Grappling operations were carried on by members of the crew with the assistance of River Police officers, and after about 20 minutes, his body was recovered. Artificial respiration was tried for some time, but Dr. Hepplethwaite, who had been called to the scene, pronounced life extinct.

The body was conveyed by ambulance to the mortuary.

The member of the crew who showed so much gallantry in diving to his comrade’s rescue was Bo’sun Gatenby. After his futile efforts to trace Saddington he was hauled aboard by other members of the crew.

It is thought that Saddington may have struck his head on the boat or the wharf in his fall, and was rendered unconscious.

The Dalwhinnie have moved from Dent’s Wharf to Gjers’ Wharf at the time of the tragedy.

A tragic accident and a young life lost – no wonder Arthur’s parents had inscribed on his gravestone the words “Someday we’ll understand.”

If you are related to the Middlesbrough branch of the Saddingtons, or have any further information about the SS Dalwhinnie, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Potterspury Registration District Marriage Challenge

The last post of 2010 comes courtesy of Tracy Barrall's Potterspury Registration District Marriage Challenge.

Potterspury Registration District lies in the area between Milton Keynes, Buckingham, Towcester and Northampton to name the biggest towns in the immediate vicinity.

As there are just two marriages to report, I propose to give full details of them.

The first marriage also appears to be the first to be recorded in the parish of Passenham with Deanshanger under the new registration procedure commencing in late 1837.

Marriage solemnized at St Guthlac in the Parish of Passenham with Deanshanger in the County of Northamptonshire

No. 1
5th Oct 1837

James Saddington 21 Single Groom Passenham James Saddington Groom
Pheobe Ayres 26 Single Dairy Maid Passenham - -

Married in the Church of Passenham according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England after Banns by me, L ? Smith

This Marriage was solemnized between us, James Saddington, Phobe Ayres
in the presence of us, George Buckingham, Martha Buckingham

The second marriage took place just under 10 years later.

Marriage solemnized at St Guthlac in the Parish of Passenham with Deanshanger in the County of Northamptonshire

No. 77
5th Apr 1847

George Clarke 25 Bachelor Labourer Deanshanger Thos Clarke Labourer
Mary Ann Sadington 24 Spinster Servant Deanshanger George Sadington Labourer

Married in the Parish Church according to the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England after Banns, by me ?

This Marriage was solemnized between us, George Clarke x his mark, Mary Ann Sadington x her mark
in the presence of us, William Clarke, Sarah Ann Foxley x her mark

Passenham and Deanshanger are slightly south of the A5 between Towcester and Milton Keynes. As yet I have no further information about the Saddingtons in this area, but would be delighted to hear from anyone who has these people in their family tree.

I send my best wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year to everyone who reads this post.

Saddington Marriages in the Romford Registration District

Tonight's post comes courtesy of Peter Copsey and his Romford Marriage Challenge.

1) Parish Church of St Margaret, Barking, Essex

No.89
May 20th 1872
George Bacon, 20, Bachelor, Labourer, Barking, George Bacon, Labourer
Elizabeth Saddington, 20, Spinster, -, Barking, Obed Saddington, Labourer
After Banns by me, John Reginald Beckett
George Bacon
Elizabeth Saddington x her mark
Witnesses - Tom Lambert, Sarah Anne Bailey x her mark

This bride in this marriage is believed to be Sabina Elizabeth, born circa 1853 at Tilbrook, Bedfordshire, daughter of Obed Saddington and Eunice Marriott.

2) Parish Church of St Mary, Great Ilford, Essex

No. 389
July 30th 1882
George Saddington, 20, Bachelor, Labourer, Gt Ilford, Frances [sic] Saddington, Labourer
Mary Elizabeth Cummins, 20, Spinster, -, Gt Ilford, William Cummins, Labourer
After Banns by me H.B.Barnes
G.Saddington
X The mark of Mary Elizabeth Cummins
Witnesses - x the mark of William Boxall, x the mark of Mary Ann Boxall

3) Parish Church of St Mary, Great Ilford, Essex

No. 472
Decr 23rd 1883
William Saddington, 23, Bachelor, Labourer, Gt Ilford, William Saddington, Labourer
Margaret Ronan, 18, Spinster, -, Gt Ilford, Patrick Ronan, Labourer
After Banns by me H.B.Barnes
X The mark of William Saddington
X The mark of Margaret Ronan
Witnesses - William Fisher, x the mark of Rebecca Fisher

4) Parish Church of St Mary, Great Ilford, Essex

No. 267
Jany 27th 1901
George Ambrose Saddington, 19, Bachelor, Labourer, 25 Oaklands Park, Ilford, George Saddington, Labourer
Alice Maud Elizabeth Appleford, 18, Spinster, -, 25 Oaklands Road,Ilford, Charles Appleford, Labourer
After Banns by me Arthur G.Evans
George Ambrose Saddington
Alice Maud Elizabeth Appleford
Witnesses - x the mark of Edward Langstead, x the mark of Maria Elizabeth Saddington

5) Parish Church of St Margaret, Barking, Essex

No. 427
Tenth April 1909
George Cooper Saddington, 40, Bachelor, Solicitor's Clerk, 16 Cavendish Street, St Albans, George Saddington, Gentleman
Elizabeth Jane Beszant, 25, Spinster, -, 17 St Pauls Road, Frederick Beszant, Carriage Builder
G.C.Saddington
Elizabeth Jane Beszant
Witnesses - E.J.Saddington, Marguerite E.Harding

This marriage relates to an earlier post regarding Saddingtons in St Albans. The first witness is believed to be the groom's brother, Ernest John Saddington (1874-1958).

If any of these couples belong on your family tree, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Charles Joseph Saddington (1870 - 1916)

This post comes to you courtesy of Google, without which I may never have come across the Great Explosion at Faversham, Kent which took the life of the subject of this post.

Charles Joseph Saddington was born in Margate in the December quarter of 1870, the second son of Charles Saddington and Ann Long.

The family appears on the 1871 census at 2 Wheatleys Place, Margate, but under the name of Long. This is, I believe, because Charles and Ann are not yet legally married despite having registered their three existing children under the name Saddington.

In 1871, Charles Long (otherwise Saddington) is enumerated as a 36 year old bricklayer born in Oundle, Northants (where many Saddingtons can be found). Ann Long is enumerated as a 33 year old laundress born in Reading Street, Kent. The children were enumerated as Susannah and Louisa, aged 11 and 9, both scholars and born in Lambeth, London, [probably Ann Long's daughters by a previous relationship as they are registered as Long] and Mary A, age 4, John, age 2, and Charles, age 5 months, all born in Margate, Kent and the elder two being scholars.

A second daughter, Elizabeth Jane, was born in the December quarter of 1872 in Margate.

It may be that Charles and Ann were waiting for Ann's previous husband to die or otherwise disappear as they did not marry until the June quarter of 1873, possibly at St Laurence in Thanet, Margate.

The now legalised family was increased by the birth of Isaac Robert in the September quarter of 1875 and Ellen in the June quarter of 1878, both in the Thanet Registration District.

Then tragedy struck. Charles Saddington died in the March quarter of 1881, apparently aged 48. The date of death can be narrowed down to being before 3 April 1881 because Ann Saddington appears on the 1881 census held on that date as a widow.

In 1881, the Saddington family were living at 73 Dane Road, Margate. Ann was enumerated as a 46 year old widow, working as a laundress. Living with her was her son, William Long (presumably from the same relationship as Susannah and Louisa), aged 23 and a fisherman born in Lambeth. All six of the children from her relationship with Charles Saddington were also living with her from Mary, now aged 14 and a general servant, through to Ellen (enumerated as Nelly) age 2. Also lodging with the family was one Ellen L Raymond, a 47 year old single woman born in Gloucester who was living on the income from an allowance.

By the 1891 census, the family had moved on, back to Lambeth. Ann Saddington, now a 52 year old widow working as a 'washer', was sharing 3 rooms at 1 Neptune Cottages, Lambeth, with her three sons, John (a bus conductor, age 22), Charles (a waiter, age 20) and Isaac (enumerated as Robert, a van boy, age 16), and two of her daughters, Mary (an ironer, age 24) and Elizabeth (an ironer, age 19). What has happened to Ellen/Nelly, as yet I do not know.

I have been unable to locate Charles Joseph Saddington in the 1901 census as yet, and there is the possibility that he might be overseas, perhaps fighting in the Boer War in South Africa.

However, by the June quarter of 1906, he has reappeared and proceeds to marry Susan Gibbs in the Steyning Registration District. This is none too soon as their first child, Susan Annie E Saddington, is born in the December quarter of 1906, again in the Steyning Registration District. A son, Charles Joseph, follows in the September quarter of 1908, this time in the Brighton Registration District.

There was obviously something about Lambeth which attracted this branch of the Saddington family because the 1911 census finds Charles Joseph and his family living at 2a Wheatsheaf Lane, South Lambeth. Charles is enumerated as a 36 year old laundryman, married for 6 years with both children of the marriage still living. Susan is enumerated as aged 30 and born in Canterbury, Kent.

The evidence seems to show that Charles Joseph and Susan had two more children whilst living in Lambeth; Kathleen L, born in the March quarter of 1912, and William F, born in the September quarter of 1914.

At some point after the birth of William, the family moved back to Margate and Charles Joseph got a job at the Explosive Loading Company's factory at Uplees near Faversham, about 27 miles away.

At 2.20pm, on Sunday 2 April 1916, some empty sacks caught fire at the factory, resulting in the explosion of 15 tons of TNT and 150 tons of ammonium nitrate. The explosion was so huge that it shattered windows in Southend on the other side of the Thames and the tremor could be felt in Norwich. Details can be found on a number of websites including Faversham's own website, the Kent section of the Roll of Honour website, and Wikipedia amongst others.

The death toll totalled 109 men and boys, including the whole of the Works Fire Brigade and Charles Joseph Saddington. The female members of the factory's workforce was saved by the fact that it was Sunday and women were not permitted to work the Sunday shifts.

Charles Joseph Saddington's body could not be identified following the explosion and so he has no death certificate. Whatever was found of him was buried in a mass grave on 6 April 1916 at the Faversham Borough Cemetery. He is named on the grave as J. Saddington because, as stated in his obituary in the Isle of Thanet Gazette of 22 April 1916, he was generally known as 'Joe'.

According to John Breeze's "Faversham Explosives Personnel Register 1841 - 1934,Part 3: S-Z", he is however listed on the Margate War Memorial as "C.J. Saddington, killed in Faversham munitions explosion".

At the time of Charles Joseph's death, the family were living at 205 High Street, Margate. What happened to them after his death, I am not yet sure. But if you are descended from Charles Joseph Saddington or any of his siblings, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Saddington Marriages in the Thrapston Registration District

Many thanks to David Barrall who has kindly provided me with a whole wodge of Saddington marriages courtesy of his Thrapston Registration District Marriage Challenge.

Thrapston itself is in Northamptonshire on the A14 between Kettering and Huntingdon, and the Registration District covers the area around it.

As there are 30 marriages to list, I will only give the place, date, names of bride and groom, and their fathers' names. If you would like further information, just get in touch

Parish Church of St James, Thrapston
22 December 1842
Samuel Manning, son of Henry Manning, and Ann Saddington, daughter of Robert Saddington

Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Woodford
6 May 1844
James Saddington, son of Joseph Saddington, and Mary Abbott, daughter of John Abbott

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
13 September 1847
Obed Saddington, son of John Saddington, and Eunice Marriott, daughter of Saml. Marriott

Parish Church of St Mary, Ringstead
19 August 1849
Jonathan Saddington, son of John Saddington, and Harriet Coward, daughter of William Coward

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
25 December 1849
William Saddington, son of John Saddington, and Hannah Harrison, daughter of Thomas Harrison

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
13 October 1851
Job Major, son of John Major, and Lois Saddington, daughter of John Saddington

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
10 August 1856
James Bars, son of William Bars, and Elizabeth Saddington, daughter of John Saddington

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
[no date given] 1857
John Saddington, son of John Saddington, and Elizabeth Hannah Wakefield, daughter of William Wakefield

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
27 January 1858
Stephen Fensom, son of John Fensom, and Charlotte Ann Saddington, daughter of John Saddington

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
13 July 1858
William Pearson, son of William Pearson, and Mary Ann Saddington, daughter of John Saddington

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
13 September 1858
Thomas Knight, son of John Knight, and Mary Saddington, daughter of Samuel Saddington

Parish Church of St Mary, Ringstead
15 November 1860
Henry Smith, son of William Smith, and Sarah Saddington, daughter of Samuel Saddington

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
28 July 1862
Henry Kettle, son of William Kettle, and Elizabeth Sadington, daughter of James Saddington

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
24 March 1864
Benjamin Starmore, son of John Starmore, and Elizabeth Ann Saddington, daughter of John Saddington

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
1 December 1867
Joseph Burton Saddington, son of Samuel Saddington, and Mary Emma Beeby, daughter of William Beeby

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
24 December 1879
John William Saddington, son of John Saddington, and Hepzibah Mayes, daughter of Williams Mayes

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
16 October 1882
George Saddington, son of John Saddington, and Harriet Smith, daughter of Henry Smith

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
12 October 1885
James Burton Oliver, son of Arthur Oliver, and Mary Jane Saddington, daughter of John Saddington

Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Titchmarsh
15 October 1891
John Saddington, son of John Saddington, and Sarah Ann Alderman, daughter of James Alderman

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
16 April 1892
Samuel Saddington, son of Joseph Saddington, and Naomi Lynes, daughter of Thomas Lynes

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
26 March 1894
Albert William Smith, son of Frederick Smith, and Elizabeth Annie Saddington, daughter of John Saddington

Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Denford
24 July 1894
Charles Robinson, son of George Robinson, and Annie Saddington, daughter of John Saddington

Parish Church of All Saints, Hargrave
5 August 1895
George Saddington, son of John Saddington, and Sarah Jane Pettit, daughter of (deceased)

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
23 May 1896
Joseph Saddington, son of Joseph Saddington, and Flora Smith, daughter of Alfred Smith

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
13 June 1896
Alfred Attley, son of George Attley, and Elizabeth Ann Saddington, daughter of Joseph Saddington

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
28 September 1896
Arthur Bugby, son of Lewis Bugby, and Mary Ann Saddington, daughter of James Saddington

Parish Church of St Peter, Raunds
24 December 1898
Francis Frank Tidbury, son of Samuel Mitchell (deceased), and Sarah Lucy Saddington, daughter of Joseph Saddington

Parish Church of St James, Thrapston
24 June 1900
Harry Saddington, son of Solomon Saddington, and Bertha Hodby, daughter of Joseph Hodby

Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Woodford
24 December 1900
John James Saddington, son of George Saddington, and Florence Elizabeth Hawkins, daughter of William Hawkins

Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Chelveston
14 December 1908
William Saddington, son of Joseph Saddington, and Amelia Hollyoak, daughter of George Sparks

If any of these happy couples belong in your family tree, please do get in touch.

Saddington Archive at Guild of One Name Studies website

I am now in the process of putting on-line some of the basic information that I have regarding the Saddington name.

The information can be accessed here - Saddington Archive.

I will be adding to the information available on a regular basis and intend to put updates on this blog. Currently the archive holds GRO index details for Saddington marriages between 1837 and 1860. It also indicates whether I have any further details regarding a particular marriage.

Please note that you will have to register to view the contents of the archive, but this is only for the purpose of keeping out spammers and data miners. Your details will not be passed on to anyone else.

I hope that you will find the archive of use in your research.

Update No. 3 - Lewis Bryan Saddington, the Habitual Criminal

A couple of new pieces of information about our Lewis - I'm really quite fond of him now.

I bought a batch of certificates the night before the prices went up, and one of them was Lewis' birth certificate. So, having had the end of Lewis' life in a previous update, here is the start.

He was born on 27 September 1860 at Market Place, Wantage. His parents were William Saddington and Jane (nee Cox). William was an innkeeper. The birth was registered by Jane on 22 October 1860.

The place of birth corresponds with the 1861 census when the family were living at the "Crown Inn", Market Place, Wantage.

Having looked into his parents' marriage, according to the IGI, there is a marriage of a William Saddington and a Jane Cox on 24 June 1846 at Old Church, St Pancras, London. This corresponds with the only entry for a William Saddington/Jane Cox marriage on FreeBMD, which is for the June quarter of 1846 in the St Pancras registration district. However, without further information, I cannot be certain that this is the right marriage and so it will remain a possibility for the time being.

The other new piece of information relating to our Lewis comes from the Chelsea Pension records that are now on line at Findmypast.

He enlisted into the Army as Bryan Lewis Saddington at Canterbury on 11 November 1881. [I don't know yet when he was released from Holloway Prison which is where he had been for the 1881 census held on 3 April.]

Lewis said that he was born in Wantage, Berkshire, was 20 on his last birthday and was an ostler by trade. He enlisted for "General Services Cavalry" and was appointed to the 9th Lancers. His regimental number was 2194.

He is described as being 5 foot 7 1/4 inches tall, weighing 143lb, and with a chest measurement of 34 1/2 inches. He had reddish brown hair, brown eyes, a fresh complexion and scars on both knees. Lewis had been vaccinated in his childhood and had two vaccination scars on each arm. Nevertheless the Army revaccinated him on 22 November 1881.

Lewis' service record shows that he was stationed at "Home" (meaning England, Scotland and Ireland) between 11 November 1881 and 31 December 1882. Between 1 January 1883 and 22 November 1885, he was stationed in the East Indies. And then between 23 November 1885 and 14 August 1889, he was stationed at "Home" again, after which he was released from the regular Army and was a member of the Army Reserve from 15 August 1887 to 10 November 1893. He was then discharged from any form of Army service as of 10 November 1893.

During his Army service, Lewis had a number of medical problems. Whilst stationed in Canterbury, he had an ulcer at the end of 1881 and a sore throat in June 1882. He was sent to India on 31 January 1883 and was being treated for orchitis caused by gonorrhea at Umballa in late February/early March of that year. He had another longer bout of orchitis at Rasauli [sp?] in August/September 1883. He suffered a contusion of the foot following an accident in the gymnasium at Umballa in January 1884. He was then sent to Rasauli [sp?] Hill Depot for a change of air in August 1884.

Lewis seems to have remained healthy for the remainder of his time in India, boarding HMS Crocodile for the journey home on 28 October 1885. He arrived back in Shorncliffe, Kent on 24 November 1885, where he appears to have remained until 21 August 1886, when he was posted to York for the last part of his service in the regular Army.

General remarks regarding his habits, conduct etc were "Regular, Fair, Temperate". His character on being passed to the Army Reserve was described as "Fair".

Lewis spent 5 years 277 days in the Army and a further 6 years 88 days in the Reserve. The whole of the 5 years 277 days in the Army counted towards his Good Conduct pay and 5 years 263 days counted towards his pension.

So where do his convictions for assault in Canterbury in December 1882 come in? He would have been in the Army for about a year by then - surely assaulting a police officer in the execution of his duty is not Good Conduct! However, other than that, he seems either to have behaved himself whilst in the Army, or they didn't catch him when he misbehaved!

Still more research needed, methinks! If Lewis belongs to your branch of the family, please do get in touch.

40 Years Faithful Service 1922 - 1962: Thomas George Saddington

This post comes courtesy of Ebay and the National Gas Archive.

Last month I was fortunate enough to be the successful bidder for this little gem, which is the size of a 2p. It is a long service award presented by the South Eastern Gas Board. On the back, the inscription reads "For 40 years faithful service. Awarded to T.G. Saddington 1922-1962".

A little research on Wikipedia informed me that the South Eastern Gas Board was created in 1948 when the UK gas industry was nationalised, and that it was formed from a number of privately owned and municipal gas companies in the area covering Kent, and parts of the administrative County of London and of Middlesex, Surrey and Sussex. So prior to 1948, T.G. Saddington must have worked for one of these privately owned or municipal gas companies.

I got in touch with the National Gas Archive to find out if they had any information on T.G. Saddington. The archivist there could only find one reference to him, but that reference was directly related to the little badge that I had won. It was a double spread article in the February 1963 issue of the SE Gas magazine, headed "Forty years behind all these men...", and it listed all the men who had received long service awards. It also gave the area in which they worked and their job title. So under Eltham, there was a reference to Thomas G. Saddington, district fitting foreman. The article also had photographs taken at the banquet that had obviously been given as part of the award presentations, and there, referred to as one of "four from Greenwich and Woolwich district" was Mr T.G. Saddington and his wife. Unfortunately he is sat slightly behind another award recipient, so it is not a very good picture of him. (I only have this in pdf format, but would be happy to forward it to any interested party.)

So now I knew that his first name was Thomas and that he had worked in the South London area for possibly as many as 40 years. If, as seems likely, he had worked in the gas industry for his whole career, beginnng in 1922, he was probably somewhere between 14 and 18 at the time he started work. This meant searching for a suitable birth between 1904 and 1908, but I widened the search to the period 1900 to 1910 to cover all eventualities. I found two possibilities - a Thomas George born in the Lewisham registration district in the June quarter of 1904 and a Thomas George born in the Wandsworth registration district in the March quarter of 1906. In 1922, they would have been 18 and 16 respectively.

In order to try and find out a bit more about these two Thomases, I searched the 1911 census, when they would have been 7 and 6 respectively. Unfortunately I have only managed to locate someone who I believe to be the 1906 Thomas George Saddington. The 1904 Thomas George is as yet unfound.

The presumed 1906 Thomas George is living at 28 Arden Street, Battersea, London SW. He is living with his parents, John Henry Saddington, age 46, a potman in a public house, born in Northampton, and his mother, Clara, age 41, born in Clapham, London. His parents have been married for 22 years [FreeBMD states that John Henry Saddington married Clara Frances Randall in the September quarter of 1889 in the Wandsworth registration district]. The marriage has produced 8 children, 6 of whom are still living, and all of whom are listed on the 1911 census.

The children are John Henry G., age 20, a manufacturer's clerk, born in Clapham; Gladys, age 18, a book folder in a printer's, born in Battersea; Frederick, age 15, a house painter's assistant, born in Battersea; James, age 12, at school, born in Battersea; Albert, age 10, at school, born in Battersea; and Thomas, age 5, at school and born in Battersea.

These eight people shared four rooms, not including any scullery, landing, lobby, closet, or bathroom. It did include the kitchen, so the house might have contained a kitchen, a living room and two bedrooms. This would have presented some problems with five sons (two at work, and three at school) and an adult daughter to accommodate. It is likely that, if there was a living room, that it would also have been used for sleeping as well.

Having checked the Charles Booth poverty map of London for 1898/99, it seems that Arden Street ten years or so previously had been classified as "Purple - Mixed. Some comfortable, others poor." With four wages coming into the house, the family might have been quite comfortable despite the cramped quarters.

A quick check of the 1881 census finds John Henry Saddington, the father, living at 33 Castle Street, Northampton, described as a provision shop. He is aged 16, described as a confectioner, and living with his elder sister, Eliza, age 18, a tailoress, and his younger brother, James Bronham [James Brown, born 1868], age 12, a laborer. The relationships are a bit odd here. Eliza is enumerated as Daur (Head), John as Son (Bro) and James as Son (Bro), which seems to indicate that there is a parent somewhere in the offing.

There is still a lot of research to be done on Thomas George Saddington and his family. However, if he is a member of your family tree, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Saddington Marriages in the West Ham Registration District

The following 15 marriages come to you courtesy of Peter Copsey's West Ham Marriage Challenge. I hope to be able to expand further on some of them in future posts.

1) Parish Church of All Saints, West Ham

No. 84
February 16 1857
James Gladman, 37, Widower, Pork Butcher, West Ham, John Gladman, Pork Butcher
Frances Saddington, 41, Widow, -, West Ham, George Cooper, Foreman
After banns by me, A. F. Raine, Vicar
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: Samuel Calver, Fanny Calver

2) Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Woodford

No. 319
November 16th 1867
George Saddington, years 26, Bachelor, Grocer, Chelsea, Middlesex, Edward Saddington, Deceased
Harriett Blond Fear, years 23, Spinster, -, Woodford, William Fear, Gent [?]
After banns by me, Joseph Clarke, Curate
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: William Fear, Emma Eliza Fear, Mary Ann Mitchell Fear

3) Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Plaistow

No. 270
2 October 1870
Joseph Saddington, full, Bachelor, Blacksmith, 24 Abbey Street, Thomas Saddington, Blacksmith
Sarah Wood, full, Spinster, -, 24 Abbey Street, George Wood, Blacksmith
After banns by me, N.W.B. Marsh
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: George Parry, Elizabeth Coy.. [?]

4) Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Canning Town

No. 23
10th June 1878
Edwin Bennett, 21, Bachelor, Carpenter, 47 Bidder Street, James Bennett (deceased), Carpenter
Priscilla Saddington, 20, Spinster, -, 47 Bidder Street, William Saddington, Blacksmith
After banns by me, George Soden
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: William Saddington, Emma Saddington

5) Parish Church of St Luke, Victoria Docks

No. 208
March 28 1880
David Saddington, 23, Bachelor, Gas fitter, 37 Vincent Street, William Saddington, Blacksmith
Elizabeth Haley, 21, Spinster, -, 37 Vincent Street, John Haley, Labourer
After banns by me, H. S. Brooks, Curate
Signed: Elizabeth Haley, Elizabeth Haley's x mark [don't know what happened to groom's signature]
Witnesses: Henery Goodchild, Emma Saddington

6) Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Canning Town

No. 183
18th July 1880
James Henry Goodchild, 23, Bachelor, Lighterman, 23 Hermit Street, Charles Goodchild (deceased), Lighterman
Emma Saddington, 19, Spinster, -, 1 Hampden Villas, William Saddington, Blacksmith
After banns by me, L. M. Dalton
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: Edwin Bennett, Priscilla Bennett

7) Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Plaistow

No. 424
August 17th 1885
Harry Saddington, 21, Bachelor, Planer, Plaistow, William Saddington, Blacksmith
Mary Morison, 20, Spinster, -, Plaistow, George Morison, Clerk
After bannns by me, A. StLege Westall
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: Alice Morison, Annie Morison

8) Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Plaistow

No. 420
September 1st 1889
William Saddington, 23, Bachelor, Engineer, 5 Avenons Road, Barking Road, William Saddington, Blacksmith
Elizabeth Allen, 21, Spinster, -, 52 Newman Road, James Allen, Stoker
After banns by me, Richard H O'Reilly
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: Thomas William Mason, Agnes Saddington

9) Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Plaistow

No. 450
December 25th 1889
Thomas William Mason, 26, Bachelor, Lighterman, 336 Barking Road, Thomas James Mason, Lighterman
Agnes Saddington, 19, Spinster, -, 5 Avenons Road, William Saddington, Blacksmith
After banns by me, Richard H. O'Reilly
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: William Saddington, Ada Saddington

10) Parish Church of All Saints, West Ham

No. 244
March 20th 1890
Simeon Cundy, 36, Bachelor, Manager, Prince Regent Lane, Isaac Cundy (deceased), Coal Merchant
Elizabeth Ann Saddington, 28, Spinster, -, 14 Baron Road, John Saddington, Blacksmith
After banns by me, John I Mitchell
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: John Saddington, Clara Saddington

11) Parish Church of All Saints, West Ham

No. 33
25th Dec 1890
Robert Henry Whitaker, 29, Bachelor, Engineer, 30 Parker Street, Thomas Whitaker, Engineer
Clara Jane Saddington, 26, Spinster, -, 14 Baron Road, John Saddington, Blacksmith
After banns by me, Deans Cowan
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: John Saddington, Jane Saddington

12) Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin, Plaistow

No. 422
October 8th 1892
John George Saddington, 30, Bachelor, Carpenter, 14 Baron Road, John Saddington, Blacksmith
Bessie Allen, 27, Spinster, -, 42 Ordnance Road, John Allen (deceased), Saddler
After banns by me, C. Pierrepoint Edwards
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: John Saddington, Rosa Crush, Janice McBride

13) Parish Church of All Saints, West Ham

No. 331
May 3rd 1896
James Henry Holdgate, 50, Widower, Labourer, 19 Beaconsfield, Henry Holdgate (Deceased), Bricklayer
Sarah Saddington, 49, Widow, -, 18 Liverpool Road, George Wood (Deceased), Blacksmith
After banns by me, W. R. Morrow
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: S. Brenster, Eleanor Brenster

14) Parish Church of All Saints, West Ham

No. 331
Septr 5th 1897
John Thomas Moore, 26, Bachelor, Lighterman, 42 Amelia Street, Thomas Wormsley Moore, Chemical Worker
Sarah Jane Saddington, 20, Spinster, -, 14 Baron Road, John Saddington, Blacksmith
After banns by me, Henry G. W. Cooper
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: John Saddington, Grace Maud Saddington

15) Parish Church of St Thomas, West Ham

No. 138
June 18 1899
William Saddington, 20, Bachelor, Fireman, 35 Langehorne Street, Richard Saddington, Labourer
Florence Archer, 18, Spinster, -, 37 Langehorne Street, George Archer (Decd), Bricklayer
After banns by me, J. W. Eisdell, Vicar
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: Emily Gardiner, E. Bewick [?]

If any of these couples belong in your family tree, please do get in touch.

Saddington Marriages in the Shoreditch Registration District

These three marriages come to you courtesy of Howard Benbrook's Shoreditch Marriage Challenge.

1) Parish Church of St Mary, Haggerston Road, Shoreditch

No. 357
Aug 3rd 1863
William Saddington, 22, Bachelor, Groom, 21 Kent Street, William Saddington, Groom
Ellen Connolley, 21, Spinster, -, 21 Kent Street, Michael Connolley (dec), Labourer
After banns by me, Geo. Morris
Signed: William Saddington, Ellen Connolley x her mark
Witnesses: John David King, Sarah Ann Stanborough x her mark

2) Parish Church of St Mary, Haggerston Road, Shoreditch

No. 481
Jan 3rd 1871
Edward Bell, full, Bachelor, Schoolmaster, 19 Brownlow Road, Robert Bell (dec), Civil Service
Eliza Saddington, full, Spinster, -, 19 Brownlow Road, William Saddington (dec), Shopkeeper
After banns, by me Sidney S. Browne
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: Henry Woodley, Elizabeth Jarvis

3) Parish of St Chad, Nichols Square, Haggerston

No. 11
Oct 24 1872
John Douglas, 24, Bachelor, Clerk, 17 Huntingdon Street, George Douglas, Butcher
Elizabeth Saddington, 22, Spinster, -, 88 Cowley Road, Brixton, James Saddington, Tailor
After banns by me, Edwd. H Flynn
Both bride and groom signed.
Witnesses: Robert Chignell Bostock Jr., Jane Saddington

If any of these couples belong to your family tree, please do get in touch.

Walter Frederick Saddington (circa 1866 - ?)

When you commit yourself to a One Name Study, you commit yourself to collecting all instances of that surname. It doesn't matter whether the person concerned was born with the surname that you are collecting, whether they acquired it by marriage or whether they chose to use it instead of the one that they were born with - you must collect the reference to the surname.

Walter Frederick Saddington, the subject of this post, is an example of the third option - someone who chose to use the surname Saddington instead of the one that he was born with.

He was born Walter Frederick Needham in Oakham, Rutland. His birth was registered in the March quarter of 1866, and his mother was Adaeliza Needham, a daughter of John and Sarah Needham of Egleton, Rutland. She was baptised on 12 June 1847, so was about 19 at the time of Walter's birth.

In the December quarter of 1869, Adaeliza married John Saddington in the Oakham Registration District. According to the 1871 census, by which time the little family had moved to Lowdham in Nottinghamshire and Walter is enumerated as a Saddington, John was born circa 1850 in Market Overton, Rutland and was employed as a railway porter. He may be the son of Henry and Sarah Saddington of Market Overton, Rutland, but as yet I cannot prove this.

Unfortunately, the marriage did not last long. Although I have yet to find a probable death reference, it appears that John Saddington died at some point before 13 July 1880, when his widow remarried at St John's Parish Church, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

No. 78 - July 13 1880
Charles Dunkling, 32, Bachelor, Tallow chandler, Back Lane West, Simeon Dunkling, Labourer
Addaeliza Saddington, 31, Widow, -, Back Lane West, John Leedham, Labourer
After banns by me, Cecil G Paget

Charles Dunkling
Addaeliza Saddington

Witnesses - Sybilla Newson[?], William Henry Draycott x his mark

In the 1881 census, the newly formed family were living at 17 Clumber Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Walter is enumerated as Walter Fk Dunkling, Son in law, Unm, 15, Printer Apprentice, Rutland, Oakham. So he is now on his third surname.

However Walter does not appear to have been too keen on the new situation. On 20 October 1883, aged 18 years and 10 months, and describing himself as a "clerk", Walter enlisted at Derby in the Derby Regiment under the name of Walter Saddington. He appears to have remained a Saddington for the rest of his life. His next of kin is listed as Elizabeth Dunkling, Mother, 17 Clumber Street, Mansfield.

Based on his pension records, Walter appears to have served with the 2nd Battalion of what was then known as The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment). He served in the East Indies (presumably India) twice and in Malta. On 30 September 1894, he married Hellena Fitzgerald at the Wesleyan Chapel in Umballa, Bengal, India. It appears that they had two children who died in India, but I know nothing more about them at the moment.

Walter and Hellena were back in England before October 1904, as their son, Frederick, was born on 24 October in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, and was then baptised in the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Southwell on 12 December 1904. Their daughter, Eveline, was also born in Southwell on 4 April 1906, being baptised in the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel on 30 April 1906.

In the 1911 census, the family are living on Westgate, Southwell. Walter's occupation is given as 'Colour Sergeant His Majesty's Army, Instructor to Territorials'. The census also confirms that Walter and Hellena had had four children, two of whom had died.

Walter retired from the Army on 31 December 1912, having served for 29 years and 73 days. However, he re-enlisted the next day (1 January 1913) in the 8th Battalion, The Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment) for 'promotion forthwith to the rank of Company Quarter Master Sergeant, Service in the United Kingdon only'. The 8th Battalion was a Territorial Battalion, so I assume that he carried on with the training work that he had been doing previously. He was then living at 26 Crown Street, Newark, Nottinghamshire.

Walter remained in the Territorial Army for another couple of years, before being discharged on 24 March 1915 under King's Regulations 392 (XXV) - whatever that means (if anyone can tell me, I would be grateful). By this time, the First World War was raging and a good soldier was going to do his bit as long as he could. A couple of months later, on 28 May 1915, Walter re-enlisted again, this time in London.

Walter spent the rest of the war in the Army, working as a storeman, before being discharged for the final time on 30 December 1919 due to cardiac debility and vertigo at the age of 53. He then returned to his home in Newark.

Having already lost two children in infancy, Walter and Hellena must have been devastated when their son, Frederick, died on 6 March 1927 at East Stoke, Nottinghamshire, at the age of 22. As yet, I do not know the cause of death. The family was then living at 14 Crown Street, Newark, and letters of administration were granted to Walter at Nottingham on 18 May 1927 in which he is described as an Army Pensioner.

Walter was obviously still closely connected with his old Battalion as the Letter of Administration lists his sureties as being 'Horace Leslie Brockbank Mills of the Drill Hall Newark aforesaid Captain and Adjutant 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters T.A. and Albert Coltman Grimwood of the Drill Hall aforesaid Lieutenant and Quartermaster 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters T.A.'.

After Frederick's death, I currently have no further definite information about this Saddington family. I believe that his sister, Eveline, may have married in the Holborn Registration District of London in the December quarter of 1938, possibly to a Mr Ballard.

If you have any further information about Walter Frederick Saddington or his family, I would be delighted to hear from you.

Derby Registration District Marriages - Part 2

Courtesy of Sue Horsman's Derby Marriage Challenge, this post contains details of further Saddington marriages which took place in the Derby Registration District.

In the Parish Church of Holy Trinity, Derby:

No. 68
January 25 1879
George Saddington, 24, Bachelor, Ticket examiner, Derby, John Saddington, Framework Knitter
Margaret Annie Bowen, 21, Spinster, -, Derby, Thomas Bowen, Joiner
After banns
Both bride and groom signed their names.
Witnesses - Robert Blood, Harriet Blood

In the Parish Church of St Luke, Derby:

No. 351
November 6 1892
Frederick Saddington, 23, Bachelor, Butcher, Appleby, Derbys, Henry Saddington, Butcher
Jessie Ward, 20, Spinster, -, 17 Crosby[?] Street, James Ward, Farmer
By Licence
Both bride and groom signed their names.
Witnesses - Samuel Banks, Eliza Banks

In the Parish Church of St Chad, Derby:

No. 386
August 30 1902
Frank Saddington, 24, Bachelor, Shunter, 43 Vale Street, John Saddington, Labourer
Alice Jemima Bloor, 21, Spinster, -, 17 Mill Hill Road, George Bloor, Blacksmith
After banns
Both bride and groom signed their names.
Witnesses - Albert Tharme, Ealand Tharme

In the Parish Church of St Paul, Derby:

No. 206
June 2 1906
George Smith, 27, Bachelor, Waggon Builder, 42 Colombell Street, William Holt Smith, Waggon Builder
Lucy Saddington, 22, Spinster, -, 10 Roman Road, Arthur Saddington, Moulder
After banns
Both bride and groom signed their names.
Witnesses - Arthur Saddington, Jane Saddington, Willons Charles Wright, Elizabeth Holt Smith

Subsequently, the locations of six other Saddington marriages have also been discovered, together with the names of their respective spouses, as follows:

December quarter 1853 - Thomas Saddington married Susannah Sporway at the Derby Register Office.

December quarter 1864 - William Saddington married Sarah Wild at the Derby Register Office.

December quarter 1869 - James Saddington married Emma Shephard at the London Road Methodist New Connection.

December quarter 1877 - Henry William Herdman married Mary Saddington at the Derby Register Office.

September quarter 1888 - George Henry Saddington married Elizabeth Meller at the Babington Lane Swedenburg Chapel.

June quarter 1903 - Henry Frederick Rankin married Mary Saddington at the Derby Register Office.

If any of these happy couples feature in your family tree, please do let me know.

Update No. 2 - Lewis Bryan Saddington, the Habitual Criminal

Just a quick one to say that I have filled in part of one of the gaps currently to be found in Lewis Saddington's dodgy career.

On doing a general search for Saddingtons in the Online Catalogue of Kent Archives Service, I discovered our friend Lewis misbehaving in Canterbury.

The index to the judicial records in the Canterbury Cathedral Archives shows that on 7 December 1882, Lewis was up before the Court of Summary Jurisdiction and was convicted on two counts as follows:

James Taylor and Bryan Louis Saddington, St Alphege: assaulting William Neville Jeffries. Each fined 5s plus 3s 9d costs payable forthwith. If in default of payment, 7 days hard labour in HMP St Augustine's, Canterbury.

Bryan Louis Saddington: assaulting PC Edgar Hawkes a police officer in the execution of his duty as a constable of the City of Canterbury Watch. Fined 10s plus 6s 6d costs payable forthwith. If in default of payment, 14 days hard labour in HMP St Augustine's, Canterbury.

My best imperial arithmetic brings Lewis' total fine to £1 5s 3d. According to the Measuring Worth website, in 2008 terms, this would be £94.74 [using the retail price index] or £662.05 [using average earnings]. Either way, not an insignificant sum. Lewis may well have preferred to do 21 days hard labour, rather than try and find that amount of money.

So what else did our black sheep Saddington get up to during his life? It will be interesting to find out.

If Lewis is one of your Saddingtons, or if you come across him in your research, please do get in touch.

Derby Registration District Marriages - Part 1

These four marriages come to you courtesy of Sue Horsman's Derby Marriage Challenge. At the moment, I am just supplying the details on the marriage certificates, but hope to be able to expand on them in the future.

1.
Parish Church of St Werburgh, Derby
No. 120
March 15 1862
Abraham Joseph Yeoman, 21, Bachelor, Copper Smith, Dunkirk[?], Daniel Yeoman, Labourer
Sarah Jane Saddington, 20, Spinster, -, London Road, James Saddington, Labourer
By Certificate
Both bride and groom signed their names.
Witnesses - William Saddington, Macklin Harvy

2.
Parish Church of St Peter, Derby
No. 252
May 30 1868
Henry Saddington, 20, Bachelor, Moulder, Normanton Road, James Saddington, Labourer
Eliza Wheatcroft, Full, Spinster, -, Normanton Road, William Wheatcroft, Solicitors Clerk
After Banns
The groom signed his name and the bride made her mark.
Witnesses - Will[?] Saddington, Sarah x Saddington

3.
Parish Church of St Alkmund, Derby
No. 469
December 25 1878
Arthur Saddington, 22, Bachelor, Iron Moulder, Upper Brook Street Derby, James Saddington, Tanner
Kate Hind, 24, Spinster, Mill Hand, Upper Brook Street Derby, Thomas Hind, Iron Moulder
After Banns
Both the bride and groom signed their names.
Witnesses - John T Brailsford, Elizabeth Alice Hind

4.
Parish Church of Christchurch, Derby
No. 476
June 18 1904
John Saddington, 24, Bachelor, Clerk, 7 Webster Street Derby, George Saddington, Porter
Elizabeth Kemp, 24, Spinster, -, 83 Devonshire Street Derby, Charles Kemp, Deceased
After Banns
Both bride and groom signed their names.
Witnesses - John Kemp, Ida Kemp

If any of these marriages feature in your family, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Saddington One Name Study on GenealogyWise

Just a quick post to let you know that I have started a Saddington One Name Study group on GenealogyWise, the new genealogy social network.

GenealogyWise is apparently like Facebook, but for family history researchers.

Hopefully, I will see some of you there soon.