Journey Through The Past » smurthwaite

Frances Smurthwaite in 1911

charlton — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 02:04:05 +0000

It occurred to us tonight that we could find where Frances was in 1911 from the recently released 1911 Census of England & Wales. Sure enough, we had no trouble finding her. The last we knew of her she had married Peter Smurthwaite in 1901 but had lost him to Tuberculosis the following year. Now, it seems that she also lost a child as recorded in the 1911 Census entry.

Frances Smurthwaite, age 36, a widow, living in a boarding house at 18 Harris Street, Rochdale, Lancashire with Nancy Wrigley, also a widow. Frances is listed as a Wesley Deaconess working at Rochdale Mission. The record shows she had one child who had died.

The Later Life of Frances MacPherson

charlton — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 17:24:56 +0000

On November 15, 1920 – eight months to the day from my grandmother Helen Charlton’s death, Frances Smurthwaite (nee MacPherson) married my grandfather Robert Charlton.

The marriage took place at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Sunderland on the east coast. They likely left for Canada soon after the ceremony in order to make the ocean and then transcontinental passage back to Saskatchewan in time for Christmas.

Frances Smurthwaite, age 46 is listed as a widow, a Wesley Deaconess living at The Retreat, Sunderland at the time of the marriage. Robert Charlton was 37, being listed as a widower, a Canadian Methodist Minister living at Belle Vue Terrace, Tyne Dock.

Robert’s Father, William Browell Charlton is listed as an Association Secretary while Frances’ farther, William MacPherson, is listed as a deceased Coalminer.

Frances stayed with Rev. Charlton, raising his son’s Robert Good Charlton and William Browell Charlton as her own. From what I can gather, the relationship between my father and Frances was never the best, my father having much more difficulty than his younger brother in accepting Frances as his maternal guardian.

Here is a photo of the couple in their garden in Shawinigan Falls, Quebec in later years.

Related Posts:
The Middle Life of Frances MacPherson
The Early Life of Frances MacPherson

The Middle Life of Frances MacPherson

charlton — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 15:08:41 +0000

In the previous post I described the early years of Frances MacPherson. While the details are sketchy, we can follow her in place and time from her birth at Littleburn Colliery to her employment as a house maid in 1901 for a well to do family in Old Durham town in the shadow of Durham Cathedral. Much less is known about the next stage of her life which was as distinct from the former as could be imagined.

In the first quarter of 1902 she married Peter Smurthwaite thereby changing her name to Frances Smurthwaite, a name which went unexplained in our family for many years. The marriage certificate is on order.

Update January 16, 2008:
Marriage Certificate – Peter Smurthwaite and Frances Macpherson were married on June 3rd, 1901 in the Wesleyan Chapel, Old Elvet, County of Durham. He 29, bachelor farmer living at Shincliffe Bank Top, Shincliffe. His father John Smurthwaite (deceased) Farm Bailiff. She 26, spinster house maid living at South Bailey, Durham. Her father William MacPherson, Coal Miner. Witnesses: Robert Smurthwaite and Dorothy Macpherson

According to the 1901 census, Peter was a 29 year old farmer’s son and local preacher living at Halvert Hill. He had previously worked as a railway porter (1891 Census – Port Clarence) and at 9 years old (1881 Census) was attending school in Salt Holme. He was born in September of 1871 at Stockton.

Tragedy soon intervened in the young marriage with the death of Peter in the fourth quarter of 1902. Peter was only 31.

Update January 16th, 2008:
Death Certificate – Peter Smurthwaite died Novemeber 4th, 1902 at Grange Farm, Shincliffe, aged 31 years, wool merchant. Cause of Death was General Tuberculosis. Witness: James Smurthwaite, brother in attendance.

Sometime following Peter’s death in 1902, Frances became a Wesleyan Methodist Deaconess.

Update September 6, 2009:
The 1911 Census records Frances age 36, a widow, living in a boarding house at 18 Harris Street, Rochdale, Lancashire with Nancy Wrigley also a widow. She is listed as a Wesley Deaconess working at Rochdale Mission. The entry also records the loss of one child.

According to a wikipedia entry describing the modern history of the Deaconess: The spiritual revival in the Americas and Europe of the nineteenth century brought rapid social change. Women who began to seek new roles for themselves turned to deaconess service. For women with a calling to serve God, this was a socially acceptable role at that time. Allowed to function as lay ministers or servants and not ordained clergy, women filled the traditional societal role of caregivers and teachers for various churches.

Photo by Bob Charlton of a silver tray presented to Sister Frances by the Ebenezer “Women’s Own” July 22, 1918.

Sister Frances was working at Westgate Mission Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1918 when Reverend and Mrs. Charlton came from Canada with there two young boys (my father and uncle) for a visit and ended up taking on the administration of the hall. When the Reverend’s wife died suddenly in March of 1920, Sister Frances would have been a work associate of the couple and found herself with much in common with the grieving Minister.

The Early Life of Frances MacPherson

charlton — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 14:44:19 +0000

As mentioned in the previous post, Frances McPherson was born October 16th, 1874 at Brandon Lane in North Brancepeth (a.k.a. Littleburn) Colliery, County Durham. Her parents were William and Margaret MacPherson. In the 1881 Census, Frances was 6 years old and attending school in the Township of Brandon at Browney Colliery, County Durham. She was living with her parents, a brother and three sisters. Not surprisingly, her farther was a coal miner.

Meanwhile, the same 1881 census finds my great grandparents, William (an engineman) and Mary Charlton living not far away at Boyne Colliery. They had with them their two boys, John (3) and William (9 months). Robert was born the 12th of November in the following year after the family had moved to 143 Front Street at North Brancepeth (Littleburn) Colliery. Sadly, both of Robert’s older brothers died in the early days of the pregnancy that brought Robert to life.

So it is that Frances and Robert (who would eventually meet and marry following the death of Robert’s first wife Helen Lottie Good) were both born at North Brancepeth Colliery, albeit eight years apart. In later life, both would say they came from the nearby village of Langley Moor.

By 1891 Frances is 16 and is a pupil teacher (student teacher) living with her parents, William and Margaret MacPherson, an older sister Margaret (who has appeared following her absence from the 1881 census), her older brother John and her younger sister Dorothy. They live on Hagg Lane at Byers Green in Auckland, County Durham.

In 1901 Frances is living in the centre of Durham town at 4 South Bailey Street in the shadow of the Cathedral. She is employed as a house maid on live-in basis with the Dale Family. Mr. Charles W. M. Dale is a 66 year old bank secretary. His wife was Beatrice, age 31. Their 5 year old son Charles was born in London at St. John’s Wood. In addition to Frances, there was a nurse, a cook, a parlour maid, and a kitchen maid.

Click on the photo to view a detailed record of the site which is listed in English Heritage’s National Monument Record. The house is currently part of the townhouse of the Bowes family, related to the Queen Mom.

The Story of Frances MacPherson

charlton — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:04:28 +0000

When Rev. Robert Charlton returned from England after the death of his first wife, he brought with him Sister Frances Smurthwaite whom (the family story goes) was there to take care of his two children, Bill and Bert. At some point, she and the Reverend were married but up until now, very little has been known about Sister Frances’ origins.

A break came this past week when my brother Bob found a single piece of paper which lifts the veil of secrecy on my father’s step-mother. According to a hand written note created by my father, the second Mrs. Charlton was born Frances McPherson October 16, 1864. Here is the note:

It reads:

Birth Certificate
Frances Charlton nee McPherson
Born October 16 – 1874
at Brandon Lane North, Brancepeth, Collery
Father – William McPherson
Mother – Margaret McPherson formerly Anderson
Birth Registered in Sub District of Saint Oswald, County of Durham, England

A quick check of Free BMD confirmed her birth in the third quarter of 1874. Cross checking that against Ancestry.co.uk records confirms this date and reveals the rest of her family of origin in the 1881 census. The index of the census is listed as follows:

1881 England Census
about Frances McPherson

Name: Frances McPherson
Age: 6
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1875
Relation: Daughter
Father’s Name: William
Mother’s Name: Margaret
Gender: Female
Where born: Boyne Coll, Durham, England

Civil Parish: Brandon and Byshottles
County/Island: Durham
Country: England

Street address: Office Row No 135
Occupation: Scholar

Registration district: Durham
Sub-registration district: St Oswald

Household Members:
Name (Age)
Dorothy McPherson (3)
Frances McPherson (6)
John McPherson (8)
Margaret McPherson (47)
Martha McPherson (14)
Mary McPherson (12)
William McPherson (48) Coal Miner

What remains a mystery is when and where the marriage took place. It could have been in Newcastle where the two had been working at the Westgate Mission Hall or the couple could have waited until after the family moved back to Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, we don’t know where to look in England and Saskatchewan records for that time period have not yet been put on-line

At least now, we know that Frances Smurthwaite was born Frances McPherson.

Updates – see follow up posts: