Harrison of Worcester and Kington

HARRISON OF WORCESTER AND KINGTON

The death certificate of James Harrison gives his age in February 1859 as 63. From the 1841 census returns, it appears that he was not born in Worcestershire. He is not listed with his wife and children in the 1851 returns and has not been definitely located elsewhere in that year although he was living at the time.

A clue to the earlier history of the family may be found in The Worcestershire Chronicle of 30 March 1859, where it was reported that “An order was granted for the removal of Susannah Harrison from the parish of St. Clement to St. Chad’s, Shrewsbury. The woman is the mother of thirteen children, all grown up, and doing for themselves. It is sad that out of so many, not one can be found to rescue their mother from pauperism”.[1]

James and Susanna (Kettle) Harrison appear to have had a connection of some kind with John and Mary (Shepherd) Parkes who were married at Penn in 1806 and who later lived at Wednesbury. John Parkes was a witness at the marriage of James Harrison and Susannah Kettle, and Derek Vincent Davies, a great-great-great-grandson of James and Susanna (Kettle) Harrison, has a 10 cM DNA match with an apparent descendant of John and Mary (Shepherd) Parkes. It may also be noted that John and Mary had a daughter called Prudence, which was a name given to a daughter of James and Susanna. The name Prudence seems to have come to the Parkes family through the family of Mary (Hollies) Shepherd, mother of Mary (Shepherd) Parkes. John Parkes was an ironmonger, which may be relevant to James Harrison’s work as an iron and brass moulder.

The 1851 and 1861 census returns show Susanna (Kettle) Harrison to have been born at Worcester, but the 1841 returns indicate that she was not born in Worcestershire. The baptism of a Susannah Kettle, daughter of John and Sarah, at St Peter, Worcester, in 1797, is recorded in the St Peter parish registers.[2] However, there was a Susannah Kettle who married William Jones at Claines, near Worcester, in 1818, which may be the same person. Perhaps more promising candidates for the parents of Susanna (Kettle) Harrison are James Kettle and Sarah Clark who were married at St Clement, Worcester, in 1787. They seem to be the parents of children baptised at Hanbury in 1788, 1790 and 1792, Stoke Prior in 1794 and 1798, and Bromsgrove in 1800 and 1804. There is a gap in the children traced so far, between 1794 and 1798, into which Susannah (Kettle) Harrison could fit. There are two main reasons for thinking that she may do so. One is that Richard Kettle, son of James and Sarah, lived at Kington in Herefordshire in the 1830s and that is where James and Susannah (Kettle) Harrison also moved in the 1830s and is where their son George Harrison and his family later lived. The other reason is that Derek Vincent Davies, a great-great-great-grandson of James and Susanna (Kettle) Harrison, has a 9 cM DNA match with a great-great-great-great-grandchild of James Kettle who was a son of James and Sarah (Clark) Kettle. There is also another DNA match which seems to be relevant here. Derek Vincent Davies has a match of 24 cM with a descendant of Mary Bounds, baptised in 1824 at Almeley, Herefordshire, illegitimate daughter of Martha Bounds. The 24 cM match is a common match for Derek and for a descendant of Reuben, son of James and Susannah (Kettle) Harrison. It therefore appears that the link with the 24 cM match is through James or Susannah. The father of the Mary Bounds baptised in 1824 has not been definitely identified, but the widow of her mother’s brother Richard Bounds married Richard Kettle (son of James and Sarah) in 1832, which is suggestive of a connection through the Kettle family.

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HARRISON

1 JAMES HARRISON of Worcester and of Kington, Herefordshire, iron and brass moulder, was born ca 1795 [3] and died on 13 February 1859 at Worcester.[4] He married on 13 September 1818 at Wednesbury, Staffordshire, SUSANNA KETTLE,[5] gloveress, who was born ca 1798 [6] and died on 10 April 1866 at Worcester.[7]

Children of James and Susanna (Kettle) Harrison:[8]

i CHARLES HARRISON, bap 5 May 1819, St Peter, Worcester.[9]

2 ii GEORGE HARRISON (1820-1888); m ELIZA LILLEY.

iii CHARLOTTE HARRISON, bap 20 Dec 1821, St Peter, Worcester.[10]

iv ELIZA HARRISON, b Worcester, bap 12 Jan 1823, St Peter, Worcester,[11] d 25 May 1896, Worcester;[12] m 26 Feb 1844, St Martin, Worcester, RICHARD MASON.[13]

v MATILDA HARRISON, b Worcester, bap 6 Mar 1825, St Peter, Worcester,[14] d 9 Dec 1891, Bristol;[15] m 2 Apr 1850, Claines, THOMAS LONGMORE.[16]

vi JOSHUA HARRISON of Worcester, shoemaker and painter, b Worcester, bap 24 Dec 1826, St Peter, Worcester;[17] m 18 Jun 1849, St Peter, Birmingham, MATILDA CHURCHMAN.[18]

vii CHARLOTTE HARRISON, b Worcester, bap 13 May 1828, St Peter, Worcester,[19] bur 7 Sep 1911, Reading;[20] m 18 Mar 1866, St Clement, Worcester, JOHN TOLLY WILLIAMS.[21]

viii LOUISA HARRISON, bap 26 Mar 1830, St Peter, Worcester;[22] m 25 Feb 1849, St Peter, Worcester, WILLIAM HYDE.[23]

ix MARY ANN HARRISON, gloveress, b Worcester, bap 19 Oct 1831, St Clement, Worcester;[24] m 23 Mar 1863, Holy Trinity, St Philip, Bristol, PETER DENBY.[25]

x PRUDENCE HARRISON, gloveress, b Worcester, bap 31 Oct 1833, St Clement, Worcester,[26] d 9 Aug 1865, Worcester;[27] m 19 Apr 1863, St George, Claines, JOHN HOWE.[28]

xi REUBEN HARRISON of Worcester, glover, b ca 1835, Hereford,[29] bur 11 Dec 1916, Sherborne;[30] m 6 Aug 1855, St Martin, Worcester, EMILY JONES.[31]

xii HENRY HARRISON, glover, b Kington, bap 30 Jun 1837, Kington.[32]

xiii DANIEL HARRISON of Milborne Port, Somerset, glover, b 28 Dec 1838, Kington;[33] m 1 Nov 1863, St Clement, Worcester, FELICIA SMITH.[34]

2 GEORGE HARRISON of Nail Row, Kington, iron moulder, was born at Worcester, baptised on 20 October 1820 at St Peter, Worcester,[35] and died on 31 August 1888 at Kington.[36] He married on 11 November 1841 at Ludlow, Shropshire, ELIZA LILLEY,[37] daughter of John and Sarah (Turner) Lilley (see here). Eliza was born at Kington, baptised on 5 September 1824 at Kington and died on 26 February 1891 at Kington.

Children of George and Eliza (Lilley) Harrison:[38]

3 i CHARLES HARRISON (1844-1898); m NAOMI RAWLINGS.

ii AGNES HARRISON, b Kington,[39] bap 4 Oct 1846, Kington; m 31 Jan 1878, Register Office, St George, Hanover Square, Westminster, FREDERICK GARDNER.[40]

iii JOHN HARRISON of Kington and of Reading, iron moulder, b Kington,[41] bap 31 Dec 1848, Kington, bur 14 Mar 1912, Barkham;[42] m(1) MARY ANN;[43] m(2) ANNIE.[44]

iv SARAH ANN HARRISON, b Kington,[45] bap 16 Feb 1851, Kington, bur 23 Mar 1922, Hyde Park Cemetery, Doncaster;[46] m 29 Mar 1877, Doncaster, JAMES HILL.[47]

v RACHEL HARRISON, b Kington,[48] bap 25 Dec 1853, Kington, bur 28 Nov 1909, Hyde Park Cemetery, Doncaster;[49] m 14 Aug 1877, Doncaster, WALTER BATTY.[50]

vi GEORGE HARRISON, iron moulder, b ca 1856, Kington,[51] bap 12 Feb 1860, Kington, bur 25 Sep 1873, Kington Cemetery.[52]

vii PRUDENCE HARRISON, b ca 1858, Kington,[53] bap 12 Feb 1860, Kington, d 9 Jul 1933, Kington;[54] m ca 1885, THOMAS WILLIAMS.[55]

viii FREDERICK JOHN HARRISON, b Kington,[56] bap 11 Jun 1862, Kington, bur 21 Sep 1876, Kington Cemetery.[57]

ix ELIZA JANE HARRISON, b 19 Oct 1867, Kington,[58] d 7 Feb 1943;[59] m 16 Nov 1889, Kington, GEORGE JONES.[60]

3 CHARLES HARRISON of Nail Row, Kington, iron moulder, was born on 18 July 1844 at Kington [61] and died on 26 July 1898 at Kington.[62] He married on 30 October 1870 at Kington Wesleyan Chapel, NAOMI RAWLINGS,[63] daughter of William and Ellen (Jones) Rawlings (see here). Naomi was born on 27 November 1847 at Lymm, Cheshire, and died on 27 April 1903 at Kington.

Children of Charles and Naomi (Rawlings) Harrison:

i RUTH HARRISON, b 19 Jun 1871, Kington,[64] d 26 Jun 1871, Kington.[65]

ii WILLIAM HARRISON, ship steward, b 20 May 1873, Kington.[66]

iii FREDERICK GEORGE HARRISON of Leominster, iron moulder, b 9 Mar 1876, Kington,[67] d 1 May 1929, Kidderminster;[68] m 28 Feb 1904, Moravian Chapel, Leominster, BEATRICE FOX.[69]

iv JESSE HARRISON of Leominster, iron moulder, b 16 Oct 1878, Kington;[70] m ca 1907, EMILY.[71]

v HERBERT HARRISON of Coventry, iron moulder, b 19 Sep 1881, Kington,[72] d 3 Mar 1945, Coventry;[73] m 13 May 1916, Coventry, ETHEL MAY MIDDLETON.[74]

vi CHARLES HARRISON of Leeds, harness maker, b 3 Jun 1884, Kington.[75]

vii RACHEL HARRISON, b 30 Jul 1886, Kington,[76] d 19 Feb 1961, New Wortley, Yorkshire;[77] m 10 Oct 1910, St Ethelbert’s Catholic Church, Leominster, THOMAS DAVIES [78] (see here).

viii ERNEST HARRISON of Liverpool, docks foreman, b 29 Jul 1889, Kington;[79] m 29 Jul 1919, Morpeth, EDITH JOBLING.[80]

ix NAOMI HARRISON, b 14 Sep 1893, Kington,[81] d 26 Dec 1969;[82] m 3 Feb 1923, Llanddewi Rhondda, ALFRED CHARLES GALE.[83]

[1] The removal order itself or a related settlement examination are not known to exist. There is a possibility that they are held in Shropshire. However, the removal may not have actually taken place, as in 1861, Susannah was still living in Worcester (although in the parish of St Peter) with her son Reuben.

[2] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (Society of Genealogists, Mf 2213).

[3] Death certificate; 1841 census returns (National Archives, HO 107/1209/9, fol. 18).

[4] Death certificate.

[5] St Bartholomew, Wednesbury, parish registers. In the marriage and banns entries, James and Susannah were both said to be of the parish of Wednesbury. The identity of the James Harrison and Susannah Kettle married at Wednesbury with the James and Susannah Harrison whose children were baptised at Worcester and Kington is proved by the birth certificate of Daniel Harrison (b 1838) which gives his mother’s maiden surname as Kettle.

[6] 1851 census returns (National Archives, HO 107/2042, fol. 459); 1861 census returns (National Archives, RG 9/2095, fol. 16).

[7] Death certificate.

[8] Their daughter Mary Ann seems to be the Mary Ann Harrison mentioned in The Worcestershire Chronicle, 25 Apr 1860, as the complainant in a case of assault, where she is stated to have had a sister called Phœbe Ann. However, no other trace of such a sister has been found. It may be an error for Prudence.

[9] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (Society of Genealogists, Mf 2213).

[10] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (Society of Genealogists, Mf 2213).

[11] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (Society of Genealogists, Mf 2213); 1851 census returns, Worcester (National Archives, HO 107/2042, fol. 491).

[12] Death certificate.

[13] St Martin, Worcester, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com). Berrow’s Worcester Journal, 13 Jun 1863, reports that Daniel Harrison, glover, was charged with assaulting his sister, Eliza Mason.

[14] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (Society of Genealogists, Mf 2213); 1871 census returns, Bristol (National Archives, RG 10/2558, fol. 5).

[15] Death certificate.

[16] Claines parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); 1861 census returns, Worcester (National Archives, RG 9/2093, fol. 38); 1871 census returns, Bristol (National Archives, RG 10/2558, fol. 5).

[17] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); 1891 census returns, Worcester (National Archives, RG 12/2328, fol. 31).

[18] St Peter, Birmingham, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[19] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); 1881 census returns, Wokingham (National Archives, RG 11/1310, fol. 53).

[20] Berkshire Burial Index (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1911 census returns, Reading (National Archives, RG 14/6576).

[21] Marriage certificate. A Charlotte Williams registered the death of Susanna (Kettle) Harrison in 1866.

[22] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[23] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[24] St Clement, Worcester, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); 1851 census returns, Worcester (National Archives, HO 107/2042, fol. 459).

[25] Holy Trinity, St Philip, Bristol, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); 1871 census returns, Bristol (National Archives, RG 10/2531, fol. 86).

[26] St Clement, Worcester, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); 1851 census returns, Worcester (National Archives, HO 107/2042, fol. 459).

[27] Death certificate.

[28] St George, Claines, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com).

[29] 1851 census returns, Worcester (National Archives, HO 107/2042, fol. 459).

[30] Sherborne parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); 1911 census returns, Sherborne (Nartional Archives, RG 14/12446).

[31] St Martin, Worcester, parish registers (online at www.ancestry.com); Berrow’s Worcester Journal, 18 Aug 1855.

[32] Kington parish registers; 1851 census returns, Worcester (National Archives, HO 107/2042, fol. 459).

[33] Birth certificate.

[34] Marriage certificate.

[35] St Peter, Worcester, parish registers (Society of Genealogists, Mf 2213); 1851 census returns, Kington (National Archives, HO 107/2492, fol. 291).

[36] The Hereford Times, 8 Sep 1888. George was run over by a train. Administration granted 12 Nov 1888.

[37] Marriage certificate. George and Eliza were still in Kington at the time of the census on 6 Jun 1841, when they were living with Eliza’s parents John and Sarah Lilley (National Archives, HO 107/423, fol. 25). George and Eliza were back in Kington by the time of the birth of their son Charles on 18 Jul 1844. It is not known why they were married in Ludlow. The place of birth of their son Charles is given in the 1871 census returns (National Archives, RG 10/2722, fol. 27) as Ludlow, but it is clear from his birth certificate and other census returns that he was born in Kington.

[38] The details of the children’s baptisms are from the Kington parish registers.

[39] 1851 census returns, Kington (National Archives, HO 107/2492, fol. 291).

[40] Marriage certificate; 1891 census returns, London (National Archives, RG 12/288, fol. 28). The census returns understate Agnes’s age by several years, but given that she is stated to have been born in Kington and that the marriage certificate gives her father as George Harrison, iron founder, the identification seems clear. Agnes appears to have been some years older than her husband Frederick.

[41] 1851 census returns, Kington (National Archives, HO 107/2492, fol. 291).

[42] Berkshire Burial Index (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1911 census returns, Langley Common (National Archives, RG 14/6633).

[43] 1871 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 10/2722, fol. 37).

[44] 1891 census returns, Reading (National Archives, RG 12/995, fol. 30).

[45] 1851 census returns, Kington (National Archives, HO 107/2492, fol. 291).

[46] Yorkshire Burials (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[47] Doncaster parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1881 census returns, Doncaster (RG 11/4691, fol. 35).

[48] 1861 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 9/4230, fol. 20).

[49] Yorkshire Burials (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[50] Doncaster parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk); 1881 census returns, Doncaster (RG 11/4691, fol. 24).

[51] 1861 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 9/4230, fol. 20).

[52] Kington Cemetery registers.

[53] 1861 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 9/4230, fol. 20).

[54] The Kington Times, 15 Jul 1933.

[55] The death of Eliza (Lilley) Harrison was registered by her daughter Prudence Williams. See also the 1901 census returns for Kington (National Archives, RG 13/2499, fol. 15) and the 1911 census returns for Kington (National Archives, RG 14/15849).

[56] 1871 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 10/2722, fol. 36).

[57] Kington Cemetery register.

[58] 1871 census returns (National Archives, RG 10/2722, fol. 37); 1939 register; War Office pension records (National Archives, WO 364/5360).

[59] Wiltshire Memorial Inscription Index (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[60] Kington parish registers.

[61] Birth certificate.

[62] Death certificate.

[63] Marriage certificate.

[64] Birth certificate.

[65] Death certificate.

[66] Kington School admissions register; 1881 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 11/2610, fol. 49).

[67] Kington School admissions register; 1881 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 11/2610, fol. 49).

[68] Death certificate.

[69] Marriage certificate.

[70] Kington School admissions register; 1881 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 11/2610, fol. 49).

[71] 1911 census returns, Leominster (RG 14/15808).

[72] Kington School admissions register; 1891 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 12/2077, fol. 40); 1911 census returns, Coventry (National Archives, RG14/18557).

[73] National probate calendars.

[74] The Midland Daily Telegraph, 15 May 1916.

[75] 1891 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 12/2077, fol. 40); Kington School admissions register (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).

[76] Birth certificate.

[77] Death certificate.

[78] Marriage certificate.

[79] 1891 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 12/2077, fol. 40); 1939 register.

[80] The Morpeth Herald, 1 Aug 1919.

[81] Kington School admissions register; 1901 census returns, Kington (National Archives, RG 13/2499, fol. 41).

[82] Grant of probate.

[83] Llanddewi Rhondda parish registers (online at www.findmypast.co.uk).