Great Great Uncle of W.P.
'Bill' Richardson
John was the sixth child of George Turnbull and his wife Isabella (nee
Green).
He was baptised in the Parish Church in Rothbury on August 31st 1845 and the
record gives his date of birth as 29th July. This record states that the
family lived at Snitter Mill and that his father was a miller.
On the 1851 census he was recorded, aged 5, in the family home at Waterside House,
Guyzance where his parents were working as Farm Labourers.
By the time of the 1861 census, John was 15. The family had moved to Shawdon
Woodhouse where John's father George was working as the farm steward for his son
in law George Bolam. John too worked on the farm.
The 1871 census showed that John was 25, still living with his parents and
working on the farm at Shawdon Woodhouse.
On 3rd June 1873, John married Elizabeth Chisholm at the Register Office in
Alnwick. Their ages were given as 26 and 22 both of which were slightly
incorrect. Their abodes were given as Alnwick White House. Oddly,
John's father was not mentioned but Elizabeth's father was given as Thomas and
his occupation was a shepherd.
On 20th March 1874, Isabella, their first daughter
was born and in the early part of 1876 a second
daughter, Eleanor was born.
On 29th March 1878, John's wife Elizabath died of
tuberculosis. She was aged 23 and was buried on
1st April in the churchyard at Whittingham.
On 30th October 1880, John married Alice Mitchell, the daughter of a
stone mason from Eglingham. John was 31 and Alice was 22. Their son George was
baptised on 19th October 1880.
On the 1881 census the couple were recorded living at Swarland in
Northumberland. John was working as an agricultural labourer and there were
three children listed, Isabella (7) , Eleanor (5) and George (1).
On 5th September 1881, their second son Robert was born. He was their last
child.
In 1891, John and his family were recorded as living at Dene House at Swarland.
John was 45 and listed as a Rabbit Catcher, Alice was 36. His eldest child
Isabella was no longer at home. Eleanor was 15, George was 11 and Robert was 9.
On the 1901 census, the family were living in Ulgham. Like his brother Jacob,
John had given up rabbit catching for a living and was working as a coal miner.
Alice was 46 and the only child still at home was Robert, who was recorded as a
19 year old colliery worker, working above ground.
By the time of the 1911 census, John was 63. He had given up coal mining and
gone back to the rabbit business. He gave his occupation as rabbit dealer, so
maybe he wasn't quick enough to catch them anymore but could still skin and sell
them :-)
His wife, Alice was 57 and the census form said that they had been married for
33 years and in that time they'd had two children, both of whom were still living.
They were living in Warren's Cottage near Morpeth.
John died on 1st August 1919. His age was given as 73. At the time,
he and Alice were living in Fairmoor Villa in the village of Fairmoor just to
the north of Morpeth.
He was buried in the Parish Church of Mitford on 6th August and the headstone
which was erected is still in good condition. |
