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The Dawson Connection
The Dawson Connection, via Braithwaite-Askew-Winder
Research back from Beatrice Stamper who married William Henry Milton in 1911 leads to direct descent from people bearing the above surnames, All have strong rural Cumbrian backgrounds.
We should start with ROBERT BRAITHWAITE who was born sometime before 1735, who resided at IREBY, and who had three children baptised there in 1753, 1754 and 1755.
We dont know Roberts wife’s name, or his occupation, suffice it to say that the Braithwaite family had a long tradition in the making of local Home-brew, and maybe even in distilling.
IREBY(G.R. 240 390) is a small village sitting on the Lake District National Park Boundary about 10 miles North of Keswick and 5 miles West of Caldbeck. Less than ½ mile to the west of Ireby is Ruthwaite, home of JOHN PEEL, the Huntsman of ‘‘D’Ye Ken John Peel’’ fame.
As the Peels and the Braithwaites were here at the same time it follows, in such a small community, that they would be well known to each other. Indeed, as has been surmised in the introduction to the Milton story, it is quite possible that the Braithwaites were ‘mine host’ to the Peels.
Three Braithwaite children were baptised at Ireby in quick succession.
They were:-
Robert Bapt. 15.1.1753
Martha Bapt 19.3.1754
SHEPHARD Bapt 30.5.1755
SHEPHARD BRAITHWAITE 1755-1838
(Son of Robert)
Baptised at Ireby 1755 our next contact with Shephard Braithwaite is on 19th September 1784, when he married ANN ASKEW at MILLOM PARISH CHURCH. Shepherds occupation is given as ‘Husbandman’, whilst Ann, a spinster is of RALLY GREEN, Millom.
ASKEW is a common surname in this area and three Ann Askews have been traced as born 1762-5. It remains to be discovered which is ours.
As was also fairly common, Ann was pregnant when she married Shephard, and within 5 months of marriage they had christened their first child William on 13th February 1785 at THWAITES CHURCH (G.R. 177 855).
On 3rd March 1787 daughter Betty was baptised at the same place.
On 26th October 1788 MARY BRAITHWAITE duly had HER name inscribed in the Registers. This was to be the link to follow.
After MARY’S birth the family moved to BROUGHTON-IN-FURNESS where three more Braithwaites were baptised, being John (1791), Hannah (1795) and Eleanor (1796).
The reason for the move to Broughton was to take over the running of the ‘Kings Arms’. At around the time that son John was born in 1791, daughter Betty died age 4.
The Inn appears to have changed its name at some point to ‘Kings Head’ and SHEPHARD was still here in 1823 and 1828, obtaining annual renewal of his License from the Justices of the Peace at the Ulverston Quartersessions , agreeing ‘not to suffer any Gaming with Cards, Draughts, Dice, Bagatelle,..nor permit..Bull, Bear or Badger-baiting, Cock-fighting,…suffer Women or Men of notoriously bad fame etc.’
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1828 Ale House Licenses issued By Ulverston Justices Note three other Braithwaite listings |
Extract from’A Second Broughton Miscellany’ by W. Greenhalgh:-
In 1830 SHEPHARD made a will, and referred to his Messuage/Dwelling House, used as an Inn or Public House, together with the Orchard or Garden. He left legacies to his children William, John, Eleanor, and Hannah, and TO THE CHILDREN OF MY DECEASED DAUGHTER, MARY.
SHEPHARD died at ULVERSTON on 21st January 1838, aged 82, and was buried at BROUGHTON on the 24th.
Shephard's will
1823 Justices License
MARY BRAITHWAITE 1788-1817
Daughter of SHEPHARD BRAITHWAITE and his wife ANN(ASKEW), MARY had been baptised at THWAITES on 26.10.1788.
By the time she was 3 the family had moved to Broughton where Mary probably spent the rest of her life.
On 17th November 1806, shortly after her 18th birthday, MARY married THOMAS WINDER, aged 22 of Broughton at KIRKBY IRELETH Parish Church, Broughton lying within that Parish. As she was a minor she was married by license. Thomas Winder of Broughton, Joiner, and John Barwick, Chairmaker, stood as bondsmen. Shephard Braithwaite swore to the effect that he was the lawful father of MARY and that he consented to the marriage.
THOMAS had been born in CARTMEL FELL Parish, lying to the East of the South end of Windermere.
One of the reasons for the early marriage of MARY became apparent within 2 months when a baby, ANN WINDER was born on 1st February 1807. She was the first of 7 children over the next 10 years, but, to us, the most important. A full list is ;-
Born Baptised at Broughton
ANN 1.2.1807 28.2.1807
William 17.6.1808 24.7.1808
Margaret 17.2.1810 11.3.1810
Mary 26.11.1811 15.12.1811
Braithwaite 7.11.1813
Thomas 26.11.1815
Elizabeth 10.6.1817
NOTES ON SOME OF THE CHILDREN OF MARY (BRAITHWAITE) & THOMAS WINDER
ANN. 1807. Same name as her grandmother (Ann Askew). She is our link !!
William. 1808. Same name as his uncle, (Wm Braithwaite), appears to have married Betty Dickinson in 1831.
Margaret. 1810 had an illegitimate child when she was 19. She called him Thomas after her father.
Thomas 1815 Same name as his father, died age 4 in 1820.
Elizabeth 1817 died age 8 weeks and was buried at Broughton on 5.8.1817.
Even at this young age Elizabeth had outlived her mother MARY who was buried on 13.6.1817, three days after Elizabeth’s baptism, no doubt as a result of complications of the birth
.
The family were in Church twice within a week that June. Elizabeth was baptised 10th June and mother Mary was buried on June 13th, so must have died virtually on the day of the christening of her youngest.!!!
THOMAS WINDER, the father of the above family, stayed in Broughton and became a Cabinet Maker (having been recorded as a Joiner at the time of each birth). He was still alive in 1851, age 68, living with daughter Ann, at which time he was a ‘Brewer, formerly Cabinet Maker’. He must have learnt a thing or two about brewing from his wife’s father, Shephard Braithwaite, who had of course been a licensee. By 1851 daughter Ann had got into the act as well, and it was with Ann that Thomas was then living.
ANN(E) WINDER
Daughter of Thomas Winder& Mary Winder (Nee Braithwaite)
ANN WINDER, born 1.2.1807 to Thomas & Mary Winder, would be well used to the operational requirements of a Beer House as her grandfather, Shephard Braithwaite, operated licensed premises in BROUGHTON where she lived from the time of her birth until he died when she was aged 31.
On 28.6.1828, aged 21 she married THOMAS DAWSON, about 7 years her senior, at BROUGHTON-IN-FURNESS.
We have little information about THOMAS, except that he was given as a ‘Husbandman’ and ‘Bachelor’ at his marriage, and was born ‘out of the County’.
At this time it must be remembered that BROUGHTON-IN-FURNESS was in fact in LANCASHIRE, as the River Duddon was the boundary with Cumberland, so ‘next County’ could mean anything from 1 mile away upwards.
ANNE WINDER & THOMAS DAWSON
As seems to have been the tradition ANN (now ANN DAWSON) was expecting at the time of marriage, and within three months the first arrival had appeared and been christened, named Mary after ANN’s mother. The baby was baptised 20.9.1828 at Broughton, as were all succeeding children. At this time and for the next three years father THOMAS was recorded as ‘Labourer’.
On 30.1.1830 their first son was Baptised ‘James’, followed the next year by Thomas bapt. 11.9.1831.
Then followed Betsy (1833), John (1835), Ann (1838),William (1840).
Anne & Thomas Dawson (Continued)
By this time the family fortune appears to have taken a turn for the better. THOMAS DAWSON who late in 1831 was recorded as a ‘Labourer’, had changed direction and, at the births of children in 1833 and 1835 is recorded as ‘ Keeper of a Beer Shop’. By 1841 he had again improved status to that of ‘Innkeeper’, and we find him as Publican in charge of the ‘Black Cock’, one of BROUGHTON-IN-FURNESS oldest Public Houses.
In 1838 wife Ann would receive a small legacy from the estate of Shephard Braithwaite who had left ‘£20 to be divided between the children of my deceased daughter Mary’. Ann was one of four or five surviving children of Mary.
The 1841 Census records: -
BLACK COCK INN. BROUGHTON
THOMAS Dawson 40 Publican
ANN Dawson 30
Mary Dawson 12
James Dawson 10
Thomas Dawson 8
Betsy Dawson 5
Ann Dawson 3
William Dawson 1
Eleanor Robson 16 Family Servant
Robert Lightfoot 30 Surgeon
Children wise, finally, and most importantly, a last fling produced DOROTHY DAWSON who was born 21.3.1842 and baptised 8.5.1842.
Perhaps THOMAS DAWSONS health was failing, for, on 2nd April 1844 he made a will.
Anne & Thomas Dawson (Continued).
In Thomas’ will he left a life interest in his estate to his wife with remainder over to his children. He refers to ‘rents and profits’ and left his wife ‘his brewing utensils’. He also left his half share in a ‘Pew’ at the Church. Four months later, on 4th August 1844 Thomas died.
After his death THOMAS’ wife ANN carried on at the Black Cock as Innkeeper.
The 1851 Census records; -
SHEPHERD ST. BROUGHTON IN FURNESS
ANN DAWSON Head Widow 44 Innkeeper Broughton West
Mary Dawson Dau Un 22 Emp. At home ditto
James Dawson Son Un 21 Joiners App. ditto
Thomas Dawson Son Un 19 Joiners App. ditto
Betsy Dawson Dau Un 17 Dressmaker ditto
John Dawson Son Un 15 Farm Servant ditto
William Dawson Son 11 Scholar ditto
DOROTHY DAWSON Dau 9 ditto ditto
Thomas Dawson Grandson 2 ditto
THOMAS WINDER Father Widower 68 Brewer, formerly CabinetMaker. Parish of birth Cartmel Fell.
Comments on the children above are; -
Mary 22. Two years earlier Mary had an illegitimate child ‘Thomas’ and this is the ‘Thomas Grandson age 2’ in residence. The year following the above census Mary did in fact marry a George Farrer, a farmer, and at least two more sons, John and James, were produced.
James 21. James married Hannah Cleasby of Millom in 1854 and had a son and daughter John and Ann.
Betsy 17. Betsy also married in 1854, to Robert Thwaites, a Post Boy at Broughton
One child not at home was Ann 13 who was living at Thwaites as a Servant.
It is still DOROTHY now aged 9 that WE need to keep an eye on.
On 8th May 1856 ANN DAWSON, licensee of the BLACK COCK, transferred the running of the Inn to James Frearson, Butcher.
The April 1861 Census records the Frearson family still in residence as Innkeepers, but also in residence at the Inn were; -
Thomas Dawson Visitor 29 Schoolmaster Born Broughton.
This is possibly the son of ANN/THOMAS who is listed as Apprentice Joiner 10 years previously.
ANN DAWSON Head Widow 54 Proprietor of Houses Born B-I-F.
DOROTHY DAWSON Dau Un 19 Housekeeper ditto
OUR DOROTHY was thus the only one remaining at home, and acting as Housekeeper to her mother, and, possibly, the Frearsons.
This did not last much longer for Dorothy was courting a man 15 years her senior who was working locally as a Gardener/Domestic Servant.
His name was JOHN STAMPER.
DOROTHY DAWSON was just turned 19.
On 22nd June 1861 they married at Broughton -in- Furness Church.
The Dawsons Inn
THE BLACK COCK AT BROUGHTON IN FURNESS
1865 License Transfer to James Frearson