James George the Weaver of Cumberland
We know from the 1841 census that James George (who married Hannah Conley/Connelly) was, for a while, a weaver. James and family lived in Duke Street and I noticed that practically everyone living in Duke Street at the time of the 1841 census were weavers, so I looked it up on the internet and have found this information:
‘Practically the whole of Duke Street and Back Duke Street [directly opposite Dixon's chimney] - the latter familiarly known in the old days as "The Ball-Alley" - consisted of weaving shops on the ground floor, with living rooms above.’
Taken from this web page:
http://www.stevebulman.f9.co.uk/cumbria/carlisle_factories_f.html
Also, elsewhere, I found mention of Duke Street ‘a street of handloom weavers’.
This explains why James chose to live in Duke Street because he was a weaver and this would have been a skill he already knew as, being born in Ireland, that meant his family were definitely Flax Growers as they were awarded spinning wheels/looms according to how many acres they planted. This means the whole family were taught to weave. Unfortunately, from what I have read about the history of Carlisle, the weavers fortunes seemed to be quite mixed and they often fell on hard times which would explain why James decided to move away to Brigham by 1851 census to make a better life for him and his family and find more reliable work.
His brother John chose to work as a (farm) labourer and so lived just two roads away in Church Street, Carlisle – this explains that their different occupations were the reason these two brothers didn’t live in the same road.
William George the Freeholder of Ballywatticock
We know James and John both had first sons called William, which suggests their father’s name was William, so we needed to look for a William George who was a farmer/flax grower in County Down from around 1800-1820. I have found a William George who became the Freeholder of land in Ballywitticock (a Parish of Newtownards which our Georges have connections with) in 1818. The Landlord was a Thomas George – quite often Freeholders leased quite a lot of land and then sublet it to family members, so it looks like Thomas George was the father of William as the records state that he leased land in Newtownards from 1807 and that same land seems to have stayed Freehold in this line of the George family until at least 1863.
Looking in the records, I have found that a Thomas George of Ravarrah married a Hannah Orr in around 1780 and had sons: John, David, James, William and Thomas. The birth record for William is interesting because it states Carlisle and although this record was submitted by a member of LDS, it could suggest that this family of Georges had associations with Carlisle – flax was grown in Carlisle between 1760 and 1820 according to this page:
- in which case it is possible that Thomas George and family moved to Carlisle to grow flax and this could hold clues as to why our James and John came over.
Anyway, William George was said to have been born around 1787, so he would have been 19 when James was born and 17 when elder son William was born but then John George must have been very young when he married Jane as he seems to have been only 18 when his first son was born. Also, it means William would have been 31 when he leased the land in Ballywitticock from his father and his father would have been 58. From the records, I have found that the farming land in Ballywitticock may have gone to to a new Freeholder in 1824, although it looks as if the family retained a house and garden on the land, but this suggests the farming livelihood for our family of Georges came to an end and this ties in well with why John and James George decided to leave Ireland and settle in Cumberland. It was around this time that the English were starting to control who could have land and I believe John wanted to be a farmer, so they moved to Wigton where there was farming land at that time. Unfortunately, there weren’t great opportunities for Irish immigrants so my guess is that was why John and James chose to move to Carlisle and tried to get involved with the flax industry there. It evidently didn’t work for my John and he returned to Ireland, where I believe he worked as a farm labourer for other Georges who leased land (possibly a brother Thomas).
Assorted Notes and Records
Looking at my spreadsheet of Georges who were Freeholders, I have found land in Ravarrah was leased to John, Thomas, Adam and Hugh George and was leased in the lives of William, John and James George – could William, John and James be our family of Georges or their Uncles?
http://ireland.progenealogists.com/freeholders.htm
History of Newtownards:
http://www.ardshistoricalsociety.org/History.htm
Loughrie is in Ballywitticock and Loughriescouse was a Parish of Newtownards where 3x Great Grandfather, John George later lived, so this also suggests Thomas was the father of William who leased the
Hugh, Thomas and Adam lease from John George – John has three rents and two lands 1807 – 1824 – is he the brother of Thomas or his son? - and are Hugh, Thomas and Adam his sons or brothers?
John son of Thomas born 1782 = aged 25 in 1807
A John George also leases land in Ravarrah in 1783
Facts we know:
John – farmer
James – weaver
John and James first son William
William (GG Grandfather) born Bangor County Down now believe this may be Bangor Parish Newtownards:
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rosdavies/PHOTOSwords/NewtownardsAll.htm#Pres2nd
Elizabeth's Baptism record at Water Street Independent Church states Place of Baptism as New Town - word below writing looks like Ards
John, Jane and Mary Anne in Newtownards in 1853 for Mary Anne’s marriage (Church of Ireland) sister Elizabeth witness
Groom John Wigston lived in Loughriescourse
Mary Anne and family lived in East Street, Newtownards
These facts highlighted in green connect our Georges to:
William George who, in 1818, leased land in Ballywatticock (neighbouring Newtownards) from Thomas George of Loughriescouse
Thomas George had leased land in Loughriescouse from 1807
William George and Thomas George are related as Freeholders who leased land sublet to family members
Most likely relationship is Thomas was William’s father
James George son of William son of William born Newtownards, is in England in 1881, son Adam stays in Whitehaven.
In Griffiths Valuation there are two Williams living in Newtownards:
Occupier Type
Person
Occupier Last Name
GEORGE
Occupier First Name
WILLIAM
Occupier Title
Occupier Misc.
Lessor Type
Person
Lessor Last Name
WARDEN
Lessor First Name
JOSEPH
Lessor Title
Lessor Misc.
Note
Sequence Number
58
Map Reference
53
Location details
County
DOWN
Poor Law Union
NEWTOWN ARDS
Barony
ARDS, LOWER
Parish
NEWTOWN ARDS
Townland
BALLYWATTICOCK
Sub-division 1
Sub-division 2
Sub-division 3
Street Number
13
O.S Sheet or Town Plan Ref
Publication details
Publication ID
086
Printing Date
Wednesday, July 15, 1863
Act
15&16
Entry Type
Valuation
Page Number
210
This is John and James’ in Wigton and Carlisle's nephew - their brother Williams’ son
Occupier Type
Person
Occupier Last Name
GEORGE
Occupier First Name
WILLIAM
Occupier Title
Occupier Misc.
Lessor Type
Lessor Last Name
FreeHold
Lessor First Name
Lessor Title
Lessor Misc.
Note
Sequence Number
38
Map Reference
33
Location details
County
DOWN
Poor Law Union
NEWTOWN ARDS
Barony
ARDS, LOWER
Parish
NEWTOWN ARDS
Townland
BALLYWATTICOCK
Sub-division 1
Sub-division 2
Sub-division 3
Street Number
7
O.S Sheet or Town Plan Ref
Publication details
Publication ID
086
Printing Date
Wednesday, July 15, 1863
Act
15&16
Entry Type
Valuation
Page Number
210
John and James of Wigton and Carlisle's brother William
Occupier Type
Person
Occupier Last Name
WIGSTOWN
Occupier First Name
JOHN
Occupier Title
Occupier Misc.
Lessor Type
Person
Lessor Last Name
ROBB
Lessor First Name
WILLIAM
Lessor Title
Lessor Misc.
Note
Sequence Number
35
Map Reference
30
Location details
County
DOWN
Poor Law Union
NEWTOWN ARDS
Barony
CASTLEREAGH, LOWER
Parish
NEWTOWN ARDS
Townland
CORPORATION, SOUTH
Sub-division 1
NEWTOWN ARDS
Sub-division 2
WILLIAM STREET
Sub-division 3
WILLIAM STREET
Street Number
150 37
O.S Sheet or Town Plan Ref
Publication details
Publication ID
086
Printing Date
Wednesday, July 15, 1863
Act
15&16
Entry Type
Valuation
Page Number
094
This is John’s son in law John Wigston
Occupier Type
Person
Occupier Last Name
GEORGE
Occupier First Name
JOHN
Occupier Title
Occupier Misc.
Lessor Type
Person
Lessor Last Name
FERGUSON
Lessor First Name
HENRY
Lessor Title
Lessor Misc.
Note
Sequence Number
54
Map Reference
51
Location details
County
DOWN
Poor Law Union
NEWTOWN ARDS
Barony
ARDS, LOWER
Parish
NEWTOWN ARDS
Townland
LOUGHRISCOUSE
Sub-division 1
Sub-division 2
Sub-division 3
Street Number
59
O.S Sheet or Town Plan Ref
Publication details
Publication ID
086
Printing Date
Wednesday, July 15, 1863
Act
15&16
Entry Type
Valuation
Page Number
206
John George aged 55
Full details state he had a house and small garden
1901 census
George
Margaret
Newtownards Queen's Street
1901_Census Newtownards Urban Division
Newtownards
Probably William's daughter Margaret?
John
Wigston
Newtownards Mark Street
Newtownards
1901_Census Newtownards Urban Division
The John George living in Balfour Street same as James George are sons of James George (son of William who was brother of John and James) and wife Mary Jane – check that they cannot be found in 1901 England census
To find: relationship of William to Lessor Thomas and Thomas and William to Ravarrah