8 replies to this topic

[Christine]

Hi,
Been doing a bit of work on my Leeches/Leaches of St.Bees and noted with interest that many generations of the families lived in Main Street, St. Bees. There was a comment on Wikepedia about St.Bees that took my eye "and the present Main Street, was created from a string of farms and farmworkers dwellings". This is interesting and it answered a question I have been rattling around my brain for a while now. I often wondered how they could be farmers if they lived in Main Street!

I am not sure if it was the same dwelling they lived in I guess a will may tell us this story. Joseph Leeched lived in Main Street, St.Bees and his wife came from Sandwith, Joseph and Elizabeth had 6 surviving children out of 8.


Joseph's occupation was labourer and his place of residence was Sandwith. When his son Joseph was born in 1813 his was still a labourer but the residence was given as High Park. When Christopher arrived in 1815 Joseph was a husbandman living at Bell House. By this time Elizabeth's mother has died also. When Elizabeth was born no occupation just residence as High Park. When son John died residence given as Sandwith. Mary Anne was born and again Joseph was labourer of Sandwith.

3 JUN 1830
Testator's name: JOSEPH LEECH
Occupation/status: HUSBANDMAN
Minor place: Not given
Township: Not given
Parish: ST. BEES
County/Country: CUMBERLAND

Joseph's Children:

William married Hannah Farrah and had Joseph
George Leech married Sarah and had Anne and Elizabeth, Joseph married Sarah Fallowfield and had Christopher, John, Mary Agnes, Hannah Lydia,. It was Joseph and Sarah who also resided in Main Street and possibly in the same house as his father and Mother. All the grandchildren grew up around here.

Anyboody come accross any Leeches in Main Street, St.Bees, Cumberland, England


Thanks

ChristineK

[Christine]

Hi, I seem to have missed some of the children of Joseph and Elizabeth Leech {Nee Yeowart}. They also had Christopher who married Frances Patterson and Mary Anne Leech who married Henry Walker my ancestor and had Henry Walker!

ChristineK

[BobJ]

Hello Christine, and it's good to hear from you again.

I'm afraid the only Leech that comes to mind is one Richard, described as 'labourer' and presumably the one on the 1861 Census aged 49, married to Eleanor and with a seven year old son Richard Moreland. Richard senior may be one of yours, being Rottington-born. I've come across him in the Vestry minutes of 1868 and 1870, being nominated as "a fit and proper person to serve in the office of Parish Constable". You'll know already of Mary Ann, aged 19 in 1861, servant to Vicar and College Principal E H Knowles; and of the other Leeches in the Census. Is she the Mary Ann who married Henry Walker?

I write really about the Main Street. Yes - it was a street of farms, and most of their buildings are still there. There's an interesting letter from early Victorian days, when a Welsh Theological student wrote:

" ...it's as if somebody had sprinkled a little bit of Llandudno about Aber and then dropped three of four farm houses here and there amongst them. There is the primitive village, small stone houses, dirty unpaved road, then a smart new terrace of lodging houses, next a quantity of farm litter, then a row of dirty cabins; repeat this three or four times till you are about a mile up the hill and there you have it - St. Bees" .


Other reports have come down to us complaining of the farm muck and ordure flowing into the road. Yet two or three decades later much of Main Street was rebuilt, and we were "This fashionable resort on the coast of Cumberland ... this most agreeable resort of the nobility and gentry ". (Whitehaven News 1852). Thank you, College and Railway!

If you trace your Leech ancestors to any particular farm, let me know and I'll send pictures. The farms we know of, coming N to S along Main Street, were


Abbey Farm: now private housing

Barony: till the 1850s, when Canon Parkinson bought the farmhouse for the Theological College. Now the Public School's Music Centre.

Stonehouse: currently with about 400 sheep, but not in the farm buildings.

Cross Hill: nothing remains

Orchard: now a private dwelling

Innes of Court: in modern Seacroft, nothing recognisable now. I've heard no explanation of the name.

Outrigg: Outrigg House is now on the farm site

Fairladies: now private house, barns converted for B & Bs, &c.

Town Head (sometimes Town End): still a functioning farm.


Best Wishes from St. Bees. Are you troubled by the Oz flooding? My Brisbane friend sends grim pictures.

Bob

Christine, on 22 March 2012 - 10:18 PM, said:

Hi, I seem to have missed some of the children of Joseph and Elizabeth Leech {Nee Yeowart}. They also had Christopher who married Frances Patterson and Mary Anne Leech who married Henry Walker my ancestor and had Henry Walker!

ChristineK

[SamplerFran]

This post caught my eye because I recently purchased a needlework sampler stitched by Ann Leech, born in St. Bees in 1814, the daughter of William Leech (1782-1837) and Mary Moreland Leech (1786-1860). The 1851 and 1861 censuses show Ann living on Main Street in St. Bees.

I believe the Richard Leech that BobJ refers to was Ann's brother, born in 1813 and married to Eleanor Smith in the early 1840's.

"My" Ann Leech never married, but she had a daughter Mary Ann born in 1842 (to Ann Leech and Christened on 21 March 1842 per familysearch.org.) I think that this Mary Ann married Richard Plumbley in Cheshire in 1865. In 1871 they were living in Wavertree, Lancashire. It appears that Mary Ann died in 1877 and her husband followed in 1881.

I have yet to find any info on the parents of Ann's father William, and I'm wondering if he might be a brother, or otherwise related to the Joseph Leech mentioned by Christine in her post.

Hoping to hear from somebody who might help me fill in some blanks, and of course I will be happy to share any information that I have.

Ruth Ann
SamplerFran

[Christine]

Hi Ruth Anne.

I do have William and Mary Leech/Leach in my Family Tree but have not been able to find a link with Mary Anne Leeche's family as yet. The research on all the Leeches was done a fair while ago by a friend who had the registers, it was done on all the Leeches in the St. Bees registers, this is the conclusion we came to then.


WILLIAM AND MARY OF SANDWITH

William must have been another brother or at least a cousin. He married Mary Moreland and lived at first at Rottington and later at Sandwith, where he was a husbandman.

Their children were Joseph baptised 22nd May 1811 when they lived at Rottington. Richard was born in 1812 with no place of residence given. By the time Ann was born in 1814 William was a hubandman at Sandwith. They continued with William 1817, Christopher 1820, Elizabeth 1825 and James 1829. Fortunately all the children seemed to have survivived though they may have lost children before the baptisms in some years where there were large gaps between the children.

Descendants of Robert Leech

Generation No. 1

1. ROBERT² LEECH (ROBERT¹) was born 26 May 1751 in Cumwitton, Cumberland, England. He married MARGERET HETHERINGTON 7 February 1780 in Cumwitton, Cumberland, England. She was born 1752.

Notes for ROBERT LEECH:

In the 1829 Directory at Moorthwaite in Cumwhitton a Robert Leech is a yeoman farmer at SCARROW HILL.

Children of ROBERT LEECH and MARGERET HETHERINGTON are:

2. i. WILLIAM³ LEECH, b. 17 December 1781, Cumwitton, Cumberland, England; d. 12 January 1837, Egremont, Cumberland, England (aged 56).

ii. MARY LEECH, b. 21 January 1787, Cumwitton, Cumberland, England.

iii. JOHN LEECH, b. 31 March 1789, Cumwitton, Cumberland, England.

iv. MARGERET LEACH, b. 8 March 1792, Cumwitton, Cumberland, England.

Generation No. 2

2. WILLIAM³ LEECH (ROBERT², ROBERT¹) was born 17 December 1781 in Cumwitton, Cumberland, England, and died 12 January 1837 in Egremont, Cumberland, England (aged 56). He married MARY MORELAND 13 July 1810 in St. Nicholas, Whitehaven, Cumberland, England, daughter of RICHARD MORLAND and MARY RAWES. She was born 6 February 1788 in Orton, Westmorland, England, and died 17 June 1860 in St. Bees, Cumberland, England.

Burial of a William LEECH at St Bees 12 Jan 1837 aged 56.

1841 Census for Village of St.Bees, Cumberland, England

Mary Leech 50 abt 1791 Female add Cumberland England

Elizabeth Leech 15 abt 1826 Female add Cumberland England

James Leech 12 abt 1829 Male add Cumberland England



1851 Census for Main Street, St.Bees, Cumberland, England

Mary Leech Head 64 abt 1787 F (Female)F (Female) Orton, Westmorland, England

Ann Leech Daughter 35 abt 1816 F (Female)F (Female) Sandwith; St Bees, Cumberland, England

James Leech Son 22 abt 1829 M (Male)M (Male) Sandwith; St Bees, Cumberland, England

Mary Ann Leech Granddaughter 9 abt 1842 F (Female)F (Female) Sandwith; St Bees, Cumberland, England

Catherine Hale Leech Granddaughter 2 abt 1849 F (Female)F (Female) Sandwith; St Bees, Cumberland, England

Eleanor Trenkler Lodger 37 abt 1814 F (Female)F (Female) Whitehaven, Cumberland, England



1861 Census for Main Street, St.Bees, Cumberland, England

Ann Leech Head 46 abt 1815 Female Sandwith Cumberland England

Catherine Leech Niece 12 abt 1849 Female St Bees Cumberland



Children of WILLIAM LEECH and MARY MORELAND are:

i. JOSEPH⁴ LEECH, b. 22 May 1811, Rottington, St.Bees, Cumberland, England.

3. ii. RICHARD LEECH, b. 23 September 1812, Sandwith, Cumberland, England; d. 23 May 1899, St.Bees, Cumberland, England (Aged 87).

iii. ANNE LEECH, b. 11 September 1814, Sandwith, Cumberland, England; d. 25 January 1905, St.Bees, Cumberland, England (Aged 90).

4. iv. WILLIAM LEECH, b. 2 April 1817, Sandwith, Cumberland, England.

v. CHRISTOPHER LEECH, b. 3 December 1820, Sandwith, Cumberland, England; m. MARTHA SPARKS.



Notes for CHRISTOPHER LEECH:

1851 Census for Parton, Cumberland, England

Christopher Leech Head 29 abt 1822 M (Male)M (Male) Sandwith, Cumberland, England

Martha Leech Wife 23 abt 1828 F (Female)F (Female) St Bees, Cumberland, England

Janes Leech Son 4 abt 1847 M (Male)M (Male) Moresby, Cumberland, England

Hannah Leech Daughter 2 abt 1849 F (Female)F (Female) Parton, Cumberland, England

Sarah Sparks Niece 12 abt 1839 F (Female)F (Female) Egremont, Cumberland, England



1861 Census for Douglas Lane, St.Bees, Cumberland, England

Christopher Leach Head 39 abt 1822 Male St Bees Cumberland England (Railway Blacksmith)

Martha Leach Wife 33 abt 1828 Female Hensingham Cumberland

James Leach Son 13 abt 1848 Male Moresby Cumberland England

Hannah Leach Daughter 12 abt 1849 Female Moresby Cumberland England

Mary Moreland Leach Daughter 9 abt 1852 Female Moresby Cumberland England

Sarah Ann Leach Daughter 3 abt 1858 Female Whitehaven Cumberland England

Tom Leach Son 1 Months abt 1861 Male Whitehaven Cumberland England

John Cowhead Boarder 29 abt 1832 Male Irton Cumberland England (Railway Worker)





vi. ELIZABETH LEECH, b. 29 May 1825, Sandwith, Cumberland, England.

vii. JAMES LEECH, b. 17 May 1829, Sandwith, Cumberland, England; d. 31 October 1885, St.Bees, Cumberland, England (Aged 56); m. MARY ASHLEY, 1861, Whitehaven, Reg. Dist, Cumberland, England; b. 8 January 1812, Egremont, Cumberland, England; d. March 1862, Whitehaven Reg. Dist, Cumberland, England.



Notes for JAMES LEECH:

1861 Census for Main Street, Egremont, Cumberland

James Leech Head 30 abt 1831 Male St Bees Cumberland England (Tailor employing ? men)

Mary Leech Wife 23 abt 1838 Female Egremont Cumberland England



[size=4][size=1]1871 Census for [/size][size=1]Main Street[/size][size=1], Egremont, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]Henry Ashley Head 53 abt 1828 Male Skinner Egremont Cumberland [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]Bridget Munkin Sister Married 55 abt 1826 Female Housekeeper Egremont Cumberland [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]James Leech Boarder Widow 52 abt 1829 Male Tailor Egremont Cumberland [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]Tom H. Braithwaite Boarder Married 26 abt 1855 Male Railway Engine Driver Liverpool[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]Marion Braithwaite Boarder Married 26 abt 1855 Female [/size][size=1]Liverpool[/size][size=1] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]Marion Braithwaite Boarder add Female Liverpool[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]Eleanor Brownrigg Servant 19 abt 1862 Female General Servant Domestic Egremont Cumberland [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]Deaths Mar 1862[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1]Leech Mary Whitehaven 10b 399 [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Generation No. 3[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]3.[/size][size=2] R[/size][size=1]ICHARD[/size]^{[size=2]4[/size]}[size=2] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=2] (W[/size][size=1]ILLIAM[/size]^{[size=2]3[/size]}[size=2], R[/size][size=1]OBERT[/size]^{[size=2]2[/size]}[size=2], R[/size][size=1]OBERT[/size]^{[size=2]1[/size]}[size=2])[/size][size=2] was born [/size][size=2]23 September 1812[/size][size=2] in Sandwith, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2], and died [/size][size=2]23 May 1899[/size][size=2] in St.Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] (Aged 87). He married E[/size][size=1]LEANOR[/size][size=2] S[/size][size=1]MITH[/size][size=2] December 1843 in Whitehaven, Reg. Dist, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2], daughter of T[/size][size=1]HOMAS[/size][size=2] S[/size][size=1]MITH[/size][size=2] and H[/size][size=1]ANNAH[/size][size=2]. She was born [/size][size=2]7 February 1819[/size][size=2] in Egremont, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2], and died [/size][size=2]15 December 1906[/size][size=2] in St.Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] (Aged 87).[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Notes for R[/size][size=1]ICHARD[/size][size=2] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=2]:[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]1851 Census for [/size][size=2]Main Street[/size][size=2], St. Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Richard Leech Head 38 abt 1813 M (Male)M St Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Eleanor Leech Wife 32 abt 1819 F (Female)F Egremont, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Thomas Leech Son 6 abt 1845 M (Male)M St Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Eleanor Leech Daughter 2 abt 1849 F (Female)F St Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]1861 Census for Main Street, St. Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Richd Leech Head 49 abt 1812 Male Rottington Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Eleanor Leech Wife 39 abt 1822 Female Egremont Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Richard Moreland Leech Son 7 abt 1854 Male St Bees Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]1871 Census for [/size][size=2]131 Main Street[/size][size=2], St. Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Richard Leech Head 58 abt 1813 Male St Bees Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] (Husbandman)[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Elenor Leech Wife 49 abt 1822 Female Egremont Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Elenor Leech Daughter 22 abt 1849 Female St Bees Cumberland (Dressmaker)[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]1881 Census for [/size][size=2]Main Street[/size][size=2], St. Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Richard Leech Head Married 68 abt 1813 Male Labourer Rottington Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Eleanor Leech Wife Married 60 abt 1821 Female Egremont Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Richard M. Leech Son 28 abt 1853 Male Iron Ore Miner St Bees Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Mary E. Leech Granddaughter 6 abt 1875 Female Scholar St Bees Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]1891 Census for [/size][size=2]Main Street[/size][size=2], St. Bees, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Richd Leich Head Male 78 abt 1813 St Bees Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Eleanor Leich Wife Female 65 abt 1826 Egremont Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Children of R[/size][size=1]ICHARD[/size][size=2] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=2] and E[/size][size=1]LEANOR[/size][size=2] S[/size][size=1]MITH[/size][size=2] are:[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] i. E[/size][size=1]LEANOR[/size]^{[size=1]5[/size]}[size=1] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=1], b. [/size][size=1]22 February 1844[/size][size=1], St.Bees, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1], [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] ii. T[/size][size=1]HOMAS[/size][size=1] W[/size][size=1]ILLIAM[/size][size=1] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=1], b. [/size][size=1]30 March 1845[/size][size=1], St.Bees, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1], [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] iii. R[/size][size=1]ICHARD[/size][size=1] M[/size][size=1]ORELAND[/size][size=1] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=1], b. [/size][size=1]12 June 1853[/size][size=1], St.Bees, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1], [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]4.[/size][size=2] W[/size][size=1]ILLIAM[/size]^{[size=2]4[/size]}[size=2] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=2] (W[/size][size=1]ILLIAM[/size]^{[size=2]3[/size]}[size=2], R[/size][size=1]OBERT[/size]^{[size=2]2[/size]}[size=2], R[/size][size=1]OBERT[/size]^{[size=2]1[/size]}[size=2])[/size][size=2] was born [/size][size=2]2 April 1817[/size][size=2] in Sandwith, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2]. He married M[/size][size=1]ARY[/size][size=2] Bef. 1837. She was born 1813 in [/size][size=2]Carlisle[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]1851 [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] Census for Seaton, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]William Leach Head 33 abt 1818 M (Male)M (Male) Sandwith, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] (Farm Labourer)[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Mary Leach Wife 35 abt 1816 F (Female)F (Female) [/size][size=2]Carlisle[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Elizabeth Leach Daughter 14 abt 1837 F (Female)F (Female) Stanwick, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Jane Leach Daughter 11 abt 1840 F (Female)F (Female) Bredechurch, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Mary Ann Leach Daughter 8 abt 1843 F (Female)F (Female) Flimby, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]John Leach Son 3 abt 1848 M (Male)M (Male) Seaton, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Sarah Leach Daughter 1 abt 1850 F (Female)F (Female) Seaton, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], Eng [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]1861 Census for Seaton, [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]William Leach Head 44 abt 1817 Male St Bees Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] (Ag. Labourer)[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Mary Leach Wife 48 abt 1813 Female Carlisle Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Sarah Leach Daughter 11 abt 1850 Female Seaton Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Martha Leach Daughter 8 abt 1853 Female Seaton Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]John Shepherd Lodger 24 abt 1837 Male Gosforth Cumberland [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]1871 Census for [/size][size=2]Seaton[/size][size=2] [/size][size=2]Village[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]Cumberland[/size][size=2], [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2][/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]William Leach Head 52 abt 1819 Male Sandwith Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] (Ag. Labourer)[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Mary Leach Wife 57 abt 1814 Female Carlisle Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]John Leach Son 23 abt 1848 Male Seaton Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] (Coal Miner)[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]John Clark Lodger 21 abt 1850 Male Seaton Cumberland [/size][size=2]England[/size][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Robert Townsley Lodger 20 abt 1851 Male Workington [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2] [/size][/size]

[size=4][size=2]Children of W[/size][size=1]ILLIAM[/size][size=2] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=2] and M[/size][size=1]ARY[/size][size=2] are:[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] i. E[/size][size=1]LIZABETH[/size]^{[size=1]5[/size]}[size=1] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=1], b. 1837, Stanwick, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1], [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] ii. J[/size][size=1]ANE[/size][size=1] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=1], b. 1840, Bredechurch, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1], [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] iii. M[/size][size=1]ARY[/size][size=1] A[/size][size=1]NNE[/size][size=1] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=1], b. 1843, Flimby, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1], [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] iv. J[/size][size=1]ONN[/size][size=1] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=1], b. 1848, Seaton, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1], [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size=1] v. S[/size][size=1]ARAH[/size][size=1] L[/size][size=1]EECH[/size][size=1], b. 1850, Seaton, [/size][size=1]Cumberland[/size][size=1], [/size][size=1]England[/size][size=1].[/size][/size]

[size=4][size="3"] [/size][/size]

[Christine]

Sorry Ruth Anne it seems to have gone a bit wonky at the end of the tree. I you contact me at pandcharvey1@bigpond.com I will send you the file.


Christine

[SamplerFran]

Hi Christine,

Thank you SO much for all the Leech info. I did try to decipher the last part of the post, but it was a losing battle, so I have e-mailed you. I think I have a lot of the information from the censuses, christening records, etc., but hadn't been able to figure out how everything fit in.

I have several questions:

First, to which “Mary Ann” do you refer in your last post? I’m quite sure that the Mary Ann who was servant in the Knowles household was my Ann’s daughter. But perhaps you are talking about a different Mary Ann.

(Ann’s sister Elizabeth had a daughter Catherine Hale Leech who was 4 years old when her mother died, and Ann raised her. Catherine returned the favor, because I see by the censuses that Ann lived with the family of Catherine Hale Leech and her husband James Johnston from 1871 until her death in 1905.)

Another question: is there a difference between “husbandman”, “agricultural laborer”, and “farmer”? The needlework sampler that I have is not stitched with the highest quality materials, but on the other hand, it is a bit more elaborate than some of the simplest ones. I’m wondering whether her father could have been a step or two above the commonest laborers in order to be able to afford the materials. Or perhaps the materials were provided by a charity of some sort.

And finally, what kind of school or schools, if any, would have been available to the children of working class families in 1827, which was when Ann Leech stitched her sampler? I have seen the wonderful article on "St. Bees Village School History" but I didn't see references to any schools as early as the 1820s.

Thanks so much for taking the time to provide so much Leech information!

Ruth Ann

[BobJ]

Hello again

Generally speaking, the order goes Ag Lab - Husbandman - Farmer, with farmer at the top. We're often told how many workers he has and how many acres. Next down is the husbandman, who works a small piece of land, usually as tenant, and employs no-one outside his own family. He may grow a small quantity of foodstuff for sale, or only enough for family use. Almost certainly there'll be some livestock - hens, a few pigs, maybe a working horse and a cow or two. Then at the bottom of the scale comes the labourer, working for someone else, with no land to speak of and often living in a tied cottage.

I'm afraid I can't be of much help with schools. What we know is already in the history I did with the schoolchildren, which I gather you've seen on the website. Certainly the National School wasn't functioning here till 1843, and while the Ladies' Seminary (so called) may have been, I've seen nothing on it pre-Census. In any case this was mainly a boarding school for young ladies, and I'd doubt if the sampler originated there.

Might have been done under a Governess, do you think? One or two of our better off families employed governesses, and sewing would have been one of the skills they taught. But sadly there's not much evidence until the Census came in.

By the way, do you have a photograph of Ann Leech's sampler ? If she made it here we would much appreciate having a copy in our Village History Group's records. If that's practicable and you'd be willing to send it, my email is bobandthelmaj5@Gmail.com

And Good Luck with your researches anyway -

Bob

[SamplerFran]

Hi Bob,

Thank you so much for the very helpful explanation of the differences of the farming occupations.

Somehow I didn't get the impression that Ann Leech's family was well off enough to hire a governess, but it is possible. I know that some villages and towns had charity schools and Sunday schools for the working class children, so that might be a possibility. And often there was a "dame schools" run by a widow or spinster in her home as a way of supporting herself. I suppose I'll never know for sure where and from whom Ann learned her stitching.

And yes, I did read the very interesting school history on the website. What a great idea to involve the students in researching the history of the St. Bees schools!

I have sent you an e-mail regarding a photo of the sampler.

Ruth Ann