Porteous Families

Starting with Lucy Ann Porteous. Lucy was born on 19th January 1849 in Berwick upon Tweed, Northumberland, she was baptised on 25th March at Berwick upon Tweed.

In 1851 Lucy was living with her parents and elder sister Isabella at Hatters Lane Berwick. In 1861 the family had moved to Pattersons Yard, Berwick with two additions to the family, Alice and Jane. Lucy was aged 12 and was working as a servant, Isabella was 14 and also a servant. Lucy Ann doesn't appear on any 1871 census so it's a mystery where she was.

She married Henry Wass in 1875 in Northallerton registry office, both were hawkers at the time of the marriage. The couple moved to Ripon where Lucy Ann lived the rest of her life. In 1881 Lucy Ann and her family lived at 9 Darntons Yard, her occupation was an umbrella maker. Henry wasn't on the census and presumabley his occupation took him away from home.

Lucy Ann didn't have an easy life along with many others of the era, on 1st January 1884 she found herself in Ripon workhouse after desertion by Henry, her children were also in the workhouse, she gave birth to James Arthur Wass while she was an 'inmate'. The family were in there twice during 1884. In 1891 three of her children were in various institutions, daughter Lucy Ann was in a deaf and dumb institution in Doncaster, Sabina was in an industrial home in Aismunderby, William was in Jepsons hospital, a home for orphans and naughty boys in Ripon. Lucy Ann managed to get herself and her children out of the workhouse and on the 1891 census was living with her two youngest sons at 1 North St, Darntons Court. Lucy Ann was still an umbrella maker but also to make ends meet she had taken in a lodger by the name of Constance Abbey and also a baby named Girreld Curry who was recorded as a nurse child, this was a way of making money. It was known as Bastardy and baby farming and there is an excellent website explaining the practice in the Victorian era...http://people.loyno.edu/~history/journal/1989-0/haller.htm

In 1901 Lucy Ann was living at 16 All Hallow Gate with her deaf daughter also named Lucy Ann, her grandaughter Lilian G Wass (Lucy Ann jr daughter) and James Arthur who was a stable boy/groom.

Lucy Ann died shortly after the 1901 census was taken.

The parents of Lucy Ann were James Porteous and Ann Wilson. James was born in Berwick in 1815, he was baptised on the 22nd October 1815 In Berwick upon Tweed.

I haven't as yet managed to find a marriage record for James, his spouse was Lucy Ann Wilson born about 1820 In Berwick Upon Tweed, her parents were Stewart and Jane, Stewart was a soldier.

They had five children: Isabella 1846-1882, Lucy Ann, Alice 1855-?, Jane 1859.

In 1841 James lived with his family at Berwick upon Tweed. In 1851 he was living with his family at Hatters Lane, Berwick upon Tweed and was a labourer. In 1861 the family had moved to Pattersons Yard, Berwick upon Tweed. In 1871 the family had moved again, this time to Church Street Berwick upon Tweed, a grandson James Curry was staying with them. James was a stone breaker. I haven't been able to tie in James Curry with any of the children I have for James and Lucy Ann, maybe it's coincidence that he had the same surname as the 'nurse child' who was with Lucy Ann.

James died in 1872 In Berwick upon Tweed, Lucy Ann then went to live with her daughter Jane and her husband Robert Hardy in Durham, they moved to Nigg, Kincardineshire where Lucy Ann died in 1897.

Daughter Isabella married Matthias Jacobson from Sweden, a seaman. They had six children: Elizabeth Ann, William, Matthias/Matthew, Jacob, George, Lucy Ann.

Their son Matthias also went on to follow in his fathers footseps and was a Mariner, but it seems as though he may have had no choice in the matter. He was an inmate on the Wellesley training ship, originally a poor law ship before becoming an industrial ship. It was based on the Tyne at North Shields, Matthias was aged fifteen. Children were sent there after being at magistrates court for some offence. Most were paupers or waifs. Matthias made good and after WWI was awarded the mercantile marine ribbon, the British medal ribbon. His spouse was Jane McGee.

Below, the Wellesley ship.

The father of James was George Porteous. George was born in Scotland about 1796. He was married twice, first to Isabella with whom he had three children: James, Alison, Alice. Isabella died in 1826 and George remarried to Elizabeth, they had two children: George and Isabella.

In the 1841 census George and Elizabeth were living in Hatters Lane, Berwick upon Tweed.

George died in 1856 and Elizabeth in 1859.

I haven't found a father for George but found a mother Alison who was born in Scotland about 1765.