Gateshead, Durham Genealogy

Guide to Gateshead, Durham family history and genealogy: parish registers, transcripts, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

Parish History
GATESHEAD (St. Mary), a borough and parish, and the head of a union, locally in Chester ward, N. division of the county of Durham, 14 miles (N. by W.) from Durham; There are places of worship for Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists, Methodists of the New Connexion, Independents, and Presbyterians.

Additional information: Gateshead St Mary the mother-parish for Gateshead is an ancient parish and the church is reputed to date in part from the twelfth century. It suffered damage from a major explosion in Gateshead in 1854 and required substantial rebuilding.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.

Church records
To find the names of the neighbouring parishes, use England Jurisdictions 1851. In this site, search for the name of the parish, click on the location "pin", click Options and click List contiguous parishes.

Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections DDR/EA/PBT/2/112 1769-1840 Parish Register transcripts are available to search free online at FamilySearch Historical Records.

The dates of the post-1760 transcripts have been noted in detail and sometimes only cover years. For most parishes in the collection there are gaps in the sequence of transcripts. It is advisable to consult the original parish registers for these years and events.

The Parish Registers for the period 1559-1979 are deposited at Durham County Record Office, County Hall, Durham, DH1 5UL (EP/Ga.SM).

Non Conformist Churches

 * Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Methodist New Connexion
 * Presbyterian
 * Primitive Methodist
 * Roman Catholic
 * Society of Friends/Quaker
 * Wesleyan Methodist

Genealogy From Periodicals
Hancock, Susan. My Elusive Great Grandmother. History, photos and family history of John Aiston, and Madgalene nee Gordon, with the following surnames: Dixon, Peel, Tegget, Shivers, Chivers, Adie, Riddick. Family seems to be scattered, Scotland, Dumfrieshire, Gateshead, Addison, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Article dated 1851-1974, and is found in Northumberland Durham Family History Society Journal. vol.39.no.4, pages 169-172, Family History Library Ref. 942.8 B2jo vol.39. no.4, (winter 2014)

Cook, Jim. Thomas Towns of Gateshead. History and photos of George William Cook married Mary Ellen Towns originally from Longbenton, but later on Gateshead. Photos showing family life in the Gateshead area in the late 1800's. Article dated 1800-1953, and is in the Northumberland and Durham Family History Society Magazine, vol.29 no,2, (summer 2004) page 51. Family History Library Reference 942.80B2jo vol.29.no.2.

Owen, J. Philip. A Northumbrian Musician. William Gillies Whittaker D. Mus. F.R.C.O. History of William Gillies Whittaker and his wife Mary Ann, and descendants on both the paternal and maternal side. Parents were: John Whittaker and Mary Jane nee Gillies, and William and Susannah Walton Gillies with the following surnames: Turner, Heads, Pearson, Taylor, Siddell, Purves, Watkins, Swan, Percey, with photos. Article dated 1799-1976, and is found in the Northumberland &amp; Durham Family History Society, vol. 35. no.4, pages 127-131, Family History Reference 942.8 B2jo vol.35,no.4.

Jones, Andrew Forsyth. The French Family of Sunderland and the USA. History of the family of Joseph and Mary Ann French with description of their son Joseph French born 1847, Gateshead, and his wife Frances Ann Samuel, born Sunderland, July 1846. Photo included on their golden wedding. The family of Joseph and Frances and all but one of their children emigrate to USA in 1887, and settle in St Paul, Minnesota, and after 5 years move onto San Francisco. Photo of Andrew Forsyth, and Elizabeth nee French in 1903. Other surnames mentioned: Bennett, Forsyth, Douce, Winks, Lundgren. Article dated 1846-1954, and is found in the Northumberland &amp; Durham Family History Society Journal. vol. 32,no.2pages 48-49. Family History Library Ref. 942.8 B2jo vol. 32.no.2.(summer 2007)

Betts, Enid. A Sanderson Family and Its Branches. History of Stepen Sanderson born 1811, and his wife Elizabeth Aisbitt and descendants. According to the IGI the Sandersons were in Houghton le Spring, from the late 1500's. Other areas the descendants were in: Eighton Banks, Gateshead Pelaw, Bishop Wearmouth, with a branch going to USA and another branch to Australia. Surnames mention: Liddell, Fenwick, Wynn, Armstrong, Hunter, Best, Murray, Reay, Lockey, Wanless and Smith. Article dated 1560-1985, and is found in The Northumberland &amp; Durham Family History Society Journal, vol.27, no.3,pages 92-95. Family History Library Reference 942.8 B2jo v.27.no.3.(autumn 2002)

Poor Law Unions
Gateshead Poor Law Union, Durham

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Durham Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Websites
Gateshead on GENUKI