Wallsend, Northumberland Genealogy

Parish History
The Church of the Holy Cross dates back to 1145AD and was built by the monks from Jarrow Priory using Roman stone taken from the nearby Hadrian's Wall. The church was used for public worship until 1798 after which time it became derelict, the stone foundations and grave were restored and a steel railing erected in 1909 to protect the site.

A local legend recorded associated with the church and witchcraft and the Delaval family tells of a family member of the Delaval family returning from Newcastle one night when he saw the church was lit up. Leaving his servant with the horses he went to investigate. He found a group of old women engaged in the dissection of a corpse. They were putting parts of the dead woman into a cauldron suspended from the bell rope. As he ran to disperse them the managed to capture one witch. She was taken back to Seaton Delaval and tried before being sentenced to death by burning on Seaton Sands. On her way to her execution she begged for two new wooden platters which were then brought. As the fire was lit she placed her feet on the platters and muttered a spell. Immediately she rose high into the air above the beach. One of the platters however had been washed in running water and her foot slipped off and she fell to the ground. The crowd did not give her a second chance, and they ran to throw her back on the fire.

St Peter's a former chapelry in Jarrow Ancient Parish was built in 1807-09 to replace on a new site, the medieval church of Holy Cross ( the ruins of which can still be seen - a twelfth century church with a seventeenth - century porch). In 1892 the church was redesigned in a Gothic style by W.S.Hicks:the interior was gutted, a new roof and windows installed and the spire removed. The church is renowned for the collection of twentieth - century Irish glass.

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.

Parish Records
Durham University Library Archives and Special Collections DDR/EA/PBT/2/259 1769-1871 Parish Register transcripts are available to search free online at FamilySearch Historical records which is undertaking engineering work to correct the present location of images due the insertion into the collection of parish records in the original image assembly for Sunderland Holy Trinity parish Durham. The online images for Wallsend can be located at image 119 of 1412 in the Sunderland images and begin with the year January 1813(DDR/EA/PBT/2/259/112). The sequence then continues until image 695 of 1412 which shows burial register for 1833 (DDR/EA/PBT/2/259/715).

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.

Wallsend, Holy Cross/St Peter: Records of baptisms 1669-1958, marriages 1669-1981 and burials 1672-1921 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. Baptisms 1669-1958, marriages 1669-1970, banns 1754-1902, 1927-1941, and burials 1672-1921 can also be seen at Tyne and Wear Archives Service. The International Genealogical Index (I.G.I.) includes baptisms 1669-1812 and marriages 1669-1812 for this parish, and Boyd's Marriage Index includes marriages 1669-1812 and banns 1751. Transcripts of baptisms 1669-1812, marriages 1669-1837, burials 1672-1812 and banns 1760-1782 are available at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Dept. A transcript of monumental inscriptions at Wallsend (microfiche TN85) is published by Northumberland and Durham Family History Society and these records are also available in book form at Newcastle Central Library, Local Studies Department. # Howdon Panns (Willington Quay), St Paul: Records of baptisms 1860-1951 and marriages 1876-1955 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. Baptisms 1860-1951 and marriages 1876-1955 can also be seen at Tyne and Wear Archives Service.

FamilySearch Historical Records includes England, Durham Diocese, Marriage Bonds and Allegations (FamilySearch Historical Records)

The following subsequent parishes were created:


 * Willington: Records of baptisms 1860-1973 and marriages 1876-1986 are available at Northumberland Collections Service.
 * Wallsend, St. John the Evangelist: Records of baptisms 1937-1967, marriages 1946-1987 and banns 1953-1992 are available at Northumberland Collections Service.
 * Wallsend, St Luke: Records of baptisms 1887-1970 and marriages 1887-1995 are available at Northumberland Collections Service. Baptisms 1887-1970, marriages 1887-1972 and banns 1918-1924 can also be seen at Tyne and Wear Archives Service.


 * Records of marriages 1983-1986 for Battle Hill, Church of the Good Shepherd are available at Northumberland Collections Service.

Nonconformist Records
The following records for nonconformist churches in Wallsend Parish can be seen at Tyne and Wear Archives Service:


 * Brunswick (Methodist) - Baptisms 1963-1966.
 * Buddle Street (Methodist) - Baptisms 1923-1974 and marriages 1918-1973.
 * Carville Chapel (Wesleyan Methodist) - Baptisms 1803-1837. (These records can also be seen at Northumberland Collections Service and they are included on the IGI).
 * High Howdon, Ridley Avenue (Methodist) - Marriages 1961-1993.
 * High Street, Brunswick (Methodist) - Baptisms 1873-1966 and marriages 1903-1966.
 * Our Lady and St Columba (Roman Catholic) - Baptisms 1885-1928, marriages 1886-1973 and deaths 1889-1985.
 * Rosehill (Methodist) - Marriages 1930-1962.
 * Station Road (Primitive Methodist) - Baptisms 1897-1934 and marriages 1911-1951.
 * Wallsend (United Methodist) - Baptisms 1870-1923.
 * Wallsend Colliery (Wesleyan Methodist) - Baptisms 1838-1852.
 * Willington Quay, Central (Wesleyan Methodist) - Marriages 1929-1967.
 * Willington Quay, Our Lady and St Aidan (Roman Catholic) - Baptisms 1865-1943, marriages 1869-1963 and deaths 1919-1966.
 * Willington, High Row (United Methodist) - Baptisms 1885-1960.

The following records for nonconformist churches in Wallsend Parish can be seen at Northumberland Collections Service:


 * Howdon Panns (Independent) - Births/baptisms 1835-1837. (Included in the IGI).
 * Wallsend, United Associate - Births/baptisms 1817-1837. (Included on the IGI).

Early Primitive Methodist chapels in this area belonged to North Shields P.M. Circuit. Records for 1823-1837 can be seen at Northumberland Collections Service and are included on the IGI.

Early Wesleyan Methodist chapels in this area belonged to North Shields W.M. Circuit or to Newcastle East W.M. Circuit. Records for North Shields 1808-1837 can be seen at Northumberland Collections Service. Records for Newcastle East 1833-1837 can be seen at Northumberland Collections Service and Tyne and Wear Archives Service (listed as New Road). Both are included on the IGI.

Poor Law Unions
Tynemouth Poor Law Union,Northumberland

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Northumberland 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

Web sites
Contributor: add any relevant sites that aren't mentioned above.