Ann the Pauper

On 9 August 1789 at St Mary the Virgin, Stannington a baby girl was baptised. She was born illegitimately to Ruth Hedley and William Pyle and they named her Ann.

Ann's baptism at Stannington.
From the Durham Bishop's Transcripts.

A few years later Ann's mother Ruth married a man named William Sharp, whose family came from the nearby Bothal. William took little Ann in as his own, and soon Ann became the elder sister of five siblings. Unusually Ann retained the name of her birth father, and went by Pyle. 

The family unit soon moved to Seaton Sluice, where her stepfather and brothers worked in the glassworks. A couple of decades later, Ruth Sharp died there aged 59. After this Ann mainly resided with her stepfather and youngest brother, Joseph. When Joseph married Dorothy Hindmarch in 1843, Ann remained with her brother. Joseph and Dorothy went on to have five children and it was around this time Joseph became a baker, but still carried on working in the glassworks. 

Although she had a home, Ann was without work and due to his large family, I presume Joseph was not able to help her out. Ann was described as a Pauper in the census returns, and in 1852 she died aged 63. Ann had never married, nor had children.

Joseph's second daughter was given the middle name, Ann. 

A Canny Lang Way To Wa'k

My 3x Great Grandparents were Joseph Sharp of Seaton Sluice, Northumberland and Dorothy Hindmarch of Brafferton, a village near Aycliffe, Co. Durham. 

Joseph was the son of William Sharp and Ruth Hedley. He was born on 7 April 1804 probably at Seaton Sluice, and was baptised on 28 December 1805 at St. Alban's, Earsdon. 

St. Alban's Church, Earsdon.
Where Joseph Sharp was baptised.

Dorothy was the daughter of Robert Hindmarch and Margaret Brown, and was born on the 19 June 1809. She was baptised at the now ruined All Saints' Church, Sockburn, Co. Durham on 16 July 1809. As is fairly common, the spelling of Hindmarch was just one variation of the name. The family were also known as Hymas. 

From the Durham Bishop's Transcripts
for Sockburn.

When Dorothy was around 29 years old she gave birth to a daughter, out of wedlock. The baby girl was baptised Margaret, after Dorothy's mother.

Little Margaret's baptism at Aycliffe.
Dorothy is noted as being a 'Single Woman'.

Sadly aged only one years old, little Margaret died and was buried in the churchyard at Aycliffe.

Then, on 23 December 1843 at Tynemouth Registry Office, Joseph Sharp and Dorothy Hindmarch were married. Seaton Sluice, where Joseph Sharp was living is just over 40 miles from Brafferton, the small village where Dorothy was living prior to their marriage. What brought Dorothy to the Seaton Sluice area, or Joseph to the Brafferton area is unknown. In truth, I have no idea how their paths would have crossed. It certainly would have taken a good few hours for Dorothy to make her way up to the Tynemouth Registry Office to marry.

The Sharps went on to have five children; Robert William, Ruth Honour, Margaret Ann, William John and Mary Jane. Margaret Ann has previously been mentioned, in my post the Vicker's Will.

Joseph Sharp was a keen gardener, growing vegetables in his spare time. He was also a member of the Floral and Horticultural Society of Seaton Delaval. He often exhibited prized cabbages, potatoes and onions. The majority of the time, he also came first in the best flower competitions. Joseph would often be a judge for such competitions also.


Joseph died in 1873, followed by Dorothy in 1878.