Barty's Dream

Ages ago I wrote a blog post on my 4x great-grandfather, Bertram McKeith, or Barty Keith, as he was commonly known. Newspapers often picked up on this jovial, comedic man, reporting on his wild tales, accounts and exaggerations. Barty is still remembered fondly in my family. 

The following article appeared in the Northern Daily Telegraph on 9 March 1892:

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BARTY'S DREAM.

One day the renowned Barty Keith, of Seghill, went into a public-house, and, not meeting with the reception that he usually got from the company present, he sat down silent for a while. 

Starting to his feet he exclaimed, "Begox, lads, aa've hed a grand dream."

"What aboot, Barty?" exclaimed several of the company. 

"Lads, aa dreamed that aa died and went to heaven, and when aa got te the gyet, aa knocked, an somebody shouted, 'Whe's thor?' Aa replied, 'Bartram Keith, frae Seghill, sor.'   'Oh come in, Mr Keith, we've been expecting you coming.' And se, lads, aa went inside."

"And what was it like, Barty?" asked one. 

"Aye, marrow, it wes grand. The forst thing a saa wes six white angels sitting aroond a big tybel, with a gallon pit full o' beer, and when they saa whe it wes, they aall jumped te thor feet and shooted oot, 'Sup here, Barty; sup here, Barty!"

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Not only is this article a lesson in Geordie, but it is also a further insight into Barty's character. 

One interesting thing to note is that Barty is described, or rather describes himself, as living in Seghill. For much of his life Barty lived in Bedlington. Barty actually only lived in Seghill for the first few years of his married life. His son Ralph was born there in 1840.

My original blog post can be found here.

Free to Marry

Thomas McKeith was the fourth son of Robert, a sawyer, and Mary McKeith (née Bertram). He was born on 13 December 1808 at Jarrow, Durham, and was baptised there just short of a year later. Thomas was an elder brother of my 4x great-grandfather, Barty Keith.

Thomas's baptism.
From the Durham Bishop's Transcripts.

Thomas married Mary Robson, a widow, at St Hilda's, South Shields on 9 July 1844. Their daughter, Elizabeth Ann McKeith, was born the following year. 

But Thomas was actually harbouring a secret, and it wasn't long before he was found out and exposed. His secret was outed in contemporary newspapers for all and sundry to read. Thomas McKeith was a criminal.

The following is from the Durham Chronicle, 2 March 1849:

"CHARGE OF BIGAMY.

THOMAS MC'KEATH (41) was charged with having, at the parish of Jarrow, unlawfully married Mary Robson, his lawful wife being then alive. - Mr DIGBY SEYMOUR appeared for the prosecution: the prisoner was undefended. The prisoner it appeared was first married at Trenan [sic], in Scotland, on the 12th December, 1828, to Margaret Neil. The first marriage ceremony of the prisoner was performed by the then officiating minister of Trenan, at the house of the first wife's mother. On 9th July, 1844, he was again married to one Mary Robson, at St. Hilda's Church, South Shields. On the policemen going to the house to apprehend him, he was under the bed. Prisoner acknowledged the charge against him, and said he was married 18 or 19 years ago; the name of his first wife was Margaret Neil. He had not seen her for seven years. He had got married again two years after he had seen her. Both the first and second marriage were proved; the first marriage by the prisoner's first wife's brother; the second by the sexton of St. Hilda's Church, South Shields. In extenuation, prisoner said he had written to his wife, but had received no answer. She had, on a previous occasion, told him that she liked another man's little finger better than his (the prisoner's) whole body. The man to whom she alluded, it appears she had been living with, and to whom she had had a child. Under these circumstances, he had married again. In fact she had told the prisoner herself, that she was lawfully married to the man whom she was living, and that he (the prisoner) was free. The person prisoner had married at South Shields, he said knew under what circumstances she had married him. He had told her that he was married; and that his former wife was then living. - Guilty. - Sentence deferred until the second wife should be sent for."

Similar articles also appeared in the Durham County Advertiser and Newcastle Courant on the same date. The Newcastle Guardian covered the story on the following day, and added some extra details.

"... When the policemen went, in January of the present year, to apprehend him on the charge of bigamy, he found him hid under the bed; he asked him why he had done that, in reply to which he said he was afraid of his two wives (laughter). In defence, the prisoner said his first wife had told him that she had married again to a man named Hornby, to whom she had a child. She added that she liked Hornby's little finger better than his whole body (laughter). She told him she had no claim upon him and he had none on her, and as he wanted a home he thought he could not do better than take to Mary Robson (laughter). - The jury found a verdict of guilty, and sentence was deferred, his lordship wishing to know whether the prisoner, previous to the second marriage, told Mary Robson about his having been previously married to a woman who was still alive. His lordship added that in all cases of bigamy the second wife ought to be produced as a witness. The solicitor for the prosecution said the woman was a cripple, and when the prisoner was apprehended she did not attend at the police-office to complain."

On the 9 March, the following appeared in the Durham Chronicle:

"In reference to the case of THOMAS MC'KEATH who was charged and found guilty of having, at the parish of Jarrow, unlawfully married Mary Robson, his lawful wife being then alive on whom sentence was deferred until the woman Robson should be sent for, for the purpose of seeing whether she was cognisant, at the time she married Mc'Keath, that he had another wife who was then living, Mr DIGBY SEYMOUR stated to his Lordship that the woman had come, and who said that she did not know, and that he had deceived her. - hard labour for one year."

I was surprised to find this story, so naturally I did a little more digging. I already had the date of Thomas's lawful marriage, so quickly found it in the Scottish registers on ScotlandsPeople. He and Margaret Neil were married at Tranent, a town in East Lothian, rather than Trenan, as named in the first article. Thomas was described as a coalier, or collier. 

Thomas and Margaret's marriage at Tranent, East Lothian, Scotland.

I also found that Thomas and Margaret had two daughters; Marion, born in 1830 at Tranent, and Margaret, born in 1833 at nearby Prestonpans.

There is no doubt that things in the relationship turned sour, and Thomas deserted his wife and daughters. He obviously returned to Jarrow, his birthplace and where his mother and siblings still lived. Perhaps he believed that he had put a great enough distance between himself and Margaret? Thomas obviously thought he could get away with bigamously marrying the "crippled" Mary Robson, but he got his comeuppance in the end.

I can find no record of Margaret's involvement with a man named Hornby, with whom she supposedly had a child, but I did find another. In late 1841, a boy named Daniel Arrington was born in Tranent. His supposed father was named Daniel too, and his mother was Margaret Neil.

I can only assume that his relationship did not work out either, and Margaret was deserted once again.

Margaret later died on 21 March 1873. Her son, Daniel Arrington, was the informant of her death. It's quite interesting to see just what and how much he knew about his mother's life prior to his birth.

Margaret Neil Keith's death certificate.

Daniel informed the registrar that his mother was the widow of Thomas Keith, a journeyman sawyer. Thomas was indeed a sawyer, and it is of course possible that he travelled while doing that job. However, his mother was not a widow, as Thomas was not yet dead. This perhaps implies that following the bigamy revelation back in 1849, communication between Thomas, his daughters, and his legal spouse completely broke down. 

Thomas doesn't seem like a very nice man, and his treatment of both Margaret and Mary just doesn't sit well with me. He deserted Margaret and his two young daughters, then took up with Mary Robson, a "crippled" widow with young children because he was in need of a roof over his head. I imagine he thought that was the best he could do at the time.

Despite this, it is obvious to me that Thomas McKeith was quite a character - take that how you will. He evidently had a knack for making people laugh, and was very humorous in his responses even in a court setting. This is clearly a family trait as his brother Barty was very much the same, although I haven't found any evidence of Barty being so cruel.

Thomas McKeith later died in 1889. Mary Robson had died three years earlier.

Inundated

Ralph Widdrington was born in 1757 and baptised at St Bartholomew's Church, Longbenton, Northumberland. He went on to marry Catherine Bowdon in 1780 at the same church. They are my 5x Great Grandparents. 

Ralph and Catherine's marriage entry.
From the Durham Bishop's Transcripts.

The couple were blessed with many children over the years. Their names were Mary, Robert, George, Ralph Jr, William, Anthony, Henry, Bowdon and Ann. The latter was born when Ralph and Catherine were both in their mid-forties. 

Sadly their eldest daughter, Mary died in 1803 aged 23. By some miracle, Catherine fell pregnant once again when she was around the age of 58, something which is highly unlikely, but not impossible. The baby was named Mary and later baptised on 15 January 1814 at All Saints, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. By the time of Mary's birth, the family had moved from Longbenton to the nearby Heaton. This second Mary is my 4x Great Grandmother. 

Mary Widdrington's baptism.
From the Durham Bishop's Transcripts.

When Mary was just over one year old, a huge tragedy occurred on 3 May 1815. Her father and brothers had went to work down the Heaton Main Pit. Some old workings had "become entirely filled with water" eventually breaking through the coal face, causing the pit to quickly flood. 

Some of the pitmen working nearby ran to the shaft, and were able to escape. Mr Millar, the under-viewer of the colliery was informed and ran off to give warning to the men and boys working in the higher part of the pit. However, this "was not accomplished." The water quickly rushed to the lower parts of the pit, cutting off the only means of escape. The water rose to the depth of about nineteen fathoms. 

Immediately efforts were made to reach the part of the pit where the trapped miners were through some of the old workings. This was without success due to the old shafts being blocked up with earth. Numerous other rescue attempts were made, but they were all unsuccessful. 

Seventy-five miners died; thirty-four being merely boys. Three of the men were Ralph Widdrington, and two of his sons Ralph and Henry. The miners died either due to starvation or "want of respirable air."

There were multiple problems and difficulties concerning bringing out the bodies of the unfortunate miners; the first of which was finally brought out about nine months after the accident. Soon after the bodies of the other deceased miners were found and buried. The majority were buried at Wallsend, but some were buried in the parish churchyard at Longbenton. 

Ralph Widdrington Jr was found first. He was later buried at Longbenton on 20 February 1816. Ralph Jr died leaving a widow and three children. His youngest was born posthumously and named Ralph in his honour. 

Ralph Widdrington Jr's burial.
From the Durham Bishop's Transcripts.

Ralph Widdrington Snr and his other son, Henry were presumably found together as they were buried on the same day; 15 March 1816 at Longbenton. 

The burials of Ralph Snr and Henry Widdrington.
From the Durham Bishop's Transcripts.

Ralph and Catherine's youngest child Mary went on to marry Bertram McKeith in 1838 at the age of 24. Although Mary barely knew her father, she honoured him by naming her only son Ralph Widdrington McKeith.

Ralph's widow Catherine never remarried, eventually dying in December 1842. She was aged around 86 years. 

Barty Keith - A Character

Bertram McKeith was baptised on 21 June 1813 at St Paul's Church, Jarrow, Co. Durham. His parents were Robert McKeith, a sawyer and native of Perthshire, and Mary Bertram of Pennsylvania, USA. 

Barty's baptism at Jarrow.
From the Durham Bishop's Transcripts.

Bertram married Mary Widdrington on 16 July 1838 at All Saints, Newcastle upon Tyne. Mary was the daughter of the late Ralph and Catherine Widdrington of Heaton. Together Bertram and Mary had three children; Ralph Widdrington, Mary Ann and Catherine McKeith or Keith.

Bertram, or Barty as he was commonly known, appeared in the newspapers fairly often. One instance being when a young boy named Ralph Blackett stole his cloth cap. By the time the police had caught up with young Ralph he had already sold it for 8d. 

Barty himself was brought up in the courts at least once - by his own brother! Robert, who lived in Cramlington, charged Barty with assaulting him after they had both spent the afternoon in a pub in Horton. The case apparently "afforded considerable amusement" and the brothers seem to have been laughed out of the courtroom. Believing both brothers to have been severely inebriated, the Bench ordered them to equally pay the costs of court. 

I can deduce from other newspaper articles I've found, that Barty was a colourful, well-known character in his local area. He was once quoted as having said "nivvor gan te wark the day after ye lie idle."

Barty Keith died on 28 September 1882 of senile atrophy, at Bedlington. His will was witnessed only a few weeks prior, in which he left everything to his two daughters.  

His wife Mary died ten years later.

On 23 July 1892 a rather interesting article was published in the Morpeth Herald, in reference to old Barty Keith who had died just under a decade before.

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THE NEW BARTY KEITH

It is not generally known that a new "Barty Keith" has arisen to life in the vicinity of Bedlington Station. Nevertheless the fact is reported; indeed, the Wood Hut has had a formal introduction to the ghost of Barty Keith, the matchless anecdote maker and profound liar. The new comer has a very genial frontispiece, with a rollicking twinkle in his eye, and when he removes his hat his snowy flocks resemble a covering of jeweller's cotton-wadden. His comic jests and notorious fibs are regular twisters, and cause the groups of hunker-men at the "Clayton Arms" corner to extend grins and give vent to clownish laughter. The news has already spread that Barty has come to life again, but the Wood Hut can assure the unsuspecting public on the best authority that the new Barty is not even the ghost of his great predecessor. 
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