Harbertson Family Anecdotes *UPDATED*

My Great Grandfather, James Harbertson was born on 8 April 1880 at New Hartley, the son of John Harbertson and Margaret Ann Sharp. When James was only seven, his father died of cerebral disease. His mother Margaret soon remarried to Thomas Vickers, a neighbour from two doors away. 

When James was in his early twenties he began walking out with Sarah Jane Taylor, a local girl from the next village, Seaton Delaval. After marrying, the newly-weds moved to Newsham, a small mining village further north and close to Blyth. As a miner, it's likely James got a job in a colliery close to Newsham.

When James' mother Margaret was widowed the family moved back to New Hartley to live with her. I've already detailed this time period in Margaret's life in an earlier blog post. After staying in New Hartley for a few years, the Harbertson-Vickers family moved to the nearby village of Annitsford, and settled in No. 5 Orange Street. 

Margaret Vickers was a formidable lady, and it is said she wouldn't think twice about "marking your height" by throwing her cup of tea if you vexed her!

James in his allotment.

James Harbertson was an intelligent man, or rather as the family remember him "he had a good heed-piece on." He was quite good at fixing things, and would always lend a hand to help his neighbours out. James even worked for two doctors in nearby Burradon, with his family believing he was clever enough to be a doctor himself. As a working class man, and especially a miner, James just didn't have a good enough education. He always had his white silk scarf around his neck, contrasting with his boiler suit.

James' pride and joy was his allotment, a short walk from his house. There he grew flowers, fruit and vegetables. A trait he obviously inherited from his maternal grandfather, Joseph Sharp. James' beloved shovel was adorned with his initials, which he wrote in his own special way.

Sarah Jane was a "real grafter." She was always working, which included sweeping the street, polishing the front step and endless amounts of washing. Sarah Jane would hang the washing to dry in the wide and open Orangey's Field which the Harbertsons' house backed out onto. 

Sadly, Sarah Jane suffered from severe bronchitis and it took its toll on her over the years. She would often sit outside resting, and breathing in the fresh air. 

Sarah Jane.
Note her pinny, a sign of a real grafter.

Sarah Jane Harbertson died on 23 May 1951, and James on 5 May 1960.

James and Sarah Jane Harbertson's
headstone.

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. 

The Vicker's Will

My 2x Great Grandmother, Margaret Ann Sharp was born in 1847 at Seaton Sluice, Northumberland, England to Joseph Sharp and Dorothy Hindmarch. She married in 1874 to John Harbertson, moved to New Hartley and gave birth to my Great Grandfather, James Harbertson in 1880. When James was only seven years old, his father sadly died of cerebral disease.

Margaret with Thomas Vickers,
her second husband.

A few years later, Margaret remarried to Thomas Vickers, a widower with two young daughters. Margaret had no further children. In 1914, Thomas Vickers died and in his will he bequeaths everything to his two daughters. Margaret was not mentioned, nor was my Great Grandfather, who Thomas had raised from the age of ten.

The following is an article from the Morpeth Herald, dated the 17th March 1916.

---

 SEATON DELAVAL FURNITURE DISPUTE

At North Shields County Court, before his Honour Judge Greenwell, William A. Carson brought an action against Margaret Vickers, to recover certain furniture. Mr. Swinburne G. Wilson, who appeared for the plaintiff, said that Carson was the executor of Thomas Vickers, deceased, who resided at 23, Long Row, Seaton Delaval, and died in 1914, bequeathing his estate to his two daughters by his first wife, and leaving his second wife (defendant) nothing. Defendant refused to hand over the goods in the house, and claimed £64 against the estate. In fairness, he added that defendant was a hard working old woman. He suggested that his Honour give judgment for the plaintiff, and grant stay of execution to enable her to make her claim upon the estate, and he (Mr. Wilson) undertook that the estate should not be disposed of in the meantime. His Honour gave judgment for the plaintiff and granted stay of execution till June advising the defendant to take some steps to get the dispute settled about the money.

---

From the wording of the article, Margaret was clearly not happy with her late husband's wishes. 

As far as I can tell, Margaret did not make a claim to the estate of her husband. It's upsetting to think that Margaret was more or less left to become a pauper. Her son James had previously married, and in 1916 already had five children. In June of that year my own Grandmother was born. Margaret died in 1928 in her son's house at Annitsford.