Jane Earnshaw was the fourth child of Thomas Earnshaw and Elizabeth Crosby, born 1834 at Dawdon Hall, Co Durham, & was baptized May 21st, 1834 at St Andrew, Dalton-le-Dale.
In 1841 Jane was living with her parents at Dawdon Hall.
In 1851 Jane (16) was a house servant living at home at William St, Dawdon.
Jane married William Blenkinsop on May 3rd, 1857 at St Andrew’s, Dalton-le-Dale. Witnesses at the wedding were John Softly & Mary Ann Hall. William, born c1832 in Heworth, Co Durham was a house painter of Seaham Harbour. William was christened on March 15th, 1835 at Whickham, Co Durham, the son of Elizabeth & William Blenkinsop, an engineman.
By 1858, at the time of the birth of their first child, William & Jane were living at 27 William St, Dawdon, Seaham, Co Durham.
In 1861 William & Jane were still living at 27 William St, with son Henry Jackson (2). Living with William & Jane were Jane’s sister Elizabeth and her husband Joseph Coulton. Jane’s parents were living next door at 28 William St.!
William & Jane were living in Durham City when their son Thomas Earnshaw was born in 1863.
By 1871 William & Jane had moved to Spennymoor, Co Durham. They were living at 17 Church St, Whitworth Village with children Henry (12), Elizabeth (9), Thomas (8) & William (2 months). William was described as a master painter, employing 2 men.
In 1881 William & Jane were living at Duncomb St, Whitworth with children
Henry (22), also a painter, Elizabeth (19) & William (10). The census
enumerator mistakenly listed the family surname as Jackson
– presumably this error relates to the middle name of their son Henry
Jackson Blenkinsop.
William died in 1884 aged 52 at Whitworth.
Son Henry married Rose Louisa Shepherd on June 16th, 1888 at South Shields, Co Durham. Henry & Rose were found in Westoe in 1891 & South Shields in 1901 & Henry continued to be a painter, firstly a house painter & later a sign writer. Strangely on both these censuses the family were listed with the surname Jackson, Henry calling himself Henry B Jackson. By 1901 Henry & Rose had 6 children.
At the time of 1891 census Jane was a visitor in the house of William & Alice Dowley in Beaumont Terr, Whitworth, Spennymoor. By this time son Thomas had married Margaret Bell (November 17th, 1889 at Auckland, Co. Durham) & in 1891 they were living in Hexham, Northumberland, where Thomas was a draper’s assistant. Thomas & family moved on to Carlisle, Cumberland & in 1901 were living in South Manchester & Thomas was now a furniture salesman. By 1911 Thomas had become a wharfingers’ clerk in Chorlton, Lancashire & he & Margaret had 3 children
In 1901 Jane (66) was living in Westward St, Middlesborough with daughter Elizabeth & family. Elizabeth had married Edward Stitt, in 1884, & they had a son William B (15), an apprentice ship plater. Edward was born c1864 in Spennymoor and was a stocktaker at the iron works.
Jane died in 1904 aged 70 at Middlesborough.
Son William had married Annie Louise Sheveling in 1895 & in 1901 & 1911 William & his wife Annie were living in Sunderland where William was a cabinet maker at the shipyard. They had 6 children living by 1911, 2 having died.
Daughter Elizabeth Earnshaw (Stitt) died on April 24th, 1918 at the Union Workhouse Hospital, Stockton-on-Tees. Probate states that she was a widow of 8 The Furnaces, Norton-on-Tees, Co Durham & her effects were £21.5s.
The children of Jane Earnshaw and William Blenkinsop were:
e.1.4.1 Henry Jackson Blenkinsop born July-September 1858 at Dawdon, Co Durham; died Oct-December 1927 at South Shields, Co Durham
e.1.4.2 Elizabeth Earnshaw Blenkinsop born May 23rd, 1861 at 27 William St,
Dawdon, & christened June 30th, 1861 at St John’s, Seaham, Co Durham; died April 24th, 1918 at Union Workhouse Hospital, Stockton, Co Durham
e.1.4.3 Thomas Earnshaw Blenkinsop born January 5th 1863 at Moody’s
Buildings, St Giles, Durham City & christened July 20th, 1864 at St John’s,
Seaham; died October 18th, 1937 & buried at Sale Brooklands Cemetery, Greater Manchester, Cheshire
e.1.4.4 William Jackson Blenkinsop born Jan-March 1871 at Whitworth Village,
Spennymoor & christened November 6th, 1872 at St John’s, Seaham; died Jan-March 1929 at Sunderland, Co Durham