The story of this family commences in 1798 when John, son of William and Eleanor Tinkler, was born on 26th November 1798 (1) in Darlington, Durham. He was described later as a labourer, who married Jane Hall, who died after giving birth to at least three children. Thomas was born in Hurworth in 1819, John born in 1825 at Haughton-le-Skeme and Mary Ann who was born on 25th May 1828 at Hurworth.(2)
At the time of the 1851 Census, Thomas was unmarried and working as a labourer and living at home with his widowed father at 3 Silver Street, Darlington. John became a blacksmith, married a girl from Norton-on-Tees and lived for some time at Hartlepool where his first two children were born, John in 1849 and Elizabeth in 1854. The family moved in 1855 where two more children were born, William in 1856 and Ralph in 1858 at the Shildon Home situated in the Market Place.(3)
Mary Ann married Christopher Appleby in the parish church at Darlington on 7th August, 1848.(4) Mary Ann gave birth to a daughter Jane Ann, on 21st September, 1848 (5) at Silver Street, where they were living at the time with Mary Ann's father. On 13th August, 1853, Mary Ann gave birth to her first son, James.(6)
Christopher died suddenly at Silver Street on 29th April, 1855. The cause of death was dropsy and disease of the heart. Mary Ann was left to rear two small children. At the time of his death his occupation was shown as a Railway Labourer.
Sometime after the death of her first husband, Christopher, Mary Ann was married a second time to William Lewins who was a widower with a daughter only slightly older than the Appleby children.(7) It was about this time that William and Mary Ann moved to New Shildon and Mary Ann began to worship at St. John's Road, Primitive Methodist Church, which was chapel built in East Street, Shildon in 1858, and she was to become known as one of the "pillars of the church". Mary Ann give birth to another son, Samuel, who was born on 30th December 1861.(8) Sometime later William died. The 1881 Census showed that Mary Ann, then aged fifty-two years old was living with her son, Samuel, aged nineteen years at 34 Simpson St. New Shildon.
In 1882 Mary Ann married for a third time to William Baines, who was widower with grown children, two of whom emigrated to Australia about 1884. William, who like Mary Ann was approaching middle age, had been an engineering surveyor, who travelled in Malaysia, South Eastern Asia and Australia, in pursuit of his profession. Although he was retired when he married Mary Ann, he was evidently well off enough to be able to make an extensive and extended tour that not only allowed visits to places where he had worked but also provided the opportunity for his wife to visit the Appleby and Lewins families in Australia soon after they came out.(9) William and Mary Ann's visit lasted at least six years and was spent in Bathurst. William was elected to the Parish Council of St. Barnabas Church in 1890410) He died on 19th March, 1891 from heart disease and was buried in the Church of England Cemetery, Bathurst and the occupation shown on the death certificate was a dairyman.(11)
Mary Ann sometime later returned to Durham, England, and died on 3rd January 1898.(12) and was buried in the St. John's Church of England Churchyard cemetery and New Shildon. Although Mary Ann worshipped in the Primitive Methodist Church, the Church of England churchyard was the only burial ground at the time. An article in the local newspaper describes the service as follows:
"The remains of the highly esteemed Mrs. Baines were laid in the St. John's Churchyard on Monday last week. The funeral was fixed for half past 2 o'clock and in spite of the wet day a large number of relatives and friends assembled at the residence in St. John's Road, where a hymn was sung by the choir. This over, the cortege proceeded to St. John's Chapel where a service was conducted by the Rev. W.A. French. Then Rev. W. Johnson delivered a touching address in which he referred to the many amiable qualities of the deceased. The coffin was borne to the grave where the Rev. French read the concluding portion of the burial service and Rev. Johnson closed the rites with a most impressive prayer. The deceased lady was widely known and highly esteemed as a consistent member of the Primitive Methodist Society. She was ever ready to speak well of her religion, to visit the sick and dying. She was 69 years of age and will be missed in her humble circle."
At a Sunday Anniversary Service held on 12th June, 1898, a poem was composed and recited by Rev. Richard Smith and dedicated to Mary Ann. Portion of the poem read as follows:
Another one also left us,
To mention it greatly pains;
It was our good kind sister,
The late Mrs. Baines
She's gone to her rest, God bless her,
She was always so good and kind,
As good and as staunch a Christian
As ever you will find:
She came in and out amongst us,
Like Dorcas of old.
She's been tried in affliction's fire,
And came out pure as gold.
In a prayer meeting or class meeting,
She always took a part,
And whene'er she prayed, why bless her
She prayed with all her heart.
Ah, well I can remember, she always sat just there.
She seemed to let her heart out to God In Holy Prayer;
But God, in His mercy, hath taken her from our side,
She gone to be with Jesus
Beyond the swelling tide. (14)
Ruth Atkinson (Brass) and Doris Stabler (Mrs. Malcom) daughters of the Atkinson family, heard the saga of the journey of William and Mary Ann many times and they corresponded with many of the Australian connections for many years. (15)
REFERENCES.
- International Genealogical Index
- International Genealogical Index
- Letters from J. Atkinson and Major Kenyon Fuller, Durham
- Marriage Certificate, General Register, London.
- Birth Certificate, General Register, London.
- Birth Certificate, General Register, London.
- Letter from J. Atkinson, England.
- Birth Certificate, General Register, London.
- Letter from J. Atkinson, England.
- From the Family Scrap Book.
- Death Certificate, Register of Births, Deaths, and Marriages, Sydney.
- Entry in Parish Register, St. John's Church, Shildon, sent to me by Rev. Vincent Ashwin, Rector of the church.
- From the Family Scrap Book.
- From the Family Scrap Book
- Letter from J. Atkinson, England.