George & Mary DEAKIN, Chapel Farm, Wigmore circa 1917

Hello David

Can you please provide us with some more facts about your family.  In particular the date (at least the year) of birth and marriage and where these events took place.

Have you found your family in any census?  If so which year and where were they?

Mike

Thank you for your note,as previously stated I have no evidence other than than a 'Memorial Card' for the  interment of their their son John DEAKIN who died at Oswestry Camp March 9th 1917  of Pneumonia.The card cites John & Mary DEAKIN, Chapel Farm, Wigmore as Mum & Dad; Interment was at Wigmore Churchyard ,Wigmore.

I also have the Marriage certificate 7th March 1920 in reference to my Grandmother Lillian Mary DEAKIN who married Arthur WILKES in Knighton Baptist Chapel.George DEAKIN is shown as Dad. Lillian was born 22nd December 1892 or 1893 I haven't received the birth cert yet.

There are ambiguous references in the Census but nothing affirmative!

Many thanks once again

David

Hello David

Are you aware that John DEAKIN Service No: 238987 is recorded on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission web site as J DEAKIN.

The Graves Registration Report Form gives his father as: Mr G DEAKIN Chapel Farm, Wigmore and on another page it tells us he is buried 'In north part'.  Another entry states the 'Headstone for this grave is not included in the contract' so I am guessing that the family provided his headstone so it is unlikely to be a standard CWGC style headstone.

I presume the Memorial Card gave the father's forename as George not John?

Mike

Hello David

At last I have managed to make some proper progress on your family. George & Mary DEAKIN appear to have had the following family:-

Elisabeth Bap 1885 Clunbury
Annie Matilda Bap 1887 Munslow
Florence Bap 1889 Acton Burnell
Thomas or William Thomas Bap 1891 Acton Burnell
Lilian Mary Bap 1893 Acton Burnell
John Bap 1895 Acton Burnell
Edward Bap 1897 Acton Burnell

The Acton Burnell baptisms show that George was a labourer living at Causeway Wood (in the parish of Langley) which is south of Acton Burnell village.

George DEAKIN married Mary Ann JOSEPH(S) in the Knighton Reg. Dist. of Radnorshire Q2 1882.  This marriage is indexed as DEAKINS on Free BMD and Find my Past but as DEAKIN on Ancestry.

Mike

Many thanks for your help.

Hello David

Since my last message I have found a baptism for John DEAKIN and a marriage for his parents. Also references in the 1851, 1901 and 1911 census.  If you haven't found these yourself I can give some details.

Mike

Thanks Mike .

In reference to the 1911 Census it cites Deakins as the surname and Mr Deakin signs the record as Deakins,which is an issue as the surname is Deakin.I have the marriage certificate for Lillian his daughter; George and  one other are both shown on the MCert as Deakin.Having sight of the Baptisim and marriage certificates that you  would be very helpful at this stage.

Many thanks 

David 

Hello David

The first thing I would say is that you shouldn't get hung up on the spelling of the surname DEAKIN or DEAKINS because the way it was written was down to the person who actually did the writing and that would rarely be your ancestor who probably didn't know how to spell it anyway.  It may have just been down to the way the name was spoken and how it was heard by the third person so you are probably safe in assuming that both spellings are correct.

Your family baptisms are viewable on the Find my Past web site (subscription) Click 'Search' then 'A-Z of record sets' then type Shropshire in the Search box. From here you can select whichever group you want.  Your grandmother Lilian Mary DEAKIN was baptised on 29 Jan 1893 the daur of George & Mary DEAKIN of Causeway Wood, Langley. He was a labourer.  In another record Ruckley is entered as the place of abode - they are all one and the same.

With your family having a connection with Knighton, Radnorshire, Wales you might like to look at the Knighton records on the Forebears web site but some of these take you to the Find my Past site for the details where you will find the marriage of George DEAKINS (indexed as DAKINS) and Mary Ann JOSEPH (sometimes JOSEPHS) on 26 Apr 1882 at Beguildy.  She signed, he make his mark.

In the 1851 census I think your family are recorded as DEAKINS at the following reference: Class: HO107; Piece: 2493; Folio: 220; Page: 6; living at Cr(a/e)igbyther, Knighton.

In the 1901 census the family are at Lingen, Herefordshire as DEAKINS Class: RG13; Piece: 2501; Folio: 17; Page: 7.  There is a very interesting point here where the last child is listed as Mary A. JOSEPH Step Daughter age 20 born Radnorshire Beguildy so she must be the daughter of Mary Ann JOSEPH who married George DEAKINS.  Their marriage certificate shows Mary Ann JOSEPH to be a spinster so her child must have been illegitimate.

In the 1911 census John DEAKINS born 1895 is a waggoner on the farm of Mr CROWE at Willey, Herefordshire.

Mike

Many thanks Mike 

I recently Googled the names of GEORGE AND MARY DEAKIN of Chapel Farm Wigmore as they were my great grandparents and up came these posts from David Lindsay. They had a daughter Annie who was my grandmother. She died a little before I was born so I never did get to meet her or her parents. I was born and live in Gloucestershire and every few years, over the last forty years or so, have visited Knighton and the cemetery at Wigmore. I would be interested to know more of our family connection, if you feel you would like to contact me.

Hello Baskerville

Thank you for your note;I will be delighted to talk to you and apologizes for a tardy response. .

I have recently made contact with with a deakin living in Canada so there is something to share plus my own narrative to be part of a book that I have been writing for the past couple of years.

You can call me up on the following : davidjulianlindsay@aol.co.uk

Many thanks for making the time to contact

Please see my response

Many thanks Michael for your help. I have had a response from David Lindsay.

Baskerville.