MYTTON/MITTON

Hello. The legend that you mention is of the sort that often arise in families that share a surname with rich families or famous people. You might well share a descent with Mad Jack but if so it would be at a distant period. The pedgree of the Myttons of Shrewsbury and Halston is well recorded, as is that of the distinct Myttons of Shipton, in Corvedale and Cleobury North. These pedigrees are copied in various manuscript collections held at Shropshire Archives and mainly available on films. (I have fair chunks of these tabulated and cannot see at first glance anything that might assist you).

Of course at early periods, say before 1620, some junior branches or sons may be shown, from which more humble lines might descend.

There is a large range of records to assist, but this is not the place to attempt to give a guide.

The rather small registers of Halston which survive from about 1686 are printed and indexed and available at Archives, and I believe that entries were also recorded in the registers of the main, adjoining parish of Whittington. In other words I doubt that there is anything special to discover at Halston chapel.

First step is perhaps to check out that marriage in 1798 at St Chad's, hoping that it might state real parishes of residence of the parties - though such detail, or the truth, is often missing at St Chad's at that period.

My hunch - but please place little on this - is that George may have come from a family seen in IGI at Longnor and next-door Leebotwood, south of Shrewsbury, and Church Stretton.

All this is rather hurried, and if anything more helpful comes to mind I will post further.

You can book a computer and fiche reader at Archives in advance (but not day itself) via the Council on 0345 678 9000. For computers and the secure search room you will need a reader's ticket, so take usual evidence of identity. Photos need but Archives can take these for you for small charge.

Bit more. The SFHS Burials Index (see Shop on home page header) has a George Mitton buried 29.6.1819 at Dawley Magna, of Old Park [ where then was the big iron works ] aged 50. This fits loosely with the GM bap 11.3.1770 at Leebotwood, as I surmised earlier. No other close candidates in IGIfor Salop, but that is not exhaustive, eg St Julian's and St Alkmund's in Shrewsbury not covered.

An appropriate Martha is not in this index, but (a) she might have remarried; or (b) might have died after June 1837, with civil registration of deaths then kicking in.

By the way, there are no birth certificates befoe July 1837.

A good day to visit Archives is a Thursday, with opening until 8-00 pm, and with SFHS volunteers available to advise you in the morning.

The words which this website for some reason has censored in my last posting were H E L L O and R I C H . Perhaps Webmaster can comment if he reads this.

Hi Martyn, yes we are aware of the censorship, we requested a profanity filter and it's being a bit over zealous. We have asked for it to be tamed, but have no fear your original words are there, just that currently they don't display, so once it's fixed they will return to view.

Thank you Graham. I wonder what we CAN get away with!

Bit more for our original poster.

Have today at Archives checked the fiche of original marriage register of St Chad's:

George Mitton of this parish and Martha Williams of the same married by banns 26.12.1798. Witnesses Richard Langford and Maria Langford, both by mark. George signs as George Mytton, Martha makes her mark.

From Leebotwood printed and indexed register per Shrops Parish Register Society; there is a long gap in original register to about 1780 and during this period Leebotwood entries were made at Longnor (which is why the IGI may refer to both parishes for the same event):

11.3.1770 George, s of Thomas and Mary Mitton of Leebotwood bap

17.12.1765 Thomas Mitton, Church Stretton [ parish ] and Mary Davies married by licence

17.11.1765 Banns published [ which rather contradicts the "Banns" ] between Thomas Mytton, All Stretton, Butcher and Margt Davies [ that Margt may be a misreading by the editor ] [ All Stretton is the northern part of Church Stretton parish, and close to Leebotwood ]

From old fiche version of IGI, checked against printed registers which give no further detail, except where stated:

Thomas Mytton s of Thomas and Eleanor bap 15.8.1742 at Church Stretton

Thomas Mitton and Eleanor Hancock married 1.9.1738 at Church Stretton

Thomas s of John and Elizabeth Mitton bap 22.3.1712-13 at Smethcott [ next west of Leebotwood ]

John Mytton, p of Church Stretton and Elizabeth Preece, of Smethcott married 20.7.1707

Bap of this John not readily seen in IGI. Needs to be pursued at Archives, looking for gaps in registers, and in registers that may not be in IGI. And remember Wills. More of such when you are ready. Post again.

[ Note that Smetchcote is / was often spelt Smethcote, and that there are two other Smethcotes in the county, north of the Severn, places not parishes ]

I can see from indices that the Mitton surname occurs early in Leebotwood, etc, but not in adj Woolstaston.

Explore Archives' online catalogue of deeds (varying the spellings of names) on

archives.shropshire.gov.uk

If you get "Dserve error" the main Council computer is under overnight or weekend maintenance - or simply "down".

Forgot to mention that "of this parish" has to be taken with a pinch of salt in St Chad's and St Mary's, Shrewsbury in latter 18th century. Sort of marriage factories for country folk, and real facts probably not a concern.

Thanks Martyn for all your help and going to the archives, unfortunately I don't live close enough to pop down for  research I hope I can plan a day in the near future.

I did gather some new details from Halston Hall and it was lovely to see the house and chapel. Although no direct link was found I don't feel it was a wasted trip.

I have looked into the names and dates of the Myttons you came across, in my notes I had previously made a Leebotwood connection and it makes sense for the time we are looking at and the area. 

Also I did do an archive search as you suggested and there are a lot of records, I have listed various ones that may be of relevance, one of which is a family bible of Thomas and Mary Mytton listing their 9 children (1037/24/13) up to 1774- if the right family George Mytton should be listed too.

I am working my way through dates and looking at previous paperwork we had from previous research which weas conducted before we had the internet.

We have an extract of a letter from a relative who mentions the family history, specifically their confusion over Martha being of good standing and how she came to marry a coalminer (Benjamin Little). He also mentions her being a huge influence in the family being Catholic- to which 2 family members I know of became priests. I will look into this as I'm not sure if the man who wrote the letter is still alive, and we only have an extract of the letter.

I have made a list of things to do and possible places to look as well as continuing research on the Shropshire Archives and other websites.

If you have any other advice I am grateful for any tips. If I discover anything I'll let you know.

I had given you up!

I feel that you should take all the hints of genteel origin with some salt. There is no evidence to support.

The 1037 reference at Shropshire Archives refers to the More of Linley collection. They became heirs to the lesser landed family of Mytton of Shipton (which is in Burke's Landed Gentry in 19th c up to 1879). That bible will have belonged to Thomas Mytton of Shipton 91736-1787) and his wife Mary, daughter of Sir Henry Edwardes, 5th Bt. I have both of these families tabulated. TM did not, by the way, have a son George.

I feel that I have set out the right line for a few generations. Further progress needs searching at Archives. (IGI alone is unsafe, and gives no hint of status; nor generally are there burials).

And then there is the question of Wills, such as at Hereford.

More perhaps anon.

Yes the further you go back and the less the connection appears to be there, I will be chasing up some other links, but for now assuming the lineage you set out is accurate I will follow it back myself, see if I can unearth any documents with this would solidfy the line. It's easy to follow the wrong path so thanks again for the advice and I'll keep looking, though I fear people I have found who were also related to the family have similarly become stuck and even just left it open not looking for further details- I am reluctant to give up!!

Thank you. Before I forget, in your first post you said that Benjamin Little and Martha Mitton married at Oldbury. But IGI has 22.3.1829 at Wellington All Saints. Have you checked that entry? What was Benjamin's later occupation per Census?

As regards social status one needs to recall that Martha Williams was illiterate at her marriage; and that she and George went on to live in industrial areas at Wombridge and Old Park. Odds are that George was working in coal or iron. Burial registers after 1812 awere not pre-printed to have a column for occupation. It is possible, but with busy parishes a bit unlikely, that George's occupation was stated at one of the baps of his children. Only after 1812 was this a pre-printed requisite.

I have been looking at the names of those children. Philip was possibly named after his father's brother Philip, bap 11.6.1778 at Leebotwood; and that this name came in two generations earlier from a Philip "Hancoks" who married 7.5.1727 at Smethcott and who MAY have been brother to Eleanor. Can see no Philip as father of a Martha Williams around a reasonable period. Rebecca may have been the name of Martha Williams' mother. See she bap 16.6.1773 at Church Stretton. (I have still not seen a burial or remarriage for widow Martha Mitton / Mytton up to end 1837. FreeBMD has Martha Mytton dying 3rd q 1854 in Wellington District and Martha Mittin dying 3rd q 1852 in Church Stretton District. Is "your" Martha in 1851 Census?).

You mention other records. First might be Wills. The Dawley area, and Leebotwood, Longor and Smethcott were in Lichfield diocese, Church Stretton in Hereford. You might approach member Chris Potter, OBE who has a full index of Shropshire Wills proved at Hereford and has been working through those for Lichfield. This is not a free SFHS service. cfrpotter@clara.co.uk

Right, to answer a few of your queries- Martha Mitton married Benjamin Little in Wellington Shropshire as you said. I think I got confused- they lived for some time in Oldbury (Church St).

Martha's occupation was a muffin maker.

Benjamin's occupation was a stone miner (presumably coal).

Yes Benjamin appears in the 1851 census aged 44 born Coalbrook Dale, Shrops.

He is listed with Martha aged 40, also born Coalbrook Dale, son Stephen Little, Daughter Ellen (from here children are born Brierley Hill Worcs), Son John, Daughter Martha and Daughter Agnes (both born Oldbury).

The 1861 census is interesting- still in Oldbury but Martha is living with the children (some and a grand child) but Benjamin is not, I have noted he is elsewhere, but I can't find the address I will have to chase this up.

This obviously goes against your findings for a death of Martha in the 1850s. I have not checked the 1871 census (on my list). Another forum I came across with details about the family stated that Martha (daughter of George and martha) apparently had 2 siblings- Philip and Mary. They then claim to have census records for both Benjamin and Martha until her 'presumed' death in 1887. I did try to contact this person but I had no reply.

I will need to go through the rest of your findings and thoughts and lay it out clearly so I can see where we are with things and names etc.

Thanks again

Fine. I looked today at the entry for the bap of Philip, son of George and Martha in Dawley (printed volume). No further detail. Also noted that Wombridge baps generally (on fiche) had no further detail.

I did not claim to have found the death of Martha in 1850s; merely noted entries in FreeBMD indices for you.

Well I have found that Benjamin was living as a lodger in Galscote Staffordshire in 1861, listed as a coal miner. By 1871 Martha lists herself as a widow stil living in the Oldbury area.