The Search for the parents of Lucy E Bissell

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Lucy Elizabeth Bissell (b.1859), wife of Robert Melville (b.1854) by Allan Lannon

For some years the parentage of Lucy Elizabeth Bissell, listed in one record as Elizabeth Lucy Bissell, puzzled me and searching the Scottish indexes threw up no clue as to the background of her parents listed on her marriage certificate to Robert Melville at Fascally, Brora. 

Lucy’s parents were listed as Jonathan Bissell, Iron Moulder, and Jane Marr.  The first inclination was to look in the records for Aberdeenshire as the Marr surname was known to exist there.  This proving fruitless a search was made in the Iron Smelting areas of central Scotland due to the stated occupation of Lucy’s father of Iron Moulder. This too drew a blank and with the trail decidedly cold the search was dropped.

In 1996 a letter was sent to Melvilles residing in Golspie by Richard Melville from Downley, High Wycombe relating to his search for Melville ancestors .  Cousin Cecil Melville passed this letter onto me and I responded.  To my surprise the writer was a descendent of the very Robert Melville and Lucy Elizabeth Bissell I had been interested in.  The details sent were entered on the Melville computer database and again the search resumed but still in Scotland as there was no indication that there had been an English connection before the couple moved south to the Midlands of England.

In late summer of 2006, with the unusual occurrence of having time on my hands, I decided to spend some time and money searching the English archives through Ancestry.co.uk and Online1837.co.uk.  Success was rapid after the discovery that Jane Marr, Bissell by marriage, had actually married a second time relatively shortly after the birth of Lucy and she had become Mrs Daniel Goodfellow as indicated in the 1861 census for Cradley, Warwickshire.  This discovery explained the appearance on the marriage certificate of Robert and Lucy of a D. Goodfellow as a witness to the marriage.  The occupation of Daniel Goodfellow, of Brick Maker, at the time of this census suggested a link to Brora and the Coalmine and Brickworks.  On following the family through the census returns up to 1901 the references to the Brick making industry proved consistent and showed that Daniel Goodfellow and his family had moved around the country as he obtained employment in this industry.  One such employment opportunity was at the Brora Brick Works and while in Brora his step-daughter, listed in early records as daughter in law, married to Robert Melville.  The marriage was in 1877 and they were still in Brora at the time of the 1881 census.  However, the family moved south to Leicestershire between 1881 and 1883. By the time of the move at least three children had been born in Brora and maybe four, possibly including a pair of twins.

Searching of the English records successfully followed the family up to the 1901 census and complimented the later information sent by Richard Melville.   This information is adequately covered in the Family Group Sheets and descent outline and does not require repeating here. Unfortunately, however, there is a blank in the early records due to the fact that Jane Marr could not be found in the census records for 1841 and 1851 for England , Wales or Scotland .  Some better luck was had with Jonathan Bissell and Daniel Goodfellow with a further generation back being obtained in subsequent searches.  At a future date extra work beyond the 1901 census may be carried out to find the conclusion of the lives of Jane, Daniel, Robert and Lucy and to fill in the blanks in the information on their descendants – but that is certainly for another time!

The non-appearance of Jane Marr in the in the 1841 and 1851 census records is a disappointment.  Whether she was simply not recorded due to the family moving around or the possibility that she too was a child in a second marriage is unclear.  The latter is certainly a possibility and she may be somewhere recorded under the name of a stepfather or possibly as an illegitimate under the father’s name rather than the possibly unmarried Marr mother.  This search will also be undertaken again at a later stage after a copy of the marriage certificate for Jane and Daniel Goodfellow has been obtained. Hopefully this will indicate Jane’s parents. 

Descendants of Jane Marr b. c1836 and (1) Jonathan Bissell and (2) Daniel Goodfellow

(Limited here to three generations)

1.   Jane Marr , b. c1836 in Cradley Heath, Staffordshire, England, census 1861 in Parade, Cradley, Warwickshire, England, census 1871 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England, census 1881 in Aston, Warwickshire, England, census 1891 in Withycombe Raleigh, Devon, England, census 1901 in St Oswald, Aston, Warwickshire, England, ID number 0982A.  Not found in England , Wales or Scotland in 1841 or 1851 census. William Marr listed in 1861 census at Craddley, Halesowen, Worcestershire along with Jane and Daniel Goodfellow is probably a brother of Jane's.  1871 living at 15 Garratt Lane , Cradley. In 1881living in separately from husband who is working in Markfield, Leicestershire , England .  Jane has Albert,  Alice and Clara with her with her at 113 Hubert Road , Aston, Birmingham .  In 1891 at 5 Park Terrace Withycombe Raleigh , Devon .

     She married (1) Jonathan Bissell , b. c1835 in Rowley Regis, Warwickshire , England , (son of Benjamin Bissell and Sarah Bissell ) d. Before Dec. 1860, census 1851 in Kingswinford, Staffordshire , England , ID number 0983A, occupation Iron Moulder.  Jonathan: Iron Moulder.  Deceased before 1860.

                             Children:

            2.       i      Lucy Elizabeth Bissell b. 1859.

     She married (2) Daniel Goodfellow , 25 Dec 1860 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England, b. c1833 in Staffordshire, England, census 1861 in Parade, Cradley, Warwickshire, England, census 1871 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England, census 1881 in Markfield, Leicestershire, England, census 1891 in Withycombe Raleigh, Devon, England, census 1901 in St Oswald, Aston, Warwickshire, England, ID number 3561A, occupation 1861/1871 Brick Maker/Brick Manufacturer, occupation 1881 Brickworks Manager, occupation 1891 Manager of Brickworks.  Daniel:  In 1881 and 1901 birth place given as Tunstall, Staffordshire , England .  In 1881 lodging with Bailiss family in Leicestershire. In 1891 at 5 Park Terrace Withycombe Raleigh , Devon .

                             Children:

                      ii     Thomas Goodfellow , b. c1862 in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, census 1871 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England, ID number 3568A.

                      iii     Julia Jane Goodfellow , b. c1864 in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, census 1871 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England, census 1881 in Kings Norton, Worcestershire, England, occupation 1881 Domestic Servant/Cook, ID number 3567A.  In 1881 residing with the Dingley family as a Domestic Servant/Cook.

                      iv    Frances Ellen Goodfellow , b. c1866 in Dudley, Worcestershire, census 1871 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England, census 1891 in St Andrew, Plymouth, Deveon, ID number 3566A.  In 1891 residing with the Wakefield family but no occupation given.

                      v     Clara Ann Goodfellow , b. c1868 in Dudley, Worcestershire, England, census 1871 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England, census 1881 in Aston, Warwickshire, England, ID number 3565A.

                      vi    Harriet Goodfellow , b. c1872 in Oldhill, Staffordshire, England, census 1901 in St Oswald, Aston, Warwickshire, England, ID number 3562A.

                      vii    Albert W Goodfellow , b. c1875 in South Shields, Durham, England, census 1881 in Aston, Warwickshire, England, census 1891 in Withycombe Raleigh, Devon, England, census 1901 in Castleford All Saints, York, England, occupation 1891 & 1901 Brickworks Labourer, ID number 3563A.

                      viii   Alice M Goodfellow , b. 4 Aug 1877 in Brora, Sutherland, Scotland, census 1881 in Aston, Warwickshire, England, census 1891 in Withycombe Raleigh, Devon, England, occupation Dressmakers Assistant, ID number 3564A.

Second Generation

2.   Lucy Elizabeth Bissell , b. 1859 in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England, census 1861 in Cradley, Worcestershire, England, census 1871 in Rowley Regis, Staffordshire, England, census 1881 in Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland, census 1891 in Leicestershire, England, census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, ID number 0981A, occupation 1877 Domestic Servant.  Father appears to have died when she was very young and his details yet to be found. Brought up by step-father, Daniel Goodfellow.  He was a brickmanufacturer from Staffordshire who came to work as a foreman at the Brora Coalmine and Brickworks.  He was probably the witness given as D. Goodfellow at the marriage of Lucy to Robert Melville.

     Special Note: The birthplace of Lucy is given as Middlesbury or Middlesboro, Yorkshire in records.  This can be explained by the following and also connects her father and his occupation to that town. Middlesbrough is an industrial town and town in northeastern England . Middlesbrough is historically part of the North Riding of Yorkshire, but in 1974 became part of the new administrative county of Cleveland . In 1996 Cleveland was abolished, and Middlesbrough became a unitary authority, though it is still part of North Yorkshire for ceremonial purposes. Middlesbrough is situated on the south bank of the river Tees , it became a town in 1830 as a result of industrial expansion connected with iron production and the growth of railways, including the development of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

     In the 1861 census given as Lucy E Bissell, 22 month old daughter in law, and in 1871 census she was given as Elizabeth Goodfellow - name of her step-father.

     She married Robert Melville , 23 Feb 1877 in Fascally, Brora, Sutherland, Scotland, b. 25 May 1854 in Brora, Sutherland, Scotland, (son of Robert Melville and Henrietta Gordon ) census 1871 in Commerce Street, Brora, Sutherland, Scotland, census 1881 in Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland, census 1891 in Leicestershire, England, census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, ID number 0980A, occupation Shoemaker/Letter Carrier, occupation 1871 Labourer, occupation 1901 Brickmaker.  Robert: M. Wt. Joseph Grant & D. Goodfellow.  Moved to Birmingham between August 1881 and 1883 to work at Bournville for Cadbury Chocolate company.

                             Children:

                      i      James Melville , b. 1877 in Brora, Sutherland , Scotland , ID number 0984A.  Not certain when James was born.  Possibly a twin to Henrietta and may not have survived.  Or maybe there was not a James - to be checked again.

                      ii     Henrietta Jane Melville , b. 10 Sep 1877 in Brora, Sutherland, Scotland, census 1881 in Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland, ID number 0985A.  Possibly a twin to James.  Lived at Cotteridge, Birmingham , England .  Had three children - 2 girls(1 named Winny) and one boy.  Known as Etty.

                      iii     Helen Ann Melville , b. 26 Aug 1879 in Brora, Sutherland, Scotland, census 1881 in Clyne, Sutherland, Scotland, ID number 0986A.  Lived at Market Harborough, Leicester , England . Husband's name not known - had a daughter named Doris .  Helen known as Nel.

            3.       iv    Robert Melville b. 20 Aug 1881.

                      v     Edith Mary Melville , b. c1883 in Leicester, England, census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham, England, ID number 1583A.  Worked at Cadbury's Factory.  Spinster and lived with mother.

                      vi    Margaret Melville , b. c1885 in Birmingham, England, census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham, England, ID number 1586A.  Probably married and died in childbirth.  AKA Maggie.

            4.       vii    Clara Melville b. c1888.

                      viii   Albert John Melville , b. c1890 in Birmingham , England , d. 2 May 1957, census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham , England , ID number 1584A.  Foreman at Cadbury's Factory for 41 years retiring in 1951.  No children.

                             He married Ada Melville (MS Unk.) , ID number 1592A.

                      ix    William G Melville , b. c1893 in Birmingham, England, census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham, England, ID number 1588A.  Died as result of wounds suffered in 1st WW - gangrene in leg. A keen athlete who won many cups.

            5.       x     Ernest James Melville b. c1895.

                      xi    Alexander G. Melville , b. c1897 in Birmingham, England, census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham, England, ID number 1589A.  AKA as Alex. and Alec.  Worked in Cadbury's Factory for over 50 years from 1911 to 1952 in Central Accounts.  Served as Stretcher Bearer in R.A.M.C. in 1st WW.  Keen sportsman playing tennis, snooker and football for Bournville Athletic.

Third Generation

3.   Robert Melville , b. 20 Aug 1881 in Brora, Sutherland , Scotland , d. 2 Dec 1985 in Selly Oak, Birmingham , England , ID number 0987A.  Worked at Cadbury's factory 1911-45.  Hobbies gardening and playing bowls.

     He married Alice Maud Burford , d. 9 Jun 1975 in Selly Oak, Birmingham , England , ID number 1353A.

                             Children:

            6.       i      Leslie Robert Melville b. 14 May 1914.

            7.       ii     John William Melville b. 22 Mar 1923.

4.   Clara Melville , b. c1888 in Birmingham , England , census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham , England , ID number 1585A.

     She married Wilfred Mortiboys , ID number 1593A.  Wilfred: Builder.

                             Children:

            8.       i      Joyce Mortiboys .

                      ii     Ronnie Mortiboys , ID number 1595A.  Died in early 1990s.

5.   Ernest James Melville , b. c1895 in Birmingham , England , census 1901 in Aston, Birmingham , England , ID number 1587A.  Officer in 1st WW.

     He married Madge Melville (MS Unk.) , ID number 1590A.

                             Children:

                      i      Sonia Melville , ID number 1591A.  Lived in Surbiton, Surrey , England .

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