George Lindsay, John Lindsay
Died October 3rd October 7th 1849
George Lindsay, butcher, died age 68, and his son John died age 14 in the outbreak. George was born in 1785, in Alnwick. He married Jane Dixon who was 15 years his junior, on 31/10/1823 in St. Michael’s Church. Seven months later their first child, George was born. Sadly, little George did not survive, dying 2 months later.
George and Jane had a further six children before the 1841 census took place when; Thomas was a 15 year old book binder apprentice; Mary (her father was a farmer when she was baptised) was now 14; Jane ( father was then a husbandman) was now 11; George 8; John 6; and James 3.
George Snr’s name was mentioned in the local newspaper twice. Once when the house he was renting in Bondgate was up for sale and he was one of the sitting tenants. And another time was when his Kyloe Ox (an ancient Scottish breed) was injured while ‘depasturing’ in a field called Great Oakley Back, opposite Windy Edge Farm, Alnwick.
By 1849 the family was living in Teasdale’s Yard, one of the most filthy and run down parts of Alnwick. George Snr was then a butcher. George died on 3rd October 1849 and son John on the 7th. John was 14 years old by then and was possibly helping his father in his butchery business. It is notable that quite a few butchers contracted cholera. George and John were buried at the rear of St. Michael’s Church, in a mass grave with no headstone.
Two years later, on the 1851 Census we see that Jane was still living in Teasdale’s Yard, which had been cleaned up somewhat after the cholera epidemic. Her sons were all working in trades. Thomas, now 25 was a printer /compositor : George, 19 was a coach builder’s apprentice : and James, 13 was training to be cooper. Neither of the daughters were at home. Jane was 21 and a servant in a house in Alnwick. Mary was probably also a house servant, because on the 1871 census she was one of the many servants to the Grey Family at Falloden Hall. Mary died two years later in 1873,age 46.
By 1861 Jane and just one son, George Jnr now 29 were living in Teasdale’s Yard. Jane had been working as a laundress but was now retired. George was still unmarried and a coach maker. He must have been working for Maule’s, Drysdale’s or another coach builder. Jane died in 1871 age 70.
By 1871 George had his own business, in Howick Street across the road from Maule’s carriage works. He had married Jane ( born in Lesbury in 1832) and had one daughter Mary Jane born 1867.
Jane then died, leaving him to bring up his daughter alone. He did not remarry and died in 1903 age 71.
Meanwhile his Brother, Thomas married Harriet from Belford. He was still a printer and lived around the corner from his brother George, in Lisburn Street. They had five children altogether, George, Andrew, Margaret, Thomas and Harriet S. He lived at 11 Lisburn St. until his death in 1906 aged 80. At least one of his children (George) married and moved to London.
Youngest of the George Snr sons, James was baptised on the 4th May 1838, and was training to be a cooper in 1851. He joined the army on October 28th 1857 for 20 years. He was Reg. No 229 in the Cameronian (Scottish Rifles). In 1871 he was a soldier billitted in Barnstaple, Devon, a long way from home. In 1877, 20 years after joining the army he was discharged to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, age 39, so one assumes that his health had suffered seriously in some way during his time in service.