George Reed

Died September 29th 1849   

                                                    Above: George’s wedding record   

George Reed (or Reid) died when he was age 36. His death was recorded in the Newcastle Courant, which also said he was a ‘clogger’ or clog maker. This was useful information when we tried to find more about George due to the confusion with his surname.

He was born about 1813, but not in Alnwick. He  was probably from Scottish Ancestry. He married Ann Anderson in St Michael’s Church, on 21st December 1835 (see above) . She couldn’t write as she and her brother who was a witness, both signed with a cross. Ann had been born in Brizlee to shepherd Thomas and Elizabeth Anderson.

By the time of the 1841 census the family were living on the south side of Narrowgate Street. George and Ann were both recorded as age 25 and they had a son John, who was 3. This George was a clogger, so we knew this to be the right family.

George and family were living in Fenkle Street when he died on 29th September 1849, during the first week of the cholera outbreak. Like many others, he was buried in an unmarked grave at the rear of St Michaels Church. Ann was pregnant with their fourth child at that time, as Jeremiah Reed was born in the 4th quarter of 1849, just after his father died.

By the 1851 census Ann and her family were still running the clog making business in Fenkle Street, at the upper end near the Angel Inn. She employed a man and a boy to help her. She was recorded as a 35 year old widow and a “clogger mistress”. John her eldest boy was now 12 and an apprentice clogger. Elizabeth was 8, born in 1843, and Thomas was 5, born in 1846. Then came Jeremiah who was only one.

By 1861 the family had broken up. We assumed Ann had died but couldn’t find a record in Alnwick. John, Elizabeth and Thomas also disappeared, but we found Jeremiah Reid living with uncle William (42), born in Scotland and aunt Elizabeth (37) Campbell, born in Alnwick with no children of their own. They were living in Victoria Street, Gateshead. This must have been a new and growing area at that time.