John and Robert Wardle
Died 6th and 13th October 1849
The story of the Wardle family is one of the saddest in our whole catalogue of tragedy. John Wardle died age 0, on the official cholera list despite being a newborn. His brother Robert was born in the 3rd quarter of 1845 and died a week after John.
John and Robert were the sons of John and Margaret C Wardle/ Warde, living in Elliot’s yard, off Clayport St. Both their names were given on the baptism record for Robert.
In 1851 both parents were living in Clayport with their two other children; Ellen aged 9 (b. 12/6/1842) and Mary aged 3 (b. 24/9/1847). John was an agricultural labourer, aged 30. Margaret was 34, and from Eglingham. Their name was spelt Wardel on this document. They also had a son called Joseph John born in September 1843 who died the following year aged 9 months, before the cholera epidemic. Another boy, Henry John was born 30/11/1850 and tragically died March 1851 aged 3 months.
On the 1861 census John and Margaret were still in Clayport, on the north side of the road. They were living with 19 other families in tenements number 19 and 20 Clayport, near the Percy Arms Inn. Two other children had been born. As well as Mary, now aged about 14 they had Isobel, baptised 6/2/1852 and Thomas 6, born 4th quarter 1854 but baptised 7/1/1858.
Margaret died in 1863, having given birth to at least 8 children, 4 of whom had died. Ellen was unmarried when she gave birth to John Wardle Jnr on 24/1/1862, and to Margaret C Wardle baptised 11/1/1867.
John Jnr. was living with his grandfather John and uncle Thomas, now 16 on the 1871 census for Clayport. John Snr was now 49 and widowed, working as a labourer in the Maltings. Daughter Isabella was a general servant for a Professor of Music in Newcastle. She later married a John Wardle from Leicestershire, although we do not know if he was a relation. They went to St Pancras to live. Jonathan was a stone dresser.
John and Margaret’s daughter Mary also went to Newcastle and married a Robert Bell.
John died in 1887 age 62, after living with a “housekeeper “ for several years. His son Thomas Chrasison Wardle, married a lass from Lancashire and lived in Pottergate at first, but then moved to the other side of the Pennines.
Therefore there were no Wardles left in Alnwick from John’s tragic family. The unusual middle name above given to Thomas lived on in Alnwick, however . It was always spelled differently as Charisison, Chiesion, and even Creshison. We have no idea where this name originated. Do you know?? If so please contact us on :
familyhistory@bailiffgatemuseum.co.uk
