Chalk to Cheese

Whilst running a genealogical workshop in the village I came across a couple of new names; the first is, I believe, a corruption through the Lincolnshire accent that changes farrington to forinton. There are several indications for this with the name also being spelt forington and forriton. The only snag is that the name does go back to the end of the 18^th century and before the census and GRO index so it looks as though it will have to be a trawl of the registers in the Boston area. There does seem to be just the one family with this name and no others in the area with the farrington surname. The surname concentration is on the west side of the country from as far north as Lancashire down to the Welsh border. I am sure that this is just to compensate Heather for the problems that she will have as she carries out her research into the SMITH family tree! In the IGI there are 750 Aarons with the smith surname which is almost as bad as my problem with the William Jenkins of Wales that I have to contend with. It is as though to prove my mention of the concentration correct that it turns out that the origin of the name is from the village of Farington in Lancashire which is the ‘ton’ where the ferns grow.

According to FreeBMD one of the forinton family married a Passable but I can’t find any that look like that in the dictionary; the nearest I can get to sound like it are Perseval and one spelt passifull which is not far from passable and it and wouldn’t take a great deal to change the sound to fit.

I must apologise for the next item which Anne put on the internet and I know it is rather long but if you are interested in fleshing out your family then it just shows how detailed the newspaper reports can be. I must say that it does go into just a little bit too much detail.

Thrashing Machines and Penalties for Negligence. - On Friday last, Mr. Hitchins held an inquest on the body of Wm. Jow, aged 13, in the employ of Mr. Newton, of Nocton, who had been killed by a thrashing machine: the head and left side of the body were found dreadfully fractured, and the left arm and left thigh broken. The machine was in a barn, with the tumbler-shaft passing through a door-board, and uncovered, - the box which ought to have covered it, and thereby rendered it safe, lying near. The coroner observed that this was another instance of death from sheer neglect. Mr. Newton's foreman remarked that there should be an Act to compel those in the care of machines to put on the box, and then all would be obliged to do it, but at present there was not one in fifty that did. The coroner said he believed such was the fact, for in nearly all cases the neglect was the same; but as to an Act, there was one against riding on shafts, and it did not prevent servants from doing so. The deceased, it seemed, was employed in clearing away straw, but for some reason went to the other side, when his slop caught, and he was instantly whirled round, his head, arms, and legs hitting against the ground and the machine: it was immediately stopped, but before he was extricated the youth was quite dead, having neither cried nor spoken. - The coroner, in summing up the evidence, censured the not putting on the box, and said that if the Jury thought a deodand necessary, it ought not to be a nominal one, but such as would be a "pocket-remembrancer". After consulting for some time, the Jury returned a verdict in conformity with the above evidence, and recommended Mr. Newton to have the danger obviated, expressing their opinion that no thrashing-machine ought to be worked without having the tumbler-shaft covered. Before the coroner left, the board was cut as recommended by him, and the box put on - a work of only a few minutes. [LRSM Friday 6 February 1846]

Top of the Tots

The Office of National Statistics has brought out its end of the year report on Christian names. The top few names change only gradually with the top places swapping over time and again. This year is no exception with the boys but it is all change for the girls with Olivia and Grace moving up to join Jessica in the top three. Jessica is now the third most popular name for a girl with nearly four and a half thousand registrations last year. With them in the top five there is the ever green Emily and new comer Ruby, a name that is making a comeback, climbing 69 places. A couple a new names are Summer with nearly nine hundred entries and Autumn with just fifty-five although it is noted that there are no girls named Spring or Winter. Still blossoming in the top thirty are Lily, Daisy and Poppy.

With Jack being given to almost seven thousand babies last year it still reigns as the number one Christian name, along with Thomas and Joshua these continue to be the three most popular boy’s names. Just beneath these is Oliver then Harry making this the first time since goodness knows when for James to be out of the top five.

Events around the world influence the names that children get given. Victoria and Albert came to prominence during the 19^th century but today it is television and sport that shapes the registrations. Theo has arrived in the top one hundred. Could this be as a result of the football fan and Theo Walcotts appearance in the World Cup? Celebrity children have given the UK a number of new names. Who knows where Shayne, Cruz, Maddox, Jayden, Lexie and Peaches came from? And why Ordinary Boy Preston? If you would like to know more then go to the ONS at www.statistics.gov.uk.

As a document the 1911 census remains well and truly closed until 2012 due to the contents being of a personally sensitive nature. However in response to a Freedom of Information request the Information Commissioner’s favourable decision means that The National Archives must supply some of the information it contains. With the continuing rise in people’s interest in family history The National Archives is developing an online 1911 census service, covering most parts of the census and a searchable database should be ready by 2009. Until then there is a basic service that you can use to get specific information from the 1911 census. It does not have a surname index therefore the only data that can be readily provided is from an address. My advice though is to wait a while until the database comes on line. The cost of a search for a single address is £45 and there will be no refunds.

Bits and Bobs

LRSM – March 20^th 1818 - Two paupers named BAXTER residing at Duddington near this place [Stamford], lately made a complaint to the magistrates of the refusal of the Parish Officers to allow them proper means of support. The Officers, confident that the application was an improper one, for their own justification, instituted a search in the cottage occupied by the complainants, and actually found, wrapped in old stockings, rags, etc, and secreted in the roof and other parts of the tenement, no less a sum than £92-8s-1½d, in silver and half-pence. The paupers (who were sisters) and their Mother had received Parish Relief for nearly 40 years!

(The exchange rate for today would be about £68,300) www.measuringworth.com