Genealogical Oddities (LXIII): A London Family's Child Baptised in C19th Asturias, Spain

At Mieres on 18th Feb 1847 was baptised Diego Ricardo, born 27th January preceding, legitimate son of Don Diego Williams and Doña Carlota Dove, residents of Oñón. Paternal grandparents Don Gabriel Williams and Doña Isabel Richards, stated to be natives of Lambeth, like the infant's father: maternal grandparents Juan Dove and Carlota Martin, parishioners - like the mother - of St Bride's Church, London.

Everyone in this record was accorded the polite form of address, Don/Doña. Their names are given in Spanish; in English they would be, I believe, James Richard Williams, James Williams, Charlotte Dove, Gabriel Williams, Elizabeth Richards, John Dove and Charlotte Martin.

Familysearch shows what seems to be the marriage of this couple: on 10 May 1843 at St Andrew's, Holborn, James Richard Williams, then aged 25, married Charlotte Dove, also aged 25.

James' presence in Mieres probably had something to do with the Asturian Mining Company, established in 1844. I wonder if the younger James has descendants and if they are aware of his 'Spanish origin'?

SOURCE: Archivo Histórico Diocesano de Oviedo, Mieres-San Juan Bautista, Baptisms 1839-1851

Genealogical Oddities (LXI): Englishman John Berman's 1770 Málaga Marriage

At Málaga's church of San Juan on 20 August 1770, Juan Berman, native of the town of Castar or Castur 'in the Kingdom of England, having joined our Holy Mother Church', the son of Francisco Berman and María Berman, was married to María Ana de Arenas, daughter of Francisco de Arenas and Teresa García, natives of Málaga.

I assume the English family's original names would have been John Berman, Francis Berman and Mary _____ ; Castor near Peterborough seems one possible place of origin for them, though there may be others.

SOURCE: Archivo Histórico Diocesano de Málaga, parish of San Juan, Marriages 1769-1780 (Legajo 462), P. 35 v.

Genealogical Oddities (LIX): John Peters of Bristol in C19th La Coruña

On 16 July 1825 at La Coruña's parish of San Jorge took place the baptism of Juan Carlos Peters, born on the 3rd of that month, a son of Don Juan Peters native of Bristol in England, and Doña María Tellet (or Fellet) of London. The paternal grandparents were named as Juan and Juana Peters; maternal, José Tellet (or Fellet) and María Stillman.

I cannot find any reference to him in Galician records after this, so assume that John Charles Peters, if he grew to adulthood, did so at home, whether that was Bristol, London or somewhere else across the Bay of Biscay. The English forms of these names are fairly simple - John Peters, Joan or Jane Peters, and Mary Stillman, but I am still puzzled by what the priest intended when he wrote Tellet or Fellet.

SOURCE: Archivo Histórico Diocesano de Santiago de Compostela, parish of San Jorge (La Coruña), Baptisms 1823-1832, P. 129 verso.

Genealogical Oddities (LVIII): Thomas Fowler Did Not Expect The Spanish Inquisition

Who was Thomas Fowler, an English merchant active in Spain during the reign of King Carlos II? A 'Don Thomas Fauler', stated to be an Englishman residing in the city of Seville, granted a power of attorney in Madrid on 21 May 1680 before notary Felipe Antonio González de Montalvo (which instrument was witnessed by one Alejandro Tromorton, or Alexander Throgmorton). Fowler/Fauler was caught up in the Inquisition's prosecution of Antonio Lemos or Lemús, whose assets were confiscated as part of the Inquisition's prosecution of him. Our English friend owed Lemos 17,000 reales, which debt the Inquisition now wished to call in, sooner rather than later. Suddenly Fauler found himself not in the placid enjoyment of a debt to a Spanish merchant, but rather on the receiving end of legal actions from the Inquisition. How unexpected!

He may or may not have been the same man as a Thomas Fauler whose assets in the Canary Islands were confiscated in 1657, as part of Spanish reprisals against Oliver Cromwell for Commonwealth attacks on Spain. In any case, the Fauler of interest to is is indicated by the Inquisition proceedings to have been a resident of Antequera by 1683. Perhaps some record in the National Archives at Kew would reveal his origin? Is anyone across the Channel missing a Thomas from their extended Fowler family tree?

SOURCES: Archivo Histórico Nacional, Madrid: Inquisición,4680,9 · For the list of English merchants with assets confiscated in 1657, "Guerra Económica Y Comercio Europeo en España, 1624-1674. Las Grandes Represalias Y La Lucha Contra El Contrabando", Ángel Alloza Aparicio [In: Hispania, LXV/1, num. 219 (2005)]

Genealogical Oddities (LV): Hampshire Gent in C18th Malaga Spain

Ceiling of Málaga Cathedral. Photo by Matthew Hovious

In 1776, "Don Guillermo Ybuelin" of "Southampton in the county of Hampshire, England" son of Don "Mateo Ybuelin" and Doña "Ysabel Sivers" married, at the Sagrario chapel of Málaga city cathedral, Josefa Mandly, a native of Málaga, daughter of Don Mathias Mandly and Doña Isabel Rosa de Rueda. The witness was one Guillermo Lovejoy.

I wonder if someone familiar with Hampshire genealogies may be able to connect this man with his English family. He seems to have been the progenitor of the large Huelin family existing still today in Málaga and elsewhere, and as long ago as 1968 I find a Spanish researcher referring to him as William Welling, but have no way of knowing if this is actually the correct English form of his name.

SOURCE: Archive of the Cathedral of Málaga, Cathedral (Sagrario) Marriages 1776-1792, P. 9

Genealogical Oddities (LIII): A Somerset Family in early C19th Spain

The church of San Jorge, La Coruña

[photo: Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC-BY-SA]

On 13 May 1812 at La Coruña's parish of San Jorge, a boy named Juan Francisco Pedro Regalado Tark was baptised. His parents were named as Jorge Pedro Tark and Isabel Hovié, both natives of the parish of St Mary Magdalene in the English city of Taunton. His paternal grandparents were stated to be Roberto Tark and María Ilman; the maternal grandparents, Guillermo Hovié and Francisca Whitelock.

This couple had at least one more child, baptised at the same church on 18 Nov 1813: Antonio Román Tark, in whose record all the particulars given are essentially the same except that his mother and father are described as natives of 'a suburb of London', and the priest has had some difficulty with the maternal grandmother's name, which he renders as 'Huithiloefi'.

I assume the English names of the adults mentioned above would be: Robert Tark, Mary Ilman, and Frances Whitelock, but I cannot hazard a guess as to what surname was intended by 'Hovié', unless perhaps it was actually a French or Huguenot surname.

SOURCE: Archivo Histórico Diocesano de Santiago de Compostela, Baptisms 1806-1813 of the parish of San Jorge in the city of La Coruña, p. 268 verso; and Baptisms 1813-1818, P. 52.

Genealogical Oddities (LI): An English Gentleman in C17th Galicia

At La Coruña's parish of Santiago on 10 April 1613, Manuel, son of "Guillermo Salder", described as an English gentleman, and his wife "Doña _na" was baptised. The godparents' surnames were abbreviated as "Spta", and they were stated to be Manuel de "Spta", Veedor y Contador de la presente de guerra, and his sister Doña Francisca de "Spta". The witnesses were Captain Mesa, Captain Sigler and Ensign Hidalgo.

Not much to go on in terms of establishing the identity of this caballero inglés. Though his surname is written as Salder, one wonders if he may have been named William Sadler?

SOURCE: Archivo Histórico Diocesano de Santiago de Compostela, Baptisms 1601-1636 of the parish of Santiago in the city of La Coruña, p. 44 verso.

Genealogical Oddities (L): Denbighshire Pritchard in C19th Spain

On 15 January 1809, Joseph Pritchard, son of Robert Pritchard native of 'Bicksan' in Denbighshire & his wife Anna Robinson, native of 'Lincon' in Lincolnshire, and said to be a parishioner of its parish of St Sebastian, was baptised at La Coruña's parish of San Nicolás. The record notes that the father was in Spain as a soldier helping defend the country during the Peninsular War. ("El padre era soldado que vino al auxilio de España".)

SOURCE:  Baptisms 1806-1813, Parish of San Nicolás (La Coruña), P. 126 verso, Diocesan Archive of Santiago de Compostela

Genealogical Oddities (XXXVIII): A Yorkshire Quaker in 18th Century Cadiz

On 8 November 1757 at Cadiz' Cathedral, one George Rennolds or Reynolds, about 24 years of age and a native of 'the city of York in England', son of 'Guillermo Rennolds' and 'Isabel Yaerel', was baptised into the Catholic faith, having until then belonged to 'the quaking sect', as the record puts it. His Godparent was one Juan Bautista Lostaud, and the witness Friar Maurice Hogan, a Franciscan and the chaplain of the Ultonia Regiment of Infantry.

George's father's name, in English, was presumably William Reynolds and his mother's Christian name would have been Elizabeth, but I cannot guess what 'Yaerel' was intended to be. Perhaps a researcher familiar with York families or Quaker records will know of which tree George was a far-flung branch.

SOURCE: Cadiz Cathedral Archive, Spain, Baptisms, Vol. 59, Page 105

Genealogical Oddities (XXXVI): A Powell family from London in 19th Century Galicia

On 12 Dec 1817 in the city of Orense, at its church of Santa Eufemia la Real, took place the baptism of Carlota Josefa Luisa, daughter of Don Bernardino Losada, an administrator with Spain's Tobacco distribution network, and his wife Doña Luisa Powell. The infant's maternal grandparents were named as Don Basilio Powell and Doña María Croston, natives of London, England, and who then resided in the parish of Santiago in the city of La Coruña. Unfortunately, this child died in February 1821.

I have never come across this Basil Powell and Mary Croston in records of the city of La Coruña, which is perhaps a bit surprising as I have worked with records of all of its parishes many times. That said, the above records does not specifically say that their daughter Louise Powell was born in la Coruña, or even elsewhere in Spain, so the Powells may simply have come over after the Peninsular War, bringing one or more adult children with them.

SOURCE: Baptisms 1816-1835, P. 24 verso, Parish of Santa Eufemia la Real, city of Orense; at the Archivo Histórico Diocesano de Ourense.

Genealogical Oddities (XXXV): A British Birth in 19th Century Galicia

On 16th July 1825 at La Coruña's parish of San Jorge, a child born on the 3rd of that month was Christened with the names Juan Carlos. His father was John Peters of Bristol; his mother, Mary Tellet of London. The infant's paternal grandparents were named as John and Jane Peters, which presumably reflects the grandmother's married name; but the maternal grandparents were named as Joseph Tellet and Mary Stillman. This baptism is a bit unusual in that what one usually sees in Spain at this period are foreign bachelors who settled here and married a Spanish wife; in this case, the Peters' seemed to have moved to Spain as a family, for whatever reason, and one wonders if their son Juan Carlos Peters stayed in Spain or eventually set off for England.

SOURCE: Diocesan Archive of Santiago de Compostela, Parish of San Jorge of La Coruña, Baptisms 1823-1832, P. 129 verso

Genealogical Oddities (XXXIV): A 19th century British Major's Spanish Daughter

On 21 July 1813 at the garrison parish of San Fernando (then known as Isla de León) near the city of Cádiz, a girl named María Rosa Dolores was baptised. Born on the 2nd of that month, she was stated to be the daughter of Doña María Josefa Vitini, native of Cádiz; and of George Wilkinson, 'Comandante' of His Britannic Majesty's Artillery, whose origin is given only as 'England'.

Peninsular War buffs or Wilkinson family historians may perhaps know more precise details of this Major George Wilkinson to whose service record the above achievement may be added!

SOURCE: Military Parish of San Francisco, San Fernando-Isla de León, Baptisms 1812-1815, Page 85o; Navy Museum Archive, Madrid.

Genealogical Oddities (XXXII): An English Cook's 1887 Death Shipboard Off Ibiza

While conducting research in Ibiza recently I came across the death record of William Alliston, who was taken ill and died aboard a yacht there on 3 April 1887. The record states that 'Guillermo' Alliston, native of Blandford in the county of Dorset, aged 43, married and a cook by trade, died aboard an English vessel, the name of which is unclear - Joam, Joan or possibly Foam? The informat for the record was Don Guillermo Wallis y Valls, an Ibizan gentleman.

A quick search of the IGI suggests that the deceased was probably William Frank Alliston, Christened at Blandford on 31 July 1842, the son of Robert and Charlotte; and who married, at Buckland Newton on 2 July 1863, Sarah Kingman. This family, with daughter Mary Charlotte Alliston, appears  on the 1881 census at Northwood on the Isle of Wight, which may indicate that the vessel aboard which William met his fate sailed from Portsmouth or Southampton.

SOURCES: Deaths, Book 14, P. 182, a copy of which is in the Arxiu Històric d'Eivissa; IGI, at www.familysearch.org.

Genealogical Oddities (XXX): An English Mariner's 1859 Death in Barcelona

On 28 August 1859 an English mariner named Francis Gibbs, aged 48, died of chronic gastroenteritis in Barcelona. He was described the husband of 'Isabel' Tidbury (Elizabeth Tidbury, I presume) and the son of 'Guillermo & Isabel' - surely one William Gibbs and his wife Elizabeth.

Francis' precise origin is unclear but a possible error in the death record provides a clue. The full name of the deceased is given as 'Francis Gibbs y Newbury' and he is stated to be a native of 'Becr, Inglaterra'. Under Spanish naming customs this should indicate that his mother's birth surname was Newbury. Perhaps though there was some confusion after Francis' death, and the entry actually means that he was from Newbury, Berks.?

SOURCE: City of Barcelona Deaths 1859, Volume 4, Entry 252, Barcelona Municipal Archive

Genealogical Oddities (XX): Three 16th century English merchants heading for Flanders

Registers covering assorted business transacted by the Cámara de Castilla in 1574 refer to permission granted on March 4th of that year to three Englishmen to travel through Spain on their way to Flanders. Stated to be merchants, they were William Caston, Gilbert Tickbone (or perhaps Tichbone) and David Stradling.

The first two are enigmas but the latter gentleman may be the David Stradling of Glamorgan for whom, as indicated in the History of Parliament, Mary I's last parliament in 1558 'marked the beginning and the end of his public career'. One of Stradling's sisters seems to have been in the retinue of the Countess of Feria and another is mentioned in connexion with Louvain. Stradling seems to have settled abroad after the accession of the Protestant queen Elizabeth I; perhaps Caston and Tichbone followed suit.

SOURCES: Archivo General de Simancas, Cámara de Castilla, Relaciones, Book 18, P. 49 verso; S.T. Bindoff, The History of Parliament, I:393

Genealogical Oddities (XVII): Herbert the Horse-breaker

Some time ago while working with census records for the city of Madrid I came across the entry for one Herbert Stewart, who appears in the 1924 census at Martires de Alcalá street No. 2, 1st floor. Rendering of foreign names in Spanish records is always a fraught process (and the same is true of Spanish names in other records) but this one indicates that Mr Stewart had been in Spain for 24 years by then, so he was surely aware of Spanish naming customs, viz., one should give one's father's surname followed by one's mother's maiden name. He appears to have done so, writing his full name as Herbert Stewart Arnott and signing the sheet as Herbert Stewart. The entry reveals that he was born in London on 30th November 1877 (or possibly, 1874) and that he was a horse-breaker employed by none other than the Duke of Alba, whose Madrid palace was almost directly behind his flat.

Wouldn't it be ironic if the horse-breaker - Herbert Stewart - were somehow related to his employer, the Duke of Alba - Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart? No, I don't think so either.

In any event, in case someone somewhere is wondering whatever happened to Great-uncle Herbert whom family lore has wandering off to Spain to work for a Duke.... here he is!

SOURCE: Padrón Municipal de 1924, Tomo 578, Hoja 8841; Archivo de la Villa, Madrid

Four English Gents in 16th-Century Seville

I spotted a curious notarial instrument yesterday while working in Seville. Recorded in April 1570 before notary Juan Pérez, it appears to be either a Power of Attorney or some type of authorisation needed to fulfil an earlier agreement, recorded before another notary in the same city. Notary Pérez employed several different scribes and the parties to this agreement got the short end of the stick - a scrawl that was hardly exemplary by the standards of the time, and today would require concerted effort to decipher, effort for which I did not have time at the moment. In any event, what caught my eye was that all of the parties to the agreement were English, referred to as gentlemen by the scribe, their names given as Thomas Foller, Thomas Estevenes, Gualter Leeson and Guillermo Ratiforte; I suppose they would be known to their friends and kin back home as Thomas Fowler, Thomas Stevens, Walter Leeson and William Radford. In any event the only one who actually signed the record was the first one, signing clearly and firmly Thomas Fowller with a squiggle at the end. Definitely an 'Hmm-what's-this-lot-doing-here' moment. 

SOURCE: Notary Juan Pérez, Records for 1570, Legajo 2237, Pp 221V-22V, Archivo Histórico de Protocolos, Sevilla

Genealogical Oddities (XI): Yorkshire Lad in Madrid, 1749

On January 12th 1749 a Madrid notary recorded the last will of a bedridden English Catholic whose name he wrote as Ricardo Semson. The spelling of the surname suspect and may perhaps correctly be Simson, Simpson, Samson or something else; unfortunately, Ricardo - or Richard - was unable to sign his will and dispel our doubts. The notary recorded Richard as a native of 'LittleBorro, Yorserhire', and the son of Ricardo Semson and his wife Maria. Richard stated that he was married, naming his wife as Isabel Semson (which I take to mean that he married in England, not Spain, as in the Spanish custom womens' surnames do not change upon their marriage). Richard and Isabel/Elizabeth had two children, named in the will as Juan and Francisca (so that would be John and Frances Semson) who, according to their father, resided in London in 1749. The witness to this will was Dr. Edmund O'Doran, Richard's confessor (who himself died later that year). Sadly, the will does not enlighten us as to what Richard was doing in Madrid when he took ill and died, far from his family in London - and 'Yorserhire'.

SOURCE: Madrid Notarial Archive, Records of Notary Feliciano Coxezes de Velasco, Bundle 14604 Page 321