Charles Walker Stonehouse
Charles was born in 1864 and was just 15 when his mother died. He remained living with his widower father and no doubt learnt the trade of miller from him. Charles married Dorcas Elizabeth Shergold in Darlington in 1890 and she was literally 'the girl next door.
Dorcas originated from London and her brother it would seem was George Shergold, a tramway manager from Clapham, who lived next door to the Stonehouse family.
In 1891 Charles and Dorcas were living at 17 Four Riggs with his father Samuel and Charles was now head of the household. They were expecting their first child at this time and Samuel George was born in 1891.
He was followed by a second son, Charles Henry, born in in 1897 and then a daughter who rejoiced in the names Priscilla Dorcas May Stonehouse. She was born on 22 August 1899.
By 1901 the family had moved to the rather more upmarket Park Terrace. Charles was still shown to be a miller at this time. Also in their household on census night was his cousin Samuel James Stonehouse listed as a visitor, who was also a miller.
When the 1911 census was taken it showed they had moved yet again and were now living at 15 Greenbank Road. Charles was now working as a corn and flour dealer. All three of their children still lived at home and they were able to employ a domestic servant.
Charles died on 3 January 1953 aged 89. Dorcas died on 8 March 1955 aged 86.
Their son, Samuel George Stonehouse, born in 1891 was working as an accountant at the School Furnishing Company in Darlington in 1911. He married baker Margaret Nora Hurwood in 1919. Her birth was registered at Richmond in Surrey but the 1911 census gave her place of birth as Scorton.
Samuel and Margaret do not appear to have had any children. Samuel's mental health presumably deteriorated as he died in Winterton House, Sedgefield on 13 May 1953, just a few months after his father. Samuel George was 62. Margaret died in 1966 aged 80.
Charles and Dorcas' second son, Charles Henry Stonehouse, born in 1897, was living with his parents and still at school in 1911.
He eventually married Winifred Mary Walker in 1920. She was a farmer's daughter from High Grange Farm.
They had three children, two daughters and a son. However, their son born in 1929 and also named Charles, died in infancy.
Charles Henry was only 47 when he died on 30 August 1944. His address was 71 Duke Street, Darlington. Probate was granted at Durham on 12 February 1945 to Winifred Mary Stonehouse, the widow.
Effects totalled £2,740 9s. 6d. Winifred remained a widow for nearly 40 years and died in 1982 aged 82.
Their eldest daughter married Franz Klauber, a doctor, and had three children. She was widowed on 25 July 1964 when Franz died aged 60.
Their address at the time was 21 Hartford Road, Darlington. It isn't known what happened to her. Her younger sister married in Darlington in 1958 and had 2 daughters and a son.
The youngest of Charles and Dorcas' family, Priscilla Dorcas May Stonehouse married Fred Hutchinson in 1925 and had a son in 1930.
They moved to Lancashire where Fred died in 1968 aged 69. His death was registered at Fylde. Priscilla died in Blackpool in 1978 aged 78. (Beryl Wilson 1 April 2016. Updated 6 November 2020).
Charles Walker "Chas" Stonehouse |