- Define the Problem
- Timeline
- Evaluate Evidence 1
- Evaluate Evidence 2
- Evaluate Evidence 3
- Evaluate Evidence 4
- Evaluate Evidence 5
- Evaluate Evidence 6
- Search for New Evidence
- Brown Family Certificates Received!
- Robert Unwin Will
- Search for New Evidence 1
- Search for New Evidence 2
- Charles Healey Will
- Going Around the Brickwall
- The Lost Children
In a previous post, I discovered that one of the witnesses to the marriage of my brick wall ancestors George Brown and Ann Healey was a woman named Margaret Healey and I’m hoping that by researching Margaret and her family, I might find out more about Ann Healey. Last week, I learned more about Margaret’s husband’s family, and today I’m going to reconstruct that family in an effort to go around my brick wall.
From the probate records of Charles Healey, I learned that he had a brother named Harvey Healey, an unusual name that should be relatively easy to find and that turns out to be quite true.
Searching Ancestry, I find an index record for the Cathedral of Saint Peter in Sheffield that indicates Harvey Healey was the son of James and Elizabeth Healey, baptised on 25 June 1797. Knowing that Find My Past has images of Bishops Transcripts for Yorkshire, I search there too and find the entry and another brother!
Jervis and Harvey sons of James and Elizabeth Healey, Inn Keeper were both baptised 25 June 1797. That James Healey was an inn keeper suggests that this is the correct entry.
I then return to Ancestry to search for all baptism records in the approximate time period where the parents were James and Elizabeth Healey and then use Find My Past to locate the Bishop’s Transcripts.
Again, I find more than I bargained for. Henry Healey was baptised with siblings Robert, James and Elizabeth Healey. James Healey’s occupation is ‘Vittril Maker’ on 29 June 1787. Is this the same James and Elizabeth Healey as in the prior record? The occupation is different. And what is a Vittril Maker anyway?
A Google search tells me that a Vitriol Maker (spelling did not count in the 1700’s) was someone who made sulphuric acid.
While this might be a different James Healey, it might also be the same one, since in my experience with Sheffield victualers, they often began working in some other occupation before inheriting or starting an inn keeping business on the side.
From the 1797 Directory of Sheffield, I find James Healey running a coffee house on George Street:
Healey, James – George’s Coffee House, 13 George Street.
On the Sheffield History forum, I find a post relating to George’s Coffee House:
John Hardcastle having taken and entered upon the above coffee house, which is fitted up and newly furnished in as a compleat a manner as possible, begs leave to solicit the patronage and support of the Gentry, and the Public in general, and to assure them, that it shall be be his constant study to render those who may please and honour him with their favours, every accommodation in his power upon the most reasonable terms.
– Elegant lodgings to lett, for single gentlemen.
Hardcastle’s tenure was of short duration. Nor did his successor. James Healey, fare better (1). Neither as a Coffee-house nor as a Constitutional Club, was the enterprise a brilliant success, as may be inferred from this advertisement in the Sheffield Iris of 29th December 1797 :
That newly erected large and commodious TAVERN & COFFEE-HOSE … known by the name of George’s Coffee-House in George Street, Sheffield lately occupied by Mr. Healey.
Searching Ancestry’s newly released West Yorkshire Alehouse Licences, I find two entries for James Healey, one in 1802 and the other in 1803 in QE32/52.
In the land tax redemptions for 1798, I find an entry on Waingate:
Proprietor Samuel Peech, Occupier Jas Healey, 7 shillings
Several other similar entries appear for James Healey as the occupier on Waingate in the Ancestry collection for West Yorkshire, England, Select Land Tax Records, 1704-1932 [QE13/16/35]:
1781: Waingate: Owner Samuel Peech, Occupier Jas Healey, 7 shillings
1788: Owner Duke of Norfolk, Occupier James Healey, 4 shillings
1789: Owner Duke of Norfolk, Occupier James Healey, 4 shillings
1792: Owner Duke of Norfolk, Occupier James Healey, 2 shillings
1793: Owner Duke of Norfolk, Occupier James Healey, 2 shillings
1794: Owner Duke of Norfolk, Occupier James Healey, 2 shillings
1797: George Street: Owner G Woodhead, Occupier James Healey, 10 shillings, 8 pence
1799: Waingate: Samuel Peech, Occupier James Healey, 7 shillings
1800: Waingate: Samuel Peech, Occupier James Healey, 7 shillings
Assuming that this is the right family for Charles and Harvey Healey, my sketch looks like this:
PARENTS
Father: James HEALEY
Burial 23 Nov 1812 Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Sheffield (Inn Keeper)
Mother: Elizabeth
Birth about 1759
Burial 2 Oct 1819 Cathedral Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, Sheffield (of Sheffield, Haymarket)
CHILDREN
Charles HEALEY
Birth est 1784
Occupation 1815 silver plater; Sheffield
Occupation 1819 silversmith; Sheffield
Occupation 5 Feb 1820 Inn Keeper; Rein-Deer Hotel, Sheffield
Occupation 1822 Inn Keeper; Buck Hotel, Sheffield
Death 6 Oct 1823 after a long illness; Rein-Deer Hotel, Sheffield
Burial 9 Oct 1823 St. Peter & Paul Cathedral (Sheffield Parish Church), Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Probate aft 9 Oct 1823
Spouse Margaret BAINES ( -1865)
Marriage 18 Jan 1815 Manchester Cathedral, Manchester
Henry HEALEY
Chr 29 Jun 1787 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Robert HEALEY
Chr 29 Jun 1787 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
James HEALEY
Chr 29 Jun 1787 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Elizabeth HEALEY
Chr 29 Jun 1787 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Harvey HEALEY
Chr 25 Jun 1797 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
Jarvis HEALEY
Chr 25 Jun 1797 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England
There are probate file index entries for both James and Elizabeth HEALEY and I’ve put in a request for a quote on these.
