Mike Covell’s Blogg

For three years I have searched both documentation and with maps and plans of the Hull Cemeteries to try and locate Richard and Isabella Stephenson. I poured over the East Yorkshire Family History Societies grave transcription books, parish records at East Riding Archives, and through the family history records at Hull’s Carnegie Heritage Centre, Hull’s History Centre, and through the mass of documentation in the Local Studies and Archives. Finally, after three years, I found a card entry in Hull’s History Centre that featured the death of Isabella Stephenson in the second quarter of 1891. The card had the basics of her death, the quarter it was recorded, the date etc, but nothing of real importance, at least so I thought. That was until I noticed that on the rear of some of the cards, the transcriptions of grave stones had been added! I once again found Isabella Stephenson’s card and turned it over, to reveal the following information.

In Memory of William Stephenson who died Jan 31st 1858 aged 84 years and of
Mary Ann, wife of the Rev. George Gladstone, who died Oct 4th 1867 aged 59 years,
Also of Ann Lambert, who died August 8th 1872 aged 82 years,
Also of Richard Stephenson, who died January 4th 1889, aged 83 years,
Also of Isabella, wife of the above Richard Stephenson, who died April 19th 1891, aged 81 years.

Finally I had located the transcription, but just who was William, Mary Ann and Ann Lambert and why where they buried with the bodies of Richard and Isabella Stephenson? Here is the story of the Stephenson family grave.

In 1806 Richard Stephenson was born, and later Christened on September 12th at Hull’s Holy Trinity Church, a location that boasts the beautifully carved coralloid marble font which is still used to this day. The font is said to date from around 1380 and notable MP William Wilberforce was baptized here. The parish records state that Richard was born on July 28th 1806 to William and Ann Stephenson. [1] From this it appears that William Stephenson is Richard Stephenson’s father, and therefore Robert D’Onston Stephenson’s grandfather.
By May 1831 Richard Stephenson had met and married Isabella Dawber at St Mary’s Church, in the parish of Sculcoates. The marriage was witnessed by Robert Dawber and an M.A. Stephenson. The fact that M. A Stephenson was present at the wedding as a witness has caused problems for myself for sometime. Why wasn’t William a witness at the wedding, and who was M. A. Stephenson?
The subsequent newspaper report of the marriage failed to mention any witnesses [3] and the trial seemed to be going cold.
Searches for an M.A. Stephenson failed to throw any light on the mystery, but with the discovery of the grave transcription efforts were moved from the Stephenson’s onto the name of Gladstone. It was with this surname and the name of George that the marriage entry was found on Yorkshire BMD for George Gladstone marrying Mary Ann Stephenson in 1843 at Holy Trinity Church in Hull.[4] With this new found data I searched the newspapers again, and found the following on April 28th 1843,

Marriages

At the Holy Trinity Church, Mr. George Gladstone, corn merchant, Sleaford to Mary Anne, only daughter of William Stephenson of this place. [5]

M.A. Stephenson was not a man, as I had initially thought, but Mary Ann Stephenson, the only daughter of William Stephenson, and sister to Richard Stephenson, thus making her Robert D’Onston Stephenson’s auntie!
On January 31st 1858 William Stephenson passed away at his property on Norfolk-street aged 84. [6] The news was quickly covered in the press, both locally, [7] and nationally [8].
In 1867 more bad news would hit the family, when Mary Ann passed away, a newspaper entry read,

Deaths

October 4, at Leiston, Suffolk, Mary Ann, wife of the Rev. G. Gladstone, and only daughter of the late Mr. Wm, Stephenson, of this town. [9]

Again we see Mary Ann linked to William Stephenson of Hull and listed as his only daughter.
With the mystery of Mary Ann, and William solved, it was time to turn my attention to Ann Lambert, who had passed away in 1872. Sadly, no newspaper entry for Lambert could be found, and no register of her death has yet to be traced, but it will be found. The only clue that can be found at present, is that Ann Lambert was a friend, possibly even a relative of the family, as she was seen as a visitor in the 1861 census. [10]
And so, as a busy week of research ends, another begins, there are still as many unanswered questions as there are answers, and there is still a grave to be found and photographed somewhere in a damp overgrown Hull Cemetery.

Reference:
1] 1806 September 12th Richard Stephenson Christened, he is listed as son of William and Ann Stephenson. The service takes place at The Holy Trinity Church. There is a note that he was born 28th July 1806.
2] 1831 May Richard Stephenson of the parish of the Holy Trinity, Hull, Merchant and Bachelor marries Isabella Dawber of the parish of the St Mary, Sculcoates, Spinster by licence.
They are married by WM Keary, and the service was witnessed by Robert Dawber and M A Stephenson. The service takes place at St Mary’s Church, Sculcoates. (Sculcoates Marriages, January 1830- June 1837, East Yorkshire Family History Society, 2003, P. 13)
3] 1831 May 31st The Hull Packet and Humber Mercury publishes the marriage announcement of Richard and Isabella,

MARRIAGES

On Tuesday last at Sculcoates church, by the Rev WM Keary, Mr. Richard Stephenson, to Miss Dawber, both of this place.

4] 1843 Yorkshire BMD features George Gladstone, marrying Mary Ann Stephenson at Holy Trinity Church, Hull, Ref HD/5/341
5] 1843 April 28th The Hull Packet and East Riding Times features the following,

Marriages

At the Holy Trinity Church, Mr. George Gladstone, corn merchant, Sleaford to Mary Anne, only daughter of William Stephenson of this place.

6] 1858 January 31st William Stephenson dies aged 84. His death is registered in West Sculcoates, WES/10/296
7] 1858 February 5th The Hull Packet and East Riding Times features the following,

Deaths

Stephenson,- Jan 31st, at Norfolk-street, Hull, Mr. W. Stephenson, aged 84.

8] 1858 February 5th The Daily News features the following,

Deaths

Stephenson,- Jan 31st, at Norfolk-street, Hull, Mr. W. Stephenson, aged 84.

9] 1867 October 11th The Hull Packet and East Riding Times features the following,

Deaths

October 4, at Leiston, Suffolk, Mary Ann, wife of the Rev. G. Gladstone, and only daughter of the late Mr. Wm, Stephenson, of this town.

10] 1861 April 7th Census, Stephenson family, 135 Church Street, Sculcoates, Hull RG9/3582 F115 P25 R543156.
Richard Stephenson 54, Head, Mar (Oil*) Linseed, Rapeseed and Bone Crusher, b. Yorkshire Hull
Isabella Stephenson 51, Wife, b. Yorkshire, Sculcoates
Isabella Stephenson 23, Daughter, b. Yorkshire, Sculcoates
Richard Stephenson 21, Son, Ship Brokers Chartering Clerk, b. Yorkshire, Sculcoates
Robert D Stephenson 19, Son, Lieutenant Southern Army Italy Retired, b. Yorkshire, Sculcoates
Ann Lambert 71, Visitor, b. Lincolnshire Barton
Eliza Ward 21, House Maid, b. Middlesex Marylebone