Mike Covell’s Blogg

It has been a busy week for me as the kids are off school and I have been sat at home with my two children all week.  I did manage to get a couple of hours at Local Studies Library in Hull.  My trip was to research an up and coming location for our team “Ghosttrackers”.  As I studied the Trade Directories I came across a familier name.

Stephenson- The Missing Link?

When Robert D’Onston Stephenson’s father Richard was married, there was a witness present who signed their name “M.A.Stephenson”.  For years I searched for this person, thinking it to be his father, and Robert D’Onston Stephenson’s Grandfather.  I came across only females in Hull using the prefix of “M” and remembered that in one of the Trade Directories, there was a Richard Stephenson, residing with a “Mary Ann Stephenson”.  Several searches later revealed this to be his sister, thus Robert D’Onston Stephenson’s Auntie. 

I never gave up and began researching this Mary Ann, and this week it payed off!

A while back it was suggested that “Dixon Stephenson” was The father of Richard, and Grandfather of Robert D’Onston Stephenson.  Sure enough, Mary Ann, is residing with her Father in the Lowgate area of Hull.  Both are working in the Dress making industry!

I now have copies of the trade directories and burgess rolls which show the families location for this period, and add’s another piece to the jigsaw!