THE WHITFIELDS OF ALLENDALE, NORTHUMBERLAND

BY CAROL MINSON

[This article describes the author's family research in a way that may prove helpful to others.]

See also Organize Your Data by Dates and Latest Musings on the Whitfields" by Carol Minson.

Swinhope Valley, Allendale

I have been working a great deal on the Allendale WHITFIELDS the past few months, trying to get them into families. Almost all of the Whitfields from the Allendale Parish Registers, -- up until the mid 1800's, -- are in my computer. I have over 600 Allendale Whitfield entries, with their sources.

It has been interesting to see different patterns emerge. I can see the reality of several things, such as the fact that "many" people lived in Allendale during the lead mining times. I have two big maps (24" x 16") of the East Allendale area - one for the 1600's and another for the 1700's. I have placed red dots on the different homes and cottages in which Whitfield's lived. The emerging picture was exciting to me.

There are at least 12 Whitfield families in the East Allendale area in the 1600's with 53 children. Since Parish Registers started in 1662, there are undoubtedly more Whitfield families living in the area, but not recorded before 1662. They moved around quite a bit, even in the 1600's. Those 12 families lived in at least 20 different places. The majority of the Whitfields lived in the Swinhope area of Allendale, where eight different homes were inhabited by Whitfields in the 1600's.

Summary of Whitfield Families in E. Allendale in the 1600's:
(source: parish records & hearth tax)

Whitfield Families in West Allendale in 1600's:
(source: History of Northumberland Vol III, Part I, Hinds. pg 86-104.)

What were the living conditions faced by the Whitfields in the 1600's? The following was helpful, from History of Northumberland Vol. III, Part I, Hinds:

"In 1632 the connection (for Hexhamshire) with the Crown ceased entirely and it appears that almost all of the land and appurtenances went to Sir John Fenwick, by letters patent. This grant comprised East and West Allendale. . . all lead mines and lead ore to be obtained within the liberty. In spite of the privileges of the Hexham copyholders, and notwithstanding the fact that they paid no heriots, and had almost complete liberty in the disposal of their lands, they were miserably poor, and were always in difficulties." (pg. 59)

1600's Dates that may be helpful in your ancestor searches:
(Allendale happenings are italicized)

Summary of Whitfield Families in E. Allendale in the 1700's:

* Carol Minson's line of Whitfields

I often find myself wondering what political forces were shaping the lives of Whitfield people in Northumberland, specifically in Allendale. The following dates and events have been gathered from family history seminars plus encyclopedias. They may not be entirely accurate, but will give you an idea of what was happening in England in this time period. The following events/dates may help explain what was happening to your ancestor. .

1700's Dates that may be helpful in your ancestor searches:
(Allendale happenings are italicized)

Almost all of the Whitfields in the parish registers were listed as "Miners." Remember that Sir Wm. Blackett purchased the manor of Hexham from Sir John Fenwick in 1694 . This purchase included all the lead mines and their ore.

Les Turnbull's History of Lead Mining in the North East of England further clarifies what was happening in the Allendales in 1700's:

"The great mines. . .at Coalcleugh in West Allen and at Allenheads in the East Allen valley; the smelt mills at Dukesfield, Catton, Rookhope and Dirt Pot; and the refinery and warehouses at Blaydon (all) belonged to the Blacketts." (Turnbull, pg. 10)

"Lead Industry . . . made the region famous in the 18th and 19th century as the principal lead mining area of Britain, at a time when Britain was the world's largest producer of lead." (Turnbull, pg. 7)

"The Blackett-Beaumont family (provided for) schools for the workmen and their families. The mines (were worked) in the Allendales and Weardale until the industry collapsed two hundred years later . . .(along with) the closure in 1896 of the Allenheads mine, once the largest silver-lead mine in the world." Turnbull pg. 10)

© Carol Minson 1997, 1998

Mrs. Minson's address is:
22 Rockbridge Drive, Afton, Wyoming, 83110, USA and her e-mail address is: cnminson[at]gmail[dot]com
She welcomes correspondence on the Whitfields.