William Swales

Though not certain, there is some evidence that our William Swales is the same William Swales, son of William Swales and Ann Taller, who was christened 7 Nov 1767 in Felixkirk. Aside from the name and age, which fit, there is no evidence of that William Swales having died or married in or around Felixkirk. Likewise, there is no evidence of another William Swales being born or christened anywhere in the area at that time. While the distance from Felixkirk to Skelton/Brotton is substantial for the times, at 30 or more miles, it is not difficult to imagine him traveling that distance in the roughly 28 years between his birth and marriage to Elizabeth Stephenson in 1795. In addition, it is worth noting that William and Elizabeth's first two children were named Anne and William (like the Felixkirk William's parents), while their second two children were named for Elizabeth's side. In 1801, when there was a general accounting of able bodied men to defend England against invasion by Napoleon, there was a William Swales in Brotton, between 15 and 60 (ours would have been about 33). There is no record of the rest of the family, only that he did not have a (riding) horse, and did have a pike. It is uncertain if he lived in Skelton in 1799, but there is a William Swales listed as the proprietor of taxed property where John Sharpe lived. John Sharpe is also listed in the Defence Act Returns in Skelton in 1801. His burial date is from the Brotton parish register. The month of death is unreadable on the gravestone, and was missing from the transcription, but is believed to be November. Much of what we know about him is confirmed by the inscription on the Swales gravestone in St. Peters Churchyard, in Brotton. Here is a description of the stone as it appeared in the 1940's. Type and material; Sandstone headstone. Size; Height 144cms. Width 81cms. Thickness 12cms. Orientation: West, inscription on east face. Technique of inscription; Incised. Condition of monument; Sound (it has since fallen and cracked). Inscription: ERECTED In Memory of WILLIAM SWALES of Skelton who Died (Nov) 20 1835 Aged 67 Years ELIZABETH SWALES BELOVED WIFE OF THE ABOVE DIED JUNE 2ND 1852 AGED 82 YEARS. MARY SWALES BELOVED WIFE OF DANIEL SWALES DIED NOV 10th 1841 AGED 30 YEARS. HANNAH E. SWALES DAUGHTER OF THE ABOVE DIED JULY 16th 1839 AGED 3 1/2 YEARS. WILLIAM SWALES SON OF THE ABOVE DIED MAY 28th 1874 AGED 35 YEARS. ELIZABETH SWALES SECOND WIFE OF DANIEL SWALES DIED JUNE 14th 1863 AGED 47 YEARS. The gravestone is located in section D, position 1 (see diagrams). As you can see, the stone links William and Elizabeth. Also there are Stephensons and Websters memorialized on the surrounding stones, supporting the marriage record shown above. It also links William to his son Daniel, our ancestor, and confirms Daniel's two marriages, as well as corroborating their marriage records, by providing their approximate date of birth. Luckily there was no other Daniel Swales in the area, which also makes these conclusions quite certain. Possibly the William Swales christened 7 Nov 1767 in Felixkirk.