Furthermore

Roots Magic

I've downloaded the basic version of Roots Magic. It looks like exactly what I need to manage all the family history info I've accumulated in one place. I'm particularly impressed they've thought about the fact that you might want to add sources for where you found pieces of information.

It imported from my parents' old Family Tree Maker file without complaint, and I've added a couple of things since then. Don't bother with the Platinum edition - the basic is fine unless you need a lot of help with PC applications.

Walter James Freestone (1897-1954)

Walter Freestone was my grandfather on my dad's side. See the Freestone Family Tree page.

He married Mabel Humberstone, and they went on to have the following children:

• Cathleen Freestone
• Dennis Freestone (1924-1999)
• Gordon Freestone (my dad) b1933
• Colin Freestone b1936

Walter died well before I was born, so I don't know that much about him. He ran the Duke William pub in the Bail in Lincoln from about 1940. I have a note that around 1930 the family were working in the Clinton Arms, Princess St, Lincoln. Apparently my dad remembers looking into a flour mill that used to be near there.

Humberstone Family Tree

This will be the permanent link page for the family tree of my dad's maternal ancestors (Humberstone family).

Matthew Humberstone (b ~1841) m ?

• Martha Humberstone (b ~1874)
• William Humberstone (b ~1876)
• George E Humberstone (b ~1878) m1897 Gertrude Alice Vamplew (b ~1881)
• Mabel Humberstone (b 1898)
• Eva Humberstone
• Ernie Humberstone - no children
• Dorothy Humberstone m Ron ?
• Tom Humberstone m Pat
• Harry Humberstone (b ~1897) - killed in WW1. [Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record]
• Mildred Humberstone (b ~1883)

Notes: all this information is from the 1891 census, based on my finding the marriage record between George Humberstone and Gertrude Vamplew in FreeBMD.

Hmm, and now I've found George in the 1901 census and he's single and still living in Matthew's household. There's only one Gertrude Humberstone of the right age, and she's single and living in Nottingham. None of the children seem to findable at all - not even Mabel and Harry, who should certainly have been born by 1901. I think the marriage record I found in FreeBMD is the right one but I may well have the wrong George and the wrong Gertrude from the 1891 census.

The census record records Matthew as a widower, and includes in his household a Martha Goddard, 28, described as his sister in law, which suggests he had at least one brother. He's a gardener by occupation.
The family are living at 14 Foundry Street, Horncastle, which is significant, as a newspaper cutting reporting the death of Harry Humberstone says he was "residing for some time with his parents at 39 Foundry Street". As a bit of local colour, William Marwood the hangman who devloped the "long drop" lived in the same street, and would only have died a few years before the 91 census.

I haven't pursued the Vamplews as yet, but the 1891 census has the following:

• Joseph Vamplew (b ~1857) m Lucy Ann ? (b ~1859)
• Fanny M Vamplew (b ~1878)
• Gertrude A Vamplew (b ~1881)
• Herbert Vamplew (b ~1885)

The family are living in Horncastle Road, Woodhall, and there are two servants in the household - Joseph is an agricultural foreman and the servants are described as agricultural waggoners.

Freestone Family Tree

This will be the permanent link page for the family tree of my dad's ancestors, the Freestones.

Thomas Freestone b. c1795 m Mary Ann (Mansfield?)

• William Mansfield Freestone b1818 d1819
• Caroline Mansfield Freestone b 1820
• William Mansfield Freestone b1821
• George Freestone b1823
• Charles Freestone b1825
• James Freestone b1825 d1829
• Eleanor Freestone b1828
• James William Freestone b1830
• John Freestone b1831 m Elizabeth Jane ?
• John William Freestone b1857 m Fanny Crossley
• John W Freestone b~1878
• Edward Freestone b~1881
• Thomas Mansfield Freestone b~1883
• Elizabeth A Freestone b~1887
• Herbert Freestone b~1890
• Fanny Freestone b~1893
• Alfred Freestone b~1895
• May Freestone b~1899
• Sidney Freestone b~1901
• Caroline Freestone b~1860
• Thomas Mansfield Freestone b1861 m Ellen Ryalls
• Edwin T Freestone b~1885
• Frederick C Freestone b~1888
• John W Freestone b~1890
• Alfred Freestone b~1893
• Ernest Freestone b~1896
• Walter Freestone (1897-1954) - my grandfather
• Ada Freestone b~1900
• Charles Henry Mark Freestone b1866
• Benjamin Freestone b1833 d1833
• Eliza Freestone b1835

Thomas Freestone of Chelmsford (~1795 - 18??)

Thomas Freestone was my great great great grandfather - see the Family Tree

I haven't looked at these records myself, but a person from the Freestone mailing list kindly did this research for me.

Date	Event	References
~1795	Thomas Freestone born in Chelmsford?, Essex
~1815	Married Mary (or Mary Ann) Mansfield(?)
19 Oct 1817	Mary Ann Freestone born in Chelmsford	parish records
31 Dec 1818	William Mansfield Freestone born in Chelmsford (buried 5 Jan 1819)	parish records
28 Jul 1820	Caroline Mansfield Freestone born in Chelmsford	parish records
27 Dec 1821	William Mansfield Freestone born in Chelmsford	parish records
17 Aug 1823	George Freestone born in Chelmsford	parish records
6 Mar 1825	Charles Freestone born in Chelmsford	parish records
1 Aug 1825	James Freestone born in Chelmsford (buried 29 Aug 1829)	parish records
23 Jul 1828	Eleanor Freestone born in Chelmsford	parish records
11 Jul 1830	James William Freestone born in Chelmsford	parish records
5 Apr 1831	John Freestone born in Chelmsford	parish records
3 Apr 1833	Benjamin Freestone born in Chelmsford (buried 9 Apr 1833)	parish records
12 Mar 1835	Eliza Freestone born in Chelmsford (buried 9 May 1835)	parish records
3q1870	?Mary Ann (wife) died age 58	parish records

The family seems to have lived in Union Yard/Barrack Lane. Thomas was feltmonger/leather dresser.

Other factoids I have from my correspondent's email:

A Mary Ann Freestone of old Barrack Lane was buried in 1 Jul 1835 age 40yrs. Not sure who that is.

I could not find a marriage for Thomas and Mary Ann. There was a girl named Susanna Mansfield who had about four illigitimate children around this time period. I was wondering if she was a sister to Mary Ann. Also I could not find John Freestone in the 1841 census, it was so faded I could not read it.

He was not in 1851 census, but: In the 1851 Census there was the following Family at Chelmsford.
At 4 Conduit Square Thomas Freestone, Head, Mar, 35, Glover, born in Chelmsford. Ann Freestone, Wife, Mar, 38, born in Chelmsford Elizabeth Jennings, Sister-in Law, 40, born in Chelmsford

This Thomas Freestone could be another son of Thomas and Mary Ann. He would have been born about 1816, but there was no christening record for him.

Thomas and Ann were in the 1861 Census, but Thomas was a widower in 1871.

Thomas Mansfield Freestone (1861-1940)

Thomas Mansfield Freestone was my great-grandfather - see the Family Tree

Date	Event	References
3q1861	Thomas Mansfield Freestone born in Sheffield to John and Elizabeth Freestone	GRO - Sheffield 9c 398 3q1861
3q1882	Married Mary Ellen Ryalls	GRO Sheffield 9c398 3q1882
~1885	Son, Edwin T Freestone born in Chelmsford	1901 census
~1888	Son, Frederick C Freestone born in Grantham	1901 census
~1890	Son, John W Freestone born in Nuneaton	1901 census
1891	Family living in Nuneaton at 6 Seymour Rd near to John W (brother). Thomas M working as skinner in leather factory.	1891 Census
~1893	Son, Alfred Freestone born in Nuneaton	1901 census
~1896	Son Ernest Freestone born in Havant, Hants	1901 census
~1898	Son, Walter Freestone (my grandfather) born in Worcester
~1900	Daughter, Ada Freestone born in Worcester	1901 census
1901	Boarding in Lincoln with son Edwin at 10 St Marks Sq, with Nicols family. Other children with Ellen in Sheffield.	1901 census
1q1940	Died, Lincoln – recorded age 77	GRO - Lincoln 7a1637 1q1940

John William Freestone (1858 - 19??)

John William Freestone was my great-grandfather's brother - see the Family Tree

Date	Event	References
2q1858	John William Freestone born in Sheffield, son of John and Elizabeth Freestone.	GRO - Sheffield 9c 365 2q1857
3q1877	Married Fanny Crossley	GRO - Sheffield 9c 585
~1878	Son, John W Freestone born in Sheffield	1891 Census
~1881	Son, Edward Freestone born in Sheffield	1891 Census
~1883	Son, Thomas Mansfield Freestone born in Sheffield	1901 census
~1887	Daughter, Elizabeth A Freestone born in Grantham	1901 census
~1890	Son, Herbert Freestone born in Grantham	1901 census
1891	Family at Seymour Road, Nuneaton, John working as skinner in wool factory. Thomas M (brother) also in same road. Children present: John W, 13, Edward, 10, Thomas, 8, Elizabeth, 4, Herbert, 1	1891 Census
~1893	Daughter, Fanny Freestone born in Grantham	1901 census
~1895	Son, Alfred Freestone born in Grantham	1901 census
~1899	Daughter, May Freestone born in Grantham	1901 census
~1901	Son, Sidney Freestone born in Grantham	1901 census
1901	Family living at 7 Temperance Place, Grantham. John W (son) and Edward not present. Tom working as grocers asst.	1901 census
19??	died

I'm looking for the following on John William (father):

• a death record - can't find one on FreeBMD

I can't find John W (son) in the 01 census. Edward is present - he's working as a master baker in Worksop. I haven't looked at his household record for children.

John Freestone (1831 - 188?)

John Freestone is my great great grandfather - see the Family Tree

Date	Event	References
5 April 1831	John Freestone Born at Union Yard, Chelmsford, Essex to Thomas and Mary Ann Freestone	1881 census. Parish records
~1850s	Married Elizabeth Jane of Gloucester	1861 census
2q1857	Son, John William Freestone born in Sheffield	1861 census GRO - Sheffield 9c 365 2q1857
~1860	Daughter, Caroline Freestone born in Sheffield	1861 census
1861	Census shows family living at Brightside Bierlow, Yorks. Children present John W and Caroline. Also Elizabeth R Cleveland b1849 and Alexander Cleveland b1854 marked as d.in law and son in law (can be step children or other).	1861 census
3q1861	Son, Thomas Mansfield Freestone born in Sheffield	1871 census GRO - Sheffield 9c 398 3q1861
1864	Insurance claim for flooding – 62 Mowbray Street, Sheffield Working as a feltmonger (skinner) for George Mills at Neepsend	Sheffield Uni
2q1866	Son, Charles HM Freestone born in Chelmsford	1881 census GRO - Chelmsford 4a174 2q1866
1871	Lodging in Brightfield Burlow	1871 census
1881	At 8 Wood Street, Nether Hallam, York	1881 census
?	Died

For John, I'm looking for:

• a death record. There's a possible match at EcclesallB 9c 183 4q1883 but this may be another John. I can't find John on the 1901 census so it seems likely to be before then.
• census records for 1841, 1851.
• more information on Elizabeth R Cleveland b1849 and Alexander Cleveland b1854 and their relationship to the family.