The Fox Family
For
quite a long time, I was convinced that Peter
Fox
of Witton Park, married a woman named Casey,
because in the 1891 Census
Records of Grangetown, Thomas, Peter, Billy, Mary and Bernard Markey are nephews
and nieces to Mary Fox - a widow aged 45yrs of 16 Stapylton St.
These nephews being the sons of
Catherine Casey and Peter Markey.
I
have also included the records of the Casey relatives, in the hope that some
kind of familial link might be established, coming to the conclusion that Mary
Fox formerly Welsh, must have been brought up by the Casey family, perhaps after
the Great Famine of 1845 - 47 and the death of her parents. She was born at
the height of the famine in the year 1846, and her father is stated as being
a farm labourer and was deceased at the time of her marriage in 1867.
Mary
Welsh
would obviously have regarded the Casey sisters as real sisters if this was
the case. So the references to Casey and their relatives, now become obvious.
Peter
Fox
born c 1842 disappears from the census records after 1871 and his death was
never recorded in the Witton Park area. Paul Fox of Grangetown believes that
he may have been a member of the Fenian Brotherhood
and that he had to escape to the USA from
his enemies. He also suggests that he came from County Wexford and that the Welsh family
was from Connemara County Galway. He gleaned
this information from his Aunt Mary Fox and his Uncle Pat from Redcar.
1858
Marriage of Bridget Casey
Sept
6 John
Goodwin - father
Andrew - of
Witton Park marries
Bridget
Casey - father
William Casey
- of Witton Park
Witnesses
: James Cain and Ellen Farrell - both
of Witton Pk
in
St Wilfred's RC Church Bishop Auckland
At
first glance the inclusion of this information may seem irrelevant until we see the possibility of
error with the name Goodwin - if this is really
Goodfellow - the other names of Casey and Farrellseem
to fit rather well. Bridget Casey did marry a John
Goodfellow around
this time. Her father's name was William Casey -
and she is
living with her sister Catherine
and Peter Markey in Old Row Witton Park in 1871 and Ellen Farrell's
father - Martin - is Godfather to Patrick Fox
in 1869. Church records have been known to differ from civil records.
1858
Jul
23
Birth of Andrew Goodfellow of Middlesbrough
son
of John Goodfellow and Bridget [ Casey ]
Jul
31
Baptised in St Mary's Chapel Middlesbrough
Godmother
- Catherine Casey
1859
Marriage of Peter Markey and
Catherine Casey
Nov 26 Peter Markey -father Patrick Markey - of Witton Park -
marries
Catherine Casey -father William Casey -of Witton Park
St
Wilfred's
Church Bishop Auckland on November 26th 1859 .
Witnesses
-
John
Donaghue and
Elizabeth Fallan -both of Witton
Park .
[
John
Donaghue
lives in 32 Old Row in 1871 aged 40 with his wife Mary 32 , his 4 children &
niece Sarah Fallon 13
, Francis Fallon
34 , John Monaghan
25: - see records ]
1861
Marriage of Ellen Farrell
Apr
23 Stephen
McPartland
- father Terence
McPartland-
of Witton Park
marries Ellen Farrell - father Martin Farrell - of Witton Park
Witnesses-
John Fallon and Mary Welsh. [aged 15 yrs - if
same person ]
[ Ellen Farrell was best woman for a Bridget Casey
& John Goodwin
}
1865
July
31 Birth
of Catherine Markey
daughter
of Peter
Markey and Catherine ( Casey )
Godparents
: Michael
Markey and Bridget McGarry
[
Records
suggest that Catherine did not survive- see Census for 1871 ]
1867
MARRIAGE
OF PETER FOX & MARY WELSH
Mar 3 in St Wilfred's RC Church Bishop Auckland
PETER FOX aged 23 of Witton Park-Labourer at Iron Works-
married
MARY
WELSH aged 21
of Witton Park.
Both
of their fathers were recorded as farm labourers ;
PATRICK
FOX
and MICHAEL
WELSH ( deceased ).
Witnesses
were:- Francis
Fallon of
Woodside and
Jun
10 Birth
of Peter Markey
son
of Peter Markey and Catherine Markey formerly
Casey
.
Godparents-
Catherine
Malone
and John
Hughes.
Nov
27
Birth of JOHN FOX
in Old Row Witton Park
- [marr Bridget Quinn]
son
of Peter Fox (labr iron
wks ) and MARY FOX formerly WELCH
Dec
1 Baby
JOHN
was baptized in
St Wilfred's Bishop Auckland
Godparents
: Peter McGarry and Bridget McGarry
Dec
9
registered by MARY FOX 1867.
died
Jan 12 1951 aged 83 yrs
1869
May
26 Birth
of William Markey
( Billy )
son
of Peter and Catherine (
Casey )
Godparents-
Catherine
Dolan and James Carney
Sep
16 Birth
of PATRICK FOX - marries
Bridget Geary of Grangetown
son
of Peter Fox and Mary Fox formerly Welsh
baptism
at St Wilfred's Church Bishop Auckland
Godparents
:
Martin Farroll and Catherine Casey
Children
- Mary, Annie and Patrick
1871
Census Records of
8 School Row Witton Park
Mary Fox Head m 25 yrs Ireland
Ann Fox Sister s 20 yrs Ireland
John
Fox
son
3
Witton Park
Patrick
Fox
son 1
Witton Park
Edward
Keely Brdr 56 Lab Ireland
John
Johnson Brdr 26 Lab Ireland
1871
Census
Records of 18
Old Row Witton Park
Peter
Markey
Head m 36 yrs Cokeburner Ireland
Catherine
Markey Wife m
35 yrs
"
Thomas
Markey
son
9 yrs
Peter Markey
son
4 yrs
William
Markey
son
2 yrs
Catherine
Casey
m.i.l.
60 yrs
Ireland
Peter Fox Brdr m 30 yrs
Bridget Goodfellow
Brdr m 3 0 yrs
Catherine "
" 10
yrs
Middlesbrough
Sarah
"
"
7 yrs
"
Bridget "
"
3 yrs
"
Michael
Carrell Brdr m 30
yrs Ireland
Margaret
Carrell Brdr m 26 yrs
Thomas "
2 yrs
Mary "
3 mths
Note the presence in the house of a Peter Fox, boarder aged
30, who if Mary Welsh's husband, technically is not related to the householder.
I find it hard to believe that this is not Peter Fox - husband - who may have
been staying in his sister-in law's house for a legitimate reason - whilst his
wife, a few doors away, has his sister ( not hers ) to stay..Ann Fox aged 25.
Perhaps Peter is unwell and being cared for by the Casey sisters....but.......
In 1861 Bridget Goodfellow formerly Casey
aged 21 yrs is living
in Newcastle Row Mbro with her husband John
aged 27 yrs and her daughter Catherine 2 mths-born
Feb 5th ;bap 24th; Godparents: John Maher & Bridget Farrell
-and also Ann Malone 43
son Thomas 10, John 8, Bernard Quinn 40, Bessy 34, Barnard 6.
]
I
In
1871
in1 Arthur St Middlesbrough a Bridget
Markey
aged 37 is married to Peter
Goodman
45 Ironmaker from Monaghan
Ireland
with his children - Michael 12,John E 8, Bridget 7, Rose
5.(
She
marries John O'Neill my gt
grandfather ) Margaret 3.............Is this
a clue to origins ? And Could Goodman be occasionally interchangeable with
Goodfellow ?
1871
Census
Records for 32 Old Row Witton Park
John
Donaghue Hd mar
40 yrs Lab
Ironwrks Ireland
[Best
man-P.Markey]
Mary Donaghue Wife
32 yrs
Ireland
Mary "
dau
7 yrs
Catherine "
dau
5 yrs
Ellen "
dau
3 yrs
Elizabeth "
dau
10mths
Sarah
Fallon
Niece
13 yrs
Francis
Fallon
Brdr
s
34 yrs
Lab Iron Wks Ireland [Best
man - P Fox]
James
O'Neill
Brdr
s
26 yrs
"
Ireland
John Monaghan*Brdr
s
25 yrs
"
Ireland
*
marries
Mary Hart - takes in Frank Fallon as a Lodger in Mbro - see 1881 census ]
1872
Nov
6
Birth
of
Mary Markey marries
Michael Meskill in Grangetown 1910
daughter
of Peter Markey and Catherine [ Casey ]
Godparents-
Patrick Carney and Anne Carney
1874
Marriage of Anne Welsh
Anne
Welsh
( father: Michael ) of Witton
Park
marries
James
Eeles
( father - Patrick ) of Woodside.
Witnesses
- Peter
McGarry of Woodside
and
Catherine
Wallace
of Witton Park
NB- Peter McGarry was godfather to John Fox in 1867.
1878
Nov
10 Birth
of a Peter Fallon
son of
Francis
Fallon
and a Mary
Welsh
Godparents
: Stephen Bartley and Catherine Dolin
baptised
at St Wilfred's RC Church Bishop Auckland.
1880
Mar
8 Death
of a Peter Fox
of Witton Park aged 1 year 4 mths -
buried in Escomb Cemetery . [
same age as Peter Fallon exactly ]
1881
Mar
26 Death
of a Catherine Casey of Witton Park aged 66 years.
1881
Census Records for 5 Old Row Witton Park
Mary
Fox
Hd
36 m Washerwoman
Ireland
John
Fox
son
14 s Blastfurnaceman Witton
Park
Patrick
Fox
son
12
Scholar
Witton Park
Catherine
Goodfellow niece 19 s
Servant
Mbro
Thomas
Peacock
Brdr
62
Labourer
Cockfield
John
Fox
Brdr
20 s
Puddler
South Stockton
Thomas
McCormick
Brdr 24 s
Puddler
Sedgfield
William
Graves
Brdr
23 s Puddler
Witton Park
1881
Census Records for 18 Old Row Witton
Park
Catherine
Markey
Hd
43 w Widow
Thomas
Markey
son
19 s Blastfurnaceman Witton
Park
Peter
Markey
son
14
Ironworks lab
William
Markey
son
12
Mary Markey
dau
8
Bernard
Markey
son
5
Sarah
Goodfellow
Niece
17
s
Servant
Mbro
In the 1881 census of 46 Gauntlett St Mbro, we find
John
Monaghan 34
Blastfurnace Charger Ireland
Mary
A Monaghan 32
Wife Witton
Park
James
Hart B.I.L. 11
Scholar Witton
Park
Frank Fallon Brdr 41
Lab Ironworks Ireland [
Best man for Peter Fox ]
1881
Census Records
for 30 Tees St M'bro
Patrick
Ronan
Head
m
70
Ireland
Ann
Ronan
Wife
m
72
Ireland
Bridget
Geary
Gr'daughter
21
Ireland
1888
After
the decline of Witton Park Ironworks c 1884 - many families moved elsewhere
for work - especially to Grangetown the new boom town of the 'eighties'- a purpose
built town for Bolckow and Vaughan's new up to date ironworks.
This
is the year that we know for certain that
Mary Fox and her family were living here.
1888
July 12 Birth of Mary Fox - 50 Vaughan St Grangetown
daughter
of John and Bridget Quinn
Aug
23 Registered
by Bridget Quinn
1889
Marriage of John Fox and Bridget
Quinn
May
11 marriage takes place in St Mary's Chapel,
Grangetown-
between John Fox - [ father Peter Fox ] -Steelworks labourer
aged 21 yrs of 16 Stapelton
St Grangetown and Bridget
Quinn -[ father John Quinn ] aged 19 yrs of 50 Vaughan
St Grangetown . Both parents recorded as General labourers.
Witnesses
-
Patrick Hannaway and Annie Malone
1890
Mar 5
Birth of Peter Fox marr
Anne Meehan May 1920 South Bank
son
of John Fox and Bridget [ Quinn ]
Mar
8 Baptised
in St Mary's by J J Nolan
Godparents
- Patrick Hannaway and Annie Malone
A
Bridget Hannaway widow 50 from Armagh lives in 2 Vaughan St.in 1891
1891
Census Records for 16 Stapylton
St Grangetown
Mary
Fox
Head 45 w
Ireland
Patrick
Fox
Son 21 s
Gen Labourer
Witton Park
Thomas
Markey
Nephew
28 s
"
Peter
Markey
" 23 s
"
William
Markey "
21
s
"
Mary
Markey
Niece 17 s
Domestic Servant
Bernard
Markey
Nephew 15 s
Gen Labourer
John
Jennings
Brdr
32 s
"
1891
Census Records for 23 Stapylton St Grangetown
John
Fox
Hd
mar 23 Gen Labourer
Witton Park
Bridget
Fox
Wife
mar 21
Mary
Fox
dau
2
Peter
Fox
son
1
1891 Census Records for 16 Cheetham St Grangetown
Annie
Ronan Head Wdw 69
Ireland
Bridget
Geary Niece unm 26 Schoolmistress
1892
Birth of Annie Fox -
died aged 5 yrs
daughter
of John Fox and Bridget [ Quinn ]
No
Baptismal Records to date
1894
Birth of John Fox
killed in World War 1 - Lieutenant ?
30th
July son
of John Fox and Bridget [ Quinn ]
Aug
4th
in St Peters South Bank by Fr Bernard McCabe-
Godparents:
James Stewart and Mary Ann Quinn
1897
Patrick Fox marries Bridget Geary
This year Patrick Fox
- brother of John - disappears from the electoral register for 16
Stapylton St and a Patrick Fox appears in
16 Cheetham St - presumably
leaving the family home after his marriage to a Bridget
Geary, Headmistress of St Mary's RC School.
Jan 12 Birth of Catherine Fox - 23 Stapylton St
daughter
of John and
Bridget Fox
Godparents
- Joseph Quinn and Catherine Quinn
died
July 15 1964 aged 67 yrs
July 29 DEATH OF ANNIE FOX aged 5 yrs
daughter
of John and Bridget
Annie died after being taken to see an older boy
laid out in a coffin who had died
in tragic circumstances.
Perhaps she died of shock.
1898
Birth of Mary Philomena Fox - marries Cyril Hall 1934
daughter
of Patrick Fox and Bridget [ Geary ]
1899
May 24
Birth of Patrick Edward Fox marries Alice Byrne SB Feb 18 1925
son
of John Fox and Bridget [ Quinn ]
May
27
Baptised St Mary's
Godparents
- John Quinn and Mary Markey
died
Mar 8 1972 aged 72 yrs
1900
Oct 7
Birth of Anne Fox - ( Annie ) marries Bill Fitzgibbon Jun 1934
daughter
of Patrick
Fox and Bridget (
Geary )
Oct
13 baptised
in St Mary's Grangetown
Godparents
: William Cooney and Hellena McQuaid
died
Jan 5 1944 aged 43 yrs 53
Victoria Rd Gtown
1901
Aug 9
Birth of James Joseph Fox - marr. Winifred Sleight South Bank 1927
son
of John and Bridget Fox fomerly
Quinn.
Aug
10
baptised St Mary's Grangetown
Godparents-
James Quinn and Mary Fox - presumably grandmother Fox .
According to the Baptismal Records Jim's birthday is recorded as the 9th -
However the family dispute this and say it was the 10th.
1902
Aug 25 Birth of Patrick Anthony Fox - Cheetham St
son
of Patrick
Fox and Bridget Fox
formerly
Geary
Godparents
-Peter
Fox and Caecilia Fox.
[
marries Josephine Keelan
in St Patrick's Middlesbrough on 26th April 1934 ]
1903
Move to Lee Rd
Oct 16 Birth of Thomas Fox - marries Muriel Sutton
son
of John
Fox and Bridget Fox
-formerly Quinn
-
Godparents-
Patrick O'Neill and Helen O' Brien-
Children
- Paul and Jean
1905 The family are recorded as living in 8 Lee Road Grangetown around this time
and
later in number 2 Lee Rd - c 1910.
1906
Mar 11 Birth of Thomas A McKenna -
son
of Mark McKenna and Margaret Quinn ( sister
of Bridget )
Mar 17
baptised
at St Mary's Grangetown
Godparents-
John
Fox and Bridget Fox .
July 9
Birth of Bridget Fox - marries Billy Lane
daughter
of John Fox and Bridget.
July
14
Baptised in St Mary's Chapel Grangetown
Godparents
: Thomas Flanagan and Mary Helen Flanagan
1908
Oct 1
Birth of Michael Fox [ becomes a Mill Hill Missionary Priest 1935 ]
son
of John Fox and Bridget ( 8 Lee Rd )
Oct
3
Baptised at St Mary's Chapel Grangetown
Godparents
: Robert Gribbin and
Deborah Gribbin
died
Nov 13 1969 aged 61 yrs
1911
Mar 17 Birth of Mary Agnes McKenna -
daughter of Mark McKenna and Margaret ( Quinn )
Godparents
:Patrick
Keating and Catherine Keating
1912
Tragic Death of Bridget Fox [ Geary ]
Jan
23
Wife of Patrick Fox commits suicide see
cutting
37 Victoria Rd
Mar 11 Birth of Josephine Agnes Fox remained unmarried died Jun 20 1997 aged 85
daughter
of John and Bridget Fox formerly Quinn
Mar
16 Baptised
in St Mary's
Godparents
- Abigail Cooney and Jeremiah Cooney
1914
WORLD WAR ONE BEGINS
1917
Mar 14 Birth of Gerald Francis Fox of Bolckow Terrace
son
of John Fox
and Bridget [ Quinn ]
Mar
17 Baptised
in St Mary's
Godparents
- Patrick Fox and Margaret Hunane
Gerald
lived for a number of years
Nov 18 Second Ltnt John Fox of Connaught Rangers aged 22 yrs
and
letter to his parents in 1915 and one from a Chaplain at the Belgium Front praising
his bravery and courage under fire
" Im an Irishman
"
1918
END OF WAR
1920
Nov 7
Birth of Honora Fox
daughter
of Peter Fox and Honora Meehan
Godparents
- Denis Meehan and Catherine Fox
1925
Feb 18
Marriage of Patrick Fox to Alice Byrne
Children
- Noreen, Patsy, Marie, Thomas, Michael , John
1926
Birth of Peter Anthony Fox
son
of Peter Fox and Nora Meehan of Bolckow Rd
Godparents
- Raphael Traynor and Bridget Fox
1927
Birth of John Patrick Fox - died age 20 yrs bur. Mbro Feb 15 1947
son of Peter Fox and Nora [ Meehan]
1927
Marriage of James Fox to Winifred Sleight
Sep
29 James Fox - Slagger - aged 26 yrs
marries
Winifred Sleight 22
yrs of South Bank
Witnesses
- Thomas Fox and L . Sleight
Children -
Michael
marries Jean Buckton of Grangetown -
Children:
Julie
m Paul Hodgson
of Grangetown -
Glen,
John and Emily
Vincent marries
Mary Jeffers of Grangetown -
Children:
Ian, m Alison of Leeds
William
& Annabelle
Sarah
m.Tim Latham of Kent
Kathryn
m
Dave Youngs of Canada
Isabelle
Michael
Imelda marries
Bill Keatley of Glasgow / Redcar -
Children:
Paul m
Geraldine Woods of N
Yorks Lockwood Beck
Ch:- Joseph, Bethany, Meghan
Jane m Arno De Groot of Amsterdam
Ch:
Jeska Ellie
Susan 
James marries
Judy of Scarborough / Devon
Eugene marries
1 Eileen McParland of
Redcar
Children
: Tracy
Eugene marries 2 Barbara Pearce
of Basingstoke
Veronica marries
John O Neill of Grangetown
Simon
John
marries Samra Javed of Wimbledon & Liverpool
Chris
p Kerry Flear of Mbro & Saltburn
Georgina
by 1st
marriage