William Pitchford, Dawley Magna 1736

[David Pitchford]

For what it's worth: I've just received a family tree compiled by Dr W. Watkins-Pitchford that traces back to the above. Dawley Magna is a little village not far from Pitchford village, and virtually all the men until two generations ago were miners or priests. Not many options in those days...

[Jane Lockley (nee Pitchford)]

Dr William Watkins Pitchford visited my grandparents in the 1930's when researching for the family tree he has constructed on the Pitchford family. Some of his writings and journals refer to the family.
I have used his family tree and visited many of the churches and graveyards to check facts from the tree. My great grandparenst are named on the tree.
Many of the leads on his tree lead to places like Moreton Corbett and surrounding areas.

[Eric Johnson]

Hi, David.

I am very interested in the Dawley Pitchfords as my wife descends from William's (1736) younger brother John (1738).

Would you mind confirming what Dr. Watkins-Pitchford has on the family tree with the information I've been able to obtain through the Dawley parish records and the Internet searches? I'm not worried about the information I was able to get through the parish records. I'm more concerned with verifying the date and place of the marriage of William and Elizabeth and the birth places of the last four children: Stephen, Mary, Joseph, and George. These four are not listed in the parish records. This isn't surprising to me as there is a gap in the records between 1775 and 1785, which puts these potential children and other children of my wife's line at a loss for primary evidence at this point.

William Pitchford bap 12 Oct 1736
Married Elizabeth Brooks on 7 Dec 1761 at Shifnal, Shropshire?
1. Margaret bap 21 Jan 1763
2. Timothy bap 10 Mar 1765
3. William bap 20 Mar 1768
4. Elizabeth bap 13 Apr 1770
5. Susannah bap 16 Apr 1775
6. Stephen 1776?
7. Mary 1781?
8. Joseph 1782?
9. George 1783?

Oh, by the way, I have Timothy as marrying Sarah Hawkins, William as marrying Ann Hyde, Susannah as marrying John Bailey, and Stephen as marrying Ann Cadman. Does this fit with your Dawley family tree also?

Thanks for your help David. Maybe others reading this will come up with some nuggets of information that will help substantiate this family as well.

With best regards,

Eric Johnson, California

[Marie Fellows(Pitchford)]

Some Historical and interesting notes compiled by my Sister Vera Raxster ( nee Pitchford).
I came across them when going through some of my sisters papers after she went into care.

I felt the contents might be of interest particularly with regard to trying to find John Pitchford husband of Margaret Rhodes. I puzzled as to whether to pick out bits or to copy exactly what she had written. Although some of the names may not be of interest to many of you most of them are part of my ancestral tree and I suppose they might crop up in any one of my 'Cousins' trees, particularly John and Margaret descendants, So I will send it 'warts and all'!.

“ The 'Rock' district is nearer Dawley than Malinslee, but Malinslee was the “Chapelsy” of Dawley.

Dawley church became unsafe and activities were transferred to Malinslee in the 18oo's (?) Then Dawley church was rebuilt, but Malinslee has Dawley records from 1830's onward.

I think Priorslee records would help with Pitchfords and Granny ( Mine) was married there and
granny's father was Noah Pitchford.

I remember Forge Row when I lived at Old Park 1935. There were about 60 'houses' in one continuous line. No upstairs and no windows at the back or doors ( at the back). And they were all occupied. One being Alfred Rowe who was a clock mender. It is suggested that these Rowes, Pitchfords and Lanes and others were baptized and/or buried at Church of England though they were in fact “Chapel” and were probably married in chapel. There was a chapel at the Rock and one in Dark Lane Priorslee. Our Uncle, a Dawley man said people went to the Rock Chapel from the Village of New Dale. A neighbouring village.

Some other names from Dark lane were Gough, Whitefoot and of course Pitchford.

Just a little extra note. When the Telford&Wrekin company built new houses in the Dark Lane area and were proposing pretty/twee names for the roads and avenues. My sister played a great part in having them named after the occupiers of Dark Lane who had been living there for generations.

I am wondering, after reading this if the answer to the John and Margaret mystery might lie in the papers of these churches and chapels of the neighboring villages near Dawley. I am not in a position now to do much as I no longer live in the UK. But I thought it might be worth pondering over. I wonder just how many of John and Margaret's descendants are stuck with this mystery.

Marie.