Although my maternal grandfather was from Co. Durham he knew his father had been born in Devon. His mother is reputed not to have left Co. Durham until late in her long life, but investigating her family I have found that her father was from Norfolk. Her mother’s family were, though, local to the North East, crossing the Tyne a few times but mostly staying within the area now defined as “Tyne and Wear” – as far as I have traced them.

And as far as I know their occupations, the menfolk were coal miners – and this includes those who moved to the NE from elsewhere (Samuel Bailey moving from Devon, and James Robinson from Norfolk – though both had had other jobs before reaching Co. Durham – in Samuel’s case this included copper mining in Devon and ironstone mining in Yorkshire).