**Joseph Barker (1809 – 1884) and **Eleanor Sharp (1814 – 1888)

** Denotes a direct descendant of mine in this text

Map of North England showing the proximity of Auckland on the left to Sedgefield in the middle and Wolviston and Billingham on the right. Many of my ancestors lived in these areas.

**Joseph Barker (28.3.1809 – 11.5.1884) was the 10th child and third son of Robert Barker and Ann Vaulks of Sedgefield. He was a blacksmith. He married **Eleanor Sharp, (6.11.1814 – 31.3.1888) of Wolviston. The Billingham video-tape records state: “Joseph Barker of Sedgefield and Eleanor Sharp of this Parish were married in the church by Banns. This marriage was solemnised between us Joseph Barker and Eleanor Sharp on February 5th 1931 in the presence of William Simpson and **John Sharp“. Joseph and Eleanor had 16 children. At least 6 of these children died young and the last baby was stillborn. Their 13th child was my great, great, grandfather **Osmond Barker born in Wolviston. He was a blacksmith like his father.

  • The 16 children of Joseph Barker and Eleanor Sharp:
    • 1) Ann Elizabeth, born 5.10.1832
    • 2) John, born 21.2.1833
    • 3) Robert, born 8.9.1835, baptized 13.9.1635
    • 4) John Joseph, born 16.9.1836, died young 12.10.1836 aged 3 weeks
    • 5) Thomas born, 29.6.1838, baptized 19.8.1838, died young 21.8.1838 aged 7 weeks
    • 6) Eleanor born, 29.8.1839, baptized 1.9.1839
    • 7) Alice Jane born, 23.11.1841, baptized 26.12.1841, died young 24.9.1842 aged 9 months
    • 8) Samuel, born, 24.6.1843, baptized 30.6.1843
    • 9) John Joseph, born 1845, baptized 2.11.1845, died young 24.5.1846 aged 7 months
    • 10) Alfred, born 21.5.1847, baptized 23.5.1847
    • 11) Dorothy Elizabeth, born 18.6.1849, baptized 21.6.1849, died young 14.8.1849 aged 2 months
    • 12) Joseph William, born 18.8.1850, died young 1.2.1851 aged 6 months
    • 13) Osmond, born 13.2.1852, baptized 15.2.1852, died 5.11.1935 aged 83 years
    • 14) Mary Emma, born 17.12.1854, baptized 25.12.1854
    • 15) Alice Jane, born 5.3.1859, baptized 13.8.1959
    • 16) One still born baby

Joseph Barker is said to have run the Wolviston village Post Office in 1879, however according to Alice “Nancie” Brown, nee McDougall, it was Eleanor who ran it. Letters were delivered daily at 8.20 a.m. and 9.30 a.m. on Sundays, from Stockton. They were collected daily at 5.40 p.m. and 4.50 p.m. on Sundays. Osmond Barker would help with the delivery of post.

**Eleanor Sharp was the third child of John Sharp (27.3.1770 – 4.12.1832 aged 52 years) of Brancepeth and Wolviston and **Ann Morrow (16.1.1778 – 30.5.1867 aged 89 years) of Redmarshall who married on the 28.4.1763. Her four siblings were; Thomas (1810 – 14.12.1835 aged 25 years), John (17.5.1812 -?), Ann (14.7.1816 – 5.1.1835 aged 19 years) and Samuel (17.5.1818 – 6.3.1936 aged 18 years).

**John Sharp, Eleanor’s father, was a headmaster and one of four children born to **Samuel Sharp a framer from Brancepeth. His three siblings were Margret, Ann and Francis. John came to Wolviston in 1812 to run the National School founded in 1811.

Osmond Barker (then a 9 year old scholar) is mentioned in the 1861 England & Wales Census as living with his parents (then 52 and 46 years old) at School House, Wolviston, (near Stockton-on-Tees), Durham. His siblings Samuel (17) an apprentice blacksmith, Alfred (13), Mary Emma (6) and Alice Jane (2) lived there then too, along with his 83 year old grandmother **Ann Sharp. (1861 England & Wales Census, Parish Wolviston, Series RG09, Page 80, Family 48, Line 17, Image 9.) Ann Sharp (born in Gleyton, or Redmarshall, Northamptonshire (according to 1841 census) is also mentioned in the 1851 census (then 74 years old), living with her husband John Sharp (a 72 year old gardener from Huntingdonshire) and their granddaughter Ann Pilgram (8) at Massey Green Marsh Rails, Spalding, Lincolnshire, England.

Photograph of the entry in the 1861 England & Wales Census recording the residence and household of Joseph Barker and Eleanor Sharp – note household 48 where the Barker family is mentioned.
Photograph of the entry in the 1851 census describing the residence and household of John (73 years old) and Ann Sharp (74 years old).
An old photograph of the gravestone of Joseph Barker and Eleanor Sharp, inscribed “In affectionate remembrance of, Joseph Barker, Of Wolviston, Who died May 11 1884, Aged 75 years, His end was peace. Also, Eleanor Barker, Wife of the above, Who died March 31 1888, Aged 74 years, Thy will be done.“
The gravestone of Joseph Barker and Eleanor Sharp lying in the churchyard of Wolviston’s St Peters Church under a tree 3.7.2025.
Descendants of Eleanor Sharp – note the dates are not all correct and different versions of the surnames are given.
Descendants of Joseph Barker – dates may not all be correct. Note the variable spelling of the surname Vaux.

**William Morrow (c1743 -?) and **Ann Wilson (? – ?)

**Ann Morrow was the daughter of **William Morrow of Redmarshall and **Ann Wilson. of the Parish of Billingham. The research of Nancie Brown nee McDougall informs us that ”Banns of marriage were published in this church between William Morrow and Ann Wilson of the Parish of Billingham” – “William Morrow and Ann Wilson were married in this Church by Banns this 28th day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and SixtyThree. April 28th 1763. In the presence of Robert (Robat) Willson, Robert (Robbert) Willson (Junior) Johathan Talerton“. William Morrow and Ann Wilson had two sets of twins. Ann Morrow was the first born of the second set of twins and the 7th of 8 children. Her sibling were; Robert (born 11.11.1764), twins Peter (29.6.1766 – 9.10.1766, died young aged 3,5 months) and John (29.6.1766 – ?), Margaret (born 22.5.1768), William (3.3.1771 – 26.12.1774, died young aged 4,5 years), George (born 25.10.1772) and Elizabeth, Ann’s twin (16.1.1778 – 18.2.1778, died young aged 1 month).

The gravestone of a William Morrow found in the left upper area of the churchyard of St peter’s Church Wolvison. It was also completely covered with soil

Close up of the gravestone to read the inscription “In affectionate remembrance of William Morrow, who died November 21st 1885, aged 74 years (born 1811), Also of Jane Marrow, wife of the above, who died November 18th 1885, aged 81 years (born 1804), were both interred together November 23rd 1885, United in life and not divided in death”