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RANDALL

The following account of the Randall family of Mansfield, which is ancestral to the Dobson family of my step-father, Ross Victor Goodwin Dobson, was little more than a skeleton when it first appeared on this site in December of 2005. However, in May 2006 we received a great deal of material from Lynne Morley, by which it has been much improved. Mrs. Morley’s collections cover a number of Randall families, and it is not yet clear whether her own descent is from the present one.

1. Thomas Randall, of Newark and Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, son of William Randall and Margaret Parry, was bapt. 3 Sept. 1762 at Newark, and was still alive in 1791. He m. (1) 29 April 1781 in the parish church of Newark, Elizabeth Taylor, whose death as “Mrs. Randall, wife of Mr. Randall, hairdresser,” at Mansfield on 23 June 1798 is mentioned in a newspaper notice.[1] Both were able to sign the marriage register; the witnesses were John Taylor and Rob. Kirkby. Thomas Randall, from Newark, settled at Mansfield in 1789 with wife Elizabeth and sons William, Richard, and George. Lynne Morley found a record of that same year which shows him renting a house owned by the Duke of Portland. In 1791 he is listed as a hairdresser in the Mansfield Trade Directory. As Thomas Randall of Mansfield, widower, he m. (2) (by licence) 4 Dec. 1798, Rachel Simpson, aged 28 years, spinster. Lynne Morley has traced a number of descendants of this family; we confine ourselves to those of their son William. Their issue included:

(by first wife:)

  1. 2William Randall, bapt. 27 Sept. 1783 at Newark, Nottinghamshire.
  2. George Hawson Randall, bapt. 24 March 1785 at Southwell, Nottinghamshire, m. 12 March 1827, Martha Augusta Mather, and had issue.
  3. Richard Randall, bapt. 13 Oct. 1787 at Newark, d. in March 1842 at Mansfield. He is listed as a hairdresser, of West Gate, Mansfield, in the 1813 Mansfield Trade Book, as a hairdresser, of Stockwell Gate and West Gate, in the 1830 Pigot’s directory and in a directory of 1835. He m. about 1808, Alethea Clark, and had issue.
  4. Thomas Randall, Jr., bapt. 6 July 1790 at Mansfield; m. Hannah/Susannah ____, and had issue.

(by second wife:)

  1. Henry Randall, bapt. 31 Nov. 1799 at Mansfield, d. in Sept. 1871. He m. Ann Hall, and had issue.

2. William Randall, of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, son of Thomas Randall, of Newark and Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, by the latter’s first wife Elizabeth Taylor, was bapt. 27 Sept. 1783 at Newark, Nottinghamshire, and was still alive in 1830, but was dead by 1851 (when his wife is called a widow). He m. by 1802, Sarah ____, b. 1772-73 (aged 78 in 1851) at Doncaster, Yorkshire, d. 11 Nov. 1857 at 104 High Street, Derby, of old age (the record giving a probably exaggerated age of 88 years).[2] Lynne Morley checked their children’s baptismal records and found that William is called a hairdresser, of Stockwell Gate, in those of 1802, 1804, 1806, and 1820. He may therefore be identified with the William Randall, hairdresser at Stockwell Gate, listed in the Mansfield Trade Book of 1813, and the William Randall, hairdresser and perfumer, of Stockwell Gate, listed in the Pigot’s directories of 1828 and 1830. The widow Sarah Randall appears in the household of her daughter, Eliza (Randall) Hudson, at Litchurch, Derbyshire, in the 1851 census, in which she is called a “pauper [on] partial relief.”[3] In her death record, which unfortunately does not supply her maiden surname, she is called widow of William Randall, hairdresser, and the informant was (her son) Henry Randall, of Morledge, Derby, who was in attendance at the death. Known issue, perhaps not complete considering the large gap between the fourth and fifth children (all baptisms in the parish church of Mansfield, per IGI):

  1. Elizabeth Randall, bapt. 23 June 1802.
  2. Mary Randall, bapt. 2 Sept. 1804. She m. in 1804 at Manchester, Joseph Jarvis.
  3. Richard Randall, bapt. 30 Aug. 1806.
  4. 3Sarah Randall, bapt. 21 Dec. 1810.
  5. Maria Bell Randall, bapt. 7 June 1820.
  6. 4Eliza Bell Randall, b. 1821-22 (aged 29 in 1851, 39 in 1861) at Mansfield.
  7. Henry Randall, Jr., b. 1814-15 (aged 36 in 1851) at Mansfield (per the 1851 census); living 11 Nov. 1857, when he reported his mother’s death. He m. (after publication of banns) 19 March 1849 in the parish church of Duffield, Derbyshire,[4] Abigail Fletcher, likewise b. by 1828 (if the statement in their marriage record that she was of full age is correct), daughter of George Fletcher, a miner. He is called a framework knitter, and his father given as William Randall, hairdresser, in the record of their marriage, which he signs but to which she attests with a mark. Both parties were residing at the time at Makery, Derbyshire, and the witnesses were Thomas Harrison and Ann Harrison. She possibly died soon after, as Henry Randall, barber, aged 36, is found at Morledge Street, Derby, in 1851, with a lodger but no related persons in his household.[5]

3. Sarah Randall, bapt. 21 Dec. 1810 in the parish church of Mansfield, living 1871. She m. (after publication of banns) 25 Oct. 1831 in the parish church of St. Leodegarius, Basford, near Nottingham,[6] William Dobson, of Nottingham, of unknown parentage, living 1843 (the earliest possible birthdate for his youngest known child) but d. before the taking of the census on 30 March 1851. Both parties were able to sign the marriage register; the witnesses were Charles Withers and Elizabeth Robinson. They are found at Carter Gate, St. Mary’s parish, Nottingham, in the 1841 census, in which he is called a lace-maker.[7] The widow Sarah Dobson is found with three children at 117 Galloways Yard, St. Mary’s parish, Nottingham, in the 1851 census, in which she is called a shirt-maker.[8] She is found as the sole member of a household in Thurman’s Yard, in the Park Ward, Nottingham, in the 1861 census, in which she is again called a shirt-maker.[9] In 1871 she appears, with no stated occupation, as a “visitor” in the home of (her nephew) William Hudson, of no. 8 Normanton Road, Litchurch, a hamlet in the parish of Derby St. Peter, Derbyshire. For further details see DOBSON.

4. Eliza Bell Randall, b. 1821-22 (aged 29 in 1851, 39 in 1861) at Mansfield, living 1861. She m. by 1850, William Hudson, b. 1820-21 (aged 30 in 1851, 40 in 1861) at Ilkeston, Derbyshire, living 1861. They are found at Litchurch Lane, Litchurch, a hamlet in the parish of Derby St. Peter, Derbyshire, in the 1851 census, in which he is called a railway clerk, and at which time the household included his “mother” (really mother-in-law) Sarah Randall.[10] They are found at no. 4 Normanton Road, Litchurch, in the 1861 census, in which the same occupation for him is given.[11] Known issue (first seven baptized in the parish church of All Saints, Derby):[12]

  1. George Hudson, bapt. 24 Feb. 1828.
  2. Henry Anthony Hudson, bapt. 25 May 1829.
  3. Martha Augusta Hudson, bapt. 4 Jan. 1831.
  4. Jane Hudson, bapt. 9 Aug. 1833.
  5. Walter Hudson, bapt. 13 May 1835.
  6. Charlotte Amelia Hudson, bapt. 5 July 1837.
  7. Richard Hudson, bapt. 1 Aug. 1840, d. 15 Aug. 1919.
  8. William Hudson, Jr., b. 1850-51 (aged 10 in 1861, 20 in 1871) at Litchurch, Derbyshire, living 1871. William Hudson is found near to (and possibly beside) his parental home, at no. 8 Normanton Road, Litchurch, a hamlet in the parish of Derby St. Peter, Derbyshire, in the 1871 census, in which he is called a clerk; the only other member of his household was a “visitor,” Sarah Dobson, who was in fact his aunt.[13]

Notes

1. Information from Lynne Morley.
2. Death record, from a copy kindly supplied by Lynne Morley.
3. A Sarah Randall, aged 69 years (thus born in 1771-72) is found at Radcliffe-on-Trent, in Bingham Hundred, Nottinghamshire, in 1841, but the record does not give her marital status, and it records her as having been born in the county, which would conflict with the evidence of the 1851 census. See 1841 Census of England, registration district: Bingham, subdistrict: Ratcliffe-upon-Trent, enumeration district 7; HO107/854/8, folio 19 [Family History Library microfilm no. 438,903]. The entry reads: 
                                born in county?
Sarah Randall  69  cottager        yes
George Spraght 45  jn. wheelwright yes
Mary      "    13  ----            yes
We have not succeeded in further identifying the other members of the household.
4. Marriage record, from a copy kindly supplied by Lynne Morley.
5. 1851 Census of England, Derbyshire, Registrar’s District: St. Alkmund’s, enumeration district 49, p. 16; PRO ref. no. H.O. 107/2124, folio 412. This entrywas discovered by Lynne Morley.
6. We are grateful to Lynnne Morley for supplying a copy of the original record.
7. 1841 Census of England, Nottinghamshire, superintendent registrar’s district: Nottingham, registrar’s district: St. Mary, enumeration district no. 4, p. 29; National Archives Ref HO107-0870, folio no. 9\39. The entry reads: 
William Dobson  30[-34]  lace m[aker]
Sarah     "     30[-34] 
John      "           9
Thomas    "           3
Ann       "           1
----
All members of the family were born in the county.
8. 1851 Census of England, Nottinghamshire, registration district: Nottingham, subdistrict: St. Ann [but sheet says St. Mary], enumeration district 2, p. 29; HO107/2132, folio 42 [Family History Library microfilm no. 87,762]. The entry reads: 
Sarah Dobson head widow 40  shirt maker   Mansfield
Thomas  "    son  ---   13  bobbin winder Nottingham
Ann     "    dau. ---   11  shirt maker      "
George  "    son  ---    6  scholar          "
9. 1861 Census of England, Nottinghamshire, registration district: Nottingham, subdistrict: Park, enumeration district 4; RG9/2468, folio 54 [Family History Library microfilm no. 542,975]. The entry reads: 
Sarah Dobson head w[idow]  50  shirt maker  Notts.: Mansfield
10. 1851 Census of England, Yorkshire, registration district: Derby, subdistrict: St Peter, enumeration district 2b, p. 32; HO107/2143, folio 501 [Family History Library microfilms nos. 87773-87774]. The entry reads: 
William Hudson head   mar.  30  railway clerk /    Derby: Ilkeston
                                  store department
Eliza     "    wife   mar.  29  ----               Notts.: Mansfield
William   "    son    ---  1mo. ----               Derby: Litchurch
Sarah Randall  mother wid.  78  pauper             Yorks.: Doncaster
                                  (partial relief)
March Birchall serv.  unm.  15  house servant
11. 1861 Census of England, Derbyshire, Registration district: Derby, subdistrict: St. Peter, enumeration district 44; RG9/2505, folio 147 [Family History Library microfilm no. 542,981]. The entry reads: 
William Hudson head mar. 40  railway clerk  Derby: Ilkeston
Eliza Bell "   wife mar. 39                 Notts.: Mansfield
William    "   son  ---  10  scholar        Derby: Litchurch
Ann        "   dau. ---   2                 "
12. Most of this information is from Lynne Morley.
13. 1871 Census of England, Derbyshire, registration district: Derby, subdistrict: St Peter, enumeration district 35, p. 26; RG10/3573, folio 64 [Family History Library microfilm no. 839,770]. The entry reads: 
William Hudson  [head]*  unm.  20  clerk  Derby: Litchurch
Sarah Dobson    visitor  widow 61  ----   Notts.: Mansfield
----
* the entry actually reads "son," but this is obviously an
erroneous carry-over from the entry for the previous household.

From the Genealogy Page of John Blythe Dobson
URL = cybrary.uwinnipeg.ca/people/Dobson/genealogy/ff/Randall.cfm
This page written 29 December 2005
Revised 12 June 2006