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HAROLD

Summary of the descent of Alan Blythe

William Harrold Sarah Wright
William Bird Sarah Harrold
John Flint Sophia Bird
John Jarratt Blythe Mildred Mary Flint
Alan Blythe Jessie Clara McCullough

Our research on the Harold family was begun many years ago, but until recently had not been pursued with much success. Mrs. Gill Rayment of the Wisbech and Fenland Museum, who kindly tried to assist us in expanding the ancestry of Sarah (Harold) Bird, wrote to us on 26 Feb. 1988: “I could find no trace of her parents’s marriage in any of the Tilneys or Terringtons, or Emneth or Elm, or Wisbech St. Peter.” We have not found a plausible candidate for her father Henry Harold in the 1841 census.

In 2009, we were contacted by Jayne Mays of Wisbech, who brought to our attention the existence of Sarah’s brother, Simon Harrold, and supplied a number of records relating to him. We have also been helped by Jayne Mays, of Wisbech, who sent information on Sarah Jane Bulman (Retchless) Harrold.

There are two published histories of this family, neither of which we have seen in its entirety: One Harrold Family by John William Harrold (Largo, Florida: privately printed, 1976),[1] and Christmas comes to Australia: The Harrold Family History by Murray Harrold (Happy Valley, South Australia: privately printed, 1995).

Henry Harold, of Tilney St. Lawrence, Norfolk, alive in 1823. He is called a labourer in the baptismal records of his children Christmas (1817), Sophia (1818), Joseph (1820), and Simon (1823). He m. by 1808, Sarah Wright, certainly alive in 1823. She was perhaps identical with the Sarah Harrold, aged 55-59 years, born in Norfolk, of independent means, marital status not stated, who is found at Tilney St. Lawrence in the 1841 census.[2] If so, she was born in 1781-86, and was probably the Sarah, daughter of William and Catharine (____) Wright, who was bapt. 3 April 1784 in the parish church of Tilney St. Lawrence. We have not found this woman in the 1851 census. This couple must have been profoundly illiterate, as their surname is given as Heron in the baptismal records of two of their children (1817, 1818), and as Herring in another (1820).[3]
    Known issue, all baptisms in the parish church of Tilney St. Lawrence:

  1. George Harrold, of Tydd St. Giles, Cambridgeshire, a shepherd and sheep-dresser, b. 1807-08 (aged 53 in 1861) at Tilney St. Lawrence (per 1861 census), d. about 1868. He is the ancestor of the line extensively treated in One Harrold Family by John William Harrold.[4] He m. 29 May 1832 in the parish church of Tydd St. Giles, Cambridgeshire,[5] Mary Sketcher, b. 1800-01 (aged 60 in 1861) at Gedney, Lincolnshire (per 1861 census), of whom John William Harrold writes: “It is believed that she was the daughter of William and Mary Sketcher but no record has been found to confirm this belief.”[6] The marriage record fails to note the age or father’s name for either party. Both parties made a mark in lieu of a signature; the witnesses were [the groom’s sister] Sarah “Herrold” and [her future husband] William Bird. He is called a labourer in the baptismal record of his children Henry (1832) and Eliza (1838). We have not found them in the 1841 or 1851 census. However, they are found at Walsoken in the 1861 census, in which George is called a sheep-dresser.[7] “Mary Sketcher Harrold survived her husband by fifteen years. She lived in the family home on Crab Marsh Road in Walsoken, Norfolk county, with her two unmarried daughters. She died May 9, 1883 at the age of 88 years….”[8] They are said to have had four children, but we know the names of only three:[9]
    1. Henry Harrold, b. at Tydd St. Giles, Cambridgeshire (per 1861 census), bapt. 9 Dec. 1832 in the parish church of Tydd St. Giles, alive in 1861. He m. by 1861, Mary ____, b. 1825-26 (aged 35 in 1861) at Walsoken, Norfolk. He and his wife were living with his parents in 1861, when he was a sailor.
    2. Eliza Harrold, b. at Tydd St. Giles, Cambridgeshire (per 1861 census), bapt. 24 June 1838 in the parish church of Tydd St. Giles, still living unmarried with her parents in 1861, when she was a dressmaker.
    3. George Harrold. “George Harold lived at Walsoken with his parents until he became an apprentice seaman at the age of fifteen years and nine months…. [He] was also employed as a farm laborer by Henry Ollard.”[10] He m. Emma Powell, the daughter of William Poweell.
  2. Sarah Harold, b. 1810-11 at Tilney St. Lawrence (aged 70 in 1881), bapt. there 21 May 1812,[11] d. 20 March 1883 at Clenchwarton, probably aged 71 or 72 years (as stated on her tombstone, and not 73 years as stated in her death record), of bronchitis,[12] and buried beside her husband in the parish churchyard of Tilney St. Lawrence.[13] Sarah “Herrold” and her future husband William Bird served as witnesses at the wedding of her brother George in the parish church of Tydd St. Giles, Cambridgeshire on 29 May 1832. She herself m. 10 March 1833 in the parish church of Tilney St. Lawrence, following publication of banns, William Bird, of Tilney St. Lawrence, Walpole St. Andrew, Terrington St. Clement, and Clenchwarton, b. probably in 1804 (aged 47 in 1851) at Tilney St. Lawrence, bapt. 12 May 1805 in Tilney parish church, d. 9 Feb. 1884 at Clenchwarton, aged probably about 80 years (and not 82 as stated in his death record) of pneumonia and exhaustion,[14] and buried with his wife, son of Robert and Susannah (Lowden) Bird, of Tilney St. Lawrence. At the time of their marriage both were single and of Tilney, and both make marks in the register in lieu of signatures. The witnesses were a Robert Bowman and a Harriet Bates. The illiteracy evidenced by this record doubtless accounts to a great extent for the drastic inconsistency with which their ages are reported in various records, and in particular for the exaggerated ages reported for them at their deaths. For further discussion and a record of their issue see BIRD.
  3. Christmas Harrold (male), b. 25 Dec. 1816 at Tilney St. Lawrence, bapt. there 5 Jan. 1817, d. 28 Jan. 1896 in Australia.[15] He m. in 1842 in the Wisbech registration district,[16] Margaret Barton, said to have been b. in 1820 at Wisbech, d. 2 May 1908 in Australia. Christmas Harrold is called a labourer in the baptismal records of several children (1843, 1845). Christmas Harrold (aged 36), with wife Margaret (aged 32) and son William (aged 7) sailed for Australia on the Magdalena in 1853. The group in which they arrived is recorded with the following notice:
    The Land and Emigration Commissioners have forwarded to this office written engagements subscribed by the Emigrants arrived by the Magdalena, whereby they severally promise and undertake, that if they, or any of their families with their permission, quit or purpose to quit the Colony, within four years from the day of their landing, they will repay to the Government a proportionate part of the cost of their passage to South Australia, that is to say — at the rate of £4 a piece for themselves and wives, and half that sum for each of their respective children, for each year or any fraction thereof which shall be wanting to complete four years’ residence in the Colony.[17]
    They went first to Kapunda, South Australia, but by 1859 were at Saddleworth in the same state. “Christmas Harrold, farmer, Saddleworth” is listed in a directory published in 1876.[18] Known issue:[19]
    1. William Harrold, bapt. 27 Aug. 1843 in the parish church of Tilney St. Lawrence, d. by 1845, when another son was given the same name.
    2. William Harrold, bapt. 6 Sept. 1845 in the parish church of Tilney St. Lawrence; alive in 1853.
    3. Sarah Ann Harrold, b. 17 Aug. 1856 at Kapunda, d. 13 Aug. 1941 at Norwood. She m. 29 Jan. 1874 at Saddleworth, South Australia, Robert Cameron, b. 22 Jun 1851 Barony Parish, Glasgow, d. 26 Dec. 1925 at Kapunda, son of Robert Cameron, of Kapunda, by the latter’s wife Agnes McIntosh. They had thirteen children and numerous descendants, for whom see the Cameron Genealogies website.
    4. John Harrold, b. 3 June 1859 at Saddleworth, South Australia.
    5. Maria Harrold, b. 27 June 1860 at Saddleworth, South Australia.
  4. Sophia Harrold, bapt. 30 Aug. 1818.
  5. Joseph Harrold, b. at Tilney (per 1861 census), bapt. 26 Nov. 1820, alive in 1861. He m. by 1844, Mary A. ____, b. 1817-18 (aged 43 in 1861) at Thorney, Cambridgeshire, alive in 1861. Two of their children were born at her home town of Thorney in the mid-1840s. However, they are found at Church End, West Walton, Norfolk, in the 1861 census, in which he is called a blacksmith.[20] Known issue:
    1. Henry Harrold, b. 1844-45 (aged 16 in 1861) at Thorney, Cambridgeshire.
    2. Samuel Harrold, b. 1846-47 (aged 14 in 1861) at Thorney.
    3. Sarah Harrold, b. 1850-51 (aged 10 in 1861) at [West] Walton, Norfolk.
    4. John Harrold, b. 1855-56 (aged 5 in 1861) at [West] Walton.
    5. Joseph Harrold, b. 1858-59 (aged 2 in 1861) at [West] Walton.
  6. Simon Harold, bapt. 27 Jan. 1823, still alive in 1889. He m. (1) in 1847 in the Wisbech registration district,[21] Catharine Parlett, b. probably in 1819 (aged 32 in 1851, 51 in 1871), d. some time in 1881-1889. They are found at no. 121 North Brink, Wisbech, in the 1851 census, in which Simon is called a blacksmith.[22] We have not found them in the 1861 census, but they are found at no. 10 Bell Green Road, Wisbech, in the 1871 census, in which his occupation is similarly given, and at which time their household included an eleven-year-old niece, Mahala Rhamm, who has not been otherwise identified.[23] They are found at no. 13 Canal Side in 1881, when he is called a retired blacksmith.[24] He m. (2) in 1889 in the Wisbech registration district,[25] Sarah Jane Bulman Retchless, b. at West Walton in 1851, and still alive in 1911. They had either separated, or Simon had died, by 1891, when Sarah is found as a “visitor” in the household of John Flint, the widower of her husband” presumed niece Sarah (Bird).[26] She was living alone in 1901 at no. 13 Wellington Terrace, Wisbech, being described as “on her own means.” In 1911 she was at the same address, but her niece Mabel Perkins was living with her.

Notes

1. This work is mentioned as pertaining to the family of Henry Harrold and Sarah Wright in Tanya Metcalf, “Harrold Family from Tilney St. Lawrence,” posting to the Harrold Family Genealogy Forum at genealogy.com dated 2 Sept. 2008, at http://genforum.genealogy.com/harrold/messages/654.html.
2. 1841 Census of England, Norfolk, registration district: Wisbech, subdistrict: Terrington St Clement; civil Parish: Tilney St. Lawrence, enumeration district 7, p. 12; PRO class HO107, piece 770, book 8, fo. 23; Family History Library microfilm no. 438,858.
3. “1813 to 1880 Baptism Project, Tilney St Lawrence,” at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tinstaafl/ Church_Pages/tilney_st_lawrence.htm.
4. George Harrold is first mentioned in pp. 13-14 of that work, of which we have seen only the first chapter.
5. Tydd St. Giles, Cambridgeshire, parish registers, as transcribed at FreeREG.
6. One Harrold Family, p. 116.
7. 1861 Census of England, Norfolk, registration district: Wisbech, subdistrict: Walsoken, enumeration district 5, p. 6; RG9, piece 1052, fo. 65. The entry reads: 
name       relationship cond. age
---------------------------------
George Herrold  head        M  53 sheep dresser  Norfolk: Tilney St. Lawrence
Mary Herrold    wife        M  60 chair* woman   Lincolnshire: Gedney
Henry Herrold   son         M  29 sailor         Cambridge: Tydd St. Giles
Mary Herrold    dau.-in-law M  35 shoe binder    Norfolk: Walsoken
Eliza Herrold   dau.        U  22 dressmaker     Cambridge: Tydd St. Giles
=====
* sic; perhaps an error for "char"?
8. One Harrold Family, p. 121.
9. Tydd St. Giles, Cambridgeshire, parish registers, as transcribed at FreeREG.
10. One Harrold Family, pp. 129, 131.
11. Tilney parish register; her baptismal record furnishes her mother’s maiden surname.
12. Her death was recorded in the Wisbech registration district in the January-March quarter of 1883, vol. 3b, p. 420.
13. Tilney St. Lawrence Parish Church, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, Churchyard Recording (1980-1981), available on FamilySearch.
14. His death was recorded in the Wisbech registration district in the January-March quarter of 1884, vol. 3b, p. 383.
15. We first became aware of this child through a posting of Tanya Metcalf (apparrently a direct descendant), “Harrold Family from Tilney St. Lawrence,” as cited above. We have also drawn on a valuable entry for his family in the IGI, which however misses the son William.
16. The marriage was registered in the April-June quarter of 1842 in the Wisbech registration district, vol. 14, p. 219; we have not checked the original record.
17. “Notice to employers of laborers,” The South Australian Government Gazette, 1 Sept. 1863, pp. 577-79, at p. 578.
18. The Adelaide Almanac and Directory for South Australia, 1876 (Adelaide, 1876), p. 149, col. 1.
19. The baptisms of the first two children are from the “1813 to 1880 Baptism Project, Tilney St Lawrence,” cited above.
20. 1861 Census of England, Cambridgeshire, registration district: Wisbech, subdistrict: Walpole St Peter, enumeration district 10, pp. 10-11; RG9, piece 1050, folios 81-82 [Family History Library microfilm no. 542,743]. The entry reads: 
name   relationship cond. age occupation             birthplace
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Harrold   head  M  40  blacksmith             Norfolk: Tilney
Mary A. Harrold  wife  M  43  wife                   Cambridge: Thorney
Henry Harrold    son   -  16  blacksmith             Cambridge: Thorney
Samuel Harrold   son   -  14  scholar                Cambridge: Thorney
Sarah Harrold    dau.  -  10  scholar                Norfolk: Walton
=== (page break) ===                                 
John Harrold     son   -   5  --                     Norfolk: Walton
Joseph Harrold   son   -   2  --                     Norfolk: Walton
Charles Drachard appr. -  17  apprentice blacksmith  Lincoln: Long Sutton
21. Marriage registered in the January-March quarter of 1847 in the Wisbech registration district, vol. 14, p. 1888, per FreeBMD and CAMDEX; we have not checked the original record, which would presumably supply the name of his father.
22. 1851 Census of England, Cambridgeshire, registration district: Wisbech, subdistrict: Leverington, enumeration district 1b, p. 29. The entry reads: 
name       relationship cond. age occupation   birthplace
--------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Harrold      head   M   30  blacksmith   Norfolk, Tilney
Catherine Harrold  wife   M   32  ----         Cambs., Wisbech St. Peter
23. 1871 Census of England, Norfolk, registration district: Wisbech, subdistrict: Walpole St. Peter, enumeration district 3, p. 2. The entry reads: 
 
name     relationship  cond. age  occupation  birthplace
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Harrold       head   M  48  blacksmith  Norfolk, Tilney
Catherine Harrold   wife   M  51  ----        Cambs., Wisbeach
Mahala Rhamm        niece  -  11  scholar     Norfolk, Walsoken
John Thorp     apprentice  U  20  blacksmith  Norfolk, Walpole St. Peter
David Tester   apprentice  U  17  blacksmith                "
Jane Sharpe       servant  -  15  general servant domestic  "
24. 1881 Census of England, Cambridgeshire, registration district: Wisbech, subdistrict: Walsoken, enumeration district 1, p. 17 of stamped numbering. The entry reads: 
name      relationship  cond. age occupation    birthplace
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Simon Harrold      head  M   58  retired blacksmith
                                           Tilney St. Lawrence, Norfolk
Catherine Harrold  wife  M   61  ----          Wisbech, Cambs.
25. Marriage registered in the July-September quarter of 1889 in the Wisbech registration district, vol. 3b, p. 1033.
26. 1891 Census of England, Cambridgeshire, Wisbech St. Peter, enumeration district 4, p. 10. The entry reads: 
name    relationship cond. age occupation           birthplace
------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Flint      head    M  54  butcher              Lincs.  Holbeach
Sarah A. Flint  wife    M  56  ----              Lincs.  Tidd St. Giles*
Annie S. Flint  dau.    S  20  milliner             Cambs.  Wisbech
Frank Flint     son     S  14  butcher              Cambs.  Wisbech
Harry Flint     son     -  13  scholar              Cambs.  Wisbech
Sarah Harrold   visitor S  20  living on own means  Norfolk  West Walton
=====
* [an error for Tydd St. Giles, Cambridgeshire]

Of Related Interest

From the Genealogy Page of John Blythe Dobson
URL = library.uwinnipeg.ca/people/Dobson/genealogy/ff/Harold.cfm
This page first appeared 17 November 2009
Revised 26 August 2011