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I have failed to find a baptismal record in any of the Sunderland parishes (Sunderland, Bishopwearmouth and Monkwearmouth) and in any of the non-conformist registers. Shipping records in the Public Record Office state he was born in Sunderland in 1798. My surmisal is that the following applies:

Birth date ??-???-1798 AD2*=
Birth place Sunderland CR1*=, CR2*=, AD2*=
Baptised on ?
Baptised at ?
Death date 17-NOV-1859 CT1, AD2*=
Died at Sunderland CT1=, GI*
Bishopwearmouth CT1=
16 William Street CT1=
Cause of death Pericarditis with bronchitis CT1=
13 days certified
Buried on 20-NOV-1859 PR2*
Service at Bishopwearmouth PR2*=
St Michael PR2*=
Buried at Gill Cemetery? AD3*
Plot ?
Born as Joseph STEPHENSON PR1*

If this is so, I need to find either his father's death or divorce (where do I look?). I have made a search for his death in the three Sunderland parishes, but not found anything - was he lost at sea? Further check required in shipping records

Addresses

Address Dates
foot of William Street, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland ? - 23-APR-1839 - ? CT2*
Silver Street, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland ? - 17-MAY-1839 - ? PR*
East Cross Street, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland ? - 7-JUN-1841 - ? CR1*
25 West Wear Street, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland ? - 30-MAR-1851 ? CR2*
31 West Wear Street, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland ? - 10-JUL-1853 - ? PR2*=
16 William Street, Bishopwearmouth, Sunderland ? - 17-NOV-1859 CT=, PR2*=

Occupations

Occupation Dates
Mariner ? - ??-???-1835 - 29-MAR-1851 AD1*, AD2*=
Shipwright ? - 23-APR-1839 - ? CT2*=
Journeyman-Shipwright ? - 30-MAR-1851 -17-NOV-1859 CT=, CR2*=, PR3*
Master Mariner? 29-MAR-1851 - ??-???-1857 AD2*

Notes on Occupations.

According to shipping records at Kew, he appears to have been a mariner between 1835 and 1851. The birth certificate for his son in 1839 has him as a shipwright. Did he go to sea as a shipwright?

There is conflicting evidence on two consecutive days. Shipping records at Kew indicate that he became a Master Mariner on 29-MAR-1851. On the other hand, the index entry was crossed out, although the supporting detail is still present. The 1851 census, taken the very next day indicates that he was a Journeyman-Shipwright. As a Master Mariner was a more prestigious job, why the lesser title for the census? He could hardly have forgotten, surely. Did he not actually become a Master? Was his health failing such that he couldn't go to sea any more? His death certificate gives occupation as Shipwright journeyman and his son's marriage certificate gives occupation as Shipwright.

John Darnton, September 2010