I didn’t really do much research regarding my Whittaker family until a few years ago when I have found so much information I was unsure what to do next. I am related to the Whittakers via my great great grandparents.

Maria Whittaker was born in 1800 in Newcastle under Lyme. Her parents were Edward Whittaker and Ann Cooper. I knew this when I first started my research and I also knew that Maria had married three times.

Her first marriage was to William Beech and they had a daughter Emma Fryer Beech. When William died Maria married George Swetnam and they had a son Edwin Swetnam. When George died, Maria married James Hodgkinson. There were more children from this marriage including my great grandfather.

Maria’s father Edward Whittaker was born in 1777 and christened on 2 April 1777 at St. Giles, Newcastle under Lyme. He married Ann Cooper in 21 November 1799 at St. Giles Newcastle under Lyme.

They had three children that I know of. Maria born in 1800 and christened on 20 December 1800 in Newcastle; William christened on 27 December 1804 in Newcastle; Clara christened 24 April 1811 in Newcastle. William married Lydia Prime in 1827.

Edward’s parents were William Whittaker born about 1747 and possibly Hannah born around 1757. They had four children Edward, James born 1773, Ann born 1775 and William born 1779

I knew that Maria owned property as when she was widowed she wrote on the census that she lived on her own means. Rate books show that she owned properties in Salters Lane and that her family lived in some of those houses.

I wanted to know more about the properties and eventually found a will for Edward who died in 1849. This was at the height of the cholera epidemic but Edward died after being kicked by a horse and having his leg amputated.

His death certificate states that he died from complications following the fracture of his leg. The death notice gives more about it and stated that he did not recover from the shock of having his leg amputated.

Edward’s will showed properties in Salters Lane and also in Upper Green. These were left to Maria but in trust.

The trustee had to make sure that she received the income from the rents of these properties but he could also sell them on which he did later on. The will does not give addresses other that a street or road for the properties and the rate books do not give numbers either.

However Edward’s brother James left a more detailed will. Although James had married Elizabeth there were no children of the marriage and James died in 1837 several years before Edward.

James’s will was much more detailed and he left several properties as follows; to his brother Edward he left two houses in Hick Street, numbers 10 and 11; to his nephew William he left two houses in Hick Street, numbers 24 and 25; to his niece Maria he left two houses in George Street, numbers 22 and 23; to his niece Emma he left a house at 23 Hick Street and another at 14 George Street; to his niece Clara he left 4, 5 and 6 Hick Street and finally to Grace, illegitimate daughter of his sister Ann another property.

I don’t know how both Edward and James were able to buy property but it does seem that mortgages were used.They were hatters but whether they were employers or employees I do not know.

Maria is my great great grandmother and she sadly died in 1879 in a house fire.She was visited each day by her married daughter and left safe. However she must have fallen and her clothes caught tire. A sad end like her father Edward.