Unknown Unknown (son of Sir Chaytor of Witton Castle?)

[JayG]

Ann Walker was born to Ann Walker nee Moses in 1844 at Witton Bridge, Witton le Wear, Co Durham.

A story has been passed down the family that Ann Walker's father was a member of the Chaytor family of Witton Castle, one of the sons?

I've never really looked at this indepth as I doubt any record would exist.

No father is listed on Ann Walker's birth cert. Her father is given as John Walker on her marriage cert, he was her mother's first husband who died in 1841.

[kiterunner]

Have you found a baptism for her?

[kiterunner]

I found a site which says that the Chaytors sold Witton Castle to a Donald Maclean in 1839 and bought it back in 1851:

http://www.fivenine.co.uk/local_history_notebook/South%20Bedburn/Witton%20Castle/witton_castle.html

[JayG]

Yeah Kate, I forgot that bit.

She was baptised in Jan 1845 at nearby Hamsterley, not sure why tho as Witton le Wear Church is closer & also Ann & John's two sons born at the same place were baptised at WLW.

There's no father on the baptism.

The Chaytor family are at Witton Castle at the right time, but as to if there's any truth in the story i'm not sure.

[kiterunner]

This is the 1861 census entry for Witton Castle:
Henry Chaytor Head Mar 48 Esq, Magistrate Yorkshire Croft
Caroline Chaytor Wife Mar 38 Durham, City
(and servants)

[JayG]

I found a site which says that the Chaytors sold Witton Castle to a Donald Maclean in 1839 and bought it back in 1851:

http://www.fivenine.co.uk/local_history_notebook/South%20Bedburn/Witton%20Castle/witton_castle.html

Ohh, I hadn't realised the Chaytor's had sold it for a period of time. I had thought they had owned it until it was sold to Lambton Estate.

[kiterunner]

The Chaytor family are at Witton Castle at the right time, but as to if there's any truth in the story i'm not sure.

So is the bit about Donald Maclean wrong, or did they live there when he owned it? I've found Henry Chaytor on the 1851 census as a visitor in Croft, Yorkshire, but not looked at Witton Castle on the 1841 and 1851 yet.

(Edit - we posted at the same time)

[JayG]

That's something I need to try & find out. If the Chaytor's aren't at Witton Castle in 1844 then it's less likely Ann's father was a Chaytor. If Don Maclean was living there in 1844 I suppose he could be the father & as reading from that link he was a bankrupt, the family story could of been adapted due to that as the Chaytor's would be better people to descend from!

Or the whole Chaytor connection is made up & all fanciful.

I'll be visiting one of my mum's elderly cousins over Easter, she might be able to tell me more about the story & how it came about .