sutton families of the wirral hundred, cheshire, england

JOHN SUTTON – THE FISHERMAN

  • ?? - 1799

On Sunday 17th August 1783, John Sutton married Sarah Walton at St Oswalds Parish Church in Bidston Village. Sarah was christened on 29 December 1762 the last child of James and Maria Walton of Grange House, Claughton, Birkenhead. In addition to owning Grange House, the Walton family owned a number of local farms including one in Bidston, which was managed by James and Maria’s eldest son Thomas following the death of his father on 4 October 1767.

The entry in the parish register reads:
John Sutton, bachelor, of this parish married Sarah Walton spinster, of this parish
By banns
Witnesses: Elijah Sarratt and Ann Thorn
The entry in the Banns register Banns of Marriage between John Sutton and Sarah Walton were published 3,10, and 17 days of August of said John Sutton a bachelor and Sarah Walton of the Parish, a spinster were married in this church by Banns the seventeenth day of August in the year 1783 by me Bryan King.
John Sutton X his mark
Sarah Walton X her mark
In the presence Elijah ??orratt and (indistinct)

The ceremony was conducted by the Rev Bryan King, who was the incumbent priest at St Oswald’s between 1775 and 1792 before becoming the Rector of Woodchurch Parish Church. The proximity of the marriage to the date of the birth of their first child could indicate that the union was a hastily arranged matter.

On Sunday 29th February 1784, John and Sarah took their first child, Maria, to the church in which they were married to be christened . The entry in the Bidston Parish Records indicates that Maria was brought from Claughton to be christened. Until now I have assumed that John was working for the Walton family on the Bidston Farm or a farm nearby when he met Sarah. This may still be true as it was customary for a first time mother to return home for the birth of the first child. Sometime between the christening of Maria and the birth of Ann, John and Sarah’s second child, the family moved into the adjoining parish of Wallasey (1.4 miles). Based on the circumstantial evidence it would appear the family took up residence in an area of Liscard known as the Magazines.

Descendants of John and Sarah:

  • Maria Sutton - b. 1784, Claughton, Wirral; bapt.29 February 1784, St. Oswald Parish Church, Bidston.
  • Ann Sutton - b. 1785, Wallasey; bapt. 9 November 1785, St. Hilary Parish Church, Wallasey.
  • John Sutton - b. 1787, Liscard; bapt 6 August 1787, St. Hilary Parish Church, Wallasey.
  • Mary Sutton - b. 1789, Wallasey; bapt. 7 June 1789, St. Hilary Parish Church, Wallasey
  • James Sutton - b. 1791; Wallasey; bapt 30 Jun 1791, St. Hilary Parish Church, Wallasey
  • Elizabeth Sutton - b. 1793, Wallasey: bapt. 26 June 1793, St. Hilary Parish Church, Wallasey
  • William Sutton - b. 1796, Wallasey; bapt 16 August 1796, St. Hilary Parish Church, Wallasey
  • Sarah Sutton - b. 1798, Wallasey; bapt. 12 November , 1798, St. Hilary Parish Church, Wallasey.
Following the christening of Sarah (1798), the next significant entry relating to the name Sutton noted in the Parish registers for St Hilary’s church, records the burial of:
14 November 1799 - John Sutton - Fisherman.
While the entry itself does not indicate that this John Sutton is the husband of Sarah, an entry in the burials section of the records on 25 August 1808 reads:
Mary Sutton daughter of Sarah, Widow

Gore's Annals for Liverpool lists an event which reads:

"A dreadful hurricane. The Ellis Souter stranded in Bootle Bay. The Hope, Chirmseck, Belfast, and McRoberts that sailed that morning were totally lost and all on board perished. New building were blown down, several houses unroofed and many chimneys fell".

It is possible that John Sutton may have drowned. On the PR for St Hilary's Church the following entry reads "18 Nov 1799 Wiliam Sharp, Drowned man"

Having examined the parish records for St Hilary’s, I know that there is only one Sutton family in the area between 1780 and 1813; I am convinced that John Sutton – Fisherman is Sarah’s husband.

This theory is further strengthened by evidence provided by a fairly dilapidated headstone in St Hilary’s graveyard that reads:

Also J…Sutton…22nd March ??33 aged ?2 years
Also James their son who died Oct 1851 aged 1 year and 8 months.
Also Charles Sutton,
Who died on 3 February 1883 aged 4 months.
(on foot of the stone)
The Burial Place of John Su……

What happens to the family following the death of John can only be imagined, however, I know that some of the family remain in the Wallasey area because the parish registers note the christening of an illegitimate daughter, Mary, to Elizabeth, now 20 years old, on 11 May 1813. The entry does not note the father’s name but it does say that Elizabeth is living in the Magazines area of the Village. Unfortunately, Mary dies on the 21 July 1822 aged 9 years. The parish records indicate that she died in the Seacombe area.

While Elizabeth appears to remain in the local area, I have no proof positive about what happened to the other female members of the family, including the mother, Sarah. However there is circumstantial evidence that Maria married William Brown and lived in Liverpool, Ann married William Davies and remained in the local area . At present this is speculation and subject to correction.

When was John the Fisherman born ?

As I not able to find any information relating to the birth of John the Fisherman I decided to have look at his best man Elijah Sarratt as it is usual for the best man at a wedding to be either a relative or a close friend of the groom. Elijah Sarratt was christened in Woodchurch Parish Church on 21 October 1759 son of Elijah and Frances, house carpenter of Oxton.
This lead me to believe that John was born circa 1760. + / - 2 years