By John Hartley and Ruby Hartley
April 2024. Three generations visit North Tyneside on a family history trail. Two of them are born Hartley. The third is married into the name. Hartley is not a name synonymous with North Shields. Rodgerson, on the other hand, most definitely is, and Rodgerson is the maiden name of the eldest generation of the three.
Joseph Rodgerson – our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Great Grandfather respectively, was born in 1824, resident on Bedford Street and in 1851 was an HM Customs boatman. The 1861 Census has him being retired on an HMC pension, despite only being 36. (The retirement evidently did not last long; within the next decade Joseph Rodgerson was the Station Master of the Tyne General Ferry, a role he then undertook for several decades.) His youngest son Robert would continue the Customs role, progressing from boatman to Officer of Customs whilst living at Vicarage Street. Joseph’s brother John, ten years his junior, also worked for HM Customs. His death in 1875 was reported in the local press – falling from the top-gallant yard to the deck of the Emanuel, moored off the New Quay, whilst “rummaging the sails” looking for contraband.
Robert Pattison, again our 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Great Grandfather respectively, was also born in 1824, and was a mariner at the age of 15. By the time of the 1861 Census he was the Master of the Huron, a ship docked at the Hit and Miss Wharf in Northfleet, Kent.
The sea was clearly in Robert’s blood. His father John received the Mate and Master certificate after forty three years in the Coasting and Foreign Trade arm of the British Merchant Service. His latter years were spent in the Master Mariners Asylum, where he died in 1885. Amongst Robert Pattison’s children was a daughter, Sarah.
When Joseph Rodgerson Jr married Sarah Pattison in the latter months of 1873, two quite different marine families were brought together. Joseph himself however did not appear to be drawn to the sea. His career was initially as an engine fitter at Palmers, and he later ran a grocery shop from his home on Bell Street, before moving up to Bedford Street.
Whilst we descendents of Rodgerson and Pattison heritage definitely do not have sea legs, we have certainly been drawn to the charms of North Tyneside. Our recent visit took us to the grave of Joseph Jr’s sister Martha who married another Master Mariner, William Ebenezer Robertson. Whether our continuing research unearths more nautical themes remains to be seen.
Author bio: John Hartley and Ruby Hartley are father and daughter, living in Watford. John is an author, musician and senior leader in Special Education; Ruby is a freelance illustrator and designer.
Illustration of the Master Mariners Asylum by Ruby – [email protected]
