Revised in December 2004
Before revision this page was entitled 'Aspects of My Family Tree' indicating that it omitted a number of side branches of the tree; these have now been added so that all branches are now included. Other data discovered more recently are also included. On the other hand data on some living persons were previously included with their permission; because of worries about the misuse of data published on the Net, these have now been excluded in almost every case.
Up to and including my grandfather's generation all our known Ditchburn ancestors came from Northumberland. The original research on this tree was carried out by my sister Barbara Ditchburn. My more recent research has been aided by Christopher Fisher in England and by Tony Scott and Pamela Field in Australia.
My first reasonably definite ancestor was William Ditchburn who farmed at West Ditchburn and died at Bilton,near Lesbury in Northumberland, England. A tree of his descendants is given below, which shows females in red.The place name 'Newcastle' refers to the city of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The positions of most of the Northumberland places occurring in this tree are shown on the maps page.
A: William DITCHBURN,(husbandman) born circa 1732; died Bilton 1802; married 02.10.1777 Sarah DICKISON Longhoughton(she was born 1740 and died 1803 in Bilton.).
They had 3 children :
B.1 : John DITCHBURN, (pitman), born in Longhorsley in 1778; married 1802 Ann WILLIS ( 1783 - 1860) Longhoughton.
They had 10 children :
C.1.1 William DITCHBURN, (coal miner), born 1803;.Emigrated to Australia with most of his family in 1854. See separate page for The First Australian Branch of my tree.
C.1.2. Peter DITCHBURN,(coal mine safety officer) born in Embleton 11.12 1805, died in Bedlington 14 June 1840 in a mining accident; married 1827 Jane Alice HORSLEY (1808-1899).(shopkeeper after husband's death).
He had 6 children :
D.1.2.1. Mary Ann DITCHBURN ; (school teacher) born 1838, Shilbottle, Northumberland; died 1867 in Bedlington; unmarried..
D.1.2.2. Thomas DITCHBURN (engineer), born 1830 Shilbottle; died1916 Newcastle-upon-Tyne; married 1852 Marion Hempseed (born circa 1834 Dunfermline, Scotland; died 1909 Elswick, Northumberland).They lived in the USA from c.1852 to c 1860.
They had 8 children:-
E.1.2.2.1. Peter DITCHBURN (engine fitter) born c.1853 in Boston USA; died 1943 Newcastle; married Mary WAITE (c.1851-1921) of Ford, Northumberland)
They had 3 children :
F.1.2.2.1.1 : Thomas DITCHBURN (ordnanceman) born 1881 Newcastle; died 1958 London, married 1905 Kate TURNER (born 1982 Newcastle; died 1957).
They had 6 children not listed here; several of them emigrated to New Zealand and have had issue there.
F.1.2.2.1.2. Isabella Mary DITCHBURN born 1885 Newcastle; married Thomas STEEL (grocer's assistant) 1919 in Newcastle; they had 2 children not listed here.
F.1.2.2.1.3. William Robert DITCHBURN born 1893 in Newcastle; killed in WW1 in1915 near Ypres in Belgium.
E.1.2.2.2. (H)ellen DITCHBURN born 1855 in Lynn, Mass, USA ; living in Elswick in 1871 & 1881.
E.1.2.2.3. Alice Jane DITCHBURN born c.1858, Boston, Mass. USA; died 1932 Elswick.
E.1.2.2.4. Mary Ann DITCHBURN born 1859, Lynn,Mass,USA; married 1884 Robert Soulsby DUNNILL (draper's shopman)
They had 3 children:-
F.1.2.2.4.1. Marion DUNNILL born.circa 1886. Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland
F.1.2.2.4.2. Ellen DUNNILL born c. 1888 Newcastle-upon-Tyne
F.1.2.2.4.3. Hugh DUNNILL born c. 1890, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
E.1.2.2.5. Samuel Roland DITCHBURN (apprentice in drawing ) born c.1864 Newcastle; married 1887 Newcastle; died 1888 Newcastle.
E.1.2.2.6. Thomas DITCHBURN born c.1872 Newcastle; died.1888 Newcastle.
E.1.2.2.7 : David DITCHBURN born c.1873, Northumberland, died 1894, Newcastle
E.1.2.2.8 : William DITCHBURN (foreman in fuse shop) born c. 1876, Newcastle; married Jessie G.
D.1.2.3. Robert DITCHBURN (coal miner, then farm labourer) born c.1832, Shilbottle, Northumberland.; died 1912 Elswick; married 1866 Isabella HALL(c.1833 - 1913) of Ellingham;
E.1.2.3.1 Margaret Jane DITCHBURN (nurse) born 1867 Newcastle; married 1889; ?name of spouse. They had 6 children:-
E.1.2.3.2 Mary A DITCHBURN born1869 Newcastle.
E.1.2.3.3 William James DITCHBURN born 1870 Newcastle
:
E.1.2.3.4 John Thomas Hall DITCHBURN born 1873 Newcastle; died 1841 Newcastle; married 1898 Mary (?PATTON) who was born c.1871 in Scotland.
They had 2 children:-
F.1.2.3.4.1 Hilda DITCHBURN born 1901 Newcastle; married 1949 Paul Arthur William SMITH.
F.1.2.3.4.2 Margaret DITCHBURN born 1905 in Newcastle; died 1962
D.1.2.3.5. Elizabeth Annie DITCHBURN born 1876 Newcastle; married 1899 Newcastle ?name of spouse.
D.1.2.3.6 Thomas DITCHBURN born 1881 in Newcastle
D.1.2.4 : John DITCHBURN (grocer) born 1834 in Bedlington, died 1905 in Elswick, married 1863 Janet PENDRICK(1840 - 1891); died 1891 Newcastle.
They had 5 children:-
E.1.2.4.1 : John Robert DITCHBURN (assistant grocer) born 1864, Bedlington, Northumberland, died 1937, Newcastle; married 1888 Elizabeth Laura VINCENT (1863 - 1912) in the Church of Christ Meeting House in Newcastle.
They had 3 children:-
F.1.2.4.1.1: John Oscar DITCHBURN born 1889 Newcastle; died in 1837 Newcastle; married 1933 Mary STOKER(1900 - 1982).
Two other un-named children who died in infancy were born in 1891 and 1893
E.1.2.4.2. Jessie DITCHBURN (fruiterer) born 1865 Newcastle; died 1940 Newcastle
E.1.2.4.3 Jane Alice DITCHBURN born 1867 Newcastle, died 1934 Newcastle.
E.1.2.4.4:. Mary Ann (Polly) DITCHBURN (fruiterer) born 1868 Newcastle, died 1939 Newcastle.
E.1.2.4.5 : George DITCHBURN. born 1872 Newcastle, died 1881 Newcastle..
D.1.2.5 William DITCHBURN born 1837 Bedlington, Northumberland, died1838 Bedlington, Northumberland.
D.1.2.6 : William DITCHBURN (engineer) born 1839 Bedlington , died 1913 Newcastle; married 1861 in Benwell. Dorothy NIXON born 1841, died1921
They had 7 children :
E.1.2.6.1 : John William (Jack) DITCHBURN (school teacher/headmaster), born 1863 Bedlington, died 1950 Cotherstone, married 1886 Newcastle Helen BELL.born 1863, died 1943.
They had 2 children :
F.1.2.6.1.1 : Lillie DITCHBURN, born 1887 Newcastle; died 1970 Cotherstone; married 1911in Sunderland Rev. A.W. ELDER they had 2 children not listed here.
F1.2.6.1.2: Wilby DITCHBURN born 1890 Newcastle; died 1958 Barrow in Furness; married 1916 Sarah TATE; they had 3 children not listed here.
E.1.2.6.2 .Mary Ann DITCHBURN born 1865 South Shields; died 1865 Elswick ; buried in unconsecrated ground Elswick.
E.1.2.6.3 Marion DITCHBURN born 1866 and died 1866 Newcastle.
E.1.2.6.4. Thomas Robert DITCHBURN born 1869 Newcastle; died 1900 Newcastle; married 1896 Margaret TURNER born 1875 Newcastle, died 1948 Newcastle.
They had four children:
F.1.2.6.4.1: Frank DITCHBURN born 1898 and died in 1898
F.1.2.6.4.2. Irene May DITCHBURN born1900 died1902
F.1.2.6.4.3. Percy DITCHBURN died in infancy.
F.1.2.6.4.4. Cyril DITCHBURN died in infancy.
E.1.2.6.5 : Ann Nixon DITCHBURN, born 1863 Newcastle; married 1898 Martin Harrold GODWIN (mechanical engineer; later proprietor gas laundry) born 1875 London.
They had 2 children :
F.1.2.6.5.1. Harrold GODWIN (bank official); born 1807 Benwell.
F1.2.6.5.2 : Dorothy GODWIN.
E.1.2.6.6 : William DITCHBURN (school headmaster), born 1876,Newcastle; died Weston-Super-Mare 1957; married 1919 Martha Kathleen HUTCHISON (born London 1876,daughter of Robert HUTCHISON of Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland); she died 1960 Weston-super-Mare). .
He had 4 children :
F.1.2.6.4.1 : Robert William DITCHBURN (professor of Physics, FRS) born Waterloo, Lancashire. 1903, died 1987 London; married 1928 Doreen May BARRETT (born Thaxted1908).
They had 4 children :
G.1.2.6.4.1.1 : Barbara Jean DITCHBURN, (proprietor typing school); born Dun Laoghaire (Eire).
G.1.2.6.4.1.2 : Robert ('Robin') Keith Ditchburn (doctor of medicine), born in Dun Laoghaire Eire 1934, married 1965 in Shipley, Yorkshire Janet Susan HALL (doctor of medicine)
They have 3 children not listed here.
G.1.2.6.4.1.3 : Moira Jill DITCHBURN, (state registered nurse) born in Dun Laoghaire , Eire, married Stephen HOLT .
They had 3 children not listed here.
G1.2.6.4.1.4 : Clodagh Rosalind DITCHBURN (state registered nurse) born in Esher, Surrey; married John JAKUBOVIC
They have 2 children not registered here.
F.1.2.6.4.2 : Geoffrey Norman DITCHBURN (company director), born Lancashire 1908, married 1934 Winifred WALKER.(born 1921 - died 1997); he died 1992 Wales.
They had 2 children not listed here
*F.1.2.6.4.3 : Stanley John ('Jack') DITCHBURN (civil servant), born Lancashire; married Florence KNISZ (died 1999); he died 1999.
He had 1 child :
G.1.2.6.4.3.1 : Peter Jocelyn DITCHBURN (civil servant); .born 1937 York; died 2000; unmarried.
*F.1.2.6.4.4 : Mary (Mollie) Kathleen DITCHBURN, born 1919 Lancashire, died 2000, married Fred LENNIE (born 1912 - died 2001)..
*They had children not listed here.
E.1.2.6.7 : Jane Alice ('Daisy') Ditchburn, (school teacher) born 1881 Newcastle; died 1968 Newcastle; married 1812 James Crawford BURNETT (born 1883 - died 1961).
She had 1 child :
*E.1.2.6.5.1 : Dr.William Wardhaugh BURNETT (doctor of Medicine) born North Shields 1915; died 1968; married Evelyn SLATER (born 1914-died 1989).
They had 2 children not listed here.
C.1.3 . Sarah DITCHBURN, born Embleton 22/12/1806; died 1851 Cramlington, Northumberland; married 1834 Thomas DODDS. See Ditchburn-Dodds-Fisher line
C.1.4. John DITCHBURN born 1809 in ? West Ditchburn, Northumberland; Christened Embleton; .
C.1.5.Ann DITCHBURN born 1809 ?West Ditchburn; Christened Embleton, Northumberland, married 1830 in Shilbottle Andrew SMAILS.
They had 1 child:
*D.1.5.1 John SMAILS (agricultural labourer) born 1841 Bedlington, Northumberland; married 1879 Mary Ann ;
they had 1 child:-
E.1.5.1.1: Mary Ann SMAILS born 1879 Longbenton, Northumberland
*C.1.6. Robert DITCHBURN born 1811 Shilbottle, Northumberland.
*C.1.7. Margaret DITCHBURN (school mistress) born 1814, Shilbottle, Northumberland: married 1835 in Earsdon, Northumberland to James Whittle .
C.1.8. Thomas DITCHBURN (coal miner; later cow keeper) born 1816, Shilbottle, Northumberland; died 1900 North Newsham; married 1838 in Bedlington Ann BEAL (born c.1817 Bothal, Northumberland; died 1883 Tynemouth).
They had 7 children:
D.1.8.1. Anne DITCHBURN born 1839 Bedlington, Northumberland; died 1840, Bedlington,
*D.1.8.2. Peter DITCHBURN born c.1841 in Bothal, Northumberland
He had 1 child:
E.1.8.2.1. Mary Jane DITCHBURN born Tynemouth 1869; died Tynemouth 1870.
D.1.8.3. George DITCHBURN born c. 1845 Castle Eden Co. Durham; died 1910 Australia;. married 1865 in Tynemouth to Mary Ann COLLING;
They had 8 children:
*E.1.8.3.1. Mary Ann DITCHBURN born 1868 Tynemouth; in 1969 the family emigrated to Australia; see The second Australian Branch
D.1.8.4 Sarah Jane DITCHBURN born 1848 Warkworth, Northumberland; married 1868 William PAUL (inn keeper)
They had 4 children;-
D.1.8.4.1. Ann J PAUL born c.1873 Cambois, Northumberland
D1.8.4.2 Isabella PAUL born c.1875 Cambois, Northumberland
D.1.8.4.3. Emily PAUL born c.1877 Cambois, Northumberland.
D.1.8.4.4. George PAUL born c.1879 Cowpen. Northumberland
D.1.8.5 John DITCHBURN (grocer); born.1850, Earsdon, Northumberland;died 1912 Newsham; married Isabella (born c.1864, Durham; she died 1912 Newsham.)
They had 3 children:
E.1.8.5.1. Mary DITCHBURN born c.1884 Horton, Northumberland
E.1.8.5.2: Lilian DITCHBURN born 1886 Horton.
E.1.8.5.3: Gilbert Roy DITCHBURN born 1890 Horton; married 1916 Knight
D.1.8.6. Robert DITCHBURN (cartman) born.circa 1853, Earsdon, Northumberland; died 1916 Blyth; married 1887 Newcastle; Mary Ann MOULD (born 1852 - died 1916)
They had 8 children:
E.1.8.6.1. Ann Mole DITCHBURN born 1875 Horton, Northumberland.
E.1.8.6.2. Sarah J DITCHBURN born 1879 Horton
E.1.8.6.3. Thomas DITCHBURN (farm sewer) born 1880 Horton; married 1904 to Florence Jane THOMPSON of Durham.
They had 8 children:-
F.1.8.6.3.1 Florence DITCHBURN born 1904 Newsham; married 1929 Edward HETHERINGTON.
F.1.8.6.3.2. Robert DITCHBURN born 1905 Tynemouth; died 1977 Newsham; married in Horton1925 Olive HETHERINGTON (born1904 - died 1962)
They had 7 children:-
G.1.8.6.3.2.1.? gender ?living
G.1.8.6.3.2.2. Edward Stephen DITCHBURN; born 1925 Newsham; died 1926 Newsham
G.1.8.6.3.2.3. male with issue; ?living
G.1.8.6.32.4. George DITCHBURN; born 1933 Newsham; died 1936 Newsham.
G.1.8.6.3.2.5. male with issue; ?living
G.1.8.6.3.2.6. Joseph DITCHBURN born 1939 Newsham; died 1982 Newsham; married 1958.
G.1.8.6.3.2.7. male with issue ?living
F.1.8.6.3.3. Edward DITCHBURN born 1910 Tynemouth; died 1975 Newsham; married 1934. He had 2 children not listed here.
F.1.8.6.3.4. Mary E Ditchburn .
The other 3 children of Robert Ditchburn & Mary Ann Mould are not listed here.
D.1.8.7. William DITCHBURN born c.1858, Earsdon, Northumberland, married 1884Elizabeth (born 1858, Earsdon) in Morpeth, Northumberland.
C.1.9. Mary DITCHBURN bapt. 1818, Shilbottle; married James CROYLE (born 1816-died1842).
They had 2 children:-
D.1.9.1. James CROYLE born1837, died 1887 in Sydenham, Kent; married Marion MACDONALD.
D.1.9.2. John CROYLE born1839, died 1925 in Belford, Northumberland; married Jane COLLINS .
C.1.10. George DITCHBURN born 1820 Shilbottle; died 1842 Netherton, Northumberland
B.2 : Peter DITCHBURN, born 1782 at West Ditchburn, Northumberland married Jane Wetherell (born 1783 - died 1860).
They had 4 children:
B.2.1. William DITCHBURN born1807 Embleton, Northumberland
B.2.2. Isabel DITCHBURN born 1809 Embleton, Northumberland
B.2.3. James DITCHBURN (coal miner) born 1811, Belford Northumberland; died 1889 Auckland, Co. Durham; married 1838 Jane; (born 1818 - died 1842).
They had 4 children:
C.2.3.1. Margaret DITCHBURN born 1838, Bedlington; died 1871 Auckland, Co. Durham; unmarried.
She had 1 child:
*D.2.3.1.1. James DITCHBURN (coal miner) born 1862 Helmington Row Co. Durham; in 1888 married Frances O'NEIL ( while single she had had a son James O'NEIL born 1883 in Crook; in 1881 he was living with James & Frances, recorded as James' step-son).
James & Frances had 2 children:-
E.2.3.1.1.1. Margaret DITCHBURN born c. 1890 in Auckland Co. Durham
E 2.3.1.1.2. Frances DITCHBURN born 1895 in Helmington Row
C.2.3.2 Jane DITCHBURN born 1841 Kelloe, Co. Durham
C.2.3.3. Dinah DITCHBURN born. 1844 Earsdon, Northumberland
C.2.3.4. Isabella DITCHBURN born. 1848, Bellingham, Northumberland.
She had 1 child:
D.2.3.4.1. Dinah Jane DITCHBURN born 1883 in Crook, Co. Durham; married in Auckland.1904 Thomas BLACKBURN
They had 5 children:
E.2.3.4.1.1. Alexander BLACKBURN
E.2.3.4.1.2. Florence Eleanor BLACKBURN (born 1910 - died 1997).
E.2.3.4.1.3. Forest BLACKBURN (born 1915 - died 1965)
E.2.3.4.1.4. Margaret BLACKBURN (born 1917 - died 2002)
E.2.3.4.1.5. Emily Grace BLACKBURN
B.2.4. Sarah DITCHBURN baptised 1814, Shilbottle, Northumberland.
B.3 Rachel DITCHBURN baptised 1784, Widdrington, Northumberland.
----------------------------------------------------------------