Christopher served in the British Army in India for seven years. In 1914, he was taken prisoner during World War I. He was released in 1919 after the war ended.

Christopher Addison

Born: 1886 in Bamber Bridge, Lancashire, England

Father: John Addison (1854 to 1930)
Mother: Catherine Taylor (1856 to 1942)

Spouse: Catherine McCarthy (1890 to 1948)

Married: 3 FEB 1913 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA

Children: None

Died: 28 DEC 1926 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA

Timeline:

1891 Walton Le Dale, Lancashire, England
1901 Walton Le Dale, Lancashire, England
1908 Death of brother, John
1911 Alverstoke, Hampshire, England
1911 Immigrated to America
1913 Marriage to Catherine
1915 Taken Prisoner in France
1919 Returned home via Canada
1920 Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA
1921 Death of sister, Catherine
1926 Death and Burial

Occupation:  fish and chip shop owner

Records:

1891 to 1911 England Census Records
England & Wales, FreeBMD Birth Index, 1837-1915
Massachusetts, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963
Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915
Canada, Border Crossings from U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935
U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995
Massachusetts, U.S., Death Index, 1901-1980
U.S., Find a Grave® Index, 1600s-Current

Variations of Surname: none

Military History:

In 1911, Christopher was stationed at Fort Brockhurst in Elson, Hampshire, England. He was a private in the British Army’s First Battalion of the Royal Lancaster Rifles.

An article in The Evening Herald, published on 27 FEB 1913, indicated that Christopher served seven years in India. He was part of the Manchester Regiment. 

Another article, dated 5 NOV 1915, shows that Christopher was taken prisoner during World War I. He was sent to a POW camp in Giessen, Germany.

Christopher’s obituary was published on 29 DEC 1926 in the Fall River Herald News. This article indicates that he was a POW for 3 1/2 years.

NOTE: You can view these articles on the Newspapers.com website.

A document in Ancestry.com’s “Canada, Border Crossings from U.S. to Canada, 1908-1935” shows that Christopher returned home in 1919.

Seven years later, Christopher died at his home located at 424 Third Street in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA. Christopher was 40 years old when he died.

Christopher’s Wife:

Catherine McCarthy:

Catherine was born in 1890 in Stockport, Cheshire, England. She died on 22 APR 1948 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.

Catherine’s father was Martin McCarthy. He was born in 1858 in Stockport, Cheshire, England. He died in 1895 in Stockport, Cheshire, England. Martin was 37 years old when he died.

Catherine’s mother was Mary Lovery. She was born in 1856 in Stockport, Cheshire, England. I do not know when Mary died.

Catherine had one brother:

John H McCarthy (1882)

After Christopher died, Catherine married Sydney Vause in 1935 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA. Catherine was 45 years old. Sydney was 49 years old.

Sydney Vause was born in 1886 in Pendleton, Lancashire, England. He died in 1957 in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA.

The Census Records:

I could not find Christopher and Catherine in the 1920 US Census. I could not find Catherine in the 1930 US Census.

The 1927 directory listing shows that Catherine was living at 496 Fourth Street in Fall River, Bristol, Massachusetts, USA. This entry also shows Christopher’s death date.

Surnames:

Martin and Mary’s parents were Irish immigrants who came to England in the late 1850s. Both families settled in Stockport, Cheshire, England.

Ancestry.com transcribed Mary Lovery’s surname as Lovrens on the 1877 marriage record.

The 1881 England Census listed her father’s surname as Loverens.

Martin’s surname was listed as Carthy in the 1871 England Census and McCharty in the 1881 England Census. His death record listed the surname as McArty.

The entries for Martin were probably typographical errors. The entries for Mary and her father were likely variations of the surname.

This is what makes genealogy both difficult and enjoyable. You may be a descendant of one of these families and not even know it!

The Addison Family:

The surname Addison was common along the borders of Northern England and the eastern counties of Scotland. In the period known as the Middle Ages, these Addison ancestors migrated south to settle in Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Lancashire counties in England.

The progenitor of this family line was Christopher Addison. He was born around 1788 in Bolton, Lancashire, England. Who were his parents? That is still an unanswered question.

This family lived in the Walton-le-Dale area of Lancashire, England. The four oldest children were born in Moon’s Mill which is now Higher Walton. The two youngest children were born in the parish of Cuerden. The family finally settled in Over Darwen which is five miles south of Blackburn.

Timothy Addison created a family tree on Rootweb. His ancestors lived in the parishes of Kings Meaburn, Morland, Crosthwaite, Beathwaitegreen, and Levens in northwestern England.

Is there a connection between his ancestors and the ones who migrated to Lancashire? This is where my search begins . . .

If you know the answer to this question, please contact me. My email is dlwakenight@yahoo.com. You can also leave a message in the Comments Section of this post.

Creating Your Family Tree:

Are you interested in building a great family tree? Do you want to preserve your family history? Here are some tips on how to become a 

family genealogist.

Genealogy:

Genealogy is the study of a person’s “line of descent.” You start with one individual and go “back into time.” You would add parents, grandparents, etc., and continue down the line. Your family tree will grow when you add your ancestors’ descendants, their children, their grandchildren, etc.

Choose a Family Tree Website:

There are family tree websites that require paid memberships. These include Ancestry, My Heritage, and Find My Past. If you want a family tree website that is free of charge, you can try FamilySearch. These family tree websites allow you to search millions of records and build your family tree.

WikiTree is another family tree website that is free of charge. This site does not have searchable databases.

Add Photographs and Documents:

Have you heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words“? All of these family tree websites allow you to upload photographs and scanned documents to your family tree.

Ask your parents, grandparents, and cousins for copies of their family photos. They may also have documents such as letters, diaries, family bibles, and newspaper articles. These are all excellent sources of vital records.

Create Family Stories:

Every family has a story to tell! Did you have an ancestor who served in the military? Did your ancestor become a doctor, lawyer, or well-known actor? Did your ancestor have a “skeleton in the closet“? These stories can be uploaded to your family tree website.

What’s In A Name?

Have you ever wondered what your last name means? The SurnameDB.com is a great website for finding the origins of English surnames. There are also websites for other parts of the world like Eastern Europe, South America, and the Middle East.

Thank You!

I hope you enjoyed your visit to the Family Tree Insider. If you notice an error or want to comment on a post, please contact me. I appreciate any feedback that will improve your experience on this website.