Descendants of Robert Burgar (1754-1820)
Walter Burgar (abt 1790 ? - after 1832) - assumed son of
Robert Burgar (1754-1820)
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Walter Burgar was probably born about about 1790.7
He died after 1832.76
Between 1820 and 1829 he was a Shoemaker.74,75
In 1831 he was a Cordwainer.74,76
The first sighting of this Walter Burgar is in 1819 when he married Mary Kent in
Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire. How he came to be in Burton is also
unknown.
We do not know the parents of Walter Burgar, but it is assumed that he is the son of Robert Burgar (1754-1820) and Susannah Davis. (At one time it was was thought that this Walter was Walter Burgar (1789-1857), the son of John Burgar (1742-1796). Further evidence proves that he is not the son of John Burgar. It is probable that he is the son of Robert Burgar(1754-1820).
See notes on the various Walter Burgar
DNA testing shows the descendants of Walter Burgar of Burton are related to known descendants of John
Burgar (1741-1796) of London. (See section on DNA results).
Walter Burgar and Mary Kent were married on 15 Aug 1819 in St Modwen, Burton,
Staffordshire.75
The following is a summary of the entry in the Marriage Register:
Walter Burgar, bachelor and Mary Kent, spinster , both of the Parish were married
on the 15th August 1819, at St Modwen, Burton-on-Trent. Walter signed his name
but Mary used an "X". The witnesses were John and Catherine Kent.
The witnesses at his marriage were John and Catherine Kent, who were presumably
Mary's brother and sister-in-law. In later registers John and Catherine Kent
had a daughter, Emma, baptised (1828) and John Kent's occupation was given as
a shoemaker. There is another shoemaker, William Kent who might be related,
who had premises in the High Steet in the 1834 Trades Directory. It would seem
that Walter Burgar was associated with a shoemaking family in Burton. It is possible
that he travelled from London and eventually settled in Burton to work for a
shoemaker where he met the Kents.
Walter and Mary Burgar had 4 children while living in Burton. For some reason
they then moved to Nottingham where they had a further 5 children.
At the time the earlier children were born in Nottingham, Walter and his family
were living at Rancliffe St. and he was a shoemaker. When Susan was born they
were living in Sussex St and he was a cordwainer. This is a superior leather
worker, so it would suggest that Walter was progressing.
However, Rancliffe Street was not very salubrious, despite being relatively recently built.
See plan of Rancliffe and Sussex Street
See Photo of typical Court in Nottingham (Number 1)
See Photo of typical Court in Nottingham (Number 2)
Out of Walter's nine children only 1 survived to adulthood. We have details of the living conditions in Nottingham at this time, and where Walter was living they were horrendous. The following information comes from a study of Public Health and Housing in Early Victorian Nottingham published by the University of Nottingham.
See details of housing conditions in Nottingham
The housing and sanitary conditions in Nottingham resulted in high mortality rates.
Death rates in Nottingham in 1820s
In 1831 Walter seems to have deserted his wife and left her to fend for herself.
It is possible that he died of cholera (which hit Nottingham in 1832) and his death went unrecorded. However, it seems more likely that Walter left his wife prior to the Cholera outbreak. Why he went and where he went is unknown.
See details of the Cholera epidemic in 1832 and other deseases
Mary and family would have been destitute after Walter left. They would have
no money and would quickly have been homeless and destitute. Families in this
condition would have to apply to the Poor Law authorities for money for food.
If they were born in the Town they would be entitled to Poor Law Relief, but
if they were not born there they would be sent back to the Parish where they
were born.
See Court Order
for their removal to Burton-upon-Trent.
This shows that John Hudson took Mary and children to Burton and deposited them
with Robert Edwards, the Overseer in Burton. Since Burton did not contest the
Warrant, the Nottingham Court was able to file the case away and consider it
a job well done. The ratepayers of Nottingham would not be burdened with the
upkeep of the Burgar family.
What happened to Mary on her arrival at Burton? She may have received help from
her family there. It certainly did not seem a happy home coming since 2 of her
three remaining children died there and are recorded in the Parish register.
Thus only Edwin of the nine children survived to carry on the Burgar surname.
See Tree showing descendants of Walter
Burgar
Mary Kent was born in 1795.9
After Mary (Kent) Burgar was deserted by Walter Burgar she was removed to Burton
in 1831. She then appears in Derby where she married Andrew Millar in 1840.
Civil Registration of marriage reference is Sep 1840 V 19 p 403 - Derby Derbyshire.16,25,75 A summary of the marriage
register is as follows:
Mary Burgar, Widow, aged 42 and Andrew Millar, Widower and a Machine Maker were
married on 6th July 1840, at All Saints Church Derby. Mary's father was George
Kent a Labourer. Andrew's father was William Miller, a Joiner.
We assume that she had heard of Walter's death by this time or maybe she assumed
that since she had not heard from him for 7 years she could assume that he was
dead.
There is confusion about the spelling of Millar/Miller. Both forms are used.
In the 1841 Census, she was living at Thorntree Lane, Derby, Derbyshire.9
See 1841 Census
It is seen
that Mary was a shoe binder. This suggests that she used to help Walter in his
shoemaking business. (The same happened to another Burgar couple in London
where the husband was a shoemaker and the wife was a shoe binder).
In the 1841 census for Burton there is an entry for William Kent who might be
Mary's brother, but it seems that he wasn't born in Staffordshire.
See 1841 Census
for the various Kent families
Mary (Kent-Burgar) Miller and her husband Andrew Miller, eventually left Derby
and settled in Manchester.
See 1851 census.
It would seem that Andrew Millar had been living in Manchester before going to
Derby pre-1841. His daughter by a first marriage was born in Manchester in 1837.
At this stage we lose track of Mary Kent Burgar Millar and pass to her son Edwin
Burgar who eventually started the Sheffield Burgar family.
Walter Burgar and Mary Kent had the following children:
| i. | Mary Burgar was born on 26 Oct 1820 in
Burton on Trent.75 She was
baptized on 26 Oct 1820 in St Modwen, Burton, Staffordshire.75 The following is a summary of the entry in the Baptism
Register:
Mary daughter of Walter and Mary Burgar, Shoemaker was baptised on the 26th Oct. 1820 at St Modwens, Burton-upon-Trent. She died in 1820 at Burton on Trent.75 She was buried on 29 Oct 1820 in St Modwen, Burton, Staffordshire.75 The following is a summary of the entry in the Burial Register: Mary Burgar of Burton, aged 3 days, died 29th October 1820 at St Modwens Burton-upon-Trent |
| ii. |
Walter
Burgar was born in 1821 in Burton on Trent.75 He was baptized on 28 Oct 1821 in St Modwen, Burton,
Staffordshire.75 The following
is a summary of the entry in the Baptism Register:
Walter, son of Walter and Mary Burgar, Shoemaker was baptised on the 28th October 1821 at St Modwens, Burton-upon-Trent. He died in 1834 at Burton on Trent.75 He was buried on 17 Jan 1834 in St Modwen, Burton, Staffordshire.75 The following is a summary of the entry in the Burial Register: Walter Burgar of Burton died 17th January 1834 aged 12 years at St Modwens, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire. This followed the removal of the Burgar family from Nottingham in 1831 ( See above details). |
| iii. | Susanna Burgar was born in 1823 in Burton
on Trent.75 She was baptized
on 14 Dec 1823 in St Modwen, Burton, Staffordshire.75 The following is a summary of the entry in the Baptism
Register:
Sussana daughter of Walter and Mary Burgar, Shoemaker was baptised on the 4th December 1823 at St Modwens, Burton-upon-Trent. She died in 1824 at Burton on Trent.75 She was buried on 20 Feb 1824 in St Modwen, Burton, Staffordshire.75 The following is a summary of the entry in the Burial Register: Sussanah Burgar of Burton, aged 11 months, died 20th February 1824 at St Modwens Burton-upon-Trent |
| iv. | John
Burgar was born in 1824 in Burton on Trent.75 He was baptized on 28 Nov 1824 in St Modwen, Burton,
Staffordshire.75 The following
is a summary of the entry in the Baptism Register:
John, son of Walter and Mary Burgar, Shoemaker was baptised on the 28th November 1824 at St Modwens, Burton-upon-Trent. He died in 1826 at Rancliffe St, Nottingham.74 He was buried on 16 Jul 1826 in St Peters Nottingham.74 The following is a summary of the entry in the Burial Register: John Burgar of Rancliff Street, aged 18 months, died 16th July 1826 at St Peters Nottingham |
| vi. | George Burgar was born on 1 Oct 1828 in
Rancliffe St, Nottingham.74
He was baptized on 12 Jan 1829 in St Peters Nottingham.74 The following is a summary of the entry in the Baptism
Register:
George, born 1st October 1828, son of Walter and Mary Burgar, Shoemaker of Rancliffe Street, was baptised on the 12th January 1829 at St Peters Nottingham He died in 1829 at Rancliffe St, Nottingham.74 He was buried on 19 Jan 1829 in St Peters Nottingham.74 The following is a summary of the entry in the Burial Register: George Burgar of Rancliff Street, aged 14 weeks, died 19th January 1829 at St Peters Nottingham |
| vii. |
Frances
Burgar was born on 25 Oct 1829 in St Peters, Nottingham.74 She was baptized on 11 Nov 1829 in St Peters Nottingham.74 The following is a summary of
the entry in the Baptism Register:
Frances, born 25th October 1829, daughter of Walter and Mary Burgar, Shoemaker of Rancliffe Street, was baptised on the 11th November 1829 at St Peters Nottingham. (Frances and William were twins) She died in 1829 at Rancliffe St, Nottingham.74 She was buried on 4 Dec 1829 in St Peters Nottingham.74 The following is a summary of the entry in the Burial Register: Frances Burgar of Rancliff Street, aged 3 weeks, died 4th December 1829 at St Peters Nottingham. (Frances and William were twins) |
| viii. |
William
Burgar was born on 25 Oct 1829 in Rancliffe St, Nottingham.74 He was baptized on 11 Nov 1829 in St Peters Nottingham.74 The following is a summary of
the entry in the Baptism Register:
William, born 25th October 1829, son of Walter and Mary Burgar, Shoemaker of Rancliffe Street, was baptised on the 11th November 1829 at St Peters Nottingham (Frances and William were twins). He died in 1829 at Rancliffe St, Nottingham.74 He was buried on 4 Dec 1829 in St Peters Nottingham.74 The following is a summary of the entry in the Burial Register: William Burgar of Rancliff Street, aged 3 weeks, died 4th December 1829 at St Peters Nottingham. (Frances and William were twins). |
| ix. | Susan
Burgar was born in 1831 in Sussex St, Nottingham.74 She was baptized on 2 Oct 1831 in St Peters Nottingham.74 The following is a summary of
the entry in the Baptism Register:
Susan, born ?, daughter of Walter and Mary Burgar, Cordwainer of Sussex Street, was baptised on the 2nd October 1831 at St Peters Nottingham. She died in 1832 at Burton on Trent.75 She was buried on 9 Feb 1832 in St Modwen, Burton, Staffordshire.75 The following is a summary of the entry in the Burial Register: Susan Burgar of Burton died 9th February 1832 aged 5 months at St Modwens, Burton-upon-Trent. |
| v. | Edwin Burgar. |