Searching for Ayton Ancestry

One woman's journey, from thinking she could never find her father's blood line to discovering a whole new family.

We have been contacted by Trish King who is researching her family ancestry and is trying to find out if any of her relatives are still living in Great Ayton.

Trish has asked us if we could contact our members, newsletter subscribers and social media followers with aim to find out more about her local family ancestry. We have been given permission to share the following information:

Trish's father was adopted shortly after birth in 1920 and, by taking a DNA test, she eventually found his birth family - some of whom are the Swalwells, originally from Great Ayton. Trish has gained a lot of information about the family, mostly by using Ancestry.co.uk, and can trace the family in Great Ayton back to the 1700's. After accessing the Great Ayton Parish Registers, Trish found lots of details of births, marriages and deaths but now would like to supplement the knowledge she has gained so far with more detailed info. Trish also discovered from DNA ethinicity readings, that her grandfather, Johan Larsson, was from Sweden.

Trish is particularly interested in the Swalwell family and anyone that may think they are related to Trish and could offer more information, paying attention to the following as listed by Trish:

• What I would like is details of what school the ancestors may have attended in Great Ayton, what the streets and properties where they lived may have been like in their day (and if they are still there!) and where they might have worked. Old photographs linked to family places (or, even better, family members) in Great Ayton would be wonderful! As I can't get out to visit Great Ayton because of lockdown, I can't see their graves in the Parish churchyard but I can wait for that, although if anyone has any information about their connection with All Saints Church, I would love to hear it.
• Family names: Swalwell, Fairley, Thompson, Atkinson, Garbutt, Wright, Simpson, Bennison, and Towlerton. Does anyone recognise these names; are there still people with these surnames living in Great Ayton - we could be related!
• Some of the places in Great Ayton where the ancestors lived: Bridge Street, Park Square, Donaldson's Row, Mill Race, Mill Street, Greenhow Hill (?), Wilsons Yard, 'California' - very interested in that one!
• Flint Quarry -  My 2 x Great Grandpa - another William - and his son Thomas were labourers in a flint quarry (1871 census) - I presume this is the whinstone quarry - is it still working?

If anyone has any information/photographs et c please email us and we will forward onto Trish or pass on your contact details if preferred so you can make direct contact.

Alternatively you can message us on Facebook