Shildon, Durham
The origins of the Staveleys of Shildon, Durham, are not clear, and it is unknown if they are Staveleys or actually Stablers. In the 1861 census a George and Edward STAVELEY, both born in Mickleton, appear in the Shildon census. Mickleton is located near Barnard Castle, where George states he was born about 1826. The most likely parentage for George and Edward is George STABLER and Hannah DENT who were married in Romaldkirk on November 20, 1824.
George married Jane HARLE in 1860 in Durham, and the marriage surname was registered in Auckland, Durham as "STAVLEY":
1861: Chapel Street, Shildon, Durham, England
| George STAVELEY | Head | M | Male | 35 | Mickleton, Yorkshire, England | Sawyer |
| Jane STAVELEY | Wife | M | Female | 23 | Aunfield Plane, Durham, England | Sawyer's Wife |
| Sarah RAMSHAW | Sister-in-Law | M | Female | 31 | Wallsend, Northumberland, England | Railway Engine Driver's Wife |
| Mary J. RAMSHAW | Niece | U | Female | 1 | New Shildon, Durham, England |
George and Jane have not been located in any other census records.
Also in Shildon in 1861 is an Edward Staveley, also born in Mickleton, and presumably a brother to George above. Edward married Mary BRAITHWAITE in Durham in 1860, and again the marriage surname is registered as "STAVLEY":
1861: Adelaide Street, Shildon, Durham, England
| Edward STAVELEY | Head | M | Male | 25 | Mickleton, Yorkshire, England | Wagonwright |
| Mary A. STAVELEY | Wife | M | Female | 22 | Darlington, Durham, England | Wagonwright's Wife |
| Mary H. STAVELEY | Daur | U | Female | 9 mo. | Wallsend, Northumberland, England |
However, by 1871 this same family is transcribed as STABLER:
1871: Grocer's Shop, Adelaide Street, Shildon, Durham, England
| Edward STABLER | Head | M | Male | 25 | Mickleton, Yorkshire, England | Joiner & Grocer |
| Mary A. STABLER | Wife | M | Female | 22 | Darlington, Durham, England | |
| George STABLER | Son | U | Male | 8 | Shildon, Durham, England | Scholar |
| William B. STABLER | Son | U | Male | 6 | Shildon, Durham, England | Scholar |
| Edwin STABLER | Son | U | Male | 4 | Shildon, Durham, England | Scholar |
| Frederick STABLER | Son | U | Male | 1 | Shildon, Durham, England | |
| William BRAITHWAITE | Father | W | Male | 62 | Darlington, Durham, England | |
| Ann DENBY | Serv | U | Female | 15 | Bradford, Yorkshire, England |
The GRO index shows the entries for the births of Edward's children William Braithwaite STAVLEY, and Edwin STAVLEY (no entry for Frederick has been found).
In 1871 we find Edward's potential parents, George and Hannah, as follows:
1871: Bridgelane, Middleton, Durham, England
| George STABLOUR | Head | M | Male | 67 | Mickleton, Yorkshire, England | Labourer |
| Hannah STABLOUR | Wife | M | Female | 73 | Lunesdale, Yorkshire, England | |
| Elizabeth STABLER | Grandaughter | U | Female | 19 | Middleton, Durham, England | |
| Mary STABLER | Great Grandaughter | U | Female | 1 Mo. | Middleton, Durham, England |
Despite the registration of the marriages for both George and Edward being in the name STAVLEY, and Edward's children being registered as such, Edward's family at least is consistently transcribed as STABLER in the census between 1871-1901.
1881: 54 Adelaide Street, Shildon, Durham, England
| Edward STABLER | Head | M | Male | 45 | Mickleton, Yorkshire, England | Joiner |
| Mary Ann STABLER | Wife | M | Female | 42 | Darlington, Durham, England | |
| George STABLER | Son | U | Male | 18 | New Shildon, Durham, England | Railway Waggon Shunter |
| William B. STABLER | Son | U | Male | 16 | New Shildon, Durham, England | Labourer |
| Edwin STABLER | Son | Male | 14 | New Shildon, Durham, England | Clerk | |
| Fred STABLER | Son | Male | 11 | New Shildon, Durham, England | Scholar | |
| Mary Hannah STABLER | Daur | Female | 9 | New Shildon, Durham, England | Scholar | |
| Thomas STABLER | Son | Male | 7 | New Shildon, Durham, England | Scholar | |
| Elizabeth STABLER | Daur | Female | 5 | New Shildon, Durham, England | Scholar | |
| Frances ROBSON | Servant | Female | 16 | Close House, Durham, England | General Domestic |
There is an entry of death for a Mary Ann STABLER who died in Shildon in 1883 at the age of 44 years.
1891: 41a Adelaide St., Shildon, Durham, England
| Edward STABLER | Head | W | Male | 56 | Mickleton, Yorkshire, England | Wagonwright |
| Mary H. STABLER | Daur | U | Female | 19 | Shildon, Durham, England | Housekeeper |
| Thomas STABLER | Son | U | Male | 17 | Shildon, Durham, England | Engine Cleaner |
| Elizabeth STABLER | Daur | U | Female | 15 | Shildon, Durham, England |
1901: 34 Adelaide St., Shildon, Durham, England
| Thomas STABLER | Head | M | Male | 27 | Shildon, Durham, England | Railway Engine Stoker |
| Margaret STABLER | Wife | M | Female | 23 | Shildon, Durham, England | |
| Arthur STABLER | Son | U | Male | 1 | Shildon, Durham, England | |
| Fred STABLER | Son | U | Male | 2 Mo. | Shildon, Durham, England | |
| Edward STABLER | Father | W | Male | 67 | Mickleton, Yorkshire, England | Railway Wagonwright |
This family line appears to have continued on using the STABLER name, and why the STAVELEY/STAVLEY name was used in some official documentation is not clear. Whether this lineage holds any true STAVELEY origins has yet to be determined.