William Miller Douglas
 

Hi everyone, hope you are all well.

Please can you help me with this puzzle! :confused:

I have been trying to find the birth/baptism of William Miller Douglas who married Mary Ellen Gregory on 12 October 1889 in Sheffield, when his father was said to be Robert Douglas, Engineer (deceased).

On the 1891 Census he said he had been born in Bury, Lancs in 1858.

On most of his children’s baptisms he uses the name William Douglas, although on the last one he is known as Richard Douglas. On his daughter’s marriages he is known as Richard Millard Douglas and Richard Douglas.

I have not been able to find him on the 1901 Census, although his wife says she is married still.

In 1910 he is Richard Douglas, in Ecclesall Bierlow Workhouse, Sheffield where he died in May 1910, aged 50. The Workhouse admission register gives his date of birth as 12 September 1859.

I have tried every combination of name I can think of, and even searched the Indian baptisms in case he was born aboard, to no avail. If anyone can throw any light on his baptism/birth or earlier Census I would be very grateful.

I have been looking at the GRO index and wondered whether his mother's maiden name was Miller and that she wasn't married when William was born.

The only one I found that might be promising is this:

MILLER, WILLIAM HENRY -
GRO Reference: 1859 S Quarter in SHEFFIELD Volume 09C Page 377

Unfortunately, this one has the second name of Henry.

Good thought Elizabeth. Not sure about the Henry part though.
He only had one son, and he was William Vernon Douglas.

I have just remembered that he was meant to have been born in Bury, Lancs., so not him.

I'm getting nowhere fast! Who were the witnesses at his marriage, and what did he give as his address on his marriage cert? I realise those pieces of info are unlikely to help, though.

Thanks for looking, I seem to be going round in circles!

Their witnesses were John Kirk and Mary Ann Gregory [mother of bride].
They were both living at Craven Lane, Sheffield.