Grandfather st Helens 1871 - Genealogists' Forum

Qwackers · #1 09-02-16, 06:37

Hi , I am trying to trace my Grandfather William Henry Eccleston s birth . I have found him on the 1871 census age 3 months in Eccleston St. Helens The census was collated in April. So I assumed he was born in 1871 . But the only birth I can find of the same name is in 1870 born in prescot . I have checked this birth at the register office . And they told me mother unmarried but yet census does not state that . It may be the grandparents have taken responsibility for him . I seem to beable to find him on the next census age 10 living with Grandparents in parr St. Helens they are the Dixons , so this is a bit of a mystery to me . I also presume that the parents have passed away .in between census's any help gratefully received .

Merry · #2 09-02-16, 06:52

I haven't got time to look at this now, but certainly if he is listed as 3 months on the 1871 census he may well have been born in December 1870 (so maybe 3.5 months old for instance) and I see the birth reg you enquired about was in Q4 of that year.

Qwackers · #3 09-02-16, 08:59

Hi , yes it's possible that he was born in Dec 1870 , there is only that one entry for a birth in Precot and the mother is unmarried . But was it also possible for a women of 47 to have a baby , I know my sister and I were born in my mums forties .?

kiterunner · #4 09-02-16, 09:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearkins

Hi , yes it's possible that he was born in Dec 1870 , there is only that one entry for a birth in Precot and the mother is unmarried . But was it also possible for a women of 47 to have a baby , I know my sister and I were born in my mums forties .?

Yes, of course it was possible for a woman of 47 to have a baby but if you read through my posts you will see that it looks as though Elizabeth Eccleston was William Henry's mother.

Qwackers · #5 09-02-16, 09:01

Hi , yes James burrows was my uncle or I was led to believe he was when I was a child . So that's is a correct marriage , I haven't seen that marriage thank you for finding it .

Qwackers · #6 09-02-16, 09:04

I have t seen that 1891 census , it's great , I think I still have some living relatives in skelmersdale , it would be good finding them . Thank you

Qwackers · #7 09-02-16, 09:06

Do you think that James burrows was Williams father ? Or do you think he just took the child as his .?

kiterunner · #8 09-02-16, 09:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearkins

Do you think that James burrows was Williams father ? Or do you think he just took the child as his .?

If you mean Henry Burrows, see my post above yours - I'm not sure.

kiterunner · #9 09-02-16, 07:37

This is the 1871 census entry that you mention:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/76...nSearchResults

61 Grant Street, Eccleston, Lancashire
William Eccleston Head Mar 59 Gardener Lancashire
Mary Do Wife Mar 47 Do
Elizabeth Do Daur Unm 21 Do
George Do Son Unm 19 Miner Do
Mary Jane Do Daur Unm 13 Do
Beatrice Do Daur 9 Scholar Do
Ann Do Daur 6 Do Do
William Henry Do Son 3 mths Do

and the 1881:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/75...nSearchResults
158 Park Rd, Parr, Lancashire
James Dixon Head Marr 54 Miner St Helens Lanc
Alice Do Wife W(?) 57 Wife " "
John Do Son Unm 21 Miner " "
Hellen Do Daur " 17 " " "
William Eccleston Grand Son " 10 Scoler " "

If he is the illegitimate son of one of the Ecclestons' children (maybe Elizabeth?) then it would not be unusual for the grandparents to put him down as their own son on the census, or indeed to bring him up as their own son, to look respectable.

It looks as though your William married an Ann Grimshaw 14 Nov 1894 at St Paul, Skelmersdale, and the Lancashire Online Parish Clerks website has a transcription of the marriage record which gives details of the bride's father but not the groom's, and this would fit with him being illegitimate.

Qwackers · #10 09-02-16, 08:40

Hi , yes I was thinking on those lines , but I found a death for William Eccleston , in the area when William Henry was about 8 , so he could have passed away prior to the marriage . I will purchase the birth certificate . As I cannot find another William Eccleston in 1871 , I have looked on all the local parish regs and not found any . So I will have to presume that that birth in prescot his him .