Looking llegitimate boys named William baptised in Blackrod in the mid 1820s, there are the following:
- William Makinson, bpt 10 Oct 1824, mother Alice Makinson, abode Blackrod.
- William Lord, bpt 7 Nov 1824, mother Jane Lord, abode Westhoughton.
- William Corner, bpt 15 May 1825, mother Hannah Corner, abode Blackrod.
- William Farrington, bpt 5 June 1825, mother Alice Farrington, abode Horwich.
- William Partington, bpt 29 Oct 1826, mother Ellen Partington, abode St Ellens.
- William Sherreton, bpt 25 Dec 1826, mother Margaret Sherreton, abode Blackrod.
I found William Partington on the 1841 census in Blackrod - with Grimshaws. Poss a co-incidence, but worth checking out.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/89...d=&usePUB=true
1841 Church Street, Blackrod
John Grimshaw, 65, cotton weaver
Margaret Grimshaw, 60
William Partington, 15, dyer
Martha Partington, 10, tearer
All born in country
There is another Grimshaw family in Church Street as well.
William Grimshaw, 40, dyer
Betty Grimshaw, 40
John Grimshaw, 15, dyer
Thomas Grimshaw, 15, dyer
Betty Grimshaw, 13
William Grimshaw, 11
Jane Grimshaw, 8
Ellen Grimshaw, 6
Michael Grimshaw, 3
James Grimshaw, 1
The family immediately above appear on the 1851 census - still in Church Street. While the father, William, was born in Adlington, Betty and all the children (with the addition of seven-year-old Moses) were born in Blackrod.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/88...d=&usePUB=true
I looked for a baptism of the Martha Partington (Bishhop's Transcripts on Ancestry) who was 10 in the 1841 census and living with Grimshaws and found a baptism at Westhoughton (about four miles from Blackrod): Martha Partington, baptised 18 May 1831 at St Bartholomew's, Westhoughton, mother's name Elizabeth Partington, weaver, abode Westhoughton. No father is recorded.
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/25...d=&usePUB=true
It may be - if William Partington is correct - that he was raised by Grimshaw grandparents and took in the name of Grimshaw and used that name when he married.
As I said, may be a huge red herring.