First it's helpful if you can find the potential surname of the bride (esp as, if you had looked at Rainford PRs on Lancs OPC you would have seen there were no Whalley marriages in Rainford).
In this case you have a child named Mary aged 4 in 1841 and aged 14 in 1851 (born in Rainford), showing as John's daughter in 1851. (Mary the mother is dec'd by then).
Next I looked at Lancs OPC for Mary junr's baptism:
Baptism: 20 May 1838 All Saints, Rainford, Lancashire, England
Mary Whalley - Daughter of John Whalley & Mary
Born: 20 Apr 1838
Abode: Rainford
Occupation: Husbandman
Baptised by: Wm Ellam
Register: Baptisms 1813 - 1840, Page 183, Entry 1460
Source: LDS Film 1657568
Her age was a little off on the census, but helpfully her dob was recorded at baptism. Next, to the GRO indexes to see if she was registered. Rainford is in Prescot District:
WHALLEY, MARY mmn SWIFT
GRO Reference: 1838 J Quarter in PRESCOT Volume 20 Page 680
At the moment we don't know this is her for certain - many children went unregistered at the start of civil registration...…
Look for a Whalley to Swift marriage.....
Marriage: 4 Dec 1820 St Mary The Virgin, Prescot, Lancashire, England
John Whalley - (X), Labourer, Bachelor, this Parish
Mary Swift - (X), Spinster, this Parish
Witness: Ralph Blackburn, (X); Ann Swift, (X)
Married by Banns by: Wm. Vernon, Curate
Register: Marriages 1813 - 1830, Page 119, Entry 355
Source: LDS Film 1657584
Looks like the right one. Rainford Baptisms have the first match for a child of a John and Mary Whalley in 1821 (Thomas born 20 Aug 1821).
__________________
 Merry
"Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010
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