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Hold on, I screwed up. Lewella had this right at the beginning:

Births Jun 1855
Smith Evan Burnley 8e 156

Aren't we thinking that's likely him? I'd get that certificate for sure. If the mother appears to be one of the daughters of his "parents" George and Mary, you'd have a pretty good match. If there's no father named, it would definitely look like him.

Reared as a Smith, but knew or learned who his father was, changed his surname to match, and named him when he married.

Lew said: "Ellen Smith married John Halstead in 1866".

It could be that Evan was Ellen's child, at a time John Halstead was still married to his first wife.

Here's John Halstead in 1861 (he married Ellen Smith in 1866):

Name: John Halstead
Age: 33
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1828
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Ann
Where born: Burnley, Lancashire, England

Civil Parish: Habergham Eaves

John Halstead 33
Ann Halstead 35
Thomas Halstead 8
Ellen Jane Halstead 5
Ruth Halstead 2
Albert Halstead 1


Here looks to be Ellen Smith in 1861:

Name: Ellen Smith
Age: 21
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1840
Relation: Lodger
Gender: Female
Where born: Burnley, Lancashire, England
Occupation: weaver

Civil Parish: Habergham Eaves

Elizabeth Smith 50
Anne Lee 29
James Smith 12
Edward Smith 6
Mary Ellen Smith 2
Amelia Smith 7 Mo
Ellen Smith 21


It's impossible to tell what the relationship among all those Smiths is, but it looks like Ellen's separate from the other batch. I'd guess that Elizabeth is an aunt maybe, at least of the younger ones.


So Ellen was where John Halstead was, in 1861.

I would not be surprised if Evan was their child, but the only indication of that is likely going to be that marriage certificate.

I think I agree with what you say, Evan named John Halstead as his father on his marriage cert. I think Ellen was his mother,have checked all christening and baptism records for the smiths and only Ellen was christened giving George and Mary as parents on 30 June 1839.


This is where it gets a bit mad regarding Ellen:
Ellen Smith marries Hartley Rushton 1860 (1881c. explains this)
Hartley Rushton dies 1865 age 30 in Burnley.

She then marries John Halstead in 1868 Burnley, there are 2 records one in the name Smith and 1 in Rushton both same reference No.

John Halstead dies in Burnley in 1878 .

1881c. Ellen Halstead (head) widowed
Ellen J Halstead - step daughter
Ruth Halstead - stepdaughter
Albert Halstead - stepson
John Halstead - stepson
Nathaniel Halstead - stepson
Charles Halstead - SON
Mary E Rushton - DAUGHTER (Ellen married Hartley Rushton in 1860)

So to me it looks like Ellen was his mother, am ordering Evan birth cert from Preston, and will see then who is registered.

Any comments???? do you think i am right. Stella

Ah yes, the withheld info -- !!!!!!

So there was no point me looking for Ellen Smith in 1861, because she was Ellen Rushton.

Name: Ellen Rushton
Age: 20
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1841
Relation: Wife
Spouse's Name: Hartley
Where born: Burnley, Lancashire, England

Civil Parish: Burnley

Hartley Rushton 25
Ellen Rushton 20
Mary E Rushton under 1 Mo

-- there's your Mary from the 1881.


So Evan was born before the marriage to Rushton even, and some dozen years before Ellen married Halstead.

The fact that he wasn't with Ellen and Rushton in 1861 does suggest he was not Rushton's child. Although it's also possible that, with Mary having a young baby, he was staying temporarily with grandparents.

So it could be that Halstead was really just his stepfather, but he adopted his surname and named him as father.


I hope you're going to get that certificate for the 1855 birth and let us know!

Oh, duh, you said you were doing that. ;)

Yes -- I think *we* are cumulatively right!

so Ellen was only 14 when she had Evan?

did the police records come up with anything useful

Ellen Smith was christened on 30th June 1839 in Burnley, so she would have been about 16 when Evan born.

Only got the "Rushton" connection via a message from a Brian telling me to look on 1881 cencus on Family Search,org. and put in Ellen Halstead and date of birth.

Police search takes up to 10days and should get an e-mail reply, nothing yet.

Evan's birth cert should be with me next week sometime - cant wait to see what it says - probably another "Red herring" Thanks for help.

Found death for George Smith - 1871 aged 67 in Burnley. Too many Mary Smiths to find her death.


Stella

don't know if you want these but you can send for the will using these probate details if you wish.

Evan Halstead of 585 ........(forgot to write down) Breightmet Bolton died 26 Oct 1913 Administration (with will) Machester 18-11-1913 to Sarah Chrissie Halstead widow Effects £357-3-6

Sarah Chrissie Halstead of Sedros 658 Bury Rd Breightmet Bolton died 31-5-1951 Probate Manchester 9 -7-1951 to Thomas Halstead retired secretary Ada Halstead solicitor and Wilfred Ramsden caretaker Effects £2039-7-1

I have just looked at police records - I won't spoil your fun but can tell you it gives his actual date of birth so you will be able to match that with the birth of Evan Smith. Not found a baptism of an Evan Smith or Halstead at St Peter's but will try other Burnley churches. Watch this space!

Marriage cert arrived today for Evan Halstead and Sarah Chrissey Catterall, details as follows:

24th April 1881 at Brunswick Chapel, Brunswick St. Bury, Lancs, Evan Halstead 26 yrs batchelor and Sarah Chrissey Catterall spinster 21 yrs. Rank or profession Police Officer. Evan living at 14 St. Annes St. Bury and Sarah at 21 St. Annes St. Bury.
Father's names and surnames: John Halstead (deceased) Spindle Maker
and Thomas Catterall (deceased) Engineer.
The witnesses were Henry Clarkson and Sarah Jane Barlow.
They were married to the rites and ceremonies of the United Methodist Free Church by Certificate by me John Smith, and George Fairbrother - Registrar.
Will scan cert and put it on my tree on Genes and ancestry.

Nothing from police enquiry - how did you manage to view the police records?? I couldn't manage that - but am new to this.

Thanks for the info on the will and probate - very interesting.

Still waiting for birth cert.....Evan.

Thanks for all help STelaa

Just received e-mail from Lancs constabulary regarding Evan Halstead, it tells me Evan served with the Lancs police in the Bury and Bolton divisions from 1880-1907, that he married Sarah Crissey Catterall in 1881 in Bury and that there is a 2 page entry containing biographical, physical, career and salary details, this I can view at Preston or use the records office search service or have a record agent carry out the research for me. .......so I am no wiser, need to decide if I should visit Preston or have search done.

No nearer on the birth cert for him, thanks lancashireann for all your help
stella

The police records are not on line. I looked at the micrifilm when I was in the Lancs CRo in Preston yesterday. I wish I had police ancestors! (I have one but he was Liverpool whose records do not go far enough back.) Lancs police list things like height, eye/hair colour, promotion details pension details, when permission was given to marry and when & where and most importantly that he would be 21 on 25th March 1876 and that he had been a miner. I think I have remembered that right but I did not write things down assuming that they would send you those sort of details. He retired on a pension of £100. If you like next time I go I will copy down what it says for you. It is interesting if not vital - puts a bit of meat on the bones so to speak. The records are easy to find and clear look at so no problem. Just let me know if you want the details.

If you want copies of the wills you can send for them from York, cost of £5 each. I have found they can either give lots of extra info or none!

Thyank you lancashireann, I would be very grateful if you would copy the info at Lancashire records office for me, would love to go but it wont be able to do so for about a month, I have a 12yr grand-daughter who lives with me and am rather tied to the house during school times, maybe she would like to come with me during the easter break - it would be a nice bus ride from bolton to preston.

The info you sent me regarding the wills of EVan and Sarah was most helpful, I found all but one marriage of Evan's children, then was told by my husband that Ada did not marry - she was the solicitor. It explained a lot of "whose who" on his side.

The birth for Evan at Preston - that could take upwards of 3 weeks to arrive, could have it tomorrow but it would cost £60 which i think is a bit steep.

Many thanks Stella

did you order the birth cert from Lancs Cert office at Preston or the GRO? Just curious as 3 wks seems a long time compared to the present 5 days from the GRO.