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Hi Andrea, I'd make a dreadful teacher. I often know exactly what I mean in my head but confuse people when I try to explain it. So please bear with me here.
Joe Ben Wilcock/Senior is definitely the same person. His mother was Esther Wilcock. She was unmarried when she had him, so Joe Ben's birth was registered with her name - Wilcock.

In 1861/62 Esther Wilcock moved in with a William Senior. They had children together - Priscilla 1862 - Walter 1864 - James 1866 and Emily 1870.

Because Joe Ben was less than 2 years old when he moved in with William Senior, he grew up with the surname Senior. He was used to that name so kept it. But he knew his real name was Wilcock, so he used that name for all official records. His marriage and his children's surnames etc.

Esther Wilcock was the daughter of Benjamin and Tamar Wilcock. When Benjamin died, Tamar married Michael Horne. You can see these together on the 1861 census that HeyJudeB4Beatles has put up for you.

The William Senior who Joe Ben moved in with, is living next door to the family in 1861 - he's the one aged 30.

In 1861 Esther Wilcock is away from home working as a servant. But her son Joe Ben is being looked after by her mother Tamar.

It's common on marriage certificates to not mention that the father's surname is a different name. So Joe Ben has given his father's name as William (the man who acted as father to him) and left the Registrar to automatically fill in the surname Wilcock. Why lose face by explaining to the registrar that he was illegitimate?

Tamar Clarkson 1st married a Benjamin Wilcock in 1833 Parish of High Hoyland according to the 2nd marriage her father was George Clarkson.
Regards Carol

ChristinaS...you'd make a very good teacher I reckon :-) ...eloquently explained.

It is noticeable that everything "legal" including death and probate as well as marriage have him as Willcock including his children's births I reckon

Jude

Just picking this up, and as a thought from other threads - a lot of it was about what the neighbours might have thought!

Andrea sums it up - and I have added my thoughts

1861 - Wilcock in census - Joe Ben too young to have input
1882 - marriage to Annie - listed as Willcock - got married using his birth cert name
1886 - listed as Wilcock from Tamar's baptism - Tamar would have been a Willcock
1891 - listed as Senior in census - probably known in area as Senior
1901 - listed as Senior in census - probably known in area as Senior
1913 - listed as Wilcock on Evelina's wedding cert. - Legal names being used

So if he was living with grandparents (grandmother had remarried) not a problem being a Willcock, but if his mother moved in/married William Senior and Joe Ben lived with them - it would be 'natural' that they would all use the name Senior.

I have a basis for these assumptions: my gg grandfather can be found in Census Records as Thomas Ambrose (1851); Thomas Oakley (1861) - his mother had by then married a William Oakley; Thomas Oakley (1881) as are his wife and three children called Oakley but in 1891 he reverts to Ambrose (which is his birth cert name), his death cert in 1895 shows Thomas Ambrose otherwise Thomas Oakley. He was born, lived and died in the same area.

Some final thoughts perhaps he preferred the name Senior for day-to-day living and maybe because he was known as Senior it was just easier.

Also some final questions (possibly without answers) - where was the 'first ' Mrs Senior - mother to Guy and Alfred - because William appears to have no condition as to marriage! He also lived next door - and maybe he was Joe Ben's natural father - but it may not have gone on the birth certificate! Or Joe Ben considered him to be his father - and maybe didn't want to leave that box blank on his marriage cert?

What was the name registered for his death? Willcock?

I agree with ChristineS and HeyJudeB4Beatles

Well that seems a lot clearer ! And I agree you'd make a good teacher Christina !

Joe Ben died 23 June 1939 and according to probate records left money to Norman Harold Wilcock and Walter Wilcock - both names of his and Annie's children.

I think you fabulous people may have just solved the mystery !!

Once I get this squared away, I may have to set you going on a new one lol

Ok last question :

Would it be worth trying to get hold of Joe Ben's birth certificate in a bid to discover his biological father's name ?

If he was born out of "wedlock" would his mother have named the father ? Was the father's name on the birth certificate in those days ?

Just wondering if it's worth getting the certificate or whether it would be a waste of money as I wouldn't get the info I need ?

Any advice ?

My guess would be that the father isn't on the certificate.

Isn't it frustrating when a trail comes to an end like that.

Joe Ben's b.cert is in name Wilcock, as were all his kids on the censuses (well Willcock for Gertie). In the early days, the registrar wouldn't let an unmarried father be named on the cert - I'm unclear what early is, precisely - I think pre-1875.
Anyway, I clicked on the show all names on page link - none of them is rego'ed with two surnames. In later days, the unwed father could be named on a b,cert with his written permission, and the GRO index would have 2 entries (one for each surname), both pointing to the same b.cert.

In addition to the GRO index, some local rego offices have their own index at least partly on-line (one can buy BMD.certs from both the local & GRO).


http://www.lancashirebmd.org.uk/
Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1850
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
LEES Peter ATKINSON Jane Preston, St John Preston 229/9/343

Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1882
Surname Forename(s) Surname Forename(s) Church / Register Office Registers At Reference
WILCOCK Joe Ben LEES Annie Preston, St Luke Preston 231/1/300

Lancashire Birth indexes for the years:
Surname Forename(s) Sub-District Registers At Mother's Maiden Name Reference
1857 LEES John Preston Preston ATKINSON PRES/100/7
1860 LEES Ann Bury South Bury ATKINSON BS/22/66
1863 LEES Peter Preston Preston ATKINSON PRES/139/87
1882 WILCOCK Walter Trinity Preston LEES TR/12/71
1884 WILCOCK William Ernest St Peters Preston LEES ST.P/18/90

Marriage: 9 Apr 1882 St Luke, Preston, Lancashire, England
Joe Ben Wilcock - 21 Pork Butcher Bachelor of 11 Tyne Street
Annie Lees - 21 Weaver Spinster of 102 Porter Street
Groom's Father: William Wilcock, Labourer
Bride's Father: Peter Lees, Painter
Witness: Robert Holmes; J E Richardson
Married by Banns by: E. Over
Notes: [Groom signed 'J B Willcock' ]
Register: Marriages 1864 - 1888, Page 150, Entry 300
Source: LDS Film 1471020

Baptism: 9 Oct 1857 St John, Preston, Lancashire, England
John Lees - [Child] of Peter Lees & Jane
Abode: Senior St
Occupation: Painter
Baptised by: Certified by G. Alker
Register: Baptisms 1856 - 1858, Page 299, Entry 2385
Source: LDS Film 93989

Baptism: 13 Sep 1863 St John, Preston, Lancs.
Peter Lees - [Child] of Peter Lees & Jane
Abode: Bedford St
Occupation: Painter
Baptised by: Thos Johnson Curate
Register: Baptisms 1863 - 1865, Page 134, Entry 1065
Source: LDS Film 93990
http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/indexp.html

FreeBMD:
Births Sep 1860 (>99%)
LEES Ann Bury 8c 371

Births Jun 1860 (>99%)
WILCOCK Joe Ben Wortley 9c 157

Deaths Jun 1894 (>99%)
Horne Tamer 87 Wortley 9c 124

Deaths Sep 1872 (>99%)
HORN Michael 68 Wortley 9c 121

I think Joe Ben didn't really know what a legal name was.
All that is necessary to legally change one's name under English common law is that you start using your new name and stop using your old one. Provided it's not done with fraudulent intent, that's it. Of course, while he was a minor, it wasn't up to him, as it was his legal guardian's decision.


Grandson-in-law, eh - who'ld have thunk it - no wonder I couldn't guess it.

mgnv...grandson-in-law - ha ha - but as I said the fact that Michael Horne wasn't his grandfather but Michael's wife was his grandmother really does explain it!!

JannieAnn - death as everything else "legal" is in the name of Willcock.

Andrea - I don't think birth certificate will tell you much - I am not sure which is his anyway. As mgnv says, if Esther wasn't married to the father, then there is every chance there is no father on the certificate.

An absorbing poser which I have enjoyed contributing to!

Jude

Ok - guess I won't be going any further on his paternal line then lol.

Thanks so much to everyone that contributed !

Andrea - yeah, you probably won't find his parentage laid out in black & white.
There are faint possibilites like a will from either parent, or a baptismal entry.

Lewis (1848) A Topographical Dictionary of England
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.aspx?pubid=445
THURGOLAND, a township, in the parish of Silkstone, union of Wortley, wapentake of Staincross, W. riding of York, 3¼ miles (E. S. E) from Penistone ... etc.


My g gran named her father, James Johnston (Ag Labr) on her m.cert.
She was baptized privately a month after her birth with no mention in the parish register at this time,
but there's an entry on her first b'day, presumably when she was presented to the congregation,

25th November 1854
Elizabeth Johnston illegitimate daughter of James
Johnston Farm Servant Adie [typo for Aldie], Cruden & Elizabeth Anderson,
Crisekelly was born 25th November 1853, baptized by Mr
Gibson 4th January 1854 before witnesses viz William
Anderson & Elizabeth Scott [her grandparents], Crisekelly.
[Lonmay OPR]

Maybe you won't get such detail in an English parish register, but worth checking out if you get the chance.

Just wanted to add that I'm quite sure that William Senior wasn't Joe Ben's father.

William and Esther went on to have 6 or 7 children together, and all of them were registered with the name Senior. Although there's no sign of William and Esther ever having got married.

So there's no reason why Joe Ben wouldn't also have been given the name Senior as well, if William had been his father.

Andrea - it's not unusual now or then for a child to take on the step-father's surname. Here's George Thirlaway, my g grandad:


1861 England Census
Civil Parish: Heaton
County/Island: Northumberland
Country: England
Street address: Heaton High Pit
Registration district: Newcastle Upon Tyne
Sub registration district: Byker
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Household schedule number: 50

William Thirlaway 70 Burnopfield, Durham, England Head M Collier
Elizabeth Thirlaway 60 Pit Hill, Durham, England Wife M
George Thirlaway 31 Newcastle, All Saints Son U Collier
Sarah Thirlaway 21 Newcastle, All Saints Daughter
William Thirlaway 17 Newcastle, All Saints Grandson Collier
George Anderson 6 St Andrew's Grandson Scholar
Hannah Thirldway 4 Newcastle, St Andrews Granddaughter Scholar
George Thirldway 4Mo Heaton Grandson

Source Citation: Class: RG9; Piece: 3834; Folio: 54; Page: 10; GSU roll: 87086.


1868 WILKINSON John
1868 THIRLEWAY Sarah
Marriage venue - St Andrew
Register No./Entry No.
EAD11/434


1871 England Census
Civil Parish: Long Benton
Ecclesiastical parish: Walker
County/Island: Northumberland
Country: England
Street address: Gosforth Pit Cottage
Registration district: Tynemouth
Sub registration district: Longbenton
ED, institution, or vessel: 7
Household schedule number: 5

William Sherlagvay [Thirlaway] 80 Crook, Durham, England Head M Coal Miner
Elizabeth Shvilaway [Thirlaway] 72 Beamish, Durham, England Wife M Coal Miners Wife
Sarah Wilkinson 32 Newcastle On Lyne Daughter M Colliery Firemans Wife
George Wilkinson 11 Newcastle On Lyne Grandson Coal Screener
Elizabeth Wilkinson 4 Northd, Walker Granddaughter Colliery Firemans Daughter
Margaret J Wilkinson 1 Northd, Walker Granddaughter Colliery Firemans Daughter

Source Citation: Class: RG10; Piece: 5125; Folio: 4; Page: 2; GSU roll: 847398.


Jude - Re: "But why say William Willcock was his father on marriage? (if indeed it does)...."

I've got confidence in the LancsOPC transcription I posted.
The original will be in the Lancs record office in Preston.
Some of the LancsOPC transcriptions can be checked against the diocese of Manchester images which are online at Family Search, but ours falls outside that diocese.
Sure - like any set of transcriptions there'll be the odd misspelling, but I think I've only asked for 3 items to be checked. I'ld say their standard is pretty high.