Genealogy Chat

Could I ask anyone with a sharp pair of eyes if they can see the following person on the 1881 census? Her name is Hannah Halsall (nee Holcroft) b. 1840-1842 in Lydiate, Lancashire. She was married to James from Burscough (1837-79) but I just cannot find her death or her existence in 1881. They had six children - Ann, George Henry, James, William, Frederick or Fred and John William. George I know was a farm servant in 1881, as was James and William, so I presume both parents were dead by then but I can't find Hannah dying. Am I going mad or is she just missing?

Could she have re-married? Name: Hannah Halsall Year of Registration: 1880 Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar District: Wigan County: Greater Manchester, Lancashire Volume: 8c Page: 37 John Charman OR Richard Moss She would have comparatively young when hubby died............. Speculating a bit, I know............. Reg

Thanks. I shall see if I can follow that one up. It might explain her other children being away from her and/or missing.

Found this family in 1881 living Green Lane the same as your Halsall family in 1871. Fredone is Frederick. There is an Elizabeth Visiting another family in 1871. Might be worth a look at?? 1881. Name: Fredone Halsall Age: 12 Estimated birth year: abt 1869 Relation: Son Father's name: James Mother's name: Ann Gender: Male Where born: Lydiate, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Lydiate County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Street address: Green Lane Education: Employment status: View image Occupation: Scholar Registration district: Ormskirk Sub-registration district: Aughton ED, institution, or vessel: 7 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Alice Halsall 20 Ann Halsall 44 Elizth. Halsall 13 Fredone Halsall 12 James Halsall 48 Jane Halsall 6 John Halsall 2

1891. Living Green Lane. Name: James Halsall Age: 52 Estimated birth year: abt 1839 Relation: Head Spouse's name: Ann Gender: Male Where born: Ormskirk, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Lydiate Ecclesiastical parish: St Thomas County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Registration district: Ormskirk Sub-registration district: Aughton ED, institution, or vessel: 7 Neighbors: View others on page Household Members: Name Age Ann Halsall 55 James Halsall 52 Jane Halsall 16 John Halsall 12 Ann Halsall abt 1836 Scarisbrick, Lancashire, England Wife Lydiate Lancashire James Halsall abt 1839 Ormskirk, Lancashire, England Head Lydiate Lancashire Jane Halsall abt 1875 Lydiate, Lancashire, England Daughter Lydiate Lancashire John Halsall abt 1879 Lydiate, Lancashire, England Son Lydiate Lancashire

That's interesting. I wonder if perhaps my James didn't actually die in 1879, and Hannah was known as or mistranscribed as Ann. I originally thought he had died then because I couldn't find him in 1881, but the ones in 1881 and 1891 are living at the right address - Green Lane in Lydiate.

Hi Kate, they're still living at Green Lane in 1901 also. 1901 Name: James Halsall Age: 62 Estimated birth year: abt 1839 Relation: Head Spouse's name: Ann Gender: Male Where born: Ormskirk, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Lydiate Ecclesiastical parish: Lydiate St Thomas County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Registration district: Ormskirk Sub-registration district: Aughton ED, institution, or vessel: 3 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 47 Household Members: Name Age Ann Halsall 63 James Halsall 62 Jane Halsall 26 John Halsall 22 Eliz Johnson 33 Ann Halsall abt 1838 Scarisbrick, Lancashire, England Wife Lydiate Lancashire James Halsall abt 1839 Ormskirk, Lancashire, England Head Lydiate Lancashire Jane Halsall abt 1875 Lydiate, Lancashire, England Daughter Lydiate Lancashire John Halsall abt 1879 Lydiate, Lancashire, England Son Lydiate Lancashire Eliz Johnson abt 1868 Aughton, Lancashire, England Daughter Lydiate Lancashire

Living 2 doors away in 1901 is this James, son maybe?? 1901. Name: James Halsall Age: 39 Estimated birth year: abt 1862 Relation: Head Spouse's name: Alice Gender: Male Where born: Aughton, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Lydiate Ecclesiastical parish: Lydiate St Thomas County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Education: Employment status: View image Registration district: Ormskirk Sub-registration district: Aughton ED, institution, or vessel: 3 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 44 Household Members: Name Age Alice Halsall 40 James Halsall 39 Sarah J Halsall 10

Hi Kate, another possibility to put by you is that Hannah died and he married Ann Johnson? Would explain the appearance of Elizabeth who in 1901 is using the name Johnson and is single, also Alice who turns up in 1881. 1871. Name: Ann Johnson Age: 36 Estimated birth year: abt 1835 Relation: Head Gender: Female Where born: Scarisbrick, Lancashire, England Civil parish: Aughton County/Island: Lancashire Country: England Street address: Occupation: Condition as to marriage: Disability: View image Registration district: Ormskirk Sub-registration district: Aughton ED, institution, or vessel: 1 Neighbors: View others on page Household schedule number: 101 Household Members: Name Age Alice Johnson 10 Ann Johnson 36 Elizabeth Johnson 3 Grace Johnson 11 Alice Johnson abt 1861 Aughton, Lancashire, England Daughter Aughton Lancashire Ann Johnson abt 1835 Scarisbrick, Lancashire, England Head Aughton Lancashire Elizabeth Johnson abt 1868 Aughton, Lancashire, England Daughter Aughton Lancashire Grace Johnson abt 1860 Scarisbrick, Lancashire, England Daughter Aughton Lancashire Surname First name(s) District Vol Page -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marriages Dec 1873 (>99%) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ..........>Halsall James Liverpool 8b 167 Housley Elizabeth Liverpool 8b 167 ...........>Johnson Ann Liverpool 8b 167 Stafford William George Liverpool 8b 167

Thanks for that. That would make a lot of sense. I shall now adjust my tree accordingly. Isn't it frustrating when somebody goes and marries a new person who had exactly the same name as the previous partner? I think the James married to Alice is the child of James and Hannah. The odd thing is, I think that Alice was called Johnson before marriage. I wonder if he could have married Ann's daughter? UPDATE - the son James did marry his stepmother's daughter. I thought this branch of the family was a bit mysterious to be true. Thanks to everyone who helped. It's fitted a lot more pieces in now.

Another possibility suggested by my dad that I could do with opinions on . . . If Hannah didn't die before James remarried, is it possible that she could have just done a disappearing act. Dad suggested, since they lived quite near Liverpool, she might have just got on a ship and disappeared. I have quite a tight time frame because Hannah's last child, John William was born in about April 1872, and a year later James remarried to Ann. There is no death for a Hannah of the right age in the right place. If Hannah had disappeared, would James be in a position to remarry without being considered a bigamist? I thought you had to wait seven years before you could presume someone to be dead.