Atherton's - Stockport Area

[Derek Atherton]

My first post on this forum!

I've been trying to track down my GG Grandfather Peter Atherton and his father James Atherton for some time now without success - I cannot seem to get back beyond Peters marriage in Nov 1851! I have had success with his wife and her family but the Athertons have caused me many sleepless nights! The marriage details of Peter are:

Peter Atherton (of age) a Bobbin Turner, resident in Bosden married Mary Wright (of age) a Baker, resident in Bosden at Norbury Church in Stockport on 29 Nov 1851. Fathers were James Atherton and John Wright, Bobbin Turner and Baker respectively.

I am unable to track down either Peter or James pre or post marriage.

They had a son Alfred in 1852 born in 56 Withens Row, Brinnington, Stockport - who I have "lost" until 1878 when he married in Heaton Norris, and in 1881 was resident in Great Longstone, Derby. He was later shown (on the 1901) as an Army Pensioner! (I have a picture of him with an old Cheshire cap badge). I do not have an army number for him!

1. Where was Peter and James prior to marriage?
2. Where did Alfred get to between birth (1852) and marriage (1878)?


Any help appreciated!

Derek

[Geoffers]

First off, excellent two messages that you've posted - Clear and concise, just what's needed.

I had a look for Alfred on the 1861 census and apart from the birthplace, there seems to be a large number of similarities - names, ages (though for a born and bred Lancastrian, the county may be problematic):

RG9/3497 f73 p39
41, Reginald Street, Brightside Brierlow, Sheffield
James ATHERTON, hd, mar, 61, scissor smith, bn Sheffield
Hannah Atherton, wf, mar, 61, bn Sheffield
Alfred Atherton, grandson, 9, bn Heighton, Rotherham

Geoffers

[Derek Atherton]

Geoffers,

Thanks for your efforts - regrettably I also went down that line.

This Alfred you refer to (I obtained the birth cert) was the son of Alfred Atherton & Harriet Atherton (nee Clayton) - and the birthplace was "Beighton" - Registration District Rotherham. I spent £7 on the birth and marriage certs only to be thwarted!

"My" Alfred was - as quoted on his birth cert:
Born 17th Sep 1852 - living at 56 Withens Row, Brinnington, Stockport. Father Peter Atherton a Bobbin Turner, Mother Mary Atherton, formerly Wright. Informant mother, 29 Sep 1852.

Regards,

Derek
www.tribalpages.com/tribes/atherton182

[Geoffers]

Drat!
I seem to remember from your other post that Peter died and Mary remarried? If memory is correct, can you locate her under her ne married name in the 1861 census, which would give her place of birth and age.
Working on the basis that Peter may have been roughly about the same age this may help to identify him in parish burial registers and then in the GRO death index.

"He was later shown (on the 1901) as an Army Pensioner! (I have a picture of him with an old Cheshire cap badge). I do not have an army number for him!"

His service record should still be fairly easy to locate and may give some useful information. It will be stored at The National Archives (TNA), Kew.
TNA has lots of research guides on its web-site. In your case, I'd recommend having a browse through these before going there:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=14
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=15

!!

[uksearch]

It may well be that Peter ATHERTON did not live in Bosden.He may have given that address for the purposes of the reading of the Marriage Banns. Ancestry did not recognise Bosden or Peter in the 1851 Census but it did recognise Norbury.There are 22 folios to trawl through.

UK

[Derek Atherton]

Drat!

I seem to remember from your other post that Peter died and Mary remarried? If memory is correct, can you locate her under her ne married name in the 1861 census, which would give her place of birth and age.

"He was later shown (on the 1901) as an Army Pensioner! (I have a picture of him with an old Cheshire cap badge). I do not have an army number for him!"
His service record should still be fairly easy to locate and may give some useful information. It will be stored at The National Archives (TNA), Kew.

Geoffers

Geoffers,

I've had little problem with Mary (aside from tongue in cheek references to her own age!) but although the age may be similar, what puts me off using that is a recent case of mine where there was 25 years between the spouses! Anyway - thanks for the suggestion!

I will have a lokk at those suggested sites for Kew - though I have been told by more than one person that I would be wasting my time looking without an army number?

Regards and many thanks for all your efforts,

Derek

[Derek Atherton]

It may well be that Peter ATHERTON did not live in Bosden.He may have given that address for the purposes of the reading of the Marriage Banns. Ancestry did not recognise Bosden or Peter in the 1851 Census but it did recognise Norbury.There are 22 folios to trawl through.

UK

UK,

Sorry - might appear a little slow with this!

You say I might have 22 folios to trawl? When I look at the 1851, insert Norbury, Cheshire for residence, I have 44 pages on offer (no Athertons in the index either)?

Am I doing something wrong?

Derek

[Geoffers]

I will have a look at those suggested sites for Kew - though I have been told by more than one person that I would be wasting my time looking without an army number?I can only go by my own experience, I've extracted 26 army service records from TNA without having a number. The only problem is in searching pre-1872 service records if you don't know a regiment - but TNA's online catalogue helps there as the records in WO121 and WO97 up to 1854-ish are individually indexed. From 1872 to 1883, soldiers' documents are kept in four alphabetcial series, one each for artillery, infantry, cavalry and corps.

From 1883 onwards records are stored in a single alphabetical sequence and apart from looking up common surnames are a doddle to use.

"I might have 22 folios to trawl? When I look at the 1851, insert Norbury, Cheshire for residence, I have 44 pages on offer (no Athertons in the index either)?"

A folio consists of two pages, 22 folios = 44 pages.

Geoffers

[Wirral]

Alfred is with his mother & step-father in 1861.

RG9/2571 page 19 folio 56, 7 Withens Row, Brinnington, Stockport, Cheshire
Thos. Proctor head M 23 tailor, Leek [?] Staffordshire
Mary " wife M 28 house keeper, Bury Lancashire
Alfren " son, 9m, Portwood Stockport Cheshire [I think this is a mis-transcription for Alfred, son, 9 years]

After 1861 Alfred was probably away in the army & missed the censuses.

[Derek Atherton]

His service record should still be fairly easy to locate and may give some useful information. It will be stored at The National Archives (TNA), Kew.
TNA has lots of research guides on its web-site. In your case, I'd recommend having a browse through these before going there:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=14
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=15



Geoffers,

Many, many thanks. Success on Alfreds Army Service!
I went on line yesterday to NA at Kew and had almost immediate success. I used their Digital Express system - apparently this is quite new - and for £6.50 received within 24 hours access to 5 sheets of his Army Record. All I could give them was his name and Regiment and they found him! Being unable to find Alfred on the 1871 has now been solved - he was in India and had been since Jul 1870.

As an aside, and which I find quite amazing, he was medically discharged in 1877 - just 2 miles from my daughters home in Southampton!

Again, many thanks.

Derek

[Geoffers]

Success on Alfreds Army Service!
I went on line yesterday to NA at Kew and had almost immediate success. I used their Digital Express system - apparently this is quite new - and for £6.50 received within 24 hours access to 5 sheets of his Army Record.
Jolly good - and now you have five sheets of information on when and where he was - even if it doesn't get you back any further, I think such information is like Gold dust.

I wasn't aware of the express system, so thanks for mentioning that. Presumably the £6.50 is an extra charge for the express system - it strikes me as being reasonable if you just can't wait to get that bit of information which you've really been after for so long.

Geoffers