Trying to find my Blackburn roots, before 1840s

[brianoleary85]

I've found an index to the 1841 census on familysearch.org, I see that a Thomas Pollard living in Blackburn in 1841 and 55 years old is a likely candidate for the Thomas Pollard (1786-1859) of Church Kirk who had a daughter Ann Pollard in 1816. He does appear to have moved back to Church Kirk where he was buried in 1859.

(There is some genealogical information on this Thomas Pollard here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/lancashire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8241000/8241654.stm)

Could anybody find out what this Thomas Pollard and his wife Sarah are doing in Blackburn city in 1841 please?

Many thanks in advance!

[rolnora]

Here is that 1841 census but I don't think it's the one your after
Thomas and Sarah both 55 Thomas 20 and James 15 all born in Lancashire and living in Blackburn.
Both Thomas's are Manufacturing Chemists.

HO107; Piece: 502

[ThrelfallYorky]

Try Lancashire parish clerks online   just type that in a search engine and you'll get there. - it's mostly C of E, based on parish church records, but also has some R.C. and non-conformist records, so may be worth a whirl?

[brianoleary85]

Rolnora, thanks very much for that. I think that must be the Church Kirk family of Lancashire (they had sons James and Thomas too), and I think I've found the death of that Thomas Pollard's daughter Ann as an infant, so I think I can discount that family from my research now. Thanks again!

ThrelfallYorky, thanks for that, I've been going through them to find links, its a great resource, thanks very much!

[rolnora]

Yes, your right they are the Church Kirk family.

The same family are on the 1851 census and shows that Sarah,Thomas jnr and James have place of birth as Church.
Thomas Snr born Simmonstone which is roughly 3 miles away from Church.
Both Thomas's have occupations as labourers... a bit of a change from Chemist as on the 1841 census  ....  and James a Joiner.
Living at Henry St Church

HO107 Piece 2260 Folio 11 Page 15

[brianoleary85]

Hmm, interesting.. I know all Pat Dunn's daughters in Ireland later all married men in the carpentry trade, I wonder might the fact that he was a joiner and Thomas Pollard's son was too point to anything between the families? Nothing to go on really, but I think really the only thing that might provide real evidence is Pat and Hannah's 1837 marriage cert which I hope will give a street address for Hannah Pollard at time of marriage. By any chance could you tell me what street Thomas Pollard lived on in Blackburn in 1841 according to the census?

The change from chemist to labourer is certainly very strange.. I don't know did you see the picture of Thomas Pollard's gravestone in Church Kirk in this link, but it is extremely grand for someone who started out life as a crofter and ended up as a labourer: http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/lancashire/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8241000/8241654.stm

[clayton bradley]

A Broadley girl from a poor family married a Joseph Noble, chemist in the 1830s. I was quite impressed. However, on the census he appeared as a labourer in a dye works! cb

[brianoleary85]

Ha, the 19th century equivalent of using "fuel injection engineer" to mean petrol pump attendant!

[mosiefish]

Nothing to go on really, but I think really the only thing that might provide real evidence is Pat and Hannah's 1837 marriage cert which I hope will give a street address for Hannah Pollard at time of marriage.

Hi,

The GRO certificate will not give you any further information than the original parish register entry which has been transcribed on Lan-opc.  Ancestry has the original image and it does just state Blackburn for the address.  A copy of the parish register was sent to the local Register Office who in turn sent quarterly returns to the GRO.

Mo