Wandering Wilcock - help needed please.

[Yorkslass]

Hello,
I have been unable to find a baptism for my William Wilcock, born about 1825
He has been pretty consistent with ages on the census - but not with places of birth! In 1841, he's living in Holme, Westmorland with his family.
In 1851, still living in Holme, states he was born in Halton, Lancashire.
His parents have died by then, and his eldest sister is still in Holme with the rest of his siblings.
In 1861 and 1871 he says Capernwray, in 1881 and 1891 it's Borwick.

All these places are pretty close to each other, up near the Westmorland Border, so he knew where his roots were.

I just cannot find his birth/baptism.  I know his father was also William Wilcock (from his marriage certificate in 1851) and I'm pretty sure his mother was Ann (from the 1841 census).

I've checked the Warton and Kellet registers, which take in Borwick, and I keep checking on the Lancashire Parish Clerk website, to no avail. I think I may have found some of his siblings baptisms, but they too are spread about - Borwick, Kellet, Orton....and none of them give mother's maiden name.

Has anyone access to the Halton registers for that period - just about the only ones I haven't seen - or can anyone point me in another direction please?

Any help greatly welcomed.

Yorkslass

[Barbara.H]

Genuki page for Halton St Wilfrids says that the Lancs Parish Register society have published baptisms for period 1727 - 1837 (vol 126)

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/Halton/StWilfred.shtml

I can check these out at the library for you sometime next week. 
I presume the original registers have gone to the Lancashire record office at Preston, which is not quite so near for me.  But is no trouble at all to check the transcripts.

Here's another link to the LPRS list of transcripts, I think Lancaster Library have the full set http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/LAN/lprs/parishes.shtml   in case there is anything else promising there.

  Barbara

[Yorkslass]

Hi Barbara,

Many thanks for your reply.
Thank you so much for your offer - I really do appreciate your taking time to check the transcripts.
We have been looking for this chap (my husbands g g grandfather) for years!

By the way, do you think the "Orton" listed on the 1851 census for one of the Wilcock brothers, John, b abt 1835, could be Aughton?  Saying that, I have checked on the Lancashire OPC website and he isn't there!

One last query - one of the brothers, Robert, b abt 1823 states his birthplace as Newlington?  Newlingham? Lancashire.  I can find no such place.  Do you have any ideas?

If I could find just one of these siblings with mothers maiden name it would help.

Thank you again,
Yorkslass

[Barbara.H]

Delighted to look up the transcript for you, although I live in Lancaster I have no ancestors here, so I love the chance to do 'proper' lookups in a real book instead of online

Orton could be Aughton - its sometimes pronounced 'Octon' or 'Orc-ton' locally (means 'place of the oak tree' and 'oak' is often pronounced 'ork' around here  )
Then again I suppose it could be Scorton or Forton! But let's not go there until we're desperate..

Newlingham/Newlington is defeating me for the time being. Best I can come up with is Wennington or Gressingham, both near Hornby. A bit further east of the Kellett/Borwick locations, but they are all I can think of for now.

I'll see what turns up in Halton anyway
  Barbara

[Barbara.H]

One more thing - the Aughton on the Lancashire OPC site is not the Aughton near Kellet/Warton! It's the one near Ormskirk.

Also I forgot the most obvious 'translation' of Orton, which is Warton - but you have already checked that I see.

  Barbara

[Yorkslass]

Hello again Barbara,

Thanks for putting me straight on the Aughton thing.  I know what you mean about proper look ups - I'll never forget the thrill of looking through an original parish register from the early 1800's in Essex - white gloves and polystyreme foam rests.  Can't beat it!

Thanks ever so much for your help,
Yorkslass

[Barbara.H]

Well, didn't quite need the white gloves this time -
no William Wilcock in Halton I'm afraid, but I did find a very promising John Wilcock.

From LPRS vol 126:
Baptism 15 July 1832 JANE d. William and Ann of Force Bank, Halton, labourer
Baptism 6 July 1834 JOHN s. William and Ann, Force Bank, Halton, labourer

Force Bank is by the River Lune up river from the main Halton village, you can see it on the Old Maps site.  So maybe 'Orton' is indeed Halton 

Other Wilcocks in the Halton vol 126 (it started raining! so I stayed put):
Baptism - 13 March 1808 Thomas s. James and Sarah Wilcock, Intack House, Halton born 22 Feb 1808 (not in BTs)

Marriage - 18 May 1782, Robert Wilcock of Nether Kellett, husbandman and Mary Crosdale of Halton

Marriage - 16 May 1807, James Wilcock, husbandman of Bolton le Sands & Sarah Howson, spinster of Halton

Burials
15 Feb 1808 Grace wife of Richard Wilcock, Halton
22 Jan 1828, Richard Wilcock age 88.

The name Wilcock occurred several times in the books for Ingleton and Warton, but they only went up to 1812.  There was also a marriage in Tatham Church
2 June 1827, Edward Wilcock of Melling, collier & Mary Birkett of Tatham.  but no other Wilcocks in Tatham.

  Barbara

[Yorkslass]

Hi Barbara,

I can't thank you enough for looking up these entries - it must have taken you ages!

Yes, the John does look right - I have him in the 1841 census born about 1833.  I haven't got a Jane on our list, but looking at later generations, Jane is one of the family names - perhaps she died.....
What a shame the mothers maiden name isn't there. Or perhaps they never  married - who knows!

I shall have a look on the map you mention, and have another look at the 1841 census to try to find these other names.

It's strange, but I have a "maybe" marriage of William Wilcock of Warton to an Ann Croasdale of Bentham, in 1814, and I see you have found another Wilcock/Croasdale marriage.  I'm sure all these Wilcocks from Kellet and Warton and Bolton le Sands are connected somehow.

It's really good of you to take the time and trouble - and to find something too!  Thank you again.
Yorkslass

[Roses Lass]

Hi Yorkslass,
Have you resolved your William Wilcock? I've only just joined, and I'm pretty useless at computer stuff, so please bear with me.
William & Agnes Wilcock are my gggrandparents. They married 23.03.1851 but where were they on Census night - 30th March? I can't find them anywhere.
I'm keeping an open mind as to whether or not the family in Holme in 1841 & 1851 is his. I'd love to hear if you've come to any conclusions.
Also, do you know anything about Agnes's father, the very elusive Edward Reed/Read? He seems to pop up out of nowhere, get married, have 2 children and disappear!  Regards Roses Lass.