Hi, I'm trying to connect up my Birkenhead ancestors (ie as a surname, not a place!!!!).
My earliest 100% certain ancestor is William Birkenhead who was a Forgeman at Halton (Lancaster) - he married Fanny Simpson at Halton in 1793, and had a number of children christened there up to 1813 - the family then moved to Walton le Dale, William died in 1839 age 70, Fanny in 1827 age 52. What's intriguing are William's forebears. A William Berchenhead was christened at Heversham in 1769, the son of Randal B - his siblings James & Margaret were born in 1767/1765 - Margaret married at Heversham in 1790 to Thomas Watson, who was a witness at William's marriage in Halton in 1793!!
A Randle Birkinhead married Elizabeth Houlcroft at Standish (Lancs) in 1759 - this Randle was an Iron Refiner and so in the "Forge" business!! Randle & Elizabeth had 3 children Thomas, Catherine and Nanny (1760/61/63) christened at Coppull and living at Duxbury (Lancs) - coincidentally (maybe/maybe not) a Thomas Birkenhead was married at Heversham in 1791 - Thomas B was a husbandman living at Sedgwick, Heversham in 1822.
I'm trying to establish the link that proves that "Duxbury Randle" is the same man as "Heversham Randal" - it seems that there could be a family job specialisation in the Iron Forge business. Does anyone have any knowledge of the Westmorland Birkenhead's? All of this is given greater focus for me, as I currently live about 2 miles from Duxbury, and the idea that an ancestor from 250 years ago lived there is strange!
