Author Topic: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!  (Read 21407 times)

Offline TerriG

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BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« on: Thursday 30 May 13 15:07 BST (UK) »
My Auntie Lily (my Gran's adopted sister) was born at 24 Livingstone Road, Tranmere, Birkenhead on 6th April 1904.  I ordered her BC and discovered that her mother was Mary Ellen Boswell (residence the same), and no father listed.  She was taken on by Walter & Mary Jane (neé Poole) Lyon of Barnton (1911 Census).  There is no occupation for Mary Ellen on the BC.
I have a letter from Mary Ellen Boswell to the Lyon family shortly after the 'adoption', which is attached, (in two parts).  The letter states (presumably) that Mary Ellen resided in Beth, Llanfairfechan, Wales, as she puts this address at the top of the letter and we know the Lyon family were living in Cheshire.
Mary Ellen Boswell could have been one of three possibilities that I have found so far. 
These three are:
#1: Mary Ellen Boswell b. abt. Oct 1874, Chester. m. Joseph Berrington abt. 1906 d. abt. Sep 1944, Runcorn
1901 Census: Servant to the Carter family in Frodsham Lordship
1911 Census:
Joseph Berrington - 47 - Head - Married - (Occupation) Millwright - (Industry) Flower Mills - Worker - (Born in) Frodsham, Cheshire
Mary Ellen Berrington - 35 - Wife - Married for 5yrs - 3 Children born alive, 2 still alive, 1 dead - No Occupation - (Born in) Chester, Cheshire
John Sidwell Berrington [not Mary Ellen's Child] - Son - 15 - Single - (Occupation) Grocer's Assisstant - Worker - (Born in) Frodsham, Cheshire
Joseph Boswell Berrington - 3 - Son - (Born in) Frodsham, Cheshire
Thomas Arthur Berrington - 2 - Son - (Born in) Frodsham, Cheshire

#2: Mary Ellen Boswell b. abt. Jul 1878, Chorlton, Lancashire
1881 Census: Residence: 10 Mark Lane, Chorlton-upon-Medlock
1891 Census: Residence: 5 Lawrence Street, Gorton, Manchester, Lancashire
1901 Census: Residence: 188 Queens Road, Gorton, Manchester, Lancashire
1911 Census: (Same as 1901 Census)
Family: (Combined censuses)
Father: John Boswell b. 1851-52, Liverpool, Lancashire; m. abt. 1876; occ. Iron Turner, Engine Fitter
Mother: Jane F Boswell (neé ???) b. 1853-55, Manchester, Lancashire; m. abt. 1876; occ. Housekeeper
Uncle: Hugh Boswell b. abt. 1855, Liverpool, Lancashire; occ. General Labourer
Brother: William J Boswell b. abt. 1877, Manchester, Lancashire
Sister: Agnes Boswell b. abt. 1880, Manchester, Lancashire
Sister: Teresa Boswell b. abt. 1883, Manchester, Lancashire; occ. Scholar, Men's Tailoress
Brother: John J or S Boswell b. abt. 1885, Manchester, Lancashire; occ. Scholar, Baker
Sister: Jane F Boswell b. abt. 1887, Bradford or Manchester, Lancashire; occ. Infant's Milliner
Sister: Elizabeth Boswell b. 1893-94, Gorton, Manchester, Lancashire; occ. Scholar, Mantle Maker
Brother: Augustine Boswell b. abt. 1897, Gorton, Manchester, Lancashire; occ. Scholar, Railway Clark
Sister: Winifred(e) Boswell b. abt. 1899, Gorton, Manchester, Lancashire; occ. Scholar

#3: Mary Ellen Boswell b. 20 Jun 1881, Liverpool, Lancashire; bapt. 5 Jul 1881, Liverpool, Lancashire
Unable to find any definite censuses for #3.

I haven't explored the possibility that Mary Ellen Boswell was married when she had Lilian because, after reading the letter, I got the feeling she was in service in Wales at the time of writing, as she refers to her mistress.

Any help would be much appreciated!
McLeod, McKean, Hepburn (Fife)
McGowan, Gowan (Dumfriesshire, Ireland)
Nelson, McKean (Lanarkshire)
McKean, Mulgrew (Lethbridge, Alberta)
Boswell, Plumb, Lyon, Stokes, Pemberton, Crawford, Threadgold (Cheshire)
Tierney (Scotland/Ireland)

Offline garstonite

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Re: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« Reply #1 on: Friday 31 May 13 17:02 BST (UK) »
Joseph Berrington married Mary Ellen Boswell in apr/may/jun of 1905 at Christleton Methodist Church .........   freebmd and www.cheshirebmd.org.uk   1901 in Frodsham  and children born in Frodsham - looks like this Mary Ellen Boswell was baptised in Chester Cathedral in 1874 ...probably from Christleton and went back there to marry in her local Methodist church ....basically - if she is in service in Frodsham and has her children in Frodsham - I can`t see her giving birth in Tranmere having been in service in Wales ??........

Mary Ellen Boswell number 2 doesn`t seem to come out of Chorlton

so I would try and find out more about Number 3 - she looks more likely to me ...just my opinion ..lets have a look ....firstly - you have Mary Ellen Boswell birth and baptism in Liverpool - do you have parents names ???

oakes,liverpool..neston..backford..poulton cum spittal(bebington)middlewich,cheshire......   sacht,helgoland  .......merrick,herefordshire adams,shropshire...tipping..ellis..  jones,garston,liverpool..hartley.dunham massey..barker. salford

Offline garstonite

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Re: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« Reply #2 on: Friday 31 May 13 17:19 BST (UK) »
sorry to make matters worse

William James Boswell baptised 2nd jan 1876 at St John Baptist ,Toxteth -
parents Thomas Boswell / Elizabeth
occ  Boilermaker
abode 12 Shelley Street
then we have
MARY ELLEN BOSWELL 30th dec 1877  same parents /church/occ /abode - so another possible ??
Thomas Boswell  1879 - same parents etc
Thomas 1882 - same parents etc 
this would make this Mary Ellen Boswell age 27 at Lilians birth ...
Did Lilian marry - if so - can you list her childrens christian names ...sometimes they named their children after nans/granads ....
oakes,liverpool..neston..backford..poulton cum spittal(bebington)middlewich,cheshire......   sacht,helgoland  .......merrick,herefordshire adams,shropshire...tipping..ellis..  jones,garston,liverpool..hartley.dunham massey..barker. salford

Offline garstonite

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Re: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« Reply #3 on: Friday 31 May 13 17:26 BST (UK) »
That 4th possible I posted
Thomas Boswell married Elizabeth Dyson at St Peter ,Liverpool in 1875....Mary Ellen Boswell b 1877 to this couple
oakes,liverpool..neston..backford..poulton cum spittal(bebington)middlewich,cheshire......   sacht,helgoland  .......merrick,herefordshire adams,shropshire...tipping..ellis..  jones,garston,liverpool..hartley.dunham massey..barker. salford


Offline garstonite

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Re: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« Reply #4 on: Friday 31 May 13 17:37 BST (UK) »
You can rule that 4th one out - sadly she died sept qtr 1878 aged 0 ...I found the family in 1881 - but no Mary Ellen - so I checked freebmd ...

so back to number 3 ...born 1881 - she looks the most likely ...need to find out who her parents were ...
oakes,liverpool..neston..backford..poulton cum spittal(bebington)middlewich,cheshire......   sacht,helgoland  .......merrick,herefordshire adams,shropshire...tipping..ellis..  jones,garston,liverpool..hartley.dunham massey..barker. salford

Offline TerriG

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Re: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« Reply #5 on: Friday 31 May 13 17:44 BST (UK) »
Thanks for your response.
Yes we already tried Mary Ellen Boswell (30 Dec 1877) reg.Jan 1878 West Derby died 1878 so we have dicounted her.
Lilian never married or had kids.
Mary Ellen #3 parents John & Mary Ann on baptism.
McLeod, McKean, Hepburn (Fife)
McGowan, Gowan (Dumfriesshire, Ireland)
Nelson, McKean (Lanarkshire)
McKean, Mulgrew (Lethbridge, Alberta)
Boswell, Plumb, Lyon, Stokes, Pemberton, Crawford, Threadgold (Cheshire)
Tierney (Scotland/Ireland)

Offline garstonite

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Re: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« Reply #6 on: Friday 31 May 13 18:07 BST (UK) »
Number 3 parents John Boswell - Mary Ann Boyd - married 1873 St Peter ,Liverpool...is that who you have as parents ?
oakes,liverpool..neston..backford..poulton cum spittal(bebington)middlewich,cheshire......   sacht,helgoland  .......merrick,herefordshire adams,shropshire...tipping..ellis..  jones,garston,liverpool..hartley.dunham massey..barker. salford

Offline TerriG

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Re: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« Reply #7 on: Friday 31 May 13 18:18 BST (UK) »
Yes, I got the parents' Christian names as John and Mary Ann, but the Boyd and the marriage is new information.
McLeod, McKean, Hepburn (Fife)
McGowan, Gowan (Dumfriesshire, Ireland)
Nelson, McKean (Lanarkshire)
McKean, Mulgrew (Lethbridge, Alberta)
Boswell, Plumb, Lyon, Stokes, Pemberton, Crawford, Threadgold (Cheshire)
Tierney (Scotland/Ireland)

Offline TerriG

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Re: BOSWELL, Mary Ellen - which one?!
« Reply #8 on: Saturday 01 June 13 17:32 BST (UK) »
Mary Ellen #3 is on the 1891 census as follows:-

17/2 Finch Place, Liverpool

Sarah Boswell head aged 72
Mary E Boswell (listed as daughter, should be g/daughter I think) 16 (should be 10 I think)

On the same road at 17/4 Finch Place are the following Boswells:-

John Boswell head aged 37 occ. Publisher
Mary A Boswell wife aged 37
Louisa Boswell daughter aged 8
Elizabeth Boswell daughter aged 2
Clara P Boswell daughter aged 0


I'm confused as to why was Mary E was living with what we presume to be the grandmother & 3 boarders up the road?

On the 1881 census I've got a John Boswell aged 27 dock labourer living in Birkenheadwith his mother Catherine Boswell widow aged 53 b.Ireland.

I am unable to find Mary A and the rest of the family on the 1881.

I've found a Sarah Boswell (grandmother?) on the 1881 living at Blandford Street, Liverpool as follows:-

Henry Boswell head occ. Cutler aged 67 b.York
Sarah Boswell wife aged 60 b.Liverpool
William Boswell grandson aged 5 Scholar b.Liverpool
Sarah A Boswell granddaughter aged 3 b.Liverpool

I've taken most of the latest posting from Find My Past, as there is an error on Ancestry with the 1891 Census (there are several schedules missing).  I will inform them of this asap. (It's on the Finch Place schedules).

I believe this Mary Ellen married George Henry Ball in 1900 in Liverpool.  George Henry Ball (reg as Bell) died aged 25 in 1905 in Liverpool.  Mary Ellen (Ball), widow aged 24 married John Webley, bachelor, aged 30 on 28 October 1906.

On 1911 Census Mary Ellen (Webley) is living at 23 Recreation St, West Derby with her husband John, married for 4 years.  They have 2 kids - Thomas William, aged 4 and John aged 2 years.

In summary, would you say it's unlikely that she is the Mary Ellen Boswell we are looking for, bearing in mind she was married to George Ball at the time of Lilian's birth in 1904?  I would say it's not impossible. ???
McLeod, McKean, Hepburn (Fife)
McGowan, Gowan (Dumfriesshire, Ireland)
Nelson, McKean (Lanarkshire)
McKean, Mulgrew (Lethbridge, Alberta)
Boswell, Plumb, Lyon, Stokes, Pemberton, Crawford, Threadgold (Cheshire)
Tierney (Scotland/Ireland)