Robert Schofield of Middleton

[aggiebagwash]

I'm helping a friend with his family tree and we've hit a brickwall and I'm hoping someone can help me break it down.

I've found the Baptism for Robert Schofield on the 21st April 1814 at St Leonard's Church, Middleton to Betty Schofield, spinster, abode Middleton. One problem is the name is recorded as Scholfield on the 1841 and 1851 censuses and to complicate matters even further on the 1851 Robert is called Scholfield and his children's surname is spelt Schofield.

I can't find a marriage or death record for Betty in Middleton and she doesn't seem to be on any censuses so I tried moving back to her parents and that's where I hit the brickwall.

I've searched and searched from every angle I can think of to find Betty's parents or Baptism under many spellings but there are too many to pinpoint the right one. There are plenty of records for the Church and I've found 8 Betty Schofield's Baptised between 1780 and 1795 in Middleton and that's where the problem lies, which Betty is the right one or is she one of the many Baptised in Rochdale and she's just living in Middleton? Has anyone got any idea how I can isolate the correct parents for Betty? 

Margaret

[heatherjulie]

Hi
Have you discounted this marriage?

Charles Meadowcroft - Weaver, of this Parish m by banns Betty Schofield Spinster, of this Parish 20 May 1816 St Leonard, Middleton, Lancashire

[heatherjulie]

If the above marriage is her, then it was with the consent of her parents which could mean that she was under age

I wondered about this one

Betty Schofield bp 3 Jun 1798 St Leonard, Middleton, Lancashire, daughter of James & Mary Schofield of Middleton Occupation: Weavr.

[aggiebagwash]

Thanks for your help I really appreciate it.

I spotted the marriage and then the birth of a daughter Hannah two years later but there are no other records for them after this date. They don't seem to be on any censuses so I wonder if they emigrated or that Betty had died and Charles remarried? I also looked at the actual Parish records for the marriage and it appears that all the marriages on the same page show 'with parents consent' which confused me. They couldn't all have been under 21 could they?

I did see the Baptism for 1798 but I put it on the 'possible' pile because that would mean that Betty was only 16 when Robert was born. I've even found lots of Baptisms of illegitimate children and looked to see if the mother named the child after her parents. Some years it's about 60/40 and other years it's 20/80 so even that didn't give me a clue.

I'm in the process of trying to find the marriages for all the Betty's Baptised between 1781 and 1795 to see if that would give me another clue to who Betty's parent's were.

I've even tried to work round Robert's children's names to see if I can link them back to family members but it's a nightmare because of the huge number of Scholfield/Schofield's in the area.

Margaret   

[ele002]

With regards to the Marriages at Middleton, I seem to recall some years back noticing the consent with parents appearing on virtually every marriage over a certain period. If I remember correctly, they were all officiated by the same person and some were definitely 'Of Full Age'.

I would ignore it.

Eric

[aggiebagwash]

Thanks for confirming what I thought Eric.

I found the actual parish record for the birth and the name was spelt Scholfield and had been transcribed wrongly on both the IGI and Lancashire Opec as Schofield.

Margaret 

[heatherjulie]

Have you come across any twins in your family?

Baptism: 5 Sep 1784 St Leonard, Middleton, Lancashire, England
Betty Scholefield - twin daughter of John Scholefield & Hannah
Abode: Middleton
Occupation: Pullerout?

Baptism: 5 Sep 1784 St Leonard, Middleton, Lancashire, England
Hannah Scholefield - twin daughter of John Scholefield & Hannah
Abode: Middleton
Occupation: Pullerout?

[aggiebagwash]

I've just checked and there are twins in this family but not for the Schofield's as far as I can see. I saw Betty's Baptism 1784 and also put it on the 'possible' pile but I'm not 100% convinced a 30 year old woman would have an illegitimate child at this period of time that's why I was looking at Baptism's post 1790.

This family is a nightmare to trace. I've looked at one of Robert's sons Edmund and he was Baptised Edward by a Vicar from Prestwich but at St Leonard's. Second daughter Eliza becomes Alice in 1851.

I have even looked at the Betty Baptised 1793 to Robert and Mary and I keep leaning towards that one for some reason maybe it's just the name that's attracting me.

I honestly don't know where to look next have you any ideas?   

Margaret

[aggiebagwash]

Robert was a millwright on all the censuses. Does anyone know if you had to serve an apprenticeship to be a millwright circa 1830?

Margaret