Jane Horrocks 1870 William Fletcher 1873

[lancsann]

I think that later census might be misleading. Agnes (occ servant) says she has been married 10 years which she has - to Harry Fletcher.

Lancashire Marriage indexes for the years: 1900
Surname   Forename(s)   Surname   Forename(s)   Church / Register Office   Registers At   Reference
FLETCHER   Harry   BARRS   Agnes A   Harwood, Christ Church   Bolton

She also states she has 2 children - which she has

Lancashire Birth indexes for the years: 1901
Surname   Forename(s)   Sub-District   Registers At   Mother's Maiden Name   
FLETCHER   Ethel   Tonge with Haulgh   Bolton   BARRS
   
Lancashire Birth indexes for the years: 1903
Surname   Forename(s)   Sub-District   Registers At   Mother's Maiden Name   
FLETCHER   Clara   Turton   Bolton   BARRS   

Ethel is with her and Clara is with her Barrs grandparents

[Lumber-Jack]

Thanks lizdb and lancsann,
This is the right track but it dead-ends
Harry did marry Agnes Barrs.
They had two children, Ethel ( my grandmother) and Clara
Harry left them.
Barrs remarried a Richardson and went to Canada where she soon died
Ethel and Clara were "adopted"
We don't know where Harry went where Harry went; hence my wondering whether the descendants of his siblings might.
Thus my request on RootsChat.
I keep hoping someone knows out there. later, L-J

[lizdb]

So - Harry disappears between 1901 and 1911. 

By 1911 his wife is with someone else.

Just getting the facts and timescale set out!


As I mentioned before, do we know if the little Richardson children are hers, or Mr R's from a previous marriage who she came as housekeeper to care for. That would narrow down the window of time as to when she first took up with Richardson, and thus the time when Henry and she split up.

[lancsann]

When did Agnes marry a Richardson please. I can't find any evidence of a marriage in England.

[Lumber-Jack]

You are quite right LancsAnn,

I received the following from a Richardson relative on RootsChat:
"The mother of my father-in-law is your Agnes Ann Barrs. No marriage found for Agnes and Joseph Richardson. Joseph, Agnes and family (including our George, bn. 1912, Hawarden, Flintshire) emigrated June 1920, Empress of France to Quebec and onto Moosejaw (census 1921). Agnes died after arrival in Moosejaw and is buried in Moosejaw City Cemetery. Agnes is my wife's grandmother.
Joseph and Agnes' marriage not being found makes more sense now... she was still married to Harry and likewise any future marriage by Harry is unlikely to be found?"
I have images of Agnes' grave location in Moosejaw.
I am not sure that Harry would not have remarried with Agnes gone to another country
I am still working on confirming the exact dates or window of disappearance for Harry.
Later, L-J

[Lumber-Jack]

 The closest I can get for a window of disappearance for Harry is  after his second daughter's birth 21 Mar 1903  She is his daughter as she went to live with her Barr grandparents in Newcastle under Lyme and is there in the 1911 census. So between 1903 and 1911 is the narrowest I can get so far. Thanks L-J

[Lumber-Jack]

In the 1911 census Agnes Fletcher (still listed as married for 10 years) is the housekeeper to Joseph Richardson ( also married but neither his wife or Harry are present). Ethel Fletcher ( Harry’s first daughter) has been adopted  by Joseph as head of household. So there are likely no divorce papers and Harry would be a bigamist if he remarried….which does not mean he would not try! He could have emigrated, be in jail or in an asylum…or be living with a lady likely in Lancs., near Bolton. Thanks, L-J.

[Lumber-Jack]

If Harry was in asylum it would be the Lancaster asylums as the closest to where they were living but i cannot get records for 1900-1911 of the patients. L-J

[Beeonthebay]

Hi Rootschatters,
 I am looking for the current descendants of Jane Horrocks ( b 1870 Breightmet Hill E , Lancs) and William Fletcher( b 1873 Tonge Lancs). They married in 1897, are in the 1901 and 1911 censuses, and had two children to my knowledge , James (b 1900 Bolton reg. Lancs) and Amy (b 1905 Bolton reg. Lancs). One of Jane's siblings, Annie Horrocks, witnessed her marriage certificate .

 My reason is that William's brother, Harry, is my great grandfather but he left his wife and children and has not been traced despite many years of creative searching! I hope that Jane and William's descendants my have news of the fate of gg uncle Harry!

Thanks very much as always! LJ

I do realise that Horrocks is not an unusual name in Lancashire. 

I have Horrocks in my VERY extended family tree as I was interested in a lady that was married to one of mine in Liverpool.  Her grandfather may have been born in Bolton OR Liverpool according to the censuses.  Ancestry keeps throwing up a hint for Breightmet but I've not done a lot here because as I said she's not really one of mine.

I can send you her family details from the 1911 census if you like and you can follow the tree up the line to see if there's any connection though how you would find Harry like this I don't know but when you have a mystery it pays to follow all angles to at least eliminate.