Disappearance of Margaret Fitzpatrick??

[Torwoodlee]

It is possible that she married, but if young Thomas Fitzpatrick is her son then he was illegitimate since he kept the Fitzpatrick name.  Also, why would he be living with his grandparents and not with his mother or mother and step father?  More questions seem to arise! 

[Milliepede]

Could you not get the birth for Thomas to confirm she was his mother? 
I know we are looking for Margaret specifically but she had other siblings who could have been his mother - have they all been ruled out?

[Jomot]

I'm assuming that this is Thomas's birth - MMN blank, implying she was unmarried.

FITZPATRICK, THOMAS      -   
GRO Reference: 1877  M Quarter in PRESCOT  Volume 08B  Page 699 

Therefore Margaret (assuming she was the mother) could have married any time from Q1 1877 - Q1 1881 and would show on the census under her married name, assuming she remained in the UK.

Using Lancashire BMD & cross-referencing the 1881 ones with FreeBMD, there are 10 potential marriages in this period.

Many illegitimate children were left with grandparents or other family members, including my own Great Grandfather.  It wasn't at all unusual.

[Torwoodlee]

I have to order Thomas Fitzpatrick's birth certificate.  Margaret had three sisters, Ann, Mary Ellen and Julia.   Ann had been long married for 15 years at this point and Julia was a child when he was born.  The other sister was Mary Ellen, married in 1880, who is my partner's great great grandmother.  So, that being said, it is down to Margaret (most likely) or Mary Ellen (not impossible).  Mary Ellen did go on to have eleven children so I'm not sure why she would abandon Thomas Fitzpatrick if he was her son because in subsequent censuses after 1881, he never lived with her.
Also, I can not find young Thomas Fitzpatrick in the 1891 census; I did find him in 1901 as a boarder. 

[Milliepede]

Looks like another daughter Catherine who was 17 in 1871.  But she is married by 1881 with a daughter born 1873 so unlikely to be her. 

Could be Mary Ellen if she was unmarried at the time and unable to cope with a child.

I can't find young Thomas in 1891 either 

[Torwoodlee]

Thanks Milliepede, it isn't Catherine because she married in 1872, young Thomas was born in 1877 and as he was listed as Thomas Fitzpatrick, this rules her out.  This leaves Margaret or Mary Ellen.  I'm still trying to find young Thomas also in 1891; no luck yet 

[deemdeex]

Hi I have a Thomas Fitzpatrick who was registered as illigitamate child of Agnes Fitzpatrick I believe she went on to marry a Joseph Dunne and Thomas Fitzpatrick then became known as Thomas Joseph Dunne at the age of 3. I have birth certificate. Sorry I should have said Agnes father was     Abraham Fitzpatrick
Margaret Mcilroy married 1882 and again to a Margaret Cunning 1904
I also have another Abraham Fitzpatrick who married Mary Cunningham
And again to a Ellen Mclauchlan he was 56 and a journey man and Ellen was 19 and a waitress. I’m just starting out with family tree and so I’m slightly overwhelmed with all the names and dates
And trying to keep record of them all if you would like any the certificates for these people I can send you them dx