“Illegitimate”

[isobelw]

Sarah doesn't appear to have moved far from her place of baptism. The vicar who signed the certificate appears on the same page of the 1881 census. Selina J Howard who is listed above her and Alfred Howard who appears below her entry are both children of Thomas Howard and Sarah nee Harrison so it looks likely that she belongs to this family grouping and is most likely the daughter of William Harrison (Sarah's brother) and an unknown mother. Perhaps Thomas and Sarah took her in and when she was presented for baptism the vicar initially started to write their names on the entry and then amended it.
I note that in 1871 Joseph Howard age 2 is listed as their son, but appears as a grandson in later census and his birth entry has no mmn on gro
Isobel

[chris_49]

Just another thought, if you definitely have the death record in Buckley for Maggie Hughes, is there some clue as to when she was born? If after about 1967 it will give an exact date of birth (though this info is only as good as the informant).
 

[Katesmallwood1]

Thanks so far everyone response it fantastic! Can’t wait to have another look at stuff later, I do have a photo of her and have become quite attached to her even though I never knew her so to find where she came from would be amazing!

[Katesmallwood1]

Hi Chris.....I have this possible record entry  for Margaret Hughes......attached.....

[Dundee]

.......family stories say he had two children when they met Maggie and Mary however birth record and Census for Maggie Hughes say she was born in 1904 and baptism records have Sarah Hughes as her mother......

You have on your Ancestry tree that Mary married to Robert Sherlock HOLMES.  If this is correct then using the free index search of the 1939 Register you can work out her date of birth as being 17 May 1901.

Debra 

[polarbear]

Possible baptism for Mary...

Mary Hughes
Born 17 May 1901
Baptized 09 Dec 1903
Burton-Wood Lancashire
Father William Hughes
Mother Sarah

PB

[chris_49]

I'm not surprised Sherlock Holmes turns up here because he's needed!

 Burtonwood of brewery fame is much nearer to Earlestown than to Penketh. The trouble is that of the two Mary Hughes born in Warrington district in 1901 one has the MMN Heywood and the other Durkin! (GRO). This doesn't match either of the possibles for Maggie (Howard and Thomas.) One of them was registered in Newton-le-Willows, the other possibly in Warrington under CheshireBMD.

I'm more confused than ever because it seems the Burtonwood one did marry Holmes and was with him in Penyffordd (2 miles from Buckley) in 1939. Is she the one who died in Denbighshire North in 2000 aged 98?

The Margaret Hughes baptism doesn't rule out either the 1903 or 1904 registration as they baptised Mary late. 20 April might refer to the previous year?

I'm wondering if they were baptised as Hughes but actually registered under their mother's name which would be correct if they weren't married. (I've seen this "fooling the vicar" before). But no such found as Howard or Thomas in the district.

I ask again, do you have a date of death for Maggie? Did she marry?

[chris_49]

Using 1911 free index I think I find Mary Hughes, granddaughter, born Ashton, with her Hughes grandparents, born Llanasa Flints (near Point of Ayr) in Ashton. Age right and explains why she's not with her parents. I won't expand this so as not to break rules. Coal mining the common theme.
 

Unfortunately the couple here are too young to be William Hughes' parents (sigh!) - and have a younger son William and other grandchildren who don't tally (could be from their other children though)

[Katesmallwood1]

Haha! Thank you.....another weird extra is that Sarah and William are not buried together but are buried next to each other Sarah Hughes with her daughter Helen agnes Ward (Nee Thomson) and her husband and William
 Hughes is buried with a George’s Hughes who I would have thought would be his father/grandfather however on records I have found for George Hughes there is no connection to William I can see......the mystery deepens!