Hi!
Family legend dictates that, as well as being shoemakers, two of my father and son ancestors also operated a shoe shop somewhere in Liverpool, possibly Dale Street. I've got all of their details from censuses, burial records, marriage and baptism records, but have never found any details of a shop. Does anyone have access to any Trade directories of the time?
The family's movements are shown below:
C1793 John Moore born.
1813 John Moore, now a cordwainer, marries at St. James' Church, Toxteth. He is 'of the parish' of Walton on the Hill
1815 John is a shoemaker in West Derby when his son, Thomas, is baptised there at St. Mary's Church
1817 John is still a shoemaker. The family are now living in Fazakerley but return to St. Mary's to baptise their daughter, Mary
1834 John, still a shoemaker, dies. He had been living in Thornton and is buried in Sefton
1839 Daughter Mary can be found living on Bostock Street in Liverpool when she married. A child is born to Mary and her husband out in Sefton later that year.
1841 Both John's children are now in Sefton Village at the same address. Thomas is a shoemaker.
1842 Thomas is a shoemaker living on Bostock Street in Liverpool when he marries Ellen of Dale Street at St. Nicholas Church
1843 Thomas is a cordwainer in Great Crosby when his son is baptised there at St. Luke's
1845 Thomas remains in Great Crosby when his second son is baptised. First at Sefton, and then again a few months later at St. Luke's.
1848 still a Great Crosby cordwainer when daughter baptised at St. Lukes
1851 still a Great Crosby shoemaker when son baptised at the same place. The census of this year has the family in Great Crosby village
1854 now living in Waterloo, but still a shoemaker, and still baptised this final child at St. Luke's. Interestingly, the baptism takes place six months after the birth
1856 Thomas, a 'boot and shoemaker' dies in Great Crosby
And that's that. None of his children became shoemakers. Did he ever have a shop? Is the story true? Any help gratefully appreciated!