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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Yorkshire (West Riding) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) Lookup Requests => Topic started by: Burrow Digger on Sunday 02 July 17 20:38 BST (UK)
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I am now working on my ex-brother-in-laws family. He is a Wordsworth and his family want to know if they are related in anyway to the poet William Wordsworth. Obviously not as a descendant but maybe as a cousin however many times removed.
So I have traced the family in NZ back to a fellow named William Wordsworth who was born in the Sheffield area in 1851, and his father was George Wordsworth. According to William's obituary (From Papers Past) he worked as a steel roller in Sheffield before getting married to Mary Alice Clarke in 1872, and emigrating with the wife and 2 small boys to NZ in 1876. I think the wife died on the trip to NZ, because while she got on the boat, she does not seem to get off - or at least there is no record of her in NZ at all. William got married a second time to Hannah West of Te Kopuru near Dargaville in (What is now) Northland, NZ in 1878.
Getting back to George, I want to find William's parents. His fathers name was George and he named one of his daughters Martha after his mother.
There seem to be two couples named George and Martha in the West Riding in the 1800s.
One is George and Martha of Thurgoland. I think she used to be Martha Pollard. and their children include names such as Rachel, and Benjamin. They also dont seem to have a son named William. This is NOT my Williams family.
The other George and Martha are living in the Worsborough (aka Worsbro) area near Sheffield. Their children are - John, Ann, Joseph, Mary, William and Martha. In the 1871 census there is also a grandson named David. I think this George's father was also called David Wordsworth and that this George was born in Worsborough in 1805.
But I have no idea what Martha's maiden name was. I cannot find any record of their marriage. I only know that she is NOT Martha Pollard.
So if SKS could find the marriage for me, and perhaps anything more on George's parents (David and an unknown mother) that would be great, thanks.
Thank you for any help you can provide.
Burrow Digger
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The new GRO Index Search show Mother's maiden names for nearly all births from 1837.
If you can find the children's birth registrations, then you should be able to find a maiden name?
https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/indexes_search.asp
You have to register, but it's free to use.
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Hi I think George & Martha possibly married c 1836, in 1851 they have been transcribed as WADSWORTH HO107/2333/204/2 in Barnsley
Baptism 9th February 1851 Worsbrough William Wordsworth Father George occ Labourer Mother Martha address Ward Green.
Birth registration William Wordsworth March qtr 1851 Barnsley v22 page 35 mmn Shelden
Keyboard86
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Yes I was just about to mention that George and Martha probably got married before 1837 because the oldest son John was aged 5 in the 1841 census..
What does mmn Shelden mean? Is that Martha's maiden name?
Thanks.
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Martha SHELDON married George WADSWORTH 9th February 1835 Sheffield Cathedral, so it looks like they also used the Wadsworth surname?
Keyboard86
PS mmn = Mothers maiden name!
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Excellent Keyboard, Thank you so much. :) You just confirmed that I have the right family!!
One of William's son had Sheldon as a middle name. Now I know where it came from.
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There is another thread on this forum about Wordsworth and Wadsworth and they claim that those who are C of E use Wordsworth, while the dissenters (I assume that means Non-conformists) use Wadsworth.
Not sure if I believe that. I don't see any need or reason for it either.
This is just an FYI - not related to my main question.
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Hi again, Martha Wordsworth was buried 3rd February 1870 Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield Spouse Geo aged 54
Keyboard86
EDIT George Wordsworth is also buried there 16th September 1879 aged 73
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Thank you again :)