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Thanks for that, but the genealogy budget doesn't stretch to certificates these days!

Ben's Dad was John Bray, a butcher. William Turner was his stepfather.

Odd there's no marriage listed. Are Holmfirth marriages of this era accessible on Ancestry?

This is amazing. Thank you so much! Yes, that is the right Ann. Daughter of John the butcher. Will read all this more thoroughly in a bit and give some actual thoughts!

Hi,

  I've written the following on the above character and thought it might be useful for anyone doing research on this line. No specific questions, although any thoughts on how to cover more ground or avenues for attempting to source a photograph of the person in question (my key aim with this project) would be gratefully appreciated.

  Benjamin was the younger sibling of my Great Great Grandfather William Bray, who had been born in 1821.

By the time that Benjamin Bray was ten in 1851, he was living with his siblings down the road from his mother and stepfather, William and Rachel Turner. He was working in the mill as a billy piercer. He moved back in with his mother and stepfather by the time he was in his early 20s and is shown at their home in 1861 when he is still at the mill, now working as a Wool Slubber.
Benjamin doesn’t appear to be on the 1871 census, but he does seem to appear in 1881. The Benjamin in question is listed as being born in 1841 in Wooldale, which seems a good bet. He is living at Waterside in Newsome, Almonbury and he is a mason’s labourer. His wife, Jane, six years his junior, is from Almonbury and is working as a woollen burler. Their daughter, Laura A (born South Crosland). is 16 and a worsted piecer and their son, James aged 5 (born Lockwood) is a scholar.
In 1891, a Ben Bray is listed as living as a lodger at Norridge Bottom and working as a stone mason. He listed as married, but is clearly alone. A James Bray, aged 17 born ‘not known’ is boarding at Nab Lane, Cartworth and working as a farm labourer. A Jane Bray aged 39 dies in the area in early 1891.
A Ben Bray died in the Spring of 1895 aged 55.

Hi,

  I've written the following on the above character and thought it might be useful for anyone doing research on this line. No specific questions, although any thoughts on how to cover more ground or avenues for attempting to source a photograph of the person in question (my key aim with this project) would be gratefully appreciated.

  Thomas was the younger sibling of my Great Great Grandfather William Bray, who had been born in 1821.

Thomas Bray was a woollen piecer at the Mill from at least the age of 12 (according to the 1841 census). By the age of 22, he was working as a woollen slubber and lived with his elder brother Richard and younger siblings Ann, Benjamin and James just down the road from his mother and stepfather by Cuttell Mill in Wooldale.
He married Hannah, two years his junior, and had his first child, Richard, with her in 1850. Emma followed in 1854. The family moved to Saddleworth shortly after this, and had their third child, Charles there in 1859. The family stayed in Saddleworth and moved to Wallhill Clough where they can be found in the 1861 census along with Betty Booth, a 20 year old servant from Holmfirth who was visiting them on the night in question.
The family had three more additions in the 1860s, with Sarah Ann arriving in 1863, Ernest in 1867 and John Thomas in 1870, by which time Hannah was 39 years old. By the time of the 1871 census, Thomas, now 42, is working as a gardener and the family are living in Tamewater, Saddleworth. Daughter Emma, now 17, is a hatter, and Charles, now 13, is a felter for a hat makers.
Thomas continued working as a gardener and the family remained in Tamewater where, in 1879, when Hannah was 48 years old, they had another child, Lillie.
Two years later, the census captures the family still in Tamewater. Emma, now 27, was still living at home and working as a weaver, whilst Sarah Ann, now 17, was working in the cotton mill, alongside the 13 year old Ernest, who was a woollen piecer. John Thomas, 10 is still at school and Lillie 2, is still at home.
Remaining at Tamewater, Thomas remained employ as a gardener and Emma, Ernest, John and Lilly remained in the family home right through ‘til 1891. By this time, Emma was 37 and unemployed, but Ernest, now 23, was working as an iron fitter. John Thomas, 21, was a domestic servant (groom) and young Lillie was 12 and still at school.
Seven years later, Hannah died in the Spring of 1898, aged 67. Thomas died late the following year aged 71.
Of the couple’s children, Ernest could be found in New Street, Uppermill in 1901. He was 33 and working as a railway plate layer. He lived with his wife, Eliza A, 32, and children Alice, 9, Tom, 8, and Robert P, 1.