There is a skeleton in the family wardrobe here, if I can ever sort it out.
I am trying to find information on my GGGGrandfather and his family.... James Hodgson b1783c, was a brick maker. He died 27 Oct 1851 in Ribbleton Lane, Preston. Joseph Hodgson from Mill Street Preston, was present at his death. I think Joseph was James' son. I can't trace James in 1841 or 51 censuses. I found James' name and occupation on my GGGrandmother's Alice Hodgson's b1805 Preston and William Wrennall marriage cert. They married late in life in 1864 at St Wilfrid Church Preston, after having lived together for over 23 years. From all this, I think Alice and Joseph are siblings. I think I have found their mother is probably an Ann Fisher. The only possibility I have found on LDS, to match all these details.
Alice Hodgson above, had 3 children. In the 1841 census, she was living as a widow, working for William Wrennall married, a butcher. As I have said, she went on to marry William. Her children all had her Hodgson surname, leading me to the conclusion they were illegitimate. They were baptized in St John Preston, only mother's name given. Richard Hodgson b1836, John Hodgson b1839 and My GGrandmother Betsy Hodgson (Elizabeth) b1840. Alice may have given widow as her status in the 1841.... But on her marriage to William the butcher, she was a spinster! Giving further evidence to her children having been illegitimate.
My GGrandmother Elizabeth Hodgson (above b1840,) married Richard Forshaw using the surname Reynolds (a variant of Wrennall) in 1858, at St John Preston. She also named William Reynolds (Wrennall) the butcher as her father. So I am uncertain at present if William was really her birthfather or stepfather.
Quite a puzzle to sort out. I can only conclude James Hodgson's daughter, Alice Hodgson, was an unmarried mother when she met William or the children were William Wrennall's but he couldn't marry Alice, because he was already married. He went on to marry Alice after they had lived together for over 23 years, when his 1st wife died. I don't know if I will ever find out exactly what occurred. I would love to hear from anyone with these names in their tree.
