Hiya
I am trying to find the ancestors of William Stapleton, a shoemaker, born around 1804 allegedly in Marylebone. I seem to be truly stuck on this important family line (it was my mother's maiden name) at a relatively early stage - can any miracle worker help please?
My trail backwards starts with Henry Stapleton, a fishmonger, b 15/6/1845 in All Souls, Marylebone, parents William Stapleton & Mary (formerly McMasters). His siblings appear to be William b ca 1827, also a shoemaker; Mary Ann b 1/11/1830; Ellen b 9/4/1841; & Betsy b 29/6/1849 (chr in the Workhouse chapel) - all Marylebone.
Despite the 1841 birth certificate of Ellen (parents William & Mary Stapleton formerly MacMaster), William (senior), described as a bachelor, married Mary McMaster, a spinster, 4/5/1845 at All Souls Church St Marylebone. Their fathers are stated as Jeremiah Stapleton & Peter McMaster, both deceased and both shoemakers - (a lot of cobblers).
The censuses show William's year of birth consistently as 1802/3 and this is supported by his death in Q1 1876 age 73. In 1841 the birth place says "not Middlesex" but for 1851 it is Marylebone and for 1861 & also 1871 when he was in the local Workhouse - it is St Giles (Holborn).
And this is where I have got stuck. I cannot find his birth on the LDS site, not even one close.
The only Jeremiah Stapletons I could find seem to be from the Rutland area, mockingly, one chr 1794 in Wakerley Northants - but too young to be my William's father - was a shoemaker. He was still around in Uppingham in 1841 and Preston (Rutland) in 1851. The other chr 1762 in Morcott also seemed to be around in Empingham in 1841. I think he married Elizabeth Hull in 1786 in Empingham so he could be my man - but maybe I am clutching at straws. My William stayed in pretty much the same All Souls area of Marylebone throughout his life as far as I can see, so there is little to argue with the St Giles christening.
Thank you so very much
Mick
PS - I am abroad, trying (and failing) to earn a crust to send kids to college & cannot get to the record centres as I only get back to the UK very infrequently.
