I am stuck in circa 1807. Family legend has it that at sometime in the dim & distant past our surname was changed from Chadwick to Lister, but I have found no evidence of this in my research so far.
The story which goes down my branch of the family is that the name was changed because of the shame brought about by some criminal activity. Another branch has it that this was because of a financial dispute which ended with money in chancery. If either of these reasons is true, there will be a record of it somewhere, but no one knows when either of these alleged events took place.
There is also some doubt about the birth/baptism of my great great grandfather, John Lister.
Known facts :-
John James Lister (my great grandfather) born 11/1/1842 at Hull. His father was John Lister & his mother Ann Bevitt. Census returns show John as born at Pontefract, Yorkshire circa 1807. His death certificate shows he died in November 1882 aged 76, which suggests he was born 1806. His marriage certificate to his second wife Mary Ann Widdup shows his father's name was Thomas Lister.
Pontefract parish registers show a John Lister, son of Mary (no father) illegitimate, bapt 30/8/1807.
Also, John Lister, son of Thomas & Ann, bapt 13/10/1811. (This seems to be too late)
Also John Lister, son of John & Sarah, bapt. Brotherton (a nearby parish to Pontefract) 19/7/1807
Also John Lister, son of Thomas & Hannah, bapt. Darrington (another nearby parish) 31/1/1808.
Conclusions drawn so far :
If John's father was named Thomas, then it looks as though the Darrington parish record is correct. If that is true, then I can trace the Lister family back to the 1600s & the Chadwick story must be untrue. However, John Lister gave two of his sons the middle name of Chadwick, so there is a link to that name somewhere.
Has anyone any suggestions as to what I can do next please?
