Stephen Ratcliffe, Shropshire.

[saratony]

Hi, Could anyone please help me to trace the parents of Stephen Ratcliff(e), born c. 1799 in Shropshire. Any information, especially their births and marriage would be much appreciated.
Stephen states Shropshire as his birthplace on the 1851 and 1861 censuses when he is in Manchester.  Stephen Ratcliff(e)'s descendants are in Manchester to this day, and my husband and I  have all relevant documentation and information and would be only too pleased to share what we have thus far. 
 I have ordered and received Stephen Ratcliff(e) to Ann Ogden's marriage record from St. Mary The Virgin Church, Prestwich, Manchester. However, this doesn't state either of their parents names or give me any links to Stephen's roots in Shropshire. Once again, please, please is there anybody out there who could help me to further my research on the Ratcliff(e) family? Good luck and God bless you all, Saratony.
P.S. We believed he was baptised a Roman Catholic in Shropshire but don't know which church. Could anyone please help us with how to access Roman Catholic baptism records? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Your Tree Searcher]

Hello

The marriage record you have - were they married by banns or licence?

If licence, you may be lucky if it has survived, and this will give you more information.

Your Tree Searcher

[saratony]

Hello, Your Tree Searcher,

Thank you for your reply and the information.  Stephen Ratcliff(e) and Ann Ogden's marriage record from St. Mary the Virgin, Prestwich, Manchester, states that they were married on 26th August 1822 by banns.
Thank you for the idea though, we hadn't thought of checking for a marriage licence. Any other ideas or thoughts you have would be greatly apprecited as Stephen Ratcliff(e) and Wistanstow have become a big stumbling block in our family research.
God bless and thanks again from your fellow family researcher, Saratony.

[Your Tree Searcher]

Hello

have you contacted the Shropshire Family History Society?

They may have an index available to search, or give general guidance of where you can try to find your family.

Your Tree Searcher

[craven481]

I realise this thread is quite old but came across it in a general search of Ratcliff's whilst updating my family tree.  I don't know if we have been in touch before but cannot find any record of doing so.  I have a family trees on both Ancestry and Genes.

Stephen is my 3 times great grandfather and I too cannot get back further than him. I have a copy of the marriage register and burial register but can't find a christening.
 
My paternal great grandfather, Thomas Craven [1846-1875] married Alice Ratcliff [1848-1898] who was the daughter of John Ratcliff [1823-1882]. John was the son of Stephen.

I wondered if you had come across any further info in the years since posting your request?

Regards
Ken

[saratony]

Hi Ken,

Stephen's Son John Ratcliff married Elizabeth Dutton on 15th May 1845 at the Colliagate parish church in Manchester and Stephen attended this wedding with Elizabeth's father Joseph.
Stephen, whose full name is Joshua Stephen Ratcliff, for some reason just used his middle name after he returned to Manchester after living with his parents who worked on the Shropshire Union Canal.
Joshua Stephen Ratcliff's Dad was also called Joshua Ratcliff, born in Manchester and baptised at St. Michaels, Ashton Under Lyne, Lancashire on 26th Feb 1775. His Dad was John Ratcliff and his mother was Hannah. Source film number 1520051.
We have the rest of the Ratcliff line going back to Ivo de Tailbois and a few generations back into France, and Ivo de Tailbois wife, Lucia Mallet, we have her line going back over 2000 years.
This is our family line that we have traced and as you know we have lived in Manchester from the beginning, except for one generation working on the Shropshire Union Canal. A lot of information was sourced from late family members.
Stephen and his wife Ann Ogden had 7 children, John, Mary, James, Alice, Elizabeth, Joseph and Ann. Stephen died on 23rd Jan 1865 in Hulme, Manchester of Chronic Bronchitis and is buried at St Mary the Virgin Church in Prestwich Manchester.
We hope this helps tracking your part of the family line down. The last of the Ogen line, Albert died in Wythenshawe, Manchester about four years ago.
If we can help you in any other way please do just ask. We may not be able to answer right as we both have serious health issues but we have all the relevant paperwork which took many decades to build up by word of mouth, BMD certificates handed down the family and a lot of investigation.
God bless and good luck.
ps, John Ratcliff, the Son of Joshua Stephen Ratcliff, is the line I descend from.