Melling nr Maghull, Lancs !

[Maxie1]

Hi all,

Does anyone have any background knowledge to the little village of Melling nr Maghull, Lancashire ?

In 1881, my ggrandad (Walter Carr aged 5) lived as a boarder, in Giddy Gate Lane Cottage, with a family called the Manchesters.  Some of them are buried in the grounds of St. Thomas' Parish Church, Melling.

I am trying to understand why my ggdad lived with them and stayed with them until he got married. Particularly as the 1881 census says his birthplace was Cartmel.

We have not been able to find Walter's birth certificate but know that his father was called John Carr, so I wondered if any historians from around the area of Melling may be able to assist me in any way ?

Maxie

[CaroleW]

Walter's birthplace is shown as Cartmel which came under the Ulverston Registration District and he was living in Maghull - not Melling

Also - he is shown as Walter J

but know that his father was called John Carr

Did you get this from Walters marriage cert?   If he was illegitimate - it was common practice for illegitimate children to make up a fathers name when they married so as to appear "respectable"

Probably something and nothing but there is an Eliza Carr marriage in Ulverston in the June qtr 1875 - spouse is Walter Fletcher

I can't find any biological link between the Manchesters and Walter - Jane Manchester was nee Halsall and neither Richard nor Jane was born in the Ulverston locality

[garstonite]

Looking on lan-opc it looks like although living in Maghull, the Manchester family used
St Michael, Aughton ,Lancs
St Thomas ,Melling has a lot of parish entries..
allan

[Maxie1]

Hi, yes I can confirm that my ggdad does name his father as 'John Carr (deceased)' on his marriage certificate (to Jane Riding on 15 Nov 1910) . Joseph Manchester & Esther Manchester are witnesses on the M/Cert. So if you follow the census's through you can see that he stays with the Manchester family and grows up with their children.

In the 1881 census, when ggdad Walter is only 5, the Manchester's have only just started with their family.  It seems quite a big commitment to take on a 5yr old when they are just starting their own family.

On the 1861 census Jane Manchester (nee Halsall) is aged 10 and lives near a 'Carr' family.  They have a son called John Carr who is aged 6.  I wondered if there could be a link here ?

Any more thoughts ?
 

[CaroleW]

But it is a long way from Maghull to Cartmel where Walter was born

Richard and Jane Manchester married in 1869 but their first child was only born in 1879/80

[Maxie1]

Hello,

My earliest record of Walter Carr is at age 5 on the 1881 census.  Our family records hold his marriage certificate which shows Joseph Manchester & Esther Manchester as his witnesses.  There is also a tombstone in the grounds of St. Thomas's in Melling which lists a number of the Manchester family.

Jane & Richard Manchester's first child is William Henry who is born in 1878 and dies at 5mths and...thanks to Allan (Garstonite) ...it would seem that both William and his father Richard, are buried in the grounds of St. Michael's Aughton.

Whilst Magull and Cartmell are some distance apart, Walter grew up with the Manchester family who lived in the Maghull and Melling area.   I wondered if I was able to find out about history and any connections to the Manchester family, they may provide some good links to help me find out about Walters true mother and father which would then lead me to Cartmel.

[suttking]

My grandfather was a long standing resident in this area and played the organ at St Thomas for over 50 years. He wrote several short books on the history of Melling, its environs and residents. I cant find any mention of the Manchester family nor any connection with Cartmel. Melling was essentially a rural community, but was connected via the canal, which was significant in its development around the time you are looking at. The most significant industry was Midland pottery, this has strong Scottish connections, but may have brought labour from elsewhere. Unfortunately it was destroyed by fire so records on employees etc are in short supply.

[Maxie1]

Thanks  Suttking for your response.  I have been over to Melling today for a visit. We noticed that the old primary school in Melling which some of my family members attended has at least 2 date stones, one shows 1890 and another shows 1910.  However there is also another couple of stones which we couldn't read.  We are trying to establish what is the original start date of the school and the liklihood of my gggrandad attending it along with the Manchester children.  We are trying to establish what school/s they would have attended in the period of approx 1880 - 1890.  I wondered  if any of your grandfather's books refer to the local schools ?

[Gibel]

Genuki quotes from an 1870 gazeteer and mentions that there is a national school. That would have been Church of England school and was probably the school near the church St Thomas.

Gibel