Author Topic: Who was James Hilton's father?  (Read 1343 times)

Offline annesthreads

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Who was James Hilton's father?
« on: Saturday 10 October 15 19:00 BST (UK) »
Please excuse the length of what follows:

I'm looking at my grandmother's family, the Hiltons in Lancashire. Many years ago my aunt did a lot of research. Unfortunately in her later years she seems to have given most of her finished material, long promised to me, to another relative,  :( - but, moving quickly on..  I'm picking through all her rough notes. Also she would have liked to find aristocratic, or at least gentrified, connections, so some of her work is rather speculative..

Anyway, my great great grandfather was James Hilton, b 1844. His mother was Mary Hilton. James had a brother, Thomas Worthington Hilton, born 1838.  It took me a while to realise that Hilton was Mary's maiden name. There were a couple of vague notes in my aunt's papers to the effect that she was "Mrs Cliff". After several false starts with my searches the penny finally dropped - this very upright, high-Anglican family had an illegitimacy lurking...

I've just obtained James's birth certificate and have discovered that his father is recorded -  James Cliff. Mary registered the birth (September 1844).

Several curiosities here:

James Cliff's occupation is turnkey at the New Bailey Prison, Salford. This fits, as my aunt's  notes say that Mary's mother, Sarah, was matron there for many years.

James Hilton's marriage certificate in 1880, on his marriage to Elizabeth Gerrard, shows his father as being William Cliffe Hilton, gentleman.

 I'm 99% certain that Mary never married. She's shown as unmarried on every census but one, the final one she appears on, that has widow. She's head of household on each census, living with her sons until near the end of her life, when she was with her sister's family. I can find no marriage to James/William Cliff(e) or anyone else.

So what was going on?!

Was James's father  William or James, Cliff or Cliffe? (Would the parish records of James's marraige give groom's father's name? If so, I must check those to see what they say).

 How did a turnkey end up as a gentleman?

 How did he get away with claiming to be called Hilton on the marriage certificate? (Maybe identity checks weren't very stringent in those days).

James married into an extremely respectable family, the Gerrards of Ince Hall, Lancashire. Did the Gerrards know that they were allowing their daughter to marry a bastard - would they have been at all likely to countenance that in 1880? (I don't think the marriage was for an obvious reason - the first child was born 10 months later), or could they have been deceived by the Hiltons? 

It's not entirely clear from my aunt's notes whether she realised that James was illegitimate, but I think she must have known or at least had strong suspicions that she left uninvestigated..

I might get Thomas Worthington Hilton's birth certificate to see whether his father is on there (I'm guessing it might be a Mr Worthington). The notes say that Thomas was sent to a posh school in the south of England, while James was educated locally, so maybe Thomas's father paid for his education.

I need to look more closely for William/James Cliff(e), but it's not an uncommon name in the area, and a first glance suggested that there might be several candidates. And which is likely to be correct anyway?

I'd be very interested to hear people's comments and suggestions!

Brien; Young (Gloucestershire and Manchester); Gleave; Wilson (Lincolnshire and Manchester); Brandish; Buxton; Govier; Hilton (Lancashire); Gerrard; Bishop (Gloucestershire).

Offline ..claire..

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Re: Who was James Hilton's father?
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 10 October 15 19:22 BST (UK) »
Hi

Here is Thomas Worthington Hiltons baptism record, might help a little

 Thomas Worthington Hilton bapt.  11 Mar 1838 at St George, Hulme, Lancashire
 Son of Richard Worthington & Mary Hilton, Spinster
 Born: 23 Jan 1838
 Abode: Hulme Hall
 Baptised by: C. F. Baldwin

claire
Luce, Tippett , Thomson, Dolling ~ Devon & Cornwall
Mocquard ~ London, France
Census info is Crown Copyright http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline annesthreads

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Re: Who was James Hilton's father?
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 10 October 15 19:30 BST (UK) »
Hi

Here is Thomas Worthington Hiltons baptism record, might help a little

claire

It certainly does - thanks Claire. That confirms my suspicion re the father of Thomas. Sadly, I think the family's pretensions to gentility were very much a pipe dream!
Brien; Young (Gloucestershire and Manchester); Gleave; Wilson (Lincolnshire and Manchester); Brandish; Buxton; Govier; Hilton (Lancashire); Gerrard; Bishop (Gloucestershire).

Offline ..claire..

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Re: Who was James Hilton's father?
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 10 October 15 19:43 BST (UK) »
Hi

Here is one of Thomas Worthington Hiltons marriage details

March 23 rd 1866 St Thomas Upholland

Thomas W Hilton full age widower, Mining Engineer.  of Haigh. Father: Richard Worthington Hilton~deceased
Elizabeth Boardman full age spinster. of Billinge Higher End. Father: William Boardman ~ deceased

Both signed
Witnesses: William Kellett and Mary Alice Boardman

claire
Luce, Tippett , Thomson, Dolling ~ Devon & Cornwall
Mocquard ~ London, France
Census info is Crown Copyright http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk


Offline ..claire..

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Re: Who was James Hilton's father?
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 10 October 15 19:52 BST (UK) »
And his first marriage

16 January 1861 Emmanuel Church Newton in Makerfield

T W Hilton bachelor 21 surveyor of Wigan. Father: Richard Worthington ~ Gentleman
Margaret Mather spinster 21 of Newton. Father: Horatio Mather ~ surgeon

Both signed
Witnesses: John Mather, John Hoggart and Adam Cartwright

RE the baptism of Thomas W Hilton, in the actual register it states Mary a spinster and the fathers name Richard Worthington has been circled.

claire
Luce, Tippett , Thomson, Dolling ~ Devon & Cornwall
Mocquard ~ London, France
Census info is Crown Copyright http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

Offline annesthreads

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Re: Who was James Hilton's father?
« Reply #5 on: Saturday 10 October 15 21:24 BST (UK) »
And his first marriage

16 January 1861 Emmanuel Church Newton in Makerfield

T W Hilton bachelor 21 surveyor of Wigan. Father: Richard Worthington ~ Gentleman
Margaret Mather spinster 21 of Newton. Father: Horatio Mather ~ surgeon

Both signed
Witnesses: John Mather, John Hoggart and Adam Cartwright

RE the baptism of Thomas W Hilton, in the actual register it states Mary a spinster and the fathers name Richard Worthington has been circled.

claire

Thankyou. So a similar situation, a father who is described as "gentleman", and acknowledged on birth and marriage documents. I hadn't realised that people were so open in these circumstances at this date.
Brien; Young (Gloucestershire and Manchester); Gleave; Wilson (Lincolnshire and Manchester); Brandish; Buxton; Govier; Hilton (Lancashire); Gerrard; Bishop (Gloucestershire).