New change of names database, has anyone tried it?

[Romilly]

Thanks for the info Pennines and Stan, - much appreciated.

I'm guessing that my Grandfather never did anything 'legal', - if he did change his name at all.

It's perfectly possible of course, that his Birth in Approx 1860, was never registered. And with a name like Wilson, it's quite possible to hide on the earlier Censuses... It just seems curious to me that while he is perfectly traceable and settled after his Marriage in 1893, and appears on the 1901 and 1911 Censuses; his origins remain shrouded in obscurity!

And I have also spent much time and effort trying to find him with the Father that he names on his Marriage Cert, 'William Wilson (Deceased) Occupation: Mason', - but again, have drawn a blank. The most likely explanation is that he was illegitimate, was registered under his Mother's name, and took on the name 'Wilson' when she married someone of that name.

But... I will probably never know the true situation.

Romilly

[pharmaT]

knowledge around the law and name changes tends to be patchy at best.  I have been trying to return to using my maiden name and the information I have been given by various companies and organisations has been shocking.  Including such gems as "it's illegal for a married woman to use her maiden name".  My 3x grt grandfather changed his name and appears to have just started using it.

[Pennines]

Romilly,

I know this is a complete long shot -- but on the 1861 census there is a William Wilson, shown as born in 1820, Ackworth, Yorkshire -- a stone mason -- shown as a Surgical Patient in Manchester Royal Infirmary. He is a Widower.

I haven't investigated him further - but went into the realms of fantasy -- perhaps your William James was his son -- mother died in childbirth and William James was taken into either a children's home - or was cared for by a relative. If the latter - he may have been recorded on the census under the relative's surname.

Doesn't explain why you can't find his birth though, unless father was ill - mother died - and he was never registered.

As I say -- I haven't looked into this William Wilson, so it may be a complete red herring.
 

[Romilly]

Hi Pennines,

Just found your reply to this... (I've been away). Many thanks for looking, - Yes, I too found the 'William Wilson, Born Ackworth, a Surgical Patient in Manchester on the 1861 Census'.  It's on Piece 2954, Folio 33, Page 11. As you say, listed as 'Widower'.

I tried following him through the later Censuses, and if my memory serves me correctly, he ends up in Pontefract Workhouse. He's listed there on the 1881 Census:
http://www.workhouses.org.uk/Pontefract/Pontefract1881.shtml

I found no trace of a William James Wilson being with him at all though... It's very frustrating...:-(

Romilly.

[Pennines]

Romilly - you must be SO frustrated with this mystery.

You are right about William the Stone Mason ending up in the Workhouse near Pontefract in 1881 --it looks like he died in 1882 and was buried at St Giles and St Mary's Church, Pontefract.

He had married a Margaret (born Scotland) at some point between 1861 and 1871 as they are living in Todmorden by the time of the 1871 census.

That doesn't help one jot though!

If William James Wilson married in 1893 - you would have thought he would have been living in the same area where he married, in 1891 --- but I can't find him. I have explored the 'Oxford' Street addresses (couldn't find Lower Oxford St as per marriage address) -- in 1891 and got all excited as there was a William James (surname James) on that street -- but totally the wrong chap.

I have also searched the Friendly Society Records held at Warwick University for Stone Masons in the hope that the William Wilson may have taken out a policy -- but he didn't. That site can be fairly useful if you have a Stone Mason ancestor and he had a policy for himself and his family.
(Just for future reference).

https://warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/explorefurther/subject_guides/family_history/stone/obituaries/wh/

(I may not have managed to copy that entire link - it was quite lengthy and applied to the section covering the initial 'W')

Really sorry not to have been able to help -- there must be a solution -- but heaven knows what.

[Romilly]

Hi Pennines,

Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to look at this for me, your efforts are greatly appreciated. It is indeed very frustrating that I can seemingly get no further with this:-(

As my late Father, (son of William James Wilson) died when I was 5, ( and was 30yrs) older than my Mother), there is no one still alive who could give me any pointers with this...

What an interesting Site the Warwick University one that you posted is! Many thanks for posting it.

Several years ago now I tried manually going through the 1891 Census for Swansea, to see if I could find William James Wilson on there, but no joy. He's on the Electoral Rolls for Swansea from 1894 to 1932, but not before then. I found several Articles concerning him on the Welsh Newspapers On- Line Site though, concerning his Invention, and then the initial stages of Bankruptcy proceedings. He didn't actually go bankrupt, but in one of the articles, he says that he started his Painting and Decorating Company, 'Wilson and Co' in 1895 with the sum of £36. This seemed an unusual sum, but perhaps the sort of amount that one might get on leaving one of the Services?

Surfice it to say that I have got nowhere with any of this! But it's not for want of trying.

Romilly 

[Pennines]

Just looked at Military Records -- there was a William Wilson, right age, enlisted at Salford,Manchester aged 19 -- but he married during his Army Service. Shucks!

What did your William James invent? Something to make him disappear from all records for a while maybe?
(No need to reply Romilly - I'm only joking - but I'll be dreaming about him tonight.)

[Romilly]

The football is too painful to watch Pennines...

And so I have dug out the Article concerning my Grandfather's 'Hot Air' Invention... (Sorry, - 'Pure Air', - I have to joke about it... otherwise I'd tear my hair out:-)

[sandiep]

there is a William Wilson b 1860 Manchester MMN Quinn and there is a William Wilson married a Frances Quinn in Manchester 1851
haven't tried to find them anywhere else yet